Jeannie Myers

The Book of Ephesians is packed full of truth about your identity in Christ. God knows you inside and out (Psalm 139:1-4). He is not deceived by appearances (1 Samuel 16:7). He cannot lie (Titus 1:2). What God says about you in His Word is unvarnished, rock-solid fact. In a world full of uncertainty, there is comfort and strength in knowing the unchanging truth of who you are in Christ.

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The Lord loves justice (Psalm 33:5). All His ways are just and true (Revelation 15:3). Psalm 89:14 tells us that righteousness and justice are the very foundation of His throne. 

When God lists the actions of a just man in Ezekiel 18:5-9, He tells us that such a person does not oppress anyone or seek to take advantage of them to make a profit. A just man judges fairly, obeys God’s laws, and provides food and clothing for those in need.

Micah 6:8 makes it clear that justice is key to obeying and worshipping God.

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”

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In Matthew 19:26, Jesus makes an astonishing statement. He tells His disciples that "with God, all things are possible." What exactly is the Savior saying here? Does he mean we can all be astronauts and NBA players? Or is he making an even more incredible statement about our salvation?

About 1700 years after He created the earth, God covered it with a great Flood. Every person, bird, and land animal drowned, except those on the ark. Noah’s ark was an enormous boat that safely carried him and his family through the Flood. Their rescue and the Flood itself show us the Lord’s justice, power, patience, kindness, and faithfulness. The story, while true, also points to a greater truth – the Ark God offers us.

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The Book of Psalms is a collection of poems that were originally set to music and sung in worship to God. The Psalms were not written by a single author but by at least six different men over the course of several centuries. Moses wrote one of the Psalms, and two were penned by King Solomon about 450 years later. 

Who Wrote Psalms?

One hundred Psalms identify their author with an introduction along the lines of “A prayer of Moses the man of God” (Psalm 90). Of these, 73 name David as the writer.  Fifty of the Psalms do not mention their author, but many scholars believe David may have written some of these as well.

David was king of Israel for 40 years, chosen for the position because he was “a man after God’s own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). His road to the throne was a long and rocky one that started when he was still so young, he was not yet allowed to serve in the army. You may have heard the story of how God defeated a giant through David, a giant the grown men of Israel had been too afraid to fight (1 Samuel 17).

When this feat naturally gained David some fans, King Saul became jealous. David faithfully served in Saul’s court as a musician, soothing the king with his harp, and in the army as a brave and successful leader. Saul’s hatred for him only grew. Eventually, Saul set out to kill him and pursued him for years. David wrote some of his Psalms while hiding in caves or the desert (Psalm 57, Psalm 60).

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“God is within her, she will not fall” is emblazoned on mugs and shirts and necklaces as a war cry – remember who you are and lift your head. The phrase paints an image of a heroine standing tall as the world crumbles around her, undaunted by the journey before her and the obstacles she knows she will face.  But who is this woman who will not fall, and what does it mean that God is within her?

As it turns out, Psalm 46:5 is about a city, not a woman, which would be disappointing except that the Psalm is indeed a resounding battle hymn, a triumphant declaration of victory. The truths it holds offer courage and dignity to face the world head on and persevere through the longest and most painful of trials. There is strength here, not just for one particularly fearless woman, but for every child of God.

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Jesus came from a big family. Matthew 13:55-56 names Jesus’ brothers: James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas and mentions sisters (plural), so He had at least six siblings.

James is always named first when Jesus’ brothers are listed, which in his day likely meant that he was the eldest of the four. Known as James the Just and Old Camel Knees, James led the church at Jerusalem until his violent death in AD 62.

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The Bible uses a lot of fruit metaphors. Paul encourages believers to "bear fruit," Jesus calls himself the vine and us the branches, even the Old Testament includes a list of Fruit of the Spirit. But what does it mean to grow "spiritual fruit" and how can we pursue this in our everyday lives?