Life Verses

 This page features Bible verses from my journey!  All verses are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise noted. There are 31,102 verses in the Bible, so this is a small sample of the treasures to be mined out of the Word of God!

2023

July

Deuteronomy 8:16:  In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end.  (God will test our hearts so that He can bless us.  Sometimes we are not ready for the good gifts that God has for us, so He tests and prepares us so that we can grow in thanksgiving and not turn blessings into idols.  Good gifts must never become ultimate gifts!)

April

John 3:12: “If I told you earthly things and you do not believe, how will you believer if I tell you heavenly things?” (The very nature of faith calls us to believe in what we cannot see by trusting in God who created all things visible and invisible.  Faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen).

John 21:21 – 22: So Peter seeing him said to Jesus, “Lord, and what about this man?”  Jesus said to Peter, “If I want him to remain until I come, what is that to you?  You follow Me!” (God may call us to follow Him to places that do not include friends and family, so by faith and with courage, even if we are a little afraid, we answer the call). 

January 

1John 3:17-18: But whoever has the world’s goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him? ¹⁸ Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.

1John 3:7-8: Little children, make sure no one deceives you; the one who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous; ⁸ the one who practices sin is of the devil; for the devil has sinned from the beginning. The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to destroy the works of the devil. (Beware of friends who minimize and encourage sinful behavior).

1John 3:1-3: See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. ² Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is. ³ And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure.

1John 2:28 And now, little children, remain in him, so that when he appears we may have confidence and not shrink away from him in shame when he comes back

1John 2:3-4: Now by this we know that we have come to know God: if we keep his commandments. ⁴ The one who says “I have come to know God” and yet does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in such a person.

1John 1:1-2: This is what we proclaim to you: what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and our hands have touched (concerning the word of life— ² and the life was revealed, and we have seen and testify and announce to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us)

2022

April

1John 3:18-20: Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. ¹⁹ Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. ²⁰ Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. (04/20/2022)

Philippians 1:6: And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns. (Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith and will be faithful to complete it. cf. Hebrews 12:2; 04/19/2022)

Luke 23:34: Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” (Good Friday, 04/15/2022)

1Timothy 5:8 (NET): If someone does not provide for his own family, he has denied the faith and is worse than those with no faith. (We demonstrate our love for God when we provide for our wife, children and relatives; building strong families is foundational to building strong churches and strong communities, so as husbands and fathers, we provide financially, emotionally, spiritually, mentally, and physically to express the love that God has placed in our hearts! 04/06/2022).

March

February

January

Psalm 31:24: Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord.

2021

December

Jude 1:21-22: keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting anxiously for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life. ²² And have mercy on some, who are doubting;

1John 3:1: See how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we would be called children of God; and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us, because it did not know Him.

Luke 6:32-33: If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. ³³ If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.

November 

1Corinthians 14:20: Brothers, do not be children in your thinking; yet in evil be infants, but in your thinking be mature. (Biblical thinking leads the way as we grow in Christ, this prompts us to walk in love and forsaking the fleshly desires. 11/30/2021

John 11:25: Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, ²⁶ and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” (Our glorious gospel is ours, a gift of God, who comes to us and says, “I did it for you!  You don’t have to work for it, you cannot work it, I am giving it to you!  Only believe!” 11/17/2021).

Luke 6:21: Blessed are you who are hungry now, because you will be filled. Blessed are you who weep now, because you will have laughter.  (We set our minds on things above where there will be no sorrow or pain or tears, only laughter and joy and love. 11/13/2021). 

Proverbs 31:10: An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels. (11/13/2021)

October

Mark 14:38: Keep watching and praying that you may not come into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” (It seems that the more consistent I am in my walk with God and the closer I feel to God, the greater my need to watch and pray as temptation is ever present. 10/29/2021).

Psalm 84:5: How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion! (It is good to daily test ourselves to see if we are in the faith and that our hearts are walking towards the Kingdom of God in everything that we do. 10/29/2021).

September

Genesis 24:21: Meanwhile, the man was gazing at her in silence, to know whether the Lord had made his journey successful or not. (It is hard to imagine that it is not her. I am beginning to believe that several life situations in my life that took many years to come to fruition were all training to prepare me for this season of waiting.  I pray that at the appointed time, her joy and happiness for me would be as great as mine for her. Amen! 09/25/2021).

Luke 12:32 (NLT): “So don’t be afraid, little flock. For it gives your Father great happiness to give you the Kingdom. (So incredible. 09/12/2021). 

Romans 12:10 (NLT): Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. (Genuine affection through our bonds in Christ. 09/12/2021). 

Luke 24:45: Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. (Always my prayer. 09/06/2021).

Psalm 37:7 – “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way.” (Learning to set aside anxiety and restlessness to rest and wait. Hard to do when you think you see the future, but God continues to signal me that He is guiding this situation. 09/03/2021).

Psalm 73:28: as for me, the nearness of God is my good; I have made the Lord God my refuge, That I may tell of all Your works. (Finding inward stillness is the best place to visit when I can get there. 09/01/2021).

August

Luke 15:1-2: Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ² Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Jesus came to save sinners and He invites us in to His kingdom. 08/23/2021). 

Psalm 37:31 (NET): The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. (When the law of God controls our thinking, we have more clarity of thought and the ability to overcome peer pressure, acting rashly, be less anxious, and step into a decision with the confidence of God leading rather than acting alone. 08/10/2021). 

July 

1 John 2:28: Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. (I like this verse because it gives me a good heart check to know that I am excited for His coming. 0720/2021). 

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT):  Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. (A good reminder to be thankful that God has given us His word, to affirm that the Bible is a divine message from God and not mere human wisdom, and that the Word of God is doing work in us because the Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), it’s the truth that binds together the loose ends in our life (Ephesians 6:14), the Bible guides us to not sin (Psalm 119:11), grows our faith (Psalm 1:2-3), and always accomplishes its purpose (Isaiah 55:11). 0702/2021).

June

Colossians 4:12 (NET): Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave of Christ, greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. (This verse captures a significant lesson which is to agonize before God on behalf of another.  The word translated “always struggling” is agonizomai (Gk.) which can also be translated laboring earnestly, fighting or competing.  It carries the connotation to seek to win, to fight the good fight, or to aggressively agonize on behalf of another.  Jesus uses this word in Matthew 7 when He states that we are to “Strive” on the narrow road to the Kingdom, and Paul uses it with Timothy when he tells him to “fight” the good “fight” in the Pastoral epistles.  This is praying in which God stirs our hearts to intercede for someone in a manner of fighting for them.  I have been called to this type of prayer, sometimes as spiritual warfare prayer, and sometimes during the witching hour, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, I was awakened to this dimension of prayer that focuses on the spiritual realities that we struggle with in our physical presence.  06/17/2021).

Philippians 4:5: Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men (NASB 1979). (If there is one verse that captures what it means to represent Christ in the world, I would select Philippians 4:5.  The Greek word EPIEKES is often translated as “gentleness” in modern translations, but early translations of the New American Standard, Revised Standard and the 1901 American Standard version all translate forbearing.  The word actually means many things, but can be summarized as humble graciousness which is why I believe that forbearing is the best translation.  These are a few examples of what the word could mean: contentment (Philippians 4:11-12), goodwill for another beyond reason such as the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), joyful charity (2Corinthians 9:7), over generosity by giving more than what is reasonable; not getting what you deserve but rather receiving graciously what you don’t deserver, being slandered or misrepresented, having my reputation ruined by gossip and lies, accepting mistreatment without malice or hatred, and accepting being hated yet still reaching out in love. The word is packed with meaning, but should be known as it is central to a life of serving God and an important part of Christ being formed in us. 06/12/2021 

1 Corinthians 2:14 – 16: But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶ For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (The more I read the Bible, the more I see these opposing ideologies in daily life.  It is hard to fathom that we have the mind of Christ, but the more I read and abide for deeper roots, the more I am able to spiritually appraise what God has revealed in applying the word of God to my life. 06/07/2021).

Romans 2:4-5: Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. (I think about this passage a lot as I see a tendency in Christianity today to reduce people to their sin, yet being puffed up by gossip and self-righteousness.  In his book, ‘Respectable Sins’, Jerry Bridges speaks of this attitude towards others sin while justifying our own and states that “when the sin of another offends you, that is an indicator that we have lost sight of our own sin.” 06/06/2021).

APRIL

2Chronicles 16:9:  For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His...”  (04/18/2021)

Hosea 6:1: “Come, let’s return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. (Everyone who is called is salted with fire.  As Bonhoeffer wrote, when Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.  That about sums it up. 04/11/2021).

March

John 12:28-29: Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ So the crowd who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him!” (Verse 29, reminds me that some will not hear. 03/31/2021).  

John 12:24: Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (In ‘The Four Loves’, CS Lewis spoke of the person who would never have a broken heart. This was accomplished by never being vulnerable, but rather protecting their heart in the cold, dark casket of selfishness, where the heart goes unnurtured and eventually is impenetrable. This verse reminds me that if I am to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), then I need become vulnerable by dying to self, that is to put the needs of others before my own and to cultivate a forbearing spirit. Since love is the greatest of the fruits and the one that is the nutrient of all others, I must set myself aside if love is to take root.  03/31/2021). 

2 Timothy 2:13: If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (Thanks God that our eternal security does not rest in our ability, but in His faithfulness. 03/28/2021).

Hebrews 6:18-20: ¹⁸ So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. ²⁰ Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (03/2021) 

February

Matthew 10:27:  What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. (Every believer is to be formed in the image of Christ, which means that every believer will go through the furnace of affliction (Psalm 66:10; Isaiah 48:10) many times.  Pain and suffering is a critical part of the journey to the kingdom (Acts 14:22) and Jesus Himself traveled this same path (Hebrews 5:8).  During these periods of darkness, it is critical that we seek to hear the voice of God.  These formative experiences do work in us on many fronts and it is walking through the fire that allows us to come along side others during their times of need. It is our default reaction in our fallen human nature to quickly seek remedies to remove pain and restore comfort, but we need to resist our instinct to listen to everyone, and instead seek to listen to God alone.  One on one time with Abba in the darkness does deep work in us, like Jesus in the garden, where we can learn to drink the cup and say, “not my will, but Thine be done.” 02/21/2021). 

January

Psalm 27:4: One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. (When I read this today, the question came to me, “what is my one thing?”  The purpose of all of life is to love God and love people in that order.  Rightly ordered loves is work being done in us daily and we are constantly challenged by other desires and temptations.  As I think about this season of waiting, I am reminded that the important work in me of rightly ordered loves is of the utmost importance in this season, so I can be a light to those who come into my path.  This will prepare me to lead well, especially for my future wife and children. 01/25/2021). 

Exodus 34:34-35: But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him. (The face of Moses was literally radiant after spending time with God. Since Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and he calls his own light (Matthew 5:14), this got me wondering if it is evident that I have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)?, have I allowed the Word to convict my heart (Hebrews 4:12)?, does the Word of God make me more like Christ (Psalm 119:11)? Is the peace of Christ evident in me when trials emerge (Philippians 4:5-7)? It is probably a good thing we cannot see our own fruit, but still I pray that people would find me different because I have been with Jesus. 01/21/2121). 

Luke 23:42-43: And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” ⁴³ And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (These verses got to me today.  Just the humble ask to be remembered and the reply from Jesus was so definite and reassuring.  I was imagining the horror of hearing the words “I never knew you” -Matthew 7:21-23.  There is no worse feeling than being forgotten, but forgotten by God would be devastating. It also made me think of those around us that feel forgotten and left out, the homeless hoping for a home, seniors who long for family, orphans hoping for a family, shut-ins who want to belong, so many that Jesus hasn’t forgotten! 01142021).  

Isaiah 5:20-23: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! ²² Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, ²³ Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right! (Because election fraud happened. And because liberalism is a cancer in which the end always justifies the means no matter how evil or immoral.  Woe to those who celebrate injustice, who celebrate theft, and who rejoice in their shame, may God have mercy on your souls if in fact you have one. 01/09/2021).  

Isaiah 59:15: Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. ¹⁵ Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. (This verse seemed appropriate in light of the Congress and SCOTUS decision to ignore the overwhelming evidence of election fraud, and support the new dementia ridden, treasonous, racist as president elect.  At least China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and every Islamic terrorist group got the candidate they were hoping for, while criminal Democrats and GOP RINOs chose to forsake Israel.  The good news is that God is watching and they will all have to account for their decision to cover up treasonous acts. 01/09/2021).

Psalm 138:8: The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (This verse returns to me today almost exactly a year after it last spoke to my heart. Everyday has new possibilities and I am praying that this is the year that my prayer is accomplished. 01/03/2021). 

Psalm 31:24: Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord. (I just found this encouraging at a time when I am waiting for a dream that nobody can see but me.  I am reminded about the goodness of hope in God because it means anything is possible; and also, why not me!! 01/03/2021).  

