“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 43:1b NASB Redeemed – gealtika. “I have redeemed you,” says God. The only reason that I am free of the “thou shalt fear” world is that God rescued me. I need this fact to sink deeply into my soul. Whenever my thoughts and behavior begin to…
“Do not fear, for I have redeemed you.” Isaiah 43:1b NASB Redeemed – The world has no answer for fear. It has lots of suggestions, but none of them is sufficient. In fact, the world is actually based on fear. The world does not make sense without fear. And most of us buy into the…
And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day. Genesis 1:31 NASB It was very good – How much of God’s creation was good? Before you give the correct theological answer (“All of it”), contemplate the implications for your…
But I acted for the sake of My name, that it should not be profaned in the sight of the nations among whom they lived, in whose sight I made Myself known to them by bringing them out of the land of Egypt. Ezekiel 20:9 NASB For the sake of My name – Moses must…
You also took the fine jewelry I gave you, the jewelry made of my gold and silver, and you made for yourself male idols and engaged in prostitution with them. Ezekiel 16:17 NIV Male idols – If you read this verse across a dozen translations, you will get everything from “male idols” to “images of…
Therefore He killed him and turned the kingdom to David the son of Jesse. 1 Chronicles 10:14b NASB Killed – Saul died at his own hand, but YHVH killed him. Does this bother you? Are you ready to serve and worship a God who kills disobedient people? Does that sound more like Allah than the…
They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Acts 2:42 NASB Continually devoting – This is a mouthful of Greek–proskarterountes. The word is derived from pros (toward) and kartereo (to be strong, steadfast and firm). The picture we see from this word is…
When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars which You have ordained, what is man that You take thought of him and the son of man that You care for him? Psalm 8:3-4NASB Take thought – David spent many nights under the stars. Without the disturbance of electric…
who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:21 NASB Believers in – While this phrase has a smoother sound in English, the Greek really says something a bit different. That difference is critical, and…
“I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.” John 13:15 ESV Example – How many times have you searched all over to find something and then discovered that it was in plain slight? My wife often points out that when I go to the refrigerator to look…
