Bruce Collins, Evangelist

Do We Understand What Mary Experienced? “(yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” (Luke 2:35 NKJV) Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. (John 19:25 NKJV) The Silent […]

Why? Why Not? “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble.” (Job 14:1 NKJV) “These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 NKJV) Some […]

Woe is Me! So I said: “Woe is me, for I am undone! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, The LORD of hosts.” (Isaiah 6:5 NKJV) It is Easy to See the Faults of […]

Beware! Matthew 7:15 NKJV — “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. What does it mean to beware? Beware means to be careful or to be on your guard–to watch out for someone or something.  The word sounds a warning. False Prophets The Bible has […]

Fool! Luke 12:20 NKJV — “But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ Luke 12:33 NKJV — “Sell what you have and give alms; provide yourselves money bags which do not grow old, a treasure in the heavens […]

The Lord thinks upon Me! Psalm 40:17 NKJV — But I am poor and needy; Yet the LORD thinks upon me. You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay, O my God. Personal Note Because Uncle Sam takes priority this time of year and because of some complications in my daily schedule, I […]

Balaam, the Conundrum  “And Balaam raised his eyes, and saw Israel encamped according to their tribes; and the Spirit of God came upon him.” (Numbers 24:2, NKJV) Who is Balaam? Balaam is the son of Beor and he comes from Pethor which may be our Syria.  He lived near a river which is likely the […]

He is not Here! “But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. “He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.” (Matthew 28:5-6 NKJV) Discouragement It must have been discouraging […]

People we will not See in Heaven Those Who Don’t Learn from History “Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Behold and see If there is any sorrow like my sorrow, Which has been brought on me, Which the LORD has inflicted In the day of His fierce anger.” (Lamentations 1:12, NKJV) […]

New Heavens and New Earth “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all […]

A Promise that Encourages the Believer “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” […]

The Game of Life “Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created […]

The Gift of God My God is a giving God.  He gave His Son, His Son gave us Living Water, His Son has given us the gift of salvation, and through the Lord Jesus we have the gift of eternal life. The Gift of His Son “For God so loved the world that He gave […]

Then Shall They Know that I Am the Lord “Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. They shall be safe in their land; and they shall know that I am the LORD, when I have broken the bands of their yoke and delivered them from […]

Disappointments “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.” (Luke 24:21, NKJV) Elections We have just finished our elections for this year.  In this country,  it is constantly election time, it seems.  I know that there […]

Quench Not the Spirit Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies. Test all things; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. (1 Thessalonians 5:16-22 NKJV) How Do We […]

Under the Sun Ecclesiastes 1:3 (NKJV)What profit has a man from all his labor In which he toils under the sun? Futile, Pointless, Meaningless Solomon, one of the wisest men who ever lived apart from the Lord, seemingly got very depressed when he considered his and our lives on this earth (under the sun). He […]

Eternity Past and Eternity Future Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest […]

Trust If we are faithless, He remains faithful; He cannot deny Himself. (2 Timothy 2:13 NKJV) We who are believers trust the Lord because we are confident that He tells us the truth in the Bible. The prophecies that were fulfilled with the Lord’s first coming, prophecies that were written many years before their fulfillment, […]

Why is there Pain and Suffering?     “And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” (Revelation 21:4 NKJV)     Introduction I have missed the last several weeks of […]

Without Faith But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. (Hebrews 11:6 NKJV) What is Faith? Many people have a general faith or confidence in a good God and they assume […]

My Servant     “Behold, My Servant shall deal prudently; He shall be exalted and extolled and be very high. Just as many were astonished at you, So His visage was marred more than any man, And His form more than the sons of men; So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their […]

Do We Have a Golden Calf? “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’?” (Exodus 32:8 NKJV) However Jehu […]

The Importance of the THE     Simon Peter answered and said, “You are THE Christ, THE Son of the living God.” (Matthew 16:16 NKJV)     Not A Christ, but THE Christ Paying attention to details is helpful when understanding the truth of Scripture.  Peter was asked, “Whom do men say that I am?”  […]

That They Might Be With Him Then He appointed twelve, that they might be WITH HIM and that He might send them out to preach, and to have power to heal sicknesses and to cast out demons. (Mark 3:14-15, NKJV) Being With The Lord The twelve (including Judas) had the privilege of being “with the […]

He Humbled Himself   And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, (Philippians 2:8-9 NKJV)   Therefore, as the elect of […]

Eternity, Eternal, Forever and Ever   “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God.” (1 John 5:13, NKJV) “Then He who sat […]

Some will Heed the Warnings and Some will Not!   He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.” Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen. (Revelation 22:20-21 NKJV)   Weather Prophets For the last week, our weather prophets have been […]

Only a Sinner!   When Jesus heard it, He said to them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance.” (Mark 2:17 NKJV) And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise […]

Do we Actually say Thank you?   Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalm 107:8-9 NKJV)   The Redeemed The children of Israel were those who […]

Then They Shall Know!   “Then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity among the nations, but also brought them back to their land, and left none of them captive any longer.” (Ezekiel 39:28, NKJV)   What does it Take? The Lord (Jesus)  wants us to know […]

The Honor of Being Called a Friend   So the LORD spoke to Moses face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. And he would return to the camp, but his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle. (Exodus 33:11 NKJV) So Hushai, David’s friend, went into […]

We Who Believe in the Lord are Truly Blessed   The angel of the LORD encamps all around those who fear Him,  and delivers them. (Psalm 34:7 NKJV)   Fearing the Lord In the Bible worship is described in a number of ways.  Those who call on the name of the Lord (in contrast to […]

True Worship, What Does it Look Like?   John 4:23 (NKJV) But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. John 4:24 (NKJV) God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit […]

Wrestling Matches   Then Jacob was left alone; and a Man wrestled with him until the breaking of day. (Genesis 32:24 NKJV)   For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. […]

Contentment–being Satisfied   “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out.” (1 Timothy 6:6-7, NKJV)   Anxiety Many of us tend to live in a state of constant anxiety.  The news makes us anxious, Wars make us anxious.  Sickness and […]

The Rest of the Story   For yet a little while, and He who is coming will come and will not tarry. (Hebrews 10:37 NKJV)   The Promise   There are many places in Scripture where the Lord has promised to come again.  Christians assume He is talking about the rapture.  Jews are still waiting […]

Peter and John, Uneducated and Untrained?   “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, NKJV)   Peter and John vs Paul Peter and John never went to a seminary.  They […]

Ye Are The Branches   “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.” (John 15:5, NKJV)   The Key is always Near the Door This passage has been controversial (and might I say confusing) to those […]

He Cares   Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it, saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes. For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an […]

I Will Come Again!   John 14:3 (NKJV) And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Important Events Important events in the life of the Lord for the believer include: 1.  The crucifixion 2.  […]

  “Who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm (salvation) of the LORD been revealed?” (Isaiah 53:1, NKJV)   The Twelve The disciples of the Lord were told over and over again by the Lord that He would suffer and die and be raised from the dead.  Apparently, they never believed what […]

Make it Taste Good   No grain offering which you bring to the LORD shall be made with leaven, for you shall burn no leaven nor any honey in any offering to the LORD made by fire. As for the offering of the firstfruits, you shall offer them to the LORD, but they shall not […]

Are We Worthy of the Lord?   Matthew 10:37-39 NKJV — “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy […]

Bullies   “Many bulls have surrounded Me; Strong bulls of Bashan have encircled Me. They gape at Me with their mouths, Like a raging and roaring lion.” (Psalm 22:12-13 NKJV)   My Experience When I was in elementary school, I used to run home frequently to avoid some bullies that always wanted to “fight” for […]

Does the Lord KNOW Your Name?   “Jesus said to her, “Mary!”  (John 20:16 NKJV)   Mary Had been Healed “Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons.” (Mark 16:9 NKJV)   Mary knew what it was […]

Recipe for Disaster   “You shall not at all do as we are doing here today—every man doing whatever is right in his own eyes—” (Deuteronomy 12:8 NKJV)   Did they Mean this? “So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered […]

There is a lot of this Going Around   But the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, who believe for a while and in time of temptation (trial or testing) fall away. (Luke 8:13 NKJV)   There are Four Classes of […]

