Who can speak and have it happen if the Lord has not decreed it? (Lamentations 3:37 NIV).
Isn’t this a comforting thought? When you are faced by words that are spoken by others that trouble your mind, think on this truth. It means that nobody can make anything happen through their words unless God has … Read the rest
In the thirtieth year, in the fourth month on the fifth day, while I was among the exiles by the Kebar River, the heavens were opened and I saw visions of God (Ezekiel 1:1 NIV).
First of all, what is recorded in the Book of Ezekiel is no fantasy or fiction or imagination. It is … Read the rest
He is holy (Psalm 99:3b NIV).
The message of Psalm 99 revolves around this glorious truth: “He is holy.”
This Psalm reminds us the fact that the Lord is King and He reigns. He sits upon His throne and He is exalted over all the nations.
Therefore we are asked to praise His great and … Read the rest
All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you (Song of Songs 4:7 NIV).
There could be many truths condensed in this one statement. Definitely it reflects the happiness of a lover in his beloved. It could be that she is perfect in every respect; all … Read the rest
So I gave you a land on which you did not toil and cities you did not build; and you live in them and eat from vineyards and olive groves that you did not plant (Joshua 24:13 NIV).
God loves to remind His people certain truths. One of them is the fact that God had … Read the rest
But David remained in Jerusalem. One evening David got up from his bed and walked around on the roof of the palace. From the roof he saw a woman bathing. The woman was very beautiful (2 Samuel 11:1b,2 NIV).
This is how the most tragic moments of David’s otherwise glorious life comes about. These verses … Read the rest
In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered (2 Samuel 2:1 NIV).
One of the chief qualities that shaped David’s life was his willingness to … Read the rest
The Lord your God himself will cross over ahead of you (Deuteronomy 31:3a NIV).
There is a change of leadership here. Moses had to step aside and Joshua was the new leader. And He was given the charge to lead the Israelites to the Promised Land.
But the important person here was neither Moses nor … Read the rest
… Read the restAfterward, Joshua read all the words of the law–the blessings and the curses–just as it is written in the Book of the Law. There was not a word of all that Moses commanded that Joshua did not read to the whole assembly of Israel, including the women and children, the aliens who lived among them
Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it (Joshua 3:4 NIV).
The way not traveled before! You may be standing at the crossroads thinking how you are going … Read the rest
No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I have made you a father of many nations” (Genesis 17:5 NIV).
What was God trying to do in Abram’s life by changing his name? The shift in meaning can explain it to a great extent. Abram means exalted father while Abraham … Read the rest
Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens (Psalm 68:19 NIV).
Burdens are not uncommon to you. Every now and then you become burdened. There are a host of things that could burden you. Sometimes you move on in life like a heavy truck being towed; a slow and … Read the rest
Now the donkeys belonging to Saul’s father Kish were lost, and Kish said to his son Saul, “Take one of the servants with you and go and look for the donkeys” (1 Samuel 9:3 NIV).
God can use the most unlikely of circumstances to get a great chain of events rolling. Here it was the … Read the rest
And the Lord said, “Yes, he has hidden himself among the baggage” (1 Samuel 10:22b NIV).
Are you hiding yourselves among the baggage today? You, who is chosen of the Lord, are supposed to come out and be at the front. Here, Saul, already anointed king by Samuel at God’s command was hiding himself among … Read the rest
“The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,” says the Lord Almighty (Haggai 2:9a NIV).
The first problem with the people of Israel was one of neglect. They had neglected the rebuilding of the temple of the Lord. God punished them by withholding blessings. Then encouraged by … Read the rest
He will not falter or be discouraged till he establishes justice on the earth (Isaiah 42:4a NIV).
With the Servant of the Lord, there is constancy to purpose. He has a purpose to accomplish on earth. And His entire focus is on the achievement of the same: It is to establish justice on the earth. … Read the rest
For as in the day of Midian’s defeat, you have shattered the yoke that burdens them, the bar across their shoulders, the rod of their oppressor (Isaiah 9:4 NIV).
May the reading of this bring you hope. For what God did in the past, He will do again for you. Here the prophet speaks about … Read the rest
I desire to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart (Psalm 40:8 NIV).
In this verse there is a prophetic reference to Jesus Christ’s passion to do God’s will (Hebrews 10:5–7). In fact, Jesus’ entire life was characterized by a desire to God’s will at all times and in all … Read the rest
Many, O Lord my God, are the wonders you have done. The things you planned for us no one can recount to you; were I to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to declare (Psalm 40:5 NIV).
Who plans for others?
Normally, parents plan for their children.
So, what does it … Read the rest
Who is this who darkens my counsel with words without knowledge? (Job 38:2 NIV).
Job spoke much in his suffering. We too speak much in our suffering. It is a natural human reaction. Quite often this kind of talk is emotionally charged.
Sometimes these speeches rage against God though those who suffer may not intend … Read the rest
Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm (Psalm 20:7,8 NIV).
It always looks impressive to have numerous chariots and horses arranged in formation. In modern language chariots and … Read the rest
… Read the restAs the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways ,” declares the Lord. “As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isaiah 55:8,9 NIV).
When your best plans fail; when your earnest prayers seem to go unanswered; … Read the rest
Let the wicked forsake his way and the evil man his thoughts. Let him turn to the Lord, and he will have mercy on him, and to our God, for he will freely pardon (Isaiah 55:7 NIV).
With God, there is compromise with sin and wickedness. According to His eternal laws, those who sin earn … Read the rest
Seek the Lord while he may be found; call on him while he is near (Isaiah 55:6 NIV).
Opportunities do not last forever. Favorable conditions may not last a lifetime. So it is wise to understand that there are seasons when God is much more near than otherwise.
He is patient; and does not give … Read the rest
The least of you will become a thousand, the smallest a mighty nation. I am the Lord; in its time I will do this swiftly (Isaiah 60:22 NIV).
There is a key to understanding the way that God’s blessing and increase comes. It is the phrase, “in its time.” There is a time that God … Read the rest
At the Lord’s command Moses recorded the stages in their journey. This is their journey by stages (Numbers 33:2 NIV).
Any journey has many stages; especially the journey of life. But is there any significance to recording the stages of that journey?
There has to be; otherwise God might not have asked Moses to do … Read the rest
… Read the restSurely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, … But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. … and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. (Isaiah 53:4a,5,6c
I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. If only you had paid attention to my commands, … (Isaiah 48:17b,18a NIV).
God makes known His concern for you by teaching you. He teaches you many things especially through His Word. … Read the rest
I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass. … From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you (Isaiah 48:3,6b NIV).
This is not an encouraging message but a rebuke from … Read the rest
