Oct 1, 2025 – Joshua 1:8 – the way to walk in obedience towards a gracious God
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
Joshua 1:8
Hi Everyone!
All of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior want the promises that are in the Bible.
We want His protection, we want His provision, we want His grace, and we want the victory.
Many of us have received a word from God concerning our future, and we are embarking on our respective journeys towards our purpose.
In moving towards our purpose, we undoubtedly need the faith in God to overtake the “giants” that are in the land, but we all need to obey the Word of God every step of the way in order to find success.
It is important for us to plant the Word of God in our minds and heart, so it becomes our instinct to follow God’s Word. This is what Joshua had to do, and this is what we have to do as well.
Today, we will look at Joshua 1:8, the way to walk in obedience towards a gracious God.
“This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
In Joshua’s day, the “book of the law” was the Torah, the first five books of the Bible. In our day, we have the complete Bible, but God requires the same obedience. We have to understand that the children of Israel were under the Egyptian captivity for over 400 years. Generations have gone by and they are so accustomed to the Egyptian rituals that the Law helps them reestablish true worship of God. The Law was aimed at getting us to see our sinfulness, and it was also aimed at implementing a standard of holiness before a Holy God.
In Psalm 119:11, the Bible says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
In Matthew 12:34, Christ says, “O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things? For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh”.
Obedience begins in the heart, and whatever is planted in our hearts with show.
God commands Joshua to meditate on the Word of God day and night. The idea of meditating on God’s Word imply that we ponder the word of God, we turn the Word of God over in our minds, breaking down every part, and we even speak it out loud. The repetition embeds the Word of God within us, so the standard of God is no longer on pages, but it is on our hearts.
In Psalms 1:2-3, the Bible says, “But his delight is in the law of the Lord; and in His law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.”
When we allow God’s Word to ruminate in our hearts and minds, no only will we be attached to the endless provision of God that allows us to be fruitful for the kingdom, but we will find success in what we put our hands to. When our delight is in the Word of God, we incline to it, making ourselves available to receive what the Lord is telling us. It is important that we don’t pick and choose what we follow. God told Joshua to “observe to do according to all that is written therein:”. Only in complete obedience can we have any expectation of success, but sadly, we expect full-time victory from part-time obedience.
In Deuteronomy 17:19, the Bible says, “And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them.”
Obedience produces the “fear of the Lord”, which is a deep, reverential respect for the Lord.
This is exceptionally important in leadership, because leaders are entrusted with the lives of those under them.
It is important that we obey God’s word as we embark on our purpose, because we want the fragrance of our obedience and reverence of God to be a testimony that reflects God in the best possible way.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 2, 2025 – Jeremiah 31:11 – a redemption story for the ages
“For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.”
Jeremiah 31:11
Hi Everyone!
I can understand what the children of Israel have gone through.
Their sinfulness caused them to be exiled and imprisoned by the Babylonians, who the Lord allowed to take them captive.
There was an appointed time for their confinement, where the Lord promised that they would be released from their captivity.
It is a beautiful story of redemption, one that I am hoping that happens soon for myself, because my sinfulness produced behaviors within me, where God had no choice but to exile and confine me.
God can’t condone sin, and a Holy God has no part with a murderer, but I praise God that He sent Jesus as the atoning sacrifice for my sin, so that I could be a new creation in Him.
God redeemed me from the power of the enemy, someone much more powerful than the prison that has housed my body for 22 years.
Today, we with look at Jeremiah 31:11, a redemption story for the ages.
“For the Lord hath redeemed Jacob, and ransomed him from the hand of him that was stronger than he.”
The word “for” establishes a connection made between two points, so for context, we will go back to Jeremiah 31:10, which says, “Hear the word of the LORD, O ye nations, and declare it in the isles afar off, and say, He that scattered Israel will gather him, and keep him, as a shepherd doth his flock.”
No matter what God allowed to happen to Israel, God has proven Himself to be the author of everything that is happening, from the scattering, from the confinement, to the release of them from bondage. God has been in control this whole time. We have to understand that this passage of Scripture is prophecy, so God has equipped Jeremiah with advance knowledge of what is going to happen to His people.
In Jeremiah 29:10, the Bible says, “For thus saith the LORD, That after seventy years be accomplished at Babylon I will visit you, and perform my good word toward you, in causing you to return to this place.”
This prophecy is all connected together.
This prophecy leaves no one with any reason to doubt the Word of God, and it was preserved so that people today would know that God is sovereign.
The word “redeemed” means “to release or sever from bondage”.
The word “ransomed” means “to buy back from bondage”.
Look at who is being redeemed here: Jacob.
In Genesis 32:28, the Bible says, “And he said, Thy name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel: for as a prince hast thou power with God and with men, and hast prevailed.”
Think about this, from that moment on, Jacob became Israel, but in Jeremiah 31:11, it clearly says that Jacob was ransomed. Why is that? It is because Jacob represents the old nature of Israel that had to be redeemed, the scattered version of Israel. It represents the sinfulness that led them into captivity in the first place. If the children of Israel were actually being representatives of what their name actually meant, then they wouldn’t have ever experienced bondage.
The word “hand” means “power or strength”.
God told Jeremiah to deliver prophecy of not only their exile, but of their release.
In Isaiah 44:23, the Bible says, “Sing, O ye heavens; for the LORD hath done it: shout, ye lower parts of the earth: break forth into singing, ye mountains, O forest, and every tree therein: for the LORD hath redeemed Jacob, and glorified himself in Israel.”
With the Lord’s Word, He spoke of both bondage and redemption, calling things to be exactly how He delivered His Word to the prophets.
In Isaiah 49:24-25, the Bible says, “Shall the prey be taken from the mighty, or the lawful captive delivered? But thus saith the LORD, Even the captives of the mighty shall be taken away, and the prey of the terrible shall be delivered: for I will contend with him that contendeth with thee, and I will save thy children.”
It is God alone that provides the redemption from bondage. No matter how strong the enemy is, our God is mightier!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 3, 2025 – Philippians 2:16 – ensuring that we don’t run our race in vain
“Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
Philippians 2:16
Hi Everyone!
As believers, we want to be assured that we are serving God for a powerful reason, to share the Gospel and so that we can enter into heaven when our lives here are over.
We want to be sure that it is not all for nothing, and we have that assurance in Christ.
In the same breath, God doesn’t want us wasting our salvation by not bearing fruit in the earth in our time here.
He doesn’t want us to amass a wealth of spiritual knowledge and refuse to share it with others, nor does He want to bless us with all kinds of gifts that we don’t use.
Paul is teaching the Church in Philippi about living out their salvation, and he teaches that cleaving to the Word of God is vital to a believer running their race and having something to show for it.
Today, we will look at Philippians 2:16, ensuring that we don’t run our race in vain.
“Holding forth the word of life that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain.”
The phrase “holding forth” means “to retain or pay attention”.
This isn’t a passive form of retention either, because Psalms 119:11 says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee”
At the very least, our salvation is supposed to produce a heart and behavior change within us, causing us to become more Christlike. That is God fruit, because many people have come to salvation off of the example of others.
This is why Paul also teaches in Philippians 2:12, “Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling.”
Sincere obedience is not when someone is standing over us, but it is when they are gone and we are left to our own devices. We have to live out the Gospel to maintain our own relationship with God, and our own growth. No one can live our lives for us, but rather we have to step up to the plate and hold our own selves accountable.
We are not without strength to live our lives as believers of Christ.
In Philippians 2:13, the Bible says, “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure”.
We are not running this race alone, because we have empowerment from the Holy Spirit to be able to live in the manner that God commands.
In John 14:26, Christ says, “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send on My name, He shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.”
God also makes sure we are equipped with on-the-spot teaching, and I have experienced this firsthand, when I put together these devotionals. He also equips us with reminders of His Word, so that we aren’t without what we need when we need it. The concept of running and labouring shows us that our faith is supposed to be lived out and we are going to have to work through struggle and weariness.
In Galatians 2:2, the Bible says, “And I went up by revelation, a communicated unto them that Gospel which I preached among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain.”
God is also going to cause us to be tested, not with trial, but we are going to have to prove that what we are teaching is the truth. God does not want us teaching a message that is not of Him, or living a life that will eventually blow up in our faces. God will always let us know that we are on the right track.
In 2 Timothy 4:7-8, the Bible says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith: Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day, and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.”
Paul ended his life with nothing on the table, knowing that he did all that he could do. We want to share that testimony!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 4, 2025 – – Matthew 16:26 – forsaking the world to gain our souls
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
Matthew 16:26
Hi Everyone!
“I don’t have a price, therefore I can’t be bought.” I once told this to a brother in an old prison environment.
I had fallen on hard times, and I was flat broke, with no help from the outside world.
The brother was doing “exceptionally well” financially, but it was the result of ill-gotten gains. He wanted to “help” me, by giving me some drugs to sell, but I refused him without thinking twice.
This was a time that I shared my testimony with him, also telling him that if I gave in now, that I would easily give in if released, so there was no way I would cut any corners to get ahead.
We didn’t share the same belief and we respectfully agreed to disagree. He, in the last 7 years, has gotten in trouble more times than I can count, taking some pretty hefty losses in the process, still no closer to living the life God called him to live.
Today, we will look at Matthew 16:26, forsaking the world to gain our souls.
“For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”
In this passage in Matthew 16, Jesus is telling that disciples that He is going to to die. In Matthew 16:21, the Bible says, “From that time forth began Jesus began to shew unto His disciples, how that he must go into Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.”
This is why Jesus came to this broken world, to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He is preparing the disciples for His death, but Peter withstood Him, rebuked Him, and told Him that this wouldn’t happen to Him.
In Matthew 16:23, the Bible says, “But He turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art no offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.”
Peter didn’t want Christ to die, but that was not the will of God. Peter was rebuked because He opposed God’s will.
Sometimes, what we want doesn’t line up with God’s will, and in that moment, whose will is going to prevail. What we want may be noble in any other situation, but are we willing to allow God to change our direction, our thoughts, our feelings, or out behavior in order us to fulfill His will?
In Matthew 16:24, the Bible says, “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
We have to surrender our will and way to God if we are to follow Him. We can’t say that we follow God, while we continue to deviate from the path He has set for us. We have to be willing to call ourselves liars in the face of a true God and declare His way better than our own.
In Philippians 3:8, the Bible says, “Yea, doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ.”
Paul realizes that everything he has raced for in his life is nothing compared to where he now stands with God. His old life has nothing on what he has in Christ, and even in the midst of trial and persecution, he is unflinching in his resolve to serve God with his entire heart.
In Luke 16:13, the Bible says, “No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other, ye cannot serve God and mammon”.
We have to make a choice about what is truly important to us, serving God, or what we are denying God to serve. As believers our choice should be to follow God, and Jesus even promises a hundredfold blessing now and in eternity for our sacrifice of forsaking all to follow Him. Looking back on my life as a believer, my worst day as a believer of Jesus Christ is better than my best days in the world.
When we count the cost, we will realize that Jesus is worthy!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 5, 2025 – Philippians 4:5 – the gentle reasonableness of the body of Christ
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
Philippians 4:5
Hi Everyone!
Community is crucial in the faith, which is why the enemy loves attacking the brothers and sisters within the faith with division, getting us to contend about trivial matters instead of about kingdom building.
Paul is teaching the Philippians this because there have been and will be people that try to strike the flock with fruitless behavior and conversation that will hinder growth among the body.
We have to be reasonable with each other whether we agree with the them or not, because we are reflecting Jesus Christ.
It was His prayer that we be one, and when they see us, they have a serious view of what our Lord and Saviour looks like.
This requires us to see beyond the moments we have to see the big picture, that our lives are in complete service to God, and if we want God glorified, then our behavior must exemplify Who we serve.
Today, we will look at Philippians 4:5, the gentle reasonableness of the body of Christ.
“Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.”
The word “let” implies permission given.
We have to allow God’s work to be done in our minds, hearts, and lives. He won’t bully us or force us to act a certain way.
In Joshua 24:15, the Bible says, “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.”
We have a choice on how we are going to be as believers, and the same choices they had then, we have now.
In Romans 6:13, the Bible says, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: by yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
We can’t act like we are powerless, and don’t have the power to choose the mindset, heart set, and behavior we display as believers.
The word “moderation” means “gentleness, patience, or reasonableness”.
The word “known” means “to be perceived, understood, or observed.”
This means that we have to show this.
In Matthew 5:5, Christ says, “Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherited the earth”.
These are people who don’t assert themselves over others in order to further their own agenda. The meek understand that the kingdom of God is the agenda. These people will inherit the earth because they trust in God to handle the outcome, rather than manipulate it for themselves.
In Matthew 7:20, Christ says, “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.”
We can put on a mask an hide who we are from people, but our fruit is going to eventually be shown for the world to see. Either that fruit will glorify God, or bring shame to Him. The Lord is definitely at hand. Tomorrow is obviously not promised to us, as evidenced by the death of Charlie Kirk, who was assassinated while spreading his message of faith and respectful conversation.
In Hebrews 10:25, the Bible says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much more, as ye see the day approaching.”
When we gather together, we should reflect meekness, reasonableness, and patience, because this is a testimony within itself. We have to live our lives as if the Lord is coming today. What is He going to see, a body working together, agreeing to disagree, or a body in division?
In James 5:8-9, the Bible says, “Be ye also patient; stablish you hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Grudge not against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.”
We have to look at Christ’s example for how people are to be treated, how disagreements are to be handled, and we are to pattern our lives around His example. When we can show gentleness and reasonableness, we make the faith attractive to others.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 6, 2025 – Philippians 4:13 – empowered by Christ to overcome anything
“I can do all things through Christ which strenghteneth me.
Philippians 4:13
Hi Everyone!
We don’t really understand the power that we have as believers. We live dejected, broken, scared, and hopeless lives forsaking the Word of God and its many promises concerning us.
We would rather accept the testimony of the enemy instead of experiencing the power of God at work within us.
Why is that?
It is because we have these default settings from that old man that we have to continue to die to, but we have to believe that the promises of God truly pertain to us.
The enemy loves it when we are too afraid to step into our promise, when we won’t stretch our faith muscles, and he expressly loves it when we refuse to grow because it damages our comfort zone.
If we truly believed what the Bible says, then our walk with the Lord would reflect that, and we would actually live like our kingdom is not of this world.
Today, we will be looking at Philippians 4:13, empowered by Christ to overcome anything.
“I can do all things through Christ which strenghteneth me.”
Paul, in this part of his letter to the church at Philippi, is teaching about contentment. Remember, Paul is in prison when he wrote this. Usually, Paul refused financial assistance from the saints because he worked as a tentmaker, but he was now imprisoned, so some of the church sent gifts to him.
In Philippians 4:11-12, the Bible says, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need”.
I understand Paul’s mindset here, because I have been in prison for the last 22 years, and I am learning contentment with what I have more than any of time of my life. I know that God has provided for me in supernatural ways, in ways that leave no doubt that it came directly from Him. I know I can trust God despite how it might look, or how I may feel.
In Psalms 121:1-2, the Bible says, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
Too many times, we try to rely on what is created for what can only be given by the Creator. When we are attached to the wrong source, we can’t expect to get what we need, nor can we expect to accomplish anything God desires for us.
The word “do” means “to accomplish, perform, fulfill, or complete”.
Paul is expressing to the church that because he has been through situations, especially periods of lack, where God has been there for him, that he knows that he can accomplish anything.
There is one disclaimer to this. We can do nothing without Christ strengthening us.
The word “strengtheneth” means “to empower or enable”.
We don’t have to rely on our own strength or might.
In 2 Peter 1:3, the Bible says, “According as His divine power hath given unto all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him that have called us to glory and virtue.”
If His divine power has given us all things to live a Godly life, and I can accomplish all things through His strength, then why would I ever live as if I can’t win?
In John 15:5, Christ says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing”.
We have to remain in the Lord in order to accomplish the will God has for our lives. We can’t deviate from the Word of God and then expect victory to come as a result.
There is even a condition to victory, because 2 Corinthians 2:14, the Bible says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.”
We can only win if we are in Christ. Too many believers are not living from victory, because we are trying to win, gain, and find contentment without Him.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 7, 2025 – Philippians 4:19 – having our need supplied by our gracious God
“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:19
Hi Everyone!
Paul is teaching about contentment, being satisfied in the provision of God whether we have an abundance or whether we have little.
It is an attitude issue, not a provision issue.
Being confined for 22 years, I am a witness that God provides, and I can’t name one time in my incarceration where I didn’t have what I needed.
I might not have had everything I wanted, but I definitely didn’t lack what I needed. Since I have been saved, I have even experience abundance for a lengthy season, and during that season, I was blessed to give away more than I ever had before.
The season of abundance left, and I continued on the path the same way as if I had an abundance.
God does not change, even when our seasons do, so why should I change because my season of provision does?
God is faithful to supply our need, especially when we are fulfilling His will for our lives.
Today, we will look Philippians 4:19, having our need supplied by our gracious God.
“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”
This Scripture is sadly misquoted by prosperity doctrine preachers to compel people to believe that God is an automated teller machine for anything we construe as a gift. Paul in this passage is testifying that in his life, especially in his confinement, that he has learned to be content, and he has also experienced the love offerings from people that have filled him to capacity.
In Philippians 4:18, the Bible says, “But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God.”
Paul then quotes Philippians 4:19 in response to the love offering he experienced. That means that he was given something first before the promise was conveyed. Also consider that these are fellow workers in the Gospel, so that suggests that the needs may not always be physical or financial.
The word “supply” means “to satisfy, to cram, replete, or furnish abundantly”.
The word “need” means “lack”.
When God supplies us with provision, it may be the exactly amount we need, but if He gives us more than we need, then it is meant to be shared.
In Psalm 23:1, the Bible says, “The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
There are always conditions to God’s provision, and the condition is implied in this verse. If God is our shepherd, meaning if God is Lord, if we follow His direction, and remain under His care, then we shall not lack. We can’t do what we want , and remove ourselves from His presence, and then expect His provision.
The phrase “according to” expresses the vehicle by which our provision is given.
The phrase “riches in glory” expresses the place by which our provision will come, so if the provision for our need is going to come from glory, then who ever said that it had to be monetary?
In Luke 9:3, the Bible says, “And he said unto them, Take nothing for your journey, neither staves, nor scrip, neither bread, neither money; neither have two coats apiece.”
Jesus was sending the disciples out on a missions trip, but He told them to not pack anything.
In Luke 9:6, the Bible says, “And they departed, and went through the towns, preaching the gospel, and healing every where”.
The didn’t have a dollar to their name, but they went, preached, and healed completely full.
In 2 Corinthians 9:8, the Bible says, “And God is able to make all grace abound towards you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound in every good work “.
The whole point of God’s provision is that His will for our lives may be fulfilled, that the Gospel is advanced in the world. God is going to provide the means for us share the truth.
Paul is conferring a blessing to those who shared their provision with him, that God will supply their need to continue to be workers in Christ.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 8, 2025 – Philippians 2:5 – a having a mindset that reflects Christ
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 2:5
Hi Everyone!
As Christians, we have to reflect Christ in our speech, in our behavior, and in our thoughts.
Joyce Meyers says that the battlefield is in our minds (also in her powerhouse book), and our success or failures typically begin with the contents of our minds.
Our past histories have placed default settings in our minds, conveying to us our aptitudes and our altitudes, but sadly, also conveying to us our flaws and failures.
By becoming a believer, a new history is being written in our lives, one where we are empowered to walk in the light of God, one where we walk in kingdom authority to make liars out of our limitations, and one where we can live a life that glorifies God. When the world sees us, do we resemble what they read about in the Bible, or do we look no different than the world that we have been delivered from?
Today, we will be looking at Philippians 2:5, a having a mindset that reflects Christ.
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
Paul is teaching the Philippians to be more like Jesus Christ.
This is really our goal as believers, to become more Christlike.
In Hebrews 12:2, the Bible says, “Looking into Jesus the author and finished of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
We cannot become Christlike without studying the life of the Person we are trying to become more like. When I wanted to be like Jason Kidd and Lebron James, my two favorite basketball players, I studied their game footage, and imitated their moves. The same rules apply as Christians. Looking at the example that Jesus set gives us more than enough to imitate Him.
The word “let” expresses that permission is given.
The word “mind” means “to have a sentiment or opinion, to interest oneself in, or to have a particular mindset or attitude.”
So we are essentially giving our minds permission to think like Christ thinks.
In Romans 12:2, the Bible says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.”
This is a continuous process of refreshing that we must do as believers, where we continue to saturate ourselves in the Word of God in order to live according to the will of God. It causes a transformation process within us, where we begin to be molded into the image of Jesus. Our mind changes, our heart changes, and our attitude changes.
In Matthew 11:29, Christ say, “Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls”.
A yoke is a tool a farmer uses on an animal to control their direction. When used, the animal can only go forward, and the deviations to the left and right are made by the one leading them. Taking Jesus Christ’s yoke upon us means that we have made ourselves available to Him, so that He can lead us in the way that fulfills God’s will for or lives. We can’t have the mind of Christ where His yoke doesn’t lead us.
In John 13:15, Christ says, “For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.”
The context of this passage is Jesus washing the disciples’ feet, but this context also includes the teachings of Jesus and the example He set for us to follow. Christ came to not only die on the cross for our sins, but He also came to give us an example of how we should live.
In 1 Peter 2:21, the Bible says, “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps”.
Even in suffering, there was a lesson in it for us, to continue in the faith even in persecution, trial, or difficulty. The Bible is a guide for how we should act, react, or respond to the things that come our way in life. Life provides us with a daily exercise to reflect Christ.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 9, 2025 – 2 Thessalonians 3:6 – keep a faithful distance between us and the ungodly
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after tradition which he received of us.”
2 Thessalonians 3:6
Hi Everyone!
When I severed ties with my gang affiliation, it was one of the hardest things I had to do.
There were people that I have been pledged to be loyal to for the rest of my life, there was this organization that became a part of my identity, so walking away from it was like leaving a major part of me behind.
Of course, I had to explain why I was walking away, leaving me no choice but to confess Christ and also my desire to live a better life.
Of course it wasn’t received well, but ultimately, they respected my decision and later commended me for having the courage to make it.
What if there is someone who claims to be a believer, but their actions are nowhere in line with where God is taking them? Our only loyalty should to God and His Word, and we have to be willing to place a safe distance between ourselves and people who are not living according to the Word of God.
Today, we will be looking at 2 Thessalonians 3:6, keep a faithful distance between us and the ungodly.
“Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly and not after tradition which he received of us.”
The word “withdraw” means “to avoid or abstain from”.
The word “brother” gives us every indication that the people Paul is referring to are believers.
