“And it is only right that I should keep on reminding you as long as I live. For our Lord Jesus Christ has shown me that I must soon leave this earthly life” (2 Peter 1:13-14 NLT). Peter knew his time was short. For the Lord Jesus had told so. In the meantime, he was
“God has given each of you a gift from his great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another” (1 Peter 4:10 NLT). The apostle Peter reminded believers of the importance of loving and serving “one another.” This instruction included being hospitable. In other words, be friendly and welcoming to one another,
“He urged them to ask the God of heaven to show them his mercy by telling them the secret, so they would not be executed along with the other wise men of Babylon” (Daniel 2:18 NLT). When Daniel heard of King Nebuchadnezzer’s intent to execute all of Babylon’s wisemen for being unable to recount and
“LORD, you are mine! I promise to obey your words!” (Psalm 119:57 NLT). The psalmist declared that the Lord Himself was his portion, his reward. He sought not the Lord’s hands, but His face. While others seek blessing, he sought the Bestower of all true blessings. Remember the parable Jesus told of the prodigal son?
“You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart” (1 Peter 1:22 NLT). The apostle Peter taught that the foundation of being a Christ-follower is obedience to the truth, which is
“We have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay” (1 Peter 1:4 NLT). Today’s uncertain economy causes many to worry about their future retirement. What we invest in our 401K does not have guaranteed returns. But what we invest in God’s
“You, too, must be patient. Take courage, for the coming of the Lord is near.” (James 5:8 NLT). As the farmer patiently waits for the rain and the harvest, so James called believers to be patient and courageous until the Lord’s return. For the Lord’s coming is near. How near? No one knows, except the
“Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (James 4:17 NLT). There are sins of commission and sins of omission. The first is to commit a sin by breaking a law, and the second is to omit to do the good thing that was within your power
“In a vision from God he took me to the land of Israel and set me down on a very high mountain. From there I could see toward the south what appeared to be a city” (Ezekiel 40:2 NLT). God gave Ezekiel a vision of a new temple in Jerusalem. The description is very detailed,
“My dear brothers and sisters, how can you claim to have faith in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ if you favor some people over others?” (James 2:1 NLT). The apostle James wrote that believers should not show partiality to some over others. He especially had in mind those who were favoring the rich over the