Psalm 119:105  “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.“

Do we take God at His Word? This is an important question because for some people it means that we have to logically understand everything He says–and that is impossible. Does that mean we don’t take Him at His Word, or does it mean we engage our faith?

Yes, we must engage our faith to take God at His Word. God’s ways are higher than our ways and we will never understand everything He has written to us in our Bible. But we can believe what we don’t understand…by faith.

Faith is definitely required to take God at His Word and it begins the moment we exercise faith to receive Salvation and is integral in living out our new life in Christ.

It is also important that we read our Bible and know what God actually says in His Word and not just rely on teachers and preachers. We need to read our Bible and allow God to teach us. Not everyone is a studied theologian, but everyone can read Genesis through Revelation and ask God to teach them and increase their knowledge and wisdom.

Everyone can also benefit from the use of a concordance that is either in your Bible or buy one to use when you read the Bible. There are so many convenient and free online tools that can help with Bible study and we need to reap the benefits of the resources that are now online.

Why is this so important? We need to know what we believe and why we believe so we can be grounded and rooted in our faith. We need to know God’s Word so it can help us navigate our life.

We need to know God’s Word in order to benefit from the many promises He has given us.

His Word tells me if I believe on Him then I am saved: John 3:16, Romans 10:9  

His Word tells me once I am saved that I am His forever: John 10:27-30

His Word tells me nothing can separate me from his love: Romans 8:38-39

His Word says He has a plan for my life: Jeremiah 29:11

I will take Him at His Word.

Proverbs 30:5 “Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.”

By Kathy Cheek
Used by Permission

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FURTHER READING

• Knowing Jesus’ Voice
• The Art of Listening
• We Hear His Voice

The post Take Him at His Word appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message.” Acts 10:44

Over the years, I have toured many industrial facilities, always having an interest in how things are made, packaged and delivered to the customer. When I was invited to tour a book bindery in Bogota, Columbia it didn’t appear to be that exciting of an engagement, but when I walked through the doors and onto the assembly floor, my perspective suddenly changed. You see, this was no ordinary book bindery. It was a Bible bindery, where pre-printed blocks of printed paper are bound into a variety of covers and bindings, for shipment in several languages to a number of countries in the world.

As I stared at the rows of cardboard boxes, I was told that on that floor, ready to be shipped, were a little less than a quarter of a million Bibles, in different sizes, different bindings and in different languages, but all containing the same message of God’ redemptive love that runs like a scarlet thread all the way from Genesis to Revelation. I wasn’t looking at a book inventory,  I was looking at God’s message to the world, all neatly packed in a well sealed, weather protected, box destined for shipment to many people in many lands.

As I looked at the hundreds of boxes, I could only visualize the ultimate recipient of each one and what impact it would make on one life. I thought about how each Bible would get placed in the hands of the ultimate recipient and how someone would tell them and help them to grow in a more dynamic, personal, and intimate relationship with Him so that they could become more like Him.

There is nothing more important in the world than knowing Jesus Christ and we know Him through his Word. It is powerful, it is divine, it is life changing, and it has to be communicated. That’s our calling as followers of Christ, spread the Word. But how many of us keep the Word of God tightly wrapped up in a box, failing to share the greatest message in all the world to someone even as close as our next door neighbor?

Looking at those boxes touched my heart. I thought of all who had never had a Bible and had never heard the Word of God or had even an opportunity to appropriate His saving grace. I asked myself how often I take my faith for granted, keep it to myself and fail to share with others before it is too late.

Recently, I came upon the scene of a bad automobile accident, right after it happened. People were running from every direction to help as they could, pulling bandages, or whatever they had from the trunks of their car to do what they could until the paramedics arrived. It was a tragic, yet beautiful sight to see people doing everything they could to help people they didn’t even know.

Yet, when we see someone lost without the security of God’s assurance and plan for salvation, how often do we drop what we are doing and run to help before it is too late? I am ashamed to say that all too often, I don’t respond they way I should. How about you? Can we both make a commitment to share God’s Word and make sure Jesus doesn’t stay trapped in the delivery box?

Question: Do you care if those around you hear about Jesus?