Your Heavenly Father Knows! Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear? For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.” (Matthew 6:21-32 NKJV) Dependent on Self or Dependent on the Heavenly Father? My […]

Remembering   Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. “They shall be Mine,” says the LORD of hosts, “On the day that I make […]

Theenda (pronounced thee end uh)   “Better to go to the house of mourning Than to go to the house  feasting, For that is the end of all men; And the living will take it to heart.” (Ecclesiastes 7:2 NKJV)   The End of All Men (or all people) When our last child was conceived, […]

Either one Believe’s the Bible or one Doesn’t   “And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His […]

I am Thankful for the Promise of Eternal Life   “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.” (John 5:24 NKJV)   What is Eternal Life? Our first birth […]

I am Thankful for the Promise of the Lord’s Return   “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” (John 14:3 NKJV)   “Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but […]

I am Thankful for the Holy Spirit   “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.” (John 14:26 NKJV) “However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide […]

I am Thankful For the Bible   “Then Philip opened his mouth, and beginning at this Scripture, preached Jesus to him.” (Acts 8:35 NKJV)   “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Timothy 3:16 NKJV)   The Written Word tells […]

I am Thankful for the Cross   “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) “But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom […]

Evil Hearts of Unbelief   “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God;” (Hebrews 3:12 NKJV) ““of sin, because they do not believe in Me;” (John 16:9 NKJV) ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is […]

What is Biblical Freedom?   “Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.” (John 8:36 NKJV)   “But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered.” (Romans 6:17 NKJV) “And having been set free […]

You Have to Know Him to Understand   “What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us?” (Song of Songs 5:9 NKJV)   Comparing Bridegrooms The daughters of Jerusalem are asking the bride (or bride to be) what makes […]

The Command   “Quench not the Spirit.” (1 Thessalonians 5:19 KJV)   How can the Spirit be Quenched? Basically the Holy Spirit is quenched when men and women take on the role that the Holy Spirit should have. The role of the Holy Spirit includes the following:   1.  The Holy Spirit brings about the […]

The Wow Factor!   “But indeed for this purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.” (Exodus 9:16 NKJV)   Why am I Here? The question that arises in everyone’s mind (if they are honest) is the question, […]

The Cross of a True Disciple   “Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” (Matthew 16:24 NKJV) ““For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find […]

I Believe God!   “Therefore take heart, men, for I believe God that it will be just as it was told me (Act 27:25 NKJV).”   When people today tell me that they have faith, I would like to ask them three questions: 1.  Whom do you have faith in? 2.  What promise has He/She […]

Three Considerations   Romans 13:10-11 NKJV — Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.  And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed.   Practical Truths Romans 1 […]

Enemies   Romans 5:10 NKJV — For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.   What is an Enemy? In the Bible an, enemy is an adversary.  Usually hate is involved.    Who are […]

Holding Back Nothing that is Helpful!   (Acts 20:20-21 NKJV) “I kept back nothing that was helpful, but proclaimed it to you, and taught you publicly and from house to house, testifying to Jews, and also to Greeks, repentance toward God and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.”   Have We Who Teach today Been […]

Warnings!   (Proverbs 22:3 NKJV) A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself, But the simple pass on and are punished. (Proverbs 27:12 NKJV) A prudent man foresees evil and hides himself; The simple pass on and are punished.   Ignoring the Warnings Right now, we are under a tornado watch and earlier tonight we […]

  (Acts 13:22 NKJV) “And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’   What Does it mean when we read that […]

  (Acts 6:15 NKJV) And all who sat in the council, looking steadfastly at him, saw his face as the face of an angel.   What Does the Face of an Angel Look Like? Stephen was a faithful servant of the Lord in the early New Testament church.  He would be considered one of the […]

  (John 17:20-21 NKJV) “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; “that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent […]

  (Ruth 1:16 NKJV) But Ruth said: “Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God.   Orpha and Ruth When Elimelech left Bethlehem in […]

  (Genesis 9:15-16 NKJV) “and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow shall be in the cloud, and I will look on it to remember the everlasting covenant between God […]

Important Scriptures that Guide our Understanding of God, The Bible and Salvation   The Scriptures are the Holy Writings found In the Bible.   The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. […]

  John 8:44-47 NKJV — “You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for […]

  John 19:25 NKJV — Now there stood by the cross of Jesus His mother, and His mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. Acts 1:14 NKJV — These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.   […]

1 Samuel 2:12 NKJV — Now the sons of Eli were corrupt; they did not know the LORD. 1 Samuel 3:6-7 NKJV — Then the LORD called yet again, “Samuel!” So Samuel arose and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” He answered, “I did not call, my son; lie […]

  2 Samuel 12:24 NKJV — Then David comforted Bathsheba his wife, and went in to her and lay with her. So she bore a son, and he called his name Solomon. Now the LORD loved him. 1 Chronicles 28:5-6 NKJV — “And of all my sons (for the LORD has given me many sons) He […]

  (John 14:3 NKJV) (3) “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.   Would We Really? If the Lord were to come and knock on our doors would we really be happy to see HIm?  […]

  (1 Samuel 15:13-15 NKJV) (13) Then Samuel went to Saul, and Saul said to him, “Blessed are you of the LORD! I have performed the commandment of the LORD.” But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears, and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” And Saul said, […]

  (Luke 10:41-42 NKJV) (41) And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.”   Mary She was the “lazy” one. She wasn’t cooking over a hot […]

“Not a word failed of any good thing which the LORD had spoken to the house of Israel. All came to pass.” (Joshua 21:45 NKJV) He CANNOT deny Himself! As I have been reading through the Old Testament ups and downs of the nation of Israel, I have been reminded of Paul’s letter to Timothy […]

  He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. (Psalm 23:3 NKJV)   Remember Do you remember what it was like when you first realized Christ had died for your sins and He told you so in the Bible.  You likely sang, “At the cross, at the […]

    But Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you trouble her? She has done a good work for Me. (Mark 14:6 NKJV) She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial. Assuredly, I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what […]

  And said to him, “See that you say nothing to anyone; but go your way, show yourself to the priest, and offer for your cleansing those things which Moses commanded, as a testimony to them.” However, he went out and began to proclaim it freely, and to spread the matter, so that Jesus could […]

  But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God.  (Hebrews 10:12 NKJV)   Where Should the Comma Be? I have heard a lot of ministry on this verse.  Some preach that the comma should be after the word sins and some think the […]

  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service (Romans 12:1 NKJV).   Surrender ALL, Really?   We often sing a song where the chorus goes something like this:   I surrender all I surrender all […]

And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (42) “But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:41-42 NKJV)   Martha Martha was a servant’s servant.  But when the Lord came to visit, […]

  And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.  Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the […]

  “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.” (Revelation 21:1 NKJV) “Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are […]

  2 Timothy 3:14 But you must continue in the things which you have learned and been assured of, knowing from whom you have learned them.   Deception Abounds! As we get closer and closer to the Lord’s return, it is harder and harder to make sure that what we believe is true.  I can […]

  When once the Master of the house has risen up and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and knock at the door, saying, “Lord, Lord, open for us,” and He will answer and say to you, “I do not know you, where you are from” (Luke 13:25 NKJV)   After these […]

  “So He called His disciples to Himself and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you that this poor widow has put in more than all those who have given to the treasury; for they all put in out of their abundance, but she out of her poverty put in all that she had, […]

  (Luke 23:33 NKJV) “And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.” (Acts 1:11 NKJV) “who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken […]

  Deuteronomy 6:5 NKJV — “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. Mark 12:30 NKJV — ‘And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This […]

Judges 17:6 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Judges 21:25 NKJV — In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 NKJV — There is a way that […]

  Matthew 16:18 NKJV — “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.   The Cave The Lord was near a cave at Caesarea Philippi when He asked his disciples, “Who do men say […]

  There are some names that I am hearing over and over again on the news.  I wish I never had to hear some of those names again.  But there is a name that I do love to hear.  Some people use this name as a cuss word, I use the name reverently.  I can […]

