‘Shunem, where there was a great woman.’ 2 Kings 4:8 KJV The Bible refers to this woman as ‘a great woman’. That’s because she had a ‘great’ strategy for her life! She prepared a bedroom in her house for Elisha the prophet to use when he passed through town. As a result she got her [...]
Genesis 24–25:18 20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went and told Andrew; Andrew and Philip went and told Jesus. 23 And Jesus answered them, “The hour has [...]
‘The borrower is servant to the lender.’ Proverbs 22:7 NKJV Here’s an idea for getting out of debt, and staying out. Instead of referring to it as your ‘credit card’, start seeing it as your ‘debt card’. Next time you have an ‘itch’ to purchase something you don’t need or can’t pay for, that may [...]
Genesis 20–23 12 The next day the large crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. 13 So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” 14 And Jesus [...]
Genesis 17–19 12:1 Six days before the Passover, Jesus therefore came to Bethany, where Lazarus was, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 So they gave a dinner for him there. Martha served, and Lazarus was one of those reclining with him at table. 3 Mary therefore took a pound of expensive ointment made from pure nard, [...]
‘The Word of God, which effectively works in you who believe.’ 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NKJV Spiritually speaking, you may not be as far along as you’d like to be, but thank God you’re still on the road. At one time you were a stranger to God’s grace, but now you belong to ‘the household of [...]
Genesis 13–16 45 Many of the Jews therefore, who had come with Mary and had seen what he did, believed in him, 46 but some of them went to the Pharisees and told them what Jesus had done. 47 So the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered the council and said, “What are we to do? For this [...]
‘When we grew up, we quit our childish ways.’ 1 Corinthians 13:11 CEV People with strong faith can make you feel ‘less than’, when you compare yourself to them. We can so admire people of faith who testify to amazing changes in their lives—and exude confidence and stability in their relationship with God—that we feel [...]
16 and pregnant. The sort of thing you never really expect to happen. But that’s exactly the situation I found myself in. All of a sudden my life felt like it was over. I had an amazing upbringing. We lived in a small country town and our home, while chaotic and noisy, was full of [...]
‘In due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart.’ Galatians 6:9 NKJV A high-rise construction worker slipped and fell from a scaffold forty floors up. As he was plummeting past the twentieth-floor window, a woman in an office shouted out, ‘How are you doing?’ The man replied, ‘So far, so good!’ Seriously, [...]
Exodus 17:1–7 4:1 Now when Jesus learned that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus was making and baptizing more disciples than John 2 (although Jesus himself did not baptize, but only his disciples), 3 he left Judea and departed again for Galilee. 4 And he had to pass through Samaria. 5 So he came to a town of Samaria called [...]
Genesis 10–12 38 Then Jesus, deeply moved again, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. 39 Jesus said, “Take away the stone.” Martha, the sister of the dead man, said to him, “Lord, by this time there will be an odor, for he has been dead four days.” 40 Jesus said [...]
‘You know that we Jews are not allowed to have anything to do with other people. But God has shown me that He doesn’t think anyone is unclean or unfit.’ Acts 10:28 CEV From a Jewish point of view Cornelius, a Gentile, was a bad guy. He ate the wrong food, hung out with the [...]
‘Clothe yourselves with humility.’ 1 Peter 5:5 NASB The Bible says: ‘Clothe yourselves with humility… for God is opposed to the proud, but gives grace to the humble… humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for [...]
Genesis 7–9 28 When she had said this, she went and called her sister Mary, saying in private, “The Teacher is here and is calling for you.” 29 And when she heard it, she rose quickly and went to him. 30 Now Jesus had not yet come into the village, but was still in the place where Martha [...]
‘Who has despised the day of small things?’ Zechariah 4:10 NKJV When God gave Gideon victory over the Midianites, He used an army of just three hundred to defeat an enemy that swarmed like an uncountable cloud of locusts (see Judges 7). That wasn’t because there weren’t more soldiers available; it was because God wanted [...]
Genesis 4–6 17 Now when Jesus came, he found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb four days. 18 Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off, 19 and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother. 20 So when Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went and met [...]
Genesis 1–3 11:1 Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. 2 It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. 3 So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.” 4 But [...]
‘God blesses everyone who has wisdom and common sense.’ Proverbs 3:13 CEV The key to success lies in doing the right thing at the right time. Theologian Tryon Edwards said, ‘Have a time and place for everything, and do everything in its time and place… you’ll not only accomplish more, but have far more leisure [...]
Ecclesiastes 10–12 34 Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I said, you are gods’? 35 If he called them gods to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be broken—36 do you say of him whom the Father consecrated and sent into the world, ‘You are blaspheming,’ because I said, ‘I am the [...]
‘The Lord looks at the heart.’ 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT Pastor and author John MacArthur says: ‘Jesus’ exposition of the law is a devastating blow against the lie that image is everything. Secret sin is especially abhorrent because: (1) God sees the heart. In fact, if we realised He’s the only audience we’d be less [...]
In Australia ... we’re uniquely prone to natural disasters. Whether they be Bushfires, devastating floods or cyclones, many Australians live in the firing line of powerful forces that can change, or end lives within moments. Many Christians have questions about God’s role in these disasters. And Atheists, arguing against our faith, often ask us ‘How [...]
‘You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.’ Psalm 32:5 NLT David said, ‘I confessed all my sins to You… And You forgave me! All my guilt is gone.’ Julie Ann Barnhill writes: ‘If you’re tired of pretending you have it all together, it’s time to act. For too long Christian women in particular have [...]
Deuteronomy 9:13–29 3 Then the king commanded Ashpenaz, his chief eunuch, to bring some of the people of Israel, both of the royal family and of the nobility, 4 youths without blemish, of good appearance and skillful in all wisdom, endowed with knowledge, understanding learning, and competent to stand in the king’s palace, and to teach them [...]