2020

December

Psalm 50:14: “Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; (Gratitude, humility, surrender, integrity, endurance, discipline, obedience, love.  Being thankful has a rippling effect on every aspect of my life. 12/15/2020). 

November

2 Corinthians 8:1-5: Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, ² that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. ³ For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, ⁴ begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, ⁵ and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. (It is better to give than to receive, and the joy of giving is only fully realized when we have given all of ourselves to the Lord. cf. Acts 20:35; John 3:30; 2 Corinthians 9:7. 11/20/2020).

Genesis 29:20: “ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because he loved her.” (I understand, loving her is just part of who I am now.  I knew from the time we first laughed together that she was going to leave a mark. 11/13/2020). 

October

Psalm 17:3: You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. (The Lord tries our hearts, not to learn something, but rather to further unmask ourselves so that we know who we are, for better or worse. I often pray and ask God to test my heart and show me any darkness, to reveal any hurtful ways and to test my motives.  This has brought clarity of thought in decision making and the peace of Christ where things might normally make one anxious. cf. 139:23-24; Proverbs 16:2. 10/2020).   

September

2 Peter 1:2-4: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. ⁴ For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (Wow!  Just Wow! These are incredible spiritual realities in our Union with Christ that we step into by faith that transform us in our physical reality. 09/2020). 

Colossians 2:6-7: Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction by which we are built up, established, formed and overflow with the love of God reflected in our gratitude and thanksgiving! 09302020). 

John 17:21: that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (I have previously shared this verse in regards to the love of God being an apologetic to the truth of the incarnation and the gospel, and that is a powerful statement.  However, I am sharing this time because of the topic of Union with Christ.  I will be posting on Union and Communion soon, and verses like this one contain a mystery, yet a spiritual reality for every believer to embrace in our life of faith and for a more complete understanding of our identity. 09/21/2020

Psalm 127:2: “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. (Finally, a verse that encourages me to sleep-in!  Okay, seriously, this verse captures a theme in my life over the last few years, namely that the more I rest and relax in Christ, the more He is taking care of things for me.  I have been learning to trade my busyness for unhurried time to abide in Him, and I am constantly amazed at what He is doing on my behalf, especially in business!  I am constantly sharing how God is handing me business and many are skeptical, but my knowledge of our industry, buying cycles, customer habits, and many other factors demonstrate anomalies that are consistent with divine intervention.  I also recognize that people are completely uncomfortable with things they cannot explain, but I now welcome them!  09/2020). 

August

Matthew 19: 4-5: Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? (Jesus believed in a literal interpretation of Genesis 1, so it seems faithless and arrogant to use the ever-changing world of science as a biblical hermeneutic.  Plus Jesus is the Creator (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), so when the opportunity arose, He did not refer to some evolutionary process, but rather quoted Genesis 1 and gave a literal interpretation of the creation of man and woman. 08/22/2020). 

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (The more I study, I the more I am convinced that Genesis 1:1 is the most important verse in the Bible.  Many in the Christian community have compromised this verse, including major denominations and theological seminaries, referring to Genesis chapter one as poetry, but to do so is a huge mistake as it distorts many key doctrines in addition to the need to find alternate interpretations of several hundred bible passages.  Today I am beginning a new project on the importance of restoring a Biblical Worldview in the church and a call to abandon the false religion of evolution. 08/22/2020).

July

1Corinthians 2:9: the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (07/16/2020).

Psalm 25:8-10: Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. ⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. ¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. (Psalm 25 is not only one of my Life Verse chapters, but also a great chapter to pray through. We are not alone on our faith journey, but the scripture reaffirm thousands of times that God is with us.  He leads us, instructs us, teaches us, disciplines us, forgives us, and delights in us.  Verse 10 affirms to me that all of His paths are rooted in love and truth, so as long as I am walking in a manner worthy of His calling (Ephesians 4:1), He will direct my steps as I work my plan (Proverbs 16:9).  Even when darkness descends on my path, I can know by faith that He is with me, He is leading, and because He is good and faithful, this will ultimately be to my good.  This is the our walk with God in time for an eternal goodness beyond anything we can imagine. (2 Corinthians 2:9). 07/16/2020). 

Deuteronomy 30:6-10: “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. ⁷ The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. ⁸ And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. ⁹ Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; ¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. (So many things in this passage that map over to my faith journey. The Lord continues to circumcise my heart to shape my will to His will and it is good.  I hope and trust that the rest of my journey will include the things I am gravitating towards today. 06/23/2020). 

Song of Solomon 5:2: “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’ (Today makes seven years since she said, “Hi” and nothing was ever the same.  I hope to make her laugh and smile again. 06/17/2020).

2 Corinthians 9:8: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; (This has been an encouraging promise amidst the unrest in our nation the last couple of weeks; I am sure our spiritual adversaries have been doing the happy dance to see us divided over temporal things, 06/10/2020).

Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. (Really trying to be understanding of fellow believers who have gotten emotionally invested in the unrest in a way that seems to produce heat rather than light. 06/05/2020).

Psalm 20:4: May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your purpose! (A prayer to recognize my heart’s desire has been molded by my will conforming to His will and through that relationship, it is God who establishes my purpose. 05/22/2020) 

Luke 17:32: “Remember Lot’s wife. (When God calls a person, the call is to repent, to turn from our old life to the new life He is giving us.  The conversion is marked by a recognition that God has made all things new and forgiveness has been received.  The turning to Christ involves leaving the old life behind.  Paul refers to this as a “repentance without regret” in which godly sorrow is aligned with the will of God leading to salvation (2Corinthians 7:10).  Lot’s wife looked back and died because she liked it there, she didn’t see her deliverance.  For me this was encouraging. 04/2020).

Matthew 9:13: But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13 (Compassion and sacrifice can look very similar.  The difference is intent, but that one difference is all the difference.  Either love moves us to actions of compassion, or another motive such as guilt moves us to sacrifice.  Compassion seldom feels like sacrifice because there is a fulfillment of joy when the love of God flows out through you in care of another. 04/2020).

Exodus 4:10-12: Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”  (We see here that Moses was reluctant to accept God’s plan for His life. Starting back in Exodus 3:11 he is trying to get out of it, questioning God and fully focused on himself. His focus on his flaws leads him to question God’s judgment, question God’s ability to guide him, and God’s love and goodness. Moses could not imagine what God was preparing. Moses would go on to write the book of the law and become a central figure in western civilization. Later on in Matthew 17, we see Moses appear with Elijah at the transfiguration of Jesus, representing the law and the prophets just before the crucifixion and resurrection.  As I consider God’s call before me, Moses reminds me not to focus on myself, that I can have confidence in God when I step into this work and that God’s plan will unfold to something that I likely could not imagine. 03/2020).  

Psalm 86:10-13: For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God. Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. ¹² I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. ¹³ For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (Lord, my prayer in this season of waiting is that You guide me to have singleness of heart that my loves be properly ordered for my good and Your glory!  I am thankful for so much and grateful that You are preparing me for good things! 02/22/2020).  

Psalm 34:1-2: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. (When I do not see the hand of God in my circumstances, I am slowly learning to wait with confidence that it will appear.  Not free of fear, anxiety or disappointment, but slowly learning that my plans and my timing do not always match up to what God has planned for a specific time, and I know that it will be good. 02/14/2020). 

Matthew 16:24 – 26:  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Pondering what this should look like lived out. 02/06/2020).

1 Timothy 6:6: But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. (The more that I think and write about “waiting on God”, the more I see that waiting is more about the work done in me during waiting than whatever I am waiting for, and that work is largely rooted in learning to be content in whatever situation I find myself in. 01/27/2020)

Psalm 138:7 – 8: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. ⁸ The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (On a cosmic scale, the wrath of God was poured out from heaven on Jesus on the cross on my behalf (Romans 1:16-19), so the Lord has accomplished what concerns me in regards to eternal security. However, I has also come to recognize the hand of God in my spiritual formation to Christ through the daily provisions for life as well as the orchestration of the things that I hope for.  In his direction of my steps, I see that He is providing for the things that concern me, I just need to recognize them, respond to them, sometimes wait for them, and hear what the Spirit is saying, Isaiah 30:21.  01/12/2020). No. 2400

2019

Isaiah 58:9-11: “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰ And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday. ¹¹ “And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. (10/30/2019) 

Jeremiah 30:12-15: “For thus says the Lord, ‘Your wound is incurable And your injury is serious. ¹³ ‘There is no one to plead your cause; No healing for your sore, No recovery for you. ¹⁴ ‘All your lovers have forgotten you, They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the punishment of a cruel one, Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous. ¹⁵ ‘Why do you cry out over your injury? Your pain is incurable.  Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous, I have done these things to you.  ‘Therefore all who devour you will be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity; And those who plunder you will be for plunder, And all who prey upon you I will give for prey. ¹⁷ ‘For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.”’ (10/08/2019)

Isaiah 30:21: Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.  (What do you want?  What do you desire? What good things have become ultimate things? What blessings have become idols? What happens when you love too much?  Can you love too much? How do you stay content when the eyes of your heart affirm the truth you know?  One thing I know is that God is faithful, God is good, and in the midst of all the chatter, He is there and He is not silent. 10/08/2019).    

Isaiah 42:24-25: Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? ²⁵ So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention! (These verses have returned to me after seven years as I consider the paths before me. I am paying attention now and trying to hear His voice.  Hope is a dangerous thing when you believe you can walk through the fire unscathed. Or is the path to wait amidst the mockers, and those who want my life to look like theirs.  10/08/2019). 

Psalm 127:1: Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. (For those who know God, it is so important we seek His leading. Sometimes we run with our plans because it “makes sense” and we never slow down enough to hear God’s directive; we remember that God told Moses you can take them to the promised land, but I will not go with you because they are an obstinate people (Exodus 33:1-10); we remember that God told the church at Ephesus that they are busy doing good things, but they are so focused on their own plans they have forgotten their first love which is God (Revelation 2); we remember that when the devil tempted Jesus, he promised all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-7) so we see that we must discern even if we see a way to do what we want. Whatever the situation, we must always be seeking to build His kingdom and not our own (Matthew 6:33). 09/2019) 

Isaiah 22:11: “And you made a reservoir between the two walls For the waters of the old pool. But you did not depend on Him who made it, Nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago. (Another reminder to depend on God and wait on God!  Being diligent to remember the sovereign reign of God over my life better enables me to depend on Him and wait on the unfolding of His plan for my life, and the lives of those He has brought into my path. Full dependence and trust, will mean to challenge conventional wisdom and the path of least resistance and to patiently listen for His leading to do, to leave undone, to wait or to redirect. cf. Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28; Psalm 139:1-18; 09/01/2019). 

Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire. (As Christ is formed in us, our desire for heavenly things grows and it makes separating from this world a little easier.  We begin to walk with reverence and awe, and can see that the things we treasure will not be consumed by the fire of His presence.  May we all walk through the fire into eternity by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit! 08/25/2019).

Hebrews 12:27: This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (We must be mindful that the faith journey is one of pruning.  God will shake up our lives to remove things that do not have eternal value or that hinder the pursuit of holiness.  We are often too close to it to understand, but when we are done licking our wounds and begin to heal, we begin to put our circumstances into an eternal perspective which produces gratitude and deeper awareness of our brokenness. 08/24/2019). 

 1 Thessalonians 2:13: “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (I need to be reading scripture, meditating on scripture and praying scripture daily if the work being done in me, by the Word, is to progress. cf. John 17:17; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 1:2-3; Psalm 119:11; 2Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 3:15. 08/20/2019).

Psalm 66:16: Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul. (This verse jumped out at me because God is bringing so many people into my path with situations that I have traveled through, it has been quite remarkable to listen and share.  Psalm 66:10 speaks of the Refiners fire that God uses to purify our souls and by verse 16 we see a joyful response. 07/25/2019). 

Psalm 40:10: I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation. (For the Christian, there is always a reason to be joyful knowing God personally and having a transcendent peace about our position in Christ and our eternal security. Even when life is sad, we still have the joy of our salvation and we should share whenever possible. 07/25/2019). 

Proverbs 4:23: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” (When I was younger, I always thought this verse was about love, but upon reflection and meditation I see that this verse is about worship.  Our hearts are deceitful and produce idols at a moments notice. We can be so easily captivated and allow created things that God intended for good to become ultimate things that replace God on the throne of our hearts. We need to be constantly mindful of where we place our affections and to keep the good things of life in proper perspective. cf. John 4:23-24. 07/08/2019).

Psalm 143:10: “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. ¹¹ For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.”  (This is a great prayer to prayer for ourselves and others. To know God’s will and be sensitive to His Spirits leading so that I can be steadfast in life.  To have these two things delivers my soul from trouble. This is all done with the full awareness that it is not about me, but FOR HIS NAMESAKE He delivers me.  I find tremendous peace in these words and making them part of communion with God.  You should try it! 07/05/2019). 

