Tag: Scripture

What if Luke had Excused His Obedience?

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments

“It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.” Luke‬ ‭1:3-4‬

Luke could have said, “Well, someone else did something similar, I don’t have to do it too.” Instead, he followed what I firmly believe was God’s prompting to pen this letter… and we are still blessed by it over 2,000 years later.

This reminds me to never underestimate my obedience to God. It doesn’t matter if someone else already did something similar or if someone else could maybe do a better job. If God has led me in this way, I should follow.

Scripture Graphics #102

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
Now that I’ve reached 100… I’m going to have to relax my blogging a bit (as I mentioned in the spring). I haven’t been able to sit down and schedule my Scripture Graphics posts for a while. If you’re on Instagram or FaceBook, though, I usually post daily verses (when life is busy, I might skip a week then get back on it). Feel free to follow/friend me there. I’m very sad that I can’t keep it up right now, but maybe in the future I’ll get back on it? I loved sharing these and hearing your thoughts and what God had been doing in your life!!
So… the final Scripture Graphics post for right now…

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. John 14:27
We can either trust Jesus’ promise here, and accept His peace, or we can deny this truth and be fearful and afraid. Peace is there for us, but we have a choice in what to do with it.



Will we strive to be prudent and wise? To get and seek knowledge? We have the knowledge of God’s Word before us—but will we make the effort to apply it?


Share a verse!

Scripture Graphics #101

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

Fear and confidence don’t seem to lend a hand—unless it is this type of fear. Fear of anything else will never result in a strong confidence or refuge, BUT the fear of the Lord.


Which side best describes us? Do our hearts seek knowledge or do we instead stuff our appetite with foolishness? We cannot seek both.


An ungodly man diggeth up evil: and in his lips there is as a burning fire….He that covereth a transgression seeketh love; but he that repeateth a matter separateth very friends. Proverbs 16:27, 17:9
The contrast of these two verses stood out to me: one who digs, one who covers. Even as believers, we can find entertainment in “digging up” rather than “covering up.” It is our natural state to unearth information (usually we don’t pursue “all the details” when someone is living a godly, upright life; but our ears perk up to scandals, sin, and evil), but God has not called us to do that. What if we worked as hard to cover in Love—as we did to unearth evil info?

Where are you reading today?

Scripture Graphics #100

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments

Have we given much thought lately to seeking good? If not, then what are we seeking?


This one short verse packs some powerful reasoning. We now belong to God—thus, it is only right that we should do what pleases and glorifies God. Does this verse shape our life—or do we see no value in what God has done for us, and do not care about how we dishonor/honor Him with our lifestyle?


It was never the act of circumcision that meant something, but the act of obedience. There are many convictions (based on Biblical principles) where it’s not the *act* that draws us nigh to Christ, but the obedience. Are we more concerned about a list to check off and look good, or our hearts submitted to the leading of God?


He delivered me from my strong enemy, and from them that hated me: for they were too strong for me. They prevented me in the day of my calamity: but the LORD was my stay. 2 Samuel 22:18-19
It does my heart good to remember that, no matter how helpless I feel or how strong the enemy is, my God is stronger. He is my stay (protection, support). It doesn’t matter what I am going through, my God is bigger.

Share a verse that you’ve recently read.

Scripture Graphics #99

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Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?…They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. Proverbs 8:1, 9
Sometimes, what makes God’s Word so hard to understand is our attitude. We don’t *truly* want to find knowledge, so we explain away verses instead of accepting them to be right. Is this our attitude toward God’s Word?


Spiritual maturity isn’t how much about the Bible that we know, but how we use it in our daily lives. One could quote whole books of the Bible, yet have animosity toward others and no love, peace, long suffering. Are we striving to just have a knowledge of God’s Word—or live it?


Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment. John 7:24
Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. 1 Corinthians 4:5
We are not called to be judges amongst ourselves based in our preferences and opinions. So often, when we do, we judge only external issues that we see—ignorant of the hidden roots. These verses are a good reminder for me to rest the case in God’s hands—Who sees all details and knows all things.
(Note: this is not the same as turning a blind eye to Biblically-defined sin, but rather applying to things in life where we have formed an opinion or conviction extra-Biblical)


It is kind of a “cool thing” to speak violently. We use violent words in jest and exaggeration… but it is still proceeding from our mouth. This is not how a child of God (i.e. righteous man) should speak—even in teasing. Are we giving heed to the words of our mouth and judging them Biblically?

What Proverbs have you recently read?

Scripture Verses #98

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We can deceive people in our worship, but God sees our heart—not just our words and actions. How often do we truly think of this during the day? (Because worship is not just limited to church-time)


If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there: if I make my bed in hell, behold, thou art there. If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me. Psalm 139:8-10
Even there… There is no place too sorrowful, no place too hard, no place too confusing, no place too tempting, but God is there to lead and hold us. He thinks of us more than there are grains of sand (vs. 17-19). There is nothing that we can go through which He does not know of or won’t be there for. Even there… God is there.


The Old Testament is the foundation of the New Testament and Jesus’ teachings. We cannot accept Jesus’ teachings then reject the Old Testament (specifically mentioned here: Genesis-Deuteronomy, which covers creation, the world-wide flood, confusion of languages, Israel redeemed from Egypt, and the law—God’s standard for holiness). If we believe Jesus to be true, then we’d better believe the Old Testament, because He endorsed it.

What Old Testament promises comfort you as a New Testament believer?

Scripture Graphics #97

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This verse speaks of eternal life, yet it made me wonder: do we live as though God is God only of life once our time on earth has ceased? Is He only “profitable” for securing our home in heaven? Or do we see Him as Lord of our life? Yes, we can comfort ourselves with the eternal hope and security of our everlasting God, but He is just as real here on earth as He is in heaven. Do we live unto Him or barely give Him a fleeting thought in our busy times?


