Psalms 51:12  Restore to me the joy of Your salvation, And uphold me by Your generous Spirit. What is “restored joy”?  To restore something means to refurbish or renew something back to its original status, in this instance we’re speaking of joy!  To have restored joy would mean our joy is renewed to the original joy…

Christians are the number target of persecution at a global level, taking on different forms depending on the region of the world we live in.  For some it means their lives are threatened every day, losing their heads for the sake of Christ.  For others it takes on the form of political, economic or social…

1 Peter 2: 8   They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. Peter writes that Israel nationally tripped on the “stone” and “rock”, the “chief cornerstone” Jesus Christ. Many didn’t believe He was Messiah, even though they had the entire Torah, books of poetry, psalm, history and prophecy that pointed…

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead Hopelessness is pandemic, few have hope that their circumstances or situations will ever change or be different.  Yet for…

James 2:13b Mercy triumphs over judgment. Many times I find myself confronted with two polar opposite opportunities in the context of relationships; either to be judgmental or to be merciful.  One alienates the other restores! Sometimes we are called to side with judgment, but for me too often the action is premature and prompted by…

Coming up short can be embarrassing and humiliating, especially in public.  Why does it seem so awkward in those settings?  The writer of Hebrews addresses a similar spiritual situation and admonished the believers to not “fall short of the grace of God”. Heb. 12:15  looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God;…

Heb. 12:1, 2a Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, Each of us have…

2 Tim. 2:2  And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also. A good friend and mentor in my life entered the manifest presence of the Lord one year ago today, Dr. Jim Miley.  Our relationship was more than…

You are likely familiar with the verse that reminds us of how faith is received, Rom. 10:17 – by hearing the Word.  Once we hear and heed the Word what is the benefit of having faith? How important and vital is faith to the life of a believer?  Faith is referenced over 220 times in…

Heb. 10:22  let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. An incredible benefit of having received imputed righteousness because of Christ’s sacrifice is a clean conscience. Prior to receiving His righteousness a consciousness of our…