A Verse, A Comment, A Prayer, A Blessing

A Verse Luke 17:32-33 Remember Lot’s wife! Whoever tries to keep their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life will preserve it. A Comment In speaking of the coming of the Kingdom of God, Jesus reminds his audience of the tragic death of Lot’s wife as they fled Sodom and Gomorrah. We do not know much about Lot’s wife from the Bible, but the things we know are startling. As Lot and his fami...

A Verse 2 Corinthians 3:18 And we all, who with unveiled faces contemplate the Lord’s glory, are being transformed into his image with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit. A Comment For the last few weeks, I have been studying the relationship between spiritual rhythms (or spiritual disciplines) and spiritual transformation. As I have thought about the relationship...

A Verse Psalm 78:19 They spoke against God;they said, “Can God really spread a table in the wilderness?” A Comment Psalm 78 recounts, in part, the rebellion of the wilderness generation that was delivered from Egypt by the LORD’s mighty hand. Specifically, in verse 19, Asaph captures the slander of that generation who questioned the LORD’s ability to provide for them. As Spurgeon noted, “To questi...

A Verse Psalm 59:9-10 You are my strength, I watch for you;you, God, are my fortress,my God on whom I can rely. A Comment As I meditated on this passage this morning, I was struck by the description of God in the final line: my God on whom I can rely. To rely on God is to depend upon him. To cast our lives on him. As C. H. Spurgeon reflected on this passage, he wrote, “God who is the giver and fou...

A Verse Psalm 10:4 In his pride the wicked man does not seek him; in all his thoughts there is no room for God. A Comment Last night, I was sitting in a parking lot waiting for my youngest son to finish an indoor rock climbing session and a song came on the radio that I had never heard. It was entitled “Make Room,” and the lyrics in the chorus are sung to God, which says, “I will make room for you...

A Verse Psalm 33:11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever,the purposes of his heart through all generations. A Comment If you are anything like me, you know what it’s like to make plans and then have to change them. There are so many things in life that are outside of our control. Hence, James tells us that when we make plans, we should say, “If the Lord wills.” God, however, is not subject...

A Verse Psalm 27:1 The LORD is my light and my salvation - whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life -of whom shall I be afraid? A Comment I love how David ties his confidence to the character of God. Because of the LORD is his light, his salvation, the stronghold of his life, David had no grounds to fear or be afraid. This is true for the believer as well. Our confidence is not in...

A Verse Job 1:5 When a period of feasting had run its course, Job would make arrangements for them to be purified. Early in the morning he would sacrifice a burnt offering for each of them, thinking, “Perhaps my children have sinned and cursed God in their hearts.” This was Job’s regular custom. A Comment As I read this passage this morning, I couldn’t help but think about Job’s concern for his ch...

A Verse Psalm 8:3-4 When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them? A Comment Psalm 8 is an evening meditation of David wherein he reflects on the greatness of God in creation while also considering how the Creator cares for him and the rest of humanity. A...

A Verse Psalm 119:71 It was good for me to be afflictedso that I might learn your decrees. A Comment I tried to read through the book of Psalms and Proverbs once a month with my other daily Bible readings. When you are wading through some of the more strenuous reads in the OT, like long lists of genealogies and land divisions, it is nice break to encounter the praise of the Psalms and the wisdom o...

A Verse 2 Kings 18:4 He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.) A Comment This morning’s passage may seem a little obscure, but I wanted to share with you some of my reflections on this passage after reading i...

A Verse 2 Samuel 22:31 As for God, his way is perfect;The LORD’s word is flawless;he shields all who take refuge in him. A Comment As I read David’s song of praise, I could not help but reflect on these words. David’s life was full of God’s favor and discipline. Favor for his faithfulness to the covenant and discipline for his unfaithfulness to the covenant. He conquered the LORD’s enemies, but he...

A Verse Psalm 80:3 Restore us, O God;make your face shine on us,that we may be saved. A Comment Today’s verse is a refrain that is repeated throughout Psalm 80. The Israelites were experiencing God’s discipline. Yet, this did not make the psalmist want to run away from God but to God. I think our tendency as Christians is to think that we need to run from God instead of to God when we have sinned...

A Verse John 15:5 I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. A Comment This week, I’ve been preparing for a new sermon series on marriage. The first sermon in the series examines how Jesus’ teaching is the rock upon which we can build a strong marriage. This comes from Matthew 7:24-27. While this is undoubtedly...

A Verse Psalm 42:5 Why, my soul, are you downcast? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God,for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God. A Comment Sometimes we have to preach to ourselves. That is what we find here in Psalm 42. The psalmist is honest about his feelings, but he is also aware that his feelings can be misleading. Though he is downcast and disturbed within, deliverance fro...

A Verse Psalm 33:20 We wait in hope for the LORD;for He is our help and our shield. A Comment This morning, I want to remind us to hope in the LORD. As you begin another week, look to Him. He alone is our help and our shield. He cares for us. He is trustworthy. His eyes are upon us. Rest in this truth this morning. A Prayer Would you join me in prayer? A Blessing May the peace of God, which surpas...

A Verse Genesis 45:4-8 4 Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! 5 And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. 6 For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years t...

A Verse 1 Corinthians 3:6 I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow. A Comment In his letter to the church in Corinth, Paul was concerned with division in the church. There seemed to have been a “party spirit” at work within the church. The people appeared to have their “preferred” servants of the Lord. Yet, Paul would not allow such division to be entertained in Chri...

A Verse 2 Timothy 1:7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline. A Comment While Paul mentions power and love in this verse, I want to briefly focus on self-discipline. As we begin a new year, I’m sure many of you have new goals and aspirations. Without self-discipline, our new goals and aspirations will remain just such: new goals and aspirati...

A Verse Proverbs 2:1-5 My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding— indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. A Comment As I...

Psalm 21 1 The king rejoices in your strength, Lord.    How great is his joy in the victories you give! 2 You have granted him his heart’s desire    and have not withheld the request of his lips.3 You came to greet him with rich blessings    and placed a crown of pure gold on his head.4 He asked you for life, and you gave it to him—    length of days, for ever and ever.5 Through the victories you...

Psalm 124 1 If the Lord had not been on our side—    let Israel say—2 if the Lord had not been on our side    when people attacked us,3 they would have swallowed us alive    when their anger flared against us;4 the flood would have engulfed us,    the torrent would have swept over us,5 the raging waters    would have swept us away. 6 Praise be to the Lord,    who has not let us be torn by their te...

Proverbs 7:21-23 With persuasive words she led him astray;she seduced him with her smooth talk. All at once he followed her like an ox going to the slaughter,like a deer stepping into a noose till an arrow pierces his liver,like a bird darting into a snare,little knowing it will cost him his life. Get full access to Hope for Life with Dr. Casey B. Hough at hopeforlife.substack.com/subscribe

Be sure to check out the audio version! A Verse Proverbs 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction. A Comment Check out the podcast audio above for today’s comments on Proverbs 1:7 A Prayer Pray for wisdom today by asking God to teach you the fear of the LORD A Blessing May the LORD bless you and keep you today. Get full access to Hope for Lif...

A Verse Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. A Comment Paul is praying for the benefit of the church for the sake of the glory of God, and in his mind, these things are not a contradiction. It is...