Tag Archive | Jesus Christ

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Sep21

Scripture for the week of September 21, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s. Psalm 103:2-5 (NKJV)

When considering a new job or opportunity, don’t we carefully evaluate the benefits before making our decision? And, when a job gets difficult or frustrating we often remind ourselves of the benefits in order to hang in there. Like the Psalmist in these verses, we may need to be reminded of the significant benefits that are ours when we choose to follow the Lord. By applying these truths to ourselves individually, we can declare: He forgives MY iniquities (wrong tendencies and actions)! He heals MY diseases! He redeems MY life from destruction! He crowns ME with love and mercy! He satisfies ME with goodness! And He renews MY youth like the eagles! Be blessed in your soul today and forget not all His benefits for you. Praise the Lord!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Sep14

Scripture for the week of September 14, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

I lift my eyes toward the mountains. Where will my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. Psalm 121:1-2 (HCSB)

Have you ever been awed and captivated by the majestic beauty of the mountains? Some of us welcome the challenges of hiking and climbing mountains for the thrill of enjoying the breathtaking scenic beauty, the fresh smell of pine trees, and the enrapturing views from lofty peaks. But, sometimes we may face the treacherous slopes of life’s daunting dilemmas and mountains of difficulties that can seem impossible to overcome. We need to be reminded that no matter how insurmountable our problems may be, the Lord is with us, He hears our cries and is able to lift us up higher than we ever thought we could climb on our own. Trust the Lord today to see your mountain of impossibilities as a mountain of opportunity to be overcome in the power of His might. Look up and hold out your hand to The Lord God Almighty, Who is already reaching out to you. Praise the Lord!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Aug31

Scripture for the week of August 31, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth! The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. Psalm 46:10-11 (NKJV)

Have you ever enjoyed a summer night of frogs croaking, crickets creaking and fireflies flitting? Or have you ever taken the time to look for pictures in the clouds or watched for falling stars in a dark night sky? Isn’t it interesting how much we can see and hear if we will take the time to be still. In stillness we may also have to face our encroaching fears, our emptiness or our feelings of being so alone. In this scripture God instructs us to be still in order to know that He is God. As our Heavenly Father, He so desires for us to cease from our struggles and striving to find the comfort, peace and rest we so long for in the stillness of His presence. Whatever we may be facing in the uncertainties and upheavals of this world our God declares in this scripture that He will be exalted above all else in the earth. The Lord of Hosts is with us and is our refuge. Selah—ponder and think of that!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Aug17

Scripture for the week of August 17, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will renew you in his love; He will exult over you with loud singing. Zephaniah 3:17 (NRSV)

Have ever had or are currently having one of those hard times that seem like everything is just too much, too hard, or too impossible? This scripture reminds us that our God is with us as a warrior, fighting for us to bring victory into our difficult and seemingly impossible situations. We need to be reminded that our Heavenly Father delights in us, rejoices over us with gladness, and desires to renew our faith with strength in the knowledge of the reality of His loving presence with us. So, be encouraged with renewed hope and faith in His extravagant love for you. And know that the awesome Lord God Almighty is warring and rejoicing over you with gladness and with shouts of joy to bring you into victory! Hallelujah! Yaaay God!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Aug3

Scripture for the week of August 3, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

Because you love me, I will rescue you. I will protect you because you know my name. When you call to me, I will answer you. I will be with you when you are in trouble. I will save you and honor you. Psalm 91:14-15 (GW)

Isn’t it a wonderful feeling when you know you are loved? In loving relationships there is nothing we wouldn’t do for each other, especially when we receive a call for help. We will take food or clean a friends house in sickness, travel long distances to be with a hurting loved one and for some we are even willing to lay down our life in the face of danger. In these verses God declares how He responds to our love for Him. The Lord says that He will…rescue, protect, answer, be there, save and honor us. What an encouragement to know that the Almighty God desires our expressions of love for Him even in our weakness and imperfections. When we call out for God’s help in times of trouble and despair He lovingly responds back to us and makes these promises to meet our specific needs just because He knows we love Him! Thank You, Lord!

Faith Or Fear, Which Will You Choose By JoBeth Kested

Jul23

I’ve felt the need to share this article I wrote several years ago. My hope is that it will be an encouragement to someone that needs to see this today. ??

