God's love motivates His compassion and mercy (love in action). His love brings transformation. Usually at baptism, the minister will quote from Matthew 28:19 and baptize the person "in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit." We clap, raise our hands, and miss the truth of the event. It is more than a public expression of one

Though our world looks unfair and unjust, God is absolutely just and will make all things right one day. While we worry about being heard, seen and known, God is not concerned with our worldly agendas. He will make things right. Our job is loving Him and loving others well. (Matthew 22:36-40)7. Psalm 37:7“Be still before the Lord and wait patiently

Of course your conscience has to guide you as to how and where to invest your resources, but it’s healthy to keep an open mind, to genuinely consider the potential of various projects to accomplish something good and valuable, and to imagine yourself contributing to such an endeavor.It may become a character-growth opportunity for you ... and a boo

Scripture Verses That Inspire ThankfulnessPsalm 103:1-5: “Praise the LORD, O my soul; all my inmost being, praise his holy name. Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits – who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion, who satisfies your desires

1. "God Doesn't Care What I Do"The Praise Principle: God does care! Ephesians 1:4-6 says we are set apart by God “to the praise of his glorious grace.” We were chosen in Christ “to be holy and blameless in his sight.” God cares what we think, say and do. In the book of Leviticus, the Lord told His people, “Be holy, for I am holy” and the apostle Pe

4. You aren’t asking in faith.How we pray is just as important as what we pray for. In James 1:5-8 we are told: “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown

What all of these scripture verses relay is the notion that fish represents a meaningful element of the Bible, where it was not only used to bring fellowship and the love of Jesus to all but also present God’s kingdom in a visual, powerful way to believers. The verses encompass the belief that when we display the love and grace of Jesus to others (

What Does it Mean to "Be Still and Know That I am God"? “Be still” or “cease striving” (in NASB and KJV) come from the Hebrew word transliterated raphah. This translation from Blue Letter Bible says it means to let drop, relax, to let go, to be quiet, to be still.What a beautiful contrast. When the earth shakes, mountains crumble, and waters foam a

Ebert, Roger. “They Shot Horses, Didn’t They? | Balder and Dash | Roger Ebert.” Balder & Dash, January 16, 2011. https://www.rogerebert.com/balder-and-dash/they-shot-horses-didnt-they.Edelstein, Ludwig. The Hippocratic Oath, Text, Translation and Interpretation. Vol. 1. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 1943.Henry, Matthew. Matthew Henry’s

He sees victory when we see defeat.He gives hope, when we're filled with disappointment.He's still with us, no matter how we might feel, or what struggles flood our thoughts. He is filling us with the power and grace of His Spirit, just enough for the day.For this day.A reminder for your heart, in whatever you might be facing,"The Lord is with you.

1. Is Jesus asking you to follow him?This means two things. Is God tugging on your heart, reaching out for you to give your life to Christ? If he is don’t delay. This is the most urgent decision you will ever make. There is no guarantee you will have another opportunity.However, what if you already know Jesus? Is there something God is calling you

“’I am the vine,’ He says, ‘you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me, you can do nothing’” (John 15:5).What Does it Mean to Remain?The Greek word translated “remain” here can also be translated abide or dwell. The branch bears fruit because it is firmly attached to the vine, from which it recei

Why are the Syntopic Gospels most similar? The Synoptic Gospels were written before the book of John. While there is some discussion regarding the order in which these three books where written, there is evidence to suggest that they were written only 20-30 years after the death of Jesus, as outlined in “The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown.” John’

In a 24-7, high achieving culture, we need to be willing to set limits. Being burnt out doesn’t honor God. It only serves to increase our pride. And pride, along with exhaustion, come before the fall.3. Your schedule is your fault.It can be easy to blame others for the fact that we don’t rest. Your boss is demanding. You have six kids who play two

By the time he began his ministry, John was filled up with knowledge and passion about God’s saving grace. His journey of faith equipped him to proclaim his message, and the conviction he felt added power to his cry to repent.2. His Humility“John answered them all, ‘I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps

Man Was Originally Created Good “Then God said, ‘Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.’ God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him;

4. Through giving, we ourselves are changed.When people helped Paul, or those he advocated for (like the Jerusalem church), they themselves were changed. Paul emphasizes this:"You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God" (2 Corinthians 9:11 NIV).G

Anointing Oil Symbolism in the Old Testament - "Holy and Set Apart" It seems, at first glance at the Old Testament Bible books, that olive oil, or anointing oil, had predominantly a religious purpose to symobolize someone or something that has been deemed holy and set apart for God's purposes. Not only would you pour oil on the head of a high pries

God answers prayer. The One Who created the universe, the great eternal God, says that I can call upon Him and He will answer me and show me great and mighty things (Jeremiah 33:3).A Proper PerspectiveThis doesn't mean you have the key to Fort Knox or you're going to get everything you want. It doesn't say God's going to meet our greed. God is goin

“Finally, all of you, be like-minded, be sympathetic, love one another, be compassionate and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8 “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to your neighbor, for we are all members of one body.” Ephesians 4:25“Do not say to your neighbor, ‘Come back tomorrow and I’ll give it to you’- when you already have it