devotional

He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. Psalm 25:9 ESV Psalm 25 includes at least eight times when references to instructing or teaching are prominent parts of praise. It appears the ones who get the most from God’s instruction are humble. They are willing to...

While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!" Matthew 17:5 NKJV This is one of the rare moments when God Himself spoke to the disciples. They heard Jesus...

Then Moses went back to the LORD and protested, "Why have you brought all this trouble on your own people, Lord? Why did you send me? Ever since I came to Pharaoh as your spokesman, he has been even more brutal to your people. And you have done nothing to rescue them!" Exodus 5:22-23 NLT Does...

For He has not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted; Nor has He hidden His face from Him; But when He cried to Him, He heard. Psalm 22:24 NKJV The verse above is a great example of one person who thinks, responds in faith, and is convinced that God is good. He takes the time to...

These people draw near Me with their mouths and honor Me with their lips, but their hearts hold off and are far away from Me. Matthew 15:8 AMPC The evidence had been weighed, decisions were made, and the outward response looked pretty good. God had shown up in the thinking of the Jewish...

Come, let us deal shrewdly with them, lest they multiply, and, if war breaks out, they join our enemies and fight against us and escape from the land." Exodus 1:10 ESV The Egyptian king thought in terms of strategy and dominance. He forgot that the Israelites were invited as guests. Their guest...

Some [trust] in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. Psalm 20:7 NKJV You might watch movies and assume that men are willing to use brute force to advance a cause—good or bad. Conventional wisdom says you meet strength with strength—and while this is...

Jesus always used stories and illustrations like these when speaking to the crowds. In fact, he never spoke to them without using such parables. This fulfilled what God had spoken through the prophet: "I will speak to you in parables. I will explain things hidden since the creation of the...

For who is God except the LORD? Who but our God is a solid rock? Psalm 18:31 NLT There are two questions in the above verse that God wants you to answer—and your answers will show whether you will need to keep thinking or whether your mind, heart, and spirit agree on something incredibly...

Then they said to one another, "In truth we are guilty concerning our brother, in that we saw the distress of his soul, when he begged us and we did not listen. That is why this distress has come upon us." Genesis 42:21 ESV Years had passed since ten brothers sold their brother into slavery...

He who is not with Me [definitely [a]on My side] is against Me, and he who does not [definitely] gather with Me and for My side scatters. Matthew 12:30 AMPC Definite is an amazing word. It means something is settled and decided, firm and unchanging. Thought has been given to something, and a...

Concerning the works of men, by the word of Your lips I have avoided the ways of the violent (the paths of the destroyer). My steps have held closely to Your paths [to the tracks of the One Who has gone on before]; my feet have not slipped. Psalm 17:4-5 AMPC Have you made God your personal...

"Here comes the dreamer!" they said. "Come on, let's kill him and throw him into one of these cisterns. We can tell our father, 'A wild animal has eaten him.' Then we'll see what becomes of his dreams!" Genesis 37:19-20 NLT When you feel that you’ve been wronged, it can be easy to be vocal...

Then He began to rebuke the cities in which most of His mighty works had been done, because they did not repent: Matthew 11:20 NKJV This above scripture verse speaks to an idea introduced yesterday. Foolish people proclaimed that God was fictional so they weren’t responsible for their sin. When...

The fool hath said in his heart, [There is] no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, [there is] none that doeth good. Psalm 14:1 KJV It doesn’t take much thinking to say, “God does not exist. “Some see this as common knowledge and even feel superior when they make such a bold...

"Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. Matthew 10:32-33 NLT Are you ever tempted to keep your faith a private matter? There are work...

The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times. Psalm 12:6 KJV The Bible constantly confronts our unsound thinking with the truth about God and how He works. Then if we wonder if He really means what He says, we can read that His words are...

"Behold, I [am] with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." Genesis 28:15 NKJV An analyst collects data and observes things like truth and trends, input and discovery. It may not be...

And, behold, the whole city came out to meet Jesus: and when they saw him, they besought [him] that he would depart out of their coasts. Matthew 8:34 KJV Jesus performed a miracle, but the response was fear and hostility. A man who had been in a dark place for a long time was rescued. The...

He says in his heart, "God has forgotten, he has hidden his face, he will never see it." Psalm 10:11 ESV Imagine what kind of internal conversation can lead someone to today’s verse. He had concluded that God is forgetful, that He chooses to be blissfully ignorant, and that He does not want to...