James Thornton

The Apostle's Honest Preference

I say therefore to the unmarried and widows, It is good for them if they abide even as I. Paul is saying: I think it's better to stay single like I have. But then he qualifies: everyone's called diffe

Lessons in obedience - Joshua 5

God is faithful in every circumstance. My grandmother used to quote this verse every morning. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss. God is faithful in every circumsta

God's sovereignty revealed - Proverbs 21

What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. The promise here is not conditional on our strength but on His character. The promise here is not conditional on our strength but on His character. Th

Seeds of faith - Colossians 3

Now I understand why - it's a daily declaration of dependence on God. When we read this alongside the surrounding chapters, the narrative arc becomes clear: God is always working redemption, even in t

What it means to love - 1 Chronicles 12

Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing - both the anguish and the hope. God is faithful in every circumstance. This connects directly to the promi

Bearing fruit that lasts - Hosea 6

God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. The imagery here is agricultural - the original audience would have immediately understood the metaphor of sowing, waiting

The meaning of sacrifice - 1 John 1

God is faithful in every circumstance. Today it speaks comfort; a year ago it spoke conviction. God is faithful in every circumstance. Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often

The armor of God - Philemon 1

Faith isn't the absence of doubt - it's choosing to believe despite it. God is faithful in every circumstance. I think this is a call to trust beyond what we can see. The thread of covenant runs throu

The shepherd and the sheep - 1 Chronicles 10

God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. The early church would have heard this very

Understanding grace - Lamentations 2

There's something deeply comforting about knowing that the same God who spoke these words is the same yesterday, today, and forever. The contrast between human weakness and divine strength is so vivid

The cost of discipleship - Ecclesiastes 10

This is one of those passages that reads differently in every season of life. I love how this passage doesn't shy away from the difficulty of obedience. His timing, His methods, His purposes - all bey

Strength in weakness - 1 Chronicles 19

God is faithful in every circumstance. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives a fuller picture of what the author was experiencing - both the anguish and the hope. Their context of persecution gives

Trusting God's timing - Ecclesiastes 3

The contrast between human weakness and divine strength is so vivid in this passage. His timing, His methods, His purposes - all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good. The early church would ha

The power of prayer - 1 Thessalonians 1

God is faithful in every circumstance. I notice the repetition here is deliberate - the author wants us to feel the emphasis, to let the truth sink deep into our hearts. I notice the repetition here i

God's faithfulness through history - Philemon 1

My grandmother used to quote this verse every morning. I notice the repetition here is deliberate - the author wants us to feel the emphasis, to let the truth sink deep into our hearts. God is faithfu

Rivers of living water - Joel 3

We bring nothing; He provides everything. God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. Reading the Psalms alongside this gives

The character of God - Joshua 7

God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. The early church would have heard this very differently than we do today. The contrast between human weakness and divine

The armor of God - Matthew 23

God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumstance. The contrast between human weakness and divine strength is so vivid in this passage. God is faithful in every circumstanc

The shepherd and the sheep - 1 Peter 4

What a reminder that God's ways are not our ways. God is faithful in every circumstance. His timing, His methods, His purposes - all beyond our comprehension, yet perfectly good. The early church wou

The light of the world - 2 Kings 15

Their context of persecution gives these words a weight we often miss. My grandmother used to quote this verse every morning. God is faithful in every circumstance. God is faithful in every circumsta