Faith Or Fear, Which Will You Choose?
By JoBeth Kested

Have you ever realized that whether you live in faith or fear is a choice? You might say, “I always fear the worst about everything and I can’t help it; that’s just the way I am”. Let’s take a look at the Bible definition of faith in Hebrews 11:1. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (NKJV). What if we replace the word faith with the word fear? “Now fear is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

Isn’t that exactly what fear is when we allow our minds to run away imagining every possibility of all the bad things that might happen? Those imaginations can run around and around in our heads over and over, like a hamster on a wheel, until we are paralyzed with fear and hopelessness expecting only the worst. Do we have a choice? According to 2 Corinthians 10:5, we can choose to “cast down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ,” (NKJV).

We need to realize that the choice between fear or faith is like coming to a fork in the road. We can choose to go down the path of fear, mulling over all the worst possibilities that can happen, or we can choose the path of faith; taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ and putting our trust in God’s limitless power to intervene in our circumstances. The choice is ours. We are either going to put our trust in the worst possibilities of hopelessness or put our trust in God’s supernatural power to perform miracles on our behalf. Because, we KNOW His plans for us are good and not evil, to give us a future and a hope! (Jeremiah 29:11) So, fear or faith, which path will you choose?

Dear Heavenly Father, I pray that You will help us to choose the path of faith and to take every thought captive, pulling down every stronghold of fear that comes against our obedience to walk in the path of goodness and hope you have for us in Jesus. In Jesus name, AMEN.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.
Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

© JoBeth Kested 2014

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jul20

Scripture for the week of July 20, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, 2 Peter 1:2 (NKJV)

Are you in need of abundant grace and peace? Grace is undeserved favor and divine assistance. Peace is tranquility, harmony and freedom from disturbance or affliction. The Biblical definition of knowledge is based on understanding from experience. This verse exhorts us that the more we increase in knowing our Father God, and our Savior Jesus, the more His grace and peace will increase in our lives. Like the Hebrews in the wilderness that had to gather fresh manna each day, Jesus is the Bread of Life that God has provided for us to that we need to seek new each day. Whatever we may have experienced of God’s love, mercy, forgiveness and provision in the past, be encouraged to KNOW that as we seek to know Him more each day we’ll never exhaust the supply His sufficient favor, divine assistance, and peace that passes understanding. May His grace and peace be multiplied to you today.

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jun29

Scripture for the week of June 29, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusts in Him. The young lions do lack, and suffer hunger: but they that seek the LORD shall not want any good thing. Psalm 34:8,10 (NKJV)

Have you ever longed for the taste of something like the first sip of coffee in the morning, your favorite piece of pie or maybe the best decadent chocolate as it melts in your mouth? There is nothing quite like that first taste that is so satisfying. We often cherish and savor that moment that is often accompanied by the feelings of comfort and happiness. This verse seems to encourage us that we don’t have to struggle and fret because we can’t understand the whole Bible or grasp all the ways of God. If we will just begin to taste a little at a time of His love, goodness, mercy and grace we will want keep to seeking Him more and more of as we experience the blessings of His comfort, peace and joy in every aspect of our lives. O taste and see that the Lord is good!

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

Jun16
  • Scripture for the week of June 15, 2014
    By JoBeth Kested

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NKJV)

Have you ever felt exhausted from carrying the heavy weight of discouragements, problems and fears with a longing to rest your weary soul? Sometimes there just doesn’t seem to be any relief or help to be found. In this scripture Jesus invites us to accept His yoke that initially may look too hard. To be yoked with Jesus requires us to submit to His plans and direction for us. Yet, His promise is that His way is easier as we allow Him to pull the heavy load, to carry the weight and make our paths straight. Cast your cares on Jesus today (1 Peter 5:7) and God will supply all your need according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus (Philippians 4:19).

Scripture Of The Week By JoBeth Kested

May25

Scripture for the week of May 25, 2025
By JoBeth Kested

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. Now to our God and Father be glory forever and ever. Amen. Philippians 4:19-20 (NKJV)

Do you have difficulty believing that God really cares about any of the pressing needs you are currently facing? First of all, this verse profoundly declares that our God supplies ALL our need! But, if we are to understand that the doorway of His provision is in the glory of Jesus we may need to ask what is the glory? Biblically this often refers to the manifestation or the reality of God’s presence with us. Remember, one of the names of Jesus is Emanuel which means God with us. Therefore, there is a wealth of God’s provision for us as we grasp that Jesus is with us; our Prince of Peace, Wonderful Counselor, Friend of Sinners and our Savior. He is real, present and available to us in every circumstance today and everyday to meet ALL our needs. With renewed faith in His love for us, let us give worship, praise and glory to our Father God forever and ever. Yes, Amen!