“Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips” (Psalm 141:3). “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Unfortunately, this childish chant is not true. Our words have power: power to hurt, power to heal. To understand this power,…
Psalms 142:5 NLT “Then I pray to you, O Lord. I say, “You are my place of refuge. You are all I really want in life.” I’ve always known that I needed God. From the time I was a scared, confused child to now as a young adult – I…
“Sorrow is better than laughter, for sadness has a refining influence on us.” Ecclesiastes 7:3 I know, this really isn’t a scripture that sounds encouraging but it holds a powerful lesson. Think back over your life and remember all the moments that truly defined and shaped you as a person.…
“Just as you cannot understand the path of the wind or the mystery of a tiny baby growing in its mother’s womb, so you cannot understand the activity of God, who does all things.” Ecclesiastes 11:5 There are so many things I don’t understand. For example, how does your skin…
“Those of us who are strong and able in the faith need to step in and lend a hand to those who falter, and not just do what is most convenient for us. Strength is for service, not status. Each one of us needs to look after the good of…
Romans 8:20-21 MSG “All that passing laws against sin did was produce more lawbreakers. But sin didn’t, and doesn’t, have a chance in competition with the aggressive forgiveness we call grace. When it’s sin versus grace, grace wins hands down. All sin can do is threaten us with death, and that’s the…
Romans 8:28 ESV “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” We have all experienced a season in our lives that has required patience. I can think back to many such seasons with less than fond…
“But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither…
“Look! The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and they will name him Emmanuel,” which means “God with us.”Matthew 1:23 NET Emmanuel…God with us. How incredible! Jesus is God with us…always. In every moment. In every struggle and in every battle. He is, always, “Emmanuel, God with…