The phrase “walketh disorderly” means “to live immorally or irregularly”.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:9, the Bible says, “Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.”
So, despite the example, in word and deed, brothers in the body of Christ are making conscious decisions to deviate from the teachings they received in order to live a life that makes the Gospel a eyesore to others.
In 1 Corinthians 11:1, the Bible says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ”.
Paul is following Christ’s example, but there were people among them that lived counter to His example.
What are the brothers doing that is so bad?
In 2 Thessalonians 3:10-11, the Bible says, “For even when we were with you, this we commanded you, that if any would not work, neither should he eat. For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies”.
There is enough here for us to understand that these brothers that have to be avoided are people who are leeching off of the generosity of others, including from unbelievers the Gospel has been shared with, and they are also lazy and gossips, and spreading dissension among the body. Because this is a place where new believers are being taught, and also a place people flock to who don’t know the Gospel. It is highly important for these people to experience the right example of those living the Gospel.
In Romans 16:17, the Bible says, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.”
Imagine sharing the Gospel in a place where you are outnumbered by paganism, and other religions, where it is hard enough to convince people that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is true, but then you have fellow believers living a life that sets fire to the work you have done. This is why these people are to be avoided because being in fellowship with them sends the wrong message of living out Gospel.
In 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15, the Bible says, “And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.”
This is not a total excommunication, but it is designed so that the person can see that their lives do not line up with the Gospel and bring themselves back under conformity to the Word of God. The Gospel is too important for our behavior and our loyalty to hinder progress.
Let us live by example from Christ’s example.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 10, 2025 – Psalm 23:1 – our needs bestowed upon us by a loving Shepherd
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”.
Psalm 23:1
Hi Everyone!
We live in a materialistic, superficial, society that is governed by the enemy.
Everyone seems to be racing for the pursuit of the dollar, and this world is tuning into an evil place as a result.
Even in churches, the prosperity doctrine is like a drug for some people, equating God to nothing more that someone to mooch off of, or only pray to when our palms need to be greased.
We want God’s storehouse, but we don’t want His fellowship, His purpose, nor do we really want His will to be done.
Is Jesus really Lord? If He is, then our lives are patterned according to His commands, according to His desires for us, and ultimately for the glory of God.
Many people want their needs fulfilled, but don’t want to surrender our will to God.
Many people want to be successful, but don’t want to be led.
If the Lord is truly our Shepherd, then we will always be positioned with what we need.
Today, we will reflect on Psalm 23:1, our needs bestowed upon us by a loving Shepherd.
“The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want”.
The word “Lord” pertains to the self-existent, eternal God who is supreme in authority, and the controller of our lives.
Our God is a gentleman though, and will not force us to serve Him.
In Luke 6:46, Christ says, “And why call me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”
It all begins with our posture to the Lord. We can’t pay God lip service only and expect the kingdom to open up to us, nor can we disobey God’s Word and then expect His provision to unlock for us.
In Psalm 37:4, the Bible says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
That word “delight” means “to be soft, malleable, able to be formed”.
If the Lord is our Shepherd, then we are clay in the hands of the Potter, available for Him to form us as He wills. Many of us want to be what we want to be, and then ask God to bless our choice, not His will being done. In that case, He is not Lord.
The word “shepherd” means “tender to the flock, pastor or spiritual leader.”
This settles it that God has to be able to lead us right now because the passage says, “The Lord IS my shepherd”.
Some of us began to trust God’s leading and then went in a separate direction, all while still calling Him Lord.
In Matthew 7:21, Christ says, “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.”
Obedience to God’s will is what establishes that Jesus is Lord in our lives. A shepherd knows what is best for His sheep, He protects us from what we don’t see coming, and looks after the sheep with love.
In Jeremiah 23:4, the Bible says, “And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them; and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the Lord.”
God knows what we need when we need it. We have to trust in God to be God.
In Matthew 6:32-33, Christ says, “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
By Seeking the kingdom of God first, we are being sheep under our Shepherd, meaning that His commands and direction is more important to us that His provision. This is a relationship of trust, and in order for the Lord to be our shepherd, we have to trust Him.
In Jeremiah 17:7-8, the Bible says, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”
When the Lord is our Shepherd, we can obey Him, trust Him, and watch Him provide our needs.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 11, 2025 – Psalm 30:3 – being brought back to life
“O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”
Psalm 30:3
Hi Everyone!
Twenty-four years ago, I was shot multiple times by two people, and then left for dead. I didn’t know the guys who shot me, and my guess is that I was shot because they either mistook me for the person they wanted to shoot, or they got tired of looking for the person from my neighborhood that they wanted to shoot and shot me instead
Even as I laid on the ground, they continued to unload bullets into me.
Under normal circumstances, I wouldn’t be alive today, but God saved me.
Seven years later, my prison cell, God visited me and I received His gift of salvation
He saved my life again, but this time, He gave me eternal life as well.
I mean it when I say that I have been brought back from the dead, because by normal circumstances,
I should not be here. Recognizing this makes me thankful to God.
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 30:3, being brought back to life.
“O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit.”
David is giving a prayer of thanksgiving and praise to God at the dedication of his house. David remembers the journey he has gone though to be standing on the ground that he stood on that day. He remembers God’s hedge of protection that kept him safe from Saul’s hand many times.
In 1 Samuel 20:1, the Bible says, “And David fled from Naoith in Ramah, a came and said before Jonathan, What have I done? what is mine iniquity? and what is my sin before thy father, that he seeketh my life?”
Saul knew David was anointed by God to take his place as king, because God rejected Saul as king. Despite all of the faithful service David showed Saul, Saul is trying to kill David.
The phrase “hast brought up my soul from the grave” implies that David has ascended out of the hands of his enemies, that the death sentence that he was given is no more. David was a valiant warrior who slayed the Goliath, yet he gave the glory to God from delivering him from death.
The same God who delivered our souls from death, is the same one who delivered us from a spiritual death.
In John 3:16, Christ says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
God never desired His children to taste death, but experience life everlasting in Him. David experienced a physical saving of His life that clearly translates to our spiritual lives being saved by faith in Jesus Christ.
In John 5:24, Christ says, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on Him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life.”
We were condemned, with a death sentenced over our heads, but God saved us and caused us to experienced life despite our sinfulness, despite our past, and despite our failures.
In Romans 6:3-4, the Bible says, “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into His death? Therefore we are buried with Him in baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk on newness of life.”
Do we live as if we have come back from the dead? We all covet that clean slate, that do-over to wash away our past indiscretions, but do we realize that God delivered us from death, securing that second chance! As believers, we have that fresh start, but do we believe it?
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things become new.”
David recognized that God saved his life from real enemies. He had a kingdom after him, and he experienced a deliverance from death that only God could do. We have been saved the same way, but do we carry the same thankfulness that we have been brought up from the grave and given a new life?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 12, 2025 – Romans 5:5 – walking in the shameless hope of God
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
Romans 5:5
Hi Everyone!
Being justified, made righteous, by God through faith in Christ provides believers with tons of benefits.
For starters, we have been redeemed from the penalty of death and the consequences of our sins.
We also are taught directly by God through the Holy Spirit, and even corrected by Him when we get out of line.
We receive strength when we are weakened by life’s circumstances, and we enter fully into God’s love.
My life as a believer is the evidence that God’s favor and benefits are upon me. I have every reason to press forward in hope, yet, being brutally honest, I am in a season where the difficulties are piling up and quitting seems easier than pressing on.
For the last four days, I have heard a part of the song “Jesus Messiah” playing over and over in my head: “All our hope is in You”.
As I have been broken down to rubble, that line still plays so strongly in my head, even when I sleep. Despite how I feel, I am still here, still pressing on, because my hope is in God.
Today, we will look at Romans 5:5, walking in the shameless hope of God.
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.”
The word “hope” means “anticipation, expectation, especially for those who experience the hope of salvation through Christ, eternal life and blessedness”.
In Psalm 121:1-2, the Bible says, ” I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth”.
If my vision is towards God who will provide my help, then I hope in Him, and I look with expectancy for His arrival. This is what was being stripped from me, that hope, because I focused more on my circumstances not working out than the hope I have in God. I’ve never been surrounded by so many good things, and still contemplated throwing my hands down in sheer defeat. I am realizing that I placed my hope in the wrong things and in the wrong people.
The phrase “maketh not ashamed” means “to not cause dishonor, or not cause one to be confounded”.
If my hope is in circumstances, then that is where my trust will be.
In Jeremiah 17:5-6, the Bible says, “Thus saith theLORD, Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For He shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inherit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land not inhabited”.
Trusting in man, I set myself up to be disappointed time and time again, and I have positioned my own self in places uninhabited that cannot grow, because I shifted my trust in God to people and circumstances.
In Romans 10:10-11, the Bible says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on Him shall not be ashamed.”
When my hope and trust is in the Lord, I am positioned correctly for God to show His faithfulness, but I have been out of line, which has contributed to my brokenness.
The word “love” means “love-feast, affection, or benevolence”.
The phrase “shed abroad” means “poured forth or bestowed fully”.
The word “hearts” is our innermost being, the seat of one’s thoughts, desires, passions or will.
The Holy Ghost places this hope in our hearts because of the love of God toward us. He doesn’t want us defeated, and He doesn’t want us to fail.
In Ephesians 1:13, the Bible says, “In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that Holy Spirit of promise.”
If I am sealed, then nothing can get in that is not supposed to be there. In losing hope, I took my eyes off Christ, trusted in how it looked, and believed that wrong testimony, all while trying to serve God.
The enemy was trying to steal my hope, but nice try!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 13, 2025 – Romans 5:6 – salvation provided for the wicked
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
Romans 5:6
Hi Everyone!
I am a living witness that the power of God is capable of transforming anyone’s life by faith in Jesus Christ.
If anyone knew me then, they would have thought that I was hopeless, incapable of being anything more than a failure.
My life now still causes family members to scratch their heads in confusion, because they are still expecting the old man to creep out, but they haven’t seen that man in over two decades!
As I draw closer to God, I see that before I committed my first sin, before I had the thought to disobey God, He already made the provision for my salvation.
All I had to do at that appointed time was place my faith in Jesus Christ for salvation, and my sins were washed away.
I make no excuse, nor do I minimize my sin, because all that truly matters now is that God has forgiven me and I am whole!
Today, we will look at Romans 5:6, salvation provided for the wicked.
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.”
In Romans 5:1-2, the Bible says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
Salvation brought about a peace with God that I never had when I was in sin, and He made me righteous in Him, so that when He sees me, He doesn’t see a filthy sinner, but He sees a child of God. Salvation also has brought me access into the kingdom of God by faith, where I can see that I have everything to hope in.
The phrase “without strength” means “moral wickedness or disease; or a state of sinfulness”.
Sometimes, we have to be honest with who we used to be, and still have a propensity to be.
In Isaiah 64:6, the Bible says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
This is that state all believers have been saved from.
No one is in a position to judge big sins versus little sins. I have had a lot of believers look at the fact that I am in prison for homicide and feel like I am the lowest of the low, but any sin that is not washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ will lead to death.
In Galatians 4:3-5, the Bible says, “Even so we, when we were children, were in bondage under the elements of the world: But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
We all we in a state of sinfulness that kept us apart from God, and we all needed salvation for our sins, because we were unable to pay our debts.
The word “died” is a gross understatement for the type of death that Jesus suffered to secure our access to salvation by faith in Him.
In Isaiah 52:14, the Bible says, “As many were astonied at thee; his visage was so marred more than any man, and his form more than the sons of man.”
Jesus was beaten beyond recognition, whipped, having his skin ripped off in the process, and he was forced to carry His own cross! He endured this, knowing that I would become a murderer that would need His salvation nearly two-thousand years later.
The word “ungodly” means “impious or wicked”.
In Romans 4:24-25, the Bible says, “But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.”
Jesus didn’t stay in the grave, but rose again with all power, bestowing upon us the blessed Holy Spirit when He ascended to the Father.
We might have started out as sinful and wicked, but being saved, we are children of God, adopted into His kingdom, and we have the ability to live new lives in Him.
Never allow someone to hold you to your past sins when you are walking in salvation and deliverance by faith!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 14, 2025 – Proverbs 28:13, truly confessing our sins
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
Proverbs 28:13
Hi Everyone!
I know I fall short in many ways, and I come to God for His grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
I have been saved for a while, and I have a handle of some things, but I struggle mightily in other areas, and I want to be so much better than I am.
I remember years ago, when I first was getting started, if I would have thought I could get to where I am now, there would have to be some divine intervention, a miracle, or something, but now that I am “here”, I truly see that this isn’t enough, that there is still much work left to do.
I imagine that our faith walk places us all in the ocean, where some people appear farther along than others, but by us all being in the water, we all have fallen short of the shore. This is where we humble ourselves, confess our sins, and ask God for His mercy.
Today, we will reflect on Proverbs 28:13, truly confessing our sins.
“He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy.”
The word “covereth” means “to conceal”.
The word “sins” means “offenses or trespasses against God”.
The word “prosper” means “the ability to push forward or to be profitable”.
Sin, especially sins that are concealed, prevent us from getting further ahead and prevent us from being profitable for the kingdom of God. When David had Uriah killed in order to take his wife, he didn’t have a desire to just take his wife. He first tried to cover it up.
In 2 Samuel 11:8, the Bible says, “And David said to Uriah, Go down to thy house, and wash thy feet. And Uriah departed out of the king’s house, and there followed him a mess of meat from the king.”
David called Uriah back from war so that he could have Uriah sleep with his wife to cover up the fact that David got her pregnant. When he refused to lie with his wife, and because he showed integrity before God and the king, David sent Uriah back to war, with his own death warrant sealed in his hand, and had him killed.
In 2 Samuel 11:27, the Bible says, “And when the mourning was past, David sent and fetched her to his house, and she became his wife, and bare him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the Lord”.
David actually thought for a second that he was getting away with it, and he made Bathsheba his wife. God had news for David!
In 2 Samuel 12:9, the Bible says, “Wherefore hast thou despised the commandment of the Lord, to do evil in His sight? Thou hast killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and hast taken his wife to be thy wife, and hast slain him with the sword of the children of Ammon.”
Do we see our sin as us despising God’s commands? Do we realize that no matter how well we try to hide our sin, God is watching it clear as day? Does this make you cringe? It sure makes me cringe!
The word “confess” means “to acknowledge our sin before a holy God”.
In Psalm 51:4, the Bible says, “Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightiest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.”
David, confronted and convicted by his sin, laid it bare before God
The word “forsaketh” means “to relinquish or separate oneself from”.
In Psalm 51:13, the Bible says, “Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.”
David not only confesses his sin, he wants to use this lesson to teach others to obey God. This is a person who wants to remove the sin from their life.
The word “mercy” means “compassion”. It doesn’t mean that God won’t punish our sin, but He withholds what we are truly due.
In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
God restored David through his confession, and forgave him of his sin.
We know David as a man after God’s own heart because he didn’t remain in his sin, but through confession, he moved forward.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 15, 2025 – Romans 5:11 – the joy behind being at one with Christ
“And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
Romans 5:11
Hi Everyone!
It baffles me to see so many believers who are dejected, depressed, broken, and void of peace and joy.
The enemy mounts offensives against us the minute we decide to serve Him, the minute we choose to believe the Word of God, or the minute we make up our minds to carry out God’s purpose in our lives.
The enemy is trying to rob us of anything that would cause us to experience joy, and many of us fall for his devices time after time
When we received salvation for our sins, something changed within us. No only were we born again, but we also have kingdom authority in the earth. We have the Holy Spirit dwelling inside of us, the same Spirit that dwelt in Christ, and we are empowered by God to live new lives in Him.
My worst day as a believer was met with the fullness of God’s comfort, and He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Today, we will look Romans 5:11, the joy behind being at one with Christ.
“And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
The word “and” at the beginning of this verse tells us that there is more context to pull from the text to gain the full meaning.
This means we have to go back.
In Romans 5:9-10, the Bible says, “Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life”.
I can only speak for myself, but I was an enemy of God. I took life, I committed crimes, and I lived an unrepentant, sinful life, sometimes proudly! To receive salvation from God is more than I ever deserve, but for this provision to be made available nearly two-thousand years before I was born, designated for the moment I called out to God for salvation, is something much more. It means that God’s love for us is beyond anything this earth can offer, and He desires for us to experience salvation.
The word “joy” means “to rejoice, or glory in”.
This is a term that induces humble celebration that we have been passed from death to life, that the penalty we should have incurred for our sin has been paid. Imagine Barabbas set to go to the cross, but in the eleventh hour, Jesus came and took his place, completely releasing him of his death sentence. If there is not a humble celebration of thankfulness flowing from Barabbas, then he has no sign of appreciation for what was done for him.
In Romans 3:24-25, the Bible says, “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in His blood, to declare His righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God.”
The grace of God made redemption possible, not our best efforts, nor our perceived holiness. Gods grace made Jesus available to us in order for Him to be the atoning sacrifice for our sin, the substitute that took onot weight and placed it upon Him.
The word “atonement” means “reconciliation or restoration to the divine favor”.
God has grown us much more than just salvation. He restored us to Him. Do we really understand what this means?
In Galatians 4:7, the Bible says, “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ”.
We are of only saved, but we are children and heirs of God. This means that we have the same privileges and access that Christ had when He walked the earth.
In Ephesians 2:6, the Bible says, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus”.
God has us resting in heavenly places in Him, instead of in the mires that we have been delivered from.
God has changed our status, our access, our benefits, and He has changed our address!
We are completely new in Him. If we meditate on this truth, rejoicing should be what pours from us!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 16, 2025 – Psalm 37:1 – rejecting the bitterness from beholding the success of the wicked
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
Psalm 37:1
Hi Everyone!
In my prison environment, I am surrounded by people of all backgrounds, and people with different types of support systems.
Some guys made the street life a very lucrative life before they were confined, and they still have the earnings from that.
Others have friends and family engaged in that street life, who spare them no expense.
My wife and I have been saving and campaigning in order to get a lawyer, while some of these people can pick up the phone and have twenty-five thousand dollars sent to a lawyer in a day!
Years ago, a guy who was selling drugs in my prison environment offered to give me drugs to sell in order to make money for a lawyer. My response, “Brother, if I did that, then all of this living out my faith would be for nothing. I won’t ever cut corners to get where God is taking me.”
He respected that, but I felt a little bitterness at the fact that the evildoers seem to have all they can handle while people who live out their faith without compromise seem to struggle mightily to get ahead.
Today, we will look at Psalm 37:1, rejecting the bitterness from beholding the success of the wicked.
“Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity.”
God takes care of His own, and He will always make sure that we have what we need when we need it. Sadly, we grow impatient, and then we become angry.
The phrase “fret not thyself” means “do not blaze up in angered jealousy”.
The word “evildoers” speaks of those who are bad morally and good for nothing spiritually. Why would any in the faith be jealous of what someone else in the world has? They are looking at the substance and not the provider.
In Exodus 20:17, the Bible says, “Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.”
I take my eyes off of God when I look at other’s lives.
I then find myself wrapped in what I should have compared to others, and I also begin to become discontented by what I have.
In Proverbs 30:8-9, the Bible says, “Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny thee, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain”.
We can become wrapped up in some very depressed thoughts based upon the lack of possessions we have. Society has this desire to become rich, and will compromise anything to get it, and just having what is needed is no longer good enough. Having too much can cause us to stray just as much as not having enough. Paul came to an understanding about possessions in prison of all places.
In Philippians 4:11, the Bible says, “Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content.”
This has to be our attitude as believers, because we serve a God who knows our every need, and will give us the rest even when we are struggling.
In Matthew 6:32, Christ says, “(For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things.”
God knows, so there is no reason for us to be angry by the perceived prosperity of the wicked.
The word “envious” means “to have strong emotions of jealousy stemming from a desire to possess something”.
The phrase “workers of iniquity” means “unrighteous, wicked, or morally perverse”.
When wee have become absorbed in what the wicked has, we allow our anger to cause us to have thoughts we shouldn’t have.
In Psalm 37:2, the Bible says, “For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb.”
Destruction is the end to those who gain while practicing evil. So we are angry about their “success” without discerning their end. If I have to weigh destruction with having wealth, I will gladly be poor!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 17, 2025 – Philippians 1:29 – rescued by God through the blood of Jesus Christ
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”
Philippians 1:29
Hi Everyone!
We are alive as believers because Jesus gave His life on the cross for our sins.
We have a sin debt that we were unable to pay, and no amount of animal sacrifices or well doing was enough to satisfy the debt for our sins.
We were delivered from the penalty of sin and death, and our lives a now new in Him.
With that payment of atonement made on our behalf, we should have a desire to grow spiritually, we should have a desire to love on a level that we never have before, and we should have a desire to serve God first above anything.
We should be walking in strength and not in fear, and we should be living in a way that it brings glory to God.
Someone died so we can live, but are our lives a symbol of appreciation to God for his salvation and redemption?
Today, we will be looking at Philippians 1:29, rescued by God through the blood of Jesus Christ.
“For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake.”
Paul is writing the church at Philippi, aiming to get them to embrace the importance of living out the Gospel message of Jesus Christ.
In Philippians 1:27, the Bible says, “Only let your conversation be as it becometh the Gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the Gospel.”
We should be the type of believers that are walking in step with the Spirit, whether we are being watched or whether we are by ourselves. Our change becomes sincere when we don’t need any incentive to follow the Word of God other than our love for Him.
The word “given” also tells us what we are given, being a word that means, “to rescue, pardon, to show favor, or to forgive”.
I love this definition because it is the love of God that showed us favor, forgave us of our sines, released us from the bondage of our sins, and rescued us from the penalty of death!
In Romans 5:1-2, the Bible says, “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into the grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.”
This salvation makes us righteous before a Holy God, and we experience His peace, knowing that we are not slated for destruction. As believers, we are bestowed such amazing grace, a bridge between where we are and where we should be, causing us to have direct access to God.
The word “believe” means “to entrust one’s spiritual wellbeing to, or to have faith in”.
God did this so that we would believe in the name of Jesus, so we would come to the end of ourselves and call out to Jesus for salvation.
In Romans 10:9-10, the Bible says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”
Through faith, this entrusting of Christ for our spiritual wellbeing, we enter into an amazing relationship with God. Having all of these promises, God doesn’t shy away from the fact that, as believers, we are going to experience suffering.
The word “suffer” means “to be subjected to pain or evil”.
In Romans 8:16-17, the Bible says, “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may be glorified together.”
There is glory on the other side of our suffering.
Romans 5:3 says, “And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience”.