In a time when events hadn’t gone as they thought it should, they were confused, fearful, and mourning, Jesus’ Words comforted and assured them. When we refuse to listen to God’s Word, we refuse to find a balm for our needs—our confusion, fear, mourning, and even guilt, questions, and unbelief.


My son, attend to my words; incline thine ear unto my sayings. Let them not depart from thine eyes; keep them in the midst of thine heart. For they are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh. Proverbs 4:20-22
Job 23:10-12 compares God’s Word to food—our need for daily nourishment. Here, it ties God’s Word in with life and health. A healthy lifestyle is one with proper nourishment and activity. We can eat that which is good for our bodies, but unless we couple it with activity and exercise, our bodies will not be properly nourished. So it is with God’s Word. We can feast on it with sermons and devotional books and reading Scriptures, but unless we do some spiritual exercise (i.e. apply and obey), that which we have “eaten” will not be properly digested (and thus benefit our spiritual bodies to its fullest extent). Have we grown lazy in our exercise? Have we failed to keep God’s Word ever before us, to follow it?


But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. John 3:21
The workers of evil avoid the truth of God’s Word (vs. 20), but on the contrary, those who do truth seek out God and His Word. This applies to our life in various forms: our means of salvation, the physical and spiritual work we do, what motivates us. Even in our “non-spiritual” work, we can seek the Light or reject the Light by our attitude, actions, and thoughts.

What verse has recently taught you something?

Scripture Graphics #96

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Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost. Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth. Luke 15:8-10
Do we put as much time and effort in seeking lost souls as we do in temporal things? What we give our time and effort to reflects what is important to us. Are we joining the crowd, rejoicing over lost souls found? Or are we indifferent, our eyes clouded by focusing on temporal things?


Our eyes sometimes focus on whether we have “much” or “little” compared to others—in gifts, talents, possessions, or responsibilities. What if we spent as much time focusing our thoughts and energy on being faithful?


Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. Luke 17:3-4
We like to make excuses for our behavior with, “Well, if they weren’t like that, I wouldn’t be like this.” Take heed to yourselves. “If they only did this, my life would be easier.” Take heed to yourselves. “This is the tenth time they say they’re sorry for the same thing. I’ll believe it when I see changes.” Take heed to yourselves.
We are responsible only for the actions and attitudes of one person: ourselves. As long as we’re looking at the shortcomings and failures of another, we are not taking heed to ourselves.


When the wicked are multiplied, transgression increaseth: but the righteous shall see their fall…The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. Proverbs 29:16, 25
No matter what goes on around us, we have certainty in God and His plans. Are we allowing temporal things to shake our trust?

Share a verse that recently really stood out to you.

Scripture Graphics #95

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

So very grateful for new, day-by-day mercies for whatever the day holds!!


There are times in our lives where the walls crumble, when aspects of our lives are unruly, when we seem to lose control and things come in and out of our hearts and minds which do not please God. In essence, the walls need to be built back. And, like with every building project, it takes energy, time, and labor. We need tools such as prayer, God’s Word, praise, and hymns. We need diligence to capture every thought, turn humbly to God, seek His help, and obey Him. Without these materials and tools, the walls of our Spirit will stay broken down, bringing damage to us and others.


And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? – Luke 12:16-21

When we refuse to seek God and “lend back to Him,” God can take it away from us. There are so many points in this passage: honoring God with our first-fruits, seeking Him vs. leaning on our own understanding, living for Him vs. hoarding our time and profit to ourselves, and the power of God to over-ride our plans. Where, in this list, are we like the rich man?

What promises are you claiming today?

Scripture Graphics #94

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And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course… there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
(Luke 1:8, 11)
Zacharias was doing his duty, being a faithful priest, when God chose to answer his prayer (vs. 13-14). If this couple lived today, they may have become bitter against God, or stopped going to church, because their prayers over the years had been unanswered. But not Zacharias and Elisabeth. They were faithful to God, even though God hadn’t answered their prayer for a child. And, in time, God honored their faithful dedication and gave them a son in their old age—John, the forerunner of Jesus. Are our desires so powerful that they prevent us from staying faithful to God when they go unanswered? Or do we keep diligent to serve God, even in the midst of unanswered prayer?


“But so much the more went there a fame abroad of Him: and great multitudes came together to hear, and to be healed by Him of their infirmities. And He withdrew Himself into the wilderness, and prayed.” (Luke 5:15-16)

A Christ-like attitude seeks more of a unified connection with God than the laud and praise of men or a following.

Also, from another angle, Jesus never let the demands and busyness of people’s needs interfere with His alone-time with God.


Our standard is God—not what other do, how others treat us, or what we feel like doing. God’s mercy is greater than the heaven is high (Psalm 103:11), is cloaked in everlasting kindness (Isaiah 54:8), is rich and coupled with His love (Ephesians 2:4), and cleanses away our sins to remember them no more (Hebrews 8:12). Do we extend this type of mercy toward others—especially those who misuse us (vs. 32-35)? Maybe if we meditated a little more on God’s mercy, it would help us to extend more mercy.


God never promises bountiful provision, but He does promise substantial provision. Are we content with our “food and raiment” and day-by-day provision? To ask for more than our actual needs may not be wrong—because God Loves to bless His children—but focusing on more often reveals a lack of faith and trust in God’s ability to sufficiently provide. Do we doubt that God will provide like a loving Father (vs. 9-13)?
“Consider the ravens: for they neither sow nor reap; which neither have storehouse nor barn; and God feedeth them: how much more are ye better than the fowls?” Luke‬ ‭12:24‬

Share a promise from which you get comfort.