Jesus Talks About Jesus

The Bible

The Christian and the Bible

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“I have hidden your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.” Psalm 119:11

When God’s Word is hidden in your heart, it doesn’t lie dormant like a buried seed. It’s alive—growing, reaching, reshaping who you are from the inside out. It’s not about memorizing verses or collecting knowledge; it’s about internalizing truth until it begins to think and move through you.

Hebrews 4:12 reminds us that, “the word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword.” Once planted in your heart, it becomes a living force, powered by the Holy Spirit to guide, convict, and compel you into action.

The Compulsion to Act
When God’s Word takes root deep within, it does not stay still. The Spirit animates it—pressing you to speak truth, show mercy, and step forward when it would be easier to stand back. This is not about performance or religious effort; it’s about cooperation with the Spirit who turns His Word into action.

When the Word is alive, you begin to feel divine tension: moments when silence feels like disobedience, when compassion feels urgent, and when love becomes the only reasonable response.

Stepping Out of Yourself
The Word in your heart calls you beyond yourself—past fear, ego, or self-protection. It stretches your comfort zone, asking you to trust what you cannot yet see. The Spirit uses Scripture to reframe your instincts until obedience flows naturally and courage becomes your new normal.

This is what it means to live by faith: not calculating outcomes but trusting the One who spoke the Word that now lives in you.

Present-Tense Readiness
“I have hidden your word in my heart” is not a past achievement—it’s a present reality. The Word you’ve stored there shapes the moment you live in now. When temptation comes, truth rises up as a shield. When opportunity calls, obedience is already in motion. When the need is great, our response is greater.

The hidden Word creates readiness: readiness to forgive, to serve, to love. You are prepared because the truth within you has already written your response.

The Holy Spirit’s Role
The Holy Spirit turns the Word from words on a page into the voice of God.

• Empowerment: You act not by willpower but by partnership.
• Conviction: The Spirit presses truth on your heart until it becomes impossible to ignore.
• Sensitivity: You become tuned to divine timing—when to act, when to wait, when to speak.

Breakthrough Reflection
Hiding God’s Word in your heart is not about holding truth—it’s about being held by it. It prepares you for every temptation, every opportunity, every act of love.

When the Word lives deep enough, it moves through you like breath—effortless, powerful, alive. The Spirit does not ask you to try harder; He invites you to yield more deeply. The more you trust the Word within you, the more your life begins to echo it.

Let God’s Word shape your heart, and you will find yourself stepping out of yourself—acting, loving, forgiving—not by your strength, but by His.

by John Fischer
used by permission

RELATED READING

• The Power of the Book
• His Word
• The Broken Bible

The post The Dynamics of God’s Word in Your Heart appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“The word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

 Thoughts on today’s verse

How often do you let God do major surgery on your spirit as his Spirit uses the Word to encourage, judge, motivate, convict, instruct, and inspire? With such a great tool so readily at hand for most of us, let’s not let a day go by that we don’t let God use his word on hearts.

Prayer:

Almighty God, your will is my heart’s desire. But I realize that I need to be fed more consistently by your Word revealed in Scripture. Give me strength and consistency in my walk with you through your Word. Through your Spirit, inspire me to change what needs to be changed and to be blessed and encouraged in the areas that I need it most. I turn to you and trust in your Word to point me in the way of life. Through Jesus I pray. Amen.’

by Phil Ware from https://www.heartlight.org
used by permission.

FURTHER READING

• You Have a Bible?
• The Power of the Book
• Scripture Smorgasbord

The post His Word appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Read:  2 Peter 3:10-13

With each passing year, the instability in the world seems more and more apparent. Natural and man-made catastrophes claim lives; political balance shifts; wealth and status come and go. It all causes us to ask,  Is anything unshakable?

As overwhelming as these things seem, let me give you an even bigger example. In today’s passage, we read that the heavens and earth will be shaken. It will all be destroyed—burned, to be exact. Thankfully, we have the promise that God will create new heavens and a new earth, but in the meantime our world will undergo great turmoil.

