Posts with the category “god-s-love”

09/12/2025“But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect.”— 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)Peter writes to believers scattered in difficult times, reminding them that their lives should point to Christ. Notice where he begins: “in your hearts revere Christ as Lord.” B...  Read More

09/10/2025“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.”— Colossians 3:1 (NIV)Paul’s words to the Colossians are a reminder of who we are and where our true focus should be. If you have accepted Christ, you have been raised with Him. That means the old life is gone, and the new life is here. But here’s the challen...  Read More

09/04/2025“This is what the Sovereign Lord says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life.”— Ezekiel 37:5 (NIV)The prophet Ezekiel was given a vision of a valley filled with dry bones, lifeless, scattered, and hopeless. To human eyes, it was a scene of absolute despair. Yet God looked at those bones and saw potential, not finality. He declared that His breath would en...  Read More

09/01/2025“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)When God gave this promise to Solomon at the dedication of the temple, He was reminding His people of the power of repentance and prayer. This verse isn’t ...  Read More

08/31/2025“A father to the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in his holy dwelling.”— Psalm 68:5 (NIV)God reveals His heart so clearly in this verse: He is not distant, not disconnected, not indifferent. He is deeply personal and present, especially to the most vulnerable among us. In a world where so many feel abandoned, overlooked, or powerless, the psalmist reminds us that God steps into ...  Read More

08/30/2025“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.”— John 13:34 (NIV)When Jesus gathered with His disciples in the upper room, He knew the cross was only hours away. It was in this moment, with the weight of the world pressing on Him, that He gave them a “new command.” Love wasn’t new, God had called His people to love Him and love their neigh...  Read More

08/28/2025“Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”— Ephesians 4:32 (NIV)In today’s world, people often value being right more than being kind, they feel as if they win something for being right no matter the cost. But to the big “C” church, Paul’s words to the Ephesians stand out as a gentle yet powerful reminder. Kindness and compassion ...  Read More

08/25/2025“He will turn the hearts of the parents to their children, and the hearts of the children to their parents; or else I will come and strike the land with total destruction.” — Malachi 4:6 (NIV)The final verse of the Old Testament closes not with a rule or ritual, but with a promise and a warning, restoration or ruin. God’s desire has always been that families reflect His heart: unity, lov...  Read More

08/23/2025“Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.”— Romans 12:12 (NIV)There’s a reason Paul places these three commands side by side. They are like three strands of rope woven together to keep us steady in life’s storms. Alone, each is strong, but together they form an anchor for our soul.Think about the first: “Be joyful in hope.” Hope is not wishful thinking. Biblical hope...  Read More

08/22/2025“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” – Matthew 6:33 (NIV)Jesus speaks these words in the middle of His Sermon on the Mount, right after reminding His listeners not to worry about food, clothing, or tomorrow. He shifts their focus from the urgent to the ultimate, from temporary concerns to eternal priorities.Think of a jar ...  Read More

08,20,2025“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.” – Psalm 119:105 (NIV)There’s something reassuring about light when you’re in the dark. Imagine walking down a country road on a moonless night. Without a flashlight, every step feels uncertain. You hesitate, worried about stumbling on rocks or twisting your ankle. But as soon as light shines, whether from a lamp, a flashlight, or eve...  Read More

08/10/2025“You also must be ready, because the Son of Man will come at an hour when you do not expect him.”— Luke 12:40 (NIV)Jesus’ words in today’s verse are both a warning and a call to live with a sense of holy urgency. Life has a way of making us feel like tomorrow is promised. We plan vacations, career moves, and even retirement accounts assuming we’ll be here to enjoy them. But Jesus reminds...  Read More

08/08/2025“Then Jesus said to his disciples, ‘Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.’”– Matthew 16:24 (NIV)When Jesus spoke these words, His disciples would have understood “take up your cross” in a way we often don’t. The cross was not a decorative piece of jewelry or a church steeple, it was an instrument of execution, a symbol of suffering, s...  Read More

08/07/2025“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”- Romans 5:8 (NIV)There are few things in life more powerful than being loved at your worst. Most of us have experienced conditional love, the kind that hinges on performance, appearance, behavior, or shared beliefs. But God’s love stands in stark contrast to that. It is unconditional, unw...  Read More

