Verse of the Day

Show NotesWhy Read the Bible?“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) Episode Summary:In this episode, we discuss the importance of reading the Bible along with some common objections, misconceptions, and societal ramifications on developing the habit. Reading the Bible is our duty as Christians, so that we can study Scripture in-depth to the point that we can explain it at its most primitive. “There is enough dust on some of your Bibles to write 'damnation' with your finger.” - Charles H. SpurgeonHighlights from this Episode01:13 Intro to the question, "Why read the Bible?" 01:26 Our Desire 03:40 Western Civilization and the Bible 09:58 Perspicuity 12:18 The Message is Primitive 13:53 It's Our Duty Links:To learn more and read/listen to other articles: https://burningbush.blog/ (https://burningbush.blog) Follow Us:Follow BURNING BUSH MINISTRIES on FACEBOOK, TWITTER, and INSTAGRAM: http://www.facebook.com/burningbushblog (www.facebook.com/burningbushblog) http://www.twitter.com/burningbushblog (www.twitter.com/burningbushblog) http://www.instagram.com/burningbush.blog (www.instagram.com/burningbush.blog) This podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy Podtrac - https://analytics.podtrac.com/privacy-policy-gdrp Support this podcast

We see this phrase: “the tongue” used throughout Scripture – both literally and metaphorically. This is especially true for the books of Psalms, Proverbs, and James. For example, https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%203.5 (James 3:5) says that the tongue is a “small part of the body,” yet in today's verse, https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%2018.21 (Proverbs 18:21), it says that “death and life are in the power of the tongue.” Furthermore, this is true whether we refer to spiritual, physical, or emotional “death and life. The word tongue is often referencing spoken word through a special kind of figure of speech called metonymy. An example of this is a sentence like, “The pen is mightier than the sword.” We know that a pen has no power over a sword. However, we also understand that this phrase means that the written word and sharing of ideas are more powerful than fighting. Similarly, https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%2015.4 (Proverbs 15:4) says that “A deceitful tongue crushes the spirit.” It should be evident that the literal tongue cannot crush the human spirit. However, it is instead referring to the words we produce. So now, let us cover these three aspects in which the tongue can cause “death and life.”  Consider this: the words that we produce have eternal implications. This is because the words we say and the speech we use provides evidence for what is in the heart. Jesus discusses this in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2012.35 (Matthew 12:35) when He says that “The good person out of his good treasure brings forth good, and the evil person out of his evil treasure brings forth evil.” He continues in the next verse, saying, “I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2012.36 (Matthew 12:36 ESV)). By ourselves, we are completely incapable of “taming the tongue” because, as https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%203.8 (James 3:8) says, “it is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.” A tongue that is tamed is a mark of the Spirit's power. In https://biblia.com/bible/we/Matt%2012.37 (Matthew 12:37, we) learn that apart from accepting Jesus' atonement on the cross, we will be judged by our words: “for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”  As we look at https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%2018.21 (Proverbs 18:21) literally, meaning the tongue can cause physical life or death – we don't need to think very hard. Our words have consequences. Our words create actions, and these can be good or bad. A jury can sentence a man to death or freedom by one word, “guilty” or “innocent.” A weatherman can warn others of incoming deadly weather, like tornadoes. A school counselor may give life-saving hope to a suicidal student. Verbal arguments can cause murders. In this understanding of our words having physical consequences, the tongue has the power of life and death. James describes (in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%203.6 (James 3:6)) the tongue as “a fire.” He says, “And the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness. The tongue is set among our members, staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell.” Pretty intense. In https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%2015.4 (Proverbs 15:4), Solomon describes a “gentle” tongue akin to “a tree of life.” “A gentle tongue is a tree of life, but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.” The Bible tells us that what we say can and does have a profound effect on those around us.  Our speech has enormous implications, consequences, and effects. This is especially so as a vehicle for sharing the gospel. https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%2010.14 (Romans 10:14) says, “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are...

Paul continues this testimony with a phrase that is unique to the Pastoral Epistles (1 Timothy, 2 Timothy, & Titus), "the saying is trustworthy." This exact phrase is also used in 1 Timothy 3:1 and 4:9 and in 2 Timothy 2:11, as well as Titus 3:8. Further, this phrase is being used as an emphasis on a point or quote that Paul wants Timothy or Titus to remember. The statement that we're to remember from today's verse is, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost." As Paul was martyred for his faith, his writings in these letters reflect the image of a man who transitioned from proud, to a new believer, to then a mature believer who then saw himself as someone in complete need of God's grace. Paul, similar to that of David, even saw himself as sinful from his mother's womb (Psalm 51:5). Today I'm going to leave with a quote from John Calvin, who writes, "The more any one is oppressed by his sins, let him the more courageously betake himself to Christ, relying on this doctrine, that he came to bring salvation not to the righteous, but to 'sinners.'" The salvation that we are graciously given through Jesus' death on the cross is at the same time the most basic element of the gospel, and it is the most profound. So as you go about your day, consider this: have you fully embraced the Lord's desire to save sinners through Jesus Christ? Have you fully embraced this purpose to others?

David tells us in this verse that he actively sought the Lord, and the Lord answered him. Even though we see that David experienced fear shortly before this prayer, he makes it clear in other verses that he has no reason to be afraid (such as in Psalm 27:3). He knew, through his previous experiences and wisdom that God would still be in control. Look at the following verse: "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?" - Psalm 27:1David wasn't immune to having anxiety or fear, and neither are we. But David prayed. Graciously, God removed all his fears. We have no shortage of things to cause us fear or anxiety today. Sickness, our physical safety, job security, the political status of our country, you name it. However, there's a truth that we, as believers, need to start applying. Faith replaces fear. Look at what Paul says in Philippians 4:6-7, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus." We've mentioned this before, and it's time to cover it again. There's a quote that people say all the time, "God won't give us anything we can't handle." And that's simply not true. We're never guaranteed to be taken "out of" harm's way. God won't give us anything the He can't handle. And we see throughout the Bible that God has promised to see us "through" any harm (John 16:33; 17:15; Matthew 6:25-34). The joy that we hold as believers comes from knowing that Christ already obtained the victory, and that nothing we could ever experience can undo that (Romans 8:38-39). So therefore, as believers we need to set aside anxiety and fear (Matthew 6:25-34), and trust God to do His will.

This verse is incredibly important to understand in the context of the verses leading up to it. In Micah 6:6b, Israel asks if God would be satisfied with burnt offerings of year-old calves, which are required in the Law of Moses. Their questions show a progression of lesser to greater as in Micah 6:7a, they ask if they should bring "thousands of rams, with ten thousands of rivers of oil." Looking at this from a literary and grammatical point of view, this is clearly hyperbole, as such an offering could have only been made, clearly, by someone with extreme wealth or by a community rather than an individual. The third and final question is if they should be offering their firstborn sons as a sacrifice for God. Each of these questions is all part of the same questions: What is enough to cover sin? When would God be pleased with them? We get the answer in Micah 6:8, which is rooted in the Mosaic Law: "He has told you, O man, what is good." Put simply, Israel should already know the answer to these questions. The answer to the problem of sin for that nation was not more numerous or more painful sacrifices, it was something far deeper than any religious tradition: they needed a change of heart. You see, without the heart, conformity to the Law was nothing more than hypocrisy - and this isn't the first time that we see this message in the Old Testament (Isaiah 1:14; Hosea 6:6; Amos 5:21). Let's break this verse down: "Act Justly" Micah's original audience would have understood this as living with a sense of right and wrong. Injustice was a massive problem in Israel at the time of this writing (Micah 2:8-9; 3:1-3; 6:11), and it was particularly the responsibility of the courts to provide equity, fairness, and impartiality while protecting the innocent. "Love Mercy" The word "mercy" in this verse is חֶסֶד (chaced) in the original Hebrew. which we also see translated as "loyal love" or "loving-kindness." So what does this mean? It means that along with justice, Israel was to provide mercy. These two principles are foundational to God's character (Psalm 89:14). God expected (and expects) His people to show love to their neighbor and to be loyal in their love, just as God is loyal to us (Micah 2:8-9; 3:10-11; 6:12). "Walk Humbly" This last command here is a description of our heart's attitude toward God. We as people tend to have massive egos, even when we don't realize it. We need to recognize that we depend on God rather than ourselves (Micah 2:3). So, instead of taking pride in what we bring to God, we need to recognize, humbly, that there is no amount of offering, or personal sacrifice, that can replace a heart that is committed to justice and love. These questions, each progressing, is answered with progressing answers. The response of having a godly heart is outward (doing justice), inward (showing love and mercy), and upward (to walk humbly). As you go about your day today, keep this message in your mind. Religious rites, no matter how extravagant they may be, can never replace or compensate for a lack of love (1 Corinthians 13:3). It's our job to this day to desire justice, mercy, and humility before our Lord. *This article references passages from the Holman Old Testament Commentary by Trent Butler

Today's verse comes from Matthew's telling of the Sermon on the Mount, which began in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%205.1-2 (Matthew 5:1-2). Instead of providing a model prayer this time, Jesus is describing the attitude through which we should bring our requests to Him. Many scholars believe that the wording of this verse suggests a rising intensity, as the word “ask” means a single request, “seek” refers to something more persistent, and the word “knock” implies a deep persistence in our prayer. If we read this verse with these definitions in mind, we get something more along the lines of “ask, ask again, and keep asking.” If we look at the original Greek words for each of these actions, they are in a form that implies constant action. So what Jesus is really telling us here is that we should “continue to ask…seek…knock.” However, there's a bigger truth here as well beyond us being told to ask, ask again, and keep asking. It's that God is listening. God is paying attention to His people. What an incredible truth, that the God of all creation cares about His children to the point that He hears us when we pray, and even better: He answers. And now, as usual with what we study here – let's go a little deeper: this passage also speaks to those with doubts and questions about their faith. For those who lack faith, but pursue the truth, will find it in Christ (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Mark%209.24 (Mark 9:24); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2014.6 (John 14:6)).  Again, Jesus tells us to ask, seek, and knock. When you ask, it will be given. When you seek, you will find. When you knock, the proper door opens. Jesus is commanding us here to bring our requests, to look for answers, and to ask to be let into God's presence. And don't put limits and conditions on these promises. Jesus continues in the following verse (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%207.8 (Matthew 7:8)) to expand on this concept. These promises are not a way of manipulating God, or some means to merely get our way. When we are seeking the Lord and drawing near to God, our will aligns more with His will, and our requests will do so as well. These verses are an invitation to interact with an incredibly generous and loving Father who listens to the prayers of His people.

The context in which we are examining today's Verse of the Day is Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, which says:  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven:a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; a time to seek, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; a time to tear, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace. - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 ESVWithin this verse, we see the juxtaposition of fourteen pairs of contrasting activities. These examples show us how life is comprised of various different seasons, as mentioned in verse 1. So often, we think that we know what would be best for ourselves and the greater society, yet the desires of our hearts and ideas often conflict with God's will for our lives and His greater will for humanity. This verse is timely given our current culture, that we are to live by faith in God's Word, and that we are to fully trust God's judgement in all things. So what is this verse telling us? There are a few important concepts for us to look it within these 8 verses. The Timing of Our Actions is Important: There are times when holding your tongue and listening is absolutely the right decision to make - and other times where you need to speak up, even though it may be difficult. For a large portion of my life, I've been the type to not want to get involved in discussions or to sit quietly and listen to what was being said. However, for the most part, that season has passed. I find myself more and more often not only wanting to speak my mind but needing to. We live in such a broken society, that not sharing, not speaking, not voicing the truth, can be more harmful than just remaining silent, given the circumstance. The point of this is that both the actions themselves and the timing of our actions are important to God. There Are Seasons In Which Certain Pursuits Are Appointed By God: God's plan for our life involves different experiences, emotions, activities, etc. We know that weeping may be a part of life - maybe there's a lot of heartache and loss during a season. And maybe that season lasts a long time, but life is not all weeping. Laughter and joy also have a place, too. A key to this is found a few verses later: "He has made everythng beautiful in its time" - Ecclesiastes 3:11The right activity at the right times, with the goal of bringing about God's purposes, is a beautiful part of God's will. Think about it this way, have you ever viewed a tapestry or something sown onto your shirt from the back? It looks chaotic and random; yet the maker knew the purpose and exact placement of each thread. Maybe the image wasn't discernable at the beginning or a certain times - but that doesn't mean that there wasn't a purpose, exact plan, or design to it. A Bridge These verses serve as a bridge between the first two chapters of Ecclesiastes, and the following section. In Ecclesiastes 2:24-26, we are to accept each and every day as a gift from God. Why? Because God has a reason and time for all things (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). We all too often accuse God of either not answering our prayers, or with his timing, but this is what we call ignorance of His timing (Ecclesiastes 3:9-11). Yet we are still called to enjoy life in the present (Ecclesiastes 3:12-13) and to trust in God's sovereignty (Ecclesiastes 3:14-15). There's a lot of wisdom packed into today's verse. "There is a time for everything...and a season for every activity under the...

