"As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 1 Peter 4:10 As Peter begins to wind down his letter to the Christians, who were scattered throughout the area (1:1), he mentions a very simple phrase. It's one of those phrases which is very easy to read and very easy to understand, but sometimes har...

9 So we have not stopped praying for you since we first heard about you. We ask God to give you complete knowledge of his will and to give you spiritual wisdom and understanding. 10 Then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord, and your lives will produce every kind of good fruit. All the while, you will grow as you learn to know God better and better. 11 We...

Psalm 79 "How long, O LORD....? Psalm 79:5a God's people have probably watched the destruction of Jerusalem and God's holy temple and are experiencing a deep sense of depression. They had a sincere desire for God to get involved and they are waiting for some action from Him. They prayed in vs 9, "Help us; O God of our salvation for the glory of Your name; And deliver us ...

Psalm 71 Be to me a rock of habitation to which I may continually come; You have given commandment to save me, For You are my rock and my fortress. Psalm 71:3 By You I have been sustained from my birth; You are He who took me from my mother's womb; My praise is continually of You. Psalm 71:6 But as for me, I will hope continually, And will praise You yet more and more. ...

"He who oppresses the poor taunts his Maker, but he who is gracious to the needy honors Him." Proverbs 14:31 God has created everyone in His image and it doesn't matter what ones status is economically, culturally, politically or whatever; God has created everyone. It is interesting that He especially shows concern for the treatment of the poor. Matthew Henry says: "we d...

"Husbands, likewise, dwell with them (wives) with understanding, giving honor to the wife, as to the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of live, that our prayers may not be hindered." 1 Peter 3:7 A Godly Man's Heart. In verse 7 of I Peter 3 it says for husbands to "dwell" with their wives. David Guzik offers this commentary on the word dwell which I ...

"Your adornment must not be merely externalbraiding the hair, and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the imperishable quality of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is precious in the sight of God." 1 Peter 3:3-4 A Godly Woman's Heart. In Peter's time as in our time, there was and is so much emphasis placed on how...

"Give ear to my Prayer, O God; and do not hide yourself from my supplication." Psalm 55:1 "When I am afraid, I will put my trust in You." Psalm 56: 3 "I will give thanks to You, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to You among the nations." Psalm 57: 9 These 3 chapters, as in most of the Psalms which were written by David, are a distinct glimpse into David's ...

"You also became imitators of us and of the Lord, having received the word in much tribulation with the joy of the Holy Spirit, so that you became an example to all the believers in Macedonia and in Achaia." 1 Thessalonians 1:6-7 Does my life reflect a person who is a follower of Jesus? Have you ever asked yourself that question? It can be a little uncomfortable because t...

"As for the message that you have spoken to us in the name of the LORD, we are not going to listen to you!" Jeremiah 44:16 This verse is a quote from the people telling Jeremiah that he was wasting his time in telling them about God's message. Obviously, these people were bold in their defiance of God. They wanted to do what they wanted to do; "we will certainly carry out...