Psalm 37:4 - "Delight yourself also in the LORD, and He shall give you the desires of your heart."

Thoughs on today's verse:

Too often we waste desires on ourselves! Stop and think about that for a moment. In today's world, there is a dangerous movment that exists known to some as the prosperity gospel, or the health and weath gospel. It has even gone under the moniker of "name it and claim it." Call it what you will, it is damaging. Among verses that are claimed in support of the idea that God wants us to be rich, etc., is this one. However, when the Psalmist instructs us to delight ourselves in the Lord with the result that the desires of our heart being granted, does he really mean that if we want a million dollars, or a new house, etc., that the Lord will give those to us? So many people have fallen prey to this deceptive teaching - it has literally ruined many lives!

Matthew 6:33 can help shed some light on the matter: "Seek first the Kingdom of God, and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you." We know the verse, and perhaps have quoted it to others, but we do well to remind ourselves that the "these things" in view are the basic necessities of life: food, shelter, clothing - not the things dedicated to oppulence. In fact, most of us have no personal experience with this kind of need, for how many of us have truly not known from where our next meal would come? How many of us have truly run out of clothing (and I'm not talking about the need to do laundry?). It is this true need in life that God addresses in Matthew 6:33 and he says, don't fret about it, even though it is a legitimate need, I know that you need it, but I want you to focus on your relationship with Me, and I will take care of you.

There we realize that God's taking care of the person is in their basic life sustenance. Remember, the Son of Man had nowhere to lay his head! One commentator on this verse pondered that "whereas the wicked live for themselves and by themselves, the righteous trust in God and receive from God their legitimate desires" (Craige, WBC Psalms 1-50, p. 298). Our desires should incline toward God and the things of God - to know Him better, to abstain from sin, to live a life pleasing to Him. Remember Paul's desire in Phil. 3:10-11 - "that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead."

So, rather than thinking about what you would ask from the mythical Genie, focus on delighting yourself in the Lord!

Psalm 27:14 - "Wait on the LORD: Be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wat, I say, on the LORD!"

Thoughts on today's verse:

The idea of waiting might conjure up the image of sitting in a chair with only the sound of a ticking clock to keep one company. God is not late to an appointment, nor are we to be idle in our lives. The idea of waiting here is the idea of trust, be confident, have no fear. These words of encouragement have taken different forms throughout history, whether from Moses to Joshua (Deut 31:7), God to Joshua (Josh 1:6, 7, 9, 18), Joshua to the people of Israel (Josh. 10:25), Paul to the Corinthians (1 Cor. 16:13), or as the case here, with the Psalmist to the people of Israel.

The idea is the same - we are to live a life of faith! We trust the Lord, we can trust the Lord, and this truth ought to strengthen our faith, and bolster our confidence! Remember: we live by faith, not by sight! As one author said: "faith is the power which enables the faithful to endure the tension between his present afflictions and his future deliverance from those afflictions" (Weiser, p. 254)

Psalm 25:14-15 - "The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him,
And He will show them His covenant.
15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD,
For He shall pluck my feet out of the net."

Thoughts on today's verses:

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 4:3 that "even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing." This verse seems to capture some of the essence of of what the Psalmist was driving at. Jesus said elsewhere to let the children come to him and not to hinder them. This gives us insight into the simplicity of the Gospel on the one hand, so simple that even a child can believe, but on the other hand, so complex that a person can spend their entire life exploring it and never fully understand all that is there to be grasped!

This just goes to show that spirutual truth really is spiritually discerned! Note Paul's words to the Corinthians in his first letter: "The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (1 Cor. 2:14).

We anchor to God by faith, and we fear Him, understanding that He is God and we are the work of His hands. When we acknowledge this by faith and the other truths that accompany the acceptance of God's revelation - namely the Gospel of Jesus Christ - then we have eternal life, and the Holy Spirit dwells in us, testifying to the truth of the Word and giving insight!

Romans 12:2 - "And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Paul says this after beseeching believers to present themselves as living sacrifices. What's interesting here is that there appear to be only two options available. It's sort of like tossing a ball into the air. It's either going up or coming down, it can't stop in middair. The idea here is that we are either going to be conforming ourselves to the world, or we will transformed by the renewing of our minds. Obviously the latter is preferred. And, it should be noted that neither of this is an instantaneous occurence, but rather a process, meaning that you could be renewing your mind for a while and slip into conformity to the world.

This should remind us that our walk with the Lord is just that - a journey, a walk - it is not something that we arrive at and just sit back and enjoy, at least not in this world. So, don't let your guard down: run the race to finish, fight the good fight, and constantly be renewing your mind and transforming more into the image of our Savior!

Jeremiah 29:11 - "For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope."

Thoughts on today's verse:

These words from the Lord could not have come at a better time. When the nation of Israel was in captivity and experiencing the flood of emotions that accompany such an experience, wondering where God was in all of it, then God says through the prophet Jeremiah: I haven't forgotten about you, and in fact, I know what I have been thinking about you, as the one who sees the beginning from the end. I don't mean you harm, contrary to what you might think; I actually have great plans for you, of peace, future, and hope."

What encouraging words to the nation of Israel. Wonderfully, the same principle is true of Christians today. We know this from our theology of God and from our understanding of the process into which we have entered when we become Christians, known as sanctification. Perhaps you are in a dark chapter of life and are wondering where God is in all of it. Fear not - He has not forgotten about you, nor does He intend evil. We have confidence that His plans for us, though not national like they were to Israel are the same: peace, future and hope, even if not experienced in this lifetime, these will utlimately be true all who name the name of Christ in this world!

