Scripture: Psalm 139: 1-2, 23-24

You have searched me, Lord, and you know me. ² You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar. ²³  Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. ²⁴ See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Scripture Commentary: Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

We have a built in device that we use as a protection to keep people from penetrating our personal space. There is no device that will block God from knowing our thoughts because He created us. He knows what we think and what we do.

He knows everything from the time of our birth, the number of hairs on our head, and the date we will depart this earth.

God is with us through every situation.

He is with us in our trials and tribulations, and He protects us and guides us. God is omnipresent; we are never lost from His presence. This is good news to His followers because no matter what we do or where we go, God is always there.

When we ask God to search us as David did, we are really asking for help.

We aren’t aware of our true self but God. Ask God to change the wrongs in you; He will.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 139

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Psalms:

Blessed Is the One Who Trusts God

Take Shelter in the Lord for Every Storm

Scripture: James 4: 7-10

⁷ Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. ⁸ Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded. ⁹ Grieve, mourn and wail. Change your laughter to mourning and your joy to gloom. ¹⁰ Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.

Scripture Commentary:

The earth holds the devil and we have to deal with him. God sent His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to protect us and guide us to His salvation. Humble yourself. Don’t become self-centered which leads you to think you deserve all you can see, touch or imagine. It creates greedy appetites for far more than you need.

Get released from your self-centered desires by humbling yourself before God. Realize that you need to follow Christ. When the Holy Spirit fills you, you will see that this world’s seductive attractions have nothing to offer.

God defeated the devil (Revelation 12: 10-12). When Jesus returns, the devil and all he stands for will be eliminated (Revelation 20: 10-15).

The devil’s days are limited and he is trying to do everything he can to possess as many souls as he can. Although we don’t deserve God’s favor, He reaches out to us in love and gives us worth and dignity despite our human shortcomings.

Live for God all your remaining days.

Read the Entire Chapter Of the Scriptures Referenced:

James 4

Revelation 12

Revelation 20

Read Other Commentary From the Book of James:

To Know the Gospel is Different From Living It

Tame Your Tongue – Watch What You Say

Scripture: Hosea 6: 4-7

The Lord says, “Israel, what should I do with you? Judah, what should I do with you? Your faithfulness is like a morning mist, like the dew that goes away early in the day. ⁵ I have warned you by my prophets that I will kill you and destroy you. My justice comes out like bright light. ⁶ I want faithful love more than I want animal sacrifices. I want people to know me more than I want burnt offerings.⁷ But they have broken the agreement as Adam did; they have been unfaithful to me.

Scripture Commentary:

Parents can relate to this passage. How many times have you shaken your head in exasperation and asked, “What should I do with you?” In this passage God repeatedly tells His children to turn from their sinful ways and return to Him.

As a parent you tell your children every week to clean their room and every week it’s the same battle. They know that it wouldn’t be such a job if they kept things neat all week long. Yet every week the same battle goes on.

This is the same experience God is having with Israel. It’s the same experience God is having with us today.

In Hosea 6: 4-6, God is saying that He’s told us many times to turn from our sinful ways and return to Him. God is expressing grief at His people’s foolish hard-headedness.

The people’s love was like the “morning mist” and the “early dew that disappears.” God’s people knew His expectations just as we do today. God desires our loyal love.

Is your obedience to God like the morning mist? Does your love fall short? How would you describe your devotion to God?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Hosea 6

Read Other Commentary from the Book of Hosea:

The Rebellious Will Stumble

Return to the Lord Your God

Scripture: James 4: 7-10

 So give yourselves completely to God. Stand against the devil, and the devil will run from you. ⁸ Come near to God, and God will come near to you. You sinners, clean sin out of your lives. You who are trying to follow God and the world at the same time, make your thinking pure. ⁹ Be sad, cry, and weep! Change your laughter into crying and your joy into sadness. ¹⁰ Humble yourself in the Lord’s presence, and he will honor you.

Scripture Commentary:

The earth holds Satan and we have to deal with him. God sent His only Begotten Son Jesus Christ to protect us and guide us to His salvation. We are to be humble and not become self-centered which will lead us to think we deserve all we can see, touch and imagine. It creates greedy appetites for far more than we need.

Humble yourself in the Lord’s presence.

Realize that all we need to do is to follow Jesus Christ. When the Holy Spirit fills us, we see that this world’s seductive attractions have nothing to offer. God has defeated Satan (Revelation 12: 10-12), and when Jesus Christ returns, the devil and all he stands for will be eliminated (Revelation 20: 10-15).

Satan’s days are limited. He is trying to do everything he can to possess as many souls as he can. Although we do not deserve God’s favor, He reaches out to us in love and gives us worth and dignity despite our human shortcomings.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

James 4

Revelation 12

Revelation 20

Read Other Commentary From the Book of James:

The Tongue Can Defile the Whole Body

Can A Man Have Faith Without Works?

Scripture: John 14: 1-2

Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. ² In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.

Scripture Commentary: Jesus goes to prepare a place for you.

You prepare to take a trip but you have no need for Mapquest, or a map itself. When do you depart? You don’t know but the ticket has been stamped. This trip is planned; however, the destination is in question. You decide the destination based on who you serve during your life here on earth.

There is a place called hell with an eternal fire, and there is a place with love and peace. Romans 1:18 says, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”

2 Peter 3: 13 says, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.”

Again, there are two destinations and your ticket has been stamped. You don’t need to pack. No clothes or money is needed.

Which place are you going to?

