DON’T JUST READ THE BIBLE. UNDERSTAND IT.

We live in a world filled with Bible verses on social media, coffee mugs, T-shirts, signs, and inspirational graphics. But knowing a verse is not always the same as understanding what that verse actually means.

https://patrickryanlewis.com/2026/08/24/read-the-bible-in-context-moving-beyond-isolated-verses-to-a-deeper-understanding-of-gods-word/

Context matters.

The Bible was written in books, letters, histories, poetry, prophecy, and Gospel accounts—not as a collection of random quotations.

Before asking, “What does this verse mean to me?” we should first ask:

What does the passage actually say?
 Who was the original audience?
 What was the author communicating?
 What comes before and after the verse?
 How does this passage fit into the larger story of Scripture?
 How should this truth change the way I live?

Paul told Timothy to work hard so that he could correctly explain the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15, NLT).

Bible study should move us beyond simply reading Scripture toward truly understanding and applying it.

READ.
OBSERVE.
UNDERSTAND.
APPLY.

When we learn to read Scripture in context, we begin to see more clearly the character of God, the seriousness of sin, the beauty of grace, the glory of Jesus Christ, and the power of the Gospel.

Read the full article and be encouraged to approach God's Word with greater care, humility, and purpose.

#BibleStudy #ReadTheBible #BibleInContext #Scripture #WordOfGod #ChristianLiving #BiblicalTruth #BibleTeaching #ChristianDiscipleship #JesusChrist #TheGospel #SpiritualGrowth #NLTBible #AGuyAndHisBible

Today’s Walk in the Word is a brief devotional by Joe Barnett that appears Monday through Friday.



Aug 24, 2026 11:00 pm

Get Rid of the Garbage

Rid yourselves of all malice.
—1 Peter 2:1

“Rid yourselves of all malice and all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander” (1 Pt 2:1).

If you want a good starting place for removing the garbage from your life, take malice to the dumpster. Malice indicates a desire to hurt another person.

Peter goes on to say that we should also dump deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander. Malice is the whole: deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and slander are its parts—each a child of malice.

Deceit is an intentional attempt to hide or distort the truth. Hypocrisy is masquerading outwardly as something you aren’t inwardly; it is deceit’s twin.

Peter continues, saying we should get rid of envy and slander, which are also twins. We tend to slander those we envy. Eliminating envy goes a long way toward zipping our lips from slander.

Take bad attitudes to the dumpster.

The post Get Rid of the Garbage appeared first on Pathway Evangelism, Inc..



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LIVING AND PREACHING

It's important to preach the truth; but, more important
living the truth you preach, is
what will take you to
heaven, but rather, practicing
the truth you preach,

BY: PROPHET ELIJAH

Watch Out For: Spiritual Bypassing (Toxic Positivity).

Learn More:

The Girl in the Pew: Loving Jesus. Loving People. Speaking the truth in love.

Philistia Pittman is The Girl in the Pew, a woman of immense spiritual depth and battle-tested resilience.

Click here to learn more about The Girl in the Pew: thegirlinthepew.com/about-the-girl-in-the-pew

Explore The Girl in the Pew Series (Read & Watch): thegirlinthepew.com/series

#TheGirlInThePew #SpeakTheTruthInLove #FaithJourney #SurrenderingYourPlanstoGod #TrustingGodWithDetours #SovereignShifts

DAILY YOUTH CHARGE

Topic: GOD'S GOODNESS NEVER CHANGES

Anchor Scripture

Psalm 100:5 (KJV)
"For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; And his truth endureth to all generations."

One of the most important truths you can learn as a young person is this: God is good—not only when life is good, but at all times.

There will be seasons when your prayers are answered quickly and seasons when you have to wait. There will be moments of celebration and moments of disappointment. But God's character does not change with your circumstances.

Today's scripture gives us three reasons to trust Him: the Lord is good, His mercy is everlasting, and His truth endures to every generation.

GOD IS GOOD

God's goodness is not dependent on what He gives us. He is good because goodness is part of who He is.

Nahum 1:7 (KJV)
"The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him."

When you face difficult moments, don't allow your circumstances to convince you that God has abandoned you. He remains your refuge and strength.

Romans 8:28 (KJV)
"And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose."

HIS MERCY IS EVERLASTING

Every day we experience God's mercy. We don't receive everything we deserve; instead, God continually extends His compassion and forgiveness toward us.

Lamentations 3:22-23 (KJV)
"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness."

That means yesterday's failure does not have to become today's identity. When you sincerely turn back to God, His mercy is available.

Psalm 103:8 (KJV)
"The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy."

HIS TRUTH ENDURES TO ALL GENERATIONS

Everything around us changes. Trends change. Technology changes. Opinions change. Society changes. But God's Word remains true.

Isaiah 40:8 (KJV)
"The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever."

As a young person, don't build your identity and values entirely on what is popular today. Build your life on God's eternal truth.

Matthew 24:35 (KJV)
"Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away."

God's goodness was not limited to the generation before you, and it will not end with your generation. His mercy and truth remain available to every generation that seeks Him.

Takeaway

When life changes, remember that God doesn't. When circumstances are uncertain, His goodness remains certain. When people fail, His mercy remains everlasting. When opinions change, His truth remains forever.

Trust Him. Praise Him. Build your life on His Word.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, thank You because You are always good. Thank You for Your everlasting mercy and unfailing truth. When circumstances change, help me to remember that Your character never changes. Teach me to trust Your Word, depend on Your mercy, and live every day with gratitude for Your goodness. May my generation know You and experience the reality of Your faithfulness. In Jesus' name, Amen.