Isaiah 30:1-2:  “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin; ² Who proceed down to Egypt Without consulting Me, To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! (These verses bring many things to mind regarding the trend in American Christianity to focus on church growth, church marketing, huge mortgages, a flood of programs, and undoubted growth in church attendance, yet little impact on American culture. It makes me wonder what God thinks, if we are truly making disciples? 07/2019).  

Revelation 5:8: When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (The idea that the Lord of Everything that exists actually listens to us astounds me, but this verse really moved me. To know and believe that our prayers are not only heard, but are a sweet aroma to God is very humbling.  It is something I was aware of, but now it seems real. 6/17/2019). 

James 2:18-20: But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (These verses do not advocate a works righteousness, but rather a warning that our faith will be reflected by what we do for others.  IF Christ is growing in us, then we are more and more dying to self and becoming Christ like (John 3:30).  If the gospel has been received as information and it has not been cultivated by faith to transformation, then your faith is equal to that of a demon. (Learn and pray these passages: Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 1:2-3. 05/2019). 

James 2:14-17: What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (Genuine saving faith produces good fruit over time as Christ is formed in us (Romans 8:29).  If you have no fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), then Christ is not in you and your faith is likely dead, which means you are dead as well.  Our purpose in this world is to love God and we express that love for God when we love people.  According to the Bible, many church goers will not make it into heaven.  cf. Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; John 15:1-13; also see the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. 05/2019). 

Isaiah 60:5-6: “Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you. ⁶ “A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the Lord. (When facing the defeats in life, it is always good to remember the ultimate victory in Christ when He defeated death on our behalf.  This picture of the Millennial Kingdom, the gifts of gold and frankincense are brought, but the gift of myrrh, which was brought by the wise men at the birth of Jesus, is excluded in the second advent.  Why? Because Jesus conquered death! Reflecting on the gospel everyday helps keep my heart in line when life leaves me bruised. No matter what happens in this world, Jesus has settled my place in eternity and that restores my joy!  See The Gift of Myrrh! cf. Romans 8:28-39; Galatians 4:19; 2Corinthians 1:3-7; Psalm 34:15-19; Psalm 51:17; Genesis 50:20. 04/2019). 

Psalm 84:5-7: “How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! ⁶ Passing through the valley of Baca (weeping) they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. ⁷ They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion. (Central to the Christian faith is to understand that every trouble in this world is to make us more like Christ; by His strength, our hardships make us stronger as we walk towards His kingdom. cf. John 3:30; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 5:8; John 12:24-26 Colossians 3:2; Matthew 6:33; Romans 5:3-5. 04/2019).

Deuteronomy 8:16-18: “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. ¹⁷ Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’¹⁸ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (When I consider what God did from His love to humble me, test me and bring me back into His fold, it can be overwhelming. My prayer is to never again forget that all is from His hand because He is good and because He loves relentlessly. 02/2019).

1 Chronicles 29:14-16: “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. ¹⁵ For we are homeless before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶ O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. (We can never truly lose anything because all belongs to God to begin with, we are simply stewards entrusted with His possessions for temporary use.  To be a homeless beggar before God leads one to a life of humble gratitude. 01/2019).

Jeremiah 22:15-16: “Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.
¹⁶ “He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?” Declares the Lord. (King Josiah’s relationship with God was reflected in how he loved and cared for the afflicted and the needy.  (As we grow in Christ, our love for all people must become more and more apparent. If we are not growing in humility daily, we must test ourselves to see if we are in the faith. All sheep matter. cf. John 3:16; James 2:1-7; Matthew 5:44; Luke 15:4; Psalm 51:17. 1/2019).

2018

Philippians 2:3 – 5: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (I believe these verses capture the goal of spiritual formation. This is our vocation and everything in life, career, school, relationships, church, etc., is a wasted effort if it not forming humility and cultivating this attitude of Christ in our minds. cf. James 4:6; 1-Peter 5:5-6; Luke 18:9-14; Philippians 4:5; Romans 12:10-16. 12/17/2018).

1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20: …do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (These verses remind me lately to consider God, not only in the large obvious choices, but in the small choices that amount to big changes. 11/24/2018).

Lamentations 3:19 – 26: Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
²⁰ Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. ²¹ This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
²² The Lord’s loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  ²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. ²⁶ It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the Lord. (These verses have preserved me often over the last few years.  God continues to remind me of His faithfulness, even this week, an answer to a long standing prayer.  The bible often calls us to remember God’s faithfulness, especially in the dark, and it inspired me to write My Book of Remembrance.  Hope is a wonderful gift of God and He continues to show me that if I hope in Him, pray without doubting, wait patiently, and trust Him only, He is faithful. 11/2018).

2 Corinthians 9:8:  And God is ABLE to make ALL grace ABOUND to you, so that ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in everything, you may have an ABUNDANCE for every good deed; (continually on the journey of trading self-sufficient independence for dependence on the sufficiency of Christ. cf. 2Corinthians 3:4-6; 10/2018).

Ephesians 4:30: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (God continues to shine light on areas of my life where I am not yet like Jesus. It makes me wonder why He went through the process of redemption, which deepens my gratitude and thankfulness. cf. Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew 5:3; Romans 8:15-16; Psalm 130:1-2; Luke 15:20; Ephesians 4:1. 09/2018).

John 5:6-9: When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” ⁷ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” ⁹ Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. (Sometimes, when we have been buried in our circumstances for a long time, we lose hope and forget that God is bigger than our problem; when this happens, we just need to ask persistently without doubting.  God is looking to strongly support those whose heart is completely His. cf. 2Chronicles 16:9. 08/2018).

ROMANS 8: I cannot believe that I left this out for so long.  I pray I never take for granted the truth of this chapter.  If there is one life-verse chapter that every Christian should know, it is Romans 8.  I quoted most of it below, our freedom in Christ, His power in us, our identity as His child, our hope, our Help, His sovereignty, His promises, His goodness, our security, His love, this chapter is jam packed with everything we need for a life of faith.  I quote it a lot, but now feeling moved to ponder these truths and get re-submerged in them. 08/2018

Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:36-37: Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:35: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8:34: Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Romans 8:33: Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

Romans 8:30: and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 8:29: For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:26: In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

Romans 8:23: And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:16: The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God

Romans 8:15: For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received ^[h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:11: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:7-8: because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Romans 8:3: For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:1: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 08/2018

Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil. (In my desire to be a better man, more discipline, more obedient, God continues to reveal, in my frustration, that my transformation rests in Him, not in any self-help philosophy to trick my mind into true transformation.  He made me like this and is transforming my mind, body and soul as Christ is formed in me and my transformation will be the result of abiding in Him and a holy response to put Him first in all things. cf. John 15:5; Romans 7:20-25, 8:29, 9:20, 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Galatians 4:19; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:7. 07/2018).

Hosea 6:3: “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord . His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.” (God is faithful, we need only wait. 07/2018).

Mark 1:35: In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. (I have a lake for a backyard and recently discovered a river near my home. These have both become places to meet God and this time to disengage from the world is the greatest blessing. I am so thankful that God has created the conditions in my life to have space for these encounters. cf. Luke 4:42; Mark 6:31-32; Psalms 5:3, 46:10, 73:28, 131:2. 06/2018).

Luke 5:16: Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (Learning (and still learning) the discipline of silence and solitude before God and with God has been a great blessing the last few years. It has become time that I crave and God is showing me how to let go of all of those thoughts that tell me I need to be getting stuff done. Spiritual warfare is definitely active during this time, but God protects. cf. Psalm 42:1, 63:1, 91:1; Luke 11:1; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. 06/2018).

Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. (One step at a time, if we place a foot in the water, then another, then slowly God will carry us to deep waters, new oceans of freedom and blessing far from the shallow shores of the familiar, and it will be more than we can ask or imagine, IF we trust Him. 6/18).
John 12:28-29: Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (Sometimes God speaks to us in ways that others will not understand; he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. 06/2018).

1 Peter 3:7: You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (When God entrusts a man with the hand of one of His daughters, He makes it clear that He is watching how we treat her. If she is not honored, He will respond like a good Dad. The world would be a much better place if every man fulfilled the duty of fatherhood to their daughters. cf. Proverbs 18:22. 05/2018)

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV): Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (This verse stirs me within for many reasons. Nothing further to add. 05/2018).

1 John 5:3: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (The Lord continues to show me the depths of His love. His commandments are not burdensome because we are to respond in love. When you love someone, spouse, girlfriend, parent, child, etc. you would do anything for them motivated by the joy of loving them! It is never a burden because of the love you carry. Our obedience to God is a response motivated by a loving relationship, rooted in holiness, not a moral obligation rooted in the pursuit of personal goodness. 05/2018).

Matthew 11:12: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” (Like Jesus asking Peter repeatedly, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-17), the Lord is challenging my resolve, 04/2018).

Jeremiah 24:7: “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” (This a very personal verse to me that I have delayed sharing. The Lord illuminated this scripture for me to see clearly His pursuit towards me through everything that happened. 04/2018)

Psalm 73:26: My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Through it all, His living water always flows within to sustain, nourish and strengthen, cf. John 7:37-38; Psalm 73:28. 04/2018).

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Practicing to always be Mindful of His Presence that His peace will always rule in my heart and that I be anxious for nothing, but be content to trust His timing. 03/2018).

Isaiah 26:8-9A: “Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls. ⁹ At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;… (Question: If you died and went to a place where everything you ever hoped and dreamed of was given to you, but Christ was not there, would you be okay with that? An important question to ponder for all who claim their identity from Christ. cf. Matthew 7:21-23; Psalm 63, Psalm 73:28; Psalm 84:10; Revelation 4:8-11. 03/2018)

Isaiah 66:2: “…to this one I will look” declares the Lord. “To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word.” (God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Our call to cultivate a forbearing spirit is the only path to grow the child like faith that Jesus requires for His kingdom. cf. Matthew 18:3-5; Psalm 51:17; James 4:6-8; 1 Peter 5:6-8; John 3:30, 02/2018).

James 3:1: Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. (This verse was instrumental in my decision to go to seminary. cf. 2-Timothy 2:15. 02/2018).

Judges 7:2: The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ (Two important lessons: 1) The default of man is to take credit for the work of God because of pride, so I need to be mindful to recognize the Hand of God in all my circumstances as well as His orchestrating conditions long before I got involved (cf. Isaiah 22:11); and 2) Sometimes God will allow circumstances to place us against all odds so that when He delivers us, there will be no doubt it was all God. Timely for me now. 02/2018).

Isaiah 42:24-25: Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? ²⁵ So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention. (Children of God are called to obedience. When we are not obedient, God will discipline. Believers often do not recognize the Hand of God in our problems, largely because we focus on the pain and not God. We focus on trying to find a remedy for the problem rather than turning to God. We spend so much time trying to make this broken world perfect and we miss out on time when we could be getting ready for eternity. Because God loves us, He will turn up the heat until we do pay attention. We cannot hide, we cannot run away, He will chasten us until our stubborn hearts surrender completely, 02/2018).

Deuteronomy 8:3 – 5: He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.⁴ Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. ⁵ Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. (This chapter has spoken to me a lot and in many ways over the years. Here we see the love of God, not only in discipline, but in meeting our needs during the seasons of discipline, seasons of pruning, seasons of affliction. Verse 4, to not let our feet swell shows me that God will make provisions for the hardest parts of the journey in order to get us to the High Places. As I reflect on my down time, this passage stirs me within as I recall times of grace in the wilderness. I pray that I would never be so focused on my pain that I miss the Hand of grace that sustains me, 01/2018).

Psalm 131:1-2: O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. ² Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. (At first I was hesitant to post these verses for the simple reason that pride comes before the fall and I am mindful that I must always be putting pride to death in me. However, I share these verses as a testimony of God’s work to calm the storm in me. I see now through the rough waters of life, that once the outer man stopped fighting and submitted to the inner man, it was God, through His word, meditation, praying and listening, that comforted, strengthened, and gave wisdom to my inner child. Though I would not have asked for them, I see now that my afflictions were necessary because of who I was as well as to prepare me for what God has planned next. This truth leaves me composed to quietly wait for His plan to unfold, 01/2018).

2017
Ephesians 3:14-19: …I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (I have been dwelling on this passage for a few months now, so much to say. One thing to share is that this passage has become a daily prayer for myself and for my inner circle. Each time I turn to it, the Lord opens up a new insight to pray on. Knowing this passage for years and suddenly it has come to life in a whole new dimension testifies to the truth of Hebrews 4:12, 12/17).

Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (A sun to light my way and provide growth and a shield to protect me, He gives me His unmerited favor. This verse evokes an image in my mind of walking through the wilderness in peace because He is lighting the way and shielding me from the dark shadows. I wish I could paint because I more fully express it, 11/17).

