Becoming
John 8:25 Know me by my words
“Who are you?” they asked. “Just what I have been telling you from the beginning,” Jesus replied.” John 8:25 NIV Rotherham translates this verse [with notes]: They were saying to him therefore, “Who are you?” Jesus said to them, “First and foremost [at the outset, or fundamentally] even what I speak to you.” [or “What…
Read MoreJohn 8:12 Lighten up!
When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” John 8:12 NIV [Preface comments: This narrative seems to be connected with the previous time Jesus spoke in John 7:39 when he told those…
Read MoreMatthew 6:10 Alignment with Heaven
Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Matthew 6:10 NASB1995 There is something about God’s kingdom coming that connects with His will being done, not just in heaven, but also on earth. In the context of personal prayer, it is easy to interpret this to mean, that in…
Read MoreOnly One Thing | My Attention Matters
I often marvel at the ability of God to know and love the sheer number of people on earth. How can He love everyone when I can barely do it with the few in my life? He commanded Adam and Noah to be fruitful, multiply, and fill the earth — with the intention of loving…
Read MoreJohn 6:70-71 So close, but so far
Jesus answered them, “Did I Myself not choose you, the twelve, and yet one of you is a devil?” Now He meant Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the twelve, was going to betray Him. John 6:70-71 NASB If all the dramatic lessons in John 6 weren’t enough — from the…
Read MoreLessons from the dust | When friends with good intentions visit
On Sunday, my wife and I met at our good friends’ house and commemorated the year mark of the wife’s ongoing struggle with cancer. While listening to her, she said with no uncertainty that it was just recently that she had become self-aware, humbled, and resolved lifelong issues that have come to the surface from…
Read MoreProverbs 14:8 Packing for my trip
The wisdom of the prudent is to give thought to their ways, but the folly of fools is deception. Proverbs 14:8 NIV There is a big difference between doing something impulsively and thinking about it beforehand. Some of my biggest and most embarrassing moments have come from the lack of consideration of the impact of…
Read MoreProverbs 13:20 Hocus focus and becoming
Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm. Proverbs 13:20 NIV Friendship is empathy. Understanding, aligning with, and accepting another. When you associate with someone, it creates a natural context for the heart to follow. The tighter a relationship, the more I will become like what I’m observing, accepting,…
Read MoreProverbs 12:4 Two are better than one
A wife of noble character is her husband’s crown, but a disgraceful wife is like decay in his bones. Proverbs12:4NIV Or A virtuous [strong, worthy, capable] woman is the crown of her husband [owner], but a veritable decay in the bones is she that causes shame. Proverbs 12:4 Rotherham Virtuous, noble, worthy, all deep and…
Read MoreProverbs 12:3 Roots and a Healthy Soul
A man is not established by wickedness, But the root of the righteous cannot be moved. Proverbs12:3NKJV Or more literally: A son of earth shall not be established by lawlessness, but the root of the righteous shall not be disturbed. Proverbs 12:3 Rotherham Or more loosely: You can’t find firm footing in a swamp, but…
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