So much is produced in suffering that builds us into much stronger believers, but many of us want to live with relative ease instead of suffer for Christ, who did it all for us.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 18, 2025 – 1 John 3:3 – being purified as Jesus is pure
“And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure”.
1 John 3:3
Hi Everyone!
God provided us with an amazing gift when He gave mankind Jesus Chris, the atoning sacrifice for the sins of the whole world.
He took a seemingly hopeless situation, and He turned it as a means by which we can be redeemed from the penalty of death, and established that our “end” would actually be eternal life with Him in heaven.
This hope means that we no longer have to rely on the old life and the old mind in order to love abundantly, but our hope can be placed in the finished work of Jesus Christ, which can transform us into His image.
God never desired that our salvation would leave us the same, but He desired that our change will confound our critics, and give us an avenue to show people how we have been changed.
I promised God that I would declare the name of Jesus everywhere I go when I am released from prison, but I am also doing it now.
Today, we will be looking at 1 John 3:3, being purified as Jesus is pure.
“And every man that hath this hope in Him purifieth himself, even as He is pure”.
John is writing from Ephesus to a church that is being infiltrated by false teachers. There is a spread of Gnosticism in the church and this false teaching is causing believers to question where they stand in their faith. This verse is connected to a previous point being made, so we have to go back an include it for context purposes.
In 1 John 3:2, the Bible says, “Beloved, now we are the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when He shall appear, we shall be like Him; for we shall see Him as He is.”
So, we are declared the children of God, the builders of the family name, and we can’t even begin to comprehend what that means for us. We know Christ, and we know where He is, seated at the right hand of the Father, but we will see Him in His fullness face to face. Until then, we have the Word of God that will to clue us into that character and love of our Saviour. We can look ahead with hope!
The word “hope” means “pleasurable anticipation, divine expectation, or confidence in Jesus”.
This hope will compel trust in Him in every aspect of lives, because Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
Christ is the object of our hope and therefore our faith comes through Him.
This isn’t some idle hope in someone sure to fail us, because in Hebrews 7:25, the Bible says, “Wherefore He is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by Him, seeing He ever liveth to make intercession for them.”
Please help us all see that Jesus made the intercessions for us to God that ultimately led us to Him, and He continues to make intercession for us in drawing us closer to God. The Holy Spirit is activated within us to convict us, teach us, and lead us to be more like Christ, and also to display His character to us! He was working on us before we knew that we needed Him!
The word “purifieth” means “to reform”. This is a heart change caused by our salvation, and by this blessed hope that we have. It makes us want to change.
In Romans 12:2, the Bible says, “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God.”
We have to make ourselves available to God to continue to mold our hearts to desire the things that God desires and not the things that the world has to offer. Remember, we have been delivered from the world, so if it had any capability to purify us before God, it would have done it a long time ago.
In Romans 8:29, the Bible says, “For whom He did foreknow, He also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.”
God had it in His creative intent for us to look like Christ in this earth, and He also gave us a reason to hope, that we will see Christ in the fullness of His glory!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Oct 19, 2025 to Nov 3, 2025 – WARFARE IN THE SPIRIT – 16 DAYS – ORIGINAL MAY 19, 2021
Nov, 2025 to Nov 4, to Nov 13 – THE BEATITUDES – 10 DAYS – ORIGINAL SERIES JUL 21, 201
Nov 14, 2025 – Psalm 37:16 – embracing the “little” we have with God (posted for: Nov 14, 2025)
“A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.”
Psalm 37:16
Hi Everyone!
Sometimes, it is easy to look at the wealth of the world and become enticed, especially when we are in any form of lack.
Sometimes, we look at life and feel that we’ve gotten a raw deal, and we become more focused on what we don’t have, instead of being thankful for those things that we do have.
We rob ourselves because we use our own selfish desire and ambition, or the lives of others as a measuring tool for what we should have in life.
We become jealous of people and angry at God because we don’t have something that is possibly harmful to us.
Being someone who lived in the streets, racing after ill-gotten gains, I have a primary source perspective that the end is destruction, no matter how well one plays the game.
Either we forsake God’s gift of salvation, or we position ourselves for destruction right here on earth. I bear the wounds an consequences.
Today, we will look at Psalm 37:16, embracing the “little” we have with God.
“A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked.”
The word “righteous” means “one who conforms to the standard of God”.
The word “better” means “fruitful, well-pleasing, or morally correct”.
If God’s standard is our own, then we don’t have to worry about what we have, because Who we have is much more important.
In Luke 3:14, the Bible says, “And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”
The soldier is likely to feel like they aren’t being paid as much as the people they are protecting, and that discontentment may cause they to abuse their position for financial gain.
In Hebrews 13:5, the Bible says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness, and be content with such things as ye have, for He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
When we fret about what we don’t have we have forsaken righteousness and have put on anger.
If our God is a provider, then He knows exactly what our needs are. God has shown me when I made the decision to do everything legal and not cut any corners that He was right there, and even when I was in hard moments, He sent an unexpected blessing in the form of exactly what I needed. No one could have know exactly what I needed, down to the dollar! I slept easier with the “little” I had in the Lord, because I had no worry that officers would raid my room and take anything, nor did I have to worry about fighting someone trying to cheat me.
In 1 Timothy 6:8-9, the Bible says, “And having food and raiment let us be therewith content. But they that will be rich fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
This passage is designed for people who have developed possessing money into idolatry. That person is not content with having what they need. They want to be rich.
In Proverbs 15:16, the Bible says, “Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.”
When we value our relationship with God, possessions will lose their power more and money will not seem as important anymore. In prison, people try to accumulate as much money as possible, because they don’t know where their next dollar is coming, and so they stockpile out of fear and cut corners because they don’t want to be broke. T
hey heap trouble upon themselves to make a dollar.
In Proverbs 16:8, the Bible says, “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right”.
Righteousness is far more important than riches, and in fact, righteousness is actually wealth, because it is spiritual currency. When we fail to compromise with evil for the accumulation of wealth, we cannot experience a life where God is our provider.
I came to realize that all the window dressings I thought I needed to make my life better only led me away from God!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 15, 2025 – Psalm 37:8 – quenching a fiery, jealous, anger over the success of the wicked
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
Psalm 37:8
Hi Everyone!
It is important to not have a jealous anger towards those who excel at practicing evil.
They drive around in the best cars, they wear the best clothes, the flash the best jewelry, and it appears that there lives are nothing but good things.
People, both believers an unbelievers, are enticed into a life that is actually a lie, a life that puts a person on a collision course with desperation. This desperation causes people to do things that they wouldn’t otherwise ever do, and the path to destruction becomes blazed.
When we have this angered jealousy, and trust me, I have had it in prison, watching unbelievers get their cases overturned, getting lawyers at the drop of a hat, and getting time reduced from their sentences.
People who don’t appreciate the blessing seem to be the ones always getting the blessing, but God doesn’t want me to be angered by this, because I can become just like them if I am not careful.
Today, we will look at Psalm 37:8, quenching a fiery, jealous, anger over the success of the wicked.
“Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
The word “cease” means “to abate, stop or let go”.
The word “anger” refers to someone quick-tempered. Being someone who used to be quick-tempered, I used to act first and deal with the consequences later.
This is not the way God wants me to think or respond to anything, by doing something in haste that I would regret later.
In James 1:19-20, the Bible says, “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath: For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God.”
We have to take a step back from allowing the lives and acquisitions of others to allow us to become rash and angry, because we are subject to do something that will sorely displease God. A quick-tempered, angry person cannot see clearly, because they are so absorbed in their cause that they cannot see what God wants them to see, nor hear His voice.
The word “forsake” means “to loose or relinquish”.
The word “wrath” means “fury or rage”.
David, the writer of this Psalm, was a very wealthy man, but he also had lived a life hiding in caves, fleeing from people in power that wanted him dead. He is speaking from experience. Remember when he and his small army went to Nabal for provision because they were hungry? David and his men had helped Nabal become as rich as he was, and asked nothing in return, but when he finally asked Nabal for help, he not only refused them, but he was kinda haughty towards David. David’s response?
In 1 Samuel 25:13, the Bible says, “And David said unto his men, Gird ye on every man his sword. And they girded on every man his sword; and David also girded on his sword: and there went up after David about four hundred men; and two hundred abode by the stuff.”
David and his men were going to take the provision they needed by force and likely kill to do it. This is a man identified as being after God’s own heart, yet he was going to kill a man and take his provision out of hunger, anger, and desperation.
Please never act like this, it doesn’t become us well if we allow our anger to prevail. Praise God for Abigail, Nabal’s wife, who intervened without Nabal knowing and provided for David and his men all they needed.
The phrase “fret not thyself in any wise to do evil” means “don’t allow your anger to cause you to sin against God”.
In Ephesians 4:26-27, the Bible says, “Be angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: Neither give place to the devil.”
God never desired for our anger to lead to bitterness against anyone. When that happens, we give the enemy room to operate in our minds and hearts. The enemy loves to convince us that our God can’t provide for us, or convince us that in our waiting that God is not going to show up.
Trust me, the enemy tries to help us make a hard situation worse by getting us to turn away from God!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 16, 2025 – Psalm 37:9 – the end result dissected
“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth”.
Psalm 37:9
Hi Everyone!
They say that waiting is the hard part.
I know this is true as I wait for the shift to happen that will cause me to regain my freedom, but if I look at my life accurately, the shift has already happened!
We look at end results as a way to measure the process, and we tend to mistake someone’s process as the end result.
This is what makes us frantic when we see the success and prosperity of the wicked; we mark their perceived success as their end, but we don’t consider the destruction that is sure to come.
When I fret about unbelievers getting the convictions overturned, I don’t consider that if they don’t repent, their end is destruction, so I tend to incorrectly view their success as an end.
When I come home, that isn’t an end, but it is truly the beginning of a beauty life, ministry, and outreach with my wife Jessica.
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 37:9, the end result dissected.
“For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the Lord, they shall inherit the earth”.
The word “for” at the beginning of this verse means that there is a verse ahead of this that is connected to this that we need to receive the full context.
In Psalm 37:8, the Bible says, “Cease from danger and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil.”
David is writing this Psalm because he knows that people can be exasperated by the success of the evildoers, especially when they are doing all the right things to succeed.
The word “evildoers” means “good for nothing, wicked, or morally bad”.
This isn’t speaking on those who occasionally sin, but those who make a fulltime practice out of sinfulness.
The phrase “shall be cut off” means “to destroy, consume, or cut off.”
In Job 27:8-9, the Bible says, “For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul? Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?”
So not only are the evildoers going to be set for destruction, but their cry will be ignored too!
Didn’t Jesus pose a question that should give us pause about the success of the wicked in Matthew 16:26-27, where Christ asks, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”
There is a reward in store for us: blessings for those who faithful serve God even in the face of want, and destruction set for those unbelievers who refuse to repent. Financial gain is not everything when we are willing to compromise our end to gain it.
The phrase “those that wait upon” means “to bind together as the twisting of a rope, to hope, to patiently tarry”.
We are not waiting in hope for the provision of God, but we are waiting in hope for the Lord to respond in a manner that fulfils God’s will and glorifies Him, even when we are disappointed by how long it appears to be taking. The twisting of a rope secures the bond, like a braid does, where we don’t become unraveled by circumstances.
The phrase “shall inherit the earth” implies the possession of the covenant promises of God concerning us.
In Psalm 37:11, the Bible says, “But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.”
Not only will we possess God’s blessings, but He will also bestow more peace upon us than we need.
In Isaiah 40:31, the Bible says, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.”
Sometimes, the waiting can cause us to be depleted of strength and resolve to continue the process, and especially seeing the wicked succeed can make us have an unnecessary urgency to gain.
We have to remember that we serve a God that knows exactly what we need, and responds accordingly. Waiting renews strength!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 17, 2025 – Psalm 37:23 – steps that are ordered by the Lord
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in His way.”
Psalm 37:23
Hi Everyone!
The journey to salvation is paved by God.
The pathway through sanctification is also paved by God. The light by which we navigate on this path is given by God.
So if we are to be the people God has created, and called, us to be, then all roads we take have to go through Him.
Our problem comes when we think that we know our own way, and we deviate from the path that Jesus has blazed. As long as we remain on His path, we will walk in His light and glorify Him in the process.
If we deviate from His path, to pursue our own means to get to the end that we feel we should have, then we will effectively inherit destruction.
When we look at the success of the wicked, our anger at our individual plight can compel us to join them if we cannot seem to beat them, but God requires us to remain on His path, and incline ourselves to His Word and direction.
Today, we will look at Psalm 37:23, steps that are ordered by the Lord.
“The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in His way.”
The phrase “good man” means “a person who becomes who they were created to be”.
In Genesis 1:3-4, the Bible says, “And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness.”
The light became good only when it became what God declared it to be. When we become what we were declared by God to be, then God will look upon us and call us “good”, but we can’t be declared good if our agenda is to go our own way.
The word “ordered” means “set, fixed, or established”.
This means that we must understand that we are not the author or finisher of our faith, but Jesus is.
In Colossians 1:17, the Bible says, “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.”
Everything that we are was set together by God, so we cannot tell the One who created us what we should be or what we should have. When God orders our steps, then we should willingly follow Him anywhere.
In Matthew 16:24, the Bible says, “Then said Jesus unto His disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”
We have to declare ourselves and the path that we want to take outside of God’s will to be untrue before we can fully follow God.
We have to forsake our ideas, our ambition, and our impressions of where we should be.
I remember a time in my confinement when I had a lot of money in my account. People actually thought that I was serving God because I was considered blessed! Well, when the money ran out, people thought I was going to turn my back on God, but there I was, continuing to serve God even more faithfully. I resolved that I was going to go wherever God was leading me.
The word “delighteth” means “to bend towards or incline”.
The word “way” means “a road or course of life”.
The person who is following God’s direction is going to be positioned to obey His direction, even when it is painful.
In Proverbs 16:9, the Bible says, “A man’s heart deviseth his way: but the LORD directeth his steps.”
There will always be an inner conflict between what we want and what God wants, and that conflict intensifies when we look at the success of the wicked. We have to discard our feelings and seek God’s direction.
In Isaiah 55:7-8, the Bible says, “Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.”
We have to return to the LORD, because no matter how smart we think we are, if God’s ways aren’t first in our minds, then we haven’t delighted in His ways.
It brought joy to David to be directed by God, because he knew that God knew what was best for him. When we incline our hearts to God’s directions, we are operating in faith and trust in God.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 18, 2025 – Psalm 118:24 – rejoicing because God gave us another day
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Psalm 118:24
Hi Everyone!
The alarm clock doesn’t go off; and you waken late.
Immediately, you are disgruntled because your whole day is going to be hectic, because you started off behind. You fly through the morning trying to make up time, you become testy with other people, you tell people you would normally make time for, that you don’t have the time, and your countenance becomes stressed.
So your day was hedged on the alarm clock waking you up so that when it didn’t, it completely ruined your day.
You sit at the end of the day fatigued, relieved that the nightmare of the day is over, vowing to never go through that again.
Stressed, you go to bed, checking your alarm to make sure you are good
No matter how we wake up, late or on time, that type of day was not the day that we were promised. Nowhere in such a hectic day was God acknowledged or praised, and nowhere in that day was there any appreciation to be alive, to have the activities of our limbs, or to have a sound mind.
Does God get the glory for the days we have by not living from thanksgiving and joy, or does He see a people unappreciative of such a precious gift?
Today, we will reflect on Psalm 118:24, rejoicing because God gave us another day.
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
Looking at this Psalm, there is truly something to celebrate by pulling the previous verses into this study for context.
In Psalm 118:22-23, the Bible says, “The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner. This is the LORD’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes.”
Do we understand that this passage is talking about the coming of Christ, about the victory that He had over death through becoming the atoning sacrifice for sin? So this isn’t just a blanket statement of thankfulness that we are supposed to have every day, but it is the acknowledgement that, because of Christ’s sacrifice and our salvation, we have every reason every day to rejoice in the day and in the Lord.
Imagine looking ahead at the victory of Christ on the cross, and seeing the redemption we will receive by faith in Jesus, and that thought incites rejoicing at that thought. The writer of this Psalm did just that, but we are literally living this victory out in our lives right now
In Lamentations 3:22-23, the Bible says, “It is of the LORD’s mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness.”
Doesn’t salvation produce a mercy that stood in the gap stopping the penalty of death, and doesn’t this gift extend to the believer every day that they wake up?
This gift is also stretches out towards unbelievers, for them to partake in God’s gift of salvation by faith in Jesus, so whether they accept the gift or not, they too still have a reason every morning to praise God, because His love provides them with a chance to be born again
In Psalm 34:1-3, the Bible says, “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad. O magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together.”
Look at this verse through the lens of our salvation, and this should be our posture, being people redeemed from the penalty of our sins, being people born again, and being vessels that inhabit the Spirit of God. There is too much for us to rejoice in every day, because no matter how hard the day is, we have our future secure in Christ, and we can live from victory daily because of our salvation.
To rejoice and be glad, should be the response of experiencing a gift that continues to present itself as the mercy, love, and redemption of God
In Psalm 118:6, the Bible says, “The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?”
Waking up every morning knowing that God is on our side is enough, and if we rejoice in that truth, then nothing shakes us!
God Bless
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 19, 2025 – Psalm 37:24 – getting back to our feet again
“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.”
Psalm 37:24
Hi Everyone!
Just because we get knocked down by life’s circumstances, doesn’t mean that we have to remain that way.
In Christ, we have the ability to get back up again, when we find ourselves upset by the success of the wicked, yet not allowing our anger to consume us.
We can look at the goodness and grace of God in directing our steps, and providing for us the things that we need to become who He called us to be
Sometimes, we can find ourselves going down rabbit holes, that could lead to a pathway of destruction, but God is rich in mercy and will make sure that we are not totally consumed.
We see an injustice when we serve and feel that we don’t get our just due, but the wicked celebrate their ill-gotten gains, seemingly in our faces!
As God lifts us up when we fall, but the wicked won’t be able to get up again in that final day.
Today, we will reflect on Psalm 37:24, getting back to our feet again.
“Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: for the LORD upholdeth him with His hand.”
The word “fall” suggests a state of being overwhelmed to the point that we become angry or we shut down.
This is similar to t person who falls and wants to stay there. Many believers think that this won’t ever happen to them, but it happens to us all.
Didn’t David write in Psalm 43:5, “Why art thou cast down, O my soul? And why art thou disquieted within me? Hope in God: for I shall yet praise Him, who is the health of my countenance, and my God.”
We are going to get knocked down by life’s circumstances, sometimes by our own thoughts, but when we shift our thoughts to a hope in God, it positions us to be lifted up by God.
In Psalm 34:19, the Bible says, “Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the LORD delivereth him out of them all.”
People have the mistaken impression that because we are believers, we are not going to go through anything, or struggling through anything that knocks us on our back pockets, but God never promised that.
In fact, didn’t Christ tell us in John 16:33, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus didn’t say that we “might” have trouble, but He said, “we shall have tribulation”.
Because Jesus overcame the world, we are able in Him to overcome the world too!
The phrase “utterly cast down” suggests being in a permanent state of dejection, depression, and ruin. We can have those moments, but the moments we face are not our permanent state because we are held in the Master’s hand.
In Psalm 34:22, the Bible says, “The LORD redeemeth the soul of His servants: and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.”
God is not going to leave us hanging, He will make sure that we are covered by Him. This shows us that God doesn’t want us imbedded in the state that we sometimes find ourselves in.
In Psalm 40:12, the Bible says, “For innumerable evils have compassed me about: mine iniquities have taken hold upon me, so that I am not able to look up; they are more than the hairs of mine head: therefore my heart faileth me.”
Our hearts may fail us, but God will never fail us!
The word “hand” means “power or means”.
Everything is in God’s hands and He is going to provide for us the means to overcome what is plaguing us.
In 2 Corinthians 1:3-4, the Bible says, “Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; Who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God.”
I know this firsthand that God is comfort in the hardest circumstances that one can encounter, and being upheld by His power means that there is always another side to this coin, a place of peace that we experience after the storm is over.
Knowing God has us, changes everything!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 20, 2025 -Colossians 1:14 – redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
Colossians 1:14
Hi Everyone!
Jesus Christ is the atoning sacrifice for our sins. He died on the cross to free those who believe that not only did He die for our sins, but God raised Him from the dead.
In Him, we are new creations, and our old man died with Christ by faith, so that we can live abundantly in Him.
We always talk about the coveted “clean slate”, but in Christ we have one in God that not only gained our admittance into the kingdom of God, but also secured eternal life for us.
This doesn’t come from our efforts, nor does it come from our goodness, but it comes from the blood that was shed on the cross by Jesus for our sins.
I tell brothers in my prison environment that Someone died so that we could live, and He died fully in love with us, and fully obedient to His purpose.
Jesus is our example, but He is also our gift.
Today, we will look at Colossians 1:14, redemption through the blood of Jesus Christ.
“In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.”
It is important for us to understand who “In whom” is referring to, so we have to go back to pull the full context.
In Colossians 1:12-13, the Bible says, “Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us unto the kingdom of His dear Son.”
From this passage, we understand that God made salvation possible for us by delivering us from the darkness we were consumed in and moved us into the kingdom of Jesus Christ. This also allows us to experience and enjoy the benefits of the kingdom because of faith in Jesus.
The word “redemption” means “deliverance on account of the ransom paid, deliverance from the power and consequences of sin which Christ procured by laying down His life as a ransom.”
Imagine being given a death sentence, and while we are on death row, someone not only bails us out, but they take our place so we can go free.
This is what Jesus did for us!
In Ephesians 1:7-8, the Bible says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according the riches of his grace; Wherein he hath abounded toward us in all wisdom and prudence.”
God’s grace, the bridge between God’s redemption and our sin, not only produces the forgiveness of sins, but it also shows us that God knew exactly what He was doing. Our salvation was no accident, nor was it a mistake.
It was an intentional act of God to redeem us from the consequence of sin and the penalty of death.
In Romans 5:8-9, the Bible says, “But God commendeth his love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.”
This was a love offering of redemption and salvation. There at a lot of people who don’t feel loved, but God’s love was poured on us before we got our lives together, before we were forgiven.
The word “forgiveness” means “remission or pardon”.
I am in prison right now with a life sentence without parole. If the Governor was to pardon me, that would mean that the sentence I have been doing for the last twenty-two years goes away completely, and I walk out of prison unconditionally free. It would be as if I never had the sentence in the first place!
This is the magnitude of God’s forgiveness of our sins.