Hebrews 5:8: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” (God continues to show me the depths of His holiness. Like most people, I tend to see suffering through a moral lens to try and find a way to fix the problem, but God continues to expose this flaw in my thinking. The Refiners fire is to move us to be like Jesus, sanctified to perfect holiness. Though we may desire less, hoping to just be a good person, I recall that only God is good and I am called to be holy, without which I will not see the Lord. In His sovereign grace, it is the surrender to the Spirit that grows holiness and produces the fruit of the Spirit that the world interprets as a good person, 10/17)

Isaiah 32:17: …the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness will be quietness and trust forever. (The Lord continually shows me that His righteousness lived out in my life produces godly peace, clarity in silence and deeper trust in Him, 10/17).

1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. (As a child physically grows into an adult, the Lord calls us to grow on that same path spiritually. Spiritual maturity has been a recurring topic in my life this year, 10/17).

1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (It’s a process, it’s a process, it’s a process, words that seem to be recurring in many aspects of my life, personal, professional, relational, God is teaching me to be gracious and remember that I am in process as are the folks He has strategically placed in my life, 10/17).

Jeremiah 31:2: “Thus says the Lord, “The people who survived the sword Found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when it went to find its rest.” (This verse jumped out at me as I have been writing more about key lessons God had for me in the areas of discipline, obedience, idolatry and being thankful. I am writing a post called “Grace in the Wilderness” to further unpack my journey to solitude and the experience I call ‘Discipled by God, 9/17).

Psalm 5:3: “In the morning, O Lord, ^[c]You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. (The fruit of praying without doubting manifests in my life periodically

Mark 11:24: “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (The more I read about prayer, the more God is asking me to believe that He is who He says He is and believe that I am His child and His plans for me are good. The call to believe relational, not conditional, therefore I believe because of who He is and who I am to Him, 6/17)

Mark 9:24: “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (This verse also got my attention to pray for God to help me believe in Him with no doubts. I saw that doubting happens when things don’t happen on my timeline, so I was shown how my unbelief and doubting are intimately connected with impatience, 5/17).

Mark 9:23: And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” (God convicted me last year to pray without doubting in my heart. This is another example to actually believe that all things are possible. 5/17).

Proverbs 3:1-3: My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; ² For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. ³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. (The Lord showed me these verses specific to a very personal prayer request and I was thankful. 04/2017).

2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” (cf. Isaiah 30:18; John 4:23-24; the Lord is seeking true worshipers who trust Him with every fiber of our being. The Lord has convicted me to lay everything at His feet and follow His lead. He often reminds me of His faithfulness which provides peace to continue taking steps of faith. 03/2017).

1 Chronicles 28:9 – “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (Either you are in or you are not in, God does not like the lukewarm. I am reminded of Psalm 139:23-24 and the letters to Ephesus and Laodicea in Revelation 2 and 3. 03/2017).

2016

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. (God wants to give good gifts to His children when we are ready. This was very specific as God restored a relationship I had been praying for after showing me things I need to do to prepare for His blessing. Just a glimpse of the blessing left me broken before Him as He once again testified of His faithfulness. cf. Mark 4:35-41 would further what God was unfolding. 10/2016).

Isaiah 58:4b-5 – You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. ⁵ “Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed… (This was a message to me from God to learn to trust Him with even the little things. To focus on my relationship with Him in every circumstance, like a child who is dependent on a parent for the simplest needs. Related to this was also waiting on His timing, rather than a fast for gain, a fast for holy relationship. 9/2016).

Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Learning to make this my prayer for my family, friends and those I want to know Jesus). (08/2016)

Psalm 27:13-14 – I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. (This passage is a source of daily encouragement. I have it hanging over my piano at home and it gently reminds me to endure because God’s plans are good and I just need to wait). (04/2016)

Isaiah 40:31 – Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Just trying to serve God while I am waiting).

Psalm 26: 2-3 – Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. ³ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. (This has become my morning prayer).

Isaiah 41:10 – ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

2015

Psalm 38:12-15 – Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction…. ¹³ … And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth. ¹⁴ Yes, I am like a man… in whose mouth are no arguments. ¹⁵ For I hope in You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God. (This happened. I wrote a post about it called ‘Submission to the Sovereignty of God’).

Isaiah 42:3 – “A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. (Many books have been written about the deep truth in this verse and I feel I too could add a volume to it. This verse is about Christ, but it also testifies to the faithfulness of God. In the darkest nights, our light still shines, no matter how dimly lit. Within the darkness, whether bruised by God Himself or as the result of our unfaithfulness, it is God who delivers us. cf. Hebrews 12:1-11)

Ezekiel 14:3 – Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. (We must be mindful of anything that takes our focus off of God. Our pursuits can seem very innocent, especially in America where we have great wealth. We must not pursue the American dream at the expense of not depending on or trusting God).

Haggai 1:9 – ⁹ “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. (When God blesses us, it is important to not lose focus. Sometimes we get caught up building our own kingdoms while neglecting the Kingdom of God. We must never let the pursuit of happiness replace the Pursuit of Holiness).

Isaiah 48:10 – 11 – “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another. (We have a good Father who disciplines because He knows best. The Refiners fire is harsh for a time, but later produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness).

Job 42:5-6 – “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (God’s majesty and sovereign grace open our eyes to the greatness of who He is; often it is through those experiences in life that don’t make sense by which we grow stronger as our faith is sustained by the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. This verse reminds me of my experience of moving from intellectual consent to the reality of spiritual truth being manifested in my life through life events, all pointing to the fact that God is in control).

Isaiah 57:15 – “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. (Reflecting on the sum of my life experiences makes me think of this verse. No matter how bad things get, it’s always alright and God always brings good the morning after a dark night).

Psalm 38:2 – For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me. ³ There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

Ezekiel 36:26 – Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (If there is one passage that best describes the last two years for me, it has to be this one. Might sound odd for someone who became a Christian many years ago, but when you have an Infinite Holy God who continues to reveal Himself to you by showing you things in you that need to be pruned, to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), then a passage like this will shine a bright light on what God is doing in you for His glory and His purpose. cf. Psalm 73).

2014

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.” (The peace of Christ is of divine origin contrasted with the peace of the world which is based on circumstances. As Christians, we actually need bad circumstances to emerge to demonstrate the truth of this promise and be a witness to the world of the grace that sustains us in times of difficulty; cf. Phil. 4:6-7).

John 15:16 – “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (God chose me and appointed me to be fruitful for His kingdom).

Psalm 139:16 – “The days allotted to me had all been recorded in Your book before any of them ever began.” (To me this verse is the blessed assurance that my life is not an accident, but guided by the Hand of God for His glory and His purpose; cf. Romans 8:28-29).

Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (God gave me a lot of clarity about this verse in 2015, namely that if I am walking with Him consistently through prayer, reading His word, listening, serving, loving His church, loving the lost and delighting in the reality of being His child, then it is safe to assume that He is controlling the desires of my heart. The verse does not say when He will fulfill this promise, but I have peace that He will.

Romans 10:13 – “All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (First verse I ever learned)

1 Corinthians 13:5 – “Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, does not keep a record or wrong doings.” (Every now and then I am reminded of bad things that happened, often it is things that I have forgotten about. I thank God for bringing good results from bad things and being able to let them go).

2Timothy 2:15 – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (Life verse for my fraternity Alpha Gamma Omega. This verse led me to read a bible chapter a day everyday for two years after I got saved).

Song of Solomon 5:2 – “I was asleep, but my heart was awake.” (I like this verse because I have experienced the restless anticipation of what it means, but can’t fully explain it). (09/2014)

2Timothy 1:7 – “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (This is my go to verse for my daily walk. By the power of the Holy Spirit, motivated by sacrificial love (agape) and made consistent by discipline or sound mind, we can live life fearlessly ever aware that we are always in the presence of God).

Song of Solomon 2:7 (also 8:4) – “Do not arouse or awaken love, until she so desires” (Right now I am quite confident that I need to be patient for God’s timing; to this point my prayers have gone unanswered, so I wait). (05/2014)

2013

Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (The place God continually brings me back to. The reality check for my dog vomit). (02/2013)

1 Corinthians 9:24 – “…run in such a way as to win the prize.” (Seemed appropriate since I am preparing to run a race, literally, that I have no chance of finishing first, which is weird because I expect to win everything I try. In this case, finishing is winning).

August

Luke 15:1-2: Now all the tax collectors and the sinners were coming near Him to listen to Him. ² Both the Pharisees and the scribes began to grumble, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” (Jesus came to save sinners and He invites us in to His kingdom. 08/23/2021). 

Psalm 37:31 (NET): The law of their God controls their thinking; their feet do not slip. (When the law of God controls our thinking, we have more clarity of thought and the ability to overcome peer pressure, acting rashly, be less anxious, and step into a decision with the confidence of God leading rather than acting alone. 08/10/2021). 

July 

1 John 2:28: Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. (I like this verse because it gives me a good heart check to know that I am excited for His coming. 0720/2021). 

1 Thessalonians 2:13 (NLT):  Therefore, we never stop thanking God that when you received his message from us, you didn’t think of our words as mere human ideas. You accepted what we said as the very word of God—which, of course, it is. And this word continues to work in you who believe. (A good reminder to be thankful that God has given us His word, to affirm that the Bible is a divine message from God and not mere human wisdom, and that the Word of God is doing work in us because the Word is living and active (Hebrews 4:12), it’s the truth that binds together the loose ends in our life (Ephesians 6:14), the Bible guides us to not sin (Psalm 119:11), grows our faith (Psalm 1:2-3), and always accomplishes its purpose (Isaiah 55:11). 0702/2021).

June

Colossians 4:12 (NET): Epaphras, who is one of you and a slave of Christ, greets you. He is always struggling in prayer on your behalf, so that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. (This verse captures a significant lesson which is to agonize before God on behalf of another.  The word translated “always struggling” is agonizomai (Gk.) which can also be translated laboring earnestly, fighting or competing.  It carries the connotation to seek to win, to fight the good fight, or to aggressively agonize on behalf of another.  Jesus uses this word in Matthew 7 when He states that we are to “Strive” on the narrow road to the Kingdom, and Paul uses it with Timothy when he tells him to “fight” the good “fight” in the Pastoral epistles.  This is praying in which God stirs our hearts to intercede for someone in a manner of fighting for them.  I have been called to this type of prayer, sometimes as spiritual warfare prayer, and sometimes during the witching hour, but by the power of the Holy Spirit, I was awakened to this dimension of prayer that focuses on the spiritual realities that we struggle with in our physical presence.  06/17/2021).

Philippians 4:5: Let your forbearing spirit be known to all men (NASB 1979). (If there is one verse that captures what it means to represent Christ in the world, I would select Philippians 4:5.  The Greek word EPIEKES is often translated as “gentleness” in modern translations, but early translations of the New American Standard, Revised Standard and the 1901 American Standard version all translate forbearing.  The word actually means many things, but can be summarized as humble graciousness which is why I believe that forbearing is the best translation.  These are a few examples of what the word could mean: contentment (Philippians 4:11-12), goodwill for another beyond reason such as the story of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37), joyful charity (2Corinthians 9:7), over generosity by giving more than what is reasonable; not getting what you deserve but rather receiving graciously what you don’t deserver, being slandered or misrepresented, having my reputation ruined by gossip and lies, accepting mistreatment without malice or hatred, and accepting being hated yet still reaching out in love. The word is packed with meaning, but should be known as it is central to a life of serving God and an important part of Christ being formed in us. 06/12/2021 

1 Corinthians 2:14 – 16: But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. ¹⁵ But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. ¹⁶ For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. (The more I read the Bible, the more I see these opposing ideologies in daily life.  It is hard to fathom that we have the mind of Christ, but the more I read and abide for deeper roots, the more I am able to spiritually appraise what God has revealed in applying the word of God to my life. 06/07/2021).

Romans 2:4-5: Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? ⁵ But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. (I think about this passage a lot as I see a tendency in Christianity today to reduce people to their sin, yet being puffed up by gossip and self-righteousness.  In his book, ‘Respectable Sins’, Jerry Bridges speaks of this attitude towards others sin while justifying our own and states that “when the sin of another offends you, that is an indicator that we have lost sight of our own sin.” 06/06/2021).

APRIL

2Chronicles 16:9:  For the eyes of the Lord roam throughout the earth, so that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His...”  (04/18/2021)

Hosea 6:1: “Come, let’s return to the Lord. For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us. (Everyone who is called is salted with fire.  As Bonhoeffer wrote, when Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die.  That about sums it up. 04/11/2021).

March

John 12:28-29: Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ So the crowd who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him!” (Verse 29, reminds me that some will not hear. 03/31/2021).  