Instability can create feelings of insecurity and fear unless we latch onto the truths God has given us. The Bible refers to Jesus as a rock and firm foundation (1 Corinthians 3:10-11;   Ephesians  2:20). And we know that God is unchangeable and sovereign; nothing can undermine or move Him. His Word is truth, and it will last forever.

As Christians, we know that our eternal relationship with God is secure. We’ve been adopted as His children, and nothing can rob us of this position. What’s more, believers are assured of an eternal home with Him. Though we may at times feel unsettled by our circumstances, we can rejoice when trials bring us humbly to the cross of Jesus, where we will find peace and safety.

What assurance we have as God’s children! We can rest in peace and full confidence, knowing that our hearts are secure in Jesus Christ. As King David said in Psalm 16:8,

“I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.”

By Dr. Charles Stanley
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• God’s Word Gives Joy and Light
• His Word Remains Forever
• Do We Take God at His Word

The post Unshakable Foundation appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“…and the people stood in their place. And they read in the book, in the law of God, distinctly; and they gave the sense, so that they understood the reading. Nehemiah 8:7-8

As we decorated the front yard with Christmas lights one recent night, it was handy to have the headlights of the car to see what we were doing. After finishing our decorating, we realized that while the Christmas lights operate off of household current, the car depends on a battery and it is only good for so long and hence the need for jumper cables to the rescue.

I eased one car grill to grill to the other, opened the trunk, got out the jumper cables and then could not figure out how to pop open the hood. I looked and looked but could not figure it out, so I removed the owner’s manual from its original wrapping and found out how to proceed.

My friend Pastor Bob Record claims that the automobile owner’s manual is the least read book, even though most households own more than one. Is there a spiritual parallel here?

How often do we try to tackle the challenges of life and ignore the greatest book of advice …… God’s Word? Maybe the car manual is the least read, but the Bible isn’t far behind for many people, even though most own one or more. We struggle with life and leave the greatest advice book on life and living unopened.

Studying and reading is important in understanding God’s word and learning how to apply it in our lives. As Christians, it’s a major way that we draw closer to God.

Jesus realized the importance of people knowing Scripture, because He would teach from it when He was traveling from town to town. Not only that, but Jesus also used Scripture to battle Satan during his 40 days in the wilderness. Jesus said that the truth sanctifies us and that the word is this truth.

In Hebrews 4:12, the Word says, “For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Is God’s Word living and active in your life today? Read it daily and it will change your life.

by John Grant
used by permission

John Grant is a former Florida State Senator and is a practicing attorney

FURTHER READING

• Where to Start Reading the Bible
• The Christian and the Bible
• You Have a Bible?
• Open Bible, Open Heart, Open Ears

The post Read the Manual appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“God’s laws are perfect. They protect us, make us wise, and give us joy and light” (Psalm 19:7,8)

Professor William Lyon Phelps, one of Yale University’s most famous scholars, said, “A knowledge of the Bible without a college education is more valuable than a college education without the Bible.”

Why would he say this? Our verse gives us the answer. The Word of God (1) protects us, (2) makes us wise, (3) gives us joy, and (4) gives us light.

There are many other benefits that come from reading the Word of God. With dividends like these, we are indeed robbing ourselves of untold blessings when we neglect His holy, inspired Word for any reason whatever.

It is my privilege to counsel many thousands of people with just about every kind of problem conceivable – need for salvation, poor self-image, marital problems, financial problems, health problems, loss of loved ones, insecurity, fear, and on and on. One could think of every kind of personal need and problem that man faces, and inevitably there is an answer in the Word of God.

I do not know of any individual who has ever received Christ without some understanding of the Word of God. It is for this reason that I included in The Four Spiritual Laws booklet, which I wrote in the 1950’s, the parenthetical statement on page 2: “References contained in this booklet should be read in context from the Bible wherever possible.”

By 1983, it was estimated that more than a billion copies of The Four Spiritual Laws, which contains the distilled essence of the gospel, had been printed (including translations into every major language) and distributed throughout the world, resulting in many millions of people responding to Christ. Still, it cannot compare with God’s Word, nor can any other piece of Christian or secular literature. There is something unique and powerful about holding the Bible in your hand and reading it with your own eyes, for it speaks with authority and power possessed by no other book ever written.

