Posts with the category “hope-and-comfort”
Cast It and Leave It
by Pastor Jeff on July 28th, 2025
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
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Forgiven to Forgive
by Pastor Jeff on July 26th, 2025
07/26/2025“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”—Colossians 3:13 (NIV)Forgiveness can be one of the hardest commands to obey, especially when we’ve been deeply wounded. Yet here in Paul’s letter to the Colossians, we’re not just told to forgive, we’re called to forgive as the Lord forgave us. That’s a high bar.... Read More
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Refreshed in the Wilderness
by Pastor Jeff on July 21st, 2025
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
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Learn to Do Right
by Pastor Jeff on July 18th, 2025
07/18/2025“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”— Isaiah 1:17 (NIV)Isaiah’s words land like a trumpet blast, urgent, clarifying, and deeply convicting. This verse, tucked into the first chapter of his prophetic call, is not a gentle whisper but a divine plea: God isn’t merely asking for ceremonial religion. He’s co... Read More
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The Power of a Simple Call
by Pastor Jeff on July 14th, 2025
07/14/2025“Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”-Romans 10:13 (NIV)This is one of the most beautiful and inclusive promises in all of Scripture. Everyone. Not just the righteous. Not just the religious. Not just the ones who have their lives together. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.This verse is a direct quote from Joel 2:32, and Paul uses it in Roman... Read More
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Tell the World What He Has Done
by Pastor Jeff on July 12th, 2025
07/12/2025“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.”—Psalm 105:1 (NIV)We all love to share good news. When a child is born, a milestone is reached, or a blessing is received, our natural reaction is to tell someone about it. Today’s verse calls us to do the very same thing, but not just about the good things that happen to us. It calls us to make k... Read More
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Burden-Bearing Love
by Pastor Jeff on July 8th, 2025
07/08/2025“Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.”- Galatians 6:2 (NIV):Let’s face it, life, can get heavy. Some burdens press so hard that even the strongest feel like they’re about to break. That’s why this simple command from Paul is so profound, “Carry each other’s burdens.” It’s not optional. It’s not “if you feel like it” or “when it’s convenient.” It... Read More
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Life and Peace
by Pastor Jeff on July 6th, 2025
07/06/2025“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”—Romans 8:6 (NIV)There’s a constant battle happening within each of us between the desires of the flesh and the leading of the Holy Spirit. Paul draws a clear contrast in this verse: one way leads to death, and the other to life and peace. That’s not hyperbole. It’s reality.Imagine two GPS sy... Read More
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Grace for Today
by Pastor Jeff on July 5th, 2025
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
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Where the Spirit Is, Freedom Reigns
by Pastor Jeff on July 4th, 2025
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
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Blessed Without Seeing
by Pastor Jeff on July 3rd, 2025
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
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Love on Display
by Pastor Jeff on July 1st, 2025
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
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Blessed in the Battle
by Pastor Jeff on June 30th, 2025
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
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Pure Vision, Pure Heart
by Pastor Jeff on June 28th, 2025
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
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The Beauty of Mercy
by Pastor Jeff on June 27th, 2025
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
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Hunger That Satisfies
by Pastor Jeff on June 26th, 2025
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
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Comforted in Our Mourning
by Pastor Jeff on June 24th, 2025
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
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Blessed Are the Spiritually Empty
by Pastor Jeff on June 23rd, 2025
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
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Humbled Under God’s Mighty Hand
by Pastor Jeff on June 22nd, 2025
06/22/2025“Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time.”- 1 Peter 5:6 (NIV)There’s something powerful about the quiet strength of humility. In a world that often shouts for attention, rewards pride, and praises self-promotion, Peter offers a countercultural command: Humble yourselves. And not just before anyone, but under God’s mighty hand.This verse ... Read More
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A Life Worth Finishing
by Pastor Jeff on June 20th, 2025
06/20/2025“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.”— Acts 20:24 (NIV)As Paul spoke these words to the Ephesian elders, he knew hardship awaited him. His journey back to Jerusalem was not a leisurely stroll, it was a deliberate march toward suffering, ... Read More
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Victory Through Jesus
by Pastor Jeff on June 19th, 2025
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
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The Garden and the Glory
by Pastor Jeff on June 18th, 2025
06/18/2025“During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with fervent cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission.”- Hebrews 5:7 (NIV)When we think of Jesus, we often envision the miracles, the authority, the resurrection. But in today’s verse, We are invited into a quieter, more intimate place: the mo... Read More
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Set an Example in Every Way
by Pastor Jeff on June 16th, 2025
06/16/2025“Don’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)Timothy was a young man with a big calling. Tasked with leading a growing and often difficult church, he faced skepticism not because of a lack of gifting, but because of his age. Paul, his mentor, didn’t tell him to a... Read More
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Fearless Trust
by Pastor Jeff on June 14th, 2025
06/14/2025“Fear of man will prove to be a snare, but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.”- Proverbs 29:25 (NIV)There is something universal about the fear of what others think. It creeps in subtly, whether it’s the anxiety of being judged, the pressure to conform, or the desire to gain approval. This fear can paralyze, manipulate, and even control the direction of our lives. Today’s verse cal... Read More
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From Darkness to Light
by Pastor Jeff on June 13th, 2025