Philippians 2:9-11 - "Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

Thoughts on today's verses:

Because of what Christ has done in his earthly ministry, namely being completely humbled, God has now highly exalted Him. We learn from this a couple of things. First of all, Christ is alive, something that we do well to remind ourselves of often.

Secondly, we ought not to take the name of the second Person of the Godhead lightly, especially not as a curse word, or vainly. His name is unique, and the day is coming when it will be acknowledged properly by all the people of the world. For the result of the exaltation of Christ is our proper worship - ascribing the worth to Him that is due His name. Unfortunately, not all will do this while on earth, and they foolishly think that they will never have to, and they go to their grave mocking the Lord Jesus Christ. God never said that the knees bowing and tongues confessing would take place now - it will happen later, but we manifest a grace-based relationship with the Lord when we acknowledge Him properly now, by faith!

I could tell you that a bridge is out ahead and you could either ignore me and keep driving, in which case, when you went around the corner and plunged over the chasm, you would acknowledge the truth of my statement, but it would not save you - it would be too late. Or, the second option is that you could believe me and your life would reflect the fact that you believe me, for you would change the course of your life.

This analogy breaks down somewhat because when God has told us that one day every knee will bow and tongue confess, we are not the ones who turn our lives around - our only duty is to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ (Acts 16:31), but when we believe and confess Him, then He is the one who changes our lives and others will see.

Psalm 62:8 - "Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah"

Thoughts on today's verse:

Last week, we looked at Isaiah 26:4 where we were commanded to trust God. Here we see the same idea. The concept of trust is to have confidence in something, and here we see that we ought to have confidence in our unchanging, loving, compassionate God. Here, the psalmist goes on to picture what that trust would look like. If we truly have confidence in God, then we ought to pour out our hearts to him, as He is, the only true refuge.

The truth is, we may try and keep things hidden from others for fear of what they might think of us were they to find them out. We fear rejection, we fear many things and so we keep hidden certain parts of our lives. However, the great comfort of this verse is that the One we are to trust and to whom we are to pour out our hearts, already knows everything about our lives! Nothing is hidden from the Lord, who searches the hearts of men, and yet he still accepts us and wants us to talk to him about everything, for we can anchor to Him and He will provide shelter through the peace of the Spirit and His Word.

Proverbs 19:20-21 - "Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days. 21 There are many plans in a man’s heart, nevertheless the LORD’s counsel—that will stand."


Thoughts on today's verse:

Solomon is here reiterating the whole theme of the book that he was writing to his son: listen to advice and accept instruction to be wise in the future. Up to this point, and even through the rest of the book, that is exactly what is being put forth: instruction and advice.

However, we do not look only to the book of proverbs for advice and instruction, and that is not what Solomon had in mind; otherwise it would have been worded differently. The idea seems to be that there are those who have grown in biblical wisdom through their own lives and we ought to be eager to learn from their advice and instruction so that we might too become wise!

This wisdom will go on to help us as we devise plans in our hearts, but even then, our plans are subject to change as we are not all-wise, nor unchanging. God, on the other hand, is all-wise, and is unchanging. He is immutable and therefore, his plans will stand, for they are always best. We ought to recognize this and accept it as we continue to grow in wisdom from above.

Psalm 63:1 - "O God, You are my God;
              Early will I seek You;
              My soul thirsts for You;
              My flesh longs for You
              In a dry and thirsty land
              Where there is no water."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Some people like to point out that one does not necessarily need to meet with the Lord in the morning. What if you're not a morning person? True. Many have their devotional time with the Lord in the evening. However, for David, it seems that his life was extremely busy and for him, because serving the Lord was extremely important, that relationship took precedence and priority in his day. Even if you aren't a morning person, does your life reflect that the Lord is first place from the time you get up to the time you lie down?

Then, David goes on to describe the type of relationship that he had with the Lord by way of an illustration of thirst. As the desert sorjourner would long for that precious water, so that same longing should be present for the Lord.

There is no thirst and sense of fatigue like that of a person who walks around in the desert. The arid climate rapidly saps one of strength. So strong is his physical longing for God that we may agree with C.S. Lewis that the psalmist had an “appetite for God” (The Psalms, p. 51).

Do I have an appetite for God? Do you? Does your soul cry out, longing to have a deeper, more meaningful relationship with the Lord? Seek him early, seek him often!

Isaiah 26:4 - "Trust in the LORD forever, For in YAH, the LORD, is everlasting strength."

Thoughts on today's verse:

The command is given: trust in the Lord. We also see the duration of the command - we are to trust him forever. When we stop and think on these couple of things, this instructs about our entire lives, and gives us insight into the very nature of God. Just from this verse we realize that we are not in control of our lives, that we are not the life giver, that we literally depend on Him. We also understand from this that trusting in God is not natural. If this were the disposition of every man, woman, and child on earth, then the command would be necessary. God is perfectly trustworthy and we have no reason not to trust, yet we don't. That ought to cause us to think for a moment!

Furthermore, the trust is not momentary or fleeting, but is enduring. God's nature is such that He is trustworthy beyond the bounds of time! He is most pleased when we trust him day in, and day out, living by faith according to what He has revealed to us in His word.

Finally, the reason that we ought to trust God is given: God, the true God alone, is in fact everlasting strength! There is no depletion of his sustaining power, nothing diminishing. His power was not affected after the creation of the world, the universe and all it contains; it was not depleted at the cross, nor will it be depleted in the final overthrow of Satan. The power of God as displayed in Christ was not depleted as he performed miracles of healings, and raising from the dead. God never sleeps, nor slumbers, he does not grow tired, his strenght is in-exhaustible; his character - pure, holy, righteous - perfect.

