mthemsley50

Pride of Hezekiah

Old Hezekiah was showing off a bit here... wanted to make himself look good. It was no longer about what God had given him or being humble. His pride and trust in what he had was center stage. What a…

Isaiah 39:2 (NLT)

First step after taking over a territory

The setting is when the exiles are returning from Babylon back to Jerusalem.  God is once again, giving them back their land after they begin to seek Him wholeheartedly.  The first thing that is done…

Our dependence on God

Until we realize our COMPLETE dependence on God, we will never fully succeed. That doesn't mean we don't have to work or fight, but what it does mean is that God is on our side and will give us victory.…

2 Chronicles 14:11 (NLT)

God's omniscience (all knowing)

It kinda blows my mind to think that what this verse implies is that God already knew David was going to sin with Bathsheba! So if God knows all things and STILL loves us, how great is His love!!!  V.18…

1 Chronicles 17:11 (NLT)

The Judas choice

Who will betray you? That was the burning question around the table. And Jesus gives his final offer for repentance.. "it is the one to whom I give the bread I dip in the bowl". There was still time,…

John 13:26 (NLT), John 13:27 (NLT)

God's favor

What a beautiful statement.. "David continued to succeed in everything he did, for the Lord was with him." When we read the accounts of how David killed the bears and lions and even Goliath, I believe…

1 Samuel 18:14 (NLT)

pruning and purification

It's the word that prunes and purifies, if it doesn't, the Gardener will cut you off.

John 15:3 (NLT)

glorifying our Father

this pretty much sums up what we should be asking for and why.. Will it bring glory to our Father? That's what Jesus' standard was, and that's what our standard should be.

John 14:13 (NLT), John 14:14 (NLT)

preparation for us

If God created the world and everything we know, including us in 7 days(whatever that means), and then, Jesus, when He's taking off, says "when everything is ready, I will come and get you.." that was…

John 14:2 (NLT), John 14:3 (NLT)

Jesus, Holy Spirit, one

It's always been obvious, at least to me, that Jesus and the Father are one, and probably to most everyone else too. "If you've seem me, you've seen the Father.."  I and the Father are one..".  What I…

Luke 21:14 (NLT), Luke 21:15 (NLT)

friend or foe?

I've read this verse over the years and have really never thought about the answer that God's commander gave Joshua, "neither". By human reasoning, we want to know who is on our side or who is against…

Joshua 5:13 (NLT), Joshua 5:14 (NLT)

Are you ready?

When I was growing up, I seem to recall that everything associated with Christ"s return had fear attached to it. The pervading question was always, will you be ready??? Have you done enough, which leads…

Luke 12:35 (NLT)

You will die..

As I was reading this, I was struck by the fact that really what God was doing, was saying, your usefullness is done, time for someone else to step up and take your place, and then you and I can get some…

Deuteronomy 32:50 (NLT)

God's grandkids..

He doesn't have any! We are all His kids!! That's why this verse is so imprtant... "So EACH generation should set its hope anew on God..." We can't get into heaven by our parents righteousness, nor can…

Psalm 78:7 (NLT)

spiritual battle

I sometimes wondered why Jesus mentioned that "this battle is only won(whatever it is) through fasting AND prayer". This verse seems to give the answer. Fasting sets us apart from things that are distractions…

Deuteronomy 23:14 (NLT)

opposition to commitment

Lke anything else in life, once we make up our minds to do something, like Jesus here when he "resolutely set out for Jerusalem", we can expect opposition!

Luke 9:51 (NLT), Luke 9:52 (NLT), Luke 9:53 (NLT)

Salvation message

What a great image of the salvation message... you were once slaves/captives of sin/Egypt and I freed you from its/their power!!! WOW!

Obey and live

Recently God has been teaching me to Obey.  Not in the major things that we all know about, but in the smaller decisions when the Holy Spirit prompts me to do something.  I can see where there are times…

Deuteronomy 4:1 (NLT)

Timing is everything

What a great example of making sure we do things when God is telling us to do them! Later on in the chapter we find out what happens if we don't.

Deuteronomy 1:42 (NLT)

forgiveness, consequence

Even though God still had a close relationship with Moses, it did not remove the consequence of his sin of disobedience. Many times as parents we give our children a "consequence" if they do something…

Only do what the Father is doing

What a perfect example of always being ready to move when God says move. So often we become comfortable where we are and decide to stay where we are, and that's when we lose out on what God is doing.…

Numbers 9:23 (NLT)

called on the carpet

How does God deal with sin? Immediately! What I see here is the severity of criticism. What it is really saying is that we are better than the person we're criticizing. The reality is that even though…

Numbers 12:1 (NLT), Numbers 12:2 (NLT), Numbers 12:3 (NLT), Numbers 12:4 (NLT)

Power of God's word

Wow! Has my arm lost it's power?? Now you will see whether or not my word comes true!!

Numbers 11:23 (NLT)

influences of

What a great phrase.."foreign rabble"! What's interesting to me is that it wasn't the Israelites who initiated the complaning, it was the "foreign rabble". It also shows how important and how much influence…

Numbers 11:4 (NLT)

Trumpet sound alerts God

One of the purposes of the trumpet in this passage, is a unique one.  It reminds GOD of His covenent with us.  Vs.9, "the Lord will remember you and rescue you.."  Vs.10, "..in times of gladness too,…

Numbers 10:10 (NLT)