Category: What do you think?

God as the Shepherd We All Need

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AMY TURNER

The opening words of Psalm 23, “The Lord is my shepherd,” remind us that every person needs care. While some may claim they can manage alone, life shows that at different times we all rely on others. Parents, friends, doctors, teachers, and many others help meet our needs in different ways. These people are important, yet they can still make mistakes or fall short.

God is different. He never fails to provide what His people require. He gives guidance, protection, and correction. His care is not only for this life but also for eternity. Just as sheep depend on their shepherd, people depend on God to lead them. Jesus said, “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep” (John 10:11, NASB)

When we trust God as our shepherd, we find the care and direction no one else can fully give.

And my God will supply all your needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 4:19

How Angels Care for Believers

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JEFF TURNER

Some people have heard the idea that each believer is assigned a personal guardian angel. This thought often comes from Matthew 18:10, where Jesus speaks of “their angels” watching over “these little ones.” But is that what the passage really teaches?

Looking closer, Matthew 18 is not about young children in a physical sense. Instead, it speaks of believers. It talks about those who have entered God’s kingdom with childlike faith. Jesus often called His followers “little ones” to show how they depend on their Father.

The verse in question points out that the angels of these believers are always near to God, seeing His face. It does not say each person has a unique angel. Rather, it shows that angels are involved in caring for all believers. It’s a group idea, not a personal one.

Are they not all ministering spirits, sent out to provide service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation?

Hebrews 1:14

The Power of Hallelujah

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AMY TURNER

Revelation 19:1 tells us a loud voice from a great crowd in heaven shouted, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God.” This word, hallelujah, is used throughout the Bible to celebrate God’s remarkable actions. It appears when people witness something meaningful and powerful that God has done.

In Psalm 106, hallelujah is spoken as a response to God’s strength in freeing the people of Israel from slavery in Egypt. Each time it’s used, it marks a moment when God’s care and might have brought relief and victory to His people.

The final time hallelujah appears in Scripture is in Revelation. It comes after Jesus rescues His people from the grip of the Antichrist. This moment leads heaven to cry out in joy, praising God’s power to save and protect.

When you lift your voice in praise, do you include a hallelujah?

Everything that has breath shall praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord!

Psalm 150:6

God’s People and the Message They Must Hear

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JEFF TURNER

In Acts 18:10, God tells Paul to remain in Corinth because “I have many people in this city.” This raises a question: if Paul had not yet shared the gospel there, how could God already have people in the city?

The answer is found in Scripture. Romans 10 explains that people come to faith by hearing the message of Christ. It clearly says that belief cannot happen without hearing, and hearing cannot happen without someone preaching. No one is saved without first receiving the gospel and believing it.

I believe when God told Paul that He had people in Corinth, it did not mean they were already saved. Rather, it meant that there were individuals in the city who would respond to the message when they heard it. These people had already been chosen by God, even before they came to faith.

This reflects the teaching of election. God had decided, before the world began, who would be saved.

just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we would be holy and blameless before Him. In love

Ephesians 1:4

Trials and Temptation

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JEFF TURNER

Some believers accept that God is in control of all things. But questions come up when talking about how His control relates to temptation and sin. One verse that raises this issue is 1 Corinthians 10:13, where Paul says God won’t let believers be tempted beyond what they can handle and will also provide a way out. This might sound like God is the one who sends temptation, but that isn’t what Paul means.

In fact, James 1:13 tells us God does not tempt anyone, nor can He be tempted by evil. What God does allow, however, are tests. I’m talking about situations that challenge a person’s faith and character. The Greek word for “temptation” can also mean a test or trial, and doesn’t always imply something sinful.

When a difficult situation arises, it can either strengthen a believer’s faith or expose weakness. If a person resists sin in that moment, the trial becomes a test they have overcome. But if they give in, it becomes temptation that led to sin. God permits trials in a fallen world, but He never entices anyone to do wrong.

For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things just as we are, yet without sin.

Hebrews 4:15