Our God is all-powerful, and worthy of our trust now, and forevermore. Are you trusting Him now?

Isaiah 55:6 - "Seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near."

Thoughts on today's verse:

This verse provides both an encrouragment and a warning. First: the encouragement. The Lord may be found. The fact that we read these words now gives us hope. Paul said that "now is the day of salvation." If you are breathing on this earth right now, then the Lord may be found.

Secondly, Isaiah says "while" implying that there will be a time when He cannot be found. This doesn't mean that we will lose God, nor that He will be lost, but that there will be a time when we will no longer be able to turn to Him for help - or, in other words, when we cannot be saved. God's gift of grace lasts a lifetime. He is indeed longsuffering with us, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. In fact, it is the goodness of God that leads men to repentance (Romans 2:4). However, once a man dies there is no more opportunity to reach out and lay hold of the gift so freely offered in this life.

Why? Because, then one will know fully the truth. Jesus reminded us of this in Luke 16 with the account of the rich man in hell. Once he died he fully knew the truth and wished that someone would go back and tell his family. Notice that he recognized the permanence of his situation, not asking for salvation or deliverance, but asking for others, that they might not be tormented as he was. "The lost in hell realize that the day for their repentance is gone for ever." (from http://www.mwtb.org/site/moments-for-you/back-issues/first-quarter-1995/repentance-after-death.html, accessed October 5, 2011)

Why in this life? The answer is simple: God wants us to trust him. He is, after all, trustworthy. That's what He wanted from Adam in the Garden, and that is what He wants now - for us to take Him at His Word. "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast." - Ephesians 2:8-9.

So, "seek the Lord while He may be found, Call upon Him while He is near."

Proverbs 27:1 "Do not boast about tomorrow, For you do not know what a day may bring forth."

Thoughts on today's verse:

James addresses this same thought in James 4:13-15 - "13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, spend a year there, buy and sell, and make a profit”; 14 whereas you do not know what will happen tomorrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor that appears for a little time and then vanishes away. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and do this or that.”

This helps us to put our lives in the right perspective. Just when we think that things are under our control, the unexpected happens. We never plan for the accidents that beset us, for the sudden job losses, for sickness, for the tragic deaths, nor for the blessings that sometimes come. The point is, that even though we do not have control over those things and really have no knowledge of them, there is one who has seen the beginning from the end, who actually does know what tomorrow holds, and that one is God. We are to live according to that knowledge. Rejoice in His sovereignty over time. Live in the reality that we are not the master of our own destiny, and embrace the fact that we rely on the goodness of God moment by moment, and day by day!

1 Peter 1:3 - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Everything about our relationship with God is predicated on the fact of the resurrection. Yes, God is merciful, and we ought to ponder that. Yes, we have been born again, with our heart of stone being replaced with a heart of flesh; born again to a living hope, where have a confident expectation of one day seeing Jesus Christ face to face, what glory that will be! But, none of it is possible apart from the ministry of the risen Lord Jesus Christ!

It was our sins that drove him to the cross, and every time we observe the Lord's Table we remind ourselves of the cruel death that he suffered and the horrible price that sin exacts, but praise be to God that the Gospel doesn't end with Jesus on the cross! Paul said in 1 Corinthians 15:16-17 - "For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!"

We have been raised to a living hope because of and through the living Savior!

Philippians 1:9-10 - "And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Paul's prayer is worth taking note of. He prays that the believers in Philippi would increase in their love. Notice that he does not specify the object of their love. He does not say that he prays that their love toward God would abound, nor does he pray that their love toward other Christians would abound. No, he simply prays that their love would abound more and more. This is likely a two avenue approach, where they should grow and abound first in their love to God (vertical) with the result of an overflow toward other around them (horizontal), which is pictured well with the illustration of filling a cup. The level of the liquid must first rise vertically before it can begin to flow out and around. This is one way that we can pray for others.

Paul goes on to explain his prayer for their love, that it would grow in knowledge and discernment. Sadly, many in the world today think and teach that love is blind; in other words, that it can and possibly should, operate from ignorance.

Note that "A virtuous man may be ignorant, but ignorance is not a virtue. It would be a strange God Who could be loved better by being known less. Love of God is not the same thing as knowledge of God; love of God is immeasurably more important than knowledge of God; but if a man loves God knowing a little about Him, he should love God more from knowing more about Him: for every new thing known about God is a new reason for loving Him."(F. J. Sheed, Theology and Sanity (New York: Sheed & Ward, 1946), pp. 9, 10.)

When we specifically pray for others that they would abound in their love, we ought to pray that their love would increase according to knowledge, that their relationship with the Lord would grow and flourish and that their lives would be impacted by it.

How can one discern the things that are excellent and remain pure until the day of Christ unless he has knowledge?!

"Remember this: a superficial love for God is a sure sign of a superficial knowledge of God. This is why we must give priority to gathered worship with our Bibles and hearts open to God. This is why we must daily open the Scriptures for ourselves and teach them to our children. This is why we must read both the Old and New Testaments with our eyes wide open to Christ, whom God has made known (cf. John 1:18)." (Preach the Word: Philippians, Hughes, p. 42)

John 3:20-21 - "20 For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 21 But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.”

Thoughts on today's verses:

John stated right before these verses that the Light (Jesus Christ) "has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil." He then makes a correlary between their location and their deeds.

