“Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God.” (Psalm 20:7 ESV)

My mother was a trick rider in a traveling rodeo show

One of my favorite photos of my mother is of her shooting two pistols in the air while standing on the back of a beautiful black horse while galloping full speed at the Bill Phillips Rodeo Show, sometime in the 1940’s. I grew up with horses and had my first one when I was two, a beautiful white pony named Ladybug. The Bible has a lot to say about horses.

Swifter than leopards, more fierce than wolves

“Their horses are swifter than leopards, more fierce than the evening wolves; their horsemen press proudly on. Their horsemen come from afar; they fly like an eagle swift to devour.” (Hab. 1:8 ESV)

Job describes the might of the horse

“Do you give the horse his might? Do you clothe his neck with a mane? Do you make him leap like the locust? His majestic snorting is terrifying. He paws in the valley and exults in his strength; he goes out to meet the weapons. He laughs at fear and is not dismayed; he does not turn back from the sword. Upon him rattle the quiver, the flashing spear, and the javelin. With fierceness and rage he swallows the ground; he cannot stand still at the sound of the trumpet. When the trumpet sounds, he says ‘Aha!’ He smells the battle from afar, the thunder of the captains, and the shouting.” (Job 39:19-25 ESV)

Horses and chariots of fire

“Then Elisha prayed and said, “O Lord, please open his eyes that he may see.” So the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw, and behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.” (2 Kings 6:17 ESV)

Jesus and His mighty armies of heaven will be returning on white horses

“Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. “Rev. 19:11-14 ESV)

The victory belongs to the Lord

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” (Prov. 31:21 ESV)

“Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12 ESV)

Call on the Lord when distressed

“Out of my distress I called on the Lord; the Lord answered me and set me free. The Lord is on my side; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” (Psalms 118:5-6 ESV)

God provides a way for you to escape

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” (1 Cor. 10:13 ESV)

We have weapons with divine power to destroy strongholds

“For though we walk in the flesh, we are not waging war according to the flesh. For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ…” (1 Cor. 10:3-5 ESV)

Therefore…

“In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:6-7 ESV)

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Phil. 4:13 ESV)

“One gives freely, yet grows all the richer; another withholds what he should give, and only suffers want. Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 24:25-26 ESV)

Whoever shares his bread will be blessed

“Whoever has a bountiful eye will be blessed, for he shares his bread with the poor.” (Prov. 22:9 ESV)

God will repay

“Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” (Prov. 19:17 ESV)

God loves a cheerful giver

“Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” (2 Cor. 9:7 ESV)

Giving even a cup of water will be remembered

“And whoever gives one of these little ones even a cup of cold water because he is a disciple, truly, I say to you, he will by no means lose his reward.” (Matt. 10:42 ESV)

Therefore…

“They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.” (1 Tim. 6:18-19 ESV)

“Whoever brings blessing will be enriched, and one who waters will himself be watered.” (Prov. 11:25 ESV)

“Then the Lord God said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Gen. 2:18 ESV)

Finding a wife is obtaining favor from the Lord

“He who finds a wife finds a good thing and obtains favor from the Lord.” (Prov. 18:22 ESV)

Two are better than one

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone? And though a man might prevail against one who is alone, two will withstand him—a threefold cord is not quickly broken.” (Eccles. 4:9-12 ESV)

Therefore…

“Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and they shall become one flesh.” (Gen. 2:24 Esv)

“Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous.” (Heb. 13:4 ESV)

“Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” (Matt. 6:26 ESV)

Learn from God’s living creatures

“But ask the beasts, and they will teach you; the birds of the heavens, and they will tell you; or the bushes of the earth, and they will teach you; and the fish of the sea will declare to you. Who among all these does not know that the hand of the Lord has done this? In his hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of all mankind.” (Job. 12:7-10 ESV)

You are more valuable than many sparrows

“Why, even the hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not; you are of more value than many sparrows. (Luke 12:7 ESV)

Therefore…

“But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you…” (Matt. 6:30 ESV)

“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7 ESV)

“And God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the face of all the earth, and every tree with seed in its fruit. You shall have them for food.” (Gen. 1:29 ESV)

Food is made holy through the Word of God and prayer

“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with thanksgiving, for it is made holy by the word of God and prayer.” (1 Tim. 4:4-5 ESV)

Jesus is the bread of life

“Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” (James 6:35 ESV)

Therefore…

“If you are willing and obedient, you shall eat the good of the land…” (Isa. 1:19 ESV)

“So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” (1 Cor. 10:31 ESV)

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.” (John 14:23 NIV)

If you obey the Lord your God…

“If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth.” (Deut. 28:1 NIV)

Don’t merely listen to the Word, do what it says

“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” (James 1:22 NIV)

You are made righteous through the obedience of Jesus

“For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous.” (Rom. 5:19 NIV)

Walk in obedience to Him

“Observe what the Lord your God requires: Walk in obedience to him, and keep his decrees and commands, his laws and regulations, as written in the Law of Moses. Do this so that you may prosper in all you do and wherever you go.” (1 Kings 2:3 NIV)

Therefore…

“Walk in obedience to all that the Lord your God has commanded you, so that you may live and prosper and prolong your days in the land that you will possess.”(Deut. 5:33 NIV)

“Whoever heeds discipline shows the way to life, but whoever ignores correction leads others astray.” (Prov. 10:17 NIV)

“He made the storm be still, and the waves of the sea were hushed.” (Psalm 107:29 ESV)

The winds obey Him

“And when he got into the boat, his disciples followed him. And behold, there arose a great storm on the sea, so that the boat was being swamped by the waves; but he was asleep. And they went and woke him, saying, “Save us, Lord; we are perishing.” And he said to them, “Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?” Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm. And the men marveled, saying, “What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?” (Matt. 8:23-27 ESV)

The Lord your God goes with you

“Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6 ESV)

When the righteous cry for help…

“When the righteous cry for help, the Lord hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken.” (Psalms 34:17-20 ESV)

Therefore…

“For you have been a stronghold to the poor, a stronghold to the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat; for the breath of the ruthless is like a storm against a wall…” (Isa. 25:4 ESV)

“The flowers appear on the earth, the time of singing has come, and the voice of the turtledove is heard in our land.” (SOS 2:12 ESV)

Consider the lilies of the field

“And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.” (Matt. 6:28:29 ESV)

Man flourishes like a flower

“As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field; for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more.” (Psalm 103:15-16 ESV)

Flowers fade, but not the Word of God

“The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.” (Isa. 40:8 ESV)

Therefore…

“I will be like the dew to Israel; he shall blossom like the lily; he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon…” (Hos. 14:5 ESV)