14 Verses To Help You Focus On Who God Is

A great way to start and end your day is to simply think about who God is. Here are 14 verses to remind you of a few of God's character traits. Read these aloud and remember who He is!

1 Corinthians 10:13 | God is FAITHFUL
No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

1 John 1:5 | God is LIGHT
This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

John 3:16 | God is GENEROUS
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:8 | God is LOVE
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Psalm 18:30 | God is a SHIELD
This God—his way is perfect;
the word of the Lord proves true;
he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

Psalm 116:5 | God is GRACIOUS
Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
our God is merciful.

Psalm 68:19-20 | God is a SAVIOR
Blessed be the Lord,
who daily bears us up;
God is our salvation. Selah
Our God is a God of salvation,
and to God, the Lord, belong deliverances from death.

Colossians 1:16 | God is CREATOR
For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.

Deuteronomy 4:31 | God is MERCIFUL
For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them.

Psalm 83:18 | God is MOST HIGH
that they may know that you alone,
whose name is the Lord,
are the Most High over all the earth.

Psalm 34:8 | God is GOOD
Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!

1 John 1:9 | God is FORGIVING
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

2 Samuel 7:22 | God is UNIQUE
Therefore you are great, O Lord God. For there is none like you, and there is no God besides you, according to all that we have heard with our ears.

Psalm 23:1 | God is a SHEPHERD
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

5 Verses For Uncertain Times

Whether or not life is uncertain is simply a matter of perspective. While I may feel uncertain about what is coming next, God does not. He is certain and He is not worried.

When you were a child riding in the back seat of the car, there were many times you didn't know where you were going. Your parent(s) did, though. Most of the time, it didn't even cross your mind to be nervous about your uncertainty, because you trusted the driver's knowledge and ability to deliver you to the destination.

God's knowledge and ability are far superior to the driver of that car. He is not uncertain. Not only does He hold tomorrow, He knows what tomorrow holds.  Here are five verses to read aloud when you feel some of life's uncertainty creeping in.

Matthew 6:26
"Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?"


Proverbs 3:5-6"Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."


Psalm 56:3"When I am afraid, I put my trust in You."


Joshua 1:9“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be frightened, and do not be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”


Psalm 121:1-4"I lift up my eyes to the hills.From where does my help come?My help comes from the Lord,who made heaven and earth.He will not let your foot be moved;he who keeps you will not slumber.Behold, he who keeps Israelwill neither slumber nor sleep."

7 Verses For The Moments You Feel Alone

You can get through this!
Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Use your times of solitude to draw closer to God.
Luke 5:16 But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.

God is with you. He is in control.
Isaiah 41:10 So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. 

Jesus knows exactly how you feel.
1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

Even if everyone abandons you, Jesus never will.
Proverbs 18:24 One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Don't be afraid to tell God how you feel.
1 Peter 5:7 Cast all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

You can never be so alone that God does not love you.
Romans 8:31,35 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?... Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?

12 Verses For a Rough Day

I received an email today from a friend requesting a few encouraging verses. I shared a couple with her and then thought perhaps I should just post them here as well. Maybe these will be an encouragement to you as well. We can all use a little more hope, joy, and peace.

John 16:33 -- I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Isaiah 26:3 -- You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.

1 Peter 5:7 -- Casting all your anxieties on him, because he cares for you.

Psalm 4:8 -- In peace I will both lie down and sleep; for you alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety.

1 Peter 1:3 -- Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

John 16:22 -- So also you have sorrow now, but I will see you again, and your hearts will rejoice, and no one will take your joy from you.

Psalm 118:24 -- This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

Jeremiah 29:11 -- For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope.

Psalm 28:7 -- The Lord is my strength and my shield; in him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to him.

Deuteronomy 31:6 -- Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Psalm 30:11 -- You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; you have loosed my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,

Psalm 33:21 -- For our heart is glad in him, because we trust in his holy name.

Live A Delicious Life

Mathew 3 tells the story of John the Baptist. When he was approached by the religious leaders (who most people knew to be hypocrites), John said to them:

Bear fruit in keeping with repentance.

This simple and powerful statement was a reminder that God wants more than just words of worship. He wants to change our hearts, and when He changes our hearts, our lives change.

Use the Fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23)this morning to consider whether your life is bearing the fruit of a changed heart.

love - Am I putting the good of others ahead of my own good?

joy - Am I choosing to rejoice in the Lord even when life isn't fun?

peace - Am I resting in the knowledge that God is in control and will provide all I need?

patience - Am I comfortable waiting for God's provision, even if it doesn't happen in my timing?

kindness - Do my words and actions "taste" good to others? Do I remind people of Jesus?

goodness - Do I do the right thing, even when it may cost me?

faithfulness - Do I keep my word? Am I fully engaged in the relationships God has given me?

gentleness - Do I treat those who are hurting well? Do I take care of those who are "less than"?

self-control - Am I regularly seeking to put off the old life and put on the new life?