Today we're looking at the incredibly well known verse, 1 Thessalonians 5:17, "pray without ceasing." In this verse, Paul is encouraging the Thessalonian Christians to pray continually. This is commonly misinterpreted as being in a state of prayer during every wakeful moment, but that's not what Paul is referring to here. Rather, we ought to be in a constantly "prayerful" state, and therefore frequently talking to God in actual, dedicated prayer. The value of maintaining fellowship with God through frequent prayer is immeasurable. Even when we are in the midst of trails, heartache, or hard times, we need to keep this in mind. Who could we look to as an example of how to pray continually? Well, the supreme example is Jesus. We have many examples from His life that we can look at to better understand what it means to "pray without ceasing." He taught the disciples how to pray in Matthew 6:5-13. He prayed before the miracle of feeding the five thousand (Matthew 14:19-21). He prayed when He blessed the children (Matthew 19:13). He prayed in the morning (Mark 1:35) and in the evening (Mark 6:45-47). He prayed for His disciples and for all the subsequent believers (John 17). He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane (Matthew 26:36-42). He prayed from the cross (Luke 23:34). Further, the apostle Paul prayed continuously. In Acts 16:25, we see Him praying from prison at midnight. He gives a charge to the elders of the church at Ephesus, we see him praying after that (Acts 20:36). He prayed at Malta (Acts 28:8). He prayed for Israel (Romans 10:1). He prayed for the churches on numerous occasions (Romans 1:9, Ephesians 1:16; Philippians 1:4; Colossians 1:3-12). So no, we aren't to be in a state of prayer every waking moment, but rather, our lives should reflect us being in a "prayerful" state throughout our life. Paul is exhorting that all believers who desire to live godly and in Christ are to "pray without ceasing," and this follows his instruction to rejoice always - for it's the heart that rejoices in the Lord that will keep their eyes fixed on Him, and their thoughts better fixated upon our Savior.

Today we're looking at this verse in the context of Matthew 17:14-21. In this section, we find Jesus and three of His disciples returning from the Mount of Transfiguration, where they find a crowd gathered around the remaining 9 disciples. It's in this crowd that a desperate father is pleading to the disciples on behalf of his demon-afflicted son. As seen as well in Mark 9:14-19, the disciples could not cast out the demon. The disciples' public failure prompted both an argument from some Jewish scribes, as well as an exasperated response from Jesus about their "faithless and twisted" generation. "...I brought him to your disciples, and they could not heal him.' And Jesus answered, 'O faithless and twisted generation, how long am I to be with you? How long am I to bear with you? Bring him here to me.'"Matthew 17:16-17 ESVAfter Jesus heals the boy, we see in the two verses immediately preceding today's verse that the disciples want to understand what went wrong. When they asked Him privately, away from crowds, Jesus responded to them directly, but in this verse, we see that it was relatively kindly. The heart of their failure was having "little faith." This answer from Jesus indicates one of two things: They did not trust the power previously given to them by Jesus (Matthew 10:8). They did not believe such power could be exercised through them. So what can we learn from this lesson? Well, part of what we need to take away from this is the potency of genuine faith. Christ once again mentions the mustard seed as a metaphor for having a living, active faith (Matthew 13:31-32). With even a sliver of faith in His power and authority, nothing is impossible for them. Jesus says that with the faith of a mustard seed, that the disciples will be able to tell a mountain to move and it will do so. This is an incredibly important lesson for the disciples, as they will eventually come to perform miracles that could easily seem impossible. It's this lesson with Jesus that they understand that the power to do these things will never come from their own ability or goodness or status with God - but rather it will only and always come through what was granted them by Jesus (Matthew 10:8), which is enabled by their faith in Jesus. As you go about your day, think about this promise from God for those with the faith of even a mustard seed (Matthew 17:20): "nothing will be impossible for you." How did you respond? Was there lightning-quick and loud unbelief? I'm not talking about the word-of-faith movement, as it can be tempting for this verse to be twisted. But rather, recognize that if we aren't exercising our faith on the promises from the Lord, then we're living beneath our means. "The faith of Christians is the channel through which God chooses to manifest much of his glory that results in the conversion of unbelievers. If we have little faith, then little glory is seen through us. We must not be content with this."Jon Bloom

Today's verse begins Psalm 9 - in which David is praising God in a song which actually follows an acrostic pattern: meaning that the psalm is divided into phrases which begin with consecutive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. Further, this pattern continues through the next chapter, Psalm 10, which lends to some suggestion that they were intended as a single work. The subject of this Psalm is David promising to praise God for His great works and deeds, including the awesome victory over evil. David goes even further asking God to further rescue him from those who continue to try to kill him, praising God's eternal justice in doing so. Now that we have some context, let's dive into today's verse, Psalm 9:1. The focus of this Psalm is on Israel's victory over other nations that had previously attacked them (Psalm 9:3-6). The reference that David makes to having a whole-hearted thankfulness foreshadows Jesus' indication of the greatest commandment in all the Law (Matthew 22:34-40), which is originally found in Deuteronomy 6:5: "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might."Deuteronomy 6:5 ESVDavid shows time and time again throughout his life this practice of crediting the Lord with victory, rather than himself. For example, when battling Goliath, David approached the Philistine giant and said: "I come to you in the name of the LORD of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel...This day the LORD will deliver you into my hand...For the battle is the LORD'S and he will give you into our hand"1 Samuel 17:45-47And as such, the Lord continues to give victory to His people today. Paul tells us in Romans 8:37: "We are more than conquerors through him who loved us"Romans 8:37

In this chapter of Colossians, Paul is giving clear instructions to the Christians of Colossae about living out their faith in Christ. More specifically, verses 1-11 are an encouragement for Christian believers to focus on godly, spiritual things. Those who are saved, thanks to their faith in Christ, and are spiritually free, should not live in the sins which used to be their habit. Paul goes as far as telling believers to "put to death" such behaviors in their own lives.  Today's verse repeats a theme found in verse 1: "If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the hand of God."Colossians 3:1This passage is meant for Christians, and we're told here that rather than looking to the earth around us, our minds should be focused on "above" - the things of God. Something we find in the New Testament is this phrase of focusing on "above," in which this is referring to God (John 3:31; 8:23; Ephesians 4:10) or heaven (James 1:17). So, in light of this context, what would be "things of earth?" Anything associated with ungodly activities. Let's look at an example of what the Bible says about seeking earthly wisdom, specifically James 3:15: "This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic."James 3:15And in contrast, what the Bible says about wisdom "from above:" But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.James 3:17You may be wondering at this point, "am I supposed to abandon earthly concern?" And the answer is: no. This isn't what these verses mean. However, it does mean that as believers, we ought to give our time and attention to things that are pleasing and acceptable to God, rather than things that are pleasing to men. If those things happen to coincide, that's great. But our primary concern and attention are on that of pleasing God. As believers, and therefore we are all unified in Christ, we should act as people committed to our Savior.

The Bible tells us that there are times in which God uses struggles and hardships to correct us away from sin. Further, there are also times where we're given an opportunity for growth. We can think of this as being "trained" into a deeper faith. And as is our nature, no one likes to be disciplined or corrected. But that's what hardships are: a test of our faith. The next time you're in a time of difficulty (or maybe that time is right now), notice how your mind is mostly concerned with the situation at hand and is focusing on how unpleasant it is. However, looking back we can more easily see the ways in which God used those experiences for us to grow. It's through this discipline that we can see a process of maturity. It's this thought that the writer of Hebrews focuses on - being "trained," which comes from the Greek word γεγυμνασμένοις (gegymnasmenois) which translates literally to "vigorous exercise." The training of our faith, through God's discipline, is much like the training of an athlete. This training also is "painful rather than pleasant" at the time, but afterward, it's clear when looking back to see growth and development as a result. Faith, in the same way, also grows as we endure the race set before us, through times of difficulty and hardship, which produces a "fruit of righteousness."

Today's verse begins the book of James, and unlike other authors, such as Paul, who often open their letters with gradual introductions, James dives right in without warming up or giving comforting introductory words. Instead, we're right into the foundation of his letter. So how does his letter start? With a profoundly challenging command. "Count it joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds" In essence, we're being told that we should find joy in bad things happening to us. Yet, that's exactly backward from a normal human response to times of hardship. And even though James' readers at the time of his writing this letter most likely were facing poverty and persecution, he uses the words "trials of various kinds" on purpose - because everyone experiences trials. So now I have a question for us to consider: What does this verse mean? Why would James write such a demand of suffering people? And as usual with our dives into Scripture, we need to look at the context of this verse - which in this case are verses 3 and 4. If you were to stop with this verse alone, you could very easily develop a deep misunderstanding of the point of this passage and of what James means. "for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing."- James 1:3-4 ESVWhat does James not say in these three verses? He doesn't tell us to feel happy when trials and hardship comes. And if you were to stop reading at verse 2, you could easily draw that conclusion. Instead, we're told to "count it" joyful - which means to label our trials and hardships as something worth rejoicing over. The "count" comes from the Greek ἡγέομαι (hēgeomai), which is an accounting term and relates to the organization or collecting things. This is important, as this means that James is telling us that instead of "feeling happy" in times of hardship, we enter those moments as deposits into our life's bank account, not withdrawals. Again, this doesn't mean our immediate response to an illness, job loss, flat tire, or death is that of joy. Instead, James is talking to us about how we categorize these moments when we assess our life as a whole. I fully understand that this doesn't mean that the command is easy, by any means, it's still hard to do. Instead, what I want you to get from this, is that through this command, James is acknowledging something incredibly important that we don't always admit to ourselves: we can decide how we will describe any moment to ourselves. We can't always control our circumstances. Sure, things in life happen outside of our control. However, we can control how we think about our circumstances. And we're supposed to. So today, keep this in your mind: when something bad happens, we can immediately say something like, "This is terrible, and today is horrible." Or, "my life is going completely wrong; why is this happening?" Or - we can approach these situations and say, "This is bad - and today's a bad day, but I'm going to get through it. I'm going to get stronger through this and learn from it. And it's the growth and strength that is worth rejoicing over, even though this hurts."

As Christians, we rely not on ourselves, but instead on Christ in order for us to face the greatest joys and deepest lows of life (Philippians 4:11-13). Today's verse, "I can do all things through [Christ] who strengthens me" is often either misunderstood or misapplied. It isn't an expression of confidence in oneself but is instead far more powerful than a simple statement of us having strength through Christ. I've talked about this before on here, and I'll say it again - God will never give us more than we can handle. Right? Wrong. We absolutely will face things that are far bigger than we could ever handle on our own. We will face things so massive that only God can handle them. That's why the phrase, "God will never give us more than we can handle" is so dangerous - because it seems true, and is a nice thought, but is untrue because He's so much more powerful and mighty than that. God will never give us more than He can handle. Today's verse isn't about us being mighty, but it's about the strength we have through the Lord. Therefore, as believers, what matters is that we are in Jesus, for Jesus alone can strengthen us to resist temptations that uniquely attend whatever situation we may find ourselves in. John MacArthur puts it like this: "Because believers are in Christ (Galatians 2:20), he infuses them with His strength to sustain them" (The MacArthur Bible Commentary, p. 1726).We find peace in life (amid joy, or amid suffering and pain) is not based on our own ability to face what life throws at us. Our peace comes from the fact that we belong to Christ, that He never lets us go, and that He is faithful. It's His through His faithfulness that he gives us the grace to live for Him no matter our circumstances, and that's more powerful than any situation we may find ourselves in. As you go about your day, think about this: if we depend on our character, or our own will-power in the midst of the storms of life, we will never find lasting peace. Instead, we are to seek Christ in everything we do, and it's when we do this that we can serve Him faithfully. Please don't mistake what I'm saying, as this doesn't mean that our concerns will go away, nor should they; but rather, I'm saying that our concerns don't define our lives. They don't bind our minds and emotions with worry and anxiety (1 Peter 5:7; Philippians 4:6-7). Therefore, we're told that we are to find satisfaction in the Lord no matter what life throws at us, good or bad.

Each of these people had a faith that "looked forward."  "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation."- Hebrews 11:1-2 ESVSome of these people had a faith and trust in the Lord that was so strong, they kept believing even though they didn't live to see the promises fulfilled, such as Abraham and Sarah. This is because their perspective was eternal, not temporary.  "For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God."- Hebrews 11:10 ESVAgain, they were "looking forward" to God's ultimate plans. Not for temporary or immediate gratification. As you read this section, I want you to notice the depth of the perspective being pointed out here. Life on earth is a temporary journey for those who truly trust in God. The concept that we're merely nomads or foreigners here on earth isn't something that we're not accustomed to. Worship songs today even reference this concept: I'm goin' homeWhere the streets are goldenEvery chain is brokenOh I wanna goOh I wanna goHomeWhere every fear is goneI'm in your open armsWhere I belongHome- Home, Chris TomlinBut I hold on to this hope and the promise that He bringsThat there will be a place with no more sufferingThere will be a day with no more tears, no more pain, and no more fearsThere will be a day when the burdens of this place,Will be no more, we'll see Jesus face to faceBut until that day, we'll hold on to you always- There Will Be a Day, Jeremy CampAs the book of Hebrews indicates, we are "strangers and exiles on the earth."  It's this kind of faith that can get us through some incredibly difficult times: We see how Abel trusted God despite personal abuse (Hebrews 11:4) We can obey difficult and confusing commands that God may give, like Noah (Hebrews 11:7) We can trust that God will uphold His word and fulfill His promises, even if it seems like He's waiting too long (which, who are we to say?) like Abraham and Sarah did (Hebrews 11:8-12) So like these leaders of the Old Testament, I want to encourage you to accept God's promises, even if that means that they are greeted from afar. This is the kind of faith that we need, especially today, and the kind of faith that the writer of Hebrews wants to inspire in those who read this letter.