In Acts 26:18, the Bible says, “To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”
There are so many promises available to those who believe in Jesus Christ for salvation and forgiveness of sins. God isn’t trying to just forgive our sins, but He is trying to cause us to live according to His kingdom, to live with power and authority in the earth, and to live in complete freedom!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 21, 2025 – Proverbs 21:3, justice from God’s perspective
“To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”
Proverbs 21:3
Hi Everyone
I just finished a class called “Critical Topics of the 21st Century” as part of my Biblical Studies Bachelor’s Degree Program. The major component of the class was the pursuit of social justice from the Biblical worldview.
Of course, the class wasn’t liked by a number of students, because it forced us to engage in hard conversations about race, about the criminal justice system, and about restorative versus retributive justice.
Everyone in society today has an opinion about what is going on in our society, but to do justice is to actively step out on the principles of God and restore His vision as to what is justice in our society.
It requires work on our part, it requires us to have hard conversations, and it requires us to acknowledge that harm is still felt from injustice, but it requires our behavior as Christians to become the standard for how people should be loved and treated.
Today, we will look at Proverbs 21:3, justice from God’s perspective.
“To do justice and judgement is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.”
The word “do” means “to accomplish, perform, or complete.”
The word “justice” means “righteousness, blameless conduct or integrity.”
Justice can be seen as one looking out from heaven to uphold what is right. “Justice and righteousness” form an hendiadys, like “law and order”, words that are complementary to each other in order to grasp the full meaning.
Before we can come to an understanding of true justice, we have to take a view from heaven.
In Mark 12:30-31, Christ says, “And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength; this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
God demands that we love others the same way that we would love ourselves, the same way we would express our love to God.
The word “acceptable” means “desirable or excellent”.
We cannot do things our own way, with our own mind, and then say that we are performing righteousness.
In Proverbs 3:5-6, the Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.”
In order to perform righteousness, we have to be obedience to His commands. Doing justice without God is to pursue a cause without the power of God to actually accomplish it.
In 1 Samuel 15:22, the Bible says, “And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight on burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.”
King Saul tried to execute justice outside of the command of God, believe that offering a sacrifice of worship was more important to God than obedience. Our sacrifices mean nothing if we don’t have the mind of Christ.
In Philippians 2:4-5, the Bible says, “Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus.”
We have to see things through the lens of God to know what He requires. When we operate in true justice and righteousness, we want to see a world where we selflessly pursue advancement for all people, where we see people’s lives transformed by the power of God.
The word “sacrifice” speaks of the cutting and slaughtering of the flesh of an animal as an offering to God. This is a noble act, but without righteousness, it is abhorrent to God.
In Proverbs 15:8, the Bible says, “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is His delight.”
God’s mind is much different than ours in a lot of ways.
He doesn’t care for our outward expressions that pursue justice if our hearts don’t contain righteousness, love, and obedience.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 22, 2025 – Job 42:5 – an experience with God
“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”
Job 42:5
Hi Everyone!
The trials of Job are something hard to read.
We have a man in the middle of a struggle between Satan and God, who seem to be wagering his commitment to God through a series of brutal hardships.
God knows all things and knew Job would remain faithful to Him, but still allows Satan to afflict him, with His permission.
Imagine Job, who was considered blameless before people, and an example of faithfulness to God, losing everything he had in the twinkling of an eye. He loses his children in a horrible death, loses his financial gain in one fell swoop, and even has his body afflicted with disease so great that his friends broke out in grief the minute they saw him!
Throughout this torture, his friends turn on him, and he is left without any to defend him.
Job remained faithful to God, and also received something that made the whole ordeal worth it.
He got to experience God in a way he never had before!
Today, we will look at Job 42:5, an experience with God.
“I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”
The word “heard” means “to have attentively or intelligently listened with the intention of obeying.”
The word “hearing” refers to the reports or announcements made by, or about, God that Job cleaved to.
It is one thing to listen to the report about who God is, and it is another thing altogether to experience God!
In Acts 2:3-4, the Bible says, “And appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
In this moment, the people of God experienced God in a way that they never had before, and it completely changed the whole landscape of their lives forever. Also, this happening was witnessed by people, so this experience with God wasn’t isolated to just them. Other people felt the effects of their encounter with God, and even offered their idea as to why!
I don’t want to shirk the importance of hearing God because we have the opportunity to experience Him.
In Mark 9:2-3, the Bible says, “And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into a high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And His raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them.”
Peter, James, and John experienced Jesus in His glory and witnessed heaven open up! Peter wanted to build earthly tabernacles for their spiritual guests, Elias, Moses, and Christ, but in Mark 9:7, the Bible says, “And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.”
They had a full experience with God, one that changed their lives forever, but God still commanded them to listen and obey Christ!
The word “seen” means “to experience”.
In Acts 7:55-56, the Bible says, “But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God, And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.”
Stephen experienced God and was undoubtedly so encouraged by that encounter that when they stoned him, he asked God to receive his spirit and to forgive those who stoned him. To hear of God is good because it can lead to salvation, but to experience God is truly God’s desire.
In Revelation 21:3, the Bible says, “And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.”
God intended this for us when He created Adam and Eve. He wanted us to experience Him directly, but the fall hindered that.
God sent Christ to be our atonement for sin, and sent the Holy Spirit so that we can experience Him right now!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 23, 2025 – Job 42:6, repenting in dust and ashes
“Wherefore I abhor myself – and repent in dust and ashes.”
Job 42:6
Hi Everyone!
Job has went through the trial of his life! Caught in between a deal between God and Satan, where his whole life was essentially turned upside down, he never cursed God, nor did he sin against God.
What Job discovered in the midst of his complaints before God concerning his plight was a self-righteous attitude that tried to direct God in how his life should go.
What Job saw was that his self-righteousness was as filthy rags before a blameless and Holy God, and in truly experiencing God for Who He truly is, Job saw what he was not.
Have you ever been in a place where you beheld the holiness of God and despised yourself as a result?
Well, this is what happened with Job, and that disgust caused him to have a Godly sorrow that produce repentance.
I know this feeling, feeling so disgusted with yourself that you wanted to end it all because you could not bear the guilt, but praise God that Jesus died on the cross to bear my sin, guilt, and shame.
Today, we will look at Job 42:6, repenting in dust and ashes.
“Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes.”
We have to established the full context for this verse, because it begins with the word “wherefore”, which means that a conclusion was reached about a previous thought.
In Job 42:5, the Bible says, “I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear: but now mine eye seeth thee.”
Job experienced God in a way he had never experienced Him before, and it caused him to see himself in a way that he never had before.
The word “abhor” means “to despise or reject”. Job was completed disgusted with himself. Who was he to question the authority and purpose of a Holy God?
In Job 40:1-2, the Bible says, “Moreover the LORD answered Job, and said, Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct Him? He that reproveth God, let him answer it.”
Ouch. God is calling Job out on his crap, the same way that He calls us out on our crap. What is our response? Pride? Sorrow? Anger? Humility? Denial?
Job’s response?
In Job 40:3-4, the Bible says, “Then Job answered the LORD, and said, Behold, I am vile; what shall I answer thee? I will lay mine hand upon my mouth.”
Job, calling himself vile, knew that it was time to shut up and listen to God.
Remember in Job 1:8, where the Bible says, “And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?”
God Himself saw Job as a perfect and upright man, but now Job stands before a Holy God and sees himself as vile. How can they both be true? Job’s struggle never causes him to curse God, nor was sin found in his heart at the height of his struggle, but Job is never complacent with his perceived righteousness before God.
In Isaiah 64:6, the Bible says, “But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”
Job sees himself clearly, and he is disgusted with himself. True to Job’s nature, he doesn’t remain that way, which is unlike a lot of us, and thus our problem.
The phrase “repent in dust and ashes” means that Job faced a grief so intense about his sin that it caused a heart change.
In 2 Corinthians 7:10, the Bible says, “For Godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.”
Instead of abiding in grief, guilt and shame, God wants us to acknowledge it, turn from it, learn from it, and continue to live our lives in Him.
In John 8:11, the Bible says, “She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.”
Jesus told the woman caught in the very act of adultery that He doesn’t condemn her, but tells her to go and sin no more. We have to let go of the condemnation that we bring upon ourselves because of our sin, and move forward in repentance.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 24, 2025 – 1 Peter 2:16 – living in our freedom to refrain from evil
“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
1 Peter 2:16
Hi Everyone!
When we receive salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, we become new creations in Him.
The old things we did, the old ways we thought, and the old ways that we believed are gone, and we become freer to walk in newness.
I posed a question to the brothers while we waited to go to church. I asked, “If God declares us new creations in Him, then why do we have the hardest time believing it?”
One person said, “Because I am still under the consequences of my sin.”
In other words, a change of scenery would make him “feel” redeemed.
Many believers have this same dilemma, but some have if worse.
Some people believe that because they are saved, that this gives them a free pass to practice wickedness without fear of eternal punishment.
This is the person who knows they are redeemed, but chooses to use their freedom to cover themselves in the same wickedness that they were delivered from.
Today, we will look at 1 Peter 2:16, living in our freedom to refrain from evil.
“As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.”
The word “free” means “unrestrained, or a person who isn’t a slave”.
Where does our freedom come from?
In John 8:31-32, the Bible says, “Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on Him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
Receiving the Gospel message of Jesus Christ by faith frees us of the bondage of sin and shame, because we are introduced to the truth of God concerning us.
The word “liberty” means “freedom”.
In John 8:36, Christ declares, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.”
When we receive this declaration by Jesus as truth, then we should begin to live like it.
When I am released from prison after serving over twenty-two years, it would be an act of insanity if I returned to a life of crime, or went back to the prison and told them to let me back in!
Being released from prison, especially from the prison of sinfulness, should be an incentive to live in that new freedom. Sadly, some people despite getting saved, never progress past salvation, because they continue to heap bondage upon themselves.
The phrase “cloke” of maliciousness” means “a covering of wickedness or evil”.
Paul poses a question in Romans 6:1-2, the Bible says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
Our freedom in Christ is not a license to sin, nor is it permission to continue to heap condemnation upon ourselves. God wants us to move forward and live like we are redeemed.
The word “servants” means “a slave, voluntary or involuntary”.
In Romans 6:11-12, the Bible says, “Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.”
We were slaves to the world, but we were redeemed from the penalty of sin, which is death. Being dead to that old man, we now have a clean slate to live lives worthy of our salvation.
In Galatians 5:1, the Bible says, “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.”
It is really our choice to become wrapped up in bondage again at this point. The work has already been done, and the gift has already been accepted. What we do with out salvation is up to us.
In Galatians 5:13, the Bible says, “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.”
So instead of returning back to the sinfulness that we have been delivered from or the shame and guilt that God removed, let us live our lives in loving service to God and our fellow brothers and sisters.
Let us move forward, and leave that old man behind us!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 25, 2025 – Colossians 1:18, Christ the head of the church
“And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.”
Colossians 1:18
Hi Everyone!
Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of our faith. It is by Him that we are saved, and it is through Him that we are able to live redeemed in a fallen world.
He was hung on a cross for our sins, and He rose on the third day in resurrection power, not only for Himself, but for us as well.
Just as He died and rose again, we have died to our old man and have experienced a spiritual resurrection, causing us to live again.
Christ is our example, what He went through so that He would always be first in our lives, so that He would be established as the head of the church, and He is now the standard that we turn to in order to live holy lives in this broken world.
Paul is writing to the Colossian church to let them know that all things have been fulfilled in Christ.
Today, we will look at Colossians 1:18, Christ the head of the church.
“And He is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things He might have the preeminence.”
When we look at the word “head”, we look at a position of ultimate authority that is given over all, who are subordinate.
The word “church” refers to the Christian community of believers in Christ, who is the head.
In Matthew 28:18, the Bible says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.”
Jesus didn’t declare that “some” power is given, but “all power” is given,
This means that Jesus Christ is in control, this means that His Word activates our faith, and it means that we are subject to His commands. Jesus didn’t rise in power like the head of a corporation.
He was always in charge!
In John 1:1-2, the Bible says, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.”
This shows that Jesus was absolutely God, and His authority was from the beginning. We don’t serve someone who rose to power, but someone who always had power.
In Philippians 2:9-11, the Bible says, “Wherefore God hath also highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
This passage expresses the authority of Jesus as absolute and all are subject to Him.
When we place ourselves in subjection to the authority of Jesus Christ, God is glorified, and God is always glorified when His will is done.
When we look at Jesus being the “firstborn from the dead”, we look at a Saviour who took complete power away from death and the grave, and He is now the standard that shows us, through salvation, we will rise under Him in power over death and the grave as well.
The firstborn is the person who receives the inheritance from the Father and dispenses it to the family.
In Acts 26:23, the Bible says, “That Christ should suffer, and that He should be the first that should rise from the dead, and should shew light unto the people, and to the Gentiles.”
His death and resurrection meant light for us, the experience of the presence of God for those who believe.
The word “preeminence” means “first in rank or influence”.
Is Jesus our influencer? Jesus doesn’t have all power to engage in a power trip like we would, but His power is to empower us to live as the representation of Him in this world.
In 1 Corinthians 15:28, the Bible says, “And when all things shall be subdued unto Him, then shall the Son also Himself be subject unto Him that put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.”
So looking is this, Jesus has the preeminence so that God may be present and active in us all, so that people will see us and see God, so that God’s creative intention for mankind would be fulfilled.
It begin and ends with Jesus, and His authority is law!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 26, 2025 – Colossians 1:21 – a beauty reconciliation by a painful sacrifice
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.”
Colossians 1:21
Hi Everyone!
I am the first person to say that I was truly an enemy of the cross.
I lived a horrifying life of gangs, drugs, gun, violence, and crime, and a lot of times, I unapologetically built a reputation based on that lifestyle.
I have been saved from an extraordinary penalty, because I could do right for ten lifetimes and it still wouldn’t be enough to make up for the wrong that I have done. I can look my sin square in the face, and call it what it is.
I can look at my former self in the mirror and fully acknowledge that I deserve the penalty of death, but praise be to God, His mercy gave me something I didn’t deserve, and His love gave me an opportunity for reconciliation with Him through faith in Jesus Christ.
I have no problem sharing the Word of God, because God has brought be back from the dead, and I am thankful enough to tell everyone I know.
Today, we will look at Colossians 1:21, a beauty reconciliation by a painful sacrifice.
“And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.”
Paul teaches us who Jesus Christ is, that He was in the beginning and everything is set together in the world by Him. It is through His death on the cross that those who believe have the gift of redemption, salvation, and eternal life. God takes us, who were His adversaries and turns us into children of God.
In Colossians 1:20, the Bible says, “And, having made peace through the blood of His cross by Him to reconcile all things unto Himself; by Him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”
It is through the blood of Jesus that the repair is made between God and us, and His blood brings restoration to that broken relationship. These are things that sorrow, apologies, and right living could not produce.
It had to come by the blood of Jesus Christ. Because of that blood, God sees Christ’s blood and allows us to experience mercy that we don’t deserve.
The word “alienated” means “estranged”.
The word “enemies” means “adversaries”.
So we were estranged from God and also His adversaries as well. This is the person who doesn’t want a relationship with God, but someone who actually works against a relationship with God.
In Romans 5:10, the Bible says, “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.”
Do we understand that Jesus died to make our relationship right with God? This wasn’t a “free gift” for Him. What is our response?
In Romans 5:11, the Bible says, “And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”
Are our lives as believers a testimony of joy in the Lord for what we have received, or do we still look no different than the world?
The word “mind” pertains to the thoughts and understanding of a person.
The phrase “wicked works” means “morally bad, evil, or corrupt actions.”
This is a body of work that is evidence of who we served
In Ephesians 2:4-5, the Bible says, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for His great love wherewith He loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved).”
God never desired or designed us to remain in our sin condition, no matter what we have done or how bad we had become. He wants us to be reconciled to Him.
The word “reconciled” means “to change from one state of being to another”.
In Ephesians 2:19, the Bible says, “Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God.”
We already had a home with God we didn’t realize that when we lived in sin, there actually was a place made especially for us.
By faith in Jesus, when our sin condition changed as we surrendered fully, so did God’s stance towards us changed.
Now, we are not derelicts, moving through life without a home. We are home in Him!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 27, 2025 – Colossians 1:22 – standing holy before a loving God
“In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.”
Colossians 1:22
Hi Everyone!
Jesus Christ suffered a brutal death in order to save us from our sins. He went to the cross in obedience, due to our disobedience, and showed us that it wasn’t the death sentence that He received that put Him on the cross; it was love!
God loves us so deeply, and in His unfailing compassion, He sent Jesus into the world to be the atoning sacrifice for sin, in order to allow the blood of Jesus Christ to bring reconciliation to our broken relationship with God.
It baffles me when believers are the first to look at someone in the world with disgust and judgment, when they have received reconciliation by God for something that they didn’t deserve.
We don’t stand holy before God because of our righteousness, but because of the hold of Jesus Christ upon us.
Many of us have the hardest time accepting this part of it, primarily because of guilt and shame, but God doesn’t see us the way that we see ourselves.
Today, we will be looking at Colossians 1:22, standing holy before a loving God.
“In the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight.”
In Colossians 1:21, the Bible says, “And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath He reconciled.”
This verse is one fluid thought with our verse today. It was through Jesus Christ that our salvation was made secure and it was through Him that our new identity in God was established.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17-18, the Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to Himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation.”
We stand before God a new creation, born again, with a clean slate to serve Him with a pure heart and mind. We stand before God with our broken relationship reconciled and the the repair completely fixed in Christ.
The phrase “in the body of His flesh through death” provided us with the means by which we receive this blessed salvation and reconciliation with God.
In Ephesians 2:15-16, the Bible says, “Having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in Himself of twain one new man, so making peace; And that He might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby.”
Through the death of Christ on the cross, He not only delivered us from the penalty of death, but He produced reconciliation by destroying the things that keep us at odds with God. Our sin makes us hostile to God, but Christ has broken that.
The word “present” implies an exhibition made.
God intentionally displays us as holy before a fallen world and also before Him, a holy God.
The word “holy” means “morally pure or upright”.
The word “unblameable” means “faultless or unblemished”.
The word “unreproveable” means “not accused or irreproachable”.
This is how God sees us as we stand before Him, but the sad thing is, we don’t see ourselves like this and we will heap condemnation upon ourselves as the result.
In Ephesians 1:4, the Bible says, “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love.”
This has been God’s desire from the beginning, for us to stand before Him holy and in love. Through the blood of Jesus, God has established exactly what He intended for us who believe.
In 1 Thessalonians 4:7, the Bible says, “For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness.”
God wants us to be able to stand before Him as children and heirs, as people that are redeemed and deeply loved by Him. The beauty about this picture is that God wants us to see it too, to know that our identity and standing has changed, so that a case can only be made for us, and not against us!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 28, 2025 – Jeremiah 31:33 – a covenant of unity and fellowship with God
“But that shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
Jeremiah 31:33
Hi Everyone!
God created us with fellowship in mind. He created us so that He could pour His love out on a people who bear His image and likeness, so that we would take this life we are given and glorify Him in obedience and faith.
The fall had ruined that fellowship, but the Bible is God’s Word of history showing how God never stopped in His love and desire for us to become one with Him.
We have broken relationship with Him time and time again, but God has been faithful to do all that His word says.
God doesn’t want a people who try to walk on a tiles floor and not step on cracks, but He desires a people who would receive His Word in their innermost being, and to allow their behavior and operation in the earth to reflect the Word of God that is in their hearts.
Today, we will look at Jeremiah 31:33, a covenant of unity and fellowship with God.
“But that shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel; after those days, saith the LORD, I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their God, and they shall be my people.”
The word “covenant” means “an alliance, agreement, or compact made by the cutting in half of flesh and the parties passing through the middle”.
This is an eternal covenant establishing David and his descendants as the inheritors of an everlasting kingdom. Jeremiah is referring to a new covenant that God will establish in the future.
In Jeremiah 31:31, the Bible says, “Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah.”
We know that this everlasting covenant is through Christ.
In Hebrews 8:13, the Bible says, “In that He saith, A new covenant, He hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.”
Christ is this fulfillment of the original covenant, and His blood activates it, as a new covenant, one that for us lasts forever, thus better established on better promises, making us one in Him.
The word “put” means “to set, place, or establish”.
The word “law” means “precept, statute, or instruction”.
The phrase “inward parts” means “the seat of one’s moral disposition and one’s affection and desires.”
This is where the will flows from. God’s desire is for His instructions to be placed in our innermost being, so that what flows from us is His Scripture, a testimony to the presence of God.
In Psalm 119:11, the Bible says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
David was on to something, and this is why he was known as a man after God’s own heart. We can be sure that the Holy Spirit is key in making sure the terms of this new covenant is met.
In John 14:16-17, the Bible says, “And I will pray to the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth Him not, neither knoweth Him: but ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.”
The Holy Spirit will not only dwell in us who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, but the Holy Spirit will also guide us into all truth, and cause us to remember what God has taught us. This is all designed to make us a people of God.
In 2 Corinthians 3:3, the Bible says, “Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God, not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart.”
Becoming a living epistle should be our desire, where if we are read and studied, it points directly to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Even better, Ephesians 2:21 says, “In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the LORD.”
God wants us to be the Church, a place people can go in order to experience the presence of God. This is a place where our oneness with God is displayed in a way that glorifies the God we serve!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 29, 2025 – 1 John 3:1 – a love that changed out identity and status on earth and in heaven
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.”
1 John 3:1
Hi Everyone!
When we receive salvation by faith in Jesus Christ, a lot of things change in our lives.
We we pass from death to life, we are redeemed from the penalty of death, we are forgiven of our sin, we are made new creations in Christ, and we become children of God.
Our citizenship is then different as is our loyalty and allegiance which is now to God, because our citizenship is in heaven.
However, our problem comes in because we don’t feel any different, so we retake up our old default settings and our old identities in a crisis, because our instincts are not yet conformed to what the Word of God says.
This identifies the process of sanctification where we need to learn to accept who we now are as truth, and then commit ourselves to follow this truth for the rest of our lives.
Today, we will look at 1 John 3:1, a love that changed out identity and status on earth and in heaven.
“Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew Him not.”
The word “behold” means “to set your mind or eyes, to fix your attention to.”
Whenever the word “behold” is used in the Bible, it is of great importance.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Right in this verse, we have the perfect context for this picture. The important part of this verse is that all things have become new, so who we are now in Christ is far more important to God than who we used to be!
If we can fix our attention on that truth, we can live from victory instead of condemnation.
In Romans 8:1, the Bible says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Being in Christ means that we are not only new creations, but the condemnation we would have been under is gone with our old identities.
Why don’t we believe this?
It is probably because we want to feel different.
The word “love” means “affection, benevolence, or a love-feast”.
The word “bestowed” means “given”.