08/06/2025“For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.”— John 3:17 (NIV)There’s something beautiful in realizing that Jesus didn’t come to point fingers, He came to extend hands. Today’s verse may be one of the most quoted verses in Scripture, but verse 17 is just as powerful and perhaps even more liberating for someone weighed down by guilt...  Read More

08/05/2025“Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.”- Galatians 6:9 (NIV)In a world driven by instant results and overnight success, this verse is a countercultural call to perseverance. It’s a reminder that the Kingdom of God operates on a different timetable, and a different reward system.This way of thinking is much like a farmer...  Read More

08/03/2025“Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”— Colossians 3:2 (NIV)There’s something powerful about focus. A runner with their eyes fixed on the finish line doesn’t get distracted by the crowd. A soldier locked into their mission won’t lose their way in the noise of battle. And a follower of Jesus, whose mind is set on heaven, can walk through the chaos of life with a steady h...  Read More

07/29/2025“When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.’”— John 8:12 (NIV)In today’s verse, Jesus’ words were spoken in a dramatic and deeply symbolic moment. He was standing in the temple courts during the Feast of Tabernacles, a celebration that included lighting huge lamps to commemo...  Read More

07/28/2025“Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken.” — Psalm 55:22 (NIV)There’s something beautiful about the word “cast.” It’s not a gentle laying down or a cautious placing, it’s a throwing, a hurling, a letting go with force. And that’s exactly the picture David paints in today’s verse. He doesn’t tell us to carry our burdens delicately int...  Read More

07/27/2025“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.”- Deuteronomy 7:9 (NIV)In the swirling uncertainties of life, we often find ourselves searching for something, or someone, stable and true. Today’s verse is a reminder that our God is not fickle or forgetful. He is ...  Read More

07/21/2025“I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint.”- Jeremiah 31:25 (NIV)There are seasons in life when our souls feel parched, our strength is gone, and the only prayer we can muster is a whisper: “Lord, help me.” Whether it’s the weight of grief, the exhaustion of caregiving, the stress of financial pressure, or the slow burn of spiritual dryness, we all know what it’s like to feel weary...  Read More

07/20/2025“I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”—Romans 8:18 (NIV)Paul’s words to the church in Rome are like a lighthouse in a storm, steady, piercing the fog of our current trials with the hope of what’s coming. These are not light or dismissive words. Paul knew suffering. He had been shipwrecked, beaten, imprisoned, betrayed,...  Read More

07/19/2025“You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”— Psalm 119:114 (NIV)When the world becomes overwhelming and chaos threatens to steal our peace, where do we run? Today’s verse gives us a profound answer in just a few words: “You are my refuge and my shield; I have put my hope in your word.”David, the likely author of this passage, knew what it meant to be hunted, betra...  Read More

07/17/2025“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”—Matthew 11:28 (NIV)Life has a way of weighing us down. Whether it’s the pressure to perform at work, the strain of financial stress, the ache of relational wounds, or the exhaustion of trying to live up to others’ expectations, it all adds up. Many of us have become experts at carrying burdens we were never meant...  Read More

07/15/2025“Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.’”- John 20:21 (NIV)The room was thick with fear. Doors were locked. Whispers of what the religious leaders might do next ran wild. The disciples, who were once bold and brave, were now sitting in confusion and deep sorrow. But then, Jesus appears. Not as a ghost, not as a memory, but risen, real, and full...  Read More

07/11/2025“But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!”- Amos 5:24 (NIV)The prophet Amos wasn’t speaking into a void, he was confronting a culture that had grown comfortable in its religion but careless in its righteousness. The people of Israel were observing the rituals: offerings were made, songs were sung, festivals celebrated. But beneath the surface, corr...  Read More

07/07/2025“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”— Proverbs 9:10 (NIV)The book of Proverbs is like a treasure chest filled with practical wisdom for life, but right here in this short verse, we find the master key to unlocking all of it: the fear of the Lord. Not fear as in terror or dread, but a deep reverence, awe, and recognition of who...  Read More

