Scripture: I lay down and slept, yet I woke up in safety, for the LORD was watching over me. Psalm 3:5 (NLT)Observation: I laid me down. The pronoun “I” is emphatic. David represents himself as in danger of attack at any moment during the night, hunted and cursed by his enemies, nevertheless able to lie down in peace and sleep,
Scripture: For You cast me into the deep, Into the heart of the seas, And the floods surrounded me; All Your billows and Your waves passed over me. Jonah 2:3 (NKJV)Observation: Salvation is of the LORD. The core of this prayer celebrates God’s miraculous intervention to rescue Jonah by a fish. At the end of Jonah’s prayer God spoke to
Scripture: Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin! So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help. Hebrews 4:15-16 (CEV)Observation: cannot be touched with the
Scripture: GodÕs Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven. Hebrews 1:3 (CEV)Observation: Upholding. Gr. pher, “to bear,” “to carry,” “to
Scripture: For thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength.” But you would not." (Isaiah 30:15 NKJV)Observation: In returning and rest. The only hope of Judah was to turn from evil back to God. In doing so they would find confidence, rest,
Scripture: Then Miriam and Aaron spoke against Moses because of the Ethiopian woman whom he had married; for he had married an Ethiopian woman. (Numbers 12:1 NKJV)Observation: If we were to read the second verse isolated from the first, we might wonder if Aaron and Miriam’s complaints may have some justification – although there really is no justification for jealousy
Scripture: Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: cross, shame, whatever. Hebrews 12:2 (MSG)Observation: Author. Gr. archgos, “leader,” “originator,” “founder,” “pioneer” (RSV). Archgos is
Scripture: There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1 (NKJV)Observation: No condemnation. The good news of the gospel is that Christ came to condemn sin, not sinners (John 3:17; Rom. 8:3). To those who believe and accept the generous provisions
Scripture: Many waters cannot quench love, nor can rivers drown it. If a man tried to buy love with all his wealth, his offer would be utterly scorned. Song of Songs 8:7 (NLT)Observation: Cannot quench love. Pure love is such that nothing can destroy it. It cannot be bought. The highest offer would be completely scorned. This passage, telling of
Scripture: I have no greater joy than this: to hear that my children are living according to the truth. 3 John 1:4Observation: No greater joy. The greatest possible joy fills a Christian worker when he sees the members of his flock taking a strong and resolute stand for right and truth. He is far happier than if he heard only