You can tell someone's priorities by looking at two things: their checkbooks and calendar. Simply put, where a person spends their money and their time reflects what they truly value. Simply saying the phrase, "this is important to me," is hypocrisy if it's not backed up with how your life is lived. Today's verse of the day goes straight to the heart of Jesus' teaching in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:1-2). At the time that Jesus delivered the Sermon on the Mount, most people were raised to believe that what mattered most to God was performance (i.e., action, behavior, and then words). This is where a lot of the Pharisees' societal standing came from, as they were thought to be the most spiritual because of how closely the followed behaviors that were tied to rules, regulations, and traditions. Yet Christ started teaching that what God cares most about is how His people are feeling and thinking. Or in other words, righteous actions matter, but they're only righteous when they are accompanied by a devoted heart (Matthew 6:1-2, 5-6, 16-17). Jesus further applies this to help fix our perspective of money. He taught not to stockpile riches and material possessions on earth, as all of those things could be lost in an instant. They're temporary. Instead, we're to stockpile rewards in eternity through our true, inner devotion to God (Matthew 6:19-20). I want to make this very clear: His point is not that Christians cannot have wealth, as that is absolutely not true. Rather, this is in reference to our priorities - in which we can only have one ultimate priority (Matthew 6:24), which should be God. Let's take a minute to think about the overall themes of the commercials and ads that you've seen lately. There's a common theme: "you owe it to yourself," or "you deserve the best." We live in a world and culture of self-help nonsense, and I say that as a person who used to eat it all up - buying every book I could about how to be the best version of myself possible. How did we ever live before some person decided to write a book telling us how we should live? We do whatever it takes, whatever the price, to keep up with our neighbors. Why? Because there is a constant buzz in our ears subconsciously telling us that we'll be looked down upon if we're not living up to today's standards of living. Instead, the answer has been there all along. The key to overcoming it has been there all along. We need constant reminders of how our life in the here and now has eternal significance, and we get this by soaking ourselves in the truth of God's Word (Matthew 6:19-21). Therefore, we are to lay up treasures in heaven by using the gifts, talents, and money that the Lord has given us here on earth to serve His kingdom, not our human desires.

Before we dive in today, let's take a brief moment to just talk about the overall picture of what's going on in Psalm 8. In this chapter, we see David reflecting upon God's majesty which is displayed by His creation. David talks about the heavens declaring God's glory and against such a backdrop of glory, we seem insignificant. Yet God chose for man to rule the earth and all of its creatures. Further, this psalm has a messianic tone, because Jesus Christ became lower by becoming human. All nature, including mankind, will one day submit to Jesus' rule. At the end of the chapter, the psalm ends as it begins with a declaration of the Lord's majestic name. Now let's look at some context and background specific for this verse: it is part of the larger section of Psalm 8:3-9 which parallels Genesis 2:8-15, where God had abundantly provided for humanity and had given them dominion over all of the living creatures of the earth. Then, later in the New Testament, Hebrews 2:5-9 applies this part of Psalm 8 to Jesus, in which He became a real human being on our behalf, and after His death for our sins, arose from the grave and ascended to the right hand of God. Someday, He will sit upon the throne of David and hold dominion over the whole earth. Simply put, what Adam lost by sinning, Jesus restored by suffering (1 Corinthians 15:20-28). Now to dive in Even though it takes millions of dollars to send astronauts to space, or satellites into orbit around planets - we've only scratched the surface of what lies beyond our planet. The farthest man has traveled is the moon, and yet there are millions upon millions of stars, planets, and galaxies that lie far beyond our reach. We see in this verse David noting that God created all of it as the work of His fingers, and He has put into orbit the moon and the stars. What an incredible observation of power, majesty, and beauty of the Lord's creation. Let's look at Abraham in Genesis 15. The Lord instructed Abraham to look at the heavens and to count (or number) the stars, saying, "if you are able to number them" (Genesis 15:5, emphasis added). God promised Abraham descendants as numerous as the stars. The next time you have a clear night, look up at the stars. Think about and appreciate God's majesty, wisdom, and power as you think about both of these verses (Psalm 8:3 and Genesis 15:5). Pagans look to the stars and worshipped the sun, moon, and stars, but their focus is near-sighted and poorly placed. Look further and to the One who created all of the heavenly bodies that give us further evidence that we are to worship Him. 

Let's look at some of the original language that was used here so we can better understand what this verse means. The word "salvation" comes from the Greek root word of sōtēria (σωτηρία). As it was used in the original language, it means "deliverance and preservation" and can therefore imply rescue in a worldly/physical context like from enemies. Or, as we also see, it can be used to suggest an eternal/spiritual rescue.  "I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand." - John 10:28 ESV In the verse previous (Acts 4:11), Peter calls the Sanhedrin the "builders" who are responsible for the Jewish people and thereby the proper observance of the Jewish religion. This word, "builders," means that the elders, priests, and scribes of the Jewish religion should have recognized Jesus. There are many places in their Scripture, which is our Old Testament, that provide incredibly specific descriptions that clearly identify Jesus as the Messiah that they have been (and still are) waiting for. For example, in the last week of His life alone, He fulfilled prophecies of the donkey He rode into Jerusalem on (Zechariah 9:9; Mark 11:1-7), the way the Roman guards cast lots for His clothing (Psalm 22:18; Mark 15:24), and the fact that His bones were not broken (Psalm 22:17; John 19:31-37). It's unbelievably unfortunate and sad that the Jews had a long history of ignoring, abusing, and executing their prophets (1 Kings 19:10; 2 Chronicles 36:16; Jeremiah 2:30). Because of this, they missed the coming of the One they had been waiting for - He who is the only One who could bring them salvation.

Three NamesWe see that in both Colossians 3:5 and 3:8, Paul also listed five ways of life that Christians should avoid. However, in today's verse, Paul offers five ways of life that Christians ought to follow. And further, he prefaces this list be referring to Christians by using three different names: God's chosen onesThe first one, "God's chosen ones." Paul is telling us that this means that God selected or elected them to be part of His family. HolySecond, these believers are holy, which means "set apart," and this is due to God's work in them, and not by their own good deeds. BelovedThird, he calls believers "beloved" by God (John 3:16). Five Ways of Life to FollowAs we mentioned earlier, there are five positive ways of life that Christians are to follow described in this verse. Let's go through each of them and break down what they mean and how we can apply them to our lives: A compassionate heartThe first positive practice that we're told to have is a compassionate heart. As we talked about when we dove into Galatians 5:4 (https://burningbush.blog/verse-of-the-day/11-17-2020/galatians-5-4/ (Verse of the Day article)), this comes as a response to God, and to others, which is filled with love and concern rather than selfishness. We are able to love others selflessly because we have experienced selfless love through Jesus Christ's sacrifice for us. KindnessThe second trait that is mentioned by Paul is "kindness." The original Greek word for this is chrēstotēta (χρηστότης). This word can also be translated to mean "moral goodness or integrity." We need to be aware of how we treat others, and this term is an incredible word that allows us some insight into what exactly Paul meant here: kindness, moral goodness, and with integrity. Live in humilityThis trait and its value isn't only mentioned in this verse, but throughout Scripture (e.g. James 4:6, Ephesians 4:2, James 4:10, 1 Peter 5:5, 2 Chronicles 7:14, Luke 14:11, Micah 6:8, Proverbs 3:34, and many more). This trait has two parts: First, we are required that we admit that we are sinners and are in need of a Savior. And it's through this admittance that we as believers recognize God's supremacy in our lives and therefore how limited we are by any comparison. Second, it is with humility that we are to treat others without arrogance. It's important that we don't act unfairly towards other people, or put them down with a "holy-than-thou" attitude. MeeknessThe original Greek word for this is praotēs (πραότης). One of the reasons that we're looking at the original language here, is because the word "meekness" is often misunderstood and misapplied as an "attitude of fear" by many Christians. Nor is this a suggestion that Christians are supposed to be timid. The way that πραότης is used, means gentleness. A "meek" person is one who controls their strength and power rather than abusing it and having a hard-hearted response to others. PatienceThe last trait that Paul expects from believers is that of patience. This word is pretty self-explanatory and is being used here in the way that we generally understand patience. These traits elsewhere in the BibleThese five traits in this verse alone very closely reflect the list that describes the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22-23 (emphasis added): "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law." Applying These TraitsThese traits listed by Paul are specific ways in which we are to live as Christians. The idea of this passage (which is actually Colossians 3:12-17) is that whatever we think or do, as believers, ought to be compatible with the example that was set by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Some Context:This section of Galatians, which is Galatians 5:1-15, is focusing on what we, as believers, should do with our freedom in Christ. We're told several things about this, the first being to guard it, especially from those who desire to pressure us to follow the Law. We're also told not to waste our our freedom in Christ to thereby selfishly serve ourselves instead of serving each other in love. This is where today's Verse of the Day comes into play. A WarningFirst, let's discuss what Paul has been telling the Galatians thus far. He has repeatedly warned the Galatians not to waste the freedom that they have through their faith in Christ by living as slaves under the Law. Rather, they were to recognize that Jesus had fully paid for all of their sins. This means that they are completely justified before God by being believers in Christ, and as such, cannot earn any more of God's approval through their own actions/obedience of the Law (Galatians 3:23-29).  Now we move into a warning from Paul about the other way that we could waste the freedom that Christ has won for us. And it's a question that I've heard a lot, and today we're going to address it. "Since we believe in Christ and are free from condemnation, why not just indulge in everything that we want to do anyway? We'll just be forgiven and all will be good, right?" Wrong. Many theologians and teachers call this concept "license," as in thinking that we have a license to sin. It's important to realize that Jesus didn't come to do away with the Law but to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17), meaning that the Law isn't discarded, but instead, Jesus accomplished the purpose for which it was given. Jesus was falsely accused of "abolishing" the Law of Moses, but as we can clearly see, as the fulfilling of the prophecies found throughout Jewish scripture, Jesus had no desire to wipe out those messages. That's why we see Paul pointing to Jesus's response in Matthew 22:36-40 where He was asked what the greatest commandment in the law was. He then provided two commandments. "...You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment. And a second is like it: you shall love your neighbor as yourself." It is through loving the Lord with everything we have that we are able to even consider a second commandment. It is when we love and begin to know God that we begin to love what He loves, and He loves people. This command is brilliant, for a couple of reasons. First, it assumes that we love ourselves in the sense that we know how we would like to be treated. And through this assumption, we are then required to take the focus off of ourselves and then use this knowledge of what we innately desire as the basis for serving each other. We are able to love other people in this way because we have experienced it firsthand. Jesus' life and death upon the cross was the perfect example of this self-denying love.

A Brief Introduction:In this passage of Romans (Chapter 8:18-30), is the discussion about the participation of Christians in the midst of everyday suffering that is also experienced by the rest of all creation. It's in this discussion, and in our verse today, that we see the difference between our future and present as Christians. We know that our future is Christ, as God's children (John 1:12 - Verse of the Day article) and heirs of His kingdom (Romans 8:17), is everything that we long for. At our present, however, this hasn't yet come - so therefore we continue to suffer alongside the rest of creation, groaning for the life that is to come to those who believe. So, how do we live in the meantime? The Holy SpiritThe answer has a lot to do with the Holy Spirit. As believers, we receive the Holy Spirit (as it is given to us) when we come to faith in Christ. A way to think about this is like God has given believers His own Spirit as a deposit or down payment on the future that we're longing for (Ephesians 1:13-14; 2 Corinthians 1:22). It is through the Spirit that God provides for us while here in this life. Even as Christians, we remain weak in and of ourselves and therefore we need God's strength through the Spirit. We have baffling emotions, fragile bodies, and can become weak in our faith and resistance to temptation. Every single day we fail. It is the Holy Spirit that makes all the difference for us - as we desire to draw near to God, grow in our understanding, and be like Christ that our desires, morals, and thoughts align with His will (John 15:7 - Verse of the Day article). I want to reiterate that it is because of the Holy Spirit that we're able to do this. Therefore, it is the Holy Spirit that makes all the difference. It is the Holy Spirit that continually and consistently helps us even through our weakness. It is the Holy Spirit that steps in. It is the Holy Spirit that helps lift the burden.  Our WeaknessFurther, Paul tells us that we are so weak that at times we aren't even able to know what to pray for. We feel the longing and need to pray, to speak to our Father God - but what do we ask for? This is when, as we're told in this verse, that the Holy Spirit steps in and carries these unsaid prayers  - the thoughts and feelings that we can't express to God.  It is the Holy Spirit that creates both the connection from ourselves to God and then provides the content of our communication with the Father.