  2 Corinthians 5:1-4 NKJV — For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed with our habitation which is from heaven, if indeed, having been […]

  1 Corinthians 15:51-52 NKJV — Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.   Notice […]

  James 2:18 NKJV — But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.   The Basics We know that the Bible says that to be a Christian we MUST be born again (John 3:7).   We […]

John 16:20 NKJV — “Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. Definition Joy has to do with gladness or cheerfulness. It is usually an emotion associated with a feeling of well-being. Joy […]

Luke 24:46 NKJV — Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. Synonyms for suffering Suffering has to do with pain. Some words that are often used to describe suffering are DISTRESS, SUFFERING, MISERY, and […]

2 Kings 23:25 NKJV — Now before him there was no king like him, who turned to the LORD with all his heart, with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the Law of Moses; nor after him did any arise like him. Josiah The revival under King Josiah who ruled […]

The Love of a Friend Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.”(John 11:3 NKJV) Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (John 11:5 NKJV) The Love of a Friend Mary, Martha and Lazarus were loved by the Lord.  The word used for love when referring […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) A Possible Translation Thou will keep him in peace peace (word is repeated for emphasis) whose thoughts are supported by You, because he trusts in you. We tend to take old testament promises that […]

        Then one of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, and saying, "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?" Jesus said to him, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ This is the first and great commandment. […]

          Now when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from Him until an opportune time. (Luke 4:13 NKJV) We all Get Tested If the Lord Jesus could be led into a waste land for forty days by the Spirit of God and then at His weakest point could be tested by the Devil, […]

       And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24-25 KJV) What is the Definition of the Church? The word […]

      Jesus wept. (John 11:35 NKJV) Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it. (Luke 19:41 NKJV) Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard […]

        And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He […]

Lev 23:3  ‘Six days shall work be done, but the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work on it; it is the Sabbath (cessation of work) of the LORD in all your dwellings. Ceasing Work The Jews had holidays where they could not work at all […]

And that you put on the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 4:24 NKJV)   Are we putting on the New Man? Christians are not sinless, but they should have a conscience about sin.  They should sin less than they did before they were “born again” as […]

For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.  (1 Corinthians 1:18 NKJV) The Cross The cross in the Bible is a place where criminals (or those judged to be criminals) lost their lives.  Most would say that […]

  Knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any […]

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV) Ten Times? Pharaohs were considered to be gods by their subjects at the time when Moses confronted this ruler of Egypt about freeing […]

The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow. (Psalms 116:3 NKJV) Life is full of Sorrow! Recently I received news of a young married mother who had died from cancer.  She and her family were close friends in my younger years. That family […]

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease. Now the names of the twelve apostles are these: first, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother; James the son […]

Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1 NKJV) For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18 NKJV) Why? Why would the Holy Spirit lead the Lord into the wilderness to be […]

So you shall tell my father of all my glory in Egypt, and of all that you have seen; and you shall hurry and bring my father down here." (Genesis 45:13 NKJV) Word Study Glory usually has to do with splendor, or great beauty or with honor.  The glory of the Lord is a vast […]

And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.  (Matthew 1:16 NKJV) Who was She? “Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the […]

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing (epiphany)  (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV). Definition An epiphany is a supernatural manifestation or appearance.  Some dictionaries even […]

Then Darius the king wrote to all the peoples, nations and men of every language who were living in all the land: "May your peace abound! "I make a decree that in all the dominion of my kingdom men are to fear and tremble before the God of Daniel; For He is the living God […]

"Then they shall know that I am the LORD, when I scatter them among the nations and disperse them throughout the countries. But I will spare a few of their men from the sword, from famine, and from pestilence, that they may declare all their abominations among the Gentiles wherever they go. Then they shall […]

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; but as He who called you is holy, you also […]

And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail. (Luke 16:17 KJV) What is a tittle? According to Easton”s Bible dictionary, A tittle is a point, (Mat_5:18; Luk_16:17), the minute point or stroke added to some letters of the Hebrew alphabet to distinguish them from others […]

We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers, remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ in the sight of our God and Father. (1 Thessalonians 1:2-3 NKJV) But let us who are of the day […]

But as it is written: “EYE HAS NOT SEEN, NOR EAR HEARD, NOR HAVE ENTERED INTO THE HEART OF MAN THE THINGS WHICH GOD HAS PREPARED FOR THOSE WHO LOVE HIM.” (1 Corinthians 2:9 NKJV) My Bucket List I had the Grand Canyon on my bucket list (things I wanted to do before I die) […]

So I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said, ‘I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and stand on your feet; for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to make you a minister and a witness both of the things which you have seen and of the things which I […]

For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. (Romans 8:14 NKJV) Our Guide Today most of us drive using GPS navigation.  When the little voice in our phone says go left, we do our best to go left.  When it says go right, we try to go […]

My beloved spoke, and said to me: "Rise up, my love, my fair one, And come away. For lo, the winter is past, The rain is over and gone. The flowers appear on the earth; The time of singing has come, And the voice of the turtledove Is heard in our land. The fig tree […]

These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing […]

Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing. (2 Timothy 4:8 NKJV) We need Hope and Joy We all need something that motivates us to […]

I sink in deep mire, Where there is no standing; I have come into deep waters, Where the floods overflow me. (Psalms 69:2 NKJV) Those who hate me without a cause Are more than the hairs of my head; They are mighty who would destroy me, Being my enemies wrongfully; Though I have stolen nothing, […]

Then the wrath of Elihu, the son of Barachel the Buzite, of the family of Ram, was aroused against Job; his wrath was aroused because he justified himself rather than God. Also against his three friends his wrath was aroused, because they had found no answer, and yet had condemned Job. (Job 32:2-3 NKJV) Job […]

Man who is born of woman Is of few days and full of trouble. He comes forth like a flower and fades away; He flees like a shadow and does not continue. (Job 14:1-2 NKJV) And Jacob said to Pharaoh, "The days of the years of my pilgrimage are one hundred and thirty years; few […]

When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1 NKJV) Forty Days In Acts 1 verse 3 we read that the Lord presented Himself alive (to his apostles) after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them for forty days and speaking of […]

But the Angel of the LORD called to him from heaven and said, "Abraham, Abraham!" So he said, "Here I am." (Genesis 22:11 NKJV) The Lord Addressing His Own I have been thinking about the fact that the Lord called Martha’s name twice in Luke 10:41.   There are a number of times (perhaps eight) in […]

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. (Luke 24:27 NKJV) Where was Recording Device? The Lord was obviously a good teacher.  What made Him a good teacher?  He knew what He was talking about.  I doubt that he covered every portion of […]

In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die, and not live.’ "  (2 Kings 20:1 NKJV) One of the Good Guys Hezekiah was a good king […]

And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:11 NKJV) Mary was Privileged Mary had the privilege that only one woman has had […]

Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes […]

    Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart, saying: "There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man. Now there was a widow in that city; and she came to him, saying, ‘Get justice for me from […]

  And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. (Luke 10:39 NKJV) And Jesus answered and said to her, "Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. (Luke 10:41 NKJV)   Mary vs Martha Martha, bless her heart, was a worker.  She was preparing […]

But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?" (Luke 10:29 NKJV) How do we obtain eternal life?  At first it would seem that this story is telling us that we obtain eternal life by being a good neighbor when in fact it is teaching us that we obtain eternal […]

  And behold, a woman in the city who was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at the table in the Pharisee’s house, brought an alabaster flask of fragrant oil, and stood at His feet behind Him weeping; and she began to wash His feet with her tears, and wiped them with the […]

  And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise." (Luke 23:43 NKJV) But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ (Luke 12:20 NKJV)     The Question? Would […]

  Endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You.  (Isaiah 26:3 NKJV) Anxiety Anxiety is a common problem among my friends, and it is a problem that I experience more and more as I get older.  Why should we be anxious when the Lord has told […]

And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, nor will I let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2 NKJV)  Knowing the Lord is more than knowing about Him.  We can know about people without really being their friends or without really having […]

"Your heart was lifted up because of your beauty; You corrupted your wisdom by reason of your splendor. I cast you to the ground; I put you before kings, That they may see you. (Ezekiel 28:17 NASB)  The Allegory This section of Ezekiel is describing the King of Tyre, but it seems to allegorically describe […]

