Driven By The Bible

“The LORD is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭28:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬David saw more struggle than we can possession not imagine. But the Psalms are timeless because they show his pattern of prayer in the midst of trials. Honesty. Refocus. Renewed faith. Request. Let’s talk about it!

“Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭12:12‬ ‭ESV‬‬Romans 12 gives very practical instruction on how the Body of Christ is to live in unity in a world that seeks to divide it. We should humbly consider this in our own churches today. Let’s talk about it!

“I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.”‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭1:10‬ ‭ESV‬‬We divide over little things. Preferences. People. Secondary issues. But the , when real challenges come, we fracture. And the unity of the church is destroyed. Let’s talk about it!

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us...”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬After recounting the stories biblical hero and biblical hero, the writer of the Letter to the Hebrews exhorts us to join with these heroes in enduring through the pain and struggle of this life, as we look to enter into the Sabbath rest. What does he mean by this?Let’s talk about it!

“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭46:1‬ ‭ESV‬‬Creation is in chaos. The kingdoms of this earth are waging war against the Kingdom of God. It appears to our eyes that our destruction is imminent. But this is the moment we must take refuge in the One True God, knowing that He is with us. Let’s talk about it!

“Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭27:14‬ ‭ESV‬‬This psalm appears to have been written while David was on the run from King Saul. He cries out in prayer to God, acknowledging that even his own parents have forsaken him. Yet in the midst of all this, David’s desire to be in the presence of YHWH comes out. Let’s talk about it!

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;”‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭13:4-5‬ ‭ESV‬‬Love is radical. It compels us to act in a way that the world would consider foolish. It’s the very nature of God. Let’s talk about it!

“Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.”‭‭1 Corinthians‬ ‭15:58‬ ‭ESV‬‬This verse is out of place. It doesn’t seem to fit. The previous verses are talking about resurrection and the Kingdom of God. Why is Paul now writing about endurance?Let’s talk about it!

“For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭139:13-14‬ ‭While this verse has become very popular in the “selfie” world, it isn’t about humanity. It is about a sovereign, omniscient, omnipresent, omnipotent God. And who we are in relation to Him. Let’s talk about it!

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD looks on the heart."‭‭1 Samuel‬ ‭16:7‬ ‭ESV‬‬King Saul looked the part. Jesse’s older sons looked the part. David didn’t. Jewish tradition even says that his father questioned I whether David was even legitimately his son. From the world’s perspective, David could never be the king of Israel. But YHWH saw things very differently. Let’s talk about it!

“Many are the plans in the mind of a man, but it is the purpose of the LORD that will stand.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭19:21‬ ‭ESV‬‬Do you ever feel like your future is out of your control? There’s a good reason for that: it is! But God wants us to live confident purposeful lives. How do we do that in an out of control world?Let’s talk about it!

“The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness; he will quiet you by his love; he will exult over you with loud singing.”‭‭Zephaniah‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭ESV‬‬A day is coming when God will dwell among His people in perfection. But that day is not yet here. How do we experience this reality as we wait for His return?Let’s talk about it!

“I will say to the LORD, "My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust."‭‭Psalms‬ ‭91:2‬ ‭ESV‬‬It’s easy to see this Psalm as a promise of protection when we are walking into danger. But the language is more directed towards our daily life. It’s about resting in the dwelling place of God Almighty, knowing that as our enemies assail us, our God will protect us. Let’s talk about it!

“Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward.”‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭10:35‬ ‭ESV‬‬What is this “confidence” that the writer of Hebrews is exhorting his readers not to throw away? This isn’t a feel-good verse. This is a dire warning that we all must seriously consider. Let’s talk about it!

“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures. He leads me beside still waters. He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake.”‭‭Psalms‬ ‭23:1-3‬ ‭ESV‬‬We have a very inaccurate understanding of what David is meaning when we says, “He makes me lie down in green pastures.” Even as you read these words, the images that take shape in your mind are likely of rolling hills covered with beautiful grass. David didn’t live in the world you’re envisioning. He lived in the desert. Let’s talk about it!

“He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”‭‭Micah‬ ‭6:8‬ ‭ESV‬‬Countless Christians will attend church today; read their Bibles; give tithes and offerings; sing worship songs. And it would be easy to mistake that for what God desires from us as true worship. But the prophet Micah warns us against placing our trust in our religious rituals. True worship must go beyond that. Let’s talk about it!

“Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.”‭‭Romans‬ ‭8:26‬ ‭ESV‬‬When we truly connect with the brokenness we feel in our lives and the world around us, and the hope of the coming Kingdom of God, we truly cannot express our longing for the return of our Messiah. Let’s talk about it!

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the LORD.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:22‬ ‭ESV‬‬As with a lot of Proverbs, this verse is idealistic. Many marriages end up being a disaster. How can a husband and wife guard this relationship? Let’s talk about it!

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruits.”‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭18:21‬ ‭ESV‬‬God brought the universe into existence through words. God manifested Himself as a human and called Himself, “The Word.” Messiah Jesus will defeat His enemies with a word. And Satan used words to bring the Fall of Humanity. Words matter. Let’s talk about it!

“Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice.”‭‭Philippians‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭ESV‬‬Philippians 4:4-13 are Paul’s process for dealing with anxiety or worry. And it all starts with understanding who God truly is, and finding our joy on Him. Let’s talk about it!