Behavior Standards

 

A believer’s behavior comes from standards in the Bible. If not, something is very wrong. A panoply of sins in Romans 1:28-32 (TLB) and 2 Timothy are very specific, but the theme is consistent throughout the Bible. These behaviors serve no one. Sin is destructive and no one wins. 

2 Timothy 3:1-5 (TLB) 3 You may as well know this too, Timothy, that in the last days it is going to be very difficult to be a Christian. 2 For people will love only themselves and their money; they will be proud and boastful, sneering at God, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful to them, and thoroughly bad. 3 They will be hardheaded and never give in to others; they will be constant liars and troublemakers and will think nothing of immorality. They will be rough and cruel, and sneer at those who try to be good. 4 They will betray their friends; they will be hotheaded, puffed up with pride, and prefer good times to worshiping God. 5 They will go to church, yes, but they won’t really believe anything they hear. Don’t be taken in by people like that.

2/23/2025

Lord, help!

 

This world is full of homelessness, addicts, very sad stories, criminals and those who can hide their membership in these groups. They are exiled in plain sight of God. He has been with them all along and will gather each one up when asked. God is all loving-kindness and goodness.

Psalm 107:3-9 (TLB) 3 He brought the exiles back from the farthest corners of the earth. 4 They were wandering homeless in the desert, 5 hungry and thirsty and faint. 6 “Lord, help!” they cried, and he did! 7 He led them straight to safety and a place to live. 8 Oh, that these men would praise the Lord for his loving-kindness, and for all of his wonderful deeds! 9 For he satisfies the thirsty soul and fills the hungry soul with good.

2/16/2025

The Darkness and Shadow of Death

 

Until you cry out to God, you reside in the darkness and shadow of death.  You still think your solutions to your dire situation will work.  Self-reliance is with God, not without him. He rescues you when asked and gives you what you need to break self-inflicted chains. 

Psalm 107:13-14 (TLB) 13 Then they cried to the Lord in their troubles, and he rescued them! 14 He led them from the darkness and shadow of death and snapped their chains.

2/9/2025

Happy is the Man

“But happy is the man who has the God of Jacob as his helper…”  God’s people see things differently than those who do not know him. Men are fallible, God is not.  Trusting him for all things can be a struggle, but something worth struggling for.

Psalm 146:3-8 (TLB) 3 Don’t look to men for help; their greatest leaders fail; 4 for every man must die. His breathing stops, life ends, and in a moment all he planned for himself is ended. 5 But happy is the man who has the God of Jacob as his helper, whose hope is in the Lord his God— 6 the God who made both earth and heaven, the seas and everything in them. He is the God who keeps every promise, 7 who gives justice to the poor and oppressed and food to the hungry. He frees the prisoners 8 and opens the eyes of the blind; he lifts the burdens from those bent down beneath their loads. For the Lord loves good men. 9 He protects the immigrants and cares for the orphans and widows. But he turns topsy-turvy the plans of the wicked.

2/2/2025

7 Things God Hates

 

The 7 Things God Hates is a definitive listing of character traits from the pit of Hell. In corruption these traits are covered up or legalized for some, but not all. There is no peace and respect for one another when these traits predominate among the citizenry or leaders.

Proverbs 6:16-19 (TLB) 16-19 For there are six things the Lord hates—no, seven: haughtiness, lying, murdering, plotting evil, eagerness to do wrong, a false witness, sowing discord among brothers.

1/26/2025

My Grace is Sufficient

God gives you purpose and gifts. They may not be what YOU think they are or should be; it is what God put in you. He even covers weaknesses and handicaps.  He says, But I am with you; that is all you need. His grace is sufficient and it is better than any other option.

2 Corinthians 12:8-9 (TLB) 8 Three different times I begged God to make me well again. 9 Each time he said, “No. But I am with you; that is all you need. My power shows up best in weak people.” Now I am glad to boast about how weak I am; I am glad to be a living demonstration of Christ’s power, instead of showing off my own power and abilities.

1/19/2025

The Lord's Prayer - Part 5

 

All are tempted to sin and there is no end to the many ways it presents. It is wise to pray this verse each day. Everyone is at risk from the effects of evil. There is a universal need to seek God’s protection from temptation and the enemies of human souls.