06/13/2025“For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.”—Colossians 1:13 (NIV)There is something breathtaking about rescue stories. Think about the news headlines when miners trapped deep underground are finally pulled to safety, or when a child lost in the wilderness is miraculously found and carried home. These stories grip our hearts b... Read More
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Joy Comes in the Morning
by Pastor Jeff on June 12th, 2025
06/12/2025“For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may stay for the night, but rejoicing comes in the morning.”—Psalm 30:5 (NIV)David wrote these words not just as poetry, but as testimony. This passage is his dedication song for the temple, a reflection on a life of highs and lows, failures and forgiveness, despair and deliverance. And in this single verse, Davi... Read More
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Taking Every Thought Captive
by Pastor Jeff on June 11th, 2025
06/11/2025“We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.”—2 Corinthians 10:5 (NIV)The battlefield of the Christian life is often not fought on distant shores or in crowded arenas, but within the quiet chambers of the mind. Paul’s words in today’s verse pull back the curtain on this unsee... Read More
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No More Tears
by Pastor Jeff on June 10th, 2025
06/10/2025“‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.”- Revelation 21:4 (NIV)Imagine standing at the end of a long, hard journey, bruised, weary, and worn. The road has been uphill, the nights dark, and the pain real. And then suddenly, you hear these words: “There will be no more death, or mour... Read More
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Stand Firm in Faith
by Pastor Jeff on June 7th, 2025
06/07/2025“Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong.” — 1 Corinthians 16:13 (NIV)In his final instructions to the Corinthian church, Paul doesn’t mince words. He fires off a series of bold commands, almost like a spiritual coach rallying his team before they take the field. These aren’t casual suggestions, they’re a call to spiritual vigilance, stability, and courage in ... Read More
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Losing to Gain: The Paradox of the Cross
by Pastor Jeff on June 6th, 2025
06/06/2025“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)At first glance, Jesus’ words here seem completely upside down. In a world that screams, “Look out for number one,” “Build your brand,” and “Protect your peace,” Jesus dares to flip the script. He presents a paradox: to truly live, we must surrender; t... Read More
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Strength for the Seeking Heart
by Pastor Jeff on June 5th, 2025
06/05/2025“Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his face always.” —1 Chronicles 16:11 (NIV)Life has a way of draining our strength. The pressures of family, the weight of responsibility, the never-ending to-do lists—all can wear us down. But what if the strength we truly need doesn’t come from within us? What if it’s found in Someone far greater?David’s song in 1 Chronicles 16 is a call to wors... Read More
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Casting Off the Weight
by Pastor Jeff on June 3rd, 2025
06.03.2025“Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you.”— 1 Peter 5:7 (NIV)There’s a moment in every person’s life when the weight of worry feels unbearable. The bills are stacking up. The medical report is unclear. The relationships are strained. The unknowns loom large. And in those moments, we instinctively grab hold of our anxieties, as if by carrying them tighter we can somehow cont... Read More
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The Greatness of Becoming Small
by Pastor Jeff on June 2nd, 2025
06/02/2025And he said: “Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven. And whoever welcomes one such child in my name welcomes me.”- Matthew 18:3–5 (NIV)When Jesus pulled a child into the center of the conversation, it must have stunn... Read More
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Unchanging Goodness
by Pastor Jeff on May 31st, 2025
05/31/2025“For the Lord is good and his love endures forever; his faithfulness continues through all generations.”- Psalm 100:5 (NIV)Have you ever had a moment when life felt unpredictable, when the world shifted beneath your feet, and the people or plans you trusted suddenly failed you? In times like that, we long for something, someone, unchanging. Psalm 100:5 gives us that anchor: “For the Lord... Read More
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Eternal Gains
by Pastor Jeff on May 27th, 2025
05/27/2025“For physical training is of some value, but godliness has value for all things, holding promise for both the present life and the life to come.”— 1 Timothy 4:8 (NIV)We live in a world that worships six-pack abs, step counts, and wellness challenges, it’s easy to get caught up in the pursuit of physical fitness. There’s nothing wrong with taking care of our bodies, in fact, Scripture aff... Read More
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Heirs with Christ
by Pastor Jeff on May 26th, 2025
05/26/2025“So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”- Galatians 4:7 (NIV)In this powerful declaration, Paul unveils one of the most profound truths of the gospel: We are no longer slaves, we are sons and daughters of God. And not just children, but heirs. Think about that for a moment. An heir is someone with a future, someone with ... Read More
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The Least of These
by Pastor Jeff on May 25th, 2025
05/25/2025“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”—Matthew 25:40 (NIV)This verse comes at the end of a powerful teaching by Jesus, where He separates the sheep from the goats, the righteous from the unrighteous, based on how they treated others. And not just any others, but the least: the hungry, the str... Read More
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The Inheritance of the Kingdom
by Pastor Jeff on May 23rd, 2025
05/23/2025“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.’”— Matthew 25:34 (NIV)Have you ever walked into a room and felt completely unworthy to be there? Maybe it was an exclusive banquet, a prestigious meeting, or even a family gathering where everyone seemed to have it al... Read More
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The Stone the Builders Rejected
by Pastor Jeff on May 20th, 2025
05/20/2025“Haven’t you read this passage of Scripture: ‘The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone;’”— Mark 12:10 (NIV)Jesus spoke these words in the midst of a confrontation with the religious leaders. He had just told the parable of the tenants, an allegory that exposed how the leaders had consistently rejected God’s messengers and would ultimately reject God’s Son. But tucked in... Read More
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The Gate of Gratitude
by Pastor Jeff on May 19th, 2025
05/19/2025“Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name.”— Psalm 100:4 (NIV)There’s something sacred about entering a space that is not your own. Think of the times you’ve walked into a courtroom, a palace, or even someone’s beautifully decorated home. You instinctively adjust, your voice softens, your posture straightens, and you carry yours... Read More
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