“Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. For behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and thick darkness the peoples; but the Lord will arise upon you, and his glory will be seen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1-2 (ESV) Awaken Church. Arise and shine, for the glorious light of Christ s[...]
Then take care lest you forget the Lord, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery.” Deuteronomy 6:12 (ESV.) When I was in elementary school, I was admitted to the hospital for ten days due to a fluid build-up in my jaw. I was unable to open my mouth and was in incredible pain. The doctors and sur[...]
The Apostle Paul is single-handedly responsible for writing a significant portion of the New Testament. He wrote in the FIRST person, knew his past and present, and could look to his future. Apostle Paul pulled no punches. He assumed no lofty perches based on pretense or piety. His total love fully set upon the face of Jesus Chr[...]
"Is not your fear of God your confidence, and the integrity of your ways your hope? "Job 4:6 (RSV). Job, Chapter 4, is a conversation between Job and his friends. Job is wrestling with the question: can mortal man be right before God? His friends are trying to convince him that something is wrong with him and he must repent. Bu[...]
Right now, in our world, some people are quick to share every little aspect of their lives. Social media is filled with posts about what food you just ate, what outfit you are wearing, what funny thing your pet just did, your latest workout, and so much more. We’ve seen over the years a rise in “influences” for everythin[...]
“Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.’” Joshua 3:5 (NIV) I was stunned the other day by a verse I read in Exodus. I was reading the story of Moses and the burning bush – a story I’ve heard countless times! And yet, this time, a small, unassuming deta[...]
Have you ever watched a house being built? The first part is to lay the foundation, dig a huge hole in the ground, churn up what was previously there, smooth it out and then pour concrete to keep it that way, the way it needs to be to support the structure built on it. I guess that’s a very simplistic description. My apologies[...]
When treading cautiously in dark, unfamiliar places, we appreciate a flashlight's beam. Whether the brilliant light is on our cellphones or through dedicated handheld torches, shining a light on the path AHEAD gives us more confidence in the journey. We are more likely to see obstructions or uneven ground, enabling us to adjust[...]
Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. Ephesians 6:13 (ESV). Paul calls us to take up the spiritual armor God has given us for a spiritual battle. We are to use every piece of God's armor to resist the enemy in the time of evil so that aft[...]
"Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Ephesians 5:1-2 Our children and young people around us are watching. They watch what we do, what we say, how we treat others, and how we show the love of Christ. A[...]
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