"The close connection between doing and being—namely, between practicing good or evil works and the nature of a person—is an important theological concept in John because believing is not merely a matter of mental affirmation but of life commitment. The world hated Jesus and continues to do so not merely because of some intellectual reason but because the deeds of world-oriented people are evil (John 7:7; cf. Col 1:21)." (NAC - John, p. 186)

What do you love? The light or the darkness? Do you like to cover up your deeds or do you come into the light so that they can be clearly seen with all glory given to God?

1 Corinthians 2:14 - "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Paul talks about the natural and spiritual man a fair amount in his writings. Here, the focus is on the man without the Spirit, or in other words - the natural man. Who is he?

"The natural man belongs to the world, while the spiritual man belongs to God. The one is an unbeliever and the other a believer; the one lacks the Spirit while the other has the Spirit; the one follows natural instincts (Jude 19), the other follows the Lord." (BNTC: 1 Corinthians, Kistemaker, p. 92)

Paul says to the Corinthians that the one who is unsaved does not accept as true, spiritual realities; and not only does he not accept them as true, he percieves them as foolishness and they are unintelligible to him because in order to understand them, one must have the Spirit of God indwelling him, which only occurs upon Salvation. We see Paul expounding on this idea in another letter that he wrote to the Romans, where he stated that the unsaved professed to wise and in doing so, they were cementing their own foolishness (Romans 1:22). You see, no person would admit that they cannot discern or properly understand the Word of God, so they mock it and consider it foolish and write about it as such, claiming to be wise. All along, however, they are merely confirming their foolishness before God.

Friend, if today, you are privileged to be able to discern spiritual truth, it is because of the Spirit of God in you, testifying to the truth you are reading, and that you have born from above.

Matthew 6:33 - "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you."


Thoughts on today's verse:

Matthew just finished demonstrating what types of things can consume our priorities; basic things like food and shelter and clothing. It isn't necessarily that those things are unimportant, but rather, that, as he stated: the Lord knows that we have need of those things. He would have those who follow Him arrange their priorities so that He is first place, with the focus Christian growth, which we know as sanctification - or here: God's righteousness. We are to focus on living a life that is pleasing to our Creator God and our Savior, and we trust, by faith, that all of the other lesser necessities of life will be supplied, for, as Paul said: My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Phil. 4:19).

James 3:13 - "Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by good conduct that his works are done in the meekness of wisdom."

Thoughts on today's verse:


There was a story in the news a few months ago about a woman who had claimed to be a soldier with the U.S. Army. She made quite a claim and probably took quite a bit of time coming up with her story so that she could furnish the details when people from her small hometown would ask her about her time in service. You see, she wasn't really a soldier with the U.S. Army. She had never gone to boot camp, never been to a recruiter, and the military had no record of her. She made a big claim, but it was unsubstantiated!

Here James is telling the believers that there may be some among them who are making spiritual claims, that is, to be wise and understanding, to have knowledge of the Scriptures. However, he said that the true test of one claiming to be wise and understanding would not just be in the claim, or the ability to parse verses and recite whole sections of Scripture, but rather the test of the actual fruit of the life of that person!

The truly wise and understanding Christian will be marked with good conduct performed in the meekness of wisdom. So the truly wise one won't have to say it at all, for their life will manifest it and, as Solomon said in Proverbs 27:2 - Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips."

1 John 4:16 - "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him."

Thoughts on today's verse:

We all know the most famous verse of the Bible - John 3:16, which speaks of love. "For God so loved..." We often share this with others as we share the gospel with them, for part of the message is indeed the love of God. In that sense every true believer should know of the love of God, and every true believer has known the love of God. And, lest we forget, we have a picture of God's love in the form of Christ on the cross, dying for our sins, then being gloriously resurrected with a glorified body. Thus, in a very real sense, we see that, as John states - God is love!

We are then reminded of what this is to do in our lives. Jesus said that "if you love me, keep my commandments" (John 14:15). No doubt John recalls this as he writes this letter, that the one who has experienced the love of God in his life, here, in the form of salvation, is to abide in love.

One commentator noted that "the only way to love, as the only way to believe (15), is by living in God and God in us. For it is the divine indwelling which alone makes possible both belief and love. They are its fruit, and therefore its evidence: ‘he who dwells in love is [i.e. is thereby seen to be] dwelling in God’" (Stott, John. TNTC Letters of John).

We cannot truly love others without first experiencing the love that God had for us and shared with us through Christ.

Philippians 2:1-2 - "Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, 2 fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind."

Thoughts on today's verses:

Taking a trip down memory lane can be a sweet thing! Here, Paul exhorts the Philippians to reflect on the transaction that took place when they exchanged their worthless works and the necessary resulting death, for faith in Christ and eternal life.

He begins with the idea of consolation or encouragement in Christ. What is it that can console you or encourage you in the darkest of times? What is it that can give you the motivation and encouragement that boosts you on in your day-to-day living? Here, it should be Christ! When you think about what Christ has done for you, and the great love that he has for you, how can that do anything but encourage and console the believer?!

He then goes on to speak of the comfort of love. At times, it is possible to feel lonely, even in a crowded room. Many people have given testimony of this in their own lives. Yet, for the believer, this really shouldn't be the case when we remind ourselves of the great love wherewith Christ has loved us, and indeed, continues to love us!

The excitment builds, as we have already been encouraged, experienced the love of God, and now Paul reminds the believer that the relationship that is in place is one of fellowship - a holy fellowship, with the Spirit of God, who dwells within us. What an incredible relationship and time of rejoicing!

These things culminate in properly aligned affections toward Christ, which will in turn result in mercy toward others. It is, "the divine compassion and mercy that came from Christ himself to us at salvation and now passes through us to others" (Preach the Word: Philippians. R. Kent Hughes, p. 76).