Today we're going to be looking at this verse in the context of Psalm 34:9-11: "Oh, fear the LORD, you his saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord." There are two sections to these verses in which we're going to be diving into today - and these are that of having a reverent fear of the Lord and then Godly pursuit. Reverent FearTwo verses before this section, in verse 7, a beautiful promise is given to those who fear God, and it is that the angel of the Lord would encamp around those who fear Him and that He would deliver them.  So this raises the question: what does it mean to fear God? To quote Gerald Wilson (an Old Testament scholar), "To 'fear God/Yahweh' is to pare life down to its essential core: acceptance that one is completely dependent on God's gracious, underserved mercy. To experience that mercy in the midst of trouble is to know the 'blessing' our psalmist describes." To fear is to trust and revere. First, in verse 9 God tells us that those who trust and are depending on Him will have no lack - and this is an incredible promise. It's not partial in any way, but complete. God's provision for His own isn't told to us in regards of temporal or seasonal regulations - but it is instead ever-flowing and never-ending. If you feel like you're forgotten, afraid, or unsure - come back to promises like these. Godly PursuitWhether you admit it or not, every single one of us is pursuing something in life. You may not even realize you're pursuing something, but we all are. So this means that the question isn't if, but what we are seeking. Immediately after stating that those who fear the Lord will have no lack, David provides a mental picture of young lions who aren't able to provide for themselves. This image isn't an accident either, but instead as theological value. The young lions, who have insanely powerful potential to provide for themselves, are dependent. Even though they have potential they aren't fast enough or strong enough to do so. And this is what David likens to our state apart from God's provision. When we fear God, our fate is not that of the young lions, but instead rests with that of God, in which we will lack no good thing. And by "no good thing" - this does not mean that we get anything and everything that we want, when we want it. It's easy to twist this to mean something other than what is rooted in Scripture. David is crying out for help in this Psalm because his difficulty was real - and the point of this Psalm is dependence. This dependence is echoed in Romans 8:31-32 about God's own. It says, "What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?" The point to take away from this is if God sent His own Son to take our place, will He not provide for us? He already did the hardest work in saving our souls, will He not also provide for the needs of those who seek and fear Him? Yes. He will. So fear Him - seek Him.

Verse of the Day: "But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 ESV While John 3:16 may be the most famous and well known verse in the Bible, as well as the most-memorized piece of Scripture, John 1:12 is also an excellent summary of the gospel.  Simply, it tells us that all who receive Christ, through faith, become children of God.  To believe in His name does not simply mean that we believe that Jesus existed. It means that we accept everything that the Bible teaches about the Lord Jesus Christ - that He was sent by God to pay the price for our sin (John 3:16) - and that He is the Word of God made flesh (John 1:1). However, we know that not all received Him when He came into the world. Clearly not everyone believed He was who He said He was - and sadly there are still those today. We all see or know people that refuse to believe in His sacrificial offering. There is only one way to be saved - “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31). There is only one way to become a child of God - it is solely by “faith in the name of Jesus” (Acts 3:16) that we will be granted the “right to become children of God” (John 1:12). Further, being able to call on the name of Jesus is more than just a spiritual honor. It's a spiritual power only extended to those who receive Him. This is described using the Greek word ἐξουσία (exousia), which in this verse is translated as the word “right” or often entitlement. This isn't some sort of magical formula, or voodoo incantation. It means that we trust in His person, His sacrifice, and His salvation. We can call on His name - and that is powerful.

Today's verse is simple but is something that I think we all need to be reminded of regularly - as the truths told to us here by John are quickly forgotten by many in our day in time. And, it's in this verse that Jesus is emphasizing permanence and steadfastness in his relationship with His disciples. John uses the concept of "abiding" in Christ ten times across verses 4-10 but in slightly different ways. Further, he always includes the idea of someone who expresses saving faith and "holds fast" to that belief (Hebrews 4:14; 10:23). Mostly through these verses, we see that John's emphasis is on those who submit to Christ's power to thereby enable their spiritual lives. So what does this mean? This implies that we are to have both obedience (John 14:15; 15:10) and perseverance (Hebrews 2:1). For a person to be spiritually fruitful, they must first be connected to the source of life: Jesus, the True Vine - for it is only when nutrients flow freely to the branches that fruit can be born. And for us to be connected to the True Vine, we must lovingly obey Christ (John 15:9-10). The more intimately connected to our spiritual Life-giver, the more effective and productive we will be.

Verse of the Day: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so at the proper time he may exalt you." 1 Peter 5:6 ESV The section of 1 Peter 5:1-11 provides specific instructions to elders about how to lead believers willingly, eagerly, and by their own example. We're told that all of us must live in humility toward each other and God (who opposes those who are boastful or proud). It's in our humility that we are able to cast our anxieties to the Father who cares for us. We're told to remain clear-minded, and to be looking out for our enemy (the devil) who is always seeking to destroy us. We resist him by focusing on standing firm in our faith and knowing that God keeps His promises. We're living in a nation that is in a seemingly ever-declining state of moral and ethical values, and as a result, believers can easily experience discrimination or outright persecution for standing firm in our faith. This pressure can result in many of us behaving in a manner that isn't consistent with keeping the Gospel. Peter's concern for showing his original audience how to stand faithfully in the midst of suffering, is applicable to our lives today, as it's just as important as ever to live like Christians during this time. So what does this look like? Serving each other in humility even in the midst of difficulty and unrest (1 Peter 5:1-5). It's when we are humble, that we are assured that God will pour out more grace on us - grace that can and will enable us to persevere through any and all of our circumstances (v. 5). In this verse today (v. 6), we see that if we cannot humble ourselves before God, then we are unable to obey his command to humble ourselves before those who He has appointed to shepherd us (v. 5). We must rest on His providence, and trust that we may not be able to understand why certain things happen to us at certain times but that all things have been ordained for our ultimate good (Romans 8:28). We live in a culture of such immediate satisfaction, however, we must fight this desire. We must patiently endure suffering, and know that end the end, God will exalt us and reward us for doing so (1 Peter 5:6). And we can do this because we know that He cares for us. "casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you." - 1 Peter 5:7 People love saying the phrase, "God will never give you more than you can handle." And that couldn't be more wrong. Instead, start using this phrase: "God will never give you more than HE can handle." This truth means so much more as it allows us to cast our anxieties on Him because: 1. He loves us 2. He will faithfully bring us through whatever trials we might experience (no matter how difficult) because nothing is more than He can handle. It's through this humbling of ourselves, placing our trust fully in Him, and ultimately when we cast ourselves upon Him, that we become free to love and serve others with the humility that He requires. This is because we no longer have a constant worry about ourselves. Let's figure out how to directly apply this today: To start, I have a few questions for you to think about: 1. Have you humbled yourself before the mighty hand of God? 2. Are you fully convinced that He cares about you? 3. Have you entrusted all of your worry and anxieties into His hand? 4. Are you confident that He will take care of you? I'm aware these aren't easy questions. They're easy for me to ask, but answering requires some searching within. So if you're having difficulty, start with a particular worry that you have. Maybe this worry is about your job, family, or children. Maybe there's another persistent fear that you have. Commit this fear (or fears if you're able to identify more than one) to the Lord. Remember to return to the Lord when you're feeling anxious - it's not a bad idea to find someone to help remind you to return to the Lord when you feel this way.

Verse of the Day: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal," Matthew 6:19 ESV Jesus knows our hearts (Acts 15:8; Luke 6:15). He knows that we're deceitful above all things (https://burningbush.blog/verse-of-the-day/09-04-2020/jeremiah-17-9/ (Jeremiah 15:9)). Therefore, in this section, He is emphasizing what it means to lead a righteous life while here on earth. And it's important to emphasize that those who were hearing Him for the first time would have been surprised at how different His message sounded compared to Israel's religious leaders at the time (who focused largely on words and actions - or outward behaviors). Yet Jesus is saying what we do and why we do it both factor into God's approval (Matthew 6:1-2; 5-6; 16-17) Put simply, those who live for worldly wealth deal with, and live in inner darkness. There is only room for one thing to be the primary focus of our life, so we have to choose if that primary focus is God, or ourselves and our desires.  As He turns the focus of His words to that of money, Jesus tells us that money and possessions are not dependable, but can easily be lost. Just a couple of years ago, my wife and I were sitting in our living room when our phones notified us with an alert: "Tornado Warning: Take Action! There is imminent danger to life and property. Move to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. Avoid windows. If in a mobile home, a vehicle, or outdoors, move to the closest substantial shelter and protect yourself from flying debris." We rushed to our closet with our pets and watched the news on our phones to see what was happening. Just down the road a tornado touched down and was moving our direction when the news pointed out that it had just hit a building. Luckily it passed just north of our neighborhood and continued on - not doing much more damage. However, we found out that the building that had been hit was a house. Ripped from its foundation. Disaster and chaos can take everything we have in an instant. Put simply, material possessions are temporary - and Jesus points out that no one can possibly build up enough wealth to fully guarantee (with no risk whatsoever) that their needs will be met forever. I'm going to bring up a cliche that you probably hear people say all the time (I, myself, am very guilty of saying this one a lot): "you can't take it with you" (Luke 12:19-20). Now, I need to clarify, this teaching is about our hearts and motivations. It doesn't mean we can't have money, own a house/land/property, or have a bank account. We need to provide for our families (1 Timothy 5:8), and we see in Proverbs 6:6-8 that wisdom even demands planning for our temporary future on earth. Wealth is just like any other blessing from God (1 Timothy 4:4) and can absolutely be used according to His will. The message that I want to leave you with today is that becoming dependent on worldly wealth - to the point that you cross the line into greed or materialism is the issue that Jesus is addressing. As you read this verse today, read a little further, as Jesus challenges these questions of the heart in the following verses.

Verse of the Day: "Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!" Psalm 46:10 ESV This verse has provided comfort for multitudes of believers. When reading this verse in context, we see that it comes from a longer section of Scripture that proclaims the power and security of God. Let's break down the verse into some phrases, in order to gain a better understanding. Be still: The original word for "still" is a translation of the Hebrew word raphah (רָפָה), which means to slacken, let down or cease. In other instances, in the Bible, we see this word carrying the idea of "to drop, be weak, or faint." Simply put, this phrase, "be still," at the beginning of Psalm 46:10 connotes two people fighting unit someone separates them. It's only after their fighting has stopped that they can acknowledge their trust in God. Often times, we see Christians interpreting the command of "be still" similarly to something along the lines of "to be quiet and recognize God's presence." And while this isn't a bad practice, and is certainly helpful, this phrase implies something different. Instead, we're being told to stop our frantic actions and to let down and be still. Don't fight a battle you cannot win, instead, be still and look to the Lord for your help. Know that I am God: In this next phrase, the word "know" is the Hebrew word, yada` (יָדַע). In this instance, this word means to "properly ascertain by seeking" and "acknowledge, be aware." How does acknowledging God impact our stillness? It implies that we can trust Him and surrender to His plan because we understand who He is through His Word. We know that He is: omniscient (1 John 3:20; Psalm 147:5; Psalm 139:4), omnipresent (Jeremiah 23:24; Proverbs 15:3; Colossians 1:17) omnipotent (Revelation 19:6; Ephesians 1:19; Matthew 19:26; Luke 1:37) holy (Psalm 22:3; Isaiah 6:3; Revelation 4:8; Isaiah 43:15; 1 Samuel 2:2) sovereign (Isaiah 46:10; Romans 9:19-21; Luke 1:37; Job 42:2) infinite (Revelation 1:8; Isaiah 40;28; Psalm 147:5), and good (Mark 10:18; Nehemiah 9:20; Psalm 143:10; 1 Timothy 4:4). I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth: Especially in the current times that we're experiencing, this part of this verse is powerful. When we are still and acknowledging God, we find peace when the earth gives way. We find peace when our nation upheaves itself (Psalm 46:6). We find peace when the mountains fall (Psalm 46:2). When life becomes overwhelming this is how we find peace. "God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." Psalm 46:1 Now think about this verse again as you go about your day with this new understanding. Run to him, look to the Lord for your help and stop fighting a battle you cannot win, but instead in your weakness the Lord is strong. Acknowledge that He is God and that He is the one to be exalted in the earth. Be still and know that He is God.

