A Dream and a Stairway

He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord…. (Genesis 28:12,13a NIV).

The dream of a stairway is symbolic of blessing. The author of blessing is God … Read the rest

Remember These Things

Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you (Isaiah 44:21,22 NIV).

God is asking His … Read the rest

Arriving as the Barley Harvest Was Beginning

So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning (Ruth 1:22 NIV).

“Bethlehem” means “house of bread.” Yet this account in the Bible tells us that even in this “house of bread” a famine can occur.

As a result Naomi and her husband … Read the rest

Upper and Lower Springs

She replied, “Do me a special favor. Since you have given me land in the Negev, give me also springs of water.” So Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs (Joshua 15:19 NIV).

God has given us all a measure of talents and wisdom and ability. They are like the field that Acsah got, … Read the rest

He Delivered Me from All My Fears

I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4 NIV).

We all easily fall prey to a lot of fears. They might have real causes. Sometimes it is our imagination that gives them color and life. Anyway, they grow if they are left unchecked. Soon they assume … Read the rest

Hard Rock into Springs of Water

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

Let My Teaching Fall like Rain

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

Drench, Level, Soften, Bless

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

I Have Loved You with an Everlasting Love

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

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

Bronze, as Precious as Gold

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

Go At Once to Zarephath

Some time later the brook dried up because there had been no rain in the land. Then the word of the Lord came to him: `Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food’ (1 Kings 17:7,8,9 NIV).

What should you … Read the rest

From the Mirrors of the Women

They made the bronze basin and its bronze stand from the mirrors of the women who served at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting (Exodus 38:8 NIV).

The work of God’s tabernacle was going on. And in the articles needed for its service there was the need for a bronze basin for washing. It … Read the rest

I Am Sending an Angel Ahead of You

See, I am sending an angel ahead of you to guard you along the way and to bring you to the place I have prepared (Exodus 23:20 NIV).

Our life is a big journey. In this big journey of life there are smaller journeys too. For a Christian these journeys can become special experiences of … Read the rest

New Every Morning

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness (Lamentations 3:22,23 NIV).

Are you discouraged today because of a failure yesterday? Are you afraid to face the challenges of today because you had struggled very hard yesterday; yet failed? Does … Read the rest

Consolation When Anxiety Was Great

When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul (Psalm 94:19 NIV).

There is a common practice of awarding consolation prizes for competitors. Usually it is awarded to those whose performances were good, in spite of which they failed to receive a prize.

It is given both as a consolation as … Read the rest

Slipping foot; Supporting Love

When I said, “My foot is slipping,” your love, O Lord, supported me (Psalm 94:18 NIV).

There is no one who wants to slip in one’s walk. Still more no one desires to slip and fall in life. Yet there is no one who has not slipped in their walk and in their life as … Read the rest

A Basket of Ripe Fruit

This is what the Sovereign Lord showed me: a basket of ripe fruit (Amos 8:1 NIV).

Ease and comfort are dangerous beds for a Christian to sleep on. For often they breed sin. It was just like this for the nation of Israel. They were lounging in their security and indulging in sin.

But what … Read the rest

Tell It Not in Gath

Tell it not in Gath, proclaim it not in the streets of Ashkelon, lest the daughters of the Philistines be glad, lest the daughters of the uncircumcised rejoice (2 Samuel 1:20 NIV).

Here we are in the beginning of the lament which David composed concerning Saul and Jonathan when he had heard of their death … Read the rest

Underneath Are the Everlasting Arms

The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms. He will drive out your enemy before you, saying, ‘Destroy him!’ (Deuteronomy 33:27 NIV).

These words are part of the concluding verses of Moses’ farewell blessing to the tribes of Israel. Here he points out the fact that the eternal God is their … Read the rest

Leave the Stump of the Tree

The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules (Daniel 4:26 NIV).

King Nebuchadnezzar is the “stump of the tree” referred to here. He was a great king who enjoyed great glory and splendor. He once had … Read the rest

If I Had Cherished Sin in My Heart

If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened; but God has surely listened and heard my voice in prayer. Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me” (Psalm 66:18,19,20 NIV)!

The psalmist is here calling people to come and listen to … Read the rest

In Spite Of This

In spite of this, you did not trust in the Lord your God, who went ahead of you on your journey, in fire by night and in a cloud by day, to search out places for you to camp and to show you the way you should go (Deuteronomy 1:32,33 NIV).

The Israelites are now … Read the rest

A River that No One Could Cross

He measured off another thousand, but now it was a river that I could not cross, because the water had risen and was deep enough to swim in–a river that no one could cross (Ezekiel 47:5 NIV).

Prophet Ezekiel was given a lengthy vision of the New Temple of God in Jerusalem. He was given … Read the rest

Like Men Who Dreamed

When the Lord brought back the captives to Zion, we were like men who dreamed. Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them” (Psalm 126:1,2 NIV).

The people of Jerusalem were in captivity in Babylon for … Read the rest

A Freshly Plucked Olive Leaf

When the dove returned to him in the evening, there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf! Then Noah knew that the water had receded from the earth (Genesis 8:11 NIV).

God may have caused you to be shut up in His ark. You may have thought that being shut up like that … Read the rest

Enoch Walked with God

When Enoch had lived 65 years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether, Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God; and then he was no more, because God took him away (Genesis 5:21,24 NIV).

Read the rest

Made Me Bold and Stouthearted

When I called, you answered me; you made me bold and stouthearted (Psalm 138:3 NIV).

There comes some desperate times in our lives when the need is so great that we just call out to others for help. Those who trust in God immediately call out to Him in such situations. It is deep need … Read the rest