As the Day Begins “Our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance.” — 1 Thessalonians 1:5 Paul reminds the Thessalonians that the gospel did not arrive as an interesting religious argument. It came “in power,” dynamis in Greek, describing God’s activeContinue reading “Christ Is Enough”
Category Archives: A Morning Meditation
The Fragrance of a Holy Life
As the Day Begins “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation.” — 1 Peter 1:15 Peter’s command begins with God’s character rather than our effort. God is holy, and the One who calls us intends His character to become increasingly visible in us. TheContinue reading “The Fragrance of a Holy Life”
When Fear Looks Up
As the Day Begins “Look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.” — Luke 21:28 The world awakens each morning beneath a cloud of uncertainty. News of violence, illness, loss, and instability can make fear seem reasonable—even unavoidable. Jesus did not deny that frightening events would come. In Luke 21, HeContinue reading “When Fear Looks Up”
We Become What We Behold
As the Day Begins “But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord.” —2 Corinthians 3:18 Paul reminds us that spiritual formation is taking place whether we notice it orContinue reading “We Become What We Behold”
A Faith That Grows With Us
As the Day Begins “O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.” — Psalm 71:17 The writer of Psalm 71 looks backward with gratitude and forward with continued dependence. God had been his Teacher from youth, and the lessons learned in earlier years had become aContinue reading “A Faith That Grows With Us”
When Devotion Costs Something
As the Day Begins “Let us, then, go to him outside the camp, bearing the disgrace he bore.” —Hebrews 13:13 Meditation Hebrews invites us to go “outside the camp,” translating the Greek phrase exō tēs parembolēs. Under the old covenant, certain sacrifices were burned outside Israel’s camp. Jesus likewise suffered outside Jerusalem’s gate, rejected byContinue reading “When Devotion Costs Something”
Strength Under God’s Control
As the Day Begins “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.” —Matthew 5:5 Meekness is often mistaken for weakness, timidity, or an unwillingness to speak. Jesus, however, was neither timid nor powerless. The Greek word translated “meek,” praÿs, describes strength that has been brought under control and willingly submitted to God. ItContinue reading “Strength Under God’s Control”
When God Takes the Center
As the Day Begins “Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth.” —Psalm 57:5 Life begins to lose its proper order whenever I place myself at its center. The temptation did not begin with me; it reaches back to Eden, where Adam and Eve chose personal desireContinue reading “When God Takes the Center”
Holiness Is More Than a Preference
As the Day Begins “For he that in these things serveth Christ is acceptable to God, and approved of men.” —Romans 14:18 Romans 14 reminds us that God’s kingdom is not built upon food, drink, or personal preference, but upon “righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost” (Romans 14:17). Paul is addressing disagreementsContinue reading “Holiness Is More Than a Preference”
The Fire of His Unchanging Presence
As the Day Begins “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” —Acts 2:3 Meditation Acts 2 presents a remarkable meeting between the eternal God and ordinary people. The One who exists beyond time entered their moment. The God who knows all things met eachContinue reading “The Fire of His Unchanging Presence”