| Theme: A Rebellious Prayer |
| Focus on: Jonah |
| Reading Portion(s): Jonah 4 |
| – Important Background Information | |
| – Helps you find strength in God |
| What this article teaches you |
| We rarely pray when we are angry. That is because we will be in no mood to pray. We try to vent that anger somewhere else. |
| Theme: A Prayer When Afraid |
| Focus on: Jacob |
| Reading Portion(s): Genesis 32 |
| – Important Background Information | |
| – Helps you find strength in God |
| What this article teaches you |
| There is no man on earth who has never been afraid. Even the bravest and the strongest and the most fearless of men at times |
“Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you,” declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:14 NIV).
God sees into you much better than you do. He sees how you think about yourself in certain seasons of life. He knows that you are … Read the rest
“This is what the Lord says–he who made you, who formed you in the womb and who will help you. Do not be afraid, O Jacob, my servant, Jeshurun, whom I have chosen” (Isaiah 44:2 NIV).
The world of science opens our eyes to wonders not known so far. Through latest technology people can even … Read the rest
You are my witnesses (Isaiah 43:10a NIV).
God repeats this statement in quick succession twice (Isaiah 43:12 and 44:8). That means God meant it to be taken very seriously indeed. So what does it mean?
First of all it means that you need to have an intimate knowledge of God. This is important because no … Read the rest
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife. You shall not set your desire on your neighbor’s house or land, his manservant or maidservant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor (Deuteronomy 5:21 NIV).
A non-Christian friend once asked to be shown where the ten commandments where located in the Bible. When … Read the rest
The Lord our God said to us at Horeb, “You have stayed long enough at this mountain. Break camp and advance into the hill country of the Amorites … ” (Deuteronomy 1:6, 7a NIV).
Achievers for God don’t sit still for ever. They press forward. They do not make victories an occasion for rest. But … Read the rest
“Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the Lord, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin (Isaiah 30:1 NIV).
Alliances play an important role in life. They can help you or cause your ruin. So one should enter into alliances very … Read the rest
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion (Psalm 84:5–7 NIV).
The … Read the rest
Because they have not followed me wholeheartedly … (Numbers 32:11a NIV).
Half-heartedly following God is dangerous. It causes you to have puny (small and weak) faith. It cannot take God at His word and act on what He has commanded. I
t looks at obstacles and trembles in fear instead of looking at a big … Read the rest
They were the ones who followed Balaam’s advice and were the means of turning the Israelites away from the Lord in what happened at Peor, so that a plague struck the Lord’s people (Numbers 31:16 NIV).
Influences that turn you away from the Lord are everywhere. God commands you not to tolerate such influences in … Read the rest
At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty … the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty (Isaiah 18:7 NIV).
Is God in need of gifts from men? Certainly not. For God says, “The world is mine and all that is in it” … Read the rest
“They will pass through the sea of trouble; the surging sea will be subdued … I will strengthen them in the Lord and in his name they will walk,” declares the Lord (Zechariah 10:11a, 12 NIV).
The path of God’s restoration passes through the sea of trouble. Though the sea is vast and mighty, God … Read the rest
Therefore let everyone who is godly pray to you while you may be found; surely when the mighty waters rise, they will not reach him. You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:6, 7 NIV).
David talked about the blessedness of being forgiven … Read the rest
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? Why are you so far from saving me, so far from the words of my groaning? (Psalm 22:1 NIV).
We love a God who delivers us from evil or pain. But we cry out to a God who seems far away. The cry of a forsaken … Read the rest
Bring to the priest a sheaf of the first grain you harvest. He is to wave the sheaf before the Lord so it will be accepted on your behalf; the priest is to wave on the day after the Sabbath (Leviticus 23:10b, 11 NIV).
God had hidden a beautiful truth in this simple ceremony. This … Read the rest
Then they are to take some of the blood and put it on the sides and tops of the doorframes of the houses where they eat the lambs (Exodus 12:7 NIV).
Imagine that you were part of that group of Israelites during that time. Imagine as you watched the elders in the family, probably the … Read the rest
Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend (1 Chronicles 27:33b NIV).
It would surprise you to note this. In this section in this book it is the names of people who were the officials of David that has been recorded. All of them were included because of their position.
But this one man’s name was … Read the rest
Moses reported this to the Israelites, but they did not listen to him because of their discouragement and cruel bondage (Exodus 6:9 NIV).
Good news is not always welcomed. This was the case with the Israelites. God had told them through Moses that He was going to deliver them. At first, they bowed down and … Read the rest
Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him (Psalm 2:12 NIV).
See Jesus in a different light. He can be angry. His wrath can flare up in a moment. Does this surprise … Read the rest
Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision (Joel 3:14 NIV).
What a day this is going to be! The numbers cannot be counted. They all stand awaiting their judgment at the hand of a righteous God. This shall take place in the … Read the rest
When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt” (Exodus 13:17 NIV).
The shorter route is not the best one always. In God’s eyes the shorter … Read the rest
Then Moses cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a piece of wood. He threw it into the water, and the water became sweet (Exodus 15:25 NIV).
The place where this happened was Marah which means bitter. The occasion was just three days after the Israelites had crossed the Red sea on … Read the rest
But I know that the king of Egypt will not let you go unless a mighty hand compels him (Exodus 3:19 NIV).
God is concerned for you. He has already dispatched His message to deliver you from whatever is holding you in bondage and slavery. But that does not mean that the king of Egypt … Read the rest
From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I (Psalm 61:2 NIV).
Have you called to God? If not, this is the time to do so. It is when you are overwhelmed by life’s troubles, doubts, and … Read the rest
With flattery he will corrupt those who have violated the covenant, but the people who know their God will firmly resist him (Daniel 11:32 NIV).
Evil has its own ways of getting things done. Here it talks about an evil person who corrupts people through flattery. Nice talk which is insincere was, and still is, … Read the rest
His armed forces will rise up to desecrate the temple fortress and will abolish the daily sacrifice. Then they will set up the abomination that causes desolation (Daniel 11:31 NIV).
There is something past and something future in this verse. Therefore it is important.
The person referred to here is Antiochus Ephiphanes, who caused great … Read the rest
… Read the restThe Lord said to Moses, “Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live.” So Moses made a bronze snake and put it upon a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived (Numbers 21:8,
When Joseph came to them the next morning, he saw that they were dejected. So he asked Pharaoh’s officials who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so sad today?” (Genesis 40:6, 7 NIV).
Joseph was a man with character. He was genuinely concerned for others. This quality stood … Read the rest
Yet I reserve seven thousand in Israel–all whose knees have not bowed down to Baal and all whose mouths have not kissed him (1 Kings 19:18 NIV).
There has been no time like ours in world history. This is a time of great moral failure, rebellion, materialism, and idolatry in the human heart like never … Read the rest
