Tag: Scripture

Scriptures Graphics 13

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment


The ability to learn is there. The comfort and hope is there. Do we apply ourselves to glean from God’s Word?


I was working on memorizing these verses last night, and the beauty of it struck me. Jesus Christ, centuries before I was born, laid down His life for mine — not because I’m someone special, but because He loves me.


What a blessing to know that God does not help us based on our greatness or our ability. Whether it is in small areas or large, He is our help in time of need.

Scriptures Graphics 12

Published on by Amanda Tero3 Comments


“Remember his marvellous works that he hath done, his wonders, and the judgments of his mouth;” 1 Chronicles 16:12
How often do we think about God’s marvelous works: in our lives, the lives of people around us, our parents, those in history, and what’s recorded in His Word?
When we stop to truly recall God’s works, we can’t help but praise Him! How great is our God — yet how often do we let daily matters cloud our praise of Him?
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” 1 Chronicles 16:29


“And David the king came and sat before the LORD, and said, Who am I, O LORD God, and what is mine house, that thou hast brought me hitherto? And yet this was a small thing in thine eyes, O God; for thou hast also spoken of thy servant’s house for a great while to come, and hast regarded me according to the estate of a man of high degree, O LORD God.” 1 Chronicles 17:16-17
These two verses show David’s humility. Though he was king, he openly acknowledged that God had given him the throne. Though in the world’s eyes he was “a man of high degree,” he knew that he was but dust compared to God’s glory. How often do I look at my small accomplishments and think I am someone — when I should look to God and realize that I am no one.
“Let it even be established, that thy name may be magnified for ever…” 1 Chronicles 17:24
His focus was that, in all, God would be magnified. Is that my focus in the tasks ahead?


Even though preparations were made and Solomon knew what to do, his first step still needed to be seeking the Lord. I may know what needs to be done, what tasks are ahead, but I still need to seek God, to set my heart and mind on Him.

Scripture Graphics 11

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If I love God with all my heart, soul, and mind, then should there be any room in my heart, soul, and mind for that which is eternally nothing? Where my heart, soul, and mind has true allegiance is revealed by my actions — do I push away people and relationships for things of no eternal value?


Though there are many spiritual truths in this passage, it can also be applied to physical talents God gives us. God knows our abilities and what we’re able to handle. Our duty is to be faithful to do what He’s given us — whether it’s one talent or five, one responsibility or five.


“He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay….lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world.” Matthew 28:6, 20b
Because He lives, we can face today, tomorrow, whatever the future holds!


“So Saul died for his transgression which he committed against the LORD, even against the word of the LORD, which he kept not, and also for asking counsel of one that had a familiar spirit, to enquire of it; And enquired not of the LORD: therefore he slew him, and turned the kingdom unto David the son of Jesse.” 1 Chronicles 10:13-14
Saul’s transgression against God started by him not keeping the word of God. It may seem like making a commitment to be in God’s Word and keep God’s Word daily doesn’t amount to much, but…
“Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.” (Psalm 119:11)
“Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed: but he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.” (Proverbs 13:13)

Scripture Designs 09

Published on by Amanda Tero4 Comments
“It is written…it is written…it is written…” (Matthew 4:4, 7, 10)
We are reminded that Jesus used Scripture to combat satan’s temptations, but does this knowledge affect our daily life? How can we use Scripture in the face of temptation of we are not actively reading, memorizing, and studying God’s Word? The weapon is there for us to use — but have we picked it up and trained with it?

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.” Matthew 6:7-8
It is easy to think, “the more I pray, the more God hears.” And though there is the parable of the widow and the unjust judge, in which her incessant begging was answered (Luke 18:1-8), we also get a glimpse of how, at the beginning of Daniel’s supplication, God sent Gabriel with the answer (Daniel 9:22-23). If our hearts are clean before God (Psalm 66:18-19), He hears when we first call on Him — and He knows the perfect answer to our need. But do we trust that He hears us?


Parents, in their wisdom, do not give their child everything he asks — and often, children see that as parents withholding good from them. So our Father withholds things from us — because, in His wisdom, He knows what is best for us. “No good thing will He withhold from them that walk uprightly.” (Psalm 84:11) It’s just that we do not always know what is good for us.