Then all the people answered together and said, "All that the LORD has spoken we will do." So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. (Exodus 19:8 NKJV) One Commandment Adam and Eve were given one commandment in the Garden of Eden and they disobeyed.  Now the children of Israel are […]

  And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. (Genesis 2:9 NKJV)   See, I have set before you […]

  Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. (John 14:1 NKJV)   There are little words with important meanings in the Scripture.  For example, in Romans 5:8, there is a “but” that catches my attention.  “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for […]

Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, And the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him For those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make them My […]

    Rom 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.   Big Topic Whenever we look at the mind from a Biblical point of view, we have a big […]

    We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:8 NKJV   Death seems so Final I have received word this week of two more friends who have passed into eternity.  That makes five in the last two months.  One […]

    No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more." (Jeremiah 31:34 NKJV) […]

    For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe. (1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV) […]

    Then Zedekiah the king sent and took him out. The king asked him secretly in his house, and said, "Is there any word from the LORD?" And Jeremiah said, "There is." Then he said, "You shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon!"  (Jeremiah 37:17 NKJV)   Babylon is going […]

  And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name." (Revelation 14:11)   The Saved Recently I went to the funeral of a man who had trusted the Lord Jesus as […]

  And he deceives those who dwell on the earth—by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the beast who was wounded by the sword and lived. (Revelation 13:14 NKJV)   Coming Deception Whom does one […]

    And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. (Acts 2:42 NKJV)   In our congregation we have a gathering to celebrate the Lord’s Supper and then we break for a time of "fellowship".  I often hear that we are going to have "fellowship" […]

    Happy are your men and happy are these your servants, who stand continually before you and hear your wisdom! (1 Kings 10:8 NKJV)   The Queen of Sheba Solomon was on the throne of the Kingdom of Israel.  He was known for his wisdom and for his riches.  His reign was glorious in […]

    If You, LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? But there is forgiveness with You, That You may be feared. (Psalms 130:3-4 NKJV)   We Know ALL have Sinned Romans 3:23 makes it very clear that all have sinned and come short of God’s glory.  That is we haven’t represented Him […]

  Who "WILL RENDER TO EACH ONE ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does […]

    So I answered, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And He said to me, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom you are persecuting.’ (Acts 22:8 NKJV)   Three times In Acts 9, Paul’s abrupt meeting with the Lord is recorded for the first time and we read these words “I am Jesus.”  In Acts 22:8 […]

    He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." (Acts 17:29-31 NKJV)   Things that are not so Obvious Our Declaration of Independence has these words: "We […]

    You will show me the path of life; In Your presence is fullness of joy; At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. (Psalms 16:11 NKJV)   Pleasures for ever More! Many people look for pleasure, that is for things that make them feel good, in different ways.  Some seek money, some seek honor, […]

    Now His betrayer had given them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the One; seize Him." Immediately he went up to Jesus and said, "Greetings, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. But Jesus said to him, "Friend, why have you come?" Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and took Him. (Matthew […]

Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." (John 12:20-21 NKJV)   We see a lot of hatred, violence, war, and new diseases on the news and […]

    It shall be, when I bring a cloud over the earth, that the rainbow shall be seen in the cloud; and I will remember My covenant which is between Me and you and every living creature of all flesh; the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh. The rainbow […]

    All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:6)   We are all like Sheep We would like to think we are all leaders but the Bible is clear that at least […]

  John 2:5  His mother said to the servants, "Whatever He says to you, do it."   Does the Lord Speak to us Today? The Lord spoke to Joseph, Daniel, and Job through dreams.  He spoke to Kings through prophets.  He speaks to us today thought His Son.  The writer of Hebrews tell us, “God, […]

  Rom 3:3-4  For what if some did not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect?    Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar. As it is written: “THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS, AND MAY OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”   The Importance of […]

Luke 4:1  Then Jesus, being filled with the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness.   What a Way to Begin! As the Lord began his public earthly ministry, I notice several things.  One, He was baptized and the whole trinity was involved.  The Lord was there, […]

  Mat 8:26  But He said to them, "Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?" Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm.   The Difference The difference between little faith and great faith doesn’t have to do with the intensity of our believing but […]

  "THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME, BECAUSE HE HAS ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR; HE HAS SENT ME TO HEAL THE BROKENHEARTED, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND, TO SET AT LIBERTY THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED; TO PROCLAIM THE ACCEPTABLE YEAR […]

  Acts 2:42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.   Definition The Strong’s dictionary defines fellowship as “partnership, that is, (literally) participation, or (social) intercourse, or (pecuniary) benefaction.  The Greek word has been translated communicate or communication, communion, distribution, fellowship.   The Vine’s […]

    Genesis 50:20  But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Exodus 5:2 And Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I […]

  Genesis 46:30   And Israel said to Joseph, "Now let me die, since I have seen your face, because you are still alive." Luke 2:29-30  "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word;  For my eyes have seen Your salvation. John 9:35-38 Jesus heard that they had cast him […]

    Deuteronomy 10:12-13 "And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul,  and to keep the commandments of the […]

    Matthew 28:18-20 NKJV  And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.  Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe […]

    Then those who feared the LORD spoke to one another, and the LORD listened and heard them; So a book of remembrance was written before Him for those who fear the LORD And who meditate on His name. "They shall be Mine," says the LORD of hosts, "On the day that I make […]

  In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (sacrifice)  for our sins. (1 John 4:10) What The World Needs Now Is Love– What the world needs now Is love, sweet love It’s the only thing that there’s just too little […]

  The Lord’s first coming is being celebrated by a world that by and large does not believe in Him in a Biblical way.  Many celebrate Christmas but do not get baptized scriptually nor do they celebrate the Lord’s supper often as the Lord requested.  In many cases they do not love their neighbors.  But […]

Then God said, "Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth." So God created man in His own […]

John 8:44-46  You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a […]

Ezekiel 7:4  “My eye will not spare you, Nor will I have pity; But I will repay your ways, And your abominations will be in your midst; Then you shall know that I am the LORD!” Ezekiel 34:27  Then the trees of the field shall yield their fruit, and the earth shall yield her increase. […]

Luke 5:27-28  After these things He went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax office. And He said to him, "Follow Me."  So he left all, rose up, and followed Him.   Publicans Matthew (Levi) was a tax collector.  He was a Jew who was collecting taxes for the Romans […]

  1 Samuel 10:27  But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace.   God’s Choice We are often told that Saul was the choice that made sense to the children of Israel and that he was man’s choice to […]

  Hebrews 1:1-3:  (1) God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets,  (2)  has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds;  (3)  who being the brightness […]

  Jeremiah 17:5-8  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD.  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In a salt […]

Rev 6:15-17 And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him […]

Matthew 1:21  And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins."   The Irreverence shown to that Name When people are going to swear today, it is often the name of the Lord Jesus that they use.  While there are other […]

  Psalms 40:5  Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done.   God has done marvelous things.  When He created this world, He said that it was good.  When He got done creating a woman on the sixth day, He stepped back and considered everything that He had done and […]

    Exodus 16:31  And the house of Israel called the name thereof Manna: and it was like coriander seed, white; and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey.   Numbers 11:6-8  But now our soul is dried away: there is nothing at all, beside this manna, before our eyes.  And the […]

  The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, when […]

Act 15:11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they."   The Problem No matter where you go and whom you talk to, there is always an emphasis on something besides the grace of God when it comes to being a […]

    Ephesians 6:12  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.   Where are these heavenly places where the wicked spirits do their dastardly deeds?  We are here on planet […]

  2 Corinthians 6:17-18  Therefore "COME OUT FROM AMONG THEM AND BE SEPARATE, SAYS THE LORD. DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN, AND I WILL RECEIVE YOU.  I WILL BE A FATHER TO YOU, AND YOU SHALL BE MY SONS AND DAUGHTERS, SAYS THE LORD ALMIGHTY.   Becoming a Father Becoming a father in a […]

    Acts 4:12  Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."   Problem–myths Many people have given me many reasons for not wanting to believe the Bible.  Some say that the Bible is a set of myths.  It […]