All of this then serves as the foundation for the relationships that we have with other believers, as we are all encouraged in our own relationship and position in Christ, so we will act accordingly, in Christlike unity, humility, and love toward one another. Let us remember that it is only upon the foundation of Christ and his work that the church, of which we are a part, can exist the way God has declared!

1 Peter 3:8 - "Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous."

Thoughts on today's verse:

As Peter wraps up this letter, he has a few parting thoughts that he wants to communicate with the Church and some of those thoughts are seen here with five simple commands, which are, by implication, commands made to us as well.

First, Peter says that the believers are to be of one mind. The obvious implication here, is that naturally, believers are not always of one mind. Unity doesn't just happen - it is something that needs to be worked on.

Secondly, we are supposed to have compassion for one another. Other translations take this as the idea of "sympathy." One author stated that this means "caring deeply about the needs, joys, and sorrows of others" (Schreiner, Tom. NAC, 1, 2 Peter, Jude, p. 164).

Third, we are commanded to love as brothers. This brotherly love is recognized as a familial type of love that comes when we recognize that all who have Christ in common are part of the same spiritual family! We may have differences with our siblings, but this does not negate the love that we ought to show to them!

Fourthly, Peter says that we, as Christians, are supposed to be tenderhearted. The idea here is that of compassion. Paul alludes to this same concept in Ephesians 4:32 where we find that such compassion is to be borne out of a grateful heart to God for the compassion that he demonstrated to us in providing so great a salvation. It is much easier to be compassionate with our brothers and sisters in Christ when we put it in perspective of what Christ did through us!

Finally, Peter commands believers everywhere to be courteous, which carries with it the idea of being humble. Another translation states that we are to have "a humble mind" (ESV). This is fleshed out when we adopt the attitude that Paul put forth in Philippians 2:3-4 - "3 Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others."

This is really a picture of what Christianity should look like and how our lives should be marked: unity, sympathy, family, mercy, and humility!

Philippians 4:4 - "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!"

Thoughts on today's verse:

The command is simple, but it is a command - Rejoice! Paul narrows it down and tells the believers in Philippi the source of their rejoicing - the Lord, and when they are supposed to rejoice - always! It seems simple, but we need to remember a couple of things. Paul was in prison when he penned these words - in prison! He was not in prison because he had stolen a chariot, laundered money, or sold drugs. No, he was in prison because he had been a faithful preacher of the gospel. His day to day existence was in question. He had chains that bound him to a certain place and to certain people, and all around him, there were enemies who wanted to destroy the church in Rome and elsewhere, yet in spite of these circumstances, Paul could say confidently - Rejoice!

This is where the always comes in. We rejoice when times are good, and we rejoice when times are not so good. We rejoice always, because when we think about the cause of our rejoicing, the Lord himself, who has granted to us life eternal through His Son, Jesus Christ, then we too can count this life and all that it entails, as a momentary, light affliction (2 Corinthians 4:17), and continue rejoicing in the Lord!

Psalm 121:1-2 - "I will lift up my eyes to the hills— From whence comes my help? 2 My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth."

Thoughts on today's verses:

In the days of the Psalmist people used to do most of their travel on foot. We don't really do that today. If you were to travel from one city to another and there were hills in between the cities those hills would provide the best concealment for robbers and vagabonds who would could greatly injure someone - think of the parable of the Good Samaritan in Luke 10:29-37:

“A certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, who stripped him of his clothing, wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead."

Travelers were not naive to this and no doubt, as they approached the hilly region they would be thinking about what they would do if a thief came out to meet them. Think of it in our modern day like going into a big city and having to pass through the ghetto section of town to get somewhere, at night. That would be very dangerous. No doubt you would double check to make sure your windows were up, the doors locked, and you would remain conscientious about not getting trapped at an intersection, making sure that 9-1-1 is on speed dial.

Well, as the psalmist considered the threat there was a very real anxiety, but there was also hope. Unlike the ghetto, if he was on a pilgrimage to the Holy City, Jerusalem, he would recognize that that city was nestled in the hills - the city where he was headed to worship God!

He then considered the help that he would receive. Was he counting on a good Samaritan to show up after he had been robbed and left for dead? Hardly. He recognized, as one who feared the Lord, that his help in fact came from the Lord. Then we get a glimpse into what that meant, as the psalmist gives us a creedal statement that it was the Lord who made heaven and earth. One cannot truly recognize God, without recognizing God as the creator. But this also brings up the idea of complete, and absolute power. The one who created all that is, and apart from whom nothing made was made, is the one who is personally interested in his creation and more specifically, his children. No one is better qualified to offer help than the Lord God, Himself!

From where does your help come? From the Lord who made heaven and earth!

Isaiah 46:4 - Even to your old age, I am He,
And even to gray hairs I will carry you!
I have made, and I will bear;
Even I will carry, and will deliver you.

Thoughts on today's verse:

In the larger context of this verse, Isaiah is warning the people of God about idolatry. Idols are a funny thing. These days we laugh and dismiss them as a thing of the past, yet, in a very real way, idols are just as much of a problem now as they were centuries ago. It seems, however, that idols have taken on a new look. In this country, anyway, idols may not necessarily be made from wood, stone, or metal, but a true idol is anything which takes the place of God; anything that competes with God, from a simple private sin, to food, to cars, a good career, etc. We can fall prey to looking to our idols for our sustenance. If I have a good job, then I will be set for life.