John 12:24: Truly, truly I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit. (In ‘The Four Loves’, CS Lewis spoke of the person who would never have a broken heart. This was accomplished by never being vulnerable, but rather protecting their heart in the cold, dark casket of selfishness, where the heart goes unnurtured and eventually is impenetrable. This verse reminds me that if I am to produce the fruit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness, goodness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23), then I need become vulnerable by dying to self, that is to put the needs of others before my own and to cultivate a forbearing spirit. Since love is the greatest of the fruits and the one that is the nutrient of all others, I must set myself aside if love is to take root.  03/31/2021). 

2 Timothy 2:13: If we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny Himself. (Thanks God that our eternal security does not rest in our ability, but in His faithfulness. 03/28/2021).

Hebrews 6:18-20: ¹⁸ So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. ¹⁹ This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls. It leads us through the curtain into God’s inner sanctuary. ²⁰ Jesus has already gone in there for us. He has become our eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek. (03/2021) 

February

Matthew 10:27:  What I tell you in the darkness, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim on the housetops. (Every believer is to be formed in the image of Christ, which means that every believer will go through the furnace of affliction (Psalm 66:10; Isaiah 48:10) many times.  Pain and suffering is a critical part of the journey to the kingdom (Acts 14:22) and Jesus Himself traveled this same path (Hebrews 5:8).  During these periods of darkness, it is critical that we seek to hear the voice of God.  These formative experiences do work in us on many fronts and it is walking through the fire that allows us to come along side others during their times of need. It is our default reaction in our fallen human nature to quickly seek remedies to remove pain and restore comfort, but we need to resist our instinct to listen to everyone, and instead seek to listen to God alone.  One on one time with Abba in the darkness does deep work in us, like Jesus in the garden, where we can learn to drink the cup and say, “not my will, but Thine be done.” 02/21/2021). 

January

Psalm 27:4: One thing I have asked from the Lord, that I shall seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord And to meditate in His temple. (When I read this today, the question came to me, “what is my one thing?”  The purpose of all of life is to love God and love people in that order.  Rightly ordered loves is work being done in us daily and we are constantly challenged by other desires and temptations.  As I think about this season of waiting, I am reminded that the important work in me of rightly ordered loves is of the utmost importance in this season, so I can be a light to those who come into my path.  This will prepare me to lead well, especially for my future wife and children. 01/25/2021). 

Exodus 34:34-35: But whenever Moses went in before the Lord to speak with Him, he would take off the veil until he came out; and whenever he came out and spoke to the sons of Israel what he had been commanded, the sons of Israel would see the face of Moses, that the skin of Moses’ face was radiant. So Moses would put the veil back over his face until he went in to speak with Him. (The face of Moses was literally radiant after spending time with God. Since Jesus is the light of the world (John 8:12), and he calls his own light (Matthew 5:14), this got me wondering if it is evident that I have been with Jesus (Acts 4:13)?, have I allowed the Word to convict my heart (Hebrews 4:12)?, does the Word of God make me more like Christ (Psalm 119:11)? Is the peace of Christ evident in me when trials emerge (Philippians 4:5-7)? It is probably a good thing we cannot see our own fruit, but still I pray that people would find me different because I have been with Jesus. 01/21/2121). 

Luke 23:42-43: And he was saying, “Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!” ⁴³ And He said to him, “Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” (These verses got to me today.  Just the humble ask to be remembered and the reply from Jesus was so definite and reassuring.  I was imagining the horror of hearing the words “I never knew you” -Matthew 7:21-23.  There is no worse feeling than being forgotten, but forgotten by God would be devastating. It also made me think of those around us that feel forgotten and left out, the homeless hoping for a home, seniors who long for family, orphans hoping for a family, shut-ins who want to belong, so many that Jesus hasn’t forgotten! 01142021).  

Isaiah 5:20-23: Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; Who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness; Who substitute bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter! ²¹ Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes And clever in their own sight! ²² Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine And valiant men in mixing strong drink, ²³ Who justify the wicked for a bribe, And take away the rights of the ones who are in the right! (Because election fraud happened. And because liberalism is a cancer in which the end always justifies the means no matter how evil or immoral.  Woe to those who celebrate injustice, who celebrate theft, and who rejoice in their shame, may God have mercy on your souls if in fact you have one. 01/09/2021).  

Isaiah 59:15: Justice is turned back, And righteousness stands far away; For truth has stumbled in the street, And uprightness cannot enter. ¹⁵ Yes, truth is lacking; And he who turns aside from evil makes himself a prey. Now the Lord saw, And it was displeasing in His sight that there was no justice. (This verse seemed appropriate in light of the Congress and SCOTUS decision to ignore the overwhelming evidence of election fraud, and support the new dementia ridden, treasonous, racist as president elect.  At least China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, and every Islamic terrorist group got the candidate they were hoping for, while criminal Democrats and GOP RINOs chose to forsake Israel.  The good news is that God is watching and they will all have to account for their decision to cover up treasonous acts. 01/09/2021).

Psalm 138:8: The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (This verse returns to me today almost exactly a year after it last spoke to my heart. Everyday has new possibilities and I am praying that this is the year that my prayer is accomplished. 01/03/2021). 

Psalm 31:24: Be strong and let your heart take courage, All you who hope in the Lord. (I just found this encouraging at a time when I am waiting for a dream that nobody can see but me.  I am reminded about the goodness of hope in God because it means anything is possible; and also, why not me!! 01/03/2021).  

2020

December

Psalm 50:14: “Offer God a sacrifice of thanksgiving And pay your vows to the Most High; (Gratitude, humility, surrender, integrity, endurance, discipline, obedience, love.  Being thankful has a rippling effect on every aspect of my life. 12/15/2020). 

November

2 Corinthians 8:1-5: Now, brothers and sisters, we make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, ² that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. ³ For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave voluntarily, ⁴ begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, ⁵ and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. (It is better to give than to receive, and the joy of giving is only fully realized when we have given all of ourselves to the Lord. cf. Acts 20:35; John 3:30; 2 Corinthians 9:7. 11/20/2020).

Proverbs 31:30: Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised. (Her beauty captured me at first sight, but knowing her heart magnified her beauty as an imprint on my soul that cannot be undone. 11/13/2020). 

Genesis 29:20: “ So Jacob served seven years for Rachel, and they seemed to him like only a few days because he loved her.” (I understand, loving her is just part of who I am now.  I knew from the time we first laughed together that she was going to leave a mark. 11/13/2020). 

October

Psalm 17:3: You have tried my heart; You have visited me by night; You have tested me and You find nothing; I have purposed that my mouth will not transgress. (The Lord tries our hearts, not to learn something, but rather to further unmask ourselves so that we know who we are, for better or worse. I often pray and ask God to test my heart and show me any darkness, to reveal any hurtful ways and to test my motives.  This has brought clarity of thought in decision making and the peace of Christ where things might normally make one anxious. cf. 139:23-24; Proverbs 16:2. 10/2020).   

September

2 Peter 1:2-4: Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord; ³ seeing that His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence. ⁴ For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust. (Wow!  Just Wow! These are incredible spiritual realities in our Union with Christ that we step into by faith that transform us in our physical reality. 09/2020). 

Colossians 2:6-7: Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, ⁷ having been firmly rooted and now being built up in Him and established in your faith, just as you were instructed, and overflowing with gratitude. (The Christian life is a long obedience in the same direction by which we are built up, established, formed and overflow with the love of God reflected in our gratitude and thanksgiving! 09302020). 

John 17:21: that they may all be one; even as You, Father, are in Me and I in You, that they also may be in Us, so that the world may believe that You sent Me. (I have previously shared this verse in regards to the love of God being an apologetic to the truth of the incarnation and the gospel, and that is a powerful statement.  However, I am sharing this time because of the topic of Union with Christ.  I will be posting on Union and Communion soon, and verses like this one contain a mystery, yet a spiritual reality for every believer to embrace in our life of faith and for a more complete understanding of our identity. 09/21/2020

Psalm 127:2: “It is vain for you to rise up early, To retire late, To eat the bread of painful labors; For He gives to His beloved even in his sleep. (Finally, a verse that encourages me to sleep-in!  Okay, seriously, this verse captures a theme in my life over the last few years, namely that the more I rest and relax in Christ, the more He is taking care of things for me.  I have been learning to trade my busyness for unhurried time to abide in Him, and I am constantly amazed at what He is doing on my behalf, especially in business!  I am constantly sharing how God is handing me business and many are skeptical, but my knowledge of our industry, buying cycles, customer habits, and many other factors demonstrate anomalies that are consistent with divine intervention.  I also recognize that people are completely uncomfortable with things they cannot explain, but I now welcome them!  09/2020). 

August

Matthew 19: 4-5: Haven’t you read,” he replied, “that at the beginning the Creator ‘made them male and female, ⁵ and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh? (Jesus believed in a literal interpretation of Genesis 1, so it seems faithless and arrogant to use the ever-changing world of science as a biblical hermeneutic.  Plus Jesus is the Creator (John 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 1:2), so when the opportunity arose, He did not refer to some evolutionary process, but rather quoted Genesis 1 and gave a literal interpretation of the creation of man and woman. 08/22/2020). 

Genesis 1:1: In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. (The more I study, I the more I am convinced that Genesis 1:1 is the most important verse in the Bible.  Many in the Christian community have compromised this verse, including major denominations and theological seminaries, referring to Genesis chapter one as poetry, but to do so is a huge mistake as it distorts many key doctrines in addition to the need to find alternate interpretations of several hundred bible passages.  Today I am beginning a new project on the importance of restoring a Biblical Worldview in the church and a call to abandon the false religion of evolution. 08/22/2020).

July

1Corinthians 2:9: the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory; ⁹ but just as it is written, “Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, And which have not entered the heart of man, All that God has prepared for those who love Him.” (07/16/2020).

Psalm 25:8-10: Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He instructs sinners in the way. ⁹ He leads the humble in justice, And He teaches the humble His way. ¹⁰ All the paths of the Lord are lovingkindness and truth To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies. (Psalm 25 is not only one of my Life Verse chapters, but also a great chapter to pray through. We are not alone on our faith journey, but the scripture reaffirm thousands of times that God is with us.  He leads us, instructs us, teaches us, disciplines us, forgives us, and delights in us.  Verse 10 affirms to me that all of His paths are rooted in love and truth, so as long as I am walking in a manner worthy of His calling (Ephesians 4:1), He will direct my steps as I work my plan (Proverbs 16:9).  Even when darkness descends on my path, I can know by faith that He is with me, He is leading, and because He is good and faithful, this will ultimately be to my good.  This is the our walk with God in time for an eternal goodness beyond anything we can imagine. (2 Corinthians 2:9). 07/16/2020). 

Deuteronomy 30:6-10: “Moreover the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, so that you may live. ⁷ The Lord your God will inflict all these curses on your enemies and on those who hate you, who persecuted you. ⁸ And you shall again obey the Lord, and observe all His commandments which I command you today. ⁹ Then the Lord your God will prosper you abundantly in all the work of your hand, in the offspring of your body and in the offspring of your cattle and in the produce of your ground, for the Lord will again rejoice over you for good, just as He rejoiced over your fathers; ¹⁰ if you obey the Lord your God to keep His commandments and His statutes which are written in this book of the law, if you turn to the Lord your God with all your heart and soul. (So many things in this passage that map over to my faith journey. The Lord continues to circumcise my heart to shape my will to His will and it is good.  I hope and trust that the rest of my journey will include the things I am gravitating towards today. 06/23/2020). 

Song of Solomon 5:2: “I was asleep but my heart was awake. A voice! My beloved was knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, My dove, my perfect one! For my head is drenched with dew, My locks with the damp of the night.’ (Today makes seven years since she said, “Hi” and nothing was ever the same.  I hope to make her laugh and smile again. 06/17/2020).

2 Corinthians 9:8: And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that always having all sufficiency in everything, you may have an abundance for every good deed; (This has been an encouraging promise amidst the unrest in our nation the last couple of weeks; I am sure our spiritual adversaries have been doing the happy dance to see us divided over temporal things, 06/10/2020).

Matthew 18:10: “See that you do not despise one of these little ones, for I say to you that their angels in heaven continually see the face of My Father who is in heaven. (Really trying to be understanding of fellow believers who have gotten emotionally invested in the unrest in a way that seems to produce heat rather than light. 06/05/2020).

Psalm 20:4: May He grant you your heart’s desire And fulfill all your purpose! (A prayer to recognize my heart’s desire has been molded by my will conforming to His will and through that relationship, it is God who establishes my purpose. 05/22/2020) 

Luke 17:32: “Remember Lot’s wife. (When God calls a person, the call is to repent, to turn from our old life to the new life He is giving us.  The conversion is marked by a recognition that God has made all things new and forgiveness has been received.  The turning to Christ involves leaving the old life behind.  Paul refers to this as a “repentance without regret” in which godly sorrow is aligned with the will of God leading to salvation (2Corinthians 7:10).  Lot’s wife looked back and died because she liked it there, she didn’t see her deliverance.  For me this was encouraging. 04/2020).