    2Sa 23:8  These are the names of the mighty men whom David had: 2Sa 23:11-12  And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite. The Philistines had gathered together into a troop where there was a piece of ground full of lentils. So the people fled from the Philistines. But he […]

  Matthew 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do […]

    Luke 1:31-33 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS.  He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Highest; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. And He will reign over the […]

Nehemiah 7:2 that I gave the charge of Jerusalem to my brother Hanani, and Hananiah the leader of the citadel, for he was a faithful man and feared God more than many. Proverbs 20:6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?   What are the Characteristics of […]

  John 14:15 "If you love Me, keep (guard) My commandments.   The Options Since the Bible is so clear that “keeping” or guarding God’s commandments brings blessing and rejecting His commandments brings disaster, why is it so easy to stray from the straight and narrow way?  We know by experience and by observation that […]

  Mark 14:8 She has done what she could. She has come beforehand to anoint My body for burial.   Great expectations Most of us have dreams and expectations when we are younger.  Sometimes we want to do things that we simply cannot do.  In some cases it is because of lack of money and […]

  Matthew 23:1-12 (1) Then Jesus spoke to the multitudes and to His disciples, (2) saying: "The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. (3) Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do, but do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. (4) For they […]

  Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. James 4:4 Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself […]

  John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is […]

  Exodus 15:23  And when they came to Marah, they could not drink of the waters of Marah, for they were bitter: therefore the name of it was called Marah.   The journeys of the children of Israel are instructive since we see parallels in the life of a New Testament Christian.  The children of […]

  Revelation 22:21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.   Scary Times The book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is scary.  Most of its message has to do with judgments on this earth because men would rather worship anyone and anything other than the Lord Jesus.  But with […]

  Luke 2:13-14 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace, goodwill toward men!"   So for whom was the first Christmas Merry? It wasn’t really merry for Mary and Joseph.  They had to travel to […]

    2 Timothy 3:1-5 But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: (2) For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (3) unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, (4) traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than […]

  Hebrews 5:7-9  who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him who was able to save Him from death, and was heard because of His godly fear,   though He was a Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He […]

John 17:17 Sanctify them (or set them apart as a special people) by Your truth. Your word is truth.   This Got Me to Thinking! I was awakened on a recent Saturday morning by a call from a man who told me that he and his family were without food and that they couldn’t get […]

  John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world (society) is judged. 1 John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world (society) lies under the sway of the wicked one. Ephesians 2:2 in which you once walked according to the course (age) of this world (society), according to […]

  But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be […]

    Malachi 4:5-6  Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet Before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD.  And he will turn The hearts of the fathers to the children, And the hearts of the children to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the earth with a curse. […]

    Eph 4:29-32   Let no corrupt word proceed out of your mouth, but what is good for necessary edification, that it may impart grace to the hearers.  And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.  Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil […]

  Jeremiah 17:5-10 (5)  Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man And makes flesh his strength, Whose heart departs from the LORD. (6)  For he shall be like a shrub in the desert, And shall not see when good comes, But shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, In […]

Psalms 19:14  Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.   God has Spoken David had a privilege many of us have not had.  He had an unobstructed view of the sky while keeping sheep.  It made Him realize […]

    Hebrews 2:6-9 (6)  But one testified in a certain place, saying: "WHAT IS MAN THAT YOU ARE MINDFUL OF HIM, OR THE SON OF MAN THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF HIM? (7)  YOU HAVE MADE HIM A LITTLE LOWER THAN THE ANGELS; YOU HAVE CROWNED HIM WITH GLORY AND HONOR, AND SET HIM […]

Luke 18:14  I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other: for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.   Don’t we all Want to be Great? In Acts 8 there was a sorcerer named Simon who practiced magic arts […]

  Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, As we forgive our debtors. And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For […]

    Proverbs 25:25  As cold water to a weary soul, So is good news from a far country.   Most News today is not Refreshing! When I get up in the morning, one of the luxuries I allow myself is a good cup of coffee.  While I am drinking it, I also watch the […]

  John 11:3  His sisters therefore sent to him, saying: Lord, behold, he whom thou lovest is sick. (That is, your friend is sick) John 11:5  Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister Mary and Lazarus. (That is, Jesus wanted what was best for Martha and Mary and Lazarus).   We don’t Understand the Lord’s […]

  Isaiah 2:1-4 (1)  The word that Isaiah the son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem. (2)  Now it shall come to pass in the latter days That the mountain of the LORD’s house Shall be established on the top of the mountains, And shall be exalted above the hills; And all nations shall […]

  Matthew 27:35-36 Then they crucified Him, and divided His garments, casting lots, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet: "THEY DIVIDED MY GARMENTS AMONG THEM, AND FOR MY CLOTHING THEY CAST LOTS."  Sitting down, they kept watch over Him there.   Matthew 27:54  So when the centurion and those with […]

  (1 Samuel 1:27)  For this child I prayed, and the LORD has granted me my petition which I asked of Him. (1 Corinthians 7:34)  There is a difference between a wife and a virgin. The unmarried woman cares about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and in […]

  Proverbs 27:6  Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.   Showing Affection and Love A kiss is a way of showing true affection and love.  In the Bible, New Testament Christians were to greet one another with a holy kiss.  I am not sure what a […]

  Judges 6:13  Gideon said to Him, "O my lord, if the LORD is with us, why then has all this happened to us? And where are all His miracles which our fathers told us about, saying, ‘Did not the LORD bring us up from Egypt?’ But now the LORD has forsaken us and delivered […]

  Lamentations 3:21-23  This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.  Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.   This Morning I got up refreshed after a good night’s sleep this morning.  That doesn’t always happen.  Some times […]

  John 20:27-29  Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen […]

  Ecclesiastes 2:11  Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done And on the labor in which I had toiled; And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.   I know About Profits Having studied accounting, having passed the CPA exam, having […]

  Mark 10:25-27 It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God." And they were greatly astonished, saying among themselves, "Who then can be saved?" But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not […]

    Luke 8:39  "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the whole city what great things Jesus had done for him.   Do We Tell People What Great Things the Lord has done for us? A great miracle […]

    Exodus 36:5-7  and they spoke to Moses, saying, "The people bring much more than enough for the service of the work which the LORD commanded us to do."  So Moses gave a commandment, and they caused it to be proclaimed throughout the camp, saying, "Let neither man nor woman do any more work […]

    Matthew 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.    The Battle No one has to tell us that there is a constant battle going on between good and evil in […]

    Matthew 8:2-3  And behold, a leper came and worshiped Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean."  Then Jesus put out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." Immediately his leprosy was cleansed.   The True Story of What Happened This leper needed to be […]

John 14:1  "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. Hopelessness! Recently we had terrorist attacks in Paris and of course it reminds us that we had a major terrorist attack in the US on 911 of 2011.  We had the Boston bombings.  We read about the plight of […]

Ezekiel 1:28  Like the appearance of a rainbow in a cloud on a rainy day, so was the appearance of the brightness all around it. This was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. So when I saw it, I fell on my face, and I heard a voice of One […]

  Ephesians 4:4-6  (4)There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling;  (5)  one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  (6)  one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.   One Body Ephesians is written to a local […]

1 Samuel 10:26-27 And Saul also went home to Gibeah; and valiant men went with him, whose hearts God had touched. But some rebels said, "How can this man save us?" So they despised him, and brought him no presents. But he held his peace. Rejection I remember what it was like to be chosen […]

    John 15:12-13 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.   Four Words for Love The Greek language has four words for love.  One of the words is the word often […]

Philippians 4:8  Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.   The Ugliness of September 11, 2011 Today as I am writing this meditation, we are being reminded of the terrible tragedy known as […]

  John 18:38 Pilate said to Him, “What is truth?”  John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”   The Lies Never Quit The Unites States in the middle of another national election cycle.  These campaigns just go on […]

  Psalms 142:4  Look on my right hand and see, For there is no one who acknowledges me; Refuge has failed me; No one cares for my soul.   Background   This is a prayer of David, the man who had been anointed by Samuel to be king.  He had slain the giant;  but now […]