God’s love for us is immeasurable, far beyond our comprehension.
We know that we wouldn’t love ourselves in our own filth, so we can’t fathom someone else doing it, especially a Holy God.
In John 3:16, the Bible says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
God cares more about our beliefs than about how we feel about things. Our belief, not our feelings, makes us saved.
The word “called” means “to be identified as, to name”.
The word “sons” means “children, the object of parental love, the devout worshippers of God, the righteous, saints of God.”
In John 1:12, the Bible says, “But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on His name.”
This identity change comes by faith, not feelings, and we have to receive this by faith in order to activate this promise.
Too many of us operate on how we feel and we rob ourselves of experiencing what we actually believe. God empowers us, who believe, in the identity of a son or child of God, and when we own that, we can truly become everything that we are created to be.
The word “world” speaks of the realm of sin where Satan reigns.
This is where we are delivered from.
The word “knoweth” implies a oneness, knowing and being fully known.
I’ve had plenty of people tell me that I am not the same person I used to be, like to them, that is actually a bad thing.
In John 15:18, the Christ says, “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you.”
Not only does the world not know us anymore, and can’t identify with us, they actually hate us for being made new by Christ.
Why is it that the world can clearly see our change, but we can’t?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Nov 30, 2025 – 1 John 3:5 – the appearing of Jesus to take away the sin of the world
“And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.”
1 John 3:5
Hi Everyone!
Jesus Christ came to take away the sins of the world.
God knew that since the Fall, there was nothing that we could do to repay the sin debt we have. Our best efforts still have us falling short, unable to put a dent in such a massive debt.
God’s love provided Jesus as the ultimate sacrifice for sin, but we have to receive this gift of salvation by faith in Him.
There is no other condition, no back way in, nor any other requirement for salvation but faith in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross.
This is such a great deal, receiving eternal life, redemption, and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in exchange for faith.
The sad thing is, so many reject His gift and the call to salvation, some even knowing that it is the best thing for them.
I received His gift, and I know that my life has never been better.
Today, we will look at 1 John 3:5, the appearing of Jesus to take away the sin of the world.
“And ye know that He was manifested to take away our sins, and in Him is no sin.”
The word “and” beginning a verse suggests that there is a connection that should be made to glean the full context, so we have to go back.
In 1 John 3:4, the Bible says, “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
So we have sin, which are offenses made against God, and because of sin, we are left with a broken fellowship with God, and no way to pay the debt. But God had a way!
In John 1:29, the Bible says, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”
John the Baptist was sent with the purpose to herald the coming of Jesus Christ and the sacrifice that He would become for sin.
Before John knew who Jesus was in purpose, he was preaching about His coming. The Holy Spirit revealed to John who this blessed redemption would come through. The Old Testament provides laws concerning atonement sacrifices, and they had to be without blemish.
If the Old Testament system of sacrifices was enough to remove sin from our lives, then there would be no reason for Christ to come.
In Romans 8:3-4, the Bible says, “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
The Law was never designed to do what Christ was called to do, but it existed as a model of practice, so that the sins would continue be rolled ahead until the coming of Christ.
The word “know” means “to perceive or understand.”
The word “manifested” means “to appear or make apparent”.
The phrase “take away” means “to remove the imputation or punishment for sin”.
So the sacrifice of Jesus Christ not only cleansed us from sin, but it also removed the punishment for our sin.
In Isaiah 53:5-6, the Bible says, “But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes, we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”
Jesus took our place, bearing the punishment we should have suffered, so that we can stand before God holy and blameless.
In 1 Timothy 1:15, the Bible says, “This is a faithful saying, worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief.”
I can completely identify with this verse, because I feel like I am the chief sinner, and have felt that there is nothing I could do to remove this sin.
Romans 8:1 says, “There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
We don’t have to bear the weight of our sin or the condemnation, because Jesus paid it all for us!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 1, 2025 – 1 John 3:6 – a transformation leading to Christ-likeness
“Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.”
1 John 3:6
Hi Everyone!
Salvation is supposed to begin a process that causes the inward change within us to be projected outwardly.
This process is called sanctification, where we are being transformed into the image of Jesus Christ, the Author and Finisher of our faith.
We are not supposed to be the same people that we were before we got saved, neither should we be doing the same things.
Our lives and behavior should become more and more Christ-like, and it should make sense to people that we are believers in Jesus Christ.
There are too many people who are poor reflections of what the faith is, because they haven’t allowed the Holy Spirit free reign to change their heart by bringing the truth of the Gospel through not only their profession, but also from their conduct.
To truly experience Christ is to grow in the faith and become more like Him.
Today, we will look at 1 John 3:6, a transformation leading to Christ-likeness.
“Whosoever abideth in Him sinneth not: whosoever sinneth hath not seen Him, neither known Him.”
True believers in Jesus Christ have been cleansed of sin. There is a unification that we experience at salvation where we are in the world still, but we are no longer of the world.
The word “abideth” means “to remain united with Christ in one heart, mind, and will.”
This means that we take on His heart, mind, and will, which was directly in obedience to the will of God.
In Ephesians 4:23-24, the Bible says, “And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.”
Our old man was led by sin and unrighteousness, but our new man is being renewed to live according to righteousness and holiness. We will bear the attributes of the crowd that we choose.
In Colossians 3:10, the Bible says, “And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created him.”
We will grow in knowledge of Him and our behavior should change by it.
In John 15:4, the Bible says, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.”
Jesus is telling us that everything we need to be, that God created us to be, is in Him, and our sanctification process cannot begin if we disconnect ourselves from the vine, the only Person who can produce the change in us.
In John 15:10, the Bible says, “If ye keep My commandments, ye shall abide in My love; even as I have kept My Father’s commandments, and abide in His love.”
Obedience is how we abide in Christ in fellowship, in our full submission to everything that God is doing in our lives.
The phrase “sinneth not” doesn’t speak of a person who sins, but it speaks of the person that continues to make sinfulness their practice.
In Romans 6:1-2, the Bible says, “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
Some people make a mockery of the faith by receiving salvation and then returning back to sinfulness as if they were never saved. Salvation doesn’t give us a free pass to sin, but it gains us access to learn how not to sin.
The word “seen” means “to experience”.
The word “known” is a relational term of understanding produced by oneness.
What this is telling us is experiencing Christ should cause a heart change within us that makes us desire oneness with Him.
In 3 John 1:11, the Bible says, “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”
This shows that we can exercise the choice to not obey the nature that we have been delivered from, and become an instrument of Christ, fully submitted to Him.
Our behavior is going to manifest whether or not we are becoming one with God or not, and that also bears the evidence of the validity of our experience!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 2, 2025 – Proverbs 7:1 – an obedience that glorifies God
“My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.”
Proverbs 7:1
Hi Everyone!
How much do we value the Word of God
Do we ingest it with the intention of obeying it?
Do we flippantly listen to it, and allow it to go through one ear and out of the other?
Do we ignore it, even though it is burning a hole in our mind?
However we respond to the Word of God, especially what God commands us to do, shows how much value we place on the Word of God, and it also shows us how much we reverence God.
If you are thinking the same thing as I am, you just cringed at the thought.
We all love to say that we love God, the He is Lord in our lives, and He sets the direction for our lives, but how much of our lives are truly directed by Him.
We see example after example of people who are led by the Lord, and they do amazing things, accomplishing things that they wouldn’t have ever accomplished otherwise. If we see that obedience works, then why would I still be reluctant to heed the Word of God?
Today, we will be looking at Proverbs 7:1, an obedience that glorifies God.
“My son, keep my words, and lay up my commandments with thee.”
Solomon is named as the author of Proverbs. There is great significance to his being the author, because his testimony shows us the success that follows for someone who obeys the Lord, but it also goes on to show how their arrogance and wealth can cause them to later turn their back on God after having heard directly from Him.
In Psalm 119:11, the Bible says, “Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.”
David, Solomon’s father, experienced great success as the King of all of Israel, but also experienced great punishment after he disobeyed God.
In 1 Kings 2:3, the Bible says, “And keep the charge of the LORD thy God, to walk in His ways, to keep His statutes, and His commandments, and His judgments, and His testimonies, as it is written in the law of Moses, that thou mayest prosper in all that thou doest, and whithersoever thou turnest thyself.”
David is passing down to his son what worked for him.
It is important for parents, especially fathers, to equip their children to serve the Lord.
In Proverbs 22:6, the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
We have the responsibility to not only tell our kids what to do, but to teach them how to obey by our example as well.
The word “keep” means “to guard, to protect, or to take heed”.
The phrase “lay up” means “to hide, hoard, or reserve”.
People don’t hide, hoard, or protect something that carries no value, nor will they guard, protect, or take heed of something that they don’t treasure. We have to treasure God’s Word from the deepest parts of us.
In Psalm 37:23, the Bible says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in His way.”
Our posture towards the Word of God is a clear indication on whether or not we will obey the commandments of the Lord. The word “commandments” means “laws, ordinances, or precepts”.
In 1 John 5:3, the Bible says, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments: and His commandments are not grievous.”
When we see that God’s commandments won’t be painful to obey, our posture should change, but sadly, many look at what they would lose if they obey, rather than what they will gain by obedience.
In Romans 6:16, the Bible says, “Know ye of, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness?”
When we disobey God, we are making a conscious decision to serve sin, the very thing that we have been delivered from.
In Romans 6:22, the Bible says, “But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.”
There is a greater reward of everlasting life in store for us who believe, but we have the opportunity to become who God calls us to be, here on earth, if we would just obey Him.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 3, 2025 – 2 Corinthians 9:6 – living to give
“But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
2 Corinthians 9:6
Hi Everyone!
Jesus is our example to follow in every aspect of our lives.
Giving was something Jesus did fluidly from the depths of His person, from the overflowing vat of love in His heart for us.
There is such a record of Jesus giving that John said that there aren’t enough books to be written that would fit in this entire world that would detail what Jesus did. Then, He gave His life on the cross, so that in His death, burial, and resurrection, we could receive the gift of salvation, redemption, and everlasting life by faith.
With this mantle of giving before us, it should prompt our hearts to be givers as well: sometimes givers of money, sometimes givers of our time, and even givers of our skills.
The first century Church thrived and swept through the world as a divine movement primarily because of what was given: the Holy Spirit, given by God by the authority of Christ.
Today, we will look at 2 Corinthians 9:6, living to give.
“But this I say, he which soweth sparingly shall reap sparingly; and he which soweth bountifully shall reap also bountifully.”
Paul is trying to teach the Church in Corinth the value in giving, that by giving, they can be a supply for someone in need, that when they become a supply, they will be supplied when they have need. The word “soweth” means “to scatter seed”.
The word “sparingly” means “stingily”.
The word “reap” means “harvest”.
Paul is using language that the people there could understand, because agriculture was a part of their way of life.
In 2 Corinthians 9:7, the Bible says, “Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity; for God loveth a cheerful giver.”
When our hearts aren’t right before God, instead of being cheerful givers, we will likely be stingy givers, or people who give begrudgingly. There is no worse feeling than people who give us something, and make us feel horrible for asking. There is no blessing in that for the person in need.
Imagine the farmer who plows a field and at the time of sowing uses half the seed it would take to fully seed the field. That would be useless work that only produces part of the result.
In 2 Corinthians 8:12, the Bible says, “For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not.”
God is not going to expect to us to give something that we don’t have, but He is going to expect to see a willing mind and heart when it is something that we do have.
The word “bountifully” means “generously, as in blessing”.
In John 16:23-24, the Bible says, “And in that day ye shall ask Me nothing. Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked nothing in My name: ask, and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full.”
Jesus wants us to experience a joy that is complete by His giving, so why wouldn’t He desire to see someone’s joy complete by our giving?
In Acts 20:35, the Bible says, “I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”
When we are cheerful givers, intentional givers, we become a conduit that can present blessings upon people in their state of need that can give them joy.
In Galatians 6:7, the Bible says, “Be not deceived: God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.”
This not only pertains to sin, but also in our giving. Many of us expect a harvest from God when we haven’t sowed one seed, and that shouldn’t be.
In Galatians 6:9, the Bible says, “And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Sometimes, as we are waiting for our blessing to come, we will be commanded to sow, but don’t lose heart. If we pour into others, our harvest will be great!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 4, 2025 – 1 Thessalonians 5:16 – rejoicing at a times
“Rejoice evermore.”
1 Thessalonians 5:16
Hi Everyone!
Do we live a life of rejoicing?
Yesterday, I was in a service, and we were in praise and worship, singing “Trust in God” by Elevation Worship.
Reflecting on the song’s lyrics, I recalled the journey the Lord has brought me on to stand where I stand now.
“I sought the Lord, and He heard, and He answered.”
That brought so much joy in my heart, just knowing I have a God who is so present with us, He hears me when I pursue Him.
“I trust in God, my Saviour, the One who will never fail”.
How many times has God proven Himself faithful in my life?
My arms were raised and I proudly praised God for always being faithful to me, even when I was so unfaithful.
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine. He’s been the fourth Man in the fire time after time.”
I have been confined for twenty-two years, and the Lord has been the with me, making sure that I didn’t get consumed by the life sentence that I was given. There is enough evidence of God’s faithfulness and presence in my life to live a life of rejoicing forever.
Today, we will look at 1 Thessalonians 5:16, rejoicing at a times.
“Rejoice evermore.”
Paul is writing to a people of God who have exemplified the faith, and he is leaving them a series of instructions to follow, this congregation has made Paul proud, but they have also faced some persecution as well.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, the Bible says, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers. Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”
This is a people who knows where they are going, and despite the persecution they have experienced, they are being a beacon of light and hope, reflecting the Gospel of Jesus Christ everywhere they go.
Remember, Paul is not in Thessalonica, so the word of their movement and faithfulness in the Lord made its way back to him. He is encouraging them to persevere.
The word “rejoice” means “to be cheerful, calmly happy, glad, or well-off”.
Paul tells them to “rejoice evermore”, which means that the circumstances we face shouldn’t hinder our joy.
In Psalm 34:1-2, the Bible says, “I will bless the LORD at all times: His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.”
We can’t wait until everything is going the way we want it to before we rejoice in the Lord. We have to have a posture that praises God when all hell is breaking loose as well.
Paul is not telling the church to do something that he hasn’t done million times before. He knows suffering fairly well, and in fact, Acts 9:16 says, “For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for My name’s sake.”
Jesus made it clear that Paul was going to suffer some things for the faith, and we are no different.
In James 1:2-3, the Bible says, “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations, Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.”
James was writing to believers that were scattered due to persecution, encouraging them to rejoice even in the storm, because their suffering would produce something that will help them not lack anything.
In Psalm 118:24, the Bible says, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.”
It goes much deeper, because Psalm 118:21-22 says, “I will praise thee: for thou hast heard me, and art become my salvation. The stone which the builders refused is become the head stone of the corner.”
Wait a minute, so this passage in Psalm 118 is speaking about Christ’s ascension to the head of the church?
If Christ is seated at the right hand of God, making intercession for us, then we have every reason to rejoice, because the Person who is speaking for us has already won!
Jesus’ victory is our victory as well, and in all situations, we can rejoice!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 5, 2025 – 1 Thessalonians 5:17 – a consistent fulfilling prayer life
“Pray without ceasing.”
1 Thessalonians 5:17
Hi Everyone!
Prayer is essential to the life of a believer in Jesus Christ.
It is refreshing and refuelling that we receive from God to be able to see things the way He sees things, where we can receive the help we need, and where we can sort out the errant thoughts that surface in our minds.
It is a place that Satan doesn’t want us, and he will aim to provide distraction after distraction so that we don’t have that time with God.
We need to see that in prayer, there is also a communication that takes place between us and God, a vital part of a believer’s life that helps build the relationship we have with God.
Just as I have grown closer to my wife by taking to her throughout the day, knowing her more deeply, we can experience that with God with prayer, because we will not only talk to God, but He will reveal Himself more to us in response.
Too many of us, me included, don’t place the value in prayer that it demands, and we are cutting power, expecting to operate at full strength.
Today, we will look at 1 Thessalonians 5:17, a consistent fulfilling prayer life.
“Pray without ceasing.”
Paul is giving the body of believers some final commands to fine tune their faith. He received such a good report from them and they have grown in supernatural ways, even though Paul was only with them physically for three Sabbaths. In these final instructions he touches on prayer.
The word “pray” means “to supplicate in worship”.
This is where many of us don’t see how important prayer is. It is not just providing Him with our list of things to bless, but it is a time of worship as well, where we submit ourselves fully to the will of God.
In Matthew 26:41, Christ says, “Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”
Our flesh can keep us out of alignment with God, and it can also hinder our bond with God. Our flesh can make us spiritually sleep instead of watchful in prayer.
Many people strangely believe that the phrase “without ceasing” implies that they pray nonstop, but that is an unrealistic viewpoint.
The phrase “without ceasing” means “without omission”, which implies that we have a consistent prayer life of continual fellowship with God.
In Luke 18:1, the Bible says, “And He spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint.”
In this parable, a widow sought justice from her adversary from a judge, she wouldn’t take “no” for an answer. She relentlessly pestered this judge until he caved. His response?
Luke 18:4-5, the Christ says, “And he would not for a while: buy afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming, she weary me.”
The woman’s persistence broke down the walls that would have hindered someone else’s provision. Many of us pray and then give up in silence, me included. What if we were persistent like this widow, whose efforts paid off?
In Luke 18:7, Christ says, “And shall not God avenge His own elect, which cry day and night unto Him, though He bear long with them?”
This shows us a God who is willing to do more than this judge was willing to do. It doesn’t mean that we won’t wait sometimes, but the answer is coming.
In Daniel 10:12, the Bible says, “Then said he unto me, Fear not Daniel: for from the first day that thou didst set thine heart to understand, and to chasten thyself before thy God, thy words were heard, and I am come for thy words.”
Daniel saw a terrifying vision that made him cry out in prayer. It took twenty-one days to get a response, but God heard it on the very first day.
In Colossians 4:2, the Bible says, “Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving.”
Our posture should be thanksgiving when we pray to God, not just for the opportunity, but because the answer is coming!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 6, 2025 – 1 Thessalonians 5:18 – a thankful heart before a mighty God
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
1 Thessalonians 5:18
Hi Everyone!
I am finishing my last term of my sophomore year of my Biblical Studies major with a minor in Psychology.
In my very first term, I was taught by my Psychology professor, Dr. Baskaran, that thankfulness is the answer to anxiety.
If I keep a thankfulness journal of all of the things that I am thankful for, I have something before me that can combat the anxiety that tries to break a person down. One can’t be thankful and anxious at the same time.
Knowing this, I understand why Paul is teaching the congregation at Thessalonica this, especially since they have faced persecution, and they had deep concerns about whether or not believers who have died would miss Christ’s return.
Sometimes, life is going to go a little badly, and we may suffer some things, but one thing I learned is no one, or no thing, can take away my ability to be thankful.
Today, we will look at 1 Thessalonians 5:18, a thankful heart before a mighty God.
“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
The word “give” means “to offer up”.
The word “thanks” means “to be grateful, or to express gratitude.”
Some people have the phrase “in every thing give thanks” misconstrued, and they have told themselves that we are commanded to give thanks “For” the struggles we face, for the infirmities we face, or for the grief we suffer.
In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, “And He said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore, I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecution, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then I am strong.”
Paul asked God to remove the thorn in his side three times, but Jesus responded that His grace is enough, and His strength overcomes any weakness. This is what Paul gloried in, the grace of God!
When we can focus our attention on the fact that the grace of God makes us effective even when disaster is happening, we have the ability to find strength in the face of every weakness that we face.
In Job 1:20-21, the Bible says, “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped. And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.”
Job most certainly did not thank God for losing his children and his wealth, but despite his losses, which were great, he gave himself over to worship and extended adoration to God in the face of extraordinary trial.
In Colossians 3:16-17, the Bible says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the LORD Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.”
We have the privilege of having the word of God planted in us, so that we can be refreshed in moments of struggle, in times of trouble, or when stress piles up and we can’t see ourselves making it forward. Reflecting on God’s Word and singing Christian songs can take our minds off of our struggles and onto Christ, the source of our strength.
In 1 Corinthians 15:57, the Bible says, “But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”
No matter what our circumstances, we have victory in Jesus, and with this perspective, we can live in thanksgiving.
In 2 Corinthians 2:14, the Bible says, “Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of His knowledge by us in every place.”
In Christ, we can triumph over anything that comes our way, because we have His grace, and His strength.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 7, 2025 – 1 Thessalonians 5:19 – keeping the Holy Spirit’s fire within us
“Quench not the Spirit.”
1 Thessalonians 5:19
Hi Everyone!
The first century Church experienced a move of the Holy Spirit that caused Christianity to spread to where it now stands.
People completely submitted to the Word of God and made themselves FAT-Faithful, Available, and Teachable (quoting my brother-in-Christ Ray, a former prisoner, now in prison ministry), so that the Holy Spirit can move unrestricted among the body of Christ.
The same miracles that were happening when Christ was walking the earth were happening in the first century Church, and we are standing on the shoulders of those who relentlessly pursued God and moved according to the Spirit of God.
Why isn’t the body of Christ that way now?
We are quenching the Holy Spirit with unbelief, with denominationalism, with disobedience, and by idolatry.
The church is a fraction of what it was then, and this world bears the evidence of our lack of influence in the world.
Today, we will look at 1 Thessalonians 5:19, keeping the Holy Spirit’s fire within us.
“Quench not the Spirit.”
The church in Thessalonica experienced a powerful move of God, and Paul commended them for their faithfulness in the faith.
In 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3, the Bible says, “We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father.”
Their work in the faith bore fruit that glorified God and made Paul proud. Why? Because the Holy Spirit was allow to move freely within the body.
The word “quench” means “to extinguish”.
We know the phrase “the Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit.
Acts 1:8 says, “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
A witness a someone providing testimony of the evidence of the Holy Spirit.
On the day of Pentecost, when they were all with one accord, the Holy Spirit came as of a might rushing wind, filling the house that they were in.
In Acts 2:3-4, the Bible says, “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”
The Holy Ghost came as wind and as fire, and the supernatural happened as a result. People questioned what they saw, and Peter became the first witness, declaring the Word of God, and three thousand souls were added to the church that day!
When we “quench the Spirit”, we literally prevent the Holy Spirit from moving through us. We extinguish our own fire, the very thing that empowers us to do what God commands for us to do. The body in Thessalonica were facing mounting persecution and fear, either or which could cause one to pay more attention to circumstances before they obey the Holy Spirit’s leading.
In Ephesians 4:29-30, the Bible says, “Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.”
What comes out of our mouths can extinguish the Holy Spirit, especially saying things that make us witnesses of Satan.