Verse of the Day: "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." Hebrews 11:1 ESV The first few verses of Hebrews 11 define faith using words that are frequently quoted, but are also frequently misunderstood. So today we're going to look at this and understand what this verse is really saying - because as with the rest of the Bible, context is absolutely critical. This passage in particular (Hebrews 11:1-3) demonstrates that godly faith is really "trust." We're being told that what we have seen of God's nature and character should therefore naturally lead us to trust Him. This trust in Him then naturally leads to obedience. One of the misconceptions of this passage is that of "blind faith." But, that's not what is being told to us here at all, as this section immediately follows a lengthy discourse in chapter 10 full of evidence and logic. Instead, the idea of "faith" is presented with a confident look to the future based on our reliance on God's promises. This brings us to our verse of the day. We see this verse quoted quite a bit, and it gives us a direct definition of faith, but is meant to be read in the context of the rest of the letter. At the end of Hebrews 10, the writer wrapped up the description of why the new covenant in Jesus Christ was superior to the old covenant of animal sacrifices (Hebrews 10:1-18). And in verse 39 of chapter 10, there is a reassurance not to "shrink back," but to "have faith." The definition of faith in this verse is meant to tie this command in Hebrews 10:39 to the examples given later on in the chapter. For example, the writer explains how the actions of important and various biblical people proved both the existence and the validity of their faith. This is important. It's because of these contexts (which are the former evidence outlined in chapter 10, and our future expectations) that are essential when we are interpreting the meaning of this verse. Let's now dive into the examples of biblical figures in the coming verses, since understanding the context of today's Verse of the Day is particularly important. We're not going to fully explain every example, but I want to point something out. These examples in the following verses demonstrate believers who showed real, saving faith in God. We see with each and every example a demonstration of trust. And this trust is built on what that person knew and held as reassurance that God would act in accordance to His promises. I want to make this crystal clear: this is not endorsing blind faith, but is reinforcing the opposite. The "assurance" and "conviction" that we see these people have is not blind faith, gullibility, or wishful thinking. And that's not what our faith is either. Each of the people mentioned had good reason to believe in God - as do we. Their faith was not naively accepting of fairy tales or myths; it was acting in full confidence that God would do what He said He would, based on their experiences. This is the kind of faith that our Verse of the Day and the rest of Hebrews is referring to. A kind of faith that is built on a trust that produces obedience. This kind of faith results in God's approval through our faith in Christ Jesus. And what's amazing about living in this day and age, is that we have an advantage that some of these individuals didn't have. We get to look back on their example. This perspective should inspire confidence in you that God will make good on His promises - even if we don't see it in our lifetime.

This chapter in Hebrews lists particular points that we are encouraged to have for proper Christian behavior: Hebrews 13:1 - Brotherly Love Hebrews 13:2 - Hospitality Hebrews 13:3 - Support for the abused and imprisoned Hebrews 13:4 - Sexual Morality (cf. Romans 1:24-27) Here in Hebrews 13:5 we see a common theme throughout the Bible: the danger of greed. I'm going to make an assumption, and say that you have already thought of the phrase, "money is the root of all evil." Well, there's no verse in the bible that says this - nor is that phrase even biblical. We see in the Bible that wealth can absolutely be used and enjoyed without sinning (for example, in Romans 14:14). However, we do see that "the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils" (1 Timothy 6:10). Note the distinction, money itself is not evil, but it's where we place our desires that can lead to sin and ruin. The Bible talks extensively about having an unhealthy obsession with money, and the danger for Christians is that this obsession often leads to discontentment in life. We see this when the Bible uses words like "covet" (Exodus 20:17 and James 4:2) and "jealousy" (James 3:16). Many of us have been told this a lot, but in case you haven't, be thankful for what you have. It's okay to desire more for yourself in life, but when that feeling manifests itself into discontentment, jealousy, or greed, rather than a hopeful or inspired work ethic, there is an issue. Therefore, I encourage you, again, be thankful for what you have, and be hopeful for what you will one day obtain (Hebrews 11:14-16). When we are pursuing a ever-increasingly strong relationship with Christ, it is built upon trust, contentment, and a forward-looking perspective. And further, if you're using this Verse of the Day as part of your daily bible study, read the next few verses as well. Hebrews 13:6 amplifies this trust in Christ by quoting specific Psalms which proclaim and demonstrate the security that we have in God.

Verse of the Day: "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever." Hebrews 13:8 ESV The section of Hebrews 13:7-17 follows major themes of practical instructions for Christians, including perseverance, peacefulness, and praise. In this section, we also see a continuation that parallels components of the old covenant within Jesus' ministry. For example, in these verses, we see a comparison of the disposal of sacrificed animals with the crucifixion of Christ (both occurring outside the borders of the community)(Hebrews 13:13).  This verse, verse 8, connects two ideas: honoring living examples of faith and the importance of consistent doctrine. There is the inclusion of directions for Christian living (Hebrews 13:1-6), which included looking to the example set forth by Christian leaders (Hebrews 13:7); and this instruction, we find, mirrors the depiction of the legendary heroes of faith that are given in chapter 11. This interweaving of the old covenant and old testament doctrine within the teachings of Jesus leads us to a key theme that we see in the book of Hebrews: God's plan does not change. The New Testament is not about God changing His mind or how the Old Testament doesn't apply anymore. The purpose is the opposite. It was always God's plan to replace the old covenant with Jesus (Hebrews 8:6-8). While humanity may grow in our understanding/grasping of the truth (1 Timothy 3:9; 2 Peter 3:18; Colossians 1:26), the truth itself does not change. This is evident as Jesus instructed His disciples to spread His teaching (Matthew 28:19-20), not to develop their own. We even see this attention to maintaining the integrity of Christ's teachings as Paul sought to confirm that what he taught was exactly the same as that of the disciples (who were with Christ while it was being taught)(Galatians 2:1-10). So how do we apply this verse to our lives, especially in this time of uncertainty we are in now as a country? We need to recognize while certain political leaders align with Christian values, morals, and principles far better than others, and it's our duty as Christians to vote for those people, ultimately, these leaders come and go. It is Jesus Christ who is "the same" (1:12) "yesterday" (1:1), "today" (3:7, 13; 4:7), and "forever" (1:8; 7:17; 21, 24, 28). Or as R.C. Sproul puts it, "He is the strong anchor amid sufferings and uncertainties (6:19)." Jesus doesn't change, God's plan doesn't change, and His truth doesn't change (Isaiah 40:28). Since we've talked about how this verse applies to some immediate issues at hand, we wouldn't be following this page's mission if we didn't dive a little deeper. The next application we're going to discuss is: recognizing false teaching. I know we discuss this a lot here, but we'll continue talking about it as long as it is an issue in Christian culture. Today, we're specifically referring to those who discuss "new" interpretations of the Bible that overturn the basics of faith itself. We see these "new" interpretations in various areas, such as regarding Christian doctrinal issues or as claims about the changing of moral principles. And what's more, is that these claims can be tricky or hard to recognize at times. Rarely do people present their "new" interpretations as the twisting of Scripture. Sometimes you'll hear a group say they have a "different understanding" (Jehovah's Witness), or that they have a "new addition/testament" to Scripture (Mormonism), or that they have a more accurate perspective than the Biblical writers (the New Apostolic Reformation). Yet the verses immediately following Hebrews 13:8 add to the point that Jesus is unchanging, giving Christians a warning not to stray from the established teachings and doctrines of Scripture (Hebrews 13:9). This is why God provided us with a written Word (1 Corinthians 4:6), so that we may learn from it, understand it, and discern what is of the will of God (Romans 12:2).  So "hold fast" to the truth...

Verse of the Day:"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect." - Romans 12:2 ESV Yesterday we talked a lot about the "Father of mercies." Today, we're answering the question, "How should we respond to God's great mercy to us?" And we find the answer in the first two verses of Romans 12. It's in these verses that we see Paul urging Christians to respond to the mercy of God, His forgiveness of our sins, and His inclusion of us in His family. Paul tells us that we are to abandon the pursuit of pleasure, possessions, and societal status* - our goal is not to please anyone else. Instead, we are urged to be transformed from the inside out. Specifically, in the way we think. Our mindset as christiansOur mindset should be one of determination through the reshaping of our minds by the knowledge of the gospel, power of the Spirit, and by shifting our concerns to the age to come (Romans 8:5-9; 13:11-14), instead of a fascination with the passing fashion of our earthly world and age (2 Corinthians 4:18; 1 John 2:17). It's only by such a sanctifying renewal that we are able to sufficiently discern the behavior that God's revealed will requires in each situation. This is not to say that having pleasure, possessions, and status are inherently bad by nature, but let's look at John's take on the pursuit of these things. John describes the way of being conformed to this world as "the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life" (1 John 2:16). It's by instinct and our sinful nature that all of us chase those things in pursuit of happiness and meaning. applying this verse to your lifeIt could be that God's will is to provide those things to you, but what we're being told here is to view life through the lens of this question: "What is God's will for me? How can I use my life for His purposes and not for my own?" So as you go about your day, keep this in your mind. And try to stay conscious of it as you encounter different situations you may face.

Verse Of The Day:"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort..." - 2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV An IntroductionAs we dive in, you should know that Paul begins many of his letters by first thanking God for those he is writing. Also, he often prays for them in some way. But 2 Corinthians is different. Instead, Paul begins by focusing directly on God's comfort to all who experience affliction. If you continue to read on in the verses following today's Verse of the Day, you'll see that Paul had recently endured an incredibly traumatic event. At the beginning of this letter, instead of praying for his readers and the audience to which he is writing, he asks that they pray for him. Yet, we still see him starting this letter by offering praise to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Diving InHere's where we dive into what Paul is teaching us here in this verse: we see him call God by two names, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. Because God is in the position of judge over all people, this also puts Him as the sole source of all mercy. Here are some words that I genuinely want every reader to think about and fully wrap your mind around: God could execute judgment on all who deserve it. That means every single one of us. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, that could have been it. None of us have to exist, and further, none of us have to be given eternal life or mercy. Because of our sin, God would be a just God for casting judgment on all of us. Yet, He freely gives His mercy to those who come before Him through faith in Christ (John 3:16-18). So, remember that if you are in the middle of suffering, affliction, or facing incredibly uncertain and hard times, you must remember that God has given us mercy and will continue to do so. Secondly, Paul tells us that God is the God of all comfort. As Christians, we aren't to run from God. We're not to seek relief from pain anywhere, but instead, we are to run to Him as the source of our comfort. We've mentioned and talked about God being the God of all comfort several times already today, so let's go a little deeper and examine what we mean by the word "comfort." Diving DeeperThe original word for comfort used in this verse is the Greek word "paraklēsis" (παράκλησις), which comes from the root word, "parakaleō" (παρακαλέω). This word, "paraklēsis," appears 29 times in 2 Corinthians. And it means more than just momentary relief from affliction or pain; but it involves encouragement, consolation, and exhortation. Applying This Verse To Our LivesSo how do we apply this to our lives? By remembering that God's comfort allows us to stop relying on our own strength against suffering, affliction, and pain, it enables us to rest and be strong in His strength, which is far greater than anything we could ever possibly hope to obtain. For more information, resources, and other articles, please visit our website, https://burningbush.blog/ (https://burningbush.blog/)

Verse of the Day:"We love because he first loved us." - 1 John 4:19 Section Summary:This section in 1 John (verses 11-19), is the backbone of John's letter. We see in this section that John is saying that the primary way in which Christians are to be recognized is by love. And not just the feeling of love, or an emotion, but by an outward display of what we do for others. The Source of our loveThis is quite possibly the shortest verse that we've covered so far, but it offers incredibly profound words. Romans 3:10 says this, "as it is written: 'None is righteous, no not one;" - we don't just wake up one day and decide to love. God, who is love and created love, loved us first - and we are not to take credit for any of the love that we have and show to others. Now read these next words carefully, as they are important in understanding what I'm saying, and the power of this verse: God loved us before we were ever even capable of loving Him, and therefore we can only love others because of what God has done in our lives. As you read on beyond this verse, you'll see that verses 20 and 21 will further specify that this love is not just an affection between us and God. It includes love for others. Remember when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment in the Law was? His answer was simple and dealt exactly with what we are talking about today: "'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." - Matthew 22:36-40 NIV. jesus knew scripture wellJesus tells us explicitly that we are to love God fully and love our neighbor as ourselves. Something we see all throughout Jesus' teaching and interactions in the New Testament, is the deep understanding and knowledge He had of the Old Testament. Did you know that Jesus was basing this teaching off of two sections from Scripture? Let's look at Deuteronomy 6:4-5 and Leviticus 19:18. "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might." - Deuteronomy 6:4-5 "you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the Lord." - Leviticus 19:18 The answer was there all along and has been told to us by God from the very beginning, yet we struggle with it each and every day. We're told that those who claim to love God but hate others are liars. It's commanded of us to live out the presence of God's love in our lives. applying this verse to your lifeAs you go about your day today, keep this in your mind: our love for God and others originates in His love for us, and His love is the incentive for our love. God loved us at the cost of sacrificing His Son for us (John 3:16). He took the initiative and loved us first. 2 Timothy 3:5 says, "Now may the Lord direct your hearts into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." An omission of love on the human level is an indication of the absence of love on the divine level. It is God's love that makes divine love on the human plane possible, and all true love is a response to God's initiative. So let us each pray that we are able to go about our day with our hearts directed "into the love of God and into the patience of Christ." For more information, resources, and other articles, please visit our website, https://burningbush.blog/ (https://burningbush.blog/)