Don't try to work on all of these at once! Choose one or two and ask God to help you shape your life in those areas so that you will look more like Jesus.

O Say Can You See?

This morning I was reading in Isaiah 42 and came across verses 16. In this passage, God is describing the blessings He is going to eventually accomplish for Israel. Isaiah wrote:

“And I will lead the blind in a way that they do not know, in paths that they have not known I will guide them. I will turn the darkness before them into light, the rough places into level ground. These are the things I do, and I do not forsake them.”
‭‭Isaiah‬ ‭42:16‬ ‭ESV‬‬

Blindness is used throughout the Bible to describe those who do not know God. Consider the following thoughts about spiritual blindness (along with a verse for each one!)

1) Our natural state is “spiritual blindness”.
And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. (John 3:19)

2) God does not want you to be spiritually blind.
But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.(2 Corinthians 3:16)

3) Only Jesus can cure spiritual blindness.
Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” (John 8:12)

4) God gave us the Bible to open our eyes.
the commandment of the LORD is pure, 
enlightening the eyes; (Psalm 19:8)

5) To see as God sees, I must open my eyes to the Bible.
If anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But the one who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, he will be blessed in his doing. (James 1:23-25)

Here are three steps you can take every day to help you see more clearly:

A. REQUEST God’s wisdom (Before you open the Bible, simply pray, “Dear Lord, please show me what you want me to see.”)

B. RELEASE your own agenda and opinions (open the Bible with an open mind. You are not perfect, the God’s Word is!)

C. RECEIVE God’s Word (Research shows that people who engage with the Bible four or more times each week experience the greatest amount of life change!)

James Bond Has Nothing On You

JOHN 8:29
...he who sent me is with me...

Every time James Bond was given a new assignment, he visited his friend Q before embarking on the mission. Q would have several new gadgets, weapons, and other surprises that would empower 007 to complete the task he had been given.

Jesus didn't rely on Q, but He did acknowledge that He had been given everything He needed. One day, while teaching, He explained to the people that He was able to accomplish His mission because the One who had sent Him was always with Him. Because God was always with Jesus, Jesus was able to do exactly what God wanted.

We have the same promise!

Just before Jesus went back to the Father, He commissioned the disciples go out and be His representatives in the world. Then He told them that He would be with them, to the very ends of the earth. Because Jesus is always with us, we are always able to do exactly what He wants us to do.

Be confident today. Use your words, attitude, and action to represent Jesus to the world. Don't be afraid of how others might respond or what the consequences might be. Jesus is with you and will be with you, even to the ends of the earth!

What do you think? Is this good or bad?

My personal reading today took me to Luke’s version of the beatitudes. This list of short statements is a powerful reminder that God doesn’t see the world as I do. I am often quick to evaluate a situation based on the immediate outcomes.

Have I increased my wealth? This is good.
Is my belly full? This is good.
Am I happy? This is good.
Do people like me? This is good.

The beatitudes remind me to not judge so quickly. God is less concerned about whether or not my life situation make me more comfortable and He is far more concerned with whether or not my life situation brings me closer to Him.

Regardless of what happens around you today, whether it seems good or seems bad, try not to jump to a conclusion. Instead of focusing on how you feel about the situation, take time to consider how God might be using this situation to shape you into the image of Jesus and to draw you closer to Himself.

(You can read the verse below)

Luke 6:20-22
Blessed are you who are poor,
for yours is the kingdom of God.
“Blessed are you who are hungry now,
for you will be filled.
“Blessed are you who weep now,
for you will laugh.
“Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude you, revile you, and defame you on account of the Son of Man. Rejoice in that day and leap for joy, for surely your reward is great in heaven; for that is what their ancestors did to the prophets.

Why Do Our Kids Continue To Text And Drive?

Why can our kids not stop texting and driving?

I spend a good amount of time on the road and I am continuously shocked by how many young people are driving down the highway with both hands on their phone and their eyes staring squarely down at their phone. This, in spite of a massive campaign against distracted driving and a collective conscience which agrees this is a miserable idea. My guess is that most of them either know someone or know of someone who has been in an accident caused by distracted driving. Yet an incredible number continue to text and drive. Why?

We have programmed them that way

I cannot help but think this is the result of an overdeveloped need for immediate gratification and an unquenchable thirst for positive affirmation.

For years, we’ve told ourselves and we’ve told our children, “You don’t have to wait. You can have it now.” It’s not just microwave ovens and Jimmy Johns that have promoted this myth. It’s credit cards, sales that last “one day only”, sub-prime loans, TiVo, made-for-TV pressure cookers, and even fast passes at Disney. Listen to any protest march. Regardless of what they are fighting for, part of their war chant is always, “When do we want it? NOW!” We’ve lost hold of the truth that “anything worth having is worth waiting for.”