Scripture Designs 08

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
This whole Psalm reflects the might and power of God in creation — how much more is He able to mightily work in the hearts and lives of mankind!
“And the king commanded Hilkiah the high priest, and the priests of the second order, and the keepers of the door, to bring forth out of the temple of the LORD all the vessels that were made for Baal, and for the grove, and for all the host of heaven: and he burned them without Jerusalem in the fields of Kidron, and carried the ashes of them unto Bethel.” 2 Kings 23:4
We are living in a time of more spiritual danger than this. They could easily find, carry out, and burn the graven images of their day — but today, we face a false god of our imagination. Instead of creating graven idols, man has created his own, ideal “God” and says that this “God” is Lord of heaven and earth, Creator of all things. But this “God” is not the God of the Bible. Instead, this “God” only loves and never judges, this “God” turns a blind eye to sin, this “God” has no standards for Christian living. Like King Josiah, we need to read the Bible, God’s laws, commandments, and statutes, in order to cast away this false god that the world has created and learn Who our God really is.
In reading through Ruth, I was reminded of that verse. We can easily see the whole picture of Ruth in just a few minutes of reading — the conflict as well as the resolution. I think people get so enamored about this beautiful story of Ruth gaining wonderful blessings that they almost neglect to see the foundation.
Ruth very clearly chose to delight herself in the Lord and follow and trust Him (Ruth 1:16, 2:12). I don’t believe that her goal was to marry a mighty man of wealth (Ruth 2:1), yet we see that, after she delighted in the Lord, she got the desires of her heart (which, in that day, would be a man to protect and care for her).
It is easy to let our focus sway to what we want (whether it’s marriage, a new vehicle, computer, success, you name it), that we begin to seek the end result — sometimes at the expense of our relationship with God. If God at any time must be “saved for later” so that we can reach our goals, then we are keeping ourselves from His beautiful blessings which are exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think (Eph 3:20).
Knowing that “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners” (1 Timothy 1:15), we can then say that “His people” are not just the Jews, or even the people of His day. Jesus claims every sinner as “His people,” which He came to save. What love, that, “while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us!” (Romans 5:8)

Scripture Designs 07

Published on by Amanda Tero5 Comments
At different points of life, we will find different trials overwhelming us. Where do we flee when overwhelmed? Do we flee to Christ or some temporal substitute?

This is a beautiful verse to read before Psalm 145:14-19. Who are we, that God would help us? Yet He does SO much for us!
“14 The LORD upholdeth all that fall, and raiseth up all those that be bowed down. 
15 The eyes of all wait upon thee; and thou givest them their meat in due season. 
16 Thou openest thine hand, and satisfiest the desire of every living thing. 

17 The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works. 
18 The LORD is nigh unto all them that call upon him, to all that call upon him in truth. 
19 He will fulfil the desire of them that fear him: he also will hear their cry, and will save them.”

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 
14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish. 
16 For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work. 
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 
18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” James 3:13-18

What is our first response when we face something too big for us? Do we go directly to God, or wait and spend time worrying about something that He alone can do?

Scripture Designs 06

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments

 It’s Monday! Think over the last week. Out of what you read in the Bible, what do you remember? What did you apply? A new week is before us! By God’s help, let us look into His Word to continue in it an be a faithful doer.
“But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.” James 1:22

Elijah was discouraged and 40 days away from his last evident work for God. Yet God took him from “here” to reveal that He was still God, He was in control, He still had a plan. What graciousness of God, to take us from “here” and still work in and around us! But we can’t stay stuck in the “here.” God used this place Elijah was to give him the next steps, and we see Elijah immediately obeying, which brought him out of the place in which he seemed stuck and discouraged.

Waiting for the Flowers

Published on by Amanda Tero2 Comments
It happens almost every time. I write a book, and then wham! The Lord uses the very words *I* wrote to speak to me — at a much-needed time! I find it amusingly awesome. 🙂 

For Befriending the Beast, the theme is one of hope, trust, and waiting. As I was editing it, I realized one scene that held a message that I needed.

~*~*~

“Did these roses bloom as soon as you and your mother planted them?” Percy’s voice was next to Belle. Without looking, she knew that he knelt beside her. “Or were you that impatient little girl, dragging her mama here every morn to search for buds?”

The tears finally emerged. Percy had watched her grow up. Of course he remembered those days of impatience.

“Did you stop watering and nurturing the rosebushes just because you didn’t see flowers?”

Belle shook her head and gave up on pretending to weed.

“Nay. Just like it takes time with flowers, it takes time for the Spirit’s work. And you cannot give up ‘watering and nurturing’ because things aren’t happening as quickly as you’d like them to.”



Wherever the Lord has you today, keep trusting in Him, waiting for Him, and following  Him!
“And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.”
Galatians 6:9

Scripture Designs 05

Published on by Amanda TeroLeave a comment

David wasn’t content to just live through a famine–he wanted to know the reason of the famine and took action to remedy the famine.
Is this my attitude towards spiritual famine? Do I seem to know why there is a famine, then take action when I know the reason? Or do I content myself with “just waiting the famine out?”




 There is so much in these two verses. First, we see a progression:

– thanksgiving to God
– fulfilling commitments
– calling in trouble
– glorifying God
We shouldn’t start every prayer with, “Lord, help me,” but with thanksgiving for how much He has already done for us!

Another thing to notice is that God does not deliver us from trouble for our glory or even our ease. Ultimately, God’s deliverance is for His glory. The last verse in this chapter further helps us understand: “Whoso offereth praise glorifieth Me…” (vs 23). When God delivers us, and we in turn praise Him, He is glorified (even though we were in a tough situation).

 Like as in Solomon’s time, God’s promises are contingent on our obedience. We cannot expect to claim His promises if we refuse to follow His ways and walk according to His Word.