In 1 Timothy 4:14, the Bible says, “Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, by the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.”
When we don’t actively use or pursue the opportunities where our gifts can be effectual, we are quenching the Spirit.
Paul also instructed Timothy to stir up the gift that is within him. This means that we are in a constant state of readiness and obedience to be led by the Holy Spirit.
This means that we don’t obstruct what the Spirit does. It means we let Him work!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 8, 2025 – Matthew 5:24 – peace surpassing our gifts at the altar
“Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
Matthew 5:24
Hi Everyone!
Yesterday, I had a very heated discussion with another Christian brother.
I have gently admonished him before for his judgemental views towards the brothers on our unit, who he refuses to share the Gospel with. He has been extremely judgmental towards the brothers on our unit, essentially saying that they aren’t worthy of receiving the Gospel.
He was spouting off his judgments during lunch, and I asked him where was his love, where was his understanding, and when has he ever tried to help anyone around our unit? I told him that the crap coming put of his mouth wasn’t the Gospel, but it was the very thing that Jesus spoke against to the Pharisees who thought they were better than everyone else.
Of course, this offended him and he put me down for being around the sinners, looking no different than them.
He told me I need to focus on my own walk instead of talking about his.
I knew he was lashing back at me for my brutal honesty, and feeling insulted by his lie, I went back at him, telling him that he wasn’t any better than anyone and he was in no position to judge anybody because he doesn’t know people to assess their hearts.
This argument lasted for five minutes and it left us both sore. From my vantage point, what I said had to be said, and while it was brutal honesty, I still have to consider my brother’s hurt feelings into the equation.
A couple hours later, I pulled him to the side and apologized for hurting his feelings, told him I loved him, and gently made the same point I made earlier, that these brothers need understanding and compassion from us, not judgement.
He apologized for lashing back at me, and explained that he only did that because of his hurt feelings.
We made peace, and gave each other dap.
Today, we will be looking at Matthew 5:24, peace surpassing our gifts at the altar.
“Leave there thy gift before the altar and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.”
The word “gift” means “an offering or sacrifice presented to honor God”.
The word “reconciled” means “to change one’s feelings for” using hostility.
The Holy Spirit drew me to call the brother, so we could make peace. I was not going to allow the night to end without making peace.
In Ephesians 4:26-27, the Bible says, “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath: neither give place to the devil.”
What would I have looked like if I tried to do this devotional with anger in my heart towards my brother, if we were still at odds when I prayed? The enemy wants us divided, and grudges and hardened hearts is the most effective way of aiding that.
In Romans 12:17-18, the Bible says, “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.“
I have God’s love in my heart, and even though I had to be brutally honest with my brother, my love for him never changed. Making peace always depends on us, because we have the Spirit of peace in us.
In Romans 12:21, the Bible says, “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Is being right more important than making things right? By reconciling things with my brother, I am choosing goodness over evil, love over grudges, peace over dissension. We can’t glorify God with our gifts if we are unwilling to show love to our brothers and sisters by compassion, by peace, and by reconciliation.
In Mark 11:25-26, Christ says, “And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if ye do not forgive, neither will your Father which is in heaven forgive your trespasses.”
God is not concerned about our offering and sacrifices if we have unforgiveness in our hearts. He is not concerned with us teaching and preaching if we allow someone to be offended without extending love and peace to them.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 9, 2025 – Romans 14:1 – using our strength in faith to help the faithless
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not in doubtful disputations.”
Romans 14:1
Hi Everyone!
There are people who weaponize their faith in Jesus Christ.
They use their strong faith as a means to enter into mindless disputes with people who have less faith than they do, so they can make sport of a person’s weakness to make themselves seem strong.
That is not love, and people who do this should be ashamed of themselves.
I sadly had to confront a Christian brother about this same thing, telling him that we have to be compassionate towards those who are on the fringes, because we were once there, and by the grace of God, we have made the strides that we have made.
Paul faced this in the first century Church, where there were people who had the faith to know that the Jewish food laws no longer applied to them, while others not that strong in their faith had yet to shake what had been embedded in their experiences their whole lives.
When instead of edification and education the strong judge the weak, God is not glorified.
Today, we will look at Romans 14:1, using our strength in faith to help the faithless.
“Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not in doubtful disputations.”
The word “weak” means “powerless, feeble, hesitant, one who vacillates
“The word “faith” refers to the act of entrusting one’s spiritual well-being to God or the ability to carry out what the Word of God says.
The original author’s intent was to stop the strong in the faith, who believed that their salvation made them now exempt to Jewish food regulations, from putting down the weak, who still felt they had to follow the regulations. There is enough context that can cross the same principle bridge to where we are today.
In Romans 15:1, the Bible says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves.”
We don’t have food regulations today, but we do have people who are stronger in faith than others in different areas, and sadly, the strong can so easily do more harm to the weak than doing good.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, the Bible says, “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.”
Some people believe this totally and walk in their newness, while others are still battling the shame and guilt from their past lives and sins.
What if someone who is strong in their position then condemns one who is struggling with this truth that old things are truly passed away, and the new has come?
The word “receive” means “to admit to hospitality”.
The phrase “to doubtful disputations” means “scrutiny or judgment”.
This is the person who aims to use their strong faith to find something wrong with others.
The first century Church didn’t have buildings, so people gathered in the homes of others to conduct Church services. Imagine being invited to someone’s house for them to pick you apart for your weakness in faith, in front of others.
Where is God glorified in that?
In Romans 15:7, the Bible says, “Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.”
Christ is the standard, and if we are receiving weaker vessels in order to break them down and not build them up, then is Christ truly our example?
In 1 Corinthians 8:9, the Bible says, “But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a strumblingblock to them that are weak.”
We have to be careful to not use our strength to hurt others, because we were strengthened by God to walk in the faith that we stand in now. How can we accept grace in our progression that we won’t extend to others?
In 2 Corinthians 10:8, the Bible says, “For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed: that I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.”
Paul understands his ability to build up or destroy others with his faith. Let us use faith for compassion!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 10, 2025 – Romans 15:3 – serving from selflessness
“For even Christ pleased not himself: but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
Romans 15:3
Hi Everyone!
Paul was sharing Gospel truth with the Church in Rome, a body of believers that he longed to fellowship with, but is not recorded having the chance to do so.
Within the book of Romans, one can embrace the fullness of the Gospel, understand our identities, and we can learn how to effectively serve.
Being a believer who has been sharing the Gospel with others, I understand the power in remembering where God has brought me from, because it gives me compassion to see another person’s journey with love.
Sometimes, strong believers do a great job at breaking the spirits of newer believers by using their strength as a tool for judgment and conceit, rather than a vehicle for growth.
Christ gives us the perfect example of someone who has all power and all wisdom, but served with a pure heart and a desire to see lives transformed for the glory of God, not His own personal interests.
Today, we will look at Romans 15:3, serving from selflessness.
“For even Christ pleased not himself: but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.”
In order for us to experience the full context of this passage, we have to go back to grab the previous Scriptures connected to this verse. Anytime there is a conjunction beginning a passage, there are thoughts that must be connected. We have to always understand that the original authors didn’t use chapters and verses.
In Romans 15:1-2, the Bible says, “We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification.”
So from this we see that those who are strong in the faith should use their strength to help the weak stand. There is also an attitude we must have in service, one where our desire is to edify, or build up, the weak for that sole purpose, not to make us look good, or to pat ourselves on the back.
If we have a mind to please ourselves, our service is in vain.
In Romans 12:1, the Bible says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.”
When we view service as being living sacrifices, we will have an attitude that desires to glorify God and help others from love. We won’t applaud our own effort, but we would count ourselves grateful to even be chosen for service.
The word “pleased” implies a self-approval.
Jesus was in full ability to be able to pat Himself on the back, but He didn’t, leaving an example for us to follow. Christ was obedient to God, knowing in service, He was going to suffer violently.
In Matthew 26:39, the Bible says, “And he went a little father, and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.”
We have an example of Christ, who experienced some incredible things in ministry, but also moments like these where God’s will being done is going to require Him to be poured out like a drink offering for us.
The word “reproaches” refers to the railings, taunts, and reviling that Jesus endured for us.
In Psalm 69:8-9, the Bible says, “I am become a stranger unto my brethren, and an alien unto my mother’s children. For the zeal of thine house hath eaten me up; and the reproaches of them that reproached thee are fallen upon me.”
Scripture interprets Scripture, and Jesus suffered rejection by those closest to Him, and endured the railings and reviling that we deserved for our sins, taking them upon Himself. Christ did this to please God.
In John 5:30, Christ says, “I can of mine own self do nothing: as I hear, I judge: and my judgment is just, because I seek not mine own will, but the will of the Father which hath sent me.”
The strong should be willing to bear the infirmity of the weak, because Jesus did it for us, doing God’s will.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 11, 2025 – Proverbs 18:16 – entering into great rooms with great people because of great gifts
“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
Proverbs 18:16
Hi Everyone!
God dispenses common grace to us all, divine ability bestowed upon mankind in order for His will to be done.
For believers, He dispenses the ability to use spiritual gifts in order to advance the kingdom of God.
What’s the difference between the common grace that He gives us all, and the spiritual gifts that He gives those who believe in Him?
The difference is in the purpose.
There can be a person God has gifted the abilities to be a doctor, but when this doctor says yes to Jesus, in his career, it becomes ministry. Dr. Ben Carson, a world renowned surgeon, using both his skill and his faith, ended up serving in a cabinet position in President Trump’s administration.
Steve Harvey, a world renowned comedian, used both his abilities, but ultimately his faith, to become the host of Family Feud, where he has no change of slowing down. God gives us gifts so that we can serve Him in every role that He gives us.
Today, we will look at Proverbs 18:16, entering into great rooms with great people because of great gifts.
“A man’s gift maketh room for him, and bringeth him before great men.”
The Bible was written during very patriarchal times, where men were in authority, but in interpreting the Bible, one would see that the word “man’s” actually means “a human being or mankind”. God’s gifts are not exclusive to men.
In Luke 2:36-37, the Bible says, “And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher: she was of great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”
Anna met Jesus Christ, the Saviour of the world, face to face, and God allowed her gifts to reward her this opportunity. Her faithfulness became a door for her to enter into a room that she wouldn’t have ever entered otherwise. She exercised her gifts, and was rewarded.
The word “gift” means “a present”.
We know that all gifts come from God, because in James 1:17, the Bible says, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”
This means that God gave the gifts He gave to mankind and He didn’t reconsider it.
The phrase “maketh room” means “to broaden or enlarge”.
The word “bringeth” means “to guide or transport”.
The phrase “great men” means “mighty or noble”.
One of the most notable examples of this truth is Joseph, who was gifted by God with the gift of dreams and with administration.
It was his gift that led to him be sold into slavery by his brothers, but his gift of administration was displayed and in Genesis 39:2-3, the Bible says, “And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man; and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian. And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.”
Joseph’s gifts led him to serve Potiphar, then the jailer, and then Pharoah, becoming second in command to these great men. Joseph was willing to use his gifts, despite the injustice he faced.
In Genesis 50:20, the Bible says, “But as for you, ye thought evil against me, but God meant it unto good, to bring to pass, as it is this day, to save much people alive.”
Joseph saw the bigger picture, because he realized that his gift placed him in a position of authority, to be able to save not only the Egyptians, but his people as well. Egypt prospered in famine because Joseph exercised his gifts.
In 1 Corinthians 12:7, the Bible says, “But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.”
We profit when our gifts are used to edify the body of Christ, and glorify God in the process. Our minds should always be focused on how we can be a blessing to others with the gifts that God gives us.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 12, 2025 – Matthew 28:18 – His power being power for us
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given into me in heaven and in earth.”
Matthew 28:18
Hi Everyone!
Do we really believe that in Christ there is all power?
By Christ having all power, that put a seal of authority on His words, His teachings, and His admonishments.
This means that we can follow His Word and produce the same result that He did.
It means that we can truly walk by faith, knowing that in Christ, we have a sure foundation.
In the first century Church, the apostles believed in the teachings of Jesus, carried them out, and Christianity increased in the earth.
When we believe in the Word of God, and follow it the way God ordains, then we can’t help but to experience the power of the Holy Spirit moving in, and through us.
I love the thought of Jesus being given all power because there is nothing that I can’t do in Him. He can truly turn dry bones into an army, perfected in both love and ministry.
Today, we will look at Matthew 28:18, His power being power for us.
“And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given into me in heaven and in earth.”
Looking at the word “and” beginning this passage, we understand that this verse is connected to a previous verse, so we must go back to glean the full context. This may help us with why our topic verse was written.
In Matthew 28:16-17, the Bible says, “Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, into a mountain where Jesus had appointed them. And when they saw Him, they worshipped Him: but some doubted.”
This is a picture of what happens today, where we have a congregation of people in worship, but some doubt the power of God because of fear or other reasons. Because of the doubt people had, Jesus wanted them assured that they are not worshipping in vain.
In Romans 4:20, the Bible says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, he was able also to perform.”
Abraham believed the word of God and prospered. What can’t we do by faith?
We don’t serve a weak Saviour who could do nothing. We serve an awesome God who can do anything.
The word “power” means “authority, dominion, and rule.”
Jesus is about to give His disciples the Great Commission, a decree for them to go and grow the Church.
He knows they are going to face hardship, as John 16:33 says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
He knows that they have to activate their faith in something solid, so He is assuring them that He has all authority and dominion.
His death, burial and resurrection changed His role, and in Ephesians 2:6, the Bible says, “And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.”
Christ has all authority, and with His authority, He wants to empower us to experience the same life and ministry that He did.
In Acts 2:36, the Bible says, “Therefore let all the houses of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made the same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
The word “Lord” means “someone who is supreme in authority”. This means that the Word of Jesus Christ is law, and we can count on its promises as truth.
In Romans 14:11, the Bible says, “For it is written, As I live, saith the LORD, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.”
Does the authority of Jesus Chris compel our obedience, praise, and worship?
In Ephesians 1:20-21, the Bible says, “Which he wrought in Christ, when He raised Him from the death, and set Him at His own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”
God sat Jesus at His right hand, which means that Jesus is the power of God, the arm of His might! Surely, we can trust in the words of Jesus now!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 13, 2025 – Matthew 28:19 – commissioned to share what God gives us
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
Matthew 28:19
Hi Everyone!
I am ending my sophomore year as a Trinity International University Biblical Studies major, and in one of our classes, the Great Commission became a subject that was heavily debated.
Some people feel that this commission, given by Christ to His disciples, was exclusively for them, and there is not a call in it for us.
The majority of us believed that the commission Jesus gave His disciples is just as relevant today as it was when He first spoke it.
Believers are not exempt from sharing the Word of God with others just because they are not apostles by title, and we cannot try to fit context to suit our laziness with sharing the Gospel.
Ironically, the people who felt the commission was exclusive for the disciples were the ones who don’t go to church and who don’t share the Word with anyone.
Today, we will look at Matthew 28:19, commissioned to share what God gives us.
“Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.”
The word “go” means “to travel, traverse, or depart”.
The phrase “go ye therefore” gives us an indication that there is a connection that needs to be made between this passage and a previous one.
In Matthew 28:18, the Bible says, “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto Me in heaven and in earth.”
So if Jesus is telling the disciples, and us, to “go ye therefore”, then He is telling to to move in His power.
In John 14:26, Christ says, “But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said to you.”
Jesus receives all power and authority, issues the Great Commission, and gives us the clear indication that if He is sending us, He will empower us with His Holy Spirit. This isn’t just for the disciples because they have been dead for 1900 years. Who was supposed to carry the Word forward?
The word “teach” means “to disciple or instruct”.
The word “disciple” implies that we are helping people convert to Christianity by teaching them the Word of God.
In Acts 1:8, Christ says, “But ye shall receive power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.”
This is another clear indication that the Great Commission didn’t begin or end with the disciples, because the Word of God still has to make it to all parts of the world.
In 2 Timothy 3:16-17, the Bible says, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.”
We have Scripture and we clearly see the purpose for Scripture, that we are to use the Word of God to advance the kingdom of God. Nowhere in this passage did it say that it is exclusively for the disciples. There is a call in this passage for us today, the same as the Great Commission is for us today.
The word “baptizing” means “to make fully wet, to immerse, or to saturate.”
The word “name” means “an appellation of authority.”
Please correct me if I am wrong, but there is nowhere in the Bible where it says that the performance of baptism is exclusive to the disciples or apostles. This is part where people try to exclude themselves from fulfilling the Great Commission, but Jesus let us know that we are not teaching anything in our authority, nor are we baptizing in our authority.
In John 15:5, Christ says, “I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.”
It is through oneness in Christ that we are empowered to share the Gospel with the world around us. We have to finish the work the disciples began!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 14, 2025 – Matthew 28:20 – commissioned to instruct others in the Word of God
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world! Amen.”
Matthew 28:20
Hi Everyone!
In discipleship, we have a responsibility to not only share the Word of God with people, but also to eteach them to live according to this new life we have in Christ.
The best way we can teach someone is through our example, so they can model our behavior until they are able to do it on their own? Scary huh?
In order for someone to model our behavior in discipleship, we have to model Christ’s behavior
If we are teaching others to obey the Word of God, then we have to follow God’s word.
We also have to be obedient to the Holy Spirit, because He will provide us with a word specific to someone’s situation, so we have to teach what is being revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.
In the midst of doing this, that most of us feel totally unqualified for, He also provides assurance that as we disciple others, He will be right there for us and with us.
Today, we will be looking at Matthew 28:20, commissioned to instruct others in the Word of God.
“Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world! Amen.”
Jesus leaves the disciples, and us, a Great Commission, so that we can carry on the mission of sharing the Word of God until it reaches every home, every family, and every person. This is everyone’s responsibility from the clergy to laypeople, because God makes sure that the Holy Spirit teaches us all.
The word “teaching” means “to instruct, tutor, advise or direct”.
The word “observe” means “to fulfill a command or to keep one’s eye upon”.
In Proverbs 22:6, the Bible says, “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”
The concept of training up is not about just telling people what to do, but it is about giving instruction, coming alongside them as they follow the instruction, and correcting their form along the way, so they do things the way God commands. This requires diligence, patience and listening.
In 1 Corinthians 11:1, the Bible says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.”
Is our example worth following? Ouch, right? I know that is a painful reflection of my personal shortcomings, but it is also refinement, so that I can become the example that I desire to be for the kingdom.
In Philippians 3:17-18, the Bible says, “Brethren, be followers together of me, and mark them which walk so as ye have us for an ensample. For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.”
Our conduct is going to always leave an example for someone to pattern themselves from, but is our example going to be hypocrisy or will our example point people to Christ. I don’t want to teach someone something where my example conflicts with the Word of God.
The word “commanded” means “to give charge”. This means that we are not instructing people stuff that is of our own knowledge and strength, but what we are actually given by God.
In John 16:13, Christ says, “Howbeit when He, the Spirit of truth, is come, He will guide you into all truth: for He shall not speak of Himself; but whatsoever He shall hear, that shall He speak: and He will shew you things to come.”
The Holy Spirit will always guide us in this journey as believers, but He will always guide us as we teach as well. All we have to do is speak what He gives us.
In Ezekiel 33, it speaks of the watchman, someone entrusted to guard God’s people against attacks from the enemy.
In Ezekiel 33:8, the Bible says, “When I say unto the wicked, O wicked man, thou shall surely die, if thou dost not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man shall die in His iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand.”
We have a responsibility to teach the Word of God, because it is a matter of life and death. If they don’t receive the Gospel, they will die in their sins, and be separated from God.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 15, 2025 – Psalm 121:1 – help coming from the Lord
“I will lift up mine eyes into the hills, from whence cometh my help”
Psalm 121:1
Hi Everyone!
David was named as a man after God’s own heart.
The Psalms are a collection of his and other Psalmists writings, that can really give us an understanding of just how deep their relationship was with God.
David gets pretty candid in his Psalms, and some highlight his fear about enemies circling, others his frustration when the wicked succeed, and his depression about his plight.
Still yet, there are Psalms that declare the goodness of God, and detail God’s ability to deliver us from things that come our way.
Currently, I am confined in prison, serving two consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole, and I await, with expectancy, God’s deliverance.
In a position like this, one could look at finances, political influence, a good lawyer, or a lenient judge as the means to facilitate deliverance from a situation like this, but God is the only One who will deliver me.
Today we will look at Psalm 121:1, help coming from the Lord.
“I will lift up mine eyes into the hills, from whence cometh my help”
The idea of “lifting up our eyes to the hills” is to adjust our perspective from focusing on our circumstances, and switching onto God.
This just isn’t a physical perspective change, but a change of the heart and mind’s perspective.
In Psalm 37:4, the Bible says, “Delight thyself also in the Lord; and He shall give thee the desires of thine heart.”
This passage teaches us that by delighting ourselves in the Lord, we are making ourselves malleable and pliable before the Lord, as clay, able to be formed by God into who He wants us to be. If our minds and hearts aren’t focused on the Lord, then any deliverance will only lead to us doing something stupid and getting into bondage again.
In Colossians 3:1, the Bible says, “If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.”
We have to seek God’s perspective, and we also have to seek the kingdom of God for the help we need.
In Matthew 6:33, Christ says, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”
When we seek the kingdom of God, we are telling God that our victory is only desired if it comes from Him. We are telling God that we want our spiritual life to match His Word, despite our outside circumstances. Sadly, many people seek people, money, and things for their deliverance before they trust in God.
In Isaiah 31:1, the Bible says, “Woe to them that go down to Egypt for help; and stay on horses, and trust in chariots, because they are many; and in horsemen, because they are very strong; but they look not into the Holy One of Israel, neither seek the LORD.”
Sometimes, our instincts are to run to people and powers who really have no real power to deliver, instead of to our God, who is more than capable of delivering us from anything that comes our way. David went to God in prayer, asking God if it was His will to smite the Philistines and saved Keilah.
God’s answer was swift and He told David in 1 Samuel 23:2b to “Go, and smite the Philistines, and save Keilah.”
Here’s the problem. While David sought God’s perspective, his men were afraid.
In 1 Samuel 23:3, the Bible says, “And David’s men said unto him, Behold, we be afraid here in Judah: how much more then if we come to Keilah against the armies of the Philistines?”
Fear can cause us to take our eyes off God and place them unto our circumstances. David’s response to their fear?
In 1 Samuel 23:4, the Bible says, “Then David enquired of the LORD yet again. And the LORD answered him and said, Arise, go down to Keilah, for I will deliver the Philistines into thine hand.”
