Several of our devotion writers are seasoned Bible study teachers. If you want a scholarly, in-depth, but short read, this is the tab you’ll want to click on. Each teacher has his/her own unique style, so check these entries out when you are wanting to go deeper in the Word of God.
Glenda Shouse: Giving Principles from the Word
According to Wise Counsel Wealth.com, we have a 95% advantage over most of the world just by being an American citizen. Most of us do not go to bed hungry, or worry about where we will sleep. We have a homeless population over 552,000, however resources are available to most of them. …
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Stephanie Pavlantos: The Pure in Heart Sees God Everywhere
How blessed are the pure in heart! For they will see God. MATTHEW 5:8 CJB I read a great quote on the Beatitudes by Skip Moen, Ph.D. He says, “[A Beatitude] is not a “blessing” that implies one party granting a favor to another party. A Beatitude is really a macarism, an announcement of an existing state, a status of happiness. https://skipmoen.com/2018/02/character-1/ Today, we will explore the sixth Beatitude of Matthew 5. As said above, these are not blessings over you … Continue reading →
Diane Virginia: Mountain Dancer
As we reach the summit, Beloved encourages us to talk to Him. Our Bridegroom wants to hear our voice! He meets every need, never being embarrassed by the secrets we share—those soul injuries no one knows about. He dances upon Bether, which means “division,” chasing away every shadowy thought by the light of His Word. …
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Stephanie Pavlantos: Mercy!
How blessed are those who show mercy! For they will be shown mercy. MATTHEW 5:7 CJB One of my mom’s favorite expressions of surprise is “Mercy!” (Imagine a Southern accent with that) My youngest son, Michael loved to imitate her by repeating it when she visited. My mom always got a kick out of it. Even though my mom is no longer able to drive up to see us–and for now is living in South Texas–Michael will occasionally go around … Continue reading →
Diane Virginia: Conquering Bether
A fox would have been destructive enough, but a wolf? I knew I would be watchful that evening. I flooded the yard with lights, just to be sure the wolf knew there was no welcome mat at our homestead….
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Stephanie Pavlantos: Do You Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness?
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Matthew 5:6 We are continuing our series in the Beatitudes. Today, we will examine the fourth Beatitude found in Matthew 5:6. You can go back and read the last three posts if you haven’t already. We didn’t have much growing up. My father had a stroke that paralyzed him on his right side. With a fairly young family, he could now, no longer work. My mom … Continue reading →
Stephanie Pavlantos: O the Blessedness of the Meek
O the blessedness of the meek! For they will inherit the earth. Matthew 5:5 CJB Let me start off by saying, Wow! I found some cool meanings of these words in my research of ancient Hebrew, and I am really excited to show and tell you what God led me to. I just bought a really cool book called Ancient Hebrew Lexicon of the Bible by Jeff A. Benner (Yes, I am a total geek). It doesn’t just explain the Hebrew of the Bible … Continue reading →
Diane Virginia: Our Bridegroom is the Lion of Judah
In Song of Solomon, we as Bride say “His eyes are like doves by the rivers of waters, washed with milk and fitly set” (Song 5:12 NKJV). This references Beloved Jesus as filled with the Spirit, and rightly aligned. Can He also be this Lion? Yes, Love, He absolutely can be and He is. Beloved is holy, and not affected with sin the way we have been even though He has been tempted in every way (see Hebrews 4:15), so He is the only person who can pronounce this final judgment, and the only one who can save the Christian from it. This speaks doom to satan and his cohorts, but rescue to the Bride of Christ. …
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Glenda Shouse: Fervent Love
Three times Peter said, “I love you,” but he knew he fell short of understanding the divine love…
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Stephanie Pavlantos: Joy Comes in the Mourning
Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Matthew 5:4 ESV When was the last time you mourned over someone or something? There are days my heart is heavy over the things I see in this world–in politics, in the church, or in our country. I have mourned over the death of family members and pets, and the loss of relationships. Sometimes as I mourned, I felt Jesus mourning with me, and other times … Continue reading →
Diane Virginia: Renewal of the Bride
A natural spring that has been frozen all Winter, has begun to trickle again. It gurgles across the grass and clay, etching a zig-zag into the land. A bumblebee sips from the rock it wets. …
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