Matthew 9:13: But go and learn what this means: ‘I desire compassion, and not sacrifice,’ for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners.” Matthew 9:13 (Compassion and sacrifice can look very similar.  The difference is intent, but that one difference is all the difference.  Either love moves us to actions of compassion, or another motive such as guilt moves us to sacrifice.  Compassion seldom feels like sacrifice because there is a fulfillment of joy when the love of God flows out through you in care of another. 04/2020).

Exodus 4:10-12: Then Moses said to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent, neither recently nor in time past, nor since You have spoken to Your servant; for I am slow of speech and slow of tongue.” ¹¹ The Lord said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Or who makes him mute or deaf, or seeing or blind? Is it not I, the Lord? ¹² Now then go, and I, even I, will be with your mouth, and teach you what you are to say.”  (We see here that Moses was reluctant to accept God’s plan for His life. Starting back in Exodus 3:11 he is trying to get out of it, questioning God and fully focused on himself. His focus on his flaws leads him to question God’s judgment, question God’s ability to guide him, and God’s love and goodness. Moses could not imagine what God was preparing. Moses would go on to write the book of the law and become a central figure in western civilization. Later on in Matthew 17, we see Moses appear with Elijah at the transfiguration of Jesus, representing the law and the prophets just before the crucifixion and resurrection.  As I consider God’s call before me, Moses reminds me not to focus on myself, that I can have confidence in God when I step into this work and that God’s plan will unfold to something that I likely could not imagine. 03/2020).  

Psalm 86:10-13: For You are great and do wondrous deeds; You alone are God. Teach me Your way, O Lord; I will walk in Your truth; Unite my heart to fear Your name. ¹² I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart, And will glorify Your name forever. ¹³ For Your lovingkindness toward me is great, And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. (Lord, my prayer in this season of waiting is that You guide me to have singleness of heart that my loves be properly ordered for my good and Your glory!  I am thankful for so much and grateful that You are preparing me for good things! 02/22/2020).  

Psalm 34:1-2: I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. ² My soul will make its boast in the Lord; The humble will hear it and rejoice. (When I do not see the hand of God in my circumstances, I am slowly learning to wait with confidence that it will appear.  Not free of fear, anxiety or disappointment, but slowly learning that my plans and my timing do not always match up to what God has planned for a specific time, and I know that it will be good. 02/14/2020). 

Matthew 16:24 – 26:  Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. ²⁵ For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. ²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? (Pondering what this should look like lived out. 02/06/2020).

1 Timothy 6:6: But godliness actually is a means of great gain when accompanied by contentment. (The more that I think and write about “waiting on God”, the more I see that waiting is more about the work done in me during waiting than whatever I am waiting for, and that work is largely rooted in learning to be content in whatever situation I find myself in. 01/27/2020)

Psalm 138:7 – 8: “Though I walk in the midst of trouble, You will revive me; You will stretch forth Your hand against the wrath of my enemies, And Your right hand will save me. ⁸ The Lord will accomplish what concerns me; Your lovingkindness, O Lord, is everlasting; Do not forsake the works of Your hands. (On a cosmic scale, the wrath of God was poured out from heaven on Jesus on the cross on my behalf (Romans 1:16-19), so the Lord has accomplished what concerns me in regards to eternal security. However, I has also come to recognize the hand of God in my spiritual formation to Christ through the daily provisions for life as well as the orchestration of the things that I hope for.  In his direction of my steps, I see that He is providing for the things that concern me, I just need to recognize them, respond to them, sometimes wait for them, and hear what the Spirit is saying, Isaiah 30:21.  01/12/2020). No. 2400

2019

Isaiah 58:9-11: “Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; You will cry, and He will say, ‘Here I am.’ If you remove the yoke from your midst, The pointing of the finger and speaking wickedness, ¹⁰ And if you give yourself to the hungry And satisfy the desire of the afflicted, Then your light will rise in darkness And your gloom will become like midday. ¹¹ “And the Lord will continually guide you, And satisfy your desire in scorched places, And give strength to your bones; And you will be like a watered garden, And like a spring of water whose waters do not fail. (10/30/2019) 

Jeremiah 30:12-15: “For thus says the Lord, ‘Your wound is incurable And your injury is serious. ¹³ ‘There is no one to plead your cause; No healing for your sore, No recovery for you. ¹⁴ ‘All your lovers have forgotten you, They do not seek you; For I have wounded you with the wound of an enemy, With the punishment of a cruel one, Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous. ¹⁵ ‘Why do you cry out over your injury? Your pain is incurable.  Because your iniquity is great And your sins are numerous, I have done these things to you.  ‘Therefore all who devour you will be devoured; And all your adversaries, every one of them, will go into captivity; And those who plunder you will be for plunder, And all who prey upon you I will give for prey. ¹⁷ ‘For I will restore you to health And I will heal you of your wounds,’ declares the Lord, ‘Because they have called you an outcast, saying: “It is Zion; no one cares for her.”’ (10/08/2019)

Isaiah 30:21: Your ears will hear a word behind you, “This is the way, walk in it,” whenever you turn to the right or to the left.  (What do you want?  What do you desire? What good things have become ultimate things? What blessings have become idols? What happens when you love too much?  Can you love too much? How do you stay content when the eyes of your heart affirm the truth you know?  One thing I know is that God is faithful, God is good, and in the midst of all the chatter, He is there and He is not silent. 10/08/2019).    

Isaiah 42:24-25: Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? ²⁵ So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention! (These verses have returned to me after seven years as I consider the paths before me. I am paying attention now and trying to hear His voice.  Hope is a dangerous thing when you believe you can walk through the fire unscathed. Or is the path to wait amidst the mockers, and those who want my life to look like theirs.  10/08/2019). 

Psalm 127:1: Unless the Lord builds the house, They labor in vain who build it; Unless the Lord guards the city, The watchman keeps awake in vain. (For those who know God, it is so important we seek His leading. Sometimes we run with our plans because it “makes sense” and we never slow down enough to hear God’s directive; we remember that God told Moses you can take them to the promised land, but I will not go with you because they are an obstinate people (Exodus 33:1-10); we remember that God told the church at Ephesus that they are busy doing good things, but they are so focused on their own plans they have forgotten their first love which is God (Revelation 2); we remember that when the devil tempted Jesus, he promised all the kingdoms of the world (Luke 4:5-7) so we see that we must discern even if we see a way to do what we want. Whatever the situation, we must always be seeking to build His kingdom and not our own (Matthew 6:33). 09/2019) 

Isaiah 22:11: “And you made a reservoir between the two walls For the waters of the old pool. But you did not depend on Him who made it, Nor did you take into consideration Him who planned it long ago. (Another reminder to depend on God and wait on God!  Being diligent to remember the sovereign reign of God over my life better enables me to depend on Him and wait on the unfolding of His plan for my life, and the lives of those He has brought into my path. Full dependence and trust, will mean to challenge conventional wisdom and the path of least resistance and to patiently listen for His leading to do, to leave undone, to wait or to redirect. cf. Jeremiah 29:11; Romans 8:28; Psalm 139:1-18; 09/01/2019). 

Hebrews 12:28-29: “Therefore, since we receive a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may offer to God an acceptable service with reverence and awe; ²⁹ for our God is a consuming fire. (As Christ is formed in us, our desire for heavenly things grows and it makes separating from this world a little easier.  We begin to walk with reverence and awe, and can see that the things we treasure will not be consumed by the fire of His presence.  May we all walk through the fire into eternity by the blood of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit! 08/25/2019).

Hebrews 12:27: This expression, “Yet once more,” denotes the removing of those things which can be shaken, as of created things, so that those things which cannot be shaken may remain. (We must be mindful that the faith journey is one of pruning.  God will shake up our lives to remove things that do not have eternal value or that hinder the pursuit of holiness.  We are often too close to it to understand, but when we are done licking our wounds and begin to heal, we begin to put our circumstances into an eternal perspective which produces gratitude and deeper awareness of our brokenness. 08/24/2019). 

 1 Thessalonians 2:13: “For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.” (I need to be reading scripture, meditating on scripture and praying scripture daily if the work being done in me, by the Word, is to progress. cf. John 17:17; Hebrews 4:12; Psalm 1:2-3; Psalm 119:11; 2Timothy 2:15; 1 Peter 3:15. 08/20/2019).

Psalm 66:16: Come and hear, all who fear God, And I will tell of what He has done for my soul. (This verse jumped out at me because God is bringing so many people into my path with situations that I have traveled through, it has been quite remarkable to listen and share.  Psalm 66:10 speaks of the Refiners fire that God uses to purify our souls and by verse 16 we see a joyful response. 07/25/2019). 

Psalm 40:10: I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have spoken of Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great congregation. (For the Christian, there is always a reason to be joyful knowing God personally and having a transcendent peace about our position in Christ and our eternal security. Even when life is sad, we still have the joy of our salvation and we should share whenever possible. 07/25/2019). 

Proverbs 4:23: “Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life.” (When I was younger, I always thought this verse was about love, but upon reflection and meditation I see that this verse is about worship.  Our hearts are deceitful and produce idols at a moments notice. We can be so easily captivated and allow created things that God intended for good to become ultimate things that replace God on the throne of our hearts. We need to be constantly mindful of where we place our affections and to keep the good things of life in proper perspective. cf. John 4:23-24. 07/08/2019).

Psalm 143:10: “Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Let Your good Spirit lead me on level ground. ¹¹ For the sake of Your name, O Lord, revive me. In Your righteousness bring my soul out of trouble.”  (This is a great prayer to prayer for ourselves and others. To know God’s will and be sensitive to His Spirits leading so that I can be steadfast in life.  To have these two things delivers my soul from trouble. This is all done with the full awareness that it is not about me, but FOR HIS NAMESAKE He delivers me.  I find tremendous peace in these words and making them part of communion with God.  You should try it! 07/05/2019). 

Isaiah 30:1-2:  “Woe to the rebellious children,” declares the Lord, “Who execute a plan, but not Mine, And make an alliance, but not of My Spirit, In order to add sin to sin; ² Who proceed down to Egypt Without consulting Me, To take refuge in the safety of Pharaoh And to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt! (These verses bring many things to mind regarding the trend in American Christianity to focus on church growth, church marketing, huge mortgages, a flood of programs, and undoubted growth in church attendance, yet little impact on American culture. It makes me wonder what God thinks, if we are truly making disciples? 07/2019).  

Revelation 5:8: When He had taken the book, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each one holding a harp and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. (The idea that the Lord of Everything that exists actually listens to us astounds me, but this verse really moved me. To know and believe that our prayers are not only heard, but are a sweet aroma to God is very humbling.  It is something I was aware of, but now it seems real. 6/17/2019). 

James 2:18-20: But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.” ¹⁹ You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also believe, and shudder. ²⁰ But are you willing to recognize, you foolish fellow, that faith without works is useless? (These verses do not advocate a works righteousness, but rather a warning that our faith will be reflected by what we do for others.  IF Christ is growing in us, then we are more and more dying to self and becoming Christ like (John 3:30).  If the gospel has been received as information and it has not been cultivated by faith to transformation, then your faith is equal to that of a demon. (Learn and pray these passages: Ephesians 3:14-19; Colossians 3:1-17; Psalm 1:2-3. 05/2019). 

James 2:14-17: What use is it, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but he has no works? Can that faith save him? ¹⁵ If a brother or sister is without clothing and in need of daily food, ¹⁶ and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and be filled,” and yet you do not give them what is necessary for their body, what use is that? ¹⁷ Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. (Genuine saving faith produces good fruit over time as Christ is formed in us (Romans 8:29).  If you have no fruit (Galatians 5:22-23), then Christ is not in you and your faith is likely dead, which means you are dead as well.  Our purpose in this world is to love God and we express that love for God when we love people.  According to the Bible, many church goers will not make it into heaven.  cf. Matthew 7:21-23, Matthew 25:31-46; John 13:34-35; John 15:1-13; also see the Parable of the Sower in Matthew 13. 05/2019). 

Isaiah 60:5-6: “Then you will see and be radiant, And your heart will thrill and rejoice; Because the abundance of the sea will be turned to you, The wealth of the nations will come to you. ⁶ “A multitude of camels will cover you, The young camels of Midian and Ephah; All those from Sheba will come; They will bring gold and frankincense, And will bear good news of the praises of the Lord. (When facing the defeats in life, it is always good to remember the ultimate victory in Christ when He defeated death on our behalf.  This picture of the Millennial Kingdom, the gifts of gold and frankincense are brought, but the gift of myrrh, which was brought by the wise men at the birth of Jesus, is excluded in the second advent.  Why? Because Jesus conquered death! Reflecting on the gospel everyday helps keep my heart in line when life leaves me bruised. No matter what happens in this world, Jesus has settled my place in eternity and that restores my joy!  See The Gift of Myrrh! cf. Romans 8:28-39; Galatians 4:19; 2Corinthians 1:3-7; Psalm 34:15-19; Psalm 51:17; Genesis 50:20. 04/2019). 