David could have operated in fear, and cowered under the weight of warfare and his men’s fear. But he lifted up his eyes to God for the help that could only come from God, and God assured him that He would provide the victory if he would just obey and go in, in the power of God Word.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 16, 2025 – Psalm 121:2 – knowing where our help comes from
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
Psalm 121:2
Hi Everyone!
As believers, we are new creations in a new kingdom.
There is a new authority in our lives that we answer to, and within the kingdom, there are vast and unlimited resources.
Everything is done to fulfill the will of God and it is done for His glory.
With everything being new in a believer’s life, it means that we can never go back to our old lives to get the help we need. This means that I can’t go back to my old friends, I can’t hustle the way I used to, and I can’t use the resources I would have used if I needed help.
Trust me, I have turned down help from people I knew God didn’t send, and I have had to turn my back on them, for sure provision just to continue to walk the way I do.
I have left quite a few people scratching their heads in confusion, which allowed me to give a testimony that I serve God and will do things His way.
Why wouldn’t we trust our help to the Creator, instead of trusting in the created. Sadly, many of us make that mistake.
Today, we will look at Psalm 121:2, knowing where our help comes from.
“My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.”
The word “help” means “aid”.
The word “cometh” was italicized in my Bible, meaning that it was a word added later so we can grasp the meaning better.
When we look at the word “LORD”, we see that it is capitalized, telling us that it is referring to the Self-Existent, Eternal God.
That is important to consider, because God didn’t need any help to be who He is, so getting help from someone who caused everything to be, puts us at a great advantage.
David knew this, and in Psalm 120:1, the Bible says, “In my distress I cried unto the LORD, and He heard me.”
David knew who to turn to in distress, and God showed him His faithfulness by hearing Him.
In Psalm 34:4, the Bible says, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
David remained in pursuit of God for the help he needed, and God met every need that he had, even fear!
The word “made” means that God created, established and fulfilled the heaven and earth.
In Genesis 1:1, the Bible says, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”.
In Colossians 1:16-17, the Bible says, “For by Him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by Him, and for Him. And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist.”
Everything we need, from Him to His angelic hosts, to the dominions and powers, were created and set together by Him. This leaves us with no other plausible choice to turn to when we are in need, because God is, and God has, everything.
As clear as this is, why do believers still seek the world for the provision that God desires to provide? Unbelief.
In Romans 4:20-21, the Bible says, “He staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; And being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.”
Many of us lack the faith in God to turn to Him as our only source, and we will leave the world in our back pocket just in case God doesn’t answer. That is not faith.
In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says, “But without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.”
If we are to have our focus on the hills (Psalm 121.1 – yesterdays message) which comes our help, then we have to trust in the God who is ready to provide our help, and created the means to help us. God is pleased when we come to Him for help.
In Psalm 124:2-3, the Bible says, “If it had not been the LORD who was on our side, when men rose up against us: Then they had swallowed us up quick, when their wrath was kindled against us.”
Faith in God as our help, leads us in victory instead of destruction, and David testifies of this!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 17, 2025 – Psalm 121:3 – the protection of God a stabilizing force in our lives
“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”
Psalm 121:3
Hi Everyone!
I have been through some extremely hard moments in my life, even as a believer, and God has held me tightly in His hand the whole time.
There were moments where I thought that there was no way that I could see myself out of a situation, but not only did I make it through, it became a testimony that God allowed me to use for His glory. Only He could allow me to be at the ledge, feel its weight, be overwhelmed by frustration, and it be used to talk people off of that same ledge that I was just on!
God works even when we don’t see His hand, and even when we are asleep, God is active, producing His will in our lives.
Being under God’s protection assures me that there is another side of this coin, another chapter in this story, and in Him lies everything that I need to both endure and triumph.
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 121:3, the protection of God a stabilizing force in our lives.
“He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: He that keepeth thee will not slumber.”
David is not a stranger to adversity. He has been through a ton of hardships, some by his own doing, but through it all, he has experienced God’s protection. He doesn’t just write this Psalm for his own benefit, but he writes it to the prisoner, to the person who life hangs in the balance, to the person fearful about the road ahead, or even as people made their pilgrimage to Jerusalem. He wants us to have the same confidence he does that God would see us through.
The word “suffer” means “allow or let”.
The word “moved” means “waver, slip, or fall”.
In 1 Samuel 2:9, the Bible says, “He will keep the feet of His saints, and the wicked shall be silent in darkness; for by strength shall no man prevail.”
Hannah, the mother of Samuel, understood that God not only heard her cries for help, but that God would also hold His people up, not allowing them to fall. When a person does evil, they remove themselves from this protection, subjecting themselves to silence.
In Proverbs 3:23, the Bible says, “Then shalt thou walk in thy way safely, and thy foot shall not stumble.”
There were some dark roads I have traveled as a believer that God saw me through, and there is no way I would have made it to where I am now had it not been for God.
In Proverbs 3:26, the Bible says, “For the LORD shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.”
Sometimes, we want to place confidence in people, but when the LORD is our confidence, we won’t suffer destruction, nor will He allow us to be brought to shame.
In Jeremiah 17:5, the Bible says, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.”
When we don’t turn to God for provision or protection, we essentially are placing ourselves under a curse! Good things don’t come to people who are cursed.
On the other hand, Jeremiah 17:7, the Bible says, “Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.”
Blessings meet the people who hope and in trust in God, despite the road, despite the appearances, or despite the fear that will surface.
The phrase “He that keepeth” means “to protect, preserve, guard, or to hedge about as thorns”.
God is always on guard, and even when bad things happen, it won’t ruin us, but refine us.
In Psalm 127:1, the Bible says, “Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain.”
We can try to protect ourselves as valiantly as we can, but if we aren’t under God’s protection, then our effort will be futile. I know someone who was shot and killed while having two guns on him. That false sense of security didn’t produce the outcome he desired, neither will it for us.
In Isaiah 27:3, the Bible says, “I the LORD do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day.”
God covers us. Do we believe it?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 18, 2025 – Psalm 121:5 – our shade for our strength
“The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.”
Psalm 121:5
Hi Everyone!
Is the LORD really our keeper?
Is He our strong tower that we turn to for refuge and strength?
Is He the first option when we need help?
We have to examine ourselves in times of trouble to see where our instincts lead us, because if we are not looking at God first for help, then we have effectively made our first option our idol.
God is a jealous God and He will not share glory with an idol we have erected in His place.
If we would just place our trust in God alone, we will see the deliverance that only God can bring, and we can experience a protection that no one can provide.
David is no slouch when it came to warfare, and he was known as a valiant man, a bloody man, and a man of war. He knew that it was not in his own strength that he got the victories he got, but it was the power of God. This is why he turned to God when he was in trouble, and this is why we must do the same.
Today, we will look at Psalm 121:5, our shade for our strength.
“The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.”
God was very intentional about the words He inspired David to write.
The first part of this verse says, “The LORD is thy keeper”, placing emphasis on the word “is”.
In Hebrews 13:8, the Bible says, “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, and today, and forever.”
God is unchanging and the same God David called upon in trouble is the same God that was can call upon right now. The Church has lost so much power and influence in the world because people believe that the acts of the apostles in the first century Church can’t be done today. We have put God in a box and said that all of the miracles ended when we received the written word of God.
In Hebrews 6:18, the Bible says, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us.”
When we turn to God for refuge, we can rest in hope that He delievers.
The word “keeper” means “a guard or protector”.
This displays God as someone vigilant to watch over us, protecting us from harm.
In Psalm 27:1, the Bible says, “The LORD is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life, of whom shall I be afraid?”
Receiving this as truth, we have assurance that nothing measures up to the God we serve. There is no reason to fear because God will definitely come to our rescue.
In Psalm 27:3, the Bible says, “Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
Trust me, as a believer, the enemy loves to mount offensives against us, but no matter the test, and no matter the numbers, we can be confident that God will come through for us.
In Isaiah 25:3-4, the Bible says, “Therefore shall the strong people glorify thee, the city of the terrible nations shall fear thee. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall.”
We are strong when we allow God to be strength for us, when we allow that battle to be fought and won by God.
The word “shade” means “defense”.
The phrase “right hand” refers to the strength behind our power, direction, or means.
In Psalm 91:1-2, the Bible says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.”
God covers us, and in His covering, we are safe. He is our fortress, protecting us from things that are trying to consume us. When we trust in God, He shows Himself faithful every time. David was someone who went against Goliath, was pursued by Saul and Absalom, yet became the God trusting King, who died in his old age, fully known and protected by God.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 19, 2025 – Psalm 121:6 – protection from the dangers both day and night
“The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.”
Psalm 121:6
Hi Everyone!
As believers, we face some of the exact same hardships nonbelievers face.
We can face persecution, turmoil, attacks against our character, and we can also face physical dangers to our safety. I have come to realize that even when I face suffering as a believer, I am not going through my problems alone, and when the enemy attacks, I am not an army of one.
We have a God who desires to protect us from hurt, harm, and danger day and night, even in a fallen broken world being ravaged by sin and violence.
To the person who believes, we have assurance of a win-win. God will be glorified in our trials because the testimony that will be revealed from our trials will bless someone else who is going through the same thing.
If tragedy strikes and we lose our lives here on earth, we exact imperfection for perfection in heaven, and God is still glorified in heaven. I have experienced enough storms in my life to know that God has, and will, sustain me through anything I face. He will do the same for you too.
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 121:6, protection from the dangers both day and night.
“The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.”
In Alexander Maclaren’s “The Expositor’s Bible: The Psalms, Vol. 3”, it says, “The notion of shelter from evils predominates in the remainder of the the psalm. It is applied in verse 6 to possible perils from physical causes: the fierce sunlight beat down on the pilgrim band, and the moon was believed, and apparently with correctness, to shed malignant influence on sleepers”.
In Psalm 91:5, the Bible says, “Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day.”
God is deeply concerned with travellers making the pilgrimage to Jerusalem at the time this was written, just as He is concerned with us navigating through life today. God doesn’t want his children walking in fear as they live their lives, because in Him, there is protection that the world cannot give.
In Psalm 91:6-7, the Bible says, “Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness, nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy rights hand; but it shall not come nigh thee.”
We should never look at what happens to someone close to us as a gauge for what will happen to us.
It may even happen in our own backyard, but we will be covered, as long we follow Psalm 91:1, which says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.”
There is a divine protection when we are in the presence of God, and He covers us in a way that the world is incapable of.
The word “smite” means “to strike or wound”. God will keep us protected even from the elements surrounding the sun and moon.
In Exodus 13:21-22, the Bible says, “And the LORD went before them by day in pillar of a cloud, to lead them the way; and by night in a pillar of fire, to give them light; to go by day and night; He took not away the pillar of the cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people.”
God made sure that as the Israelites made their journey from Egypt to the promised land, they were divinely and miraculously protected from the brutality of the sun and the frigid nights of cold. This shows a God who loves us and is involved in every detail of our lives.
In Isaiah 49:10, the Bible says, “They shall not hunger nor thirst; neither shall the heat nor sun smite them: for he that hath mercy on them shall lead them, even by springs of water shall He guide them.”
God has such a pronounced record of protecting His children that we should never doubt Him. Every need that we have, God will supply.
This same verse is confirmed in Revelation 7:16, where the Bible says, “They shall hunger no more, neither thirst any more; neither shall the sun light on them, nor any heat.”
This tells us that from the beginning to the end, God is ever careful to lovingly protect us from the hardships of the elements and the hardships of this life we live.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 20, 2025 – Psalm 121:7 – a God who preserves His children
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.”
Psalm 121:7
Hi Everyone!
We have to count on God to fulfill His promises, especially in times of trouble.
We have to be able to rest in the security that only God provides, because this world is becoming more and more evil, and there is nothing we can rely on in the world that could fully sustain us.
I remember being in the midst of a conflict and I looked up and saw a group of guys ready to protect me at a moment’s notice. In that moment I felt like I was covered and had nothing to worry about, but upon reflection, it would have only been good for that moment and nothing beyond it.
Some of these same people have been released from prison, or transferred to other prisons, and they haven’t reached towards me.
God doesn’t just protect us, He walks every step with us, loving on us, teaching us more about His will, strengthening us to walk strongly in Him. What He provides, no one can, and this is why we should turn to the LORD for all the help we need.
Today, we will look at Psalm 121:7, a God who preserves His children.
“The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.”
The word “preserve” means “to protect, guard, or hedge about as thorns”.
Looking at a hedge of thorns, this implies a covering that we experience that will harm others who try to harm us. The world cannot provide this level of protection: only God can.
In Proverbs 21:31, the Bible says, “The horse is prepared against the day of battle: but safety is of the LORD.”
We can do everything on our power to protect ourselves, but it is only by God that we are fully protected. We sadly place our trust on people, and then run to God when our backs are on the wall and we are out of options. God should be our first option, and this is what David is stressing.
In Psalm 91:9-10, the Bible says, “Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; there shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling.”
Too many of us place our trust in man or the resources of man, and then expect that the promises of God will still protect us. It is like being at home and relying on someone else’s house alarm system to protect you. That is what we do, and we miss the mark!
In Psalm 91:14, the Bible says, “Because he hath set his love upon Me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name.”
Knowing the name of God isn’t about an intellectual knowledge, but it is a oneness relationship and a familiarity with His authority, power, and dominion.
In Psalm 24:1, the Bible says, “The earth is the LORD’s, and the fullness thereof, the world, and they that dwell therein.”
When we understand that everything belongs to the LORD, it will be easier for us to place our full trust trust in Him.
The word “evil” means “wickedness or morally/ethically bad”.
The word “soul” refers to the inner being with its thoughts and emotions.”
In Psalm 97:10, the Bible says, “Ye that love the LORD, hate evil: He preserveth the souls of His saints; He delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.”
There is a role we play in this, and we can’t serve sin while expecting God’s protection. When we remove ourselves from His covering, we are subject to the evils that come as a result.
In 1 Peter 5:8, the Bible says, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour.”
There is a real sense of evil in the world and no one seems safe. It is everywhere, and in some places in the world, people are still being killed for their faith.
In Psalm 41:2, the Bible says, “The LORD will preserve him, and keep him alive, and he shall be blessed upon the earth: and thou wilt not deliver him unto the will of his enemies.”
As believers, we face a win-win when we come under attack. We endure and it becomes a powerful testimony of deliverance and when we die we go on to glory with God!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 21, 2025 – Psalm 121:8 – protection from God as we navigate through this life
“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even for evermore.”
Psalm 121:8
Hi Everyone!
We need God’s protection as we live this life.
We watch the news and see that the world is turning into a very unsafe place. We have the Russia-Ukraine war, the Israel-Palestine war, and there are tons of Christians being persecuted all over the world for their faith.
In the United States, there are so many mass shootings, that they all aren’t covered by the news, and violence seems to be at every turn. In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where I was born and raised, it has turned into the Wild West, where concealed carry laws open the floodgates for anyone to carry a gun, and shootings happen so much now, that most of them aren’t covered.
In a world on its way to destruction, we need God’s covering and safe passage, because making it home safely isn’t any longer all but guaranteed. Have we ever prayed over our daily journey?
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 121:8, protection from God as we navigate through this life.
“The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth and even for evermore.”
The word “preserve” means “to protect, guard, or hedge about a thorns”.
It is God who has the authority to protect us against the forces that wage war against us. Paul was worried about being hurt or even killed for preaching the Gospel in Corinth, but Christ reassured him in a vision.
In Acts 18:9-10, the Bible says, “Then spake the Lord to Paul in night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city.”
Christ spoke to Paul personally, encouraging Him to continue to share the Gospel and to not place fear into His purpose. We have to count on God’s presence to remain with us.
In Hebrews 13:5, the Bible says, “Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.”
God is going to be with us in all circumstances.
In Hebrews 13:6, the Bible says, “So that we may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do to me.”
When we trust in the Lord, we can declare that it is God who protects us with confidence. Paul has experienced God’s protection when he and Silas were beaten and confined.
In Acts 16:24-25, the Bible says, “Who, having received such a charge, thrust them into the inner prison, and made their feet fast in the stocks. And midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them.”
Paul was stuck in a cell in a deeper part of the prison, in stocks holding them in place, but he sang praises to God so loud that other prisoners heard them. The doors of their cells broke open, but they remained, and because of it, the jailer and his family received salvation by faith in Jesus Christ. God’s protection allowed Paul to preach in place where danger was all but certain. Paul was under God’s protection, but it didn’t mean that nothing would happen to him.
In 2 Corinthians 11:25-26, the Bible says, “Thrice I was beaten with rods, once I was stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; In journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren.”
Paul has gone through the ringer as a believer and pastor, but nothing stopped him from fulfilling his purpose because God was with him, and in Romans 8:18, the Bible says, “For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”
There is a glory in store for us that far outweighs our circumstances, a testimony of God’s presence not only remaining with us, but causing us to overcome, standing on top of circumstances that would otherwise have buried us!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
PRE-CHRISTMAS
DECEMBER 22 – Micah 5:2 – the greatest gift from the smallest place
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
Micah 5:2
Hi Everyone!
Jesus Christ is the person our faith is centered upon because there is no salvation for our sins without Christ’s sacrifice on the cross.
In Christ, we have the fullness of the power of God resting on the inside of us, the blessed kingdom of God that allows us to bear His image and likeness in the earth.
We would expect Christ to come from one of the biggest tribes in Israel, but he actually came from the smallest.
Never for a second question your inferiority, because the Lord God does amazing work with the smallest of things.
Think about it. A small seed produces some of the biggest trees we have.
This shows what God can do with what we deem to be small and insignificant, because Christ brought the kingdom of God to us, but he came from humble beginnings.
Today, we will be looking at Micah 5:2, the greatest gift from the smallest place.
“But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.”
The word “Bethlehem” means “house of bread”.
This was the smallest of tribes, but this was the place that kings came from.
In 1 Samuel 16:7, the Bible says, “And the LORD said unto Samuel, How long wilt thou mourn for Saul, seeing I have rejected him from reigning over Israel? fill thine horn with oil, and go, I will send thee to Jesse the Bethlehemite: for I have provided me a king among his sons.”
God intentionally took a king from an extremely small place, which is odd from our perspective, because we would expect the type of king God desires to come from a mighty city, fortified, with a huge army in place.
In Isaiah 55:8-9, the Bible says, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.”
God thinks on a wavelength we haven’t considered, and that is so His power can be made known.
What about Bethlehem’s history?
In Ruth 2:4, the Bible says, “And, behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, and said unto the reapers, The LORD be with you. And they answered him, The LORD bless thee.”
Bethlehem was also the place where Naomi’s family was from, that Naomi and Ruth returned to after suffering great loss, and also the place where Ruth met Boaz.
David is a descendant of Ruth and Boaz. So Bethlehem also seems to be the place of the improbable, because Ruth was from Moab, yet she married Naomi’s son. An outsider being chosen, a kinsman redeemer chosen, a miracle happening that restored Naomi’s house back to her. This improbable happening was the result of our sovereign God at work, because this continued the line that led to Christ.
In Luke 2:1-5, the Bible says, “And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.) And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.”
God doesn’t make mistakes. He put a kingdom in place, Rome, that would call on the people of God to be taxed. In order for them to be taxed appropriately, they had to return back to the town they came from. Joseph’s bloodline led him back to Bethlehem because he was of David’s lineage. This happened while Mary was really pregnant with Christ.
Well, we know what happened next.
In Matthew 2:1-2, the Bible says, “Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”
Christ was born in Bethlehem, in the same place as the greatest earthly king, and now this fulfills the promise that David’s kingdom would last forever.
In Isaiah 9:7, the Bible says, “Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
In this extremely small town, God established a King who was after His own heart.
From this same small town God established a King, Himself, who would reign forever in earth and in heaven.
The Word of God paved the way for this blessed salvation long before He arrived, thousands of years before He came!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
DECEMBER 23 – Luke 1:38 – the faith that produced a Saviour
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”
Luke 1:38
Hi Everyone!
This is the Christmas season, where we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. This is a season where we reflect on the fact that God sent a Saviour into the world that will introduce us to the kingdom of God and through His sacrifice, make salvation available to all who believe in His name. Christmas is usually presented in our homes through decorations, and many have the manger scene where the wise men bring the gifts before Christ while Mary and Joseph stand watching. Do we truly understand that the unsung hero of this story was the Mary, the virgin that would birth out Lord and Saviour? The Christmas story talks about the gift of the Messiah, but it also talks about the faithfulness of Mary as well, a picture of the Gospel message. She made herself available to obey the Word of God, which led to her being impregnated, or filled, with the Holy Ghost, and in the process, she birthed Christ, which brought glory to God. Today, we will look at Luke 1:38, the faith that produced a Saviour.
“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.”
A little back story. An angel appears to Mary, and Luke 1:30-32 says,
“And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David”.
This is an amazing honor, to have an angel, a divine messenger of God, speak a word from God to her, an ordinary girl. Looking at Mary’s life, we see a young girl betrothed to Joseph, but not married. Mary’s life is going places right now, and she is going to have a baby as well. Sounds like an amazing story so far, right?
Of course, Mary starts asking questions, because she wants to know what to expect and when it will come.
In Luke 1:34-35, the Bible says, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.”
So the baby is going to come from the Holy Spirit and not her soon to be husband Joseph? Mary asked a question and got an answer that defied logic, one that would change the direction of her life forever. What if we had a plan, and God came along and changed everything we had in mind?
Then, it gets deeper.
In Luke 1:36-37, the Bible says, “And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren. For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
God doesn’t have to do this part, but He showed Mary an impossibility being made possible, because her cousin, who is much, much older, who had probably aged out of having babies, is pregnant as well. How many times has God given us examples of His Word manifesting itself into reality, giving us further reason for us to trust in God? God showed Mary that God is the master of what is impossible to us.
So Mary takes this word, and comes into agreement with it, believing the Word from God to be true. Imagine becoming pregnant, not by your husband, in a society that stones women for adultery! There is some serious risk involved, and remember, before the angel spoke to Joseph, he wanted to divorce her quietly.
This Word came with difficulty, but what was Mary’s posture towards it?
The word “handmaid” means “a slave, voluntary or involuntary”.
The word ” Lord” means “Supreme in authority, or Controller”.
Mary presented herself as a slave to a God who is Supreme in authority. She was totally available to the Lord, no matter the risk or the loss.
In Romans 10:17, the Bible says, “So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Mary heard the Word of God and it became law in her life, and she patterned her direction around the Word of God, not according to the plans she had for her own life?
Obedience and faith go hand in hand.
In Hebrews 11:6, the Bible says, “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
Mary’s faithfulness made room for the Holy Spirit to inhabit her, allowing the fullness of God to dwell in her, only because she received the Word of God in total submission.
In Galatians 4:7, the Bible says, “Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ.”