    2 Corinthians 12:2-4 I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or whether out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a one was caught up to the third heaven. And I know such a man—whether in the body or out of […]

  Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”   Consequences I am meditating on a very solemn subject this week.  That subject has to do with the consequences of offending God.  Our society today is much like the Roman society that Paul was describing in this epistle.  Paul uses Old Testament […]

  John 8:9  And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.   Things that the Lord Remembers The Lord made a promise after he destroyed the earth with a flood.  His promise was that He would never do that again.  He has set a rainbow in the clouds as a memorial […]

  2 Samuel 24:24  Then the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will surely buy it from you for a price; nor will I offer burnt offerings to the LORD my God with that which costs me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.   The […]

    Luke 19:32  So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them.   Loosing the donkey that the Lord Needed Can we depend upon what the Lord says?  The short answer is “yes.”  The long answer is that when it comes to the eternal blessings […]

    1 Samuel 10:24  And Samuel said to all the people, “Do you see him whom the LORD has chosen, that there is no one like him among all the people?” So all the people shouted and said “Long live the king!”   When the Lord chose Saul to be the first King of […]

  John 15:13 “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”   February 14 is Valentine’s Day.  It is the one day in the year when we tell our significant others that we love them.  And then that is supposed to carry them through another year.  I […]

  Exodus 25:8  “And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. “According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it.” 1 Corinthians 3:16  Do you not know that you are the temple […]

   Matthew 13:24-25  Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; “but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way.   The Enemy is at Work The Bible addresses the truth.  One […]

  2 Timothy 1:12  For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.   The Making of Many Books is only Wearisome Solomon, the preacher, admonished […]

    Luke 13:30 And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.   As we come to the end of another year, I think it is always wise to review the past year to see if there was anything in it that amounted to anything.  We […]

Isaiah 53:1 Who has believed our report?  And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?   The Wise Men In Matthew 2, wise men from the East saw the Lord’s star which had to be in the west.   They were being led from the east to the west to find and worship […]

  Revelation 4:8  “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!”   The Unanswerable Questions Some of us lay on our beds at night and ponder questions that simply have no rational answer.  One of them has to do with the question of how God can exist if He […]

  2 Samuel 23:14-17 David was then in the stronghold, and the garrison of the Philistines was then in Bethlehem. And David said with longing, “Oh, that someone would give me a drink of the water from the well of Bethlehem, which is by the gate!” So the three mighty men broke through the camp […]

    2 Timothy 4:2 Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season.   I heard a good sermon this weekend.  One of the seven points had to do with Timothy fulfilling his ministry and keeping the main thing, the main thing.  I got to thinking, “Just what should the main thing […]

Lamentations 1:12 Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by?  Behold and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which has been brought on me, which the LORD has inflicted in the day of His fierce anger.   This life is a life of contrasts.  It has hills and valleys.  It […]

  Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.   Busyness Likely we were all busy today.  We were all busy this week.  We have been busy all year.  But did we give the highest priority to being busy with the Lord’s […]

John 10:3  “To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. “And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice.   Some weeks are really frustrating.  It seems […]

The Scriptures including Paul’s writings are Inspired 2 Timothy 3:16  All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness. 2 Peter 3:15 and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to […]

John 10:30 “I and My Father are one.” John 17:22 “And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one:   One God I believe in God:  the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.  I do not believe in God the Father, God […]

John 3:30  “He must increase, but I must decrease.”   Introduction   John the Baptist is an interesting study.  I have wondered if I would have been happy to have had his calling on my life.  How would I have liked to be the one to point out the sin of the nation of Israel?  […]

 Matthew 16:13-16 When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?” So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that […]

1 Thessalonians 5:17 Pray without ceasing. The Importance of Prayer Prayer is an important subject. Whom we pray to indicates whom we trust and whom we worship. Prayer is a conversation with God. It can be supplication, intercession for others and praise. It can’t be properly done unless the supplicant believes that the God to […]

Job 12:2 “No doubt you are the people, And wisdom will die with you!   Life is full of Tragedy Recently, life in our corner of the world has been filled with tragedy.  God has been good to us personally, but people that we know have experienced unusual accidents illnesses and sorrows   I have noticed […]

2 Peter 2:19 While they promise them liberty, they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by whom a person is overcome, by him also he is brought into bondage. Today all of us want to make our own mistakes and make them we do! We think we have become enlightened about moral issues and refuse […]

What do you think of when you hear the name Jeroboam?  What about the name Baalam?  What about the name Paul?  What about the name Jesus?  I think that most who read their Bibles would agree that Jeroboam made Israel to sin, that Balaam was covetous, that Paul was faithful and that the Lord is […]

John 3:17 “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.  Work, Purpose, Results Most of us who love the Lord love the Gospel as set forth in John 3:16-18.  I often say that John 3:16 tells us of the work […]

John 11:3 Therefore the sisters sent to Him, saying, “Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.” (Love = tender affection of a friend) John 11:5 Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. (Love = self-sacrificing devotion) John 11:5 These things He said, and after that He said to them, "Our friend Lazarus […]

2 Samuel 15:37 So Hushai, David’s friend, went into the city. And Absalom came into Jerusalem. David had sinned   He had confessed that sin, and the Lord had forgiven him.  However, He told David that there would be earthly consequences to murdering Uriah so he could have his wife.  When Absalom decides to rebel against […]

Luke 24:39 “Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” Some things are hard to believe.  People have a hard time believing that a great fish swallowed Jonah.  Some have trouble with the story […]

Luke 9: 35 And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, “This is My beloved Son. Hear Him!”  A person could be known in a lot of different ways in this life.  Some want to be known as President, some as CEO, some as rich, and some as intelligent.  But there is nothing quite […]

Joshua 23:14-15: Behold, this day I am going the way of all the earth. And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the LORD your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word […]

Luke 23:33 And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.  “Seeing” What Happened at Calvary that Day! When we preach sometimes we like to explain the meaning of the Scripture that we are reading.  Sometimes […]

Exodus 19:8 Then all the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” So Moses brought back the words of the people to the LORD. Exodus 24:3 So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered […]

Matthew 27:22 Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said to him, “Let Him be crucified!” The Jews were Clever but Cruel The religious leaders of the Jews had cleverly maneuvered Pilate so that he was between a rock and a hard spot.  Pilate knew […]

Genesis 42: 18 Then Joseph said to them the third day, “Do this and live, for I fear God:  Joseph Fears God Joseph’s dream had finally come true.  He had been sold into slavery in Egypt because of the hatred of his brothers.  As a result, he had become second in command to Pharaoh.  God […]

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, "If God will be with me, and keep me in this way that I am going, and give me bread to eat and clothing to put on, so that I come back to my father’s house in peace, then the LORD shall be my God. And this stone which […]

Ephesians 4:1-3:  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love, endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. Introduction God desires to see His people […]

You will keep him in perfect peace, Whose mind is stayed on You, Because he trusts in You. Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength (or the Rock of Ages). (Isaiah 26:3-4) Reflecting on the End of Another Year As we come to the end of another year, it […]

Isaiah 53:2   For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant,  And as a root out of dry ground.  He has no form or comeliness;  And when we see Him,  There is  no beauty that we should desire Him.  Three things that we enjoy When we go on vacation, we like to do […]

Psalm 107:8-9 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. The Cost of Departure The children of Israel had rebelled against the Lord and had been taken into […]

Luke 19:41-43 Now as He drew near, He saw the city and wept over it,  saying, “If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.  For days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment […]

James 4:14 Whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away.  My mom recently passed into the Lord’s presence at the age of 95.  In a few more weeks she would have been 96.  Up […]

Matthew 11:28-30   Come to Me, all you 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.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Labor […]

1 Corinthians 6:19-20   Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. Who in […]

Psalm 107:31 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! Four times over the writer of this Psalm repeats this desire of his heart.  We do not know for sure who wrote the Psalm, but we do know that whoever wrote […]

Matthew 4:4   But He answered and said, “It is written,  ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ ” The Lord had been fasting for forty days and forty nights.  Luke says that he ate nothing during this fast.  Both Luke and Matthew said he […]

