Posts with the category “surrender-and-trust”

10/28/2025“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”— 2 Corinthians 4:18 (NIV)Life has a way of drawing our attention to the visible, the bills on the counter, the diagnosis in hand, the relationships that wound, and the uncertainty that weighs heavy. The apostle Paul reminds us, however, that the visible is not ...  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

10/20/2025“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast.”— Ephesians 2:8–9 (NIV)Salvation is the greatest miracle ever offered to humanity, and it begins and ends with grace. Paul’s words to the Ephesians remind us that our relationship with God doesn’t rest on our own effort, merit, or moral sco...  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

10/17/2025“The name of the Lord is a fortified tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.”— Proverbs 18:10 (NIV)There’s something powerful about a name. A name can bring comfort, authority, and identity. When a child is frightened, they cry out for their parent by name because they know that name represents safety and love. Likewise, when life overwhelms us, we have a name to call on that carrie...  Read More

10/16/2025“Then Jesus declared, ‘I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.’”— John 6:35 (NIV)When Jesus spoke these words, He wasn’t standing in a bakery or beside a table full of food. He was speaking to people who had just witnessed Him miraculously feed thousands with five loaves of bread and two fish. Their stomachs were...  Read More

10/12/2025“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” — Psalm 18:2 (NIV)David penned these words after being rescued from Saul and all his enemies. They pour out from a man who had seen the edge of fear, felt the weight of betrayal, and yet experienced God’s protection over and over again. Eve...  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

10/08/2025“My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.”- John 15:12 (NIV)Jesus’ words here are simple, yet they carry the weight of Heaven’s greatest command. Notice He doesn’t say “I suggest” or “I’d like you to try,” He says, “My command.” It’s not optional. It’s foundational. Love isn’t just what followers of Jesus do; it’s who we are called to be.When Jesus spoke these words, He w...  Read More

10/04/2025“For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”- Matthew 7:8 (NIV)This simple yet profound verse from Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount carries a promise that has comforted believers for centuries. It’s a reminder that our God is not distant or indifferent, He is attentive, available, and responsive to His children. Jesus isn’t pain...  Read More

10/03/2025“This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.”– 1 John 3:16 (NIV)When we think of love, many images come to mind: a parent cradling their child, a spouse faithfully caring for their partner through sickness, a friend who shows up in hard times. Yet John cuts through all of those pictures and giv...  Read More

10/02/2025“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever.”– 1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)When David brought the ark of the covenant into Jerusalem, the air was filled with music, dancing, and celebration. Israel had waited generations for this moment, and David’s psalm of thanks rang out, calling the people to remember one unshakable truth: God is good, and His love never fails. Thi...  Read More

09/30/2025“For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time.”– 1 Timothy 2:5-6 (NIV)When Paul penned these words, he wasn’t writing theory, he was writing hope into a world fractured by division, false religion, and endless striving. Rome had many gods, the Jews had ma...  Read More

09/27/2025“There remains, then, a Sabbath-rest for the people of God.”— Hebrews 4:9 (NIV)The longing for rest is something every soul knows. From the beginning of creation, God built rest into the very rhythm of life. On the seventh day, He rested, not because He was tired, but to set a pattern for His people. Yet, when the writer of Hebrews speaks of “a Sabbath-rest,” he is pointing to something ...  Read More

09/25/2025“Jesus answered, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” – John 14:6 (NIV)There are many roads we can take in life, but only one road leads to the Father. In this passage, Jesus makes one of the most profound and exclusive claims of His ministry. He doesn’t say He shows us the way, or that He teaches us the truth, or that He offers us lif...  Read More

09/23/2025“For through him we both have access to the Father by one Spirit.”– Ephesians 2:18 (NIV)Paul’s words in this verse are a reminder of the unity and privilege we have in Christ. In the ancient world, access to a king or ruler was limited, reserved only for those with the right status or favor. Common people had little hope of standing in the presence of such authority. But here, Paul decla...  Read More

09/19/2025“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.”- Matthew 28:19 (NIV)Jesus’ words here are often called The Great Commission. They were His final instructions before ascending into heaven, which gives them weight and urgency. He did not say, “Stay where you are and hope people find their way.” Instead, He sa...  Read More

09/17/2025“Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”— Romans 12:2 (NIV)Paul’s words here are a radical call to live differently. The “pattern of this world” is loud, persistent, and always tugging at us to fit in, to think, act, and value things the...  Read More

09/15/2025“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God endures forever.”— Isaiah 40:8 (NIV)Seasons change, don’t they? Grass that was green and lush in spring eventually browns in the heat of summer or fades in the chill of winter. Flowers that burst forth in color and fragrance soon wilt and fall. This is the cycle of life we all know too well. Even the most beautiful and vibr...  Read More

09/13/2025“From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets, the name of the Lord is to be praised.”– Psalm 113:3 (NIV)There’s something timeless and beautiful about this verse. Every culture, every generation, and every corner of the earth experiences the rhythm of sunrise and sunset. Morning light announces a fresh start, while evening skies close the day with hues of reflection and rest. T...  Read More

09/09/2025“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.”— John 14:1 (NIV)When Jesus spoke these words, His disciples were deeply unsettled. He had just told them He was leaving, and their world was spinning with confusion and fear. Their teacher, their anchor, their Messiah was talking about departure and betrayal, things they could hardly wrap their minds around. In...  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

09/07/2025“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”— Acts 1:8 (NIV)The book of Acts opens with a promise that has shaped the entire history of the Church. Jesus, just before His ascension, tells His disciples that they will receive power, not political influence, not worldly...  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

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

09/03/2025“Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”– James 5:16 (NIV)When James wrote these words, he was reminding the early church of the power that comes not just from individual prayer, but from shared prayer within the body of Christ. Confession and prayer are like two wings of the...  Read More

09/02/2025“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.”– Matthew 7:7 (NIV)When Jesus spoke these words during the Sermon on the Mount, He painted a picture of persistence in prayer and faith. Notice the action words: ask, seek, knock. They are progressive and intentional. Asking is verbal, seeking is active, and knocking is persistent. Jesus i...  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

08/27/2025“The Lord himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.”– Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)Life often brings moments when we feel like we are standing on the edge of something bigger than ourselves, stepping into a new job, facing a health challenge, moving into a new season, or navigating a deep personal loss. In tho...  Read More

08/26/2025“Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal.”– Isaiah 26:4 (NIV)Life often feels like shifting sand. Job changes, health issues, relationship strains, and circumstances beyond our control test our resolve. But Isaiah reminds us that while everything else may move, God remains immovable. He is the Rock eternal.Think about how builders choose their found...  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

08,20,2025“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

08/19/2025“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.”– 1 Peter 5:8 (NIV)The picture Peter paints here is vivid. The devil isn’t passive; he’s on the move, hunting. Like a lion in the wild, he looks for the distracted, the weak, and the isolated. Notice the warning: “Be alert and of sober mind.” It’s a call to spiritual awarene...  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

08/17/2025“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”- Hebrews 12:1 (NIV)Have you ever watched paint dry, I mean, a marathon? Not the sprinters who explode off the line and finish in a matter of seconds, but the long-distance runne...  Read More

08/14/2025“In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” – Acts 20:35 (NIV)In The Book of Acts, we see Luke writing about a time that the Apostle Paul, spoke to the Ephesian elders, and reminded them of the life Jesus modeled, a life that poured out love, reso...  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