I am concerned for you and will look on you with favor; you will be plowed and sown (Ezekiel 36:9 NIV).
This promise is for you who has suffered the mocking and insults of people when things had gone wrong with you. Your plans may not have had worked out. Then they had laughed at … Read the rest
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob, who turned the rock into a pool, the hard rock into springs of water (Psalm 114:7,8 NIV).
Trembling is always associated with judgment. This is because judgment brings with it terror. Yet here in this Psalm the earth … Read the rest
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground (Psalm 143:10 NIV).
We all try our best to understand God’s will. Let us assume that we earnestly and constantly seek God’s will in matters that concern us most. But is that enough?
The above … Read the rest
Then a new king, who did not know about Joseph, came to power in Egypt (Exodus 1:8 NIV).
It is surprising to note how fast our circumstances sometimes change. We are often hurt when those who showed us favor is gone and those who succeeded them seemed not to care for us or the relationship … Read the rest
When we were overwhelmed by sins, you forgave our transgressions (Psalm 65:3 NIV).
Have you ever been under the tremendous load of some object that you tried to lift? Even as you tried to lift it up you started to bend and your knees began to waver.
Your arms pained as you tried to walk … Read the rest
God made two great lights–the greater light to govern the day and the lesser light to govern the night. He also made the stars (Genesis 1:16 NIV).
Light is God’s business. He Himself is light and dwells in unapproachable light. And when He created the earth He was thoughtful to give lights that shall govern … Read the rest
Your eyes will see the king in his beauty and view a land that stretches afar (Isaiah 33:17 NIV).
This is God’s great purpose for your life. There is no doubt about the final destination that you’re traveling towards to. It is heaven itself.
Yet the greatest thrill is not the “land that stretches afar” … Read the rest
Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants (Deuteronomy 32:2 NIV).
This forms the introduction of the song that God asked Moses to write down and teach the Israelites so that they may sing it. It was to be God’s … Read the rest
The end of a matter is better than its beginning (Ecclesiastes 7:8a NIV).
Take a moment to take stock of all the beginnings you have made in life. Try to find out how many of them you were able to bring to a meaningful and successful conclusion.
Take some time to read through the histories … Read the rest
But if you fail to do this, you will be sinning against the Lord; and you may be sure that your sin will find you out (Numbers 32:23 NIV).
Sin affects people. But it is more important to note that ALL sin is against the Lord. The more you think that sin is OK as … Read the rest
This is what the Lord says to the house of Israel: ‘Seek me and live’ (Amos 5:4 NIV).
God’s message to you is very simple: “Seek Me and live.” You are left in no doubt about this. It is not religious experiences that you should seek. It is not places of pilgrimage that you should … Read the rest
I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. At this I awoke and looked around. My sleep had been pleasant to me (Jeremiah 31:25,26 NIV).
God gave Jeremiah a message of comfort and blessing in a dream. The final statement that God made was that He will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint. … Read the rest
He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God (Joshua 4:24 NIV).
Joshua makes this statement soon after the Israelites had crossed the Jordan, which was at its flood stage, on dry … Read the rest
Hear me, you who know what is right, you people who have my law in your hearts: Do not fear the reproach of men or be terrified by their insults (Isaiah 51:7 NIV).
To move forward in God’s will requires a knowledge of His law. It was written on tablets of stone long ago. But … Read the rest
You drench its furrows and level its ridges; you soften it with showers and bless its crops (Psalm 65:10 NIV).
God’s care for the land is shown here. More than that we can understand God’s total working on our behalf in this verse:
The furrows in the land are drenched.
It is God’s work.
The … Read the rest
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: `I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness’ (Jeremiah 31:3 NIV).
There is great comfort in having assurance of something. For example, you are in great financial need. A friend of yours promises to give you the money. You are … Read the rest
He opened the rock, and water gushed out; like a river it flowed in the desert (Psalm 105:41 NIV).
The incident referred to here occurred in the desert wanderings of the Israelites. The might of God and the tenderness within Him is revealed here. The rock is the might of God.
We may not expect … Read the rest
I weighed out to them 650 talents of silver, silver articles weighing 100 talents, 100 talents of gold, 20 bowls of gold valued at 1000 darics, and two fine articles of polished bronze, as precious as gold (Ezra 8:26, 27 NIV).
Ezra is getting ready to lead a group of Israelites including priests and levites … Read the rest
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O Lord. They rejoice in your name all day long; they exult in your righteousness (Psalm 89:15,16 NIV).
The psalmist here talks about the happy condition of those people who have learned to acclaim God. Acclaiming means that … Read the rest
Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name (Psalm 86:11 NIV).
Let us take a look at a family of four: The husband wants to spent his evening reading a book. The wife wants to go out for dinner. … Read the rest
Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord, both the morning and evening sacrifices (Ezra 3:3 NIV).
It is not surprising that a people who returned from exile and captivity to their own land now lying in ruins are … Read the rest
Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful (Joshua 1:8 NIV).
Joshua was given the leadership of the Israelites. He succeeded Moses. It was a huge … Read the rest
Many are the woes of the wicked, but the Lord’s unfailing love surrounds the man who trusts in him (Psalm 32:10 NIV).
Surrounded! The best experience you might have of this is when you use the “surround” option in your music system or television. You relax and enjoy the music that seems to flow and … Read the rest
The voice of the Lord twists the oaks and strips the forests bare. And in his temple all cry, “Glory!” (Psalm 29:9 NIV).
The voice of the Lord resounds with absolute power. This psalm describes this power and its effects on earth. His voice is terrifying.
It is majestic.
It sounds like thunder.
It inspires … Read the rest
But Moses did not give any to the Kohathites, because they were to carry on their shoulders the holy things, for which they were responsible (Numbers 7:9 NIV).
The context here is the offering of six covered carts and twelve oxen by the leaders of the people at the time of the dedication of the … Read the rest
… Let your hands be strong so that the temple may be built… As you have been an object of cursing among the nations, O Judah and Israel, so will I save you, and you will be a blessing. Do not be afraid, but let your hands be strong (Zechariah 8:9b,13 NIV).
Have you been … Read the rest
This is what the Lord Almighty says: `Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other’ (Zechariah 7:9,10 NIV).
Thoughts are powerful. For actions are powered by thought. Good thoughts therefore … Read the rest
Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners or sit in the seat of mockers (Psalm 1:1 NIV).
The counsel of the wicked:
The world is full with such counsel. You will get it without asking for it. The wicked go to … Read the rest
Therefore tell the people: This is what the Lord Almighty says: `Return to me,’ declares the Lord Almighty, `and I will return to you,’ says the Lord Almighty (Zechariah 1:3 NIV).
God always keeps an open door for you. Even when you have sinned and moved away from God; He still keeps waiting for you … Read the rest
But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, “First seek the counsel of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 18:4 NIV).
It is a sad thing to note that seeking the counsel of the Lord is the last thing that many Christians do. They do not think of seeking God’s wisdom and guidance in the decisions … Read the rest
