BIBLE BYTES -- The Bible is the GOAT! Verses and values from the Old and New Testaments!
There are many ways bad decisions are made, whether via the great locust, young locust, the locust swarm, or other locusts. Because God loves justice so much, he promises he will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.
Joel 2:25 (NIV) “I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten—the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm—my great army that I sent among you."
2/25/2024
Nicodemus was a member of a group that always tried to get Jesus in a “Gotcha!” Nicodemus yearned for Truth so he went directly to Jesus at night to avoid being seen. Friends (or church traditions) may not always encourage it, but God loves an independent questioning mind.
John 3:1-4 (TLB) 3 1-2 After dark one night a Jewish religious leader named Nicodemus, a member of the sect of the Pharisees, came for an interview with Jesus. “Sir,” he said, “we all know that God has sent you to teach us. Your miracles are proof enough of this.” 3 Jesus replied, “With all the earnestness I possess I tell you this: Unless you are born again, you can never get into the Kingdom of God.” 4 “Born again!” exclaimed Nicodemus. “What do you mean? How can an old man go back into his mother’s womb and be born again?”
2/18/2024
Once you experience the light of Christ, the contrast between light and dark can’t be more obvious. You begin to see dark habits in your life. Jesus will heal every bit of darkness that you bring to him. Bring your unrighteousness to him every single day and let him cleanse you.
1 John 1: 5-7 (TLB) 5 This is the message God has given us to pass on to you: that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all. 6 So if we say we are his friends but go on living in spiritual darkness and sin, we are lying. 7 But if we are living in the light of God’s presence, just as Christ does, then we have wonderful fellowship and joy with each other, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from every sin.
2/11/2024
God was about to bring the hammer down in Judah when they asked what they could do to change his mind. Do you really think that you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and worship Baal…? Even though they asked they really had no intention of changing these things and didn’t.
Jeremiah 7:5-11 (TLB) 5 You may remain under these conditions only: If you stop your wicked thoughts and deeds and are fair to others; 6 if you stop exploiting orphans, widows, and foreigners, and stop your murdering; if you stop worshiping idols as you do now to your hurt, 7 then, and only then, will I let you stay in this land that I gave to your fathers to keep forever. 8 You think that because the Temple is here, you will never suffer? Don’t fool yourselves! 9 Do you really think that you can steal, murder, commit adultery, lie, and worship Baal and all of those new gods of yours, 10 and then come here and stand before me in my Temple and chant, “We are saved!”—only to go right back to all these evil things again? 11 Is my Temple but a den of robbers in your eyes? For I see all the evil going on in there.
2/4/2024
Where is your flock … your beautiful flock he gave you to take care of? Is there anything more devastating than knowing you blew everything - not anyone else - but you? It may be a time of great personal loss but also a time when you can begin again and do it right with God.
Jeremiah 13:20 (TLB) 20 See the armies marching from the north! Where is your flock, Jerusalem, your beautiful flock he gave you to take care of?
1/28/2024
Good chooses his people. It is no coincidence or mistake when he chooses you. He is constantly knocking. You know it his him when you are able to sense and identify something profoundly bigger than yourself asking you to give him your ego and carnal identity.
Revelation 3:20 (TLB) 20 “Look! I have been standing at the door, and I am constantly knocking. If anyone hears me calling him and opens the door, I will come in and fellowship with him and he with me.
1/21/2024
Jesus prayed all the time. He asked God if he would “take away this cup of horror.” He used his free will to accept what God wanted for him, as awful as it was in that moment. He knew his purpose, power and success came solely from the Father, not anything else.
2 Corinthians 3:3-6 (TLB) 3 They can see that you are a letter from Christ, written by us. It is not a letter written with pen and ink, but by the Spirit of the living God; not one carved on stone, but in human hearts. 4 We dare to say these good things about ourselves only because of our great trust in God through Christ, that he will help us to be true to what we say, 5 and not because we think we can do anything of lasting value by ourselves. Our only power and success comes from God.
1/14/2024
There are as many takes on God’s Word as there are people. No one knows it all. Seek Truth in every situation. Learn to recognize when something is good or evil but be wary of creating divisions in the body of Christ. He is the arbiter of who is and who isn’t one of his.
Mark 9:38-40 (NIV) 38 “Teacher,” said John, “we saw someone driving out demons in your name and we told him to stop, because he was not one of us.” 39 “Do not stop him,” Jesus said. “For no one who does a miracle in my name can in the next moment say anything bad about me, 40 for whoever is not against us is for us.
When Moses went to Pharoah, he told him God said, “Let my people go.” Most only remember those words, but he continued: “...for they must make a holy pilgrimage… to worship me…” To step out of your personal slavery or any difficult situation, go first to God.
Exodus 5:1 (TLB) 5 After this presentation to the elders, Moses and Aaron went to see Pharoah. They told him, “We bring you a message from Jehovah, the God of Israel. He says, ‘Let my people go, for they must make a holy pilgrimage out into the wilderness, for a religious feast, to worship me there.’”
1/1/2024
These verses say “be happy” when you are tempted or in difficulty. That means you let yourself be energized in anticipation of how you will meet the challenge. You want to work through your problems. God loves to use your difficulties to develop the very best in you.
James 1:2-4 (TLB) 2 Dear brothers, is your life full of difficulties and temptations? Then be happy, 3 for when the way is rough, your patience has a chance to grow. 4 So let it grow, and don’t try to squirm out of your problems. For when your patience is finally in full bloom, then you will be ready for anything, strong in character, full and complete.