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Some days a person hates to turn on the news because the moment we do we are bombarded with sin and its justification.  The heart of man has not changed since the fall of Adam.  But things that used to remain […]

Numbers 26:9-11  The sons of Eliab were Nemuel, Dathan, and Abiram. These are the Dathan and Abiram, representatives of the congregation, who contended against Moses and Aaron in the company of Korah, when they contended against the LORD; and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them up together with Korah when that company died, […]

Job 13:15  Though He slay me, yet will I trust Him. Even so, I will defend my own ways before Him. The older we get, the more we know that we don’t know much.  God is all knowing.  Man is anything but.  We all think God should be like us, and do what we want […]

Matthew 14:23 And when He had sent the multitudes away, He went up on the mountain by Himself to pray. Now when evening came, He was alone there. Mountain top experiences are found frequently in the Bible.  Some of them are great experiences and some of them are not so great. Moses spent a lot […]

Esther 6:6  So Haman came in, and the king asked him, "What shall be done for the man whom the king delights to honor?" Now Haman thought in his heart, "Whom would the king delight to honor more than me?" The little book of Esther in the old testament is one of the most captivating […]

Meditation for the week of June 16, 2013 John 21:12-13  Jesus said to them, "Come and eat breakfast." Yet none of the disciples dared ask Him, "Who are You?"–knowing that it was the Lord.  Jesus then came and took the bread and gave it to them, and likewise the fish. Simon Peter and some of […]

Meditation for the week of  June 2, 2013 John 12:20-21  Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast.  Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." Why did these Greeks want to see Jesus?  They […]

Meditation for the week of May 26, 2013 "THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR HEARTS, AND IN THEIR MINDS I WILL WRITE THEM," then He adds, "THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE." (Hebrews […]

Meditation for the week of May 19, 2013 2 Kings 22:2:  And he (Josiah) did what was right in the sight of the LORD, and walked in all the ways of his father David; he did not turn aside to the right hand or to the left. This is a refreshing commendation.  Josiah did what […]

Meditation for the week of April 28, 2013 Then the king was deeply moved, and went up to the chamber over the gate, and wept. And as he went, he said thus: "O my son Absalom–my son, my son Absalom–if only I had died in your place! O Absalom my son, my son!" (2 Samuel […]

Meditation for the week of April 21, 2013 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of […]

Meditation for the week of April 14, 2013 Luke 13:3, 5  I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish. This must be an important statement since it is repeated.  In this chapter we have people who think they are saved but they are not.  Even though we don’t like to […]

Meditation for the week of April 7, 2013 Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment Heb 12:11  Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by […]

Meditation for the week of March 31, 2012 So then each of us shall give account of himself to God. (Romans 14:12 Accountability is the name of the game in this life.  It is also the name of the game in the next.  We are all going to give account to the God who created […]

Meditation for the week of March 17, 2013 Mark 14:50  Then they all forsook Him and fled. 2 Timothy 4:16  At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them. This is the time of the year when we remember the crucifixion and resurrection of […]

Meditation for the week of March 10, 2013 A Song of Ascents. I will lift up my eyes to the hills– From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth. (Psalms 121:1-2) Does our help come from the hills or does it come from the Lord?  Obviously, it […]

Meditation for the week of March 3, 2013 Mark 8:8  So they ate and were filled, and they took up seven large baskets of leftover fragments. We live in a day of great uncertainty.  The government is cutting back on its spending.  Inflation is rampant.  Many workers have been laid off and many have lost […]

Meditation for the week of February 24, 2013 Psalms 23:3  He restores my soul! You coffee drinkers know how great that first cup of good coffee tastes in the morning.  Some of you know how great a cold Coke or Pepsi tastes on a hot summer day.  Or perhaps you have been refreshed by a […]

Meditation for the week of January 13, 2013 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, "ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS." And he was called the friend of God. (James 2:23) Abraham was the friend of God.  He was the model that God uses to explain faith.  Yet when I […]

Meditation for the week of December 23, 2012 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 6:23) This is the gift giving season.  I have never figured out how worship of the Lord by the Magi who gave the Lord gifts of […]

Meditation for the week of November 18, 2012 Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name. (Malachi 3:16) And their sins and iniquities will […]

Meditation for the week of October 28, 2012 Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, And for His wonderful works to the children of men! For He satisfies the longing soul, And fills the hungry soul with goodness. (Psalms 107:8-9) Have you ever been out hiking on a hot day […]

Meditation for the week of October 14, 2012 the week of October 14, 2012 Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.  Matthew 16:24 Most people want to be leaders—they might not admit it, but facts are facts. […]

Meditation for the week of October 7, 2012 Therefore by Him let us continually offer the sacrifice of praise to God, that is, the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.  (Hebrews 13:15) I see prayer as a conversation with God.  We talk to Him and He talks to us.  Sometimes He talks […]

Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and faithful in Christ Jesus,  (Ephesians 1:1) Does the phrase “faithful in Christ Jesus” describe a certain class of saints in Ephesus or is it further describing what it means to be a saint?   I have quoted […]

Meditation for the week of September 16, 2012 Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, "What do you seek?" They said to Him, "Rabbi" (which is to say, when translated, Teacher), "where are You staying?" (John 1:38) Wouldn’t it be nice If we could invite God into our homes for dinner tonight?  […]

Meditation for the week of August 26, 2012 Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, "Give us water, that we may drink." So Moses said to them, "Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the LORD?" (Exodus 17:2) Jesus said to him, "It is written again, ‘YOU SHALL NOT TEMPT THE […]

Meditation for the week of August 5, 2012 A Psalm of Asaph. Truly God is good to Israel, To such as are pure in heart. But as for me, my feet had almost stumbled; My steps had nearly slipped. (Psalms 73:1-2) We know God doesn’t think like we think (Isaiah 55:8) so we don’t always […]

Meditation for the week of July 29, 2012 Now the man from whom the demons had departed begged Him that he might be with Him. But Jesus sent him away, saying, "Return to your own house, and tell what great things God has done for you." And he went his way and proclaimed throughout the […]

Meditation for the week of July 8, 2012 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off?  (Job 4:7) Exercise is recommended for all of us today.  Even the Bible says that exercise is good even though it only profits for a little while.  But the only exercise many […]

Meditation for the week of June 24, 2012 I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may […]

Meditation for the week of June 10, 2012 He was thirty-two years old when he became king. He reigned in Jerusalem eight years and, to no one’s sorrow, departed. However they buried him in the City of David, but not in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 21:20) Recently a young missionary family lost […]

Meditation for the week of May 20, 2012 What is your beloved More than another beloved, O fairest among women? What is your beloved More than another beloved, That you so charge us? (Song of Solomon 5:9) Expositors differ on the interpretation of this beautiful love poem.  Some think Solomon is the man wooing the […]

Meditation for the week of April 29, 2012 2 Corinthians 13:12  Greet one another with a holy kiss Luke 22:48  But Jesus said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" 2 Samuel 15:5  And so it was, whenever anyone came near to bow down to him (Absalom), that he […]

Meditation for the week of April 15, 2012 Matthew 23:13  "But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. Many of us who preach the Gospel like to keep […]

Meditation for the week of April 8, 2012 Hebrews 10:29  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? This weekend, the fact […]

Meditation for the week of April 1, 2012 Luke 5:20  When He saw their faith, He said to him, "Man, your sins are forgiven you." How can we SEE faith?  Faith is a matter of the heart.  The Ethiopian official was told that if he believed with all his heart he could be baptized (Acts […]

Meditation for the week of March 18, 2012 Mark 14:48-50  Then Jesus answered and said to them, "Have you come out, as against a robber, with swords and clubs to take Me?  I was daily with you in the temple teaching, and you did not seize Me. But the Scriptures MUST be fulfilled."  Then they […]

Meditation for the week of March 11, 2012 Mark 12:6  Therefore still having one son, his beloved, he also sent him to them last, saying, “They will respect my son.” Respect is something that is hard to come by in our day.  We are told that it is earned, but often it is given to […]

Meditation for the week of Week of February 19, 2012 Psalms 56:3  Whenever I am afraid, I will trust in You (The Most High God). David was running from Saul.  Saul should have been his friend since David had served Him faithfully.  However, Saul knew that David was God’s choice to replace him on the […]