07/05/2025“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” – Matthew 6:34 (NIV)In the world we live in, worry has become a common companion. We worry about deadlines, health, relationships, finances, and a future we can’t see. Jesus, in this passage from the Sermon on the Mount, gently but firmly tells us to stop. Not because th...  Read More

07/04/2025“Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.”- 2 Corinthians 3:17 (NIV)Freedom. It’s a word we hear often, especially around this time of year when our country celebrates its independence. But the freedom Paul writes about in this verse goes far deeper than national liberty or personal autonomy. It’s a spiritual freedom, one that only the Holy Spiri...  Read More

07/03/2025Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”- John 20:29 (NIV)In this brief but powerful statement, Jesus speaks directly to a core struggle of faith: believing without seeing. These words were spoken to Thomas, one of His twelve disciples. After the resurrection, Thomas had famously declared that unless he...  Read More

07/01/2025“This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:9 (NIV)There are moments in life when words aren’t enough. Times when someone has to show their love. We’ve seen it in the parent who rushes into danger for their child, in the spouse who stays faithful through the hardest seasons, or the friend who shows up ...  Read More

06/30/2025“Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”—Matthew 5:10 (NIV)Following Jesus will eventually bring you to a crossroads with the world. Today’s verse reminds us that living righteously in an unrighteous world won’t always lead to applause, it may actually lead to persecution. Yet, Jesus calls those who endure it blessed.Think abou...  Read More

06/29/2025“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”— Matthew 5:9 (NIV)There’s something deeply powerful about peace. But, even more powerful, is the person who actively pursues it. Jesus doesn’t say, “Blessed are the peaceful,” but peacemakers, those who roll up their sleeves and step into conflict, tension, or division with the goal of bringing wholeness and reconcil...  Read More

06/28/2025“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.”– Matthew 5:8 (NIV)There’s something beautiful about watching a child gaze in wonder at the world, eyes wide, heart unburdened. They see beauty in mud puddles, treasure in dandelions, and adventure in every backyard. That kind of purity that is unfiltered, undistracted, and unguarded, that is what Jesus is talking about here. It’s no...  Read More

06/27/2025“Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.”— Matthew 5:7 (NIV)Mercy is one of the most beautiful yet misunderstood virtues in the kingdom of God. It’s not merely feeling sorry for someone, it’s compassion in action. Mercy sees a person in pain or need and says, “I will not just feel something, I will do something.”Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:7 are both a promise and a challen...  Read More

06/26/2025“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled.”—Matthew 5:6 (NIV)What are you hungry for today?We all wake up with cravings. Some of them are physical like coffee, breakfast, exercise. While others are deeper and more enduring, the longing for meaning, peace, justice, or connection. Jesus, in this fourth Beatitude, speaks directly to those deeper cra...  Read More

06/25/2025“Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth.”- Matthew 5:5 (NIV)When we hear the word meek, our minds may jump to images of weakness, passivity, or someone who lets others walk all over them. But Jesus wasn’t praising doormats, He was redefining power. In the Kingdom of God, meekness is not weakness. It’s strength under control.In the Greco-Roman world, to inherit the earth me...  Read More

06/24/2025“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.”- Matthew 5:4 (NIV)Jesus’ words in the Sermon on the Mount are stunningly upside-down to our human instincts. “Blessed are those who mourn”—how can mourning, grief, or sorrow be a blessing? In our culture, we often do all we can to avoid pain, suppress tears, and distract ourselves from loss. Yet here, Jesus invites us to press in...  Read More

06/23/2025“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.”— Matthew 5:3 (NIV)Jesus begins the Sermon on the Mount with a paradox: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.” At first glance, this sounds backwards. We don’t normally associate poverty, especially spiritual poverty, with blessing. But Jesus is teaching us something profoundly upside down by the world’s standards and beaut...  Read More

06/19/2025“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”—1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV)Life can often feel like a series of battles, some small, some seemingly insurmountable. Whether it’s battling fear, temptation, grief, guilt, or even death itself, the struggle is real and at times overwhelming. But today’s verse reminds us of one central truth that changes everything...  Read More