Psalm 84:5-7: “How blessed is the man whose strength is in You, In whose heart are the highways to Zion! ⁶ Passing through the valley of Baca (weeping) they make it a spring; The early rain also covers it with blessings. ⁷ They go from strength to strength, Every one of them appears before God in Zion. (Central to the Christian faith is to understand that every trouble in this world is to make us more like Christ; by His strength, our hardships make us stronger as we walk towards His kingdom. cf. John 3:30; Acts 14:22; Hebrews 5:8; John 12:24-26 Colossians 3:2; Matthew 6:33; Romans 5:3-5. 04/2019).

Deuteronomy 8:16-18: “In the wilderness He fed you manna which your fathers did not know, that He might humble you and that He might test you, to do good for you in the end. ¹⁷ Otherwise, you may say in your heart, ‘My power and the strength of my hand made me this wealth.’¹⁸ But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day. (When I consider what God did from His love to humble me, test me and bring me back into His fold, it can be overwhelming. My prayer is to never again forget that all is from His hand because He is good and because He loves relentlessly. 02/2019).

1 Chronicles 29:14-16: “But who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer as generously as this? For all things come from You, and from Your hand we have given You. ¹⁵ For we are homeless before You, and tenants, as all our fathers were; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope. ¹⁶ O Lord our God, all this abundance that we have provided to build You a house for Your holy name, it is from Your hand, and all is Yours. (We can never truly lose anything because all belongs to God to begin with, we are simply stewards entrusted with His possessions for temporary use.  To be a homeless beggar before God leads one to a life of humble gratitude. 01/2019).

Jeremiah 22:15-16: “Do you become a king because you are competing in cedar? Did not your father eat and drink And do justice and righteousness? Then it was well with him.
¹⁶ “He pled the cause of the afflicted and needy; Then it was well. Is not that what it means to know Me?” Declares the Lord. (King Josiah’s relationship with God was reflected in how he loved and cared for the afflicted and the needy.  (As we grow in Christ, our love for all people must become more and more apparent. If we are not growing in humility daily, we must test ourselves to see if we are in the faith. All sheep matter. cf. John 3:16; James 2:1-7; Matthew 5:44; Luke 15:4; Psalm 51:17. 1/2019).

2018

Philippians 2:3 – 5: Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;⁴ do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. ⁵ Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (I believe these verses capture the goal of spiritual formation. This is our vocation and everything in life, career, school, relationships, church, etc., is a wasted effort if it not forming humility and cultivating this attitude of Christ in our minds. cf. James 4:6; 1-Peter 5:5-6; Luke 18:9-14; Philippians 4:5; Romans 12:10-16. 12/17/2018).

1 Corinthians 6:19 – 20: …do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? ²⁰ For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body. (These verses remind me lately to consider God, not only in the large obvious choices, but in the small choices that amount to big changes. 11/24/2018).

Lamentations 3:19 – 26: Remember my affliction and my wandering, the wormwood and bitterness.
²⁰ Surely my soul remembers And is bowed down within me. ²¹ This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope.
²² The Lord’s loving-kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail.
²³ They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.  ²⁴ “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “Therefore I have hope in Him.”
²⁵ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, To the person who seeks Him. ²⁶ It is good that he waits silently For the salvation of the Lord. (These verses have preserved me often over the last few years.  God continues to remind me of His faithfulness, even this week, an answer to a long standing prayer.  The bible often calls us to remember God’s faithfulness, especially in the dark, and it inspired me to write My Book of Remembrance.  Hope is a wonderful gift of God and He continues to show me that if I hope in Him, pray without doubting, wait patiently, and trust Him only, He is faithful. 11/2018).

2 Corinthians 9:8:  And God is ABLE to make ALL grace ABOUND to you, so that ALWAYS having ALL sufficiency in everything, you may have an ABUNDANCE for every good deed; (continually on the journey of trading self-sufficient independence for dependence on the sufficiency of Christ. cf. 2Corinthians 3:4-6; 10/2018).

Ephesians 4:30: Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. (God continues to shine light on areas of my life where I am not yet like Jesus. It makes me wonder why He went through the process of redemption, which deepens my gratitude and thankfulness. cf. Ephesians 1:3-14; Matthew 5:3; Romans 8:15-16; Psalm 130:1-2; Luke 15:20; Ephesians 4:1. 09/2018).

John 5:6-9: When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had already been a long time in that condition, He *said to him, “Do you wish to get well?” ⁷ The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me.” ⁸ Jesus said to him, “Get up, pick up your pallet and walk.” ⁹ Immediately the man became well, and picked up his pallet and began to walk. (Sometimes, when we have been buried in our circumstances for a long time, we lose hope and forget that God is bigger than our problem; when this happens, we just need to ask persistently without doubting.  God is looking to strongly support those whose heart is completely His. cf. 2Chronicles 16:9. 08/2018).

ROMANS 8: I cannot believe that I left this out for so long.  I pray I never take for granted the truth of this chapter.  If there is one life-verse chapter that every Christian should know, it is Romans 8.  I quoted most of it below, our freedom in Christ, His power in us, our identity as His child, our hope, our Help, His sovereignty, His promises, His goodness, our security, His love, this chapter is jam packed with everything we need for a life of faith.  I quote it a lot, but now feeling moved to ponder these truths and get re-submerged in them. 08/2018

Romans 8:38-39: For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers,³⁹ nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:36-37: Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” ³⁷ But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us.

Romans 8:35: Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Romans 8:34: Who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.

Romans 8:33: Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies;

Romans 8:30: and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Romans 8:29: For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

Romans 8:28: And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Romans 8:26: In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;

Romans 8:23: And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

Romans 8:18: For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

Romans 8:16: The Spirit Himself testifies with our spirit that we are children of God

Romans 8:15: For you have not received a spirit of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received ^[h]a spirit of adoption as sons by which we cry out, “Abba! Father!”

Romans 8:11: But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

Romans 8:7-8: because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so,

Romans 8:3: For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,

Romans 8:2: For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death.

Romans 8:1: Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 08/2018

Jeremiah 13:23: “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good who are accustomed to doing evil. (In my desire to be a better man, more discipline, more obedient, God continues to reveal, in my frustration, that my transformation rests in Him, not in any self-help philosophy to trick my mind into true transformation.  He made me like this and is transforming my mind, body and soul as Christ is formed in me and my transformation will be the result of abiding in Him and a holy response to put Him first in all things. cf. John 15:5; Romans 7:20-25, 8:29, 9:20, 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 9:24; Galatians 4:19; Philippians 1:6; 2 Timothy 1:7. 07/2018).

Hosea 6:3: “So let us know, let us press on to know the Lord . His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.” (God is faithful, we need only wait. 07/2018).

Mark 1:35: In the early morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house, and went away to a secluded place, and was praying there. (I have a lake for a backyard and recently discovered a river near my home. These have both become places to meet God and this time to disengage from the world is the greatest blessing. I am so thankful that God has created the conditions in my life to have space for these encounters. cf. Luke 4:42; Mark 6:31-32; Psalms 5:3, 46:10, 73:28, 131:2. 06/2018).

Luke 5:16: Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray. (Learning (and still learning) the discipline of silence and solitude before God and with God has been a great blessing the last few years. It has become time that I crave and God is showing me how to let go of all of those thoughts that tell me I need to be getting stuff done. Spiritual warfare is definitely active during this time, but God protects. cf. Psalm 42:1, 63:1, 91:1; Luke 11:1; 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. 06/2018).

Hebrews 11:8: By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. (One step at a time, if we place a foot in the water, then another, then slowly God will carry us to deep waters, new oceans of freedom and blessing far from the shallow shores of the familiar, and it will be more than we can ask or imagine, IF we trust Him. 6/18).
John 12:28-29: Father, glorify Your name.” Then a voice came out of heaven: “I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again.” ²⁹ So the crowd of people who stood by and heard it were saying that it had thundered; others were saying, “An angel has spoken to Him.” (Sometimes God speaks to us in ways that others will not understand; he who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says. 06/2018).

1 Peter 3:7: You husbands in the same way, live with your wives in an understanding way, as with someone weaker, since she is a woman; and show her honor as a fellow heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers will not be hindered. (When God entrusts a man with the hand of one of His daughters, He makes it clear that He is watching how we treat her. If she is not honored, He will respond like a good Dad. The world would be a much better place if every man fulfilled the duty of fatherhood to their daughters. cf. Proverbs 18:22. 05/2018)

1 Peter 1:22 (NIV): Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth so that you have sincere love for each other, love one another deeply, from the heart. (This verse stirs me within for many reasons. Nothing further to add. 05/2018).

1 John 5:3: For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome. (The Lord continues to show me the depths of His love. His commandments are not burdensome because we are to respond in love. When you love someone, spouse, girlfriend, parent, child, etc. you would do anything for them motivated by the joy of loving them! It is never a burden because of the love you carry. Our obedience to God is a response motivated by a loving relationship, rooted in holiness, not a moral obligation rooted in the pursuit of personal goodness. 05/2018).

Matthew 11:12: “From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and violent men take it by force.” (Like Jesus asking Peter repeatedly, “Do you love Me?” (John 21:15-17), the Lord is challenging my resolve, 04/2018).

Jeremiah 24:7: “I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart.” (This a very personal verse to me that I have delayed sharing. The Lord illuminated this scripture for me to see clearly His pursuit towards me through everything that happened. 04/2018)

Psalm 73:26: My flesh and my heart may fail, But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever. (Through it all, His living water always flows within to sustain, nourish and strengthen, cf. John 7:37-38; Psalm 73:28. 04/2018).

Zephaniah 3:17 (ESV): The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing. (Practicing to always be Mindful of His Presence that His peace will always rule in my heart and that I be anxious for nothing, but be content to trust His timing. 03/2018).

Isaiah 26:8-9A: “Indeed, while following the way of Your judgments, O Lord, We have waited for You eagerly; Your name, even Your memory, is the desire of our souls. ⁹ At night my soul longs for You, Indeed, my spirit within me seeks You diligently;… (Question: If you died and went to a place where everything you ever hoped and dreamed of was given to you, but Christ was not there, would you be okay with that? An important question to ponder for all who claim their identity from Christ. cf. Matthew 7:21-23; Psalm 63, Psalm 73:28; Psalm 84:10; Revelation 4:8-11. 03/2018)

Isaiah 66:2: “…to this one I will look” declares the Lord. “To him who is humble and contrite of spirit, and who trembles at My Word.” (God opposes the proud and gives grace to the humble. Our call to cultivate a forbearing spirit is the only path to grow the child like faith that Jesus requires for His kingdom. cf. Matthew 18:3-5; Psalm 51:17; James 4:6-8; 1 Peter 5:6-8; John 3:30, 02/2018).

James 3:1: Let not many of you become teachers, my brethren, knowing that as such we will incur a stricter judgment. (This verse was instrumental in my decision to go to seminary. cf. 2-Timothy 2:15. 02/2018).

Judges 7:2: The Lord said to Gideon, “The people who are with you are too many for Me to give Midian into their hands, for Israel would become boastful, saying, ‘My own power has delivered me.’ (Two important lessons: 1) The default of man is to take credit for the work of God because of pride, so I need to be mindful to recognize the Hand of God in all my circumstances as well as His orchestrating conditions long before I got involved (cf. Isaiah 22:11); and 2) Sometimes God will allow circumstances to place us against all odds so that when He delivers us, there will be no doubt it was all God. Timely for me now. 02/2018).

Isaiah 42:24-25: Who gave Jacob up for spoil, and Israel to plunderers? Was it not the Lord, against whom we have sinned, And in whose ways they were not willing to walk, And whose law they did not obey? ²⁵ So He poured out on him the heat of His anger And the fierceness of battle; And it set him aflame all around, Yet he did not recognize it; And it burned him, but he paid no attention. (Children of God are called to obedience. When we are not obedient, God will discipline. Believers often do not recognize the Hand of God in our problems, largely because we focus on the pain and not God. We focus on trying to find a remedy for the problem rather than turning to God. We spend so much time trying to make this broken world perfect and we miss out on time when we could be getting ready for eternity. Because God loves us, He will turn up the heat until we do pay attention. We cannot hide, we cannot run away, He will chasten us until our stubborn hearts surrender completely, 02/2018).

Deuteronomy 8:3 – 5: He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.⁴ Your clothing did not wear out on you, nor did your foot swell these forty years. ⁵ Thus you are to know in your heart that the Lord your God was disciplining you just as a man disciplines his son. (This chapter has spoken to me a lot and in many ways over the years. Here we see the love of God, not only in discipline, but in meeting our needs during the seasons of discipline, seasons of pruning, seasons of affliction. Verse 4, to not let our feet swell shows me that God will make provisions for the hardest parts of the journey in order to get us to the High Places. As I reflect on my down time, this passage stirs me within as I recall times of grace in the wilderness. I pray that I would never be so focused on my pain that I miss the Hand of grace that sustains me, 01/2018).

