Our Awesome God

 Patiently Waiting to Shouting for Joy Scripture Readings (NLT) Psalm 145:8 "The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." Lamentations 3:25–26 "The Lord is good to those who depend on Him, to those who search for Him. So it is good to wait quietly for salvation from the Lord." 1 John 5:11 "And this is what God has testified: He has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son." Psalm 71:23 "I will shout for joy and sing your praises, for You have ransomed me." Reflection Life often leads us into seasons of waiting. We wait for answers, for healing, for restored relationships, for open doors, or simply for God to reveal His next step. Waiting can feel lonely. It can tempt us to become discouraged or to wonder if God has forgotten us. Yet throughout Scripture, we discover that waiting on the Lord is never wasted because our confidence rests, not in our circumstances, but in the unchanging characte...

  Jesus, The Bread That Truly Satisfies Scripture Readings (NLT) John 6:35 "Jesus replied, 'I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry again. Whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.'" John 11:25 "Jesus told her, 'I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.'" John 4:14 "But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life." Exodus 16:4 Then the lord said to Moses, “Look, I’m going to rain down food from heaven for you. Each day the people can go out and pick up as much food as they need for that day. I will test them in this to see whether or not they will follow my instructions. Deuteronomy 8:3 Yes, he humbled you by letting you go hungry and then feeding you with manna, a food previously unknown to you and your ancestors. He did it to teach you that people do not live by bread alo...

 A Heart Filled with Thanksgiving Even in Times of Need Scripture Readings (NLT) Psalm 100:4 "Enter his gates with thanksgiving; go into his courts with praise. Give thanks to him and praise his name." Psalm 9:1 "I will praise you, Lord, with all my heart; I will tell of all the marvelous things you have done." Psalm 86:11 "Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Grant me purity of heart, so that I may honor you." 1 Chronicles 29:13 "O our God, we thank you and praise your glorious name!" Psalm 28:7 "The Lord is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving." 2 Corinthians 9:15 "Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words!" 1 Thessalonians 5:18 "Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." Hebrew Word Study The ancient Hebrew word for "t...

 Running the Race with Endurance, Grace, and Hope Scripture Readings (NLT) "Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts." — 2 Timothy 2:22 "So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up." — Galatians 6:9 "The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." — Psalm 145:8 "Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." — Philippians 2:9–11 Our Christian life is often described as a race, but it is not a sprint. It is a daily marathon that requires both acti...

  Standing Strong in Love and Faith Scripture Readings (NLT) 1 John 4:18 "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love." Psalm 145:14 "The Lord helps the fallen and lifts those bent beneath their loads." 1 Timothy 6:12 "Fight the good fight for the true faith. Hold tightly to the eternal life to which God has called you, which you have declared so well before many witnesses. The Pathway from Fear to Victory Life often feels like a series of battles. We face the weight of daily anxieties, the sting of unexpected failures, the pain of loss, and the exhaustion of trying to keep it all together. When we feel overwhelmed, fear whispers that we are alone, that we are not enough, and that our struggles will define us. But God tells a completely different story. Throughout Scripture, we see a beautiful progression that leads us from fear to...

  Standing Firm Until the End Matthew 24:13 "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Mark 13:13 "But the one who endures to the end will be saved." Romans 2:7 "He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers." Revelation 2:10 "Don't be afraid of what you are about to suffer... Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life." Our Christian life is rarely described in Scripture as a sprint. Instead, God's Word consistently presents our journey of faith as a marathon—one that requires steady endurance, unwavering trust, and faithful perseverance. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, Jesus paints a sobering picture of the trials, deception, persecution, and opposition believers will face in a broken world. Yet, right in the middle of those warnings, He anchors us with a promise that has encouraged Christians for centuries: ...