Anxiety in a person’s heart weighs it down…Proverbs 12:25 Anxiety is a reaction to the emotion of fear. It isn’t necessarily a sin but can become one when we choose not to trust God. The Bible tells us not to be anxious about anything (Phil 4:6) but also to cast our anxieties on Him (1 … Read more
Casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares for you.1 Peter 5:7 When talking about anxiety in the Bible, you might find words like “worry,” “concern,” or “cares” instead. They all have the same idea. Anxiety is so common in our world today. Really, it’s been around since Adam sinned, and sin entered the … Read more
That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.2 Corinthians 12:10 Saying, “For when I am weak, then I am strong,” seems contradictory. How can you be both weak and strong at the same time? Right before … Read more
but if anyone suffers as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but in that name let him glorify God. 1 Peter 4:16 Christ-followers today generally refer to themselves as Christians. But that wasn’t so in the early church. In fact, it’s possible the word “Christian” was only used by unbelievers to mock believers. At … Read more
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ,2 Peter 1:1 Asking who wrote 2 Peter might seem like a silly question. However, Petrine authorship has been debated for centuries. Interestingly, no one questions that Peter wrote the first letter. But many think he didn’t write the second. Why do some think Peter isn’t the … Read more
For our God is a consuming fire.Hebrews 12:29 In Part 1, we examined several Scriptures about God’s fire and focused on what others thought about asking it to fall on them. Some were for it, and others against it. I shared my limited experience singing the songs that asked for the fire to fall and … Read more
The time had come for the Lord to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind.2 Kings 2:1a In Part 11, Elijah had his last assignment from God. He confronted Ahaziah, Israel’s newest king. Ahaziah dared to send messengers to inquire of the false god of Ekron, Baal-zebub. So, God again demonstrated His sovereign rule … Read more
Ahab rested with his ancestors, and his son Ahaziah became king in his place.1 Kings 22:40 The last we hear of Elijah is when he finds King Ahab and tells him what God intends to do to him and his family because he has sold himself to do what is evil in the Lord‘s sight. … Read more
Get up and go to King Ahab of Israel, who is in Samaria. He’s in Naboth’s vineyard…I Kings 21:18 In Part 9, Elijah anointed Elisha, and Elisha is now following him. Some time passes, when the Lord comes to Elijah, wanting him to confront Ahab about Naboth’s Vineyard. It’s unclear where Elisha is. Maybe he … Read more
Elisha left the oxen standing there, [and] ran after Elijah…1 Kings 19:20 a In His kindness, God gave Elijah a new assignment. It was different from his previous ones. This time, God told him to go back the way he had come and anoint three people. Elijah’s first stop was to anoint Elisha. Elijah had … Read more