Isaac prayed to the LORD on behalf of his wife, because she was barren; and the LORD answered him Genesis 25:21 Prayed – Prayer is mysterious. It hardly seems possible to speak to an invisible, perfect and holy God. But every religion embraces prayer. For the Hebrews, prayer is so much an integral part of…
keep the commandment without strain or reproach, until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, which He will bring about at the proper time 1 Timothy 6:15 Bring About – Let this sink in: because Jesus will return and the final answer of life is in His return, you are freed from the necessity of…
And He who sits on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Revelation 21:5 New – There are two words for “new” in Greek. One of them is neos. If you are a movie buff, you will recognize the name “Neo” from the movie, The Matrix. That movie is filled with Greek…
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees Colossians 2:20 Elementary Principles – When you came to Jesus at the foot of the cross, you recognized your sin. You saw that your life was opposed…
Save me, O God, for the waters have threatened my life. Psalm 69:1 Save – “and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). But, of course, Mary did not call her son Jesus. That is the Greek pronunciation of the name that she really called…
Behold, how happy is the man whom God reproves, so do not despise the discipline of the Almighty Job 5:17 Reproves – The Bible has a different view of discipline than we do. In the Bible, discipline is wonderful. First, it is a sign that God loves me. Secondly, it is part of the way…
You shall not hate your fellow countryman in your heart; you may surely reprove your neighbor, but shall not incur sin because of him Leviticus 19:17 Reprove – When Paul begs us to stop being conformed to the patterns of this world (Romans 12:2), he means a lot more than a change in moral behavior. …
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 Reprove – Every Twelve Stepper knows that secrets kill. The rest of us live in denial. The power of addiction is found in the secrets addicts keep. It doesn’t matter if you eat…
The LORD is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble, and He knows those who take refuge in Him. Nahum 1:7 Stronghold – Hebrew is a language of concrete images; rocks, trees, stars, land, streams, and, of course, fortresses. So, be a Hebrew. Draw yourself a mental picture of the idea that God is…
Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2 Be Ready – What does it mean to “be ready?” Do you think of poised preparation? Do images of textbooks and classrooms come to mind? Are you carrying an invitation card in your…
