for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” behold, now is “the day of salvation”— 2 Corinthians 6:2 NASB Now– This citation in Paul’s letter is often used to underscore the immediacy of the salvation message. “Turn back to God now,…
“As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; and you will be comforted in Jerusalem.” Isaiah 66:13 NASB Comfort– The needs of the world press upon us. Who will answer? You and I, of course. We who have been blessed must respond to the great agony of life, the teeming masses whose worlds are confined to…
Joseph named the firstborn Manasseh, “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my trouble and all my father’s household.” Genesis 41:51 NASB Forget– Do you appreciate how self-contradictory Joseph’s action is? Joseph wants to forget all the troubles of his past, particularly those troubles with his family (including his father) that led to his slavery in Egypt. So…
I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:13 NASB All things– I opened a box of keepsakes. I’d had them for a long time. Too precious to discard but no space to display, so they stayed, carefully wrapped, in storage, not quite forgotten, gentle reminders whenever I came to look at things that mattered…
bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Colossians 3:13 NASB Bearing– Paul says what we all want to hear—applied to someone else! Yes, you need to bear my burdens! Lord knows I need someone to talk to, to understand my struggles, to…
You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. Deuteronomy 6:5 NASB You shall love – “To be commanded to love God at all, let alone in the wilderness, is like being commanded to be well when we are sick, to sing for joy when we are dying of…
And He said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” Genesis 3:11 NASB Who told you – What is God’s tone of voice in this question? Is it harsh, condemning: “Who told you that you were NAKED? Have YOU EATEN from the tree?” Is…
They all wept as they embraced him and kissed him. Acts 20:37 NIV Wept– Most of the time we don’t know it’s the last time. Most of the time we simply assume there will be another time, just like this time, just like the last time. We imagine that today will be followed by tomorrow, much…
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:32 NASB Tender-hearted– It’s hard to be tender-hearted. It might not seem that way with the ones we love, but the truth is that we often love the parts of those people that we find lovable. The rest we’re…
unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 2 Timothy 3:3 NASB Malicious gossips– Paul chooses a very interesting word, a word we probably couldn’t imagine would be translated as “malicious gossips.” The word is diaboloi. It is the plural, nominative adjective of diabolos, the word that obviously is often translated “devil.” Is Paul suggesting…
