The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom (Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV).
This a favorite verse of many modern-day preachers. People … Read the rest
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
Why do you discourage the Israelites from going over into the land the Lord has given them? (Numbers 32:7 NIV).
Nearly every believer goes through discouragement at one time or the other. It can happen due to a variety of reasons. One of them is dealt with here.
The cause of this kind of discouragement … Read the rest
Phinehas son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, the priest, has turned my anger away from the Israelites; for he was as zealous as I am for my honor among them, so that in my zeal I did not put an end to them (Numbers 25:11 NIV).
Four things emerge from this incident.
The most … Read the rest
Who can discern his errors? Forgive my hidden faults. Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me. Then will I be blameless, innocent of great transgression (Psalm 19:12,13 NIV).
We live in a world which constantly tries to whitewash sin. By believing these lies about sins people go on living … Read the rest
He said: “I am going to tell you what will happen later in the time of wrath, because the vision concerns the appointed time of the end” (Daniel 8:19 NIV).
Angel Gabriel is talking to Daniel here telling him the meaning of a vision he saw. It tells us three things.
First, God alone has … Read the rest
After a long time, in the third year, the word of the Lord came to Elijah: “Go and present yourself Ahab, and I will sent rain on the land” (1 Kings 18:1 NIV).
God’s ways and the timing of His acting are all in His hands alone. His servants can act only according to His … Read the rest
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
