Posts with the category “courage”

01/27/2026“Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.”— Psalm 143:10 (NIV)There are moments in life when the path ahead feels uneven, full of questions, obstacles, and uncertainty. David writes this psalm from a place of weariness and pressure. He isn’t asking God merely for relief; he’s asking for direction. Teach me. That phrase carries humility. ...  Read More

01/24/2026“The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him.”— Lamentations 3:25 (NIV)There’s something honest and raw about the book of Lamentations. It doesn’t rush past pain or slap a spiritual cliché on suffering. It sits in the rubble and names the grief. And right in the middle of that ache, this verse quietly rises like a breath of fresh air: “The Lord is good…”Not l...  Read More

01/23/2026“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”—Romans 8:1 (NIV)This single verse is like a deep exhale for the soul. Paul doesn’t say there is less condemnation, or eventually no condemnation, or no condemnation if you get everything right. He says now, right here, right now, there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.Many believers live forg...  Read More

01/22/2026“I pray that your partnership with us in the faith may be effective in deepening your understanding of every good thing we share for the sake of Christ.”— Philemon 1:6 (NIV)Paul’s prayer for Philemon is not simply that he would have faith, but that his faith would be active, effective, and alive. This verse reminds us that faith is not meant to sit quietly in the background of our lives....  Read More

01/21/2026“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”— Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)In ancient times, a strong tower wasn’t decorative, it was essential. When danger came, people didn’t debate where to go; they ran. The tower was high, secure, and proven. It had protected generations before them. Solomon taps into that imagery and reminds us that God’s name, His chara...  Read More

01/20/2026“Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:15 (NIV)It’s one thing to believe the right things; it’s another to live them out when life rubs us the wrong way. Paul’s words here are deeply practical. He doesn’t say, “Try not to retaliate,” or “Do your best when it’s convenient.” He says, “...  Read More

01/17/2026“For anyone who enters God’s rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his.”— Hebrews 4:10 (NIV)There is a rest that goes far beyond taking a day off, turning off your phone, or finally getting a good night’s sleep. Hebrews 4:10 points us to a deeper, more sacred kind of rest. A rest that comes from trusting God enough to stop striving.From the very beginning, God modeled th...  Read More

01/16/2026“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”— Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)There are moments in life when we assume God is distant, arms crossed, disappointed, waiting for us to “get it right.” Zephaniah 3:17 confronts that false picture head-on. This verse reveal...  Read More

01/12/2026“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me and for the gospel will save it.”— Mark 8:35 (NIV)Jesus speaks words here that run completely against our natural instincts. Everything in us wants to preserve, protect, and promote our own lives. We are taught from an early age to look out for ourselves, to secure our future, to build something that ...  Read More

01/11/2026Don’t let anyone look down on you because you are young, but set an example for the believers in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity.—1 Timothy 4:12 (NIV)In the bustling early church, Paul wrote these words to his young protégé Timothy, who was stepping into a leadership role amid skepticism from older believers. Timothy’s youth might have been seen as a liability, but Pa...  Read More

01/10/2026“Praise the Lord, my soul, and forget not all his benefits.” — Psalm 103:2 (NIV)It’s striking how quickly the human heart can drift toward forgetting. We remember disappointments with precision but let blessings blur into the background. David speaks to his own soul here, almost like a pastor preaching to himself, calling it back to attention: Do not forget. This isn’t casual praise; it’...  Read More

01/08/2026“And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.”— Hebrews 13:16 (NIV)It’s easy to think of worship as something we do with our voices on a Sunday morning, songs sung, hands raised, prayers whispered. But Hebrews 13:16 gently reminds us that worship continues long after the music fades. God is pleased not only with what we say to Him, but w...  Read More

01/06/2026“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you.” (Isaiah 60:1, NIV)There are moments when life feels dim. When circumstances press in, discouragement clouds vision, and it’s tempting to stay seated in the shadows. Isaiah speaks into that kind of moment. God doesn’t whisper, “Wait a little longer.” He declares, “Arise.” Stand up. Lift your eyes. Take your...  Read More