Here, Isaiah is reminding God's people that in fact idols are nothing, and it is actually God who sustains our life! He sustains us in the beginning (Psalm 139), and here, he sustains us in the end. And by implication, he sustains us all along the way! When we understand that He actually has taken our sustenance upon himself and he delights to do it, that should affect our lives! There is not one moment when God is not carrying you and me along. We shouldn't simply go around with the knowledge that he does these things. We see here that this should lead to a life of dependence upon him, where we cast our burdens on him, knowing that he will sustain us (Psalm 55:22)! We bless the Lord knowing that he "daily bears us up" (Psalm 68:19). And Peter told us to in fact to cast our anxieties on the Lord, because he cares for us (1 Peter 5:7)!

Dear friend, humble yourself today and recognize that it is God alone who sustains you, and he is willing to prove it by bearing your burden!

Titus 2:1-2 - 2 But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine: 2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;

Thoughts on today's verses:

Paul was encouraging Titus in the pastorate about some of the issues that he should be addressing as the pastor of that church. He then zeroes in on the elder men and tells Titus to teach them three things that were in accordance with the society of the time: sober, that is, showing restraint; reverent, not presumptuous, and temperate - or balanced.

Then he goes on to give three aspects that highlight the Christian aspect of an older believer: sound in faith, in love, and in patience - characteristics which were not widely accepted or practiced by the elderly in that particular time. For some, especially the unsaved, getting older often brings with it certain physical pains, irritability, the difficulty of accepting change. But, Paul tells Titus that when one is a Christian their life is supposed to be different!

"For a Christian, old age should bring greater love for God, for the people of God, and for the sacred things of God. Those who have walked with Christ for many years should rejoice in that privilege and in the prospect of one day seeing Him face to face. A church should value and honor those who have spent many years in fellowship with the Lord, in the study of His Word, and in service to and through His church." (MacArthur, Titus, p. 72)

How are you doing, friend? Perhaps you have been saved for a while now. Is your love for God greater than it was initially? Do you love the people of God more than you did before? Are you excited at the prospect of seeing the Lord face to face? Do you love to read the Word more now, than at the first? We can all ask these probing questions, so that we too may be models to emulate rather than examples to avoid!

Psalm 143:10

Teach me to do Your will,
For You are my God;
Your Spirit is good.
Lead me in the land of uprightness.


Thoughts on today's verse:

When we follow someone, that generally implies that we know a little bit about the person that we are following, namely, what they want, and how they want it done. This is exactly what the psalmist is doing when he petitions God to teach him to do His will! When we make this petition, along with the psalmist, we must understand that this teaching will come from our reading of, interacting with, and submitting to the Bible, wherein is contained our instructions for life!

One author said that "Doing the will of God implies a complete submission to his will, as revealed in his word so that the deeds done in the flesh are acceptable to the Lord. Obedience here is an outgrowth of redemption, which itself is a work of God freely rendered to those who express faith in him. Obedience and sanctification grow out of a relationship of grace."

Then, when we are walking in a manner that is pleasing to the Lord, our path is found to be stable, where our spiritual feet can be firmly planted!

Colossians 1:28 - 28 Him we preach, warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdom, that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.

Thoughts on today's verse:

Many people preach today, but not necessarily from the Bible. Some preach on the environment, some preach on politics, others on social reform. Some get closer and actually preach at a church, but their homilies are moralizations from the Bible, for that is all that the Bible is to them: a compilation of moral teachings. When Paul thought about his message, as he was writing to the believers in Colossae, he recognized that the subject of his message was Christ Jesus! If you're not preaching Christ, what are you preaching? If you're not sharing Christ with others, then what are you sharing?

The warning that comes with preaching Christ can be seen in the judgment to come: the fact that Christ is going to return, which presupposes his resurrection. It is a living Savior who will return, and a living Savior who alone has the authority judge the earth. Thus, we teach the truth about Christ, that he was more than a good man with good moral teachings - He was in fact perfect and sinless! The Bible records for us hundreds of prophecies concerning the Messiah which Jesus Christ fulfilled! And, in his life and ministry upon the earth, Jesus taught that not all roads leads to heaven! In reality, He taught that the broad path leads to destruction and that many people are on that path! He also taught that it was the narrow path that led to salvation and few were on that (Mt. 7:13-14). In fact, we know that the narrow path is found in Jesus Christ himself, for he said in John 14:6 - "I am the way, the truth, and the life, and no man comes to the Father except through me."

These things aren't common knowledge; people need to be warned and taught so that they may be presented perfect before Christ Jesus!

Colossians 2:6-7 - "6 As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7 rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it[b] with thanksgiving."

Thoughts on today's verses:

These are great verses! They serve as a reminder to anyone who has been a Christian for a while. Do you remember how you received Christ Jesus as Lord? Paul said to the Philippian Jailer in Acts 16:31 that he needed to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and he would be saved! Hopefully we quote a similar verse often to others: "for by grace you are saved, through faith, not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works lest any man should boast."

We are saved through faith and we are to continue in our Christian walk by that same faith! And, as we grow in faith, our foundation is strengthened, our faith is strengthened and it ultimately results in thanksgiving that is overflowing!

Continue walking by faith!

Colossians 3:20 - "Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord."

Thoughts on today's verse:

Perhaps you heard this in your house growing up, or you find yourself repeating it to your children. There are some important truths nestled in this short verse.

The first truth addresses the source: to children, they have a special command from the Lord Himself. The illustration falls short in many ways, but this is sort of like the pastor making an application to children in the middle of his sermon. I know that when the pastor would do that when I was a child, I perked up a bit because now I felt like he was talking to me! Well, this is what is happening here in this verse - the Lord is taking a moment to address the children specifically.

