In 2 Corinthians 7:4, Paul, whose Christian life was marked with persecutions and suffering (2 Corinthians 11:22-28), says “I am exceedingly joyful in all our tribulation.” Paul had tapped into a source of Joy beyond human understanding. If you spend enough time with someone that is full of joy, some of that joy is likely […]
The Bible is a book filled with many ambiguities, and often the Christian life seems very confusing to the natural carnal mind. There are numerous paradoxes, one of which is found in James 1:2: “count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” Other scriptures speak of having joy in affliction, as in 2 […]
Everyone wants the blessings, but few are willing to position themselves to receive all God has promised. In Isaiah 10:27, God promises that the burden (the load) the enemy has laid upon your shoulder shall be taken away, and the yoke (that bondage, that captivity, that suppressing force) shall not only be taken away but […]
Gloom and joy are totally opposite of each other; where one is present the other will quickly take flight. Gloom, despair, and all of their relatives come from Satan; how do I know that? Because joy, the very opposite, comes from Jesus, who in John 15:11 said, “These things I have spoken to you, That […]
One of the greatest anti-fear verses in the Bible is found in Isaiah 41:10 “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” As Abraham’s seed through Christ we have the […]
There is an old song that says, “You can have a song in your heart in the night”, and Psalm 42:8 certainly backs that up saying, “The Lord will command His lovingkindness in the daytime, And in the night His song shall be with me.” Certainly darkness covers the earth today; not the darkness that […]
Our thoughts this week are focused on grandparents, and the role they play in the lives of grandchildren. While the word “grandparents” is not used in the King James Version of the Bible, the thought of grandparents and their role in family definitely is portrayed. “Children’s children” is a term that is used in the […]
While the word family only occurs one time in the King James New Testament (Ephesians 3:15), there are many references alluding to the fact that God views us (born-again Christians) as family, assuming the role of our Father, making us His children, and bonding us together as brothers and sisters. One of His greatest concerns […]
Isaiah 40:31 “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.” Eagles are amazing birds having eyesight four to eight times that of humans and being able to spot a rabbit two […]
In a world that is filled with anxiety, unrest, and fear, our heart cries out for a secret place of refuge from the “storm”. That place of refuge is not found by vacationing on a remote tropical island, a white-sand beach, or a mountain top cottage; it is only found in the presence of God, […]