As our nation moves deeper and deeper into these last days, voices are sounding and false doctrines are being promoted across social media that are soothing many itching and Biblically-illiterate ears. I address this growing concern in this edition of my "Templates of Truth" blogcast:

God calls us to choose His ways and walk in His truth.

#Faith #ChooseLife #FaithOverFear #WalkInTruth

Gods Creation, 100 / evolution, 0
GOD HANGS THE EARTH ON NOTHING

Long before telescopes, satellites, or space travel, a statement was written that still stands untouched by time. In Book of Job 26:7, we read that God “hangs the earth on nothing.” No pillars. No animals. No mythological supports. Suspended. Exactly as it truly is.

At the same time, cultures around the world were offering very different explanations. Hindu traditions spoke of the earth resting on elephants standing on a giant turtle. Greek mythology described Atlas carrying the world on his shoulders. These weren’t just stories. They were the best attempts of human reasoning trying to explain the unknown. And they were wrong.

But the Bible was not.

Job didn’t have a telescope. He didn’t have modern science. Yet he recorded a truth that aligns with what we now observe in space. The earth is not sitting on anything. It is held in place by forces God established, exactly as Scripture declared thousands of years ago. This wasn’t a lucky guess. This wasn’t poetic accident. This was revelation.

As Second Epistle of Peter 1:21 explains, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. That is why the Bible stands apart. It doesn’t echo the errors of man. It speaks with authority because its source is not human imagination.

The earth hangs on nothing because the One who created it holds it exactly where it belongs.

Let's talk about it.
WHAT GRACE IS LIKE

Imagine a government makes a law saying, “If you drive above 120 km/h, you will go to prison.”

You break the law, you are caught, and you are taken to court. When the judge asks you to plead, you will not plead for justice—you will plead for mercy.

Why? Because you know you have broken the law.

This helps us understand Grace.

Imagine a father establishes rules in his home and makes clear the consequences of disobedience. His children disobey. The mother knows what they deserve, so she pleads with the father to forgive them. The father chooses to forgive them. Then the mother tells the children, “You have been forgiven. Now stop disobeying your father.”

That is a picture of grace.

Grace does not cancel the law. Grace gives the guilty person mercy and an opportunity to change.

The Bible says, “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” — Ecclesiastes 8:11.

God's patience should never be mistaken for God's approval.

When Jesus healed the man at the pool of Bethesda, He did not tell him, “You are under grace, so continue living however you want.” Jesus said:

“Behold, thou art made whole: sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee.” — John 5:14.

Grace gave that man another opportunity—not an opportunity to continue in sin, but an opportunity to live differently.

My friends, do not reject God's commandments simply because you are uncomfortable with the Sabbath commandment. And do not teach people that God's commandments are no longer binding simply because you want to defend a tradition.

The Pharisees had a similar problem. They knew the evidence concerning John the Baptist, but they were more concerned about protecting their position than accepting the truth. They reasoned among themselves and finally said, “We cannot tell.”

Don't be like them.

Don't be like the people before the Flood who mocked Noah's warning while the ark was being prepared.

Don't be like the scoffers Peter warned about, saying, “Where is the promise of his coming?” — 2 Peter 3:4.

God's delay is not God's denial.

Grace is God's mercy giving you time to repent.

But that time will not last forever.

Ecclesiastes gives us the final warning:

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgment.” — Ecclesiastes 12:13–14.

So don't abuse grace.

Grace forgives the sinner, but grace never gives us permission to love sin. Grace does not destroy God's law; grace leads us back to obedience.

Today, while mercy is still being offered, choose repentance. Choose truth. Choose obedience.

Do not mistake God's patience for God's permission.

Amazing Love

The Advent Truth
Isaac Newton did NOT simply predict, “The world will end in 2060.” That headline leaves out the most interesting part of the story.

Newton was a serious student of Daniel and Revelation, and he recognized something many Christians today reject: the 1,260 prophetic days represent 1,260 literal years.

The Bible gives this same prophetic period three different ways:

Daniel 7:25 — “a time and times and the dividing of time”
Revelation 12:6 — 1,260 days
Revelation 13:5 — 42 months

Using the biblical prophetic calendar, 42 months × 30 days = 1,260 days. Three and a half prophetic years × 360 days = 1,260 days. Applying the day-for-a-year principle seen in Numbers 14:34 and Ezekiel 4:6 gives us 1,260 years.

Newton understood the year principle, but he differed on the starting point. He considered A.D. 800 significant because of developments surrounding Charlemagne and papal temporal power. Add 1,260 years and you arrive at 2060. Yet Newton specifically cautioned that he was NOT setting a date for the end of the world.

Historicist Adventists understand the stronger starting point to be A.D. 538. Daniel 7 connects the 1,260 years with the period in which the little-horn power would exercise its persecuting supremacy. Following Justinian's recognition of Roman ecclesiastical supremacy and the breaking of Ostrogothic control at Rome, 538 marks the beginning of that prophetic period.

Now do the math:

538 + 1,260 = 1798.

And right on time, in 1798, French forces under General Berthier entered Rome, abolished papal political government, and took Pope Pius VI prisoner.

Newton had the prophetic principle right. The crucial question was where to start the clock.

Daniel and Revelation give us the 1,260. History gives us 538–1798.

Bible prophecy isn't guesswork. It is history written in advance.