The second truth is the command, which is simple. There are no multiple steps or questions about method - just obey your parents. God doesn't say that there is a time to obey and a time not to obey, just obey in everything.

The third truth addresses the motivation. For children it is simply that this pleases the Lord, there is nothing else, and there doesn't need to be!

For those of us who are not children we learn that God has established authorities, and you just might be one of those authorities.

We also see that for the myriad commands that are addressed to Christians in general and other groups specifically, obedience to those commands results in the Lord being pleased. We must not forget that what God has instructed us to do is not so that we would groan under a checklist of do's and don't's, but because he knows what is best for us and when we do it, He is delighted! Let's purpose in our hearts to please the Lord by doing what He has commanded!

Colossians 1:17 "And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist."

Thoughts on today's verse:

This is such a short verse, and yet is packed with incredible theology and doctrine. When we ponder the statement that Christ is before all things, we recognize that He was different. As Christ, He has no beginning and no end, thus he could say to the Pharisees in John 8:58 that "before Abraham was I AM." We call this the eternality of Christ. Sure, he came into the world as a man, and was born a baby, but this does not mean that prior to the Christmas event Christ did not exist - no, He has existed forever!

Secondly, we notice something that should cause us to ponder greatly the fact of our living and breathing right now - that "in Him all things consist." This simple statment has enormous implications. Namely that the only thing that keeps this planet in its orbit around the sun is Christ; that the only reason we don't go flying off the planet is because of Christ; that the only reason the molecules that make up everything on earth stay in the formation that they are and not sponateously combust is Christ! The only reason that you and I can breathe at this moment is because Christ is holding us together! This is an incredible thought: the one who has existed from eternity past is the one who sustains our life one moment at a time! Praise God!

Colossians 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.

Thoughts on today's verse:

When we think about Jesus Christ, we often think about his work on the cross, and rightfully so, for it was an incredible work that Christ accomplished. One of the things that makes it even more amazing is the fact that Christ was not merely a man on cross like the men on his right and on his left - He was and is, the creator of all things! Our verse today says that everything that exists was created by Christ!

John says something similar in the Gospel that bears his name: "All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made." - John 1:3

Paul, through the Spirit, expounds upon that idea and demonstrates some of the things that fall under the purview of Christ's creative work: all that is in heaven, all that is on the earth; all the visible aspects of creation that you can possibly think of. Let's stop for a moment and consider the fact that not too long ago NASA received an image from one of its sattellites that was pointed towards the blackest spot that they could find in space, that took a several month long exposure shot. What came back was mind boggling. What appeared to be nothing at first actually contained thousands of galaxies with millions and billions more stars and countless planets! What is even more amazing is that before NASA discovered those, Christ already knew about them for he created them!

But the Scriptures don't stop there - they say that He also created what was invisible, namely thrones, dominions, principalities, and powers. This should be a great comfort to us as we recognize that powers are indeed put in place by God, and have been especially created for a purpose within this creation. But what's more, they do not simply run amuck, according to their own whim; they are constantly under the watchful eye of Christ and will one day give an account for their use of this position that He created!

Finally, we recognize not only the agent in creation - Christ, but also the purpose of Creation - that it was made for Him! You and I are a part of creation, and the Scriptures say that all of Creation was made for Christ! It was not made for us, but for Him.

Proverbs 22:6 - "Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it."

Thoughts on today's verse:

We often speak of teaching our children, yet children don't just need to be taught, they need to be trained! When we think of teaching we think of the classroom, we think of books, we think of lectures. These all have their place! After all, it was Solomon who wrote this earlier in Proverbs 1:

8 My son, hear the instruction of your father,
And do not forsake the law of your mother;
9 For they will be a graceful ornament on your head,
And chains about your neck.

However, when we think of training our minds often turn to things like athletics, new jobs, learning a musical instrument. These types of things take training; they take practice and diligence! You could learn all there is to know about basketball from a book and from lectures, but it is an entirely different thing to go out on the court and play well. Perhaps you started a new job, or you remember your first day at a brand new job. You couldn't just start and perform well, you had to practice, you had to train. The same could be said of a musical instrument: at the end of the day, it just takes hard work, repition, and much training. This is what the Lord is teaching us as parents, namely two things:

1) A child will not arrive at the right end without any guidance - we must be involved in their lives and upbringing.

And,

2) The process of bringing up a child will take a lot of work - it not something that we can sit back and be passive about!

Psalm 36:1-4 -

" 1 An oracle within my heart concerning the transgression of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes. 2 For he flatters himself in his own eyes, When he finds out his iniquity and when he hates. 3 The words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit; He has ceased to be wise and to do good.
4 He devises wickedness on his bed; He sets himself in a way that is not good; He does not abhor evil."

Thoughts on today's verses:

I know that sometimes, when I read Scripture that is aimed at the wicked, my mind tends to start putting the names of people I think are wicked in, alongside the passage. In reality, God knows who the wicked are, and nothing will escape his all-seeing eye, or his all-knowing mind. But, one thing that I can do when I read a passage such as this is to examine myself. After all, Paul said in 2 Cor. 13:5 that we ought to examine ourselves and to test ourselves, to see whether or not we are in the faith - that is, whether or not we have a life that is characterized by Christ. What is unique about this passage is the progression of the wicked from dabbling in sin to, in the end, being characterized by a life of sin!

1) He flatters himself when he finds out his iniquities and when he hates - perhaps you think of yourself more highly than you ought to think. Remember that you are to let another praise you and not your own lips! But, this takes it a step further, in that when the wicked does something wrong, he lies to himself and convinces himself that he is okay. Lord, let us be truthful with ourselves as the Spirit examines us!