Psalm 131:1-2: O Lord, my heart is not proud, nor my eyes haughty; Nor do I involve myself in great matters, Or in things too difficult for me. ² Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. (At first I was hesitant to post these verses for the simple reason that pride comes before the fall and I am mindful that I must always be putting pride to death in me. However, I share these verses as a testimony of God’s work to calm the storm in me. I see now through the rough waters of life, that once the outer man stopped fighting and submitted to the inner man, it was God, through His word, meditation, praying and listening, that comforted, strengthened, and gave wisdom to my inner child. Though I would not have asked for them, I see now that my afflictions were necessary because of who I was as well as to prepare me for what God has planned next. This truth leaves me composed to quietly wait for His plan to unfold, 01/2018).

2017
Ephesians 3:14-19: …I bow my knees before the Father, ¹⁵ from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name, ¹⁶ that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; and that you, being rooted and grounded in love, ¹⁸ may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, ¹⁹ and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God. (I have been dwelling on this passage for a few months now, so much to say. One thing to share is that this passage has become a daily prayer for myself and for my inner circle. Each time I turn to it, the Lord opens up a new insight to pray on. Knowing this passage for years and suddenly it has come to life in a whole new dimension testifies to the truth of Hebrews 4:12, 12/17).

Psalm 84:11: For the Lord God is a sun and shield; The Lord gives grace and glory; No good thing does He withhold from those who walk uprightly. (A sun to light my way and provide growth and a shield to protect me, He gives me His unmerited favor. This verse evokes an image in my mind of walking through the wilderness in peace because He is lighting the way and shielding me from the dark shadows. I wish I could paint because I more fully express it, 11/17).

Hebrews 5:8: “Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered” (God continues to show me the depths of His holiness. Like most people, I tend to see suffering through a moral lens to try and find a way to fix the problem, but God continues to expose this flaw in my thinking. The Refiners fire is to move us to be like Jesus, sanctified to perfect holiness. Though we may desire less, hoping to just be a good person, I recall that only God is good and I am called to be holy, without which I will not see the Lord. In His sovereign grace, it is the surrender to the Spirit that grows holiness and produces the fruit of the Spirit that the world interprets as a good person, 10/17)

Isaiah 32:17: …the effect of righteousness will be peace, and the result of righteousness will be quietness and trust forever. (The Lord continually shows me that His righteousness lived out in my life produces godly peace, clarity in silence and deeper trust in Him, 10/17).

1 Corinthians 13:11: “When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. (As a child physically grows into an adult, the Lord calls us to grow on that same path spiritually. Spiritual maturity has been a recurring topic in my life this year, 10/17).

1 Corinthians 13:12: For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known.” (It’s a process, it’s a process, it’s a process, words that seem to be recurring in many aspects of my life, personal, professional, relational, God is teaching me to be gracious and remember that I am in process as are the folks He has strategically placed in my life, 10/17).

Jeremiah 31:2: “Thus says the Lord, “The people who survived the sword Found grace in the wilderness—Israel, when it went to find its rest.” (This verse jumped out at me as I have been writing more about key lessons God had for me in the areas of discipline, obedience, idolatry and being thankful. I am writing a post called “Grace in the Wilderness” to further unpack my journey to solitude and the experience I call ‘Discipled by God, 9/17).

Psalm 5:3: “In the morning, O Lord, ^[c]You will hear my voice; In the morning I will order my prayer to You and eagerly watch. (The fruit of praying without doubting manifests in my life periodically

Mark 11:24: “Therefore I say to you, all things for which you pray and ask, believe that you have received them, and they will be granted you.” (The more I read about prayer, the more God is asking me to believe that He is who He says He is and believe that I am His child and His plans for me are good. The call to believe relational, not conditional, therefore I believe because of who He is and who I am to Him, 6/17)

Mark 9:24: “Immediately the boy’s father cried out and said, “I do believe; help my unbelief.” (This verse also got my attention to pray for God to help me believe in Him with no doubts. I saw that doubting happens when things don’t happen on my timeline, so I was shown how my unbelief and doubting are intimately connected with impatience, 5/17).

Mark 9:23: And Jesus said to him, “‘If You can?’ All things are possible to him who believes.” (God convicted me last year to pray without doubting in my heart. This is another example to actually believe that all things are possible. 5/17).

Proverbs 3:1-3: My son, do not forget my teaching, But let your heart keep my commandments; ² For length of days and years of life And peace they will add to you. ³ Do not let kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, Write them on the tablet of your heart. (The Lord showed me these verses specific to a very personal prayer request and I was thankful. 04/2017).

2 Chronicles 16:9: “For the eyes of the Lord move to and fro throughout the earth that He may strongly support those whose heart is completely His…” (cf. Isaiah 30:18; John 4:23-24; the Lord is seeking true worshipers who trust Him with every fiber of our being. The Lord has convicted me to lay everything at His feet and follow His lead. He often reminds me of His faithfulness which provides peace to continue taking steps of faith. 03/2017).

1 Chronicles 28:9 – “As for you, my son Solomon, know the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing mind; for the Lord searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. (Either you are in or you are not in, God does not like the lukewarm. I am reminded of Psalm 139:23-24 and the letters to Ephesus and Laodicea in Revelation 2 and 3. 03/2017).

2016

Isaiah 30:18 – Therefore the Lord longs to be gracious to you, And therefore He waits on high to have compassion on you. For the Lord is a God of justice; How blessed are all those who long for Him. (God wants to give good gifts to His children when we are ready. This was very specific as God restored a relationship I had been praying for after showing me things I need to do to prepare for His blessing. Just a glimpse of the blessing left me broken before Him as He once again testified of His faithfulness. cf. Mark 4:35-41 would further what God was unfolding. 10/2016).

Isaiah 58:4b-5 – You do not fast like you do today to make your voice heard on high. ⁵ “Is it a fast like this which I choose, a day for a man to humble himself? Is it for bowing one’s head like a reed… (This was a message to me from God to learn to trust Him with even the little things. To focus on my relationship with Him in every circumstance, like a child who is dependent on a parent for the simplest needs. Related to this was also waiting on His timing, rather than a fast for gain, a fast for holy relationship. 9/2016).

Romans 15:13 – Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Learning to make this my prayer for my family, friends and those I want to know Jesus). (08/2016)

Psalm 27:13-14 – I would have despaired unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord In the land of the living. ¹⁴ Wait for the Lord; Be strong and let your heart take courage; Yes, wait for the Lord. (This passage is a source of daily encouragement. I have it hanging over my piano at home and it gently reminds me to endure because God’s plans are good and I just need to wait). (04/2016)

Isaiah 40:31 – Yet those who wait for the Lord Will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary. (Just trying to serve God while I am waiting).

Psalm 26: 2-3 – Examine me, O Lord, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. ³ For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. (This has become my morning prayer).

Isaiah 41:10 – ‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

2015

Psalm 38:12-15 – Those who seek my life lay snares for me; And those who seek to injure me have threatened destruction…. ¹³ … And I am like a mute man who does not open his mouth. ¹⁴ Yes, I am like a man… in whose mouth are no arguments. ¹⁵ For I hope in You, O Lord; You will answer, O Lord my God. (This happened. I wrote a post about it called ‘Submission to the Sovereignty of God’).

Isaiah 42:3 – “A bruised reed He will not break And a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice. (Many books have been written about the deep truth in this verse and I feel I too could add a volume to it. This verse is about Christ, but it also testifies to the faithfulness of God. In the darkest nights, our light still shines, no matter how dimly lit. Within the darkness, whether bruised by God Himself or as the result of our unfaithfulness, it is God who delivers us. cf. Hebrews 12:1-11)

Ezekiel 14:3 – Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their hearts and have put right before their faces the stumbling block of their iniquity. (We must be mindful of anything that takes our focus off of God. Our pursuits can seem very innocent, especially in America where we have great wealth. We must not pursue the American dream at the expense of not depending on or trusting God).

Haggai 1:9 – ⁹ “You look for much, but behold, it comes to little; when you bring it home, I blow it away. Why?” declares the Lord of hosts, “Because of My house which lies desolate, while each of you runs to his own house. (When God blesses us, it is important to not lose focus. Sometimes we get caught up building our own kingdoms while neglecting the Kingdom of God. We must never let the pursuit of happiness replace the Pursuit of Holiness).

Isaiah 48:10 – 11 – “Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction. “For My own sake, for My own sake, I will act; For how can My name be profaned? And My glory I will not give to another. (We have a good Father who disciplines because He knows best. The Refiners fire is harsh for a time, but later produces the peaceful fruit of righteousness).

Job 42:5-6 – “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You; Therefore I retract, and I repent in dust and ashes.” (God’s majesty and sovereign grace open our eyes to the greatness of who He is; often it is through those experiences in life that don’t make sense by which we grow stronger as our faith is sustained by the peace of God which surpasses all understanding. This verse reminds me of my experience of moving from intellectual consent to the reality of spiritual truth being manifested in my life through life events, all pointing to the fact that God is in control).

Isaiah 57:15 – “For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy,
“I dwell on a high and holy place, and also with the contrite and lowly of spirit in order to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite.”

Isaiah 43:2 – “When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they will not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be scorched, Nor will the flame burn you. (Reflecting on the sum of my life experiences makes me think of this verse. No matter how bad things get, it’s always alright and God always brings good the morning after a dark night).

Psalm 38:2 – For Your arrows have sunk deep into me, And Your hand has pressed down on me. ³ There is no soundness in my flesh because of Your indignation; There is no health in my bones because of my sin.

Ezekiel 36:26 – Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; and I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statutes, and you will be careful to observe My ordinances.” (If there is one passage that best describes the last two years for me, it has to be this one. Might sound odd for someone who became a Christian many years ago, but when you have an Infinite Holy God who continues to reveal Himself to you by showing you things in you that need to be pruned, to become conformed to the image of His Son (Romans 8:29), then a passage like this will shine a bright light on what God is doing in you for His glory and His purpose. cf. Psalm 73).

2014

John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled nor let it be fearful.” (The peace of Christ is of divine origin contrasted with the peace of the world which is based on circumstances. As Christians, we actually need bad circumstances to emerge to demonstrate the truth of this promise and be a witness to the world of the grace that sustains us in times of difficulty; cf. Phil. 4:6-7).

John 15:16 – “You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you.” (God chose me and appointed me to be fruitful for His kingdom).

Psalm 139:16 – “The days allotted to me had all been recorded in Your book before any of them ever began.” (To me this verse is the blessed assurance that my life is not an accident, but guided by the Hand of God for His glory and His purpose; cf. Romans 8:28-29).

Psalm 37:4 – “Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart.” (God gave me a lot of clarity about this verse in 2015, namely that if I am walking with Him consistently through prayer, reading His word, listening, serving, loving His church, loving the lost and delighting in the reality of being His child, then it is safe to assume that He is controlling the desires of my heart. The verse does not say when He will fulfill this promise, but I have peace that He will.

Romans 10:13 – “All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.” (First verse I ever learned)

1 Corinthians 13:5 – “Love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek it’s own, is not provoked, does not keep a record or wrong doings.” (Every now and then I am reminded of bad things that happened, often it is things that I have forgotten about. I thank God for bringing good results from bad things and being able to let them go).

2Timothy 2:15 – “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” (Life verse for my fraternity Alpha Gamma Omega. This verse led me to read a bible chapter a day everyday for two years after I got saved).

Song of Solomon 5:2 – “I was asleep, but my heart was awake.” (I like this verse because I have experienced the restless anticipation of what it means, but can’t fully explain it). (09/2014)

2Timothy 1:7 – “God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.” (This is my go to verse for my daily walk. By the power of the Holy Spirit, motivated by sacrificial love (agape) and made consistent by discipline or sound mind, we can live life fearlessly ever aware that we are always in the presence of God).

Song of Solomon 2:7 (also 8:4) – “Do not arouse or awaken love, until she so desires” (Right now I am quite confident that I need to be patient for God’s timing; to this point my prayers have gone unanswered, so I wait). (05/2014)

2013

Psalm 51:17 – “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; A broken and a contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.” (The place God continually brings me back to. The reality check for my dog vomit). (02/2013)

1 Corinthians 9:24 – “…run in such a way as to win the prize.” (Seemed appropriate since I am preparing to run a race, literally, that I have no chance of finishing first, which is weird because I expect to win everything I try. In this case, finishing is winning).

Psalm 37:7 – “Rest in the Lord and wait patiently for Him; Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way.” (Learning to set aside anxiety and restlessness to rest and wait. Hard to do when you think you see the future).