12/25/2023
Naaman was a military hero, and a leper? Leprosy is so contagious that lepers had to live in quarantine so something isn’t adding up in this verse. It is this: Every single person has a contagious and destructive sin, yet God will heal and make a hero of anyone he chooses.
These verses refer to a relationship with God. It is not about human servitude. That is illegal. To have a servant’s heart, you put God and what he wants from you ahead of your needs. To merely obey is good, but it is not conclusively indicative of a desire to serve God and others.
Luke 17:7-10 7-9 When a servant comes in from plowing or taking care of sheep, he doesn’t just sit down and eat, but first prepares his master’s meal and serves him his supper before he eats his own. And he is not even thanked, for he is merely doing what he is supposed to do. 10 Just so, if you merely obey me, you should not consider yourselves worthy of praise. For you have simply done your duty!”
Luke 16:19-31 (TLB) 19 “There was a certain rich man,” Jesus said, “who was splendidly clothed and lived each day in mirth and luxury. 20 One day Lazarus, a diseased beggar, was laid at his door. 21 As he lay there longing for scraps from the rich man’s table, the dogs would come and lick his open sores. 22 Finally the beggar died and was carried by the angels to be with Abraham in the place of the righteous dead. The rich man also died and was buried, 23 and his soul went into hell. There, in torment, he saw Lazarus in the far distance with Abraham. 24 “‘Father Abraham,’ he shouted, ‘have some pity! Send Lazarus over here if only to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in these flames.’ 25 “But Abraham said to him, ‘Son, remember that during your lifetime you had everything you wanted, and Lazarus had nothing. So now he is here being comforted and you are in anguish. 26 And besides, there is a great chasm separating us, and anyone wanting to come to you from here is stopped at its edge; and no one over there can cross to us.’ 27 “Then the rich man said, ‘O Father Abraham, then please send him to my father’s home— 28 for I have five brothers—to warn them about this place of torment lest they come here when they die.’ 29 “But Abraham said, ‘The Scriptures have warned them again and again. Your brothers can read them any time they want to.’ 30 “The rich man replied, ‘No, Father Abraham, they won’t bother to read them. But if someone is sent to them from the dead, then they will turn from their sins.’ 31 “But Abraham said, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t listen even though someone rises from the dead.’”
12/3/2023
Paul was as terrible a human being as ever lived. He was merciless and cruel and joyfully caused suffering. No one likes a person like that. God could have destroyed him and used a milder personality to teach of his love and beautiful Kingdom. Instead, he chose a man willing to let Jesus change him.
Acts 22:4-10 (TLB) 4 And I persecuted the Christians, hounding them to death, binding and delivering both men and women to prison. 5 The High Priest or any member of the Council can testify that this is so. For I asked them for letters to the Jewish leaders in Damascus, with instructions to let me bring any Christians I found to Jerusalem in chains to be punished. 6 “As I was on the road, nearing Damascus, suddenly about noon a very bright light from heaven shone around me. 7 And I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me, ‘Paul, Paul, why are you persecuting me?’ 8 “‘Who is it speaking to me, sir?’ I asked. And he replied, ‘I am Jesus of Nazareth, the one you are persecuting.’ 9 The men with me saw the light but didn’t understand what was said. 10 “And I said, ‘What shall I do, Lord?’ “And the Lord told me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told what awaits you in the years ahead.’
11/19/2023
As you walk with God, you find goodness and unfailing kindness, a kind of which humans may aspire to but cannot reach. An angry, punitive God looking to catch your mistakes is not how he works. A beautiful relationship with God is yours to keep in this life and the next.
Psalms 23:6 (TLB) 6 Your goodness and unfailing kindness shall be with me all of my life, and afterwards I will live with you forever in your home.
11/12/2023
God promises to provide for the physical and emotional needs of those he calls to him. He sees to it you find food, shelter, family, work and love. Ask God about these areas of your life every day. Listen to what he says. Be grateful for all he provides.
Psalm 23:5 (TLB) 5 You provide delicious food for me in the presence of my enemies. You have welcomed me as your guest; blessings overflow!
11/5/2023
Except for teenagers and adrenaline junkies, humans fear death and true terror. It can be an objective or subjective danger. This beautifully says God is worthy of your trust in navigating this life. He guards and directs you as his staff and rod push danger away from your side.
Psalms 23:4 (TLB) 4 Even when walking through the dark valley of death I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me, guarding, guiding all the way.
10/29/2023
When you walk with God, you find peace in the most unexpected places. He teaches you in the ways you learn best. When you are weak, he gives and teaches strength. When you let the Good Shepherd lead, you find you can live an honorable and joyful life.
Psalm 23: 2-3 (TLB) 2-3 He lets me rest in the meadow grass and leads me beside the quiet streams. He gives me new strength. He helps me do what honors him the most.
10/22/2023
Sheep easily get lost and aren’t very smart or picky about what they follow. Human sheep similarly wander off, follow most any impulse and are not very smart without God’s help. Yet this verse changes that perception of sheep: You are wise to let God be your Shepherd.
Psalm 23:1 (TLB) 23 Because the Lord is my Shepherd, I have everything I need!
10/15/2023
Wisdom is a culmination of knowledge, experience and good judgement. It begins with reverence for God. Cultivating it is a life’s work. Devote time developing your knowledge of God and his ways and you will find wisdom. It is what makes your days and years worthwhile.
Proverbs 9:10-12 (TLB) 10 For the reverence and fear of God are basic to all wisdom. Knowing God results in every other kind of understanding. 11 “I, Wisdom, will make the hours of your day more profitable and the years of your life more fruitful.” 12 Wisdom is its own reward, and if you scorn her, you hurt only yourself.
10/8/2023