2) The Words of his mouth are wickedness and deceit - Lying lips are an abomination of the Lord, but they that deal truly are his delight!

3) He has ceased to be wise and to do good. At one time we may have been doing right and good, but we may have stopped.

4) He devises wickedness on his bed. Rather than thinking about things that are good, and build up (see Phil. 4:8), perhaps you think about evil and wicked things.

5) He sets himself in a way that is not good - now you purpose to do that which is displeasing to the Lord.

6) He does not abhor evil - your whole life has changed, starting from the small actions, to your affections, where you actually embrace that which God calls evil.

Oh, may we let this list examine us, and may it not be said of us that any of these traits of the wicked are present in our own lives!

Ephesians 2:19

"You are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household."

Thoughts on today's verse:

The fact that Paul would say that the believers in the Ephesian church were "no longer" might be an indication that some within the church were still living like foreigners to God's household. While it is true that this is a statement about our pre-salvation relationship to God (foreigners and aliens), it gets at a heart question: how are you living today? Perhaps you have experienced God's great salvation, so freely given, but you have turned your back on God to again pursue the empty pleasures of the world.

If you've ever traveled to a foreign country, where you didn't know the language, you can relate to the awkward feeling that you had of not being at home. It just didn't feel completely comfortable, you didn't speak the language, you didn't know the customs, the food was different, and so on. However, when you returned to you own country, you fit in: you spoke the language, you knew the customs, the food was something you were used to. People today are going to be a foreigner and an alien somewhere: either a foreigner to God and other believers and citizen of the world; or a foreigner to the world and a member of God's household!

If you have experienced the salvation that God offers through His perfect Son, Jesus Christ, then you a fellow citizen with God's people. As members of God's household, we ought to live in a way that reflects this great reality!

Psalm 33:13-15
13 The LORD looks from heaven;
He sees all the sons of men.
14 From the place of His dwelling He looks
On all the inhabitants of the earth;
15 He fashions their hearts individually;
He considers all their works.

Thoughts on Today's verses:

Some say that God is impersonal. A theory of creation exists which says that God created everything and just let it go. However, the Bible teaches the immanence God, that he is involved in his creation. We see that here, in these verses. He sees us all, there is none hidden. And not only does he see us, but also, He sees our works. To some this is terrifying, but to others it provides hope and comfort.

Matthew 10:37-39

37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. 38 And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. 39 He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.

Thoughts on Today's Verses:

How much do you love the Savior? On Friday we looked at verses 32-33 of this same chapter where we were challenged on the level of our committment to Christ in being willing to confess Him before others. Here, the bar is raised yet again. We are told that our love for our Savior should excell beyond any other love on earth, and that love will result in a life style that is marked by following Christ. Just as in Mt. 4:18-22 where Peter, Andrew, James, and John were called to follow Christ and they dropped everything to follow him, so we see here that we too are called to follow Christ. Are you worthy of Him? Are you taking up your cross and following him? Do you love him more than anything else?

Matthew 8:23-27

23 Now when He got into a boat, His disciples followed Him. 24 And suddenly a great tempest arose on the sea, so that the boat was covered with the waves. But He was asleep. 25 Then His disciples came to Him and awoke Him, saying, “Lord, save us! We are perishing!”
26 But He said to them, “Why are you fearful, O you of little faith?” Then He arose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. 27 So the men marveled, saying, “Who can this be, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

Thoughts on Today's Verse:

Following Jesus does not always mean that our pathway will be calm and peaceful. However, we are to trust Him as He leads us for he will never leave us nor forsake us. When the storms come, and they will come, it is too easy to forget who it is that is present with us. This is what the disciples forgot, which prompted their question of his identity. So, when you find yourself in a storm of life, remember that you are not without hope, nor are you alone, for you have the Creator of the universe there with you!

Matthew 9:35-38

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people.[e] 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary[f] and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few.

Thoughts on Today's verses:

Every day we see people. That's a part of life to which there are few exceptions. Have you ever stopped to think about the people you pass on a daily basis, perhaps as you travel to and from work, or as you stroll through the park, or take a lunch break, or go shopping? As Jesus went through the cities and villages, he saw multitudes of people and was moved with compassion. What he saw was a great need for salvation. The multitudes need to hear the gospel, and we who have already experienced the salvation that comes from Christ have been tasked to share this good news!





Romans 10:14-15:

14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless they are sent?

38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.”

Matthew 10:16

16 “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.

Thoughts on today's verse:

Sending sheep out among wolves is not a very safe environment. For the sheep, there is great hostility, as the wolves are their predator. If the sheep did not know that this was the situation, it could find itself facing great harm very quickly. In order to survive in such an environment would take much caution and wisdom. Our situation is similar, and this is what the Lord was speaking of. As Christians, the world to which we are sent is not one that welcomes the gospel message! Great hostility exists towards Christianity and the message of Christ. Therefore, we are to be exceedingly wise in our conduct and never seek to intentionally provoke others. Paul said eslewhere, "as much as is possible, live peaceably with all men."

Matthew 10:32-33

32 “Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

Thoughts on Today's Verses:

Some view salvation as a ticket. It's their ticket to make sure they don't go to hell, and nothing more. Jesus implies in this verse that, at the very least, there is much more to salvation than a free pass to heaven. Part of what it means to be a Christian is to share the gospel with others, it is a way that you can show that you are a Christian, not a way to become a Christian. Remember: "you are not your own, you have been bought with a price. Therefore, glorify God in your bodies!" Have you confessed Christ to others?