Will you go see God, Our Father, or Satan, the fallen one? If you are on the wrong path there is time to turn to Jesus and ask for forgiveness and repent. If you read this, then you still have time.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scriptures Referenced:

John 14

Romans 1

2 Peter 3

Read Other Commentary From the Book of John:

Do You Know the Way to Heaven?

Love Each Other As God Loves You

Scripture: Jude 1: 4-5

⁴ For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁵ I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.

Scripture Commentary:

Jude is James’ brother and Jesus’ half-brother. He knew Jesus his entire life yet they were unaware that their half-brother was the Messiah. Imagine being raised with God being your half-brother! What a wonderful experience that must have been. Yet they didn’t realize that they had been in God’s presence until after His death and resurrection.

People today have all the proof and still deny that Jesus Christ is God. There are churches with false teachers twisting the Bible’s teaching to justify their own opinions, life-styles, and wrong behaviors. They think they gain glory with this flesh falsehood. Distorting Scripture is playing with God’s Word and there will be a price to pay. God will judge them for excusing, tolerating and promoting sin.

Jude sends us a warning: Don’t play with God.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Jude 1

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Jude:

Don’t Be “Certain People”; Be Extraordinary!

You Already Know What Will Happen

Scripture: Matthew 25: 32-34

 All the nations of the world will be gathered before him, and he will separate them into two groups as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. ³³ The Son of Man will put the sheep on his right and the goats on his left.³⁴ “Then the King will say to the people on his right, ‘Come, my Father has given you his blessing. Receive the kingdom God has prepared for you since the world was made. 

Scripture Commentary:

Sheep and goats have many similarities but they are distinctly separate animals. One way to tell the difference is to look at their tails. A goat’s tail goes up while a sheep’s tail goes down. Also, they have different eating habits. Goats eat leaves, twigs, vines and shrubs, browsing for their food. In contrast, sheep are grazers, feasting on grass. Sheep stay together while goats are curious and independent.

At Jesus’s Second Coming He will separate people like a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.

The sheep will feed the hungry, clothe the naked and comfort the sick. Meanwhile the goats will wander around doing nothing but eating. This parable illustrates the difference between Jesus’s followers and those who only do for themselves.

Are you trying to do the work of taking God’s Word to the flock? Or are you just grazing for yourself? Are you one of God’s sheep or are you just a goat?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Matthew 25

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Matthew:

Jesus Spoke Plainly About His Purpose

God Says, “Come to Me” If You’re Weary

Scripture: Psalm 64: 1-3

Hear me, my God, as I voice my complaint; protect my life from the threat of the enemy. ² Hide me from the conspiracy of the wicked, from the plots of evildoers. ³ They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim cruel words like deadly arrows.

Scripture Commentary: Words can leave a scar not seen on the surface.

‘Sticks and stones may break my bones but names will never hurt me.‘ As children we may have said this or heard someone else say it. Despite the saying, words cut deeper than sticks and stones. Words can leave a scar not seen on the surface of the skin but can be deep in the mind.

This small piece of meat in our mouth called the tongue is a very deadly thing. Satan can and does catch us unprepared and will ambush us and use the tongue to his advantage. He tempts us in our weakest areas when we least expect it.

Wickedness is something we all have at times in our life but when we call on Jesus Christ, He will bring us through. God will listen; all we have to do is believe.

When words are spoken against you consider the person, then pray for them. Give them to God.

David expressed himself honestly, knowing that God would hear his voice. Go to God as David did. God will hear your voice and He will understand. Trust God and words will not hurt you.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Psalm 64

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Psalms:

God Is A Very Present Help in Trouble

Lord, Keep My Soul and Deliver Me

Scripture: Hosea 11: 8-9

“How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. ⁹ I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man—the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities.

Scripture Commentary:

As a parent there are times that you must take strong measures to discipline your child after so many times of doing something wrong. But your compassion is aroused and your heart isn’t in it. You’ve told them what is wrong about their behavior and they continue to repeat the wrong. This is what God is telling Hosea and us. Turn from your sinful ways so that I, your God, will not have to punish you.

“I am God, and not a man.”

It’s easy to define God in terms of our own expectations and behaviors. This is a mistake. God is our Creator and Savior. We are His children. As our parent, it is His responsibility to correct us when we do wrong.

In reality, God is infinitely greater than we are. We are to become more like Him and not try to make Him into the image that makes us comfortable. God’s discipline is always loving and its object is always the well-being of the beloved.

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Hosea 11

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Hosea:

Return to the Lord Your God

The Ways of the Lord Are Right

Scripture: Numbers 13: 1-2

The Lord said to Moses, ² “Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders.”

Scripture Commentary:

There are three messages in this chapter. First, God gave Moses instructions to send men from each of the 12 tribes to explore the land of Canaan. Second, the people were not willing to do what God told them to do about the land. Third, of the twelve men, only two were willing to do as God said.

When you read verse two, you see that God told Moses to go and gather information on the land that God had given them. If God says that He has given you something, then He has already given you a way to get it.

The people believed they could not receive God’s gift, and as a result, they did not. The people let the negative report of the ten men stop them. They chose to retreat and were condemned to wander 40 years in the desert. They didn’t believe, even after all that God had done.

God delivered them from slavery and parted the Red Sea. He accompanied them with cloud and fire, gave them the 10 Commandments, and provided food and drink in the wilderness.

Caleb and Joshua believed and obeyed God. These are the only two of the old generation that God let go to the promised land.

God has given you a gift. Do you accept it?

Read the Entire Chapter of the Scripture Referenced:

Numbers 3

Read Other Commentary From the Book of Numbers:

Do Not Break the Vow You Make to God

The Congregation Lifted Up Their Voice