Your word is like a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.
Psalm 119:105
The purpose of the Bible is simply to proclaim God’s plan to save His children. It asserts that man is lost and needs to be saved. And it communicates the message that Jesus is the God in the flesh sent to save his children.
Though the Bible was written over sixteen centuries by at least forty authors, it has one central theme—salvation through faith in Christ. Begun by Moses in the lonely desert of Arabia and finished by John on the lonely Isle of Patmos, it is held together by a strong thread: God’s passion and God’s plan to save His children.
What a vital truth! Understanding the purpose of the Bible is like setting the compass in the right direction. Calibrate it correctly and you’ll journey safely. But fail to set it, and who knows where you’ll end up.
“How to Study the Bible”
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 145
Friday, May 04, 2007
Thursday, May 03, 2007
SOMETIMES GOD SAYS NO
Continue praying, keeping alert, and always thanking God.
Colossians 4:2
Can you imagine the outcome if a parent honored each request of each child during a trip? We’d inch our bloated bellies from one ice-cream store to the next.…
Can you imagine the chaos if God indulged each of ours? …
“For God has not destined us [emphasis mine] to the terrors of judgment, but to the full attainment of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1st Thessalonians 5:9 NASB).
Note God’s destiny for your life. Salvation.
God’s overarching desire is that you reach that destiny. His itinerary includes stops that encourage your journey. He frowns on stops that deter you. When his sovereign plan and your earthly plan collide, a decision must be made. Who’s in charge of this journey?
If God must choose between your earthly satisfaction and your heavenly salvation, which do you hope he chooses?
Me too.
In the Eye of the Storm
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 144
Colossians 4:2
Can you imagine the outcome if a parent honored each request of each child during a trip? We’d inch our bloated bellies from one ice-cream store to the next.…
Can you imagine the chaos if God indulged each of ours? …
“For God has not destined us [emphasis mine] to the terrors of judgment, but to the full attainment of salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1st Thessalonians 5:9 NASB).
Note God’s destiny for your life. Salvation.
God’s overarching desire is that you reach that destiny. His itinerary includes stops that encourage your journey. He frowns on stops that deter you. When his sovereign plan and your earthly plan collide, a decision must be made. Who’s in charge of this journey?
If God must choose between your earthly satisfaction and your heavenly salvation, which do you hope he chooses?
Me too.
In the Eye of the Storm
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 144
Wednesday, May 02, 2007
WE LOOK TO GOD
“Lord, if it’s you,” Peter says, “tell me to come to you on the water.”
Matthew 14:28 niv
Peter is not testing Jesus; he is pleading with Jesus. Stepping onto a stormy sea is not a move of logic; it is a move of desperation. Peter grabs the edge of the boat. Throws out a leg … follows with the other. Several steps are taken. It’s as if an invisible ridge of rocks runs beneath his feet. At the end of the ridge is the glowing face of a never-say-die friend.
We do the same, don’t we? We come to Christ in an hour of deep need. We abandon the boat of good works. We realize … that human strength won’t save us. So we look to God in desperation. We realize … that all the good works in the world are puny when laid before the Perfect One.
In the Eye of the Storm
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 143
Matthew 14:28 niv
Peter is not testing Jesus; he is pleading with Jesus. Stepping onto a stormy sea is not a move of logic; it is a move of desperation. Peter grabs the edge of the boat. Throws out a leg … follows with the other. Several steps are taken. It’s as if an invisible ridge of rocks runs beneath his feet. At the end of the ridge is the glowing face of a never-say-die friend.
We do the same, don’t we? We come to Christ in an hour of deep need. We abandon the boat of good works. We realize … that human strength won’t save us. So we look to God in desperation. We realize … that all the good works in the world are puny when laid before the Perfect One.
In the Eye of the Storm
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 143
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
PRAYERS ARE PRECIOUS JEWELS
The Lord sees the good people and listens to their prayers.
1 Peter 3:12
You and I live in a loud world. To get someone’s attention is no easy task. He must be willing to set everything aside to listen: turn down the radio, turn away from the monitor, turn the corner of the page and set down the book. When someone is willing to silence everything else so he can hear us clearly, it is a privilege. A rare privilege, indeed.
[Your] prayers are honored [in heaven] as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord.… Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God.…
Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven, and “God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.” …
Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth.
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 142
1 Peter 3:12
You and I live in a loud world. To get someone’s attention is no easy task. He must be willing to set everything aside to listen: turn down the radio, turn away from the monitor, turn the corner of the page and set down the book. When someone is willing to silence everything else so he can hear us clearly, it is a privilege. A rare privilege, indeed.
[Your] prayers are honored [in heaven] as precious jewels. Purified and empowered, the words rise in a delightful fragrance to our Lord.… Your words do not stop until they reach the very throne of God.…
Your prayer on earth activates God’s power in heaven, and “God’s will is done on earth as it is in heaven.” …
Your prayers move God to change the world. You may not understand the mystery of prayer. You don’t need to. But this much is clear: Actions in heaven begin when someone prays on earth.
The Great House of God
[1]
Today's Scripture in Context
[1]Lucado, Max; Gibbs, Terri A.: Grace for the Moment: Inspirational Thoughts for Each Day of the Year. Nashville, Tenn.: J. Countryman, 2000, S. 142
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