We live in a time marked by fear. Fear of the election, fear of the future, fear for health, fear for the economy, fear of losing jobs, fear of death, fear of loneliness, fear of isolation, you name it. We may find ourselves asking, “How am I supposed to deal with all of this?” How are we as Christians supposed to act in the face of fear? In these two verses, we see that David doesn't try to avoid his fear or pretend it doesn't exist. He faces fear head-on. He doesn't say anywhere, “If I am afraid,” nor does he say anything like, “I'll never fear…” Instead, he assumes that there will be times that he'll have fear. He says, “When I am afraid…” The focus isn't whether you will encounter fear in your life; it's what you do with fear that we're focusing on today. I was reading an article on trust recently, and they put it like this, “Think of trust as a currency you hold in your hand, like a handful of coins.” Where will you “deposit” your trust when fear hits you? You will end up depositing your trust somewhere when fear strikes, so thinking about it now will allow you to bank on the right choice when that time comes. You will trust someone or something to get you through fear, even if you choose yourself and your willpower. The solution for a life filled with fear is simple. Notice I'm not saying it is easy, but it is simple. The tactic isn't to aim to eliminate all fear from your life, but instead to fight the fear with a different sort of fear: trusting in God. You see, that's where a lot of fear in our lives comes from: when we “deposit” our trust in the wrong places. Misplaced trust results in us relying on something or someone to do for us the things that only God can promise and fulfill. It is only when God's Word is speaking louder in our lives than the word of man that we can find ourselves able to breathe deep as we trust in Him. Sure, those old fears may never disappear from the back of our minds, but again, that's not the point. The point is that we're aiming to put those fears in their proper place and rightly-ordered under a healthy fear of God (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2025.14 (Psalm 25:14), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%20111.10 (111:10); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%201.7 (Proverbs 1:7), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%203.7 (3:7), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%208.13 (8:13), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%2014.27 (14:27), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%2019.23 (19:23); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2010.28 (Matthew 10:28); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Eccles%2012.13 (Ecclesiastes 12:13)). It's in this fear of the Lord that we find we can stand up from these lesser-fears, empowered to confront circumstances, people, and systems that contradict His will and His kingdom values. So today, on Halloween, I want to leave you with this truth: only God is sovereignly ruling and reigning – no fear can make claims of His supremacy. Trust in the all-powerful, all-loving God; this is essential for casting out fear. This is my prayer for each and every one of you reading this: that in this climate of uncertainty, may a beautiful and healthy fear of God overcome the fear of man in our hearts.

The section of https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2018.1-9 (Psalm 18:1-9) expresses David's love for God and his praise to the Lord for delivering him from his enemies. We see similar expressions from David in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Sam%2022 (2 Samuel 22), as well as https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%203-5 (Psalms 3-5). As we break down this verse, there are five metaphors that David uses to describe God's relationship with him. 1) He views God as his rock 2) He views God as his fortress 3) He views God as his shield 4) He views God as the horn of salvation 5) He views God as his stronghold What is important about these metaphors? They identify David as a warrior. He fought enemies, often much stronger than him (remember Goliath?). Yet, he relied on God for protection. God as the rock: We see examples of these same metaphors used to describe God throughout the Psalms, such as in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2019.14 (Psalm 19:14); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2028.1 (28:1); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2062.2 (62:2); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Psalm%2094.22 (94:22) which all describe God as a rock. God as David's Fortress: What is the purpose of a fortress? It's meant to protect against enemies. Throughout Scripture there is an incredible truth to be seen here: no fortress built by human hands could ever provide as much protection for David as the fortress of the Lord. God as David's Shield: We see the Lord protecting David from his enemies on several accounts throughout the Old Testament. David recognizes this as he writes in the Psalms, calling God his shield, covering him as a soldier. God as the horn of salvation: This one may be tricky at first to fully grasp without some cultural context surrounding this phrase. In David's era, horns were a symbol of strength. This is why we see them being used as metaphors for kings in rulers (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Dan%207.8 (Daniel 7:8); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rev%2017.12 (Revelation 17:12)). Therefore, as David's horn of salvation, he is saying that the Lord empowered and delivered him. God as David's stronghold: For believers today, we have Jesus Christ as our stronghold – our refuge and shield. The apostle Paul refers to our lives as “hidden with Christ in God” in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Col%203.3 (Colossians 3:3). As you go about your day today, keep in mind these incredible truths from this Psalm. It is only through our belief and acceptance as Jesus as our savior for us to be “hidden with Christ in God,” and through this belief, we are Scripturally able to rely on God to be all of these same things for us.

Let's break this verse down to gain a better idea of the full meaning of what is being told here. The word “curse” in the original language of Greek is “kataraomai” (καταράομαι). It means to curse or call down evil upon someone and is referring to so much more than just “hateful language,” and we see here through this translation that it has a spiritual connotation to it. It means that when wicked people curse, they desire to use evil to accomplish their curse, thus revealing the enormity of what we're being told in this verse. This commandment requires a lot from us because of our own sinful nature and bent toward retaliation against those that hurt us. We can easily be hurt by something as simple as hateful language. Yet we are supposed to love and pray for our enemies, specifically those that curse us (which, as we've learned, is so much more than “hateful language”). So how do we do that? How do we bless someone who hates us so much that they want evil to rest upon us? Simply put: it is impossible on our own. We only accomplish this type of Godly love through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, and it is subsequently expressed by those whose lives are completely submitted to the Lord. It is in His power that we can love as Christ loved: to love our enemy by blessing those who curse us and praying for those who mistreat us – all of which we do for the glory of God.

The early verses of this psalm are a cry to the Lord from David for support as he's expressing his helpless condition, the bitterness of his heart, and the pain that he is feeling in his soul. He needs deliverance from his enemies and is entreating the Lord to hear his prayer. We see his distress so intense that he fears that he will “become like those who go down to the pit” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2028.1 (Psalm 28:1)). As characteristic with David, he is calling out to God for relief. We don't see David taken in by smooth-talking neighbors who speak of peace, while their hearts plot evil. This Psalm is interesting as part-way through this serious lamenting, we see David's attitude switch from pleadings of deliverance; justice; and vengeance to words of rejoicing, worship, and song. You see, something incredible is happening here. In the midst of his deep distress, David stopped and remembered who God truly is: “The LORD is my strength and my shield…” This is jubilant praise! As we talked about yesterday and the day before regarding https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%20118.8 (Psalm 118:8) and https://biblia.com/bible/we/2%20Cor%2012.9 (2 Corinthians 12:9, we)'re not promised health, wealth, or prosperity by simply being Christians. In fact, we're promised the opposite and should expect hard times. This is how be can avoid discouragement in our faith, and in this verse we see a prime example of David doing just that. When faced with tremendous difficulties, David knows that God has promised to be with us in every situation of life as he says, “in him my heart trusts, and I am helped…” As you go about your day, you should keep this truth in your mind: due to our sin and rebellion against God, we have the sentence of death if we only trust in ourselves. Don't trust in yourself or man, but in Christ, as it is He who provides to us sufficient grace, and in Whom we have been made new. “…my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.” This phrase is edifying and encouraging in glorifying God and singing our praises to Him. In good times and bad, we should worship Him, for it not only lifts our heart but in our helplessness we know we can trust in Him as we give glory to our Father in heaven. My prayer for each of us is that our heart may truly rejoice in the God of our salvation and that our hearts will exult in thankfulness and eternal praise to God.

Over the last few days we've examined some pretty incredible truths: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%209.10 (Proverbs 9:10)), but fools despise wisdom, and detest instruction (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%201.7 (Proverbs 1:7)). With these verses in mind, how much better to take refuge in the Lord than to place ones trust in man? We've learned from many places in the bible, but specifically the verses cited above that a reverential fear of God and a heart that trusts the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and gives us safety from the fear of man. As we continue to grow, learn, and gain more knowledge of our great God and Savior, we are given wisdom and understanding. But before this honor of wisdom and understanding is bestowed, humility must come first (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.9 (2 Corinthians 12:9)). Throughout the Bible we see that a trusting faith in the Lord trumps all other fears and failings, as this puts to flight the dread of what man or the world could ever do to us. This does not mean that we are spared from all difficulties or dangers in life, especially when Jesus told us that we should expect trials and tribulations (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.19 (John 15:19); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%205.2-6 (2 Corinthians 5:2-6)). Yesterday we talked about the truth that His grace is sufficient as nothing can separate us from the love of God (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%208.31-39 (Romans 8:31-39)), so, therefore, we can gladly boast in our weaknesses, as through our weaknesses Christ's strength is perfected (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.9 (2 Corinthians 12:9)). It's in His power that we can resist the devil. It's under the total authority of the indwelling Holy Spirit that we even have the means to put on the Armor of God (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Eph%206.10-18 (Ephesians 6:10-18)), that God Himself provides as a defense against all that seek to destroy us. We cannot, and will not ever be able to do it alone. Sin infects every single aspect of who we are. Those who take refuge in the Lord and venerate Him with a reverential fear are able to serve Him with worshipful obedience that upholds biblical doctrine and helps us to better align our thoughts and actions with His will. We need to start trusting His unfailing and ever-faithful mercies and stop relying on man for our happiness, comfort, or joy. John Piper puts it like this: “When tempted to flee the pressures of life, the Scriptures call us to hide ourselves in God. Only God can offer true refuge from life's dangers and the misery of our sin.” So today, I want to leave you with this: taking refuge in God does not always mean immediate escape from pain and suffering. God is in control, and completely and utterly undisturbed by any perceived chaos on earth. This doesn't mean He's not concerned about what is going on in our life, but it does mean that He's not panicking (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%202.4 (Psalm 2:4)). God remains unshaken and eternally in power, which for us provides confidence for which we can claim refuge. No matter what happens on earth, we are to always celebrate him as our King. In Him we take refuge.

Few lies are as attractive, poisonous, and damaging to Christians and the Church as the claim that following God means worldly success (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Tim%206.3-5 (1 Timothy 6:3-5)). We've talked some about the prosperity gospel that so many widely popular pastors and televangelists preach, however, Jesus' explicit teaching was that Christians should expect hardships (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.19 (John 15:19); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%205.2-6 (2 Corinthians 5:2-6)). There will be hard times for all of us, and Christ knew this. When we expect hard times, we can avoid discouragement as we know that it comes with the territory (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2016.33 (John 16:33)). Liars who teach that health, wealth, prosperity, or any other benefits are waiting for anyone who possesses “enough” faith are, simply put, unbiblical. This section in 2 Corinthians that describes Paul's experience here is among all of Scripture's most powerful proofs that “word of faith” and other forms of the prosperity gospel are completely and utterly false. Here's some background regarding what leads up to this verse. Prior verses included Paul's extraordinary heavenly experience (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.1-3 (2 Corinthians 12:1-3)). It was in this experience/moment that Paul was provided with insights that he was not allowed to reveal to others (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.4 (2 Corinthians 12:4)). In order to prevent Paul from being conceited/arrogant about this insight that he gained, we see in Scripture that God sent Paul an unspecified “thorn in the flesh,” or a “stake in the flesh.” We don't know the extent to which this verse is speaking, whether the “thorn in the flesh” was emotional, physical, or a connection to some temptation. Rather, all we know is what we're told. We're told that this is a man of profound faith and deep commitment to God, was stricken and cried out repeatedly for relief (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.7-8 (2 Corinthians 12:7-8)). Paul came to realize that the purpose of this was to maintain his humility. His persistent “weakness” helped keep him from being conceited. We see God proclaiming that His grace was fully capable of providing everything that Paul needed to endure this suffering. His power is made perfect in our weakness. When we see the word “sufficient” being used, the greek word for it is arkei (αρκεί) which when translated implies endurance, strength, or satisfaction. In https://biblia.com/bible/we/2%20Cor%2012.5 (2 Corinthians 12:5, we) see Paul writing that he would only boast in his weaknesses, but now in verse 9 he is adding enthusiasm to it. “Therefore I will boast all the more gladly…” Why would Paul gladly boast about his weaknesses? Because Christ's power becomes the most obvious in the areas where we, as believers, are weakest. The phrase “made perfect” in the verse is originally teleitai (τελείται) in the Greek, which we see mostly refers to, in this context, completion or accomplishment (literally translated means, “is done”). This means that the focus of this is on something being achieved, and not having flaws removed. So why is this verse important? Because it reveals several incredible truths about how God works in the daily and worldly lives of Christians. Satan and his demons' attempts to harass God's work and His servants only proves to perfect God's grace through our weaknesses. Second, you need to understand that God answers to prayers are always subject to His will. Not ours. Not what we want. He answers every prayers, and sometimes the answer is “no.” He may answer “no” to a request to lift a burden on our lives. If our suffering is part of God's will and drawing us closer to Him, and more dependent on Him, it could be accomplishing in us exactly what He wants. But don't think that this means that God doesn't care for us. This truth shows us that God's primary concern for...