Is it any surprise, then, that we cannot wait to check our cell phones. We want that message, and we want it now!

Further, we’ve created in our children and in ourselves an affirmation addiction. We stopped declaring winners and losers in athletic contests because we wanted everyone to “feel” good about their performance. We crave the dopamine hit that results from getting a like or share on Facebook. We are creating “safe spaces” at Universities for students who need to hide from challenging or frightening ideas. Remember when we used to say, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.” We actually believed that was a true statement. Now it’s considered insensitive and hurtful. Only a cretan would be willing to admit they think it’s true that “words can never hurt me.”

By feeding this craving for affirmation, we’ve become people who cannot even drive down the road for a few minutes without receiving affirmation from a snapchat, text, retweet or like. We must constantly check our phones to see who is giving us positive affirmation right now. If you aren’t sure about this, find a place where people stand in line. Just watch and count the phones.

How do we stop texting and driving?

The solution is NOT more billboards, commercials or school assemblies. Ironically, the solution will also not come quickly. All good things are worth waiting for, and most of the time, they require waiting.

We must begin to teach our children that they are not as important as they think they are. We must be willing to say things like, “That’s not really a problem.” and (even harder), “I guess that wasn’t good enough. You’ll have to try harder next time.”

We must stop the gravy train. Nothing in life is free (despite what every political candidate tells us) and it is that very lie which encourages our appetite for immediate gratification. Delay purchases. Choose contentment over accumulation. Say, “no” sometimes to your children (or at the very least say, “not now”).

People who don’t text and drive have two characteristics.

1) They can wait to see what their phone has to say to them.
2) They don’t find their self-worth from a touchscreen.

Maybe if we start there, we can fix the problem.

God is not the author of evil, but He is the editor!

Several years ago I made the statement that "Everything we have is a gift from God." I went on to suggest that even our life life's circumstances (good and bad) are a gift from God. Later, I received a super kind email asking if I would explain that concept a little more. I think this is a pretty common issue that people wrestle with, so here are some excerpts from my answer to him.

Please understand that I am NOT writing this as an ivory tower theologian or as a behind-the-pulpit preacher. I am a fellow pilgrim who has seen the swamp of despair and has endured the abuse of Vanity city. I have days when I am certain God has given me a burden better suited for someone else, and yet those same days are often marked by unmistakable interventions of his gracious provision. My life's journey is not resolved. In fact, it is decidedly unresolved and often I would be happy to give back the "gifts" God has deemed me worthy to receive....

Do I really believe that EVERYTHING is a gift from God? Am I saying that God is the author of evil?

I am absolutely not excusing the terrible actions of sinful people. Much of the suffering in our world is a direct result of terrible decisions being made by sinful people. However, while I believe God hates the pain which is present in our world, I don't think that sin or the suffering it causes is surprising to God nor does it worry Him. I might not use the words "God caused it", but I am comfortable saying God is "in control" of it.

I look at James 1 as one of the passages which really inform my perspective on this issue. I believe that the "good and perfect" gifts of James 1:17 are likely the trials of verse 2 (which lead to perseverance and completeness).

Like much of life, trials are best understood in the rear view mirror. Today's life circumstances may not feel like a gift, but for those who faithfully endure, a fuller understanding of God’s goodness is waiting.

Joseph is a great example of this truth. I'm sure there were many points when his life situation didn't feel like a gift. However, when he saved his family's lives, he gained a completely new perspective on his past suffering.

I know you may deal with suffering and pain that is likely far beyond what Joseph did. I hate that. I think God hates that. I know He hates the sin that has caused that. Yet, I have full confidence that He is capable of intervening (beyond what we could imagine), and that He will use life's darkest moments to bring glory to Himself and in so doing allow us to experience resolution and wholeness (in this life or the next).

God is not the author of evil, but He is the editor!

Be Honest. Be Content.

PROVERBS 30:7-9
Two things I ask of you;
deny them not to me before I die:
Remove far from me falsehood and lying;
give me neither poverty nor riches;
feed me with the food that is needful for me,
lest I be full and deny you
and say, “Who is the Lord?”
or lest I be poor and steal
and profane the name of my God.

Here is a simple summary:

1) Be Honest.
2) Be Content.

These verses require some meditation. Pursuing honesty and contentment can be a lifelong pursuit in which you may always improve but will never arrive.

Chew on this throughout your day. In your conversations with others, seek to be open, authentic, and truthful. When you compare yourself with others, choose to be content with what you have rather than desiring what is theirs.

Rinse and repeat.