“This is true because if two or three people come together in my name, I am there with them” (Matthew 18:20).
Excerpted from Revolve: Dream On, The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Rebekah was the mother of Jacob and Esau, but before that, she was just a teen with a big decision on her hands. We chatted her up about the huge encounter she had one afternoon at her father’s well.
Revolve: Has anything unusual ever happened when you came to the well?
Rebekah: Yeah! A few days ago, when I came to the well, this man and his camels were there. He asked me for a drink of water, so I was like, “Sure,” and I gave him some of my water and I poured some for his camels. It’s only common courtesy.
Revolve: So what did he say to you?
Rebekah: Well, he said he came from Canaan to find a wife for his master’s son, Issac. He said he had been really nervous about such a big task, and so he had prayed for God to lead him to the right girl. And he said that I was the answer to that prayer! Then he came home with me and told my family everything.
Revolve: Whoa! Didn’t it weird you out at all?
Rebekah: Not really. I mean, my dad had already started talking about when I would get married because I was the right age for it, and I felt a lot better when the guy told me that his master and my dad actually knew each other.
Revolve: So now you’re heading to a foreign country to marry someone you’ve never met? Are you a little freaked?
Rebekah: I believe with all my heart that God wants me to be Issac’s wife. Yeah, I’m a little nervous, but I know that He will be with me and help me to be a good wife.
Have you ever known God wanted you to do something that might seem a little scary? Peter did. But he learned the hard way that all you need is faith in the Lord to do great things! Check out Matthew 14:28-31 and read all about it.
Excerpted from Revolve: Dream On, The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“After graduating High School God spoke to me and said, “You have given me part of your heart but I want it all. If you will give me everything, I will bring every dream in your heart to pass.” Britt Nicole
Excerpted from Revolve: Dream On, The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“Come to me, all of you who are tired and have heavy loads, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
Excerpted from Revolve: Dream On, The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version®. © 2005 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Grace is a word most people don’t totally get. Is it the prayer you say before you dig into mom’s spaghetti or the ability to strut in a dress and stiletto heels while perfectly balancing a book on your head? When the Bible talks about grace, it means something totally different. Grace means you didn’t earn your relationship with God, but he loves you anyway. Grace is like generosity, and love is the gift.
According to Ephesians 2:4-10, every believer is saved by God’s grace because with out Jesus Christ, there would be no mercy. Every person ever born—except Jesus—is on the “outs” with God (sin separated us from him). Jesus paid the price required to set things right. This salvation is like a Christmas present. Nobody can earn it, and nobody deserves it; but that’s not the point. Jesus had compassion for everyone because he loved them. He made sure that anyone who wanted to get closer to God has a way to do so. It’s the best present ever!
You did not save yourselves; it was a gift from God. It was not the result of your own efforts, so you cannot brag about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 NCV
Excerpted from Revolve™ 2009: The Complete New Testament. © 2008 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 2005 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
“Don’t fear, little flock, because your Father wants to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Get for yourselves purses that will not wear out, the treasure in heaven that never runs out, where thieves can’t steal and moths can’t destroy. Your heart will be where your treasure is.” — Luke 12:32-34
We can be a money-hungry people. In fact, if you stop and think about it, some of us spend most of our time trying to figure out how to get more of it—more money, more clothes, more electronics. For us, money can often equal security: we go to school so we can get a good-paying job one day, or we dress a certain way so we ensure our place in the right crowd.
But what do you think would happen if we spent as much time pursuing the things of God as we did pursuing money and possessions? Our world would be a very different place, with less greed and worry and more joy and compassion. In this passage, Jesus tells us not to spend so much time worrying about money and possessions—that God will take care of us and wants to give us amazing things. And unlike the things that the world offers, the gifts he gives us are lasting and eternal; nothing can take them away from us.
Excerpted from Revolve: The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 2009 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
When you do what god wants instead of acting like all the people around you, Paul says that you are, figuratively speaking, a perfume. For some people that perfume smells wonderful. These people are inspired by your relationship with Jesus. If they haven’t met him, they see the peace you have, the way it really makes you happy to follow him, and they want what you have. If they do know Jesus, you example encourages them to keep getting closer to him.
Unfortunately, there are others who thing your life really stinks. The fact that you do things they wouldn’t do—take up for someone who everyone else is picking on, stay straight-faced when you hear a dirty joke, refuse to drink at a party—that bugs them a lot. They can make things pretty unpleasant for you, but they’re hurting themselves more than they hurt you and they don’t even realize it. By giving you a hard time, they’re pushing away Jesus—and knowing him is the whole reason they were born!
Our offering to God is this: We are the sweet smell of Christ among those who are being saved and among those who are being lost. To those who are lost, we are the smell of death that brings death, but to those who are being saved, we are the smell of life that brings life. 2 Corinthians 2:15-16 NCV
Excerpted from Revolve: The Complete New Testament. © 2003 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Too often this world we live in seems like a crazy and dangerous place. We hear about it on the news every night and learn about it in school day after day. But if you spend too much time thinking about all the things that can go wrong and do go wrong in our world, you’ll soon find yourself living a life of fear, sitting at home in your bathrobe, afraid to leave your house. Bottom line: we live in a fallen world, apart from God, and bad things will happen. But we don’t have to live in fear of those things. Jesus says yes, we can expect some trouble in this live, but not to lose our courage. Through his death and resurrection, he has overcome all the sin and evil of the world.
So when you feel unsure and afraid, when you feel targeted for your faith or you worry about the future, remember this verse and be brave. God is in control. The end of the story has been written—God wins!
“I told you these things so that you can have peace in me. In this world you will have trouble, but be brave! I have defeated the world.” John 16:33 NCV
Excerpted from Revolve: The Complete New Testament. © 2010 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 2009 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible is a love letter, a written record, and a spiritual handbook about God and his people. It’s full of truth, incredible stories, and terrific advice. Lots of different people wrote it, but they were all inspired by the same God. If you read it from beginning to end, you’ll get this epic story of the human race, our separation from God, and the incredible thing Jesus did to restore that relationship.
Why not read it from cover to cover in a year? Sure, it takes a little commitment. But if you’ve never read the Bible regularly, brace yourself—this book gets in your blood. Want to win a battle with Deborah? Fight a giant with David? Sail the Mediterranean with Paul? There are multiple ways to read the Bible through. Check the New Testament reading plan in your Revolve BibleZine or do an online search for “Bible reading plans.” If a plan is too fast for you, take two years to finish it. Whatever you do, just keep reading,–you won’t be sorry!
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for showing people what is wrong in their lives, for correcting faults, and for teaching how to live right. Using the Scriptures, the person who serves God will be capable, having all that is needed to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 NCV
Excerpted from Revolve™ 2009: The Complete New Testament. © 2008 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 2005 Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Have you heard? Jesus is coming back again. No, really. It may seem highly unlikely from where you’re sitting. But one day, in some heart-pounding way where no one in the world will have to wonder what’s happening, he’s going to step back in here and finish some business. One of those little unfinished matters . . . is you. Don’t sweat it, though. If you’re one of his, he won’t be coming back to pull the curtain down on your performance, but to raise the blinds and allow you to see what he’s been doing in your life. And one day—one great, big, glorious day—he’ll let you know what was going on. God finishes what he starts. Give him permission to get started with you.
God began doing a good work in you, and I am sure he will continue it until it is finished when Jesus Christ comes again. Philippians 1:6 NCV
Excerpted from Revolve: The Complete New Testament. © 2003 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. The Holy Bible, New Century Version. © 1987, 1988, 1991 by Word Publishing, a division of Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