Bible Reading: 2 Timothy 3:14-17

God’s Word is the most important book ever written, and the most important book that I could possibly read. Today I will read it for at least 15 minutes with renewed devotion, dedication and sensitivity to its mighty revolutionary power to transform lives and enable children of God to live supernaturally.

by Dr. Bill Bright
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Enjoying God’s Word

•  Feeding on the Word 

•   Lessons from Odd Places: Words that Saved my Life

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“Therefore let us also, seeing we are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,” Hebrews 12:1

Normally when we think of “waiting on the Lord”, we presume that means sitting still.  We wait for God to deliver a ten – point list of what to do.

The Bible says to “Run with patience”.  The two seem contradictory. Running is active, while patience seems inactive.

The fact is God calls us to patience. It is one of the Fruit of the Spirit. At the same time, He cannot direct our steps, if we won’t move.  As the old illustration goes, it’s impossible to steer a parked car!

Dear friend, as you wait upon the Lord, continue to live a holy life. Apply God’s Word daily, live in the power of the Holy Spirit, and make yourself available to Him.

By Vonette Bright
Used by Permission

Further Reading

• Patience Comes with Cost – by Jon Walker

• God’s Patience – by Phil Ware

• The Rewards of Patience – by Charles Stanley

The post Run with Patience appeared first on Thoughts About God.

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path” Psalm 119:105

Every day, like many other believers, I reflect on God’s precious promises and provisions. For me, a recurring passage is re-evaluating my personal faith walk. Usually, after prayerful meditation, I conclude that I need to immerse myself more in God’s timeless gift – His enduring Word. I ask the Lord to create in me an insatiable hunger for His Word, because if I neglect to daily partake of its life-giving sustenance, my spirit experiences profound spiritual malnutrition.

Throughout the ages and generations, God expressed and preserved His Word. He birthed creation through His spoken Word. He inscribed His Word into stone tablets, and ultimately, He clothed His Word in Human flesh. God gifted us with His Word to nurture and sustain our spirit. Throughout Psalm 119, the Psalmist exudes passion, insight, and thankfulness for the essential and eternal gift of God’s Word. Insightfully, He emphasizes that God’s Word illuminates his understanding – keeping His life on the right path. Jesus reiterates that

“Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4:4).

Despite its many modern translations and interpretive nuances, God’s Word remains a divine heirloom relevant for every believer and generation. Resolve to immersing yourself daily in God’s Word. Regularly meditating on and obeying these timeless inspired words transforms our character. It enables and equips us to discern our Father’s heart and to persevere through times of testing, trial, and tribulation.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Create in me an insatiable hunger for Your Word. Help me to faithfully and regularly set aside daily quality time to read and mediate on Your Word. Amen.

By Allan Mitchell
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  The Unchained Word – A Devotional by Marilyn Ehle

•  What Is Your Measuring Stick? – by Dr. Henry Brandt

•  Do We Take God at His Word – by Kathy Cheek

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The Lord said that doing His will provides “food” for your soul to flourish!

“But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:23

The Holy Spirit knows the condition of every heart. Countless conversations, exposures to God’s word, and prayers cultivate a heart’s soil — but it is a divine mystery how seeds are planted, take root, and grow. In Matthew 13, Jesus tells of a farmer scattering seed across his field. The parable illustrates the varying conditions of people’s hearts (soil) and their readiness to respond to God’s word and produce a crop.

We don’t know the condition of someone’s heart and how they may respond to the gospel. Our job is simply to engage in spiritual conversations and leave the results up to God. Recently, a woman told me about her loss. I asked her if her loss prompted her to begin thinking about spiritual things? Surprised by her positive response, I invited her to join a gathering of other widows where she has been embraced in a new community and is hearing and experiencing the gospel. Our conversation was life changing!

In John 4:34-36, after Jesus has a life changing conversation with a Samaritan woman, Jesus explains to his disciples, “My food,” said Jesus, “is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.“  Jesus then discusses the harvest: ”Even now the reaper draws his wages, even now he harvests the crop for eternal life, so that the sower and the reaper may be glad together.”