Matthew 6:13 (NIV) And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

1/12/2025

The Lord's Prayer - Part 4

Forgiveness is a cornerstone of the Bible.  To forgive and be forgiven is a balm needed by all. God forgives as you acknowledge your wrong actions or thoughts. Jesus forgave those who tortured and killed him and with his example, you can forgive those who trespass against you.

Matthew 6:12 (NIV) And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors.

1/5/2025

The Lord's Prayer - Part 3

 

Jesus said several times that when you let God direct your ways, you will always have access to work and other means for food, shelter and clothing.  This part of the prayer affirms this promise. As you trust God and seek his ways, he sees to it your basic needs are met. 

Matthew 6:11 (NIV) 11 Give us today our daily bread.

12/29/2024

The Lord's Prayer - Part 2

 

This portion of the prayer calls you to desire God’s will over your own. You have to respect God first. You seek his will because he knows everything that is or will be.  On your own, you cannot know what God knows.  This is how God works. 

Matthew 6:10 (NIV) 10  your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

12/22/2024

The Lord's Prayer - Part 1

 

In the Lord’s Prayer, Jesus instructs how to talk to God.  It begins by recognizing God as a Father and the Father of everyone and all that is. He is holy above all else and showing respect of his authority (also called “fearing God”), is the best way to begin prayer. 

Matthew 6:9 (NIV) 9 “This, then, is how you should pray: “‘Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,

12/15/2024

God uses Elisha to Raise Boy from the Dead

 

These verses show how to trust God in your most dire times. The woman’s only son fell ill and died very quickly.  She said “It shall be well,” and then, “it is well.” It was, as she looked for Elisha and God used him to bring her son back to life.  No matter the trouble, it shall be well.

2 Kings 4: 18-26 (KJV) 18 And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. 19 And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. 20 And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died. 21 And she went up, and laid him on the bed of the man of God, and shut the door upon him, and went out. 22 And she called unto her husband, and said, Send me, I pray thee, one of the young men, and one of the asses, that I may run to the man of God, and come again. 23 And he said, Wherefore wilt thou go to him to day? it is neither new moon, nor sabbath. And she said, It shall be well. 24 Then she saddled an ass, and said to her servant, Drive, and go forward; slack not thy riding for me, except I bid thee. 25 So she went and came unto the man of God to mount Carmel. And it came to pass, when the man of God saw her afar off, that he said to Gehazi his servant, Behold, yonder is that Shunammite: 26 Run now, I pray thee, to meet her, and say unto her, Is it well with thee? is it well with thy husband? is it well with the child? And she answered, It is well.

12/8/2024

Mind your own Business

 

Living a quiet life, without guile, and seeking God’s ways, is the template to peace in your life. Letting God take care of whether others are in the right or wrong is what minding your own business means.  You never do better than when you are exactly where God has you.  

1 Thessalonians 4:11 (TLB)  11 This should be your ambition: to live a quiet life, minding your own business and doing your own work, just as we told you before.

12/1/2024

Sexual Sin

 

Sexual sin has been normalized by making it appear trivial and using delightful fictional characters in media who make their way into the hearts of the public. The Bible is one of the few voices challenging it.  Here is one explanation of why sexual sin is not trivial. 

1 Corinthians 6:18 (MSG) 16-20 There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.

11/28/2024

The Healer above all Healers

 

These verses refer to the days after Jesus was crucified.  The disciples were frightened and traumatized. In the midst of their despair, and without their even asking, Jesus appeared in reassurance his promises were true.  This is what Jesus does, the Healer above all healers.

John 20:19-22 (NIV) 19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

11/24/2024

The Genealogy of Jesus

 

You could call the first verses of Matthew the Genesis of the New Testament.  Included are some women in the line, most with poor sexual reputations, and not all were Hebrews. God understands your circumstances.  Your respect for him is the first step to redemption. 