01/04/2026“One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple.”— Psalm 27:4 (NIV)David’s words come from a place of holy focus. He had many pressures pulling at him, enemies, responsibilities, fears, unfinished battles. Yet in the middle of all that noise, he distills...  Read More

12/28/2025“Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.”— 2 Corinthians 9:6 (NIV)Paul is speaking to believers about generosity, but he’s aiming deeper than money. He’s talking about the posture of a heart that trusts God with what it holds. Sowing is an act of faith. When a farmer places seed into the ground, it looks like ...  Read More

12/23/2025"An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news that will cause great joy for all the people.”- Luke 2:9-10 (NIV)In the quiet fields outside Bethlehem, humble shepherds were going about their nightly watch when suddenly the sky erupted with divine glory.Imagi...  Read More

12/21/2025“My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.”— Luke 1:46–47 (NIV)These words come from the lips of a young woman standing at the intersection of promise and uncertainty. Mary had just been told her life would never be the same. She would carry the Savior of the world, yet her circumstances were anything but safe or simple. Questions loomed. Risks were real. Her re...  Read More

12/07/2025“May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had.”- Romans 15:5 (NIV)When Paul prays this blessing over the church in Rome, he isn’t offering a nice sentiment, he is giving them a survival strategy. The early believers came from different backgrounds, traditions, and expectations. Some were former Jews zealous f...  Read More

12/03/2025“And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.”- Ephesians 6:18 (NIV)When Paul finishes describing the armor of God, he doesn’t end with a dramatic flourish or a heroic charge. Instead, he lands on something….. simple. He just said pray. Pray always. Pray in the Spirit. Pra...  Read More

11/29/2025“Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”— Isaiah 12:2 (NIV)Isaiah’s words echo like a victory shout from someone who has walked through darkness and come out with a deeper confidence in God. This verse isn’t whispered, it’s declared. It’s the language of someone who has seen God sh...  Read More

11/21/2025“When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.”-Isaiah 43:2 (NIV)There are moments in life when it feels like everything comes crashing in at once, waves so high you can hardly catch your breath, flames so close you can fe...  Read More

11/20/2025“Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’”— Matthew 19:26 (NIV)There are moments in life when the gap between where we are and where we long to be feels impossibly wide. It might be a dream that seems out of reach, a relationship that feels beyond repair, a burden we don’t think we can carry anymore, or a season that feels too he...  Read More

11/19/2025“For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.”— 2 Timothy 1:7 (NIV)Timothy was a young pastor carrying weight he didn’t feel ready for. Pressure from culture, intimidation from seasoned leaders, and the reality of spiritual warfare had taken a toll. Paul, his mentor, father in the faith, and friend, writes this verse like a hand on the ...  Read More

11/16/2025“For no word from God will ever fail.” — Luke 1:37 (NIV)Some verses come with a bold jolt of faith. Today’s verse is one of them. It cuts through doubt, fear, timelines, and logic with one unwavering reality: God’s word does not fail.But let’s be honest… sometimes life feels like it’s arguing otherwise. We pray, but nothing shifts. We hope, but circumstances stay stubborn.We want to beli...  Read More

11/13/2025“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”— Philippians 4:4 (NIV)Paul’s words are surprising, not because he calls us to rejoice, but because he calls us to rejoice always. And what makes this even more remarkable is where he wrote it. These weren’t the reflections of a man on vacation or the thoughts of someone whose life was going smoothly. Paul wrote this from prison,...  Read More

11/09/2025“Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.”- Psalm 139:23 (NIV)This prayer that David shares is one that is both brave and beautiful. He isn’t asking God to bless him, protect him, or even forgive him, (you know all the things we ask for everyday) no he’s asking God to search him. That’s a dangerous yet bold prayer. It’s an invitation for God to look into t...  Read More

11/07/2025“I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”—2 Timothy 4:7 (NIV)When Paul wrote these words, he was in a Roman prison nearing the end of his earthly journey. His body was tired, his chains were heavy, and his earthly freedom was gone. Yet, his spirit was stronger than ever. There was no panic, no bitterness, no “why me?”—only the calm confidence of a m...  Read More