The Lord plants many seeds in fertile hearts. Will you go in the power of the Holy Spirit, ready to convey a timely word or invitation? The Lord said that doing His will provides “food” for your soul to flourish!

Father God, fill me with Your Spirit afresh. Prepare me and lead me into divine encounters and conversations. Help me pay attention. Bring timely words through me. Lord, go before me and prepare hearts, and make hearts hungry and thirsty for You. I invite You to make Your appeals through me. Amen.

By Donna Mitchell
Used by Permission

Further Reading

•  Going Deeper with God

•   How to Pray

•  Salvation Explained

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The post A Timely Word appeared first on Thoughts About God.

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in a country where you weren’t free – free to drive to see family members, free to speak your mind, free to worship in the way that you want?  It’s hard for me to imagine what it would be like to not have a copy of God’s Word, to not be able to call a friend and talk about how I’m struggling in my relationship with God or to freely write what is on my heart.

As I see what is happening all around the world – the unrest in so many countries, the earthquakes and tsunamis, I have to admit my heart trembles and I wonder if my world will drastically change.  Will I someday experience what many Christians in other countries around the world experience?  Will someday being persecuted for my faith mean more than just losing my job or being criticized for believing in God but going to jail or having my family stripped away from me?

And then I wonder. . .  will I be as resilient in my faith as I am now?  Will I be able to stand strong in the face of danger?  If I let my thoughts run in that direction I can allow fear to completely consume me.

Look at what 2 Timothy 1:7-8 (NLT) says:

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline. So never be ashamed to tell others about our Lord. . . With the strength God gives you, be ready to suffer with me for the sake of the Good News.”

“God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity but of power, love and a self-discipline. . .” 

When we give into fear and allow it to consume us we are giving power to the enemy but God has given us everything we need to stand strong and to face whatever comes our way!   But how do we do this in the face of overwhelming circumstances and fear? By turning our hearts back to Him.

When I experience fear, heartache or worry in my life He wants me to give it to Him and to claim His power and love.   Just as a pedestrian on a swinging rope bridge keeps their eyes fixed on the other side and doesn’t allow himself to look down to the gorge below,  we have to fix our eyes on our Savior, the author and finisher of our faith.

If God’s Word is true and I believe it is than He will give me what I need when the time arises.  I don’t have to live in fear or worry of what tomorrow will bring because He promises to be with me, to give me His Strength and His Power to meet whatever will come my way.

We have nothing to fear . . .

if God is for us, who can ever be against us?  (Romans 8:31 NLT)

By Kristi Huseby
Used by Permission

FURTHER READING

• Eternal Love
• Fully Surrender to the Lord

Learn more about knowing Jesus at: https://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/

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“Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Psalm 1:1-2

As a new believer, I remember struggling to spend time reading God’s Word. Not only did I have a difficult time knowing what to read — and an even tougher time understanding it — but I was also influenced by many distractions that kept me from reading and meditating on it.

I’ve found, and continue to find, that the more time I dedicate to reading God’s Word, the more alive He becomes to me. The more time I spend with Him, the more He is able to work through me.

When you have experienced the power of God’s Word in your life, you recognize that you don’t want to live without it. You begin to understand that you can’t live the life He has called you to live without it. You begin to thirst and hunger for more. It becomes a pleasure that is truly substantial.

Life will interrupt us constantly with distractions which will keep us from taking time out to enjoy God’s Word. Guarding ourselves against things that try to take the place of doing that is of the most importance because Scripture strengthens us and gives us God’s perspective on life.

Hebrews 4:12 says that “the word of God is alive and powerful.” There is no greater thing than knowing Jesus. Therefore, there is nothing more satisfying and fulfilling than spending time in God’s word and allowing it to immerse us, change us, and draw us closer to Christ.

Heavenly Father, thank you for Your Word. Thank You Holy Spirit for giving me understanding of the things of God through the Word. Give me wisdom and understanding to know and desire the things of God. Amen.

By Brigitte Straub
Used by Permission

https://thelife.com/devotionals

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