This section of Matthew, Chapter 6:7-16, follows Jesus' instruction about praying behind closed doors, and He is now teaching us how to pray. We see a theme continuing here in this verse that began in the previous chapter, where Jesus emphasized that inner thoughts are as much a part of righteousness as outward actions (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%205.20 (Matthew 5:20)). This even applies to good deeds. Selfish motivations behind good deeds undo the point of good deeds (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.1 (Matthew 6:1)). The same goes for prayer. We, as Christians, are not supposed to or meant to pray with the intent to impress anybody. Doing so makes you a hypocrite (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.5-6 (Matthew 6:5-6)). In the verse immediately preceding our Verse of the Day today, we also see that God does not approve of the pattern of mindless repeating words and phrases over and over, with the thought that you're more likely to be heard (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.7 (Matthew 6:7)). So, what does this mean for us? How do we apply this verse to our lives? We need to communicate with sincerity and humility when we pray. God doesn't need, want, or ask for mindlessly repeated prayers. We can't use just the right words for God to hear or understand us (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%208.26 (Romans 8:26)), as God knows what we need before we even ask. Therefore, we can speak to Him simply, openly, and honestly. He will hear, understand, and respond (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Heb%204.15-16 (Hebrews 4:15-16)) in His will (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Luke%2022.42 (Luke 22:42)).

This verse is incredibly important, as it teaches that the fear of God is foundational to true wisdom. Many other passages talk about the fear for the Lord (for example: https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%20111.10 (Psalm 111:10); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%201.7 (Proverbs 1:7); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%2014.27 (14:27); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Proverbs%2015.33 (15:33)). So to start, let's define the word “fear” in this verse, as it could mean several things. We see in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Deut%202.25 (Deuteronomy 2:25) that it could refer to the terror that one feels in a frightening situation. It could also mean respect, in the way that a servant fears his master and serves him faithfully (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Josh%2024.14 (Joshua 24:14)). We also see fear meaning the reverence or awe that someone feels in the presence of greatness (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isa%206.5 (Isaiah 6:5)). The fear of the Lord is the combination of all of these. In fact, we see the Fear of the Lord being defined in several places in the Bible. We could also define the Fear of the Lord as “the continual awareness that our heavenly Father is watching and evaluating everything we think, say, and do” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2012.36 (Matthew 12:36); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%20139.2 (Psalm 139:2); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Jer%2012.3 (Jeremiah 12:3)). Jesus even told each of the seven churches in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rev%201-2 (Revelation 1-2), “I know your works.” Nothing escapes the attention of God.  So, since the “fear of the Lord is foundation of wisdom,” how do we develop this fear of the Lord? First, we need to recognize God for who He is. Those who fear the Lord have a deep reverence for Him, more specifically that reverence results in a sincere commitment to obey Him. This link between the fear of God and wisdom means that we cannot possess true wisdom if we recreate God in our own image. And this is something that has been extremely rampant in our culture today. Too many people want to “tame” God into a non-threatening nobody. We redefine the Lord as a god that makes us comfortable, permissive, and someone who just wants to bless us, answer all of our prayers by giving us exactly what we want, and is happy when we are happy (if that sounds familiar, I'm referring to the prosperity gospel specifically here). The reality is that the Lord God Almighty is so much greater than any redefinition that anyone could possibly give Him. The fear of the Lord begins when we see Him in His majesty and power (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rev%204.11 (Revelation 4:11); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Job%2042.1-2 (Job 42:1-2)). In https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Job%2038-41 (Job 38-41), the Lord shows a glimpse of His power when He describes His absolute sovereignty over everything. The fact of the matter is this: until our hearts are in a right relationship with God, we are unable to have the “wisdom that comes from heaven” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%203.17 (James 3:17)). Without the fear of the Lord, we could still gain knowledge of earthly things, and make some practical choices for THIS life on earth, but we're missing the most important thing that truly defines a wise person (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2014.1 (Psalm 14:1); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Exod%2020.3 (Exodus 20:3); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Exodus%2034.14 (34:14); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Jer%2025.6 (Jeremiah 25:6); https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2022.37 (Matthew 22:37)). It's without the fear of the Lord that we make final decisions based on our faulty, flawed, and imperfect human understanding (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%203.5-6 (Proverbs 3:5-6)). Yet, when we consciously incorporate the fear of the Lord into every moment of our lives, we make decisions based on please God and His will. We can and should live...

This section of James, spanning verses 2-18, begins by commanding Christians to see trials in our lives as meaningful, and therefore ultimately beneficial. He wants us to see that struggles during our lives are opportunities to trust God at a deeper level. You see, the temptation that we face during trials is to trust God less. We could end up deciding that he's not faithful to us, or compassionate during our times of pain and heartbreak. These kinds of thoughts may enter our minds: “Maybe He isn't good, or loving, or powerful if we're facing challenges…” What we see in this verse, is how we choose to answer those questions/doubts about God during our worst days. He's making it clear that blaming God for tempting us is not a valid response.  There is an important difference between the concepts of “test” and “tempt.” God never orchestrates events in our lives to lure us away from Himself. But, God does test people. A lot of people use the time Jesus spent in the wilderness as proof that God tempts, but that is either a misunderstanding of the Scripture or false teaching. Jesus, in the wilderness, was tested by God and tempted by Satan. Further, it's important to recognize that there are temptations that result from our own sinful tendencies (internal) and those coming from without sinful inclinations (external). Jesus was never tempted internally, as he was without original sin – but was tempted externally.  As Christians, we are never guaranteed an easier life than nonbelievers. In fact, all through Scripture we see the opposite remain true. Being a friend to God means being an enemy in a fallen world (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2016.1-4 (John 16:1-4)). We will have trials (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.18-20 (John 15:18-20)). And undoubtedly, these trials will test our faith. But be careful to recognize that the temptation to stop trusting God during these trials is not from Him. It is only from evil. God is, by definition, good. As you go about your day, keep this in your mind: as Christians, life is guaranteed to not be easy. We are in a fallen world, and as allies of God, we are enemies of the fallen world. God will test us. We will have trials. Look at the struggles you are facing, and ask yourself whether you have blamed God or evil or if you think He is tempting you to sin. If so, repent of such an attitude, and reflect on today's verse.

This verse comes https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%204.1-12 (James 4:1-12) which builds on the end of chapter 3. In this section, James is comparing how living according to the standards of the world is adultery, as it is “cheating” on God. He is calling for Christians to quit their friendship with the world, humble themselves, repent from their sin, and receive God's grace. God is the Lawgiver and the Judge, not man. This verse gives us an incredible promise. If we draw near, or move closer, to God, God will respond by moving closer to us. The God of the universe, which owes us nothing, including His closeness, will do so if we draw near to Him. What an incredible act of mercy. We see the grace of God in this verse alone for him to draw near us at all. In the sentence immediately after this, we see the word “double-minded.” We cannot serve both ourselves and God. We cannot be in the ways of the world and following God. We need to purify our hearts and cleanse our hands. For the Jewish readers of the original text, these phrases would have brought to mind ceremonial washings, with the idea to completely turn from sin. This is what true repentance means: to turn completely from our sin, to resolve that we will serve God (and only God), and to begin again.

In today's verse, we see Solomon continuing his teaching regarding trusting the Lord instead of our own understanding. We're not to rely on our own wisdom. This does not mean that we are to act recklessly. This does not mean that we are to act without careful thought. This does not mean that we are to act in foolish ways. What this does mean, however, is that as humans, our wisdom falls far below that of God's wisdom. Our own wisdom can lead to false assumptions, conclusions, and ideas. God's wisdom leads to complete perfection and righteousness.  “Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.” – https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%201.22-23 (Romans 1:22-23 ESV)Those who claim to be wise by worshipping nature instead of the creator are fools. They are heathens. Instead, it is infinitely better to come to the Lord with reverence, trusting Him, and to turn your back on evil than to follow our own desires and inclinations. I reference this book quite often in my day-to-day life when talking to other Christians but just look at Job. He had no idea why he was suffering so greatly. But did he turn his back on God? Did he rebuke God? No. He was convinced that the Lord knew exactly what He was doing. Job knew and acknowledged that it was his responsibility (as it is ours) to reverence the Lord and reject evil.  “And he said to man,‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,and to turn away from evil is understanding.”– https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Job%2028.28 (Job 28:28)

The context of this verse is particularly interesting today, and for what we are going over today, I felt as though we should cover a verse in the Bible that is ultimately filled with hope and comfort for believers. For the twenty verses before this, the writer of Lamentations listed all of his struggles and afflictions. We can relate to this – life is hard. It can be full of pain, difficulty, and sorrow. Yet after all of his time spent writing about his troubles and afflictions, the writer says, “The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; his mercies never come to an end.” The Hebrew word that was used for the word “love” in this verse is “hesed.” This word in particular has the sense of loyal, committed, settled love. And this word is beautiful especially in the context of this verse, as the writer is saying that this love from God is not in any way a response to anything anyone can do. “Hesed” love is not in response to someone's goodness. It's God's choice. It's God's decision, and it is settled, fixed, and final. It is a love extended from God that will never change, and is free and eternal. We should take great comfort, joy, and hope that God loves us because it is His will to love us. Moses made it clear to the ancient Israelites that they hadn't earned God's love all the way back in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Deut%207.7-9 (Deuteronomy 7:7-9): “It was not because you were more in number than any other people that the LORD set his love on you and chose you, for you were the fewest of all peoples, but it is because the LORD loves you and is keeping the oath that he swore to your fathers, that the LORD has brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the house of slavery, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt. Know therefore that the LORD your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations…” We are loved, and will always be loved. This love from God is not a mood, attraction, or response to anyone's actions. Instead, it flows from a heart overflowing with longing for the good of his people. Even though we can't always see the path our life is meant to take, and that the hand that is guiding us and holding is hard to recognize in the moment, we are seen by God. He provides for us and is faithful. Even when we aren't (which is the majority of our time). But, even in spite of this, God is faithful. No matter what you are going through, I want to urge you to turn your eyes away from your own disappointments. Focus on God, draw near to Him, and look to His purpose and plan. Remember that His mercies never end – they are new each and every day. Great is His faithfulness.

This verse comes from one of Jesus' most well-known metaphors: the vine and the branches. Further, throughout the book of John, we see Jesus making seven statements of “I am.” This section features the seventh of these seven statements in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.1 (John 15:1), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.5 (5). It's in this section that Jesus describes several ideas on Christian perseverance, our faith, false conversion, and spiritual effectiveness. And as Jesus wraps up this metaphor, He makes another reference to loving obedience, thus transitioning to His next passage of teaching. However today, we're focusing on the topic of prayer, as this verse has been misconstrued, stripped from its context, and used incorrectly by false teachers (especially in those that preach prosperity gospel) to establish incorrect expectancies among Christians about the character of God. It is my desire that each and every one of you understand this verse in its correct context and meaning so that if you do hear it twisted, you can defend what is true. You can help those who don't understand it to truly know what it means. This verse is so much more powerful than anything that we could come up with on our own. It is more comforting than any twisting of its original meaning. So before we begin, let's talk briefly about how this gets twisted: this verse does not mean that God will give you every earthly desire that you pray for. Yet some people out there teach that if we exercise enough faith, we can compel God to make us prosperous, healthy, and have many material possessions. Look closely at what I'm saying: some teach that if we exercise enough faith, we can tell God what His will is. We can compel Him to give us what we want. So, as some teach, if you continue to suffer from afflictions or poverty, you must not have enough faith. I hope that you see how absolutely backward from scripture this is. I say all of this not to confuse you, but to make you aware of what is being taught by some, and today we're going to look at what the Bible actually says about it. It's in this verse that Jesus gives us two basic conditions regarding answered prayer: “If you abide in me.” – We are not the Vine. Jesus is. Apart from Him we can do nothing (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.5 (John 15:5)). This concept of “abiding in” Him refers to those who are truly connected to the True Vine, and therefore bear spiritual fruit as a result (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/John%2015.1-6 (John 15:1-6)). So what does it mean to be connected to the True Vine? Simply put, it means we rely on Jesus for all of life. It's a joyful and continual relationship with Jesus that is marked by dependence, trust, and obedience. “…and my words abide in you.” – Jesus tells us in this second line that not only does He want us to abide in Him, but that He wants His words to abide in us. This doesn't necessarily just mean memorizing Bible verses, but is pointing to a responsive obedience to Jesus and His revelation of Himself (the Bible). We must learn to love His Word by reading, studying, meditating, and savoring it. But don't let it end there. Take this desire and relationship with Jesus to prayer. When we know His words and His words abide in us, our desires and character begin to shift towards God's will. A branch receives what it needs from the vine. “So by these two conditions – staying in Jesus and having Jesus' words stay in us – he shapes our desires and our thoughts through the Holy Spirit so that our wishes and his are increasingly the same.” – Jon Bloom. It's through the words of Jesus abiding in us, that we are prepared for fruit-bearing prayer. John Piper says, “If we want to have power and effect in praying, we must devote ourselves to getting our desires into alignment with the fruit that God means to produce through us…” Therefore, the key to praying with power is to become the kind of person that doesn't use God for our...