Matthew 1:1-16 (NIV) The Genealogy of Jesus the Messiah 1 This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham: 2 Abraham was the father of Isaac, Isaac the father of Jacob, Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers, 3 Judah the father of Perez and Zerah, whose mother was Tamar, Perez the father of Hezron, Hezron the father of Ram, 4 Ram the father of Amminadab, Amminadab the father of Nahshon, Nahshon the father of Salmon, 5 Salmon the father of Boaz, whose mother was Rahab, Boaz the father of Obed, whose mother was Ruth, Obed the father of Jesse, 6 and Jesse the father of King David. David was the father of Solomon, whose mother had been Uriah’s wife, 7 Solomon the father of Rehoboam, Rehoboam the father of Abijah, Abijah the father of Asa, 8 Asa the father of Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat the father of Jehoram, Jehoram the father of Uzziah, 9 Uzziah the father of Jotham, Jotham the father of Ahaz, Ahaz the father of Hezekiah, 10 Hezekiah the father of Manasseh, Manasseh the father of Amon, Amon the father of Josiah, 11 and Josiah the father of Jeconiah[c] and his brothers at the time of the exile to Babylon. 12 After the exile to Babylon: Jeconiah was the father of Shealtiel, Shealtiel the father of Zerubbabel, 13 Zerubbabel the father of Abihud, Abihud the father of Eliakim, Eliakim the father of Azor, 14 Azor the father of Zadok, Zadok the father of Akim, Akim the father of Elihud, 15 Elihud the father of Eleazar, Eleazar the father of Matthan, Matthan the father of Jacob, 16 and Jacob the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, and Mary was the mother of Jesus who is called the Messiah. 

11/17/2024

Beautiful Inside and Out

 

Emphasizing outward beauty over inward beauty is a problem.  These verses say you are precious to God as you develop things that reflect his goodness - a beautiful heart, and a gentle and quiet spirit.  These make you beautiful from the inside out.

1 Peter 3:3-4 (TLB) 3 Don’t be concerned about the outward beauty that depends on jewelry, or beautiful clothes, or hair arrangement. 4 Be beautiful inside, in your hearts, with the lasting charm of a gentle and quiet spirit that is so precious to God.

11/3/2024

If this is wrong, I don't want to be right

“If this is wrong, I don’t want to be right.” If the only times you have spoken these words is in regard to eating dessert, you are fortunate. It is primarily a reference to sexual indescretion.  As with most temptation, it is an energy and rationalized strength that will turn to pure hell.

Matthew 26:41 (TLB) 41 Keep alert and pray. Otherwise temptation will overpower you. For the spirit indeed is willing, but how weak the body is!

10/27/2024

The Prodigal's Brother

 

The brother of the prodigal son is to be appreciated for his loyalty and work ethic, but this isn’t his story. It is the story of anyone who takes the gifts God gives and lives in defiance of all that is holy. God promises to forgive as you repent.  Family members, unlike God, sometimes never do.

Luke 15:25-32 (MSG) 25-27 “All this time his older son was out in the field. When the day’s work was done he came in. As he approached the house, he heard the music and dancing. Calling over one of the houseboys, he asked what was going on. He told him, ‘Your brother came home. Your father has ordered a feast—barbecued beef!—because he has him home safe and sound.’ 28-30 “The older brother stomped off in an angry sulk and refused to join in. His father came out and tried to talk to him, but he wouldn’t listen. The son said, ‘Look how many years I’ve stayed here serving you, never giving you one moment of grief, but have you ever thrown a party for me and my friends? Then this son of yours who has thrown away your money on whores shows up and you go all out with a feast!’ 31-32 “His father said, ‘Son, you don’t understand. You’re with me all the time, and everything that is mine is yours—but this is a wonderful time, and we had to celebrate. This brother of yours was dead, and he’s alive! He was lost, and he’s found!’”

10/20/2024

Whatever the Circumstance

 

Due to their continual sins, God allowed the land of his people to be taken from them. Then he told them to work for the well-being of their captors as if they were in their own homeland. Build homes, marry, multiply, plant vineyards. Honor God whatever the circumstance. 

Jeremiah 29:5-7 (TLB) 5 Build homes and plan to stay; plant vineyards, for you will be there many years. 6 Marry and have children, and then find mates for them and have many grandchildren. Multiply! Don’t dwindle away! 7 And work for the peace and prosperity of Babylon. Pray for her, for if Babylon has peace, so will you.

10/13/2024