Month: January 2026

Another translation of this verse says, “Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.” So what can we glean from this? Well, for one thing, fleshly anger doesn’t bring about righteousness. (James 1:19-20) We’re also told both in Psalm 4:4 and Ephesians 4:26 that in our anger we are not to sin. When we allow our anger to spill out it’s usually because we’re not getting our way, our needs are not being met as we think they should be, or we feel out of control in a situation. But this Scripture regards patience as superior, and having self-control over our out of control angry emotions, is the righteous attitude God desires. For such a person will bring calm and sound judgment into any crisis.

It’s simple, if you’re not filling your mind with the Word of God…you’re going to show up for a battle without a weapon. The sword to ancient soldiers was both an offensive and defensive weapon to protect themselves from harm and to attack the enemy. And so in order to properly handle their sword, the soldiers were given rigid training and instruction…so that in the heat of battle, they could come out victorious. We see this type of serious wisdom in the Berean Jews, who accepted the Gospel Message in Acts 17:10-11 from Paul and Silas, but also examined the Scriptures daily to verify its truth. Thus, they were credited with a discerning nature and critical thinking…always seeking for the truth through diligent study and reflection of God’s Word. Paul also warned the young pastor Timothy to correctly handle or divide the Word of Truth by accurately interpreting and teaching the Scriptures. (II Timothy 2:15) The phrase, “The Sword Of The Spirit”, is only seen once in Scripture here…which can only magnify the importance of knowing God’s Word before we’re caught up in a battle alone and defenseless.

If you find reading the Bible difficult and even boring, then you’re probably reading it wrong. You’re likely to be reading it like a textbook…studying, analyzing, and scrutinizing the words, but never allowing the text to permeate your soul. However, the Bible is not a textbook, but rather a cherished love letter to be slowly and lovingly devoured in order to find the person Who wrote it inside. In John 21: 15-17, the risen Jesus asks Simon Peter this pointed question not once, not twice, but three times…causing Peter to honestly evaluate his relationship with the Lord. And in the end, Peter responses, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” When we read the Bible as a personal and endearing word to us…our love for God changes… transforming into an unconditional and sacrificial love for Him, and in turn, for others.

There is profound peace that comes with knowing our relationship with God is secure. That’s because, no one can take it away…and we only have to look in His Word for that reassurance. Deuteronomy 31:6 tells us, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” And Jesus spoke these comforting words to us in John 10:28, “No one can snatch them out of My hand.” So what does this all mean? We can find peace, comfort, and hope in our ever-abiding fellowship with our loving Heavenly Father… always relying on His unwavering commitment and protective nature, knowing that we are held securely in His caring embrace.

Both Isaiah and Jeremiah had similar encounters with God’s Divine disappointment and heartbreak over the people’s widespread corruption, spiritual apathy, and failure to seek Him. Isaiah laments that, “You’ve hidden Your face from us because of our hardened hearts and sinfulness.” (Isaiah 64:7) And in Jeremiah 5:1 he’s challenged by God to find even one solitary soul in Jerusalem who stands in truth, righteousness, and integrity…but sadly, there is not one upright man in the city, for all are corrupt. But like all three of these prophets who meditated for the people before God…in Exodus 32:11-14, Moses stood in the breach before the Lord to keep His wrath from destroying the people, acting as both mediator & intercessor, and showing the immense power of intercessory prayer. (Psalm 106:23) That’s because, when we pray for someone and intercede on their behalf…we really have no idea the influence, significance, and spiritual clout it contains.

Adversity, suffering, and hardship are all part of the human experience here on earth. That’s because we are a broken people, living in a very broken world. But when Jesus extends His hand and whispers, “Come to Me.” it’s up to us to make the decision to either act or ignore His invitation. If we decide to try and do it on our own without His help, we open ourselves up to anxiety, depression, and hopelessness…for we are not meant to bear the crushing burden alone. But when we respond to Jesus’ encouraging, “Come to Me.”, He will give us rest, and sustain us in peace and quietness. (Exodus 33:14)

No matter how long we’ve been a Believer, we can’t fall into the spiritual apathy and complacency of “assuming” we know how God will move. Thus, we can never put God in a box…for He will blow it wide open in unexpected & unanticipated ways every time. When Jesus was teaching His disciples about the Second Coming in Mark 13:36, He used the word suddenly…as it would happen suddenly without warning. Which the disciples later experienced on the Day of Pentecost in Acts 2:2, when the Holy Spirit suddenly descended upon them. It was also with the same kind of suddenness that Saul (Paul) encountered Jesus on the road to Damascus. (Acts 22:6) So we can never assume that God will come in a certain way…but we can look for Him to show up… as He pleases. So always leave room for God to move.

We hear this statement uttered by many great men of the Bible when they answered God’s call. We have Abraham replying to God in Genesis 22:1, the prophet Isaiah responding in Him in Isaiah 6:8, Moses reacting to God’s Voice coming from the burning bush in Exodus 3:4, and a young Samuel finally answering the Voice of God in I Samuel 3:4,6,8. The Hebrew word here is “Hineni”, which is so more than just a courteous reply from someone who’s ready to help. This phrase comes after counting the costs, similar to when God tested Abraham in Genesis 22:1. For often God’s testing is through adversity or hardship in order for us to demonstrate the quality of our faithfulness, loyalty, and obedience. So when we say, “Here I am!” it’s a courageous response to God without doubt or hesitation. That’s because, we’ve already determined that we’re available, ready, and willing to obey and serve.

Malachi’s name meant “My messenger”…and in this last Chapter of the Old Testament, Malachi warned the people of God’s enduring faithfulness and their serious unfaithfulness. He also prophesied not only about the coming messenger to prepare the way (John the Baptist) but about the coming of the Messiah. (Jesus Christ) In this verse he describes the work of the Messiah as thorough and seriously uncomfortable…as a fuller’s soap. This immediately gave the people a vivid picture of the work of launderers or fullers, who used harsh alkaline chemicals extracted from plants to remove stubborn stains from clothing. They never washed clothing gently…but aggressively rubbed, pressed, and beat the garment until it was clean and white again. Malachi admonished them that God’s cleansing work and transformational purification wasn’t going to be fun, but painful…but would ultimately be for their good.

The lesson that Jesus taught in Luke 15:11-31 went far beyond just a story of a young son squandering his inheritance. The teaching was directed towards the Pharisees and Teachers of the Law, (the older brother) whose self-righteousness was based on their works & merit, and their attitude that they somehow “deserved” God’s favor. For Romans 3:23 reminds us that, “We have all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” And without His Divine Grace we’d all be lost forever. But it took contrition…a coming to his senses…with true godly remorse and repentance, followed by the seeking of forgiveness and redemption by the young man that we then see the father forgiving and loving his wayward son.