Not a Formula but a Father
“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you.” Matthew 7:7 (NIV) You have said this verse to someone who needed hope. “Ask and you shall receive.” Maybe…
Look and Live
“Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the wilderness, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes may have eternal life in him.” John 3:14-15 (NIV) Israel’s complaining finally caught up with them. Venomous…
Point Them Toward the Shift
“Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death. But this happened that we might not rely on ourselves but on God, who raises the dead.” 2 Corinthians 1:9 (NIV) You will be the one standing next to someone…
The Way Out Was Waiting for You
“But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13c (NIV) You expect the way out to appear right when needed. Most of us picture rescue arriving the moment…
He Already Knows You Can’t
“And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear.” 1 Corinthians 10:13b (NIV) “More than you can handle” is not what Paul wrote. Maybe your pain is a diagnosis, a job loss, or…
Every Fall Has a Way Back
“So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall!” 1 Corinthians 10:12 (NIV) Falling feels like the end of your story with God. Paul warned proud people that they could fall like Israel did. But…
That’s Not the Verse for This
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 (NIV) We reach for Philippians 4:13 before every hard moment. It shows up on gym walls, in exam prayers, before big presentations. We say it like fuel:…
Strength Shows Up When Yours Runs Out
“I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” Philippians 4:13 (NIV) Contentment was never meant to run on willpower alone. Some of us have been gritting our teeth trying to stay calm anyway. We call it maturity,…
Contentment Doesn’t Carry Over
“I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty…
Nobody Is Born Content
“I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances.” Philippians 4:11 (NIV) Nobody is born content, because contentment has to be learned. We assume some people are simply wired…