If you've been a Christian for any amount of time, you may have realized that unfortunately, there are those that are Christian in name only, and their lives aren't characterized by a pattern of repentance to God, and obedience to His Word. The entirety of James has to do in large part with explaining that the living faith that is the effect of our salvation always results in a change in character that demonstrates a willingness and desire to obey God in all things. When James tells us that we must all “be quick to hear, slow to speak,” and “slow to anger”, we do this because “the anger of man does not produce the righteousness that God requires” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%201.20 (James 1:20)). This isn't referring to our gift of perfect rightness in Christ and our right legal standing before God. James is referring here to the living that God desires of His people, which is the obedience to God's law (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%205.17 (Matthew 5:17)). Before you jump to a conclusion about what I'm saying here, consider this: when we have authentic faith in Christ, we seek to please God in all things. It's what we naturally want and strive to do. However, if we're too willing to jump to conclusions without allowing those around us the benefit of the doubt, we can become angry in a way that is sinful, and thus sneakingly hastily. R.C. Sproul puts it like this: “…if we aren't slow to hear our fellow believers, we might burn with unjustified and unrighteous anger and thereby do things that do not please God. We must, therefore, take the time to understand others before jumping to conclusions.” As I'm writing this, I know I'm guilty of it. This is an area that I really need to improve on. We can all recall times when we were far too quick to speak and not patient enough to hear the whole story. Sometimes we become angry far too quickly and say things that we don't mean. Some of the most hurtful things we say can come out of these impulsive outbursts. Have patience with your fellow believers. Hear what they have to say. As you go about your day, week, and month, listen carefully before just saying the first thing that comes to mind. I want to leave you with a few verses to look at in addition to https://biblia.com/bible/esv/James%201.19-20 (James 1:19-20). These are https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Gen%204.6-7 (Genesis 4:6-7), https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%2017.27-28 (Proverbs 17:27-28), & https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Eph%204.26-27 (Ephesians 4:26-27).

Verse of the Day: “Seek the LORD and his strength; seek his presence continually!” Like we do every day, let's go over the context of this verse and what we're really being told here. 1 Chronicles offers a unique perspective not found anywhere else in the Bible. We see an amazingly detailed genealogy from Adam to David (the most detailed series of genealogy found in the Bible), but the 20 following chapters begin from the death of King Saul in Ch. 10, and then we are shown the events of David's reign. David is telling us in this verse that we should turn to Him in order to worship Him. “Seek the LORD…” The surrounding verses of this section explain in detail why we are to do this. Because: v. 9 – of His wonderful acts v. 12 – of His wonders, miracles, and judgment v. 14 – He is the Lord our God v. 15 – He remembers His covenants v. 21 – He protects His people v. 24 – of His marvelous deeds v. 25 – He is to be feared above all gods v. 26 – He made the heavens v. 27 – He is full of strength and joy v. 28 – of His name v. 29 – of His holiness v. 34 – He is good and His love endures forever v. 36 – He is everlasting All of these attributes of God are used by David as reasons as to why everyone should worship the Lord. And, in order to worship God, we need to first turn to God, look to God, seek Him. “…and his strength…” Our own strength will fail us. We are finite, weak, and fragile in comparison to the Lord. God is everlasting, and as we talked about a couple of days ago, He will never grow weary or faint. For God is made perfect in our weakness (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.9 (2 Corinthians 12:9)), and it's through Him that we have strength (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Phil%204.13 (Philippians 4:13)) because “Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy in his dwelling place” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/1%20Chron%2016.17 (1 Chronicles 16:17)). Seek the strength of the Lord. “…seek his presence continually…” Some versions translate the word “presence” as “face”, but what we're being told in this part of the verse is to be seeking is gracious presence. And we do this through Jesus Christ. David says in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2027.8 (Psalm 27:8), “my heart says of you, ‘Seek his face!' Your face, Lord, I will seek” – thus expressing an intense desire to seek God. At times it may not feel like God is there, you'll go through trials where you won't feel Him, but again, it all comes back to feeding your faith with the Word of God. It's our faith and understanding of Scripture that must outweigh any circumstance that we're facing – and it will manifest in a search for God that will never give up. In good times or bad, always be seeking His presence. God is so much more worthy than simply try to find Him when times are tough. As you go about your day today, keep this in mind: we will never seek God in vain. If you truly seek Him you will always find Him.

First, let's establish the context of this verse. This verse comes from the section of https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%203.1-12 (Proverbs 3:1-12), which is an exhortation from Solomon to his son, as he is urging him to listen to his teaching to trust wholeheartedly in the Lord (also giving some valuable results of obedience and trust). Further, in this section, Solomon is building on the counsel that he provided in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%202 (Proverbs 2). John Piper puts it like this, “So, at every turn, every new choice you have to make, every new conversation you are in, you are sending up a message: God, I acknowledge you here. I know you here. I am drawing you in here. You are decisive here. I need you here.” This specific verse is referenced directly by Jesus in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.33 (Matthew 6:33): “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” This citation in Matthew of https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Prov%203.6 (Proverbs 3:6) by Jesus is one of the key verses in all of His teaching. We see it used in quotes, artwork, and Bible memorization from an early age. Yet, like with all scripture, it must be understood in the context of the verses surrounding it. Far too often these words have been ripped out of the context of Jesus' teaching and applied to the false teaching known as the “prosperity gospel.” If you're not aware of what the prosperity gospel is, I'll explain it very briefly here, but look for an upcoming article in the future as we'll cover it in depth. Prosperity gospel preachers and televangelists teach that those who practice and exercise true faith in Christ will subsequently attain physical, material, and financial prosperity in this life. And it sounds great, and it appeals to people. The problem? That's not promised anywhere in the Bible. What this practice is doing, is redefining our “wants” (money, health, material things) as “needs”, and then saying that if we have true faith we'll get those things. Do you see what's happening here? This practice is defining the will of God as this: “God wants you to be rich, healthy, and have a lot of material possessions.” When we look at the context of what Jesus says we “need” in this verse, it's the opposite. It's the other way around. What we “need” is the will of God. And that may look very different from what we “want” or prefer (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%205.3-12 (Matthew 5:3-12)). So back to the context of https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%206.33 (Matthew 6:33). Let's look at two specific words: “these things”. Jesus is referring to the basic needs of life: food and clothing. We know this because of the verses immediately preceding this by Jesus' reference to God feeding the birds and clothing the lilies beautifully, and that His children are far more valuable. Jesus wants us to trust the heavenly Father instead of living in constant and fruitless worry. And He gives us a different outlet for our energy: pursue God's kingdom, trust His righteousness, and leave it to Him to take care of the basic needs of our life. Look at your values and your priorities. What is truly important to you? There may be areas of your life that you already acknowledge God, but in those areas where you attempt to either knowingly or unknowingly restrict or ignore His influence, that will cause you grief. This verse is pretty self-explanatory, but that doesn't mean that it isn't powerful and important. Make Him a vital part of everything you do; then he will guide you because you will be working to accomplish his will. The more time you spend with God, diving into His Word, praying, studying, learning, and living out your faith, the more that your wants will align with His will. And at times you'll fall, you'll sin, or mess up. It happens to all of us. The point is to recognize it, change, and dive back in.

As we look over this section, we're going to look at verses 1-6 to gain some context. This passage focuses on creation as a means by which God reveals Himself to mankind. We see right here in verse 1 that the heavens and the sky are the testimony to about God in both night and day. The revelation of God reaches everyone, just as the sun in its strength appears daily and reaches everywhere. This is one of the verses that establishes, in part, the idea that all people have ample evidence telling them that God exists. Now as we dive into verse 1, it's important to know that King David, who wrote this Psalm, was first a shepherd (if you don't know his story, you're in for some pretty incredible stuff). But as a shepherd, he was used to spending ample amounts of time outdoors. Both day and night he would scan the sky in awe. A lot of the earth today is absolutely covered with what is known as “light-pollution.” This is where lights from cities and civilization in general are bright enough that it blocks out the stars at night. It's basically the presence of artificial light in the night environment. If you're unaware, check out this map just to get an idea of what it is: https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lightpollutionmap.info%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR04_WiwCzSHK3sNmMVkQKkyLEGVCCDAF5_AdYzv_Hv1q1Ne0oLBDDMkClI&h=AT3Lxuly1ycyvNwPXVAryvG58ix19V6kCCzWaeajd8rtGbvMx4lj4VQKPbfShzAoHorI3ktM3UGeDcVN8AW3pDdGAMlQrTvNUCz0WshAIymZ50cQSg8OGdizMsK_L_U5VPnsuHN2cawL0h3sOyV8rkjyKV0VC9DzQ4Hoh0xlsApUNSY9gqsRjM2beLTGsLz49nISUCBfRay7xlBOA5wAnmuqb9Eiv0BXJE_qfO0f-KLL1FY1MB5QjW2P0batI465RN6Q9xukwhzHOFNUwrO071bZyg2OoGKsATUB889mND2J4w31mXlGlq3c0vWOxAiImCSaVZ_grchRJivpPOTw8V25p1f-Diq56balZhpoS_jWqTCh8aa6MMvy4Mc-NAfiTcAwRn-49hQLfHEsIR8mR57RkMpeEz8b3nQa8MF9gLGTd0SzG2s5ZqQZqWSuHM5MEJhs4dlAQR3eoBajX6TQKYBNsMQalgjH0O1dd3GPh6Ld7GGNMT51oOoaGEXfloapNoRWGoFGet52TSnROZKVgLQRtXEAWssdfJ7-Oux60EFW5lDf9EKiSDvYr9c8rB5QgAMlJDYmUxOzu6jfDOTy1v2GTYdvuYiBNmzT0NiIq7qREw (https://www.lightpollutionmap.info/) Now imagine a time where there is relatively no light pollution. Have you ever driven out into the country, or been on a boat away from land? The amount of stars you can see is unbelievable, and it's beauty is almost beyond words. David saw the sky this way, and he knew that what we see in the heavens and sky keep on declaring God's glory. All of the stars, moon, and clouds are His “handiwork” (as the ESV puts it). And this is true today just as it was thousands of years ago. The more we learn about how the universe is structured and how it works, the more fully we grasp the immense power and glory of God. The natural world around us reveals much about who God is. Paul wrote that God's “invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world” (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Rom%201.20 (Romans 1:20)). This verse in https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Ps%2019 (Psalm 19) is also as much of a statement of theology as it is a form of worship. In https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Deut%204.19 (Deuteronomy 4:19) God said, “And beware lest you raise your eyes to heaven, and when you see the sun and the moon and the stars, all the host of heaven, you be drawn away and bow down to them and serve them.” David is illustrating that nature itself shouts of God's existence and glory – those stars and planets aren't deities, or spirits – they are the creations of God.

Let's establish some context around where this verse comes from. In the book of Isaiah, the Jews were living in exile in Babylon. This was a foreign land to them, far away from their home, and it was a land that was broken. Because of their surroundings, they started to believe that their way was hidden from God and disgraced by Him (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Isa%2040.27 (Isaiah 40:27)). So it is to these people who were hurting and exiled, that the prophet Isaiah spoke with amazing language surrounding the supremacy of God. So now look at what Isaiah is telling us in this verse:. “The lord is the everlasting God…” – Isaiah doesn't address the Jews' situation right off the bat. He starts by shifting the focus from their problems and suffering to focusing on God. Despite what anyone in that culture thought at the time, God, who lovingly covenanted with His people, was wholeheartedly committed to them. In the rest of this verse we see a list of descriptions about who God is. A list that at the time would have given an exhausted and tired people hope. And that's what we need to do today. No matter how exhausted, tired, or broken you are, or how bleak life may feel – shift your focus to God. Unlike any nation, circumstance, or obstacle, God is everlasting. “…the Creator of the ends of the earth…” As Ray Ortlund comments, “There is not a single square inch on this earth unknown to God or lying beyond the range of his presence. Anywhere life may take us, whether Babylonian exile or a lonely hotel room or an intensive care unit, God will already be there for us. We lie in his grace and power at all times, everywhere.” “He will not grow weary” – It's in the times that life makes zero sense, that we need to remember that God is in control, powerful, and all-knowing. He's never perplexed or overwhelmed by any situation, for who He is and His character is far beyond anything we'll ever know. It's easy to lose trust when things go bad. It's easy to wonder if God cares when everything feels like it's breaking. These thoughts come from a place of doubt. And doubt is natural within faith. It comes from our human weakness and frailty. We naturally want certainty when things require faith. Instead of dwelling on doubt and uncertainty, think of your faith as a lifeline to God. A God who will never grow faint or weary. “…and his understanding no one can fathom.” – Rest easy in knowing that God's power, majesty, glory, and character are far beyond anything that we can comprehend. All throughout history we've tried to place God in a box, tried to rationalize his essence, tried to explain things in ways that make sense to us. And that's natural to do, but it should be awe-inspiring that there are some things about God that we can explain, but will never comprehend. In any trial that we go through, it's so easy to become narrow-sighted and to lose focus on what God is doing in our lives through the hard times. Do you feel like fainting? Draw near to God, He will not faint. In our weakness, He is strong (https://biblia.com/bible/esv/2%20Cor%2012.9 (2 Corinthians 12:9)). “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – https://biblia.com/bible/esv/Matt%2011.28-29 (Matthew 11:28-29). We can find comfort, healing, joy, and rest in a Creator who is everlasting, will not grow faint or weary, and whose understanding is beyond anything we can fathom. Draw near to God. Spend time with Him today. Pray, read His Word, and draw near to Him. You will find rest.