11/06/2025“‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’”— Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV)When Jeremiah wrote these words, God’s people were in exile. They were displaced, discouraged, and feeling forgotten. Babylon wasn’t home. It was foreign ground filled with confusion and longing for what used to be. Many wanted ...  Read More

11/02/2025“When I am afraid, I put my trust in you.”— Psalm 56:3 (NIV)David penned these words during one of the most unsettling times of his life. He was on the run, hunted by Saul, and had just been captured by the Philistines in Gath. Imagine that, Israel’s future king hiding in enemy territory, unsure if he would live to see another sunrise. Fear wasn’t theoretical for David; it was tangible, ...  Read More

10/26/2025“Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.”– Psalm 31:24 (NIV)David’s words in Psalm 31 come from a place of deep personal struggle. He was hunted, misunderstood, and betrayed, yet even in the darkest corners of despair, he found the courage to trust God. His declaration, “Be strong and take heart,” wasn’t a command born from comfort, but from confidence, confidence that Go...  Read More

10/25/2025“Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.”— Ephesians 6:11 (NIV)Every morning, we get dressed to face the day, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But too often, we forget that we live on a battlefield, not a playground. Paul reminds us in this verse that our real fight isn’t against people but against spiritual forces that seek to ...  Read More

10/24/2025Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”— John 14:6 (NIV)When Jesus spoke these words to His disciples, they were troubled and confused. He had just told them He was leaving, and they didn’t understand where He was going or how to follow. Thomas, always honest and straightforward, said what many of us might have said: “Lord,...  Read More

10/21/2025“When the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, ‘The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.’” — Judges 6:12 (NIV)When we first meet Gideon, he doesn’t look anything like a “mighty warrior.” He’s hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat in secret because he’s afraid of the Midianites. Fear, insecurity, and defeat have wrapped themselves tightly around his heart. Yet, God sees beyond Gid...  Read More

10/19/2025“Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.”— Psalm 51:10 (NIV)David’s plea in this verse is one of the most sincere and beautiful prayers of repentance in all of Scripture. After being confronted by the prophet Nathan for his sin with Bathsheba, David doesn’t make excuses or shift blame. He simply cries out to God for mercy and transformation. He doesn’t a...  Read More

10/11/2025“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.”- 1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)When Paul wrote to the church in Corinth, he wasn’t describing a romantic kind of love; he was defining agape, the love that comes from God and flows through us to others. This kind of love isn’t based on feelings or attraction but on choice and character. It’s the kind of love...  Read More

10/06/2025“And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.”- Romans 8:11 (NIV)When Paul wrote these words to the believers in Rome, he was reminding them of a powerful truth, resurrection power isn’t just a future hope; it’s a present reality. The same Spir...  Read More

09/24/2025“Who is wise and understanding among you? Let them show it by their good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom.”– James 3:13 (NIV)Wisdom in Scripture is never just about knowledge. You can be smart and still not be wise. James reminds us that true wisdom is shown in how we live, not just in what we say. Wisdom is not loud or boastful, but clothed in humility.Think ab...  Read More

09/08/2025“Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” — Psalm 23:4 (NIV)Life will lead us through valleys, those seasons where the shadows seem longer than the light and the weight of fear presses hard on our hearts. David knew this truth well. As a shepherd, he had walked the dangerous ravines where predators...  Read More

09/05/2025“Then Moses said to him, ‘If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here.’”— Exodus 33:15 (NIV)There are moments in life when we are tempted to push forward on our own strength, relying on our plans, skills, or resources. Moses understood the danger of that. He knew the Promised Land meant nothing without the presence of God. Milk and honey would be sweet, victories wo...  Read More

08/18/2025“Blessed are those whose strength is in you, whose hearts are set on pilgrimage.”– Psalm 84:5 (NIV)There is something beautiful about being on a journey. Whether it’s a family road trip, a backpacking adventure, or a spiritual pursuit, journeys change us. The psalmist reminds us that those who are truly blessed are the ones who find their strength not in their own resources, but in God, ...  Read More