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Why Do You Say Nothing About Bringing the King Back?

So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back? (2 Samuel 19:10b NIV).

Where is your king? Have you sent him away and anointed someone else to be your king?

Look at history. King David had to flee because the people of Israel had made his son Absalom king. But Absalom died in battle. And the people were left without a king.

Is this your situation today? Where is God, your King? Has He been thrown out of the throne of your heart and someone or something crowned king instead?

Remember, the romance with the new ruler of your heart won’t last long. Soon the new ruler will disappoint. The Israelites found themselves in such a situation.

They had pinned their hopes on Absalom, a handsome guy. They had fallen for his appearance and were won over by his winsome behavior. Yet the people found their throne empty.

So, how long do you think your new ruler will last? Would he be able to meet your expectations? Even though things might look promising on the outside, do not be deceived. Instead, put the rightful King back on the throne.

Now the people started talking among themselves. They looked to their past. They reminded themselves of David and what he had done for them. They remembered that it was he who fought for them and rescued them from the hands of their enemies.

So you too, now think of your past. Who rescued you from the sinful mess? Who showed you grace and mercy? Was it not God, your King? Yes, think about the past when you had crowned Him King.

Finally, do not let this opportunity slip by. This is your chance to send word to the King. Tell Him that you need Him. Ask Him to come back and occupy the throne of your heart. Say, “Welcome, my Lord and my King!”
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The Lord Our Righteousness

In his days Judah will be saved and Israel will live in safety. This is the name by which he will be called: The Lord Our Righteousness (Jeremiah 23:6 NIV).

This is a clear reference to Jesus Christ. He will be called Our Righteousness.

But what does righteousness mean? It is not easy to explain. In very simple terms, it represents someone’s ability to stand before God. Since God is holy and we are sinful it is impossible for you and me to stand before God. So there is a separation.

But this prophecy tells that when this “righteous branch,” the king of Israel shall come, He will become Our Righteousness. That means in Him will be found our ability to stand before God. It means that He will stand on our behalf before God and He will represent us before God. This is fulfilled in Jesus.

But then from the beginning of time sinful man had tried to appear before God with a righteousness of his own. Adam and Eve’s attempt to cover their nakedness using fig leaves and appear before God was the first of such attempts. But then God Himself clothed them with garments of skin.

He thus taught them that by their methods they cannot stand before Him. The sacrifice of innocent blood alone could give them a covering to protect them and enable them to stand before God.

The blood of Jesus thus covers us and removes our sin when we trust in His dying for you and me on the cross. He died to take away your punishment.

When you trust in that fact God clothes you with His own righteousness so that you will not die, but live. This is another important meaning of the name, “The Lord Our Righteousness.” In Jesus it is fulfilled.

Finally, man has always tried to stand before God by the righteous acts he performed. People made sacrifices. They gave alms, helped the poor and the needy, and went for pilgrimage and so on. But these are not enough to enable us to stand before God.

Our sin is so horrible and offensive to God. These acts, though most of them good, cannot bridge the gap between you and God. That is why God through Prophet Isaiah said: “all our righteous acts are like filthy rags.”

So, do not trust in your good deeds and go to hell. But trust in Jesus and His precious blood. That is your righteousness. It will alone enable you to stand before a Holy God.
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Then Amnon Hated Her with Intense Hatred

Then Amnon hated her with intense hatred. In fact, he hated her more than he had loved her. Amnon said to her, “Get up and get out!” (2 Samuel 13:15 NIV).

Sin in someone close to you can be such a bad and corrupting example.

David’s sin of adultery would have made his son Amnon thoughtless enough to commit sexual sin. The first lesson in this tragic story in the Bible is the bad example and consequences of one sin that spills over into the next generation too.

Secondly, we find here the fact that lust, if not checked, adds fuel to itself and keeps burning. Amnon was almost sick because of his lust. His lust was clearly forbidden by God (Ref. Leviticus 18:9).

But then his friend gives him ungodly and sinful counsel. Remember, Psalm 1 begins by saying, “Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked.” But Amnon chose to follow the wicked counsel.

You need to remember that when you lust, there will be many circumstances that work together to give you a chance to make it real. Watch against it with all alertness!

Thirdly, lust cunningly creates opportunities to give vent to itself. Amnon acts according to the wicked advice he got. The circumstances were cunningly arranged. This is so characteristic of lust.

Lust which burns in the heart will go to any length to somehow act it out. For this, lies will be made believable stories, and innocent people will be dragged to be part of the plot without ever knowing that they are becoming tools in the hands of a lust-driven man. Even the physical environment will be stage-managed to make lust act out.

Next, you find Amnon hating what he had loved. Once the lust is expressed, then what once looked so lovely and attractive becomes the object of hatred.

Remember, lust is never love. Lust is a devilish compulsion. It always burns within, but never satisfies. What the eye saw as something to be desired and had; the heart spurns in rejection once the lust is expressed. This is the great deception of sin.

Finally, know that lust can never be whitewashed. Humble yourself before God and confess to Him your own wickedness if you are burning with lust. Only God can deliver you from its trap and sin’s great deception.
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I Will Wait Until You Return

And the Lord said, “I will wait until you return” (Judges 6:18b NIV).

It is surprising to note God’s choices. He chose many who were not confident about themselves. He chose those who were afraid to step out. But he made leaders of such stuff as these.

Even today he continues to do so. You may be one like Gideon. Afraid of the enemy and hiding from them. Trying to do your work quietly.

But then God calls you. You are not sure about it. You try to tell God about the difficulty of the situation. But God tells you of the job ahead. You look at your weakness.