Scripture Snippets

  1 Samuel 13:1-14 1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent. 3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal. 5 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of...

  Philippians 4:19 19 And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. When it comes to God’s healing, there is no “one size fits all.” Each of us is uniquely made, and though our circumstances might resemble someone else’s, what works for one person may not work in every case. We have different experiences, desires, obstacles, and emotional wounds. Yet the Lord provides some tools that belong in every Christian’s toolbox. Consider prayer and meditating on Scripture, both of which help you grow in your understanding of the Father and His love (Psalm 119:104-106). Worship is another powerful tool: Lifting your voice with others reinforces awareness that you aren’t alone—you belong to Christ’s body, His church (1 Corinthians 12:27; Colossians 3:16). Even fellowshipping over a good meal is a way in which God offers restoration for your soul (Psalm 104:14-17).  Today and from this point on, pay attention to what your body and soul are asking ...

  James 1:2-12 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways. 9 Let the lowly brother glory in his exaltation, 10 but the rich in his humiliation, because as a flower of the field he will pass away. 11 For no sooner has the sun risen with a burning heat than it withers the grass; its flower falls, and its beautiful appearance perishes. So the rich man also will fade away in his pursuits. 12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation;...

  In Matthew 23, Jesus had just concluded his woes to the scribes and the Pharisees.  It was a stark condemnation against their teachings and a call for repentance.  While Jesus preached with authority and the firmness of a just king, this still took a toll on the Savior’s heart.  In Matthew 23:37-39, Jesus cries out in heartbreak saying how He wants to save those of Jerusalem.  These same vultures who killed the prophets and elevated themselves above God.  Again, our Savior’s heart is indeed that none should perish but that all come to repentance. We begin chapter 24 with Jesus leaving the temple with the disciples and going up to the Mount of Olives which overlooks the city.  The disciples, being Jewish was in awe of the architecture of the city and the beauty of the temple.  Christ shocks the disciples by prophesying that the temple would be destroyed and not one stone would be left upon another.  This prophecy became true in 70 A.D. when ...

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words. One of the most exciting and compelling prophetic events described in the Bible is the rapture of the church. It will occur instantaneously and without warning. Suddenly, millions of people wi...

  James 1:2-4 2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. Are you wasting your troubles? Anytime God allows trials in your life, He has a purpose for them. We often won’t know His specific aim at the time; nevertheless, we should squeeze out every possible ounce of spiritual growth instead of falling into despair and discouragement. With a shift in perspective, the trial that looks as if it might destroy you could become an instrument of blessing. The most natural response to adversity is to plead with the Lord to remove it. If that doesn’t work, we might be tempted to look for our own way out or blame whoever caused the problem. But no matter where affliction originates, by the time it reaches you, it’s been shaped according to the Father’s good purposes. The question is, Will you cooperate with Him or ...

  Proverbs 18:17 The first one to plead his cause seems right, Until his neighbor comes and examines him. Any person can sound reasonable, when he or she speaks first and personally presses for their own cause. The absence of contrary facts or counter opinions, and their emotional and fervent appeals, can give credence to most any claim. Anything sounds good in a vacuum.  Anything can sound good and reasonable when spoken of fervertenly enough.  Look at the past.  Look at people like Charles Manson, Jim Jones, Adolf Hitler, Stalin, Lenin, and don’t forget, Satan himself.  They all spoke beautifully and were wonderful orators.  They sounded reasonable not just to a few, but to many and were able to fool even reasonable men and women. Why?  Due to their beautiful tones, conviction, and what seemed to be reasonable propositions, they were blindly followed with the idea of selfish hopes. But all propositions must be tried by opposing arguments to prove t...

  Galatians 6:7 7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. Taken from the Life Principle from the Charles Stanley Life Principle Bible: Today is the father of tomorrow. What we are today is the result of what we have been thinking and the way we have lived in the past. Those who act wisely today will have wisdom in the future to make wise decisions. The same is true when we come to the subject of finances. Those who save wisely today will have plenty tomorrow. Those who spend everything they have today will have little or nothing in the future. It is a shortsighted person who thinks only of the now, doing as little as possible, for on payday he will have no way to avoid the poor quality and small quantity of his rewards. The nation of Israel had to learn this in a very personal way. Their waywardness and failure to do what God instructed them to do often placed them in a position where they would not have His blessings. The Lord gives ...