Meditation for the week of February 12, 2012 Luke 5:8  When Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, "Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" When Simon Peter was called to follow the Lord, he obviously didn’t feel “holy” enough to do that.  The Lord had used […]

Meditation for the week of February 5, 2012 Galatians 1:8  But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. Preaching an accurate faithful Gospel is important to the Lord and it needs to be important to us.  When […]

Meditation for the week of July 22, 2012 And the King will answer and say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.” (Matthew 25:40) This world is filled with hate and prejudice.  Competition instead of cooperation […]

Meditation for the week of January 22, 2012 Luke 4:22  So all bore witness to Him, and marveled at the gracious words which proceeded out of His mouth. And they said, "Is this not Joseph’s son?" The Lord spoke with authority, that is, He knew what He was talking about.  He wasn’t like the Pharisees […]

Meditation for the week of January 15, 2012 Genesis 28:16  Then Jacob awoke from his sleep and said, "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I did not know it." Luke 2:44  but supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day’s journey, and sought Him among their relatives and acquaintances. […]

Meditation for the week of January 8, 2012 Matthew 6:33  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you. Worry is one of the great afflictions of the human race.  Of course, worry is like riding a stationary bike.  It takes lots of energy but […]

Meditation for the week of January 1, 2011 1 Corinthians 4:1-2  Let a man so consider us, as servants of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.  Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful. As we come to the end of another year, I am asking myself, “What did I […]

Meditation for the week of December 25, 2011 Habakkuk 2:3  For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry. On Christmas day many are opening presents and enjoying […]

Meditation for the week of December 18, 2011 Amos 8:11  "Behold, the days are coming," says the Lord GOD, "That I will send a famine on the land, Not a famine of bread, Nor a thirst for water, But of hearing the words of the LORD. The last words of the Lord given to Israel […]

Meditation for the week of December 10, 2011 Genesis 16:13  Then she called the name of the LORD who spoke to her, You-Are- the-God-Who-Sees; for she said, "Have I also here seen Him who sees me?" Proverbs 15:3  The eyes of the LORD are in every place, Keeping watch on the evil and the good. […]

Meditation for the week of November 27, 2011 And He said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.”  Mark 16:15-16 Thanksgiving is my favorite time of year.  I trusted in […]

Meditation for the week of November 20, 2011 (Hebrews 13:25)  Grace be with you all. Amen. The writer to the Hebrews closes his epistle by hoping that those who read the letter will be benefited by its teaching.  The fundamental theme of the epistle is that Christ and His blessings are better than the blessings […]

Meditation for the week of November 13, 2011 Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?" God speaks in at least three ways […]

Meditation for the week of October 23, 2011 "For My people have committed two evils: They have forsaken Me, the fountain of living waters, And hewn themselves cisterns–broken cisterns that can hold no water.  (Jeremiah 2:13) Some time back V8, a tomato based drink, had an ad where the punch line was, “I should’ve had […]

Meditation for the week of October 9, 2011 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee. But He needed to go through Samaria.  (John 4:3-4) Why did the Lord have to go through Samaria on His way to Galilee?  Normally, a Jew avoided going through Samaria because while the Samaritans were people with some Jewish […]

Meditation for the week of October 1, 2011 (2 Timothy 1:12) For this reason I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day. Paul does not say that he […]

Meditation for the week of September 25, 2011 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God.  (1 Thessalonians 1:9) The Thessalonians who had been involved in idol worship turned from it when they were […]

Meditation for the week of September 4, 2011 "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the LORD your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male […]

Meditation for the week of August 28, 2011 Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: "May they prosper who love you.” (Psalms 122:6) Jerusalem is a very important city as far as God is concerned.  Melchizedek was King of Salem or Jerusalem long before it was established as the capital of Israel.  He was also priest […]

Meditation for the week of August 21, 2011 Hebrews 12:6  FOR WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE CHASTENS, AND SCOURGES EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES. Most of us would like to think that salvation solves all of our problems.  A Christian’s path is supposed to be downhill (even though we are traveling up to heaven), the […]

Meditation for the week of July 24, 2011 Psalms 40:1  I waited patiently for the LORD; And He inclined to me, And heard my cry. Prayer is a conversation with God.  We speak to Him and He speaks to us in various ways.  Generally, He speaks through His Word and sometimes He speaks through others.  […]

Meditation for the week of July 17, 2011 Psalms 18:46  The LORD lives! Blessed be my Rock! Let the God of my salvation be exalted. King David’s God was personal, living and real.  He spoke to the Lord and the Lord spoke to Him.  In his life and in his decisions, the LORD was as […]

Meditation for the week of June 12, 2011 Acts 8:39  Now when they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught Philip away, so that the eunuch saw him no more; and he went on his way rejoicing. This official from “darkest Africa” is an example of what happens when we […]

Meditation for the week of June 5, 2011 2 Chronicles 15:13  . . . whoever would not seek the LORD God of Israel was to be put to death, whether small or great, whether man or woman. Asa was one of Judah’s good kings.  He tried to get rid of idolatry in the land.  He […]

Meditation for the week of May 15, 2011 Genesis 3:1  Now the serpent was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, ‘You shall not eat of every tree of the garden’?" Why did Eve eat the forbidden fruit […]

Meditation for the week of May 1, 2011 Now these are the last words of David. Thus says David the son of Jesse; Thus says the man raised up on high, The anointed of the God of Jacob, And the sweet psalmist of Israel.  (2 Samuel 23:1) David had the ability to write songs and […]

Meditation for the week of April 24, 2011 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place […]

Meditation for the week of April 17, 2011 John 8:24  Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." Muslim’s worship Allah.  Jews worship Jehovah.  Christians worship the Lord Jesus Christ.  Are we all worshiping the […]

Meditation for the week of April 10, 2011 1 Samuel 3:7  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, nor was the word of the LORD yet revealed to him. Every person must meet the Lord Jesus personally and trust Him if they are going to be in God’s heaven.  The Bible calls this being […]

Meditation for the week of March 27, 2011 1 Thessalonians 5:20-22:  Do not despise prophecies.  Test all things; hold fast what is good.  Abstain from every form of evil. Today, many preachers claim to be prophets in the modern day sense.  A modern day prophet is one who speaks for God just like old testament […]

Meditation for the week of March 13, 2011 Mark 14:3-4 And being in Bethany at the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came having an alabaster flask of very costly oil of spikenard. Then she broke the flask and poured it on His head.  But there were some […]

Meditation for the week of March 6, 2011 Psalm 104:9 You have set a boundary that they (the waters) may not pass over, That they may not return to cover the earth. My daughter has a very young excitable lovable puppy.  This puppy can be told to “stay” and she will lay down and “stay” […]

Meditation for the week of February 13, 2010 Job 4:7 "Remember now, who ever perished being innocent? Or where were the upright ever cut off? Who ever perished being innocent?  The Lord did!  Fortunately He didn’t perish eternally.  He was raised from the dead; and now those who of us who deserved to perish eternally […]

Meditation for the week of December 19, 2010 Hebrews 9:22 And according to the law almost all things are purified with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission. In 2005, the American Family Association targeted the Target Stores because they were banning the greeting “Merry Christmas” from their advertising and their stores.  […]

Meditation for the week of December 12, 2010 Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, But when the desire comes, it is a tree of life. My wife and I follow the journeys of a number of people whose children have cancer.  We watch as they wait expectantly for the Lord to cure the […]

Meditation for the week of December 5, 2010 Daniel 4:1-2 Nebuchadnezzar the king, To all peoples, nations, and languages that dwell in all the earth: Peace be multiplied to you.  I thought it good to declare the signs and wonders that the Most High God has worked for me. People who are true converts to […]

Meditation for the week of November 28, 2010 Ezekiel 39:27-28 When I have brought them back from the peoples and gathered them out of their enemies’ lands, and I am hallowed in them in the sight of many nations, then they shall know that I am the LORD their God, who sent them into captivity […]

Meditation for the week of November 21, 2010 Revelation 7:11-12 All the angels stood around the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying: "Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor and power and might, Be to our God forever […]