Mary’s submission to God cause her to inherit the kingdom of God in her womb. What will our submission cause us to inherit?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
DECEMBER 24 – Luke 2:10 – CHRISTMAS # 1: Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy
”And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
Luke 2:10
Hi Everyone!
When Christ was born, the angel announced it to the shepherds first.
Why were the people, who were ceremonially unclean and prohibited from entering the temple because of their profession, the ones to first received the good news of Christ’s birth?
Why was the Word given to shepherds and an expectation placed on them to share the Word of Christ’s birth?
You’d think if anyone should get the Word first, it would be the pastors, chief priests, and scribes, those of religious claim, not people who aren’t even allowed in church.
Wait a minute, doesn’t this sound familiar, for God to use the most unlikely people to do the most incredible things?
This is what God had in mind when He sent a baby as the King and also as the lamb of God, the Saviour of the entire world.
Today, we look at Luke 2:10, doing the incredible with the unlikely.
”And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.”
The word ”angel” means ”messenger of God”.
Angels came to perform the Word of God ordained.
In Hebrews 1:14-2:1, the Bible says, ”Are they not all ministering spirits, sent forth to minister for them who shall be heirs of salvation? Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.”
God uses angels to administer His Word to position us for salvation and deliverance. God used angels this time to deliver His Word to the shepherds, so they could declare the Word to everyone!
The word ”fear” means ”to be afraid, terrified, or frightened”.
The presence of the Lord automatically causes fear, but God wants us to look beyond our impulse of fear to receive the Word of God.
In 2 Timothy 1:7, the Bible says, ”For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
So, the reason the angel is telling the shepherds to not fear, is because God did not give them this fear. Fear will prevent people from hearing the Word of God and also heeding it.
In Luke 1:13, the Bible says, ”But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”
Zacharias was a priest, the ”closest” person to God, yet when the angel appeared, he was told not to be afraid. Once the angel dealt with the thing that would block him from receiving the Word from God, the Word of God was delivered, and it was the answer to his prayers.
Sometimes, fear will rob us from receiving the good news, and even can cause us to shut down, instead of obeying.
The word ”bring” means ”to declare”.
The phrase ”good tidings” means ”a beneficial or profitable announcement fulfilling the Word of God”.
The word ”good”, when it is used by God or the angels of God, is expressed as the fulfillment of God’s intention.
In Mark 1:15, the Bible says, ”And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Christ coming fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6-7, which says, ”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
The fulfillment of this prophecy was a divine announcement beneficial to the hearer, first given to people who didn’t go and couldn’t go to church!
God passed up everyone who was ‘clean enough’ and gave it to people who slept outside with their flocks.
The phrase ”great joy” speaks of cheerfulness and gladness, so this is why fear had to be removed.
The word ”people” was not exclusive to Jews. God wanted everyone to know that Christ was born.
In Matthew 28:19, the Bible says, ”Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”
Christ, before He ascended to the Father, gave a commission for us to teach all nations, and the angel gave the shepherds a charge to declare Christ’s birth to all people.
When we are called to speak, God gives us the message.
In Luke 2:17, the Bible says, ”And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.”
God gave the announcement of Christ to the least likely people, and they spread it everywhere! If God used the shepherds as evangelists what won’t He do with us?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
CHRISTMAS DAY
DECEMBER 25 – Luke 1:32 – CHRISTMAS # 2: He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest
”He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David’’
Luke 1:32
Hi Everyone!
As believers, it is easy to think about Christmas when we see baby Jesus in a manger.
What about at other times of year, and what about non-believers?
That image had been engraved in our brains for as long as we remember, it is the symbol of our Saviour coming into the world. It can be hard seeing beyond that image to see a king, to see God robed in flesh, the ”Name Above All Names”.
It is also hard to see that Christ’s birth ushered in the fulfillment of the promise God made to David, that his kingdom would last forever.
Having a kingdom that never ends means Christ’s authority never ends, so all the promises given us by Christ apply fully to us!
We are a part of the Holy Kingdom of God, partakers of the divine nature, because of THE GIFT given to us at Christmas.
We tend to see the gifts of the Magi as a reference to the gifts of Christmas, but who lay in that manger is the real gift.
Today, we will look at Luke 1:32, royalty fulfilled.
”He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David”
This verse is prophecy given to Mary by the angel of the Lord, when Mary receives the Word that she is going to conceive Christ.
I love how the Bible doesn’t just prophesy events, but also prophesies on the role Christ will live out in the earth. Knowing this prophecy was fulfilled should allow us to understand more about the sovereignty of God.
The word ”great” means ”mighty or strong”.
The word ”called” means ”to address by name, to be identified as”.
The word ”Highest” refers to the Supreme God.
In Mark 5:6-7, the Bible says, ”But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.’‘
In this passage, we have a man who is demon-possessed, seeing Christ from a distance, and running TO him to worship him.
How is it that the demon inside that man could worship the Lord, but God can’t get enough worship from His children?
The demon identified Christ as the son of the ”most high God”.
Isn’t is kinda funny that the prophecy given to Mary was fulfilled by people, but in this case, the prophecy of Christ being called the Son of the Highest was fulfilled by a demon?
In Matthew 16:15-17, the Bible says, ”He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.”
The Bible always confirms itself, so it has been established that Christ is the Son of the Highest.
The word ”give” means ”to bestow upon”.
The word ”throne” means ”a stately seat of power”.
The word ”father” here speaks of ancestry, meaning ”patriarch, the founder of a tribe or nation”.
In 2 Samuel 7:16-17, the Bible says, ”And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. According to all these words, and according to all this vision, so did Nathan speak unto David.”
The Word of God came to David by the prophet Nathan, establishing David’s kingdom forever. The only way David’s kingdom can be established forever is by Christ.
In Psalm 132:11-12, the Bible says, ”The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne. If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.”
This is yet another passage from Scripture that gives prophecy that Christ would come from David’s line. Christ is from a lineage of kings, and even as a baby, Christ was the King He is.
In Isaiah 9:6-7, the Bible says, ”For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom, to order it, and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will perform this.”
As King, the government is definitely upon His shoulder, and that means His Word is law! This beautiful baby born to Mary was God, King, Priest, Saviour, and Counsellor.
It was prophesied that He would be all of these things and his birth signalled the beginning of the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Him.
Christmas is about Christ coming into the world as the Word made flesh. Christ’s arrival also secures the truth of the Word of God.
Let us praise God at Christmas for keeping His promises.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 26, 2025 – 1 John 1:8 – living by truth as believers about where we truly stand regarding sin
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
1 John 1:8
Hi Everyone!
There are many people who won’t step inside a church due to the judgmental attitudes they have encountered by people who sin just like them, but look down on them.
I have been trolled on social media by professed Christians for making a positive post, trying to encourage someone out there from prison!
People receive their salvation, and instead of keeping the door open for someone else to receive the same salvation and transformation, their arrogance stands as a stumbling block for others.
If we look at ourselves truthfully, we understand that we have had our sins washed clean by the blood of Jesus Christ, but we still have our own personal issues of wrestling with the sin that we have been delivered from.
No one is exempt, and if we somehow believe that we have arrived, then we are kidding ourselves.
Today, we will be looking at 1 John 1:8, living by truth as believers about where we truly stand regarding sin.
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”
The word “say” expresses a declaration or profession that one makes as truth.
The word “sin” means “to miss the mark, to fail, or to offend God through thought, word, or deed.”
There are people who actually take 1 John 3:9 so literal that they have actually told themselves that because of Jesus Christ’s atoning sacrifice for sin, that they can never sin again.
In 1 John 3:9, the Bible says, “Whosoever is born of God does not commit sin; for His seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.”
What people fail to understand is this passage, in its Hebrew/Greek origins, refers to the continual pattern of sinfulness, not just an act of sin.
Romans 3:23 says clearly, “For ALL have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
This tells us that there is still a sin nature that tries to overtake the new nature from our salvation. There is sometimes warfare that takes place within a believer concerning sin!
Paul detailed his own struggle with sin, even a as pastor and church planter.
In Romans 7:18-19, the Bible says, “For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do.”
As believers transformed by the blood of Jesus Christ, our desire should be to serve God and not sin, and when we do sin, we shouldn’t be doing the thing that our new nature hates. There will be a constant struggle in some way with our old nature of sinfulness, so to say that we have no sin is completely wrong.
The word “deceive” means “to roam from safety, truth, or virtue”.
The word “truth” covers sincerity in both word and deed.
In 1 John 2:4, the Bible says, “He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.”
‘We can deceive ourselves into thinking that our salvation means that we are sinless, but our salvation means that we just sin less’, that is quoting our Dean at Trinity International University, Pastor Knoll.
People sadly use their salvation as a tool for judgment, doing more harm than good for the kingdom.
In Matthew 7:1-2, Christ says, “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.”
This isn’t a suggestion, but a command, so if people are operating in judgment, then they are committing sin.
In 2 Corinthians 7:1, the Bible says, “Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”
Paul is highlighting the sanctification process that all believers should experience that draws us closer to God and allows us to bear more of His attributes. This is a process, but salvation doesn’t mean that we have “arrived”.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 27, 2025 – Proverbs 3:7 – having a mind that reveres God
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
Proverbs 3:7
Hi Everyone!
We have been created by God to bear His image and likeness in the earth.
This means that, according to God’s creative intent, people are supposed to look at us and experience the presence of God in the process.
Of course, God also created mankind with with their own will, so we have the power to choose, and we can look around us to see how great that has worked out!
God gives us the power to choose, hoping that we would choose to serve Him and fulfill His will for our lives, but many of us go our own way, and fulfill whatever desire we have for our own lives.
When we make the choice to serve God, we entered into a blessed fellowship with Him, we enjoy the privileges of the kingdom of God, and our posture towards God will be one of reverence, honor, and submission.
There is no room for us to serve two masters.
Today, we will look at Proverbs 3:7, having a mind that reveres God.
“Be not wise in thine own eyes: fear the LORD, and depart from evil.”
When we look at the Proverbs, we have to first understand that they aren’t commands, but they are suggestions for living, that if followed, will produce a more successful outcome.
In Proverbs 1:5, the Bible says, “A wise man will hear, and increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain into wise counsels.”
The author, believed to be Solomon, intended the reader to learn more by reading the Proverbs.
The word “wise” means “skilled or experienced”.
The idea of one being wise in their own eyes means that they believe that they have it all figured out without God.
In Proverb 3:5-6, the Bible says, “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy path.”
These verses provide the full context for our topic verse, that it is God who provides the direction for our lives, and not us. It expresses trust in God when we surrender fully to His direction and plan.
In Romans 12:3, the Bible says, “For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.”
It is arrogance within us that allows us to think that we can do it without God, and it is God that dispenses the grace and the faith to accomplish the things that He wills for us.
How is our posture towards God?
The word “fear” means “a deep moral reverential respect.
People who feared God were considered faithful and trustworthy for such fear constrained them to believe and act morally.”
In Job 1:1, the Bible says, “There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and escheweth evil.”
Job is a great example of someone who showed reverence for God under the most incredibly harsh set of circumstances. He didn’t change course, even as his whole life was turned upside down.
When we reverence God, we are going to to “depart from evil”, which means “to withdraw, desert or turn away from wickedness.”
We can’t be divided and serve God.
In Matthew 6:24, Christ says, “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other, or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.”
What we serve we bring us into subjection to it, and we adhere to the way of that, or who, we serve.
In Proverbs 16:6, the Bible says, “By mercy and truth iniquity is purged; and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.”
It is only in the Lord that we have the ability to turn away from wickedness, but we have to be willing to forsake our own way.
Psalm 37:23 says, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in His way.”
When we make ourselves available to be directed by God, we will incline ourselves to Him in obedience.
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 28, 2025 – Psalm 142:1 – tears and pleas from the cave
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.”
Psalm 142:1
Hi Everyone!
David wrote this Psalm from the cave, when he was likely fleeing from Saul, who adamantly wanted to kill David.
A king’s army in pursuit of David could have meant destruction for David, but God was on His side.
God gave David a word and anointed him, before he went into service for Saul, which revealed he would be the next king.
Having someone trying to kill you when you are anointed to be a king in the future had to present David with a conflict of varying interests. One person wants to destroy him, while God wants to promote him.
Who do we trust when “our backs are against the wall, and it looks as if it is over”, quoting Travis Greene’s “Made a Way”?
Well, David cried out the only person who could help him, God, and David was heard and delivered from death by God.
God was faithful to David, and He will be faithful to us as well!
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 142:1, tears and pleas from the cave.
“I cried unto the LORD with my voice; with my voice unto the LORD did I make my supplication.”
The word “cried” means “to shriek out of anguish, danger, pain, or affliction”.
The word “voice” implies speech, so David poured out his heart before God like a baby who is afraid and screams for his Father.
David trusts in God, and believes in God’s word.
1 Peter 5:6-7, the Bible says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time: Casting all your care upon Him; for He careth for you.”
David was not like one of us. He was a valiant warrior who took down a giant!
In 1 Samuel 17:37, the Bible says, “David said moreover, The LORD that delivered me out of the paw of the lion, and out of the paw of the bear, He will deliver me out of the hand of this Philistine. And Saul said unto David, Go, and the LORD be with thee.”
David remembers times where God delivered him from adversaries who would have likely killed him had it not been for the God, and it encouraged him against Goliath.
David knew where his help came from and he had no problem seeking God’s help.
In Psalm 34:4, the Bible says, “I sought the LORD, and He heard me, and delivered me from all my fears.”
David was valiant, but he wasn’t stupid either. If the king wanted you dead, then that means the kingdom wanted you dead, and he fled to a cave, where he could see those pursuing him, while still having time to flee.
In Psalm 91:2-3, the Bible says, “I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust. Surely He shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.”
We have to understand that, when we trust in God, He is the one producing the deliverance, and not us. Too many times, we will try to rely on our skills, on our strength, or on our tenacity for our deliverance, but the grace of God is mightier than anything that we could ever encounter. The cave was David’s prison. I know how it feels to cry out to God from a cave, and I know how it feels to be pursued by people trying to kill me.
Jonah experienced confinement in the belly of a great fish, but in Jonah 2:9, the Bible says, “But I will sacrifice unto thee with the voice of thanksgiving; I will pay that that I have vowed. Salvation is of the LORD. And the LORD spake unto the fish, and vomited out Jonah upon the dry land.”
Jonah, like, David, knew the his deliverance could only come from God. Sometimes, God allows us to get to a place where all we have is Him!
The word “supplication” means “implore God for mercy or favour.”
In 2 Chronicles 20:17, the Bible says, “Ye shall not need to fight in this battle: set yourselves, stand ye still, and see the salvation of the LORD with you, O Judah and Jerusalem: fear not, nor be dismayed, tomorrow go out against them: for the LORD will be with you.”
Do we trust in God enough to stand still, and let Him work out our deliverance? Will we trust Him and only Him?
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 29, 2025 – Acts 16:30 – the way to salvation
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
Acts 16:30
Hi Everyone!
If someone asks you what it takes to be saved, what would you say?
This is the beginning of discipleship, where we reveal Jesus to someone in need of salvation.
As believers, we know that Jesus Christ is the way of salvation, and He is the only way we can get to the Father.
Let me set the scene. Paul and Silas were beaten and jailed for casting a demon out of a soothsaying woman, because the woman’s handlers lost their profits from her demonic gift.
In jail, instead of getting mad, Paul and Silas sang praises to God at midnight, so loud that the people in the jail heard them. An earthquake then shakes the doors of the prison, causing them to fly open.
The jailer thinks they ran off and is about to kill himself, but Paul assures him that they are all still there.
The jailer is humbled and with a repentant heart, asked them what must he do to be saved.
Our conduct in the Lord, especially in trial can cause our testimony to lead someone to salvation.
Today, we will look at Acts 16:30, the way to salvation.
“And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
The word “Sirs” implies that the jailer understands that these are men of authority and deserving of respect.
The jailer is in full control, but projects respect for who Paul and Silas represent, Christ. He undoubtedly had heard enough about Paul to ask about salvation, so it highly likely he knows something about Paul’s ministry.
Do people know enough about our ministry to ask us how they can be saved?
The word “saved” refers specifically to salvation from eternal death, sin, and the punishment and misery consequent to sin.
The jailer knew he wasn’t saved, and judging by the fact that he was about to take his own life just seconds before, he has an idea that he would have faced eternal death.
In John 3:16, Christ says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”
Christ shows us that we can receive salvation by believing that Jesus Christ is our Saviour from our sin. We have to also understand that we have a sin condition.
In Romans 3:23, the Bible says, “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.”
There is not one human in the flesh who hasn’t sinned except Jesus Christ, and our sinfulness has created a debt with God that we cannot pay back.
In Romans 6:23, the Bible says, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
Our sin is deserving of death.
If you imagine the people who don’t have Christ as being on death row, where if they die physically, they will also die spiritually. Even though we have a bill we can’t pay due to sin, God gave us the gift of salvation through Christ.
In Romans 10:9, the Bible says, “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the LORD Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
We have to profess that Jesus is Lord, and from the depths of our being, we have to believe that He has been risen by God.
There is a belief that we have to have where we declare the truth of the Gospel.
In Romans 8:1, the Bible says, “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.”
Being saved means that we never have to live from the state we were in before salvation. It means that the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed us from our sin, and we are saved from the penalty of death. It means that we then have a clean slate from which to live a new life.
In Romans 6:13, the Bible says, “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.”
We make ourselves available to God to serve Him. With a new life, we serve God and be who He created us to be!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 30, 2025 – Psalm 27:3 – fearless in the face of warfare
“Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
Psalm 27:3
Hi Everyone!
I know firsthand the feeling of a host encamping against me.
You are in a perpetual state of alertness that robs you of your sleep, that strips you of your peace, and makes you hypersensitive to conflict.
Eventually, you begin to pose threats to people who pose no threats, which causes more problems than you had to begin with.
David was a valiant man who engaged in warfare, and he was not without opposition. He has faced lions, bears, Goliath, Saul, Absalom, and had quite a few wars in the span of his lifetime. He is thoroughly acquainted with being put to flight, ironically by people he didn’t want to kill.
In the midst of it all, we have to trust in God for not only our protection, but also our deliverance from the hosts that mount offensives against us. Only with God can we get victory over those whose aim is to destroy us.
Today, we will be looking at Psalm 27:3, fearless in the face of warfare.
“Though an host should encamp against me, my heart shall not fear: though war should rise against me, in this will I be confident.”
The word “host” means “an encampment of troops or an army”.
The idea of “encamping” suggests that an army is taking residence in a certain area as they are being prepared for war.
This would be a scary sight, a bunch of your enemies moving in your neighborhood, surrounding you on all sides.
In John 16:33, Christ says, “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”
God doesn’t promise us a free ride with no problems. We are going to have trouble sometimes, but because of Christ, we can overcome the world too.
In Matthew 5:10-11, Christ says, “Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.”
There is a stark difference between how Christ views our enemies, how He views persecution, and how we see these things.
If we take on the mind of Christ there is no reason to fear, because Matthew 5:12 says, “Rejoice, and be exceedingly glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.”
God desires us who believe to be cheerful in the face of warfare, blessing those who curse us, because our reward will be great in heaven while out testimony builds strength on earth.
The word “heart” expresses the innermost being with its thoughts, desires, passions, and will.
The word “fear” means “to be afraid or terrified.”
Sometimes, an army mounting against us can make us afraid naturally, but spiritually, 2 Timothy 1:7 says, “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear, but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Knowing this, we can have confidence that no matter the enemy, we have what we need to overcome within us.
The word “confident” is a term expressing an instinctive sprint in the direction of God in the face of trouble. This means God is our first choice for refuge.
In Psalm 3:6-8, the Bible says, “I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about. Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly. Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.”
We instinctively run towards God in the midst of warfare, because not only will God deliver us, but we can rest in His salvation, fearless about the outcome. David understood this, and even when his feelings were heavy, he knew where His help came from.
There was no reason to fear, and no reason to turn to any other place or person but to God for the help he needed. David provides us with a continuous testimony of what we should do in warfare, trust in God!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
Dec 31, 2025 – Psalm 27:5 – hidden in His pavilion during trial
“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.”
Psalm 27:5
Hi Everyone!
I haven’t experienced one hard moment in my life where God wasn’t there to guide me through it.
Even when I had no clue that He has there, He was ushering me through periods of difficulty and trial. I can look back and safely say that if it wasn’t for God on my side, I would have been consumed by trial, by adversaries, and by circumstances.
God, through His all-surpassing love, robes us with security in His secret place, and His presence assures us that no matter what we face in this life, God is mightier than anything we will ever face.
Will we exercise the courage to boldly testify of God’s power and protection in times of trouble, even as we go through it?
It is easy to testify after the trial has ended, but it is resoundingly harder to testify to God’s protection when we are afraid and can’t understand what is happening to us. It takes faith!
Today, we will look at Psalm 27:5, hidden in His pavilion during trial.
“For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion: in the secret of His tabernacle shall He hide me; He shall set me up upon a rock.”
The word “time” expresses a season or era in time, including a moment.
The word “trouble” means “adversity or affliction”.
The affliction we endure may not just be one event, but it could extend to a lengthy period of time. No matter how long the adversity is, in Christ, the ultimate outcome is the same.
In 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; the Bible says, “For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; While we look not at things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.”
What is our perspective as we go through trial? Do we see things that way that God sees them, or do we see things through our emotions, or even worse, through how things appear? We should see that at the end of our trial, glory comes!
The word “hide” means “to conceal or shield”.
The word “pavilion” means “a hut, tabernacle, or tent.”
In Psalm 31:20-21, the Bible says, “Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues. Blessed be the LORD: for he hath shewed me His marvelous kindness in a strong city.”
God’s protection keeps the enemy at bay, and He also causes the words spoken against us to come to nought. It is because of God’s kindness that we are sustained in the midst of a strong city, with strong opposition.
In Psalm 91:1-2, the Bible says, “He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in Him will I trust.”
The phrase “the secret of His tabernacle” pertains to the presence of God, where we can bask in His fellowship, experience His glory, and where we have true protection from the harmful effects of affliction.
We are going to have trouble, especially as believers, but in Christ, things will ultimately shift for our good, and we’ll be able to testify, from victory, about how God brought us through.
In Isaiah 54:17, the Bible says, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD.”
Even when trouble comes, nothing that mounts an offensive against us will prevail, not even the words that people speak against us. The idea of setting someone upon a rock implies placing them on a firm foundation where they aren’t shaken when the storms of life come.
Psalm 40:2 says, “He brought me up also out of a horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.”
In God’s secret place, we are secure in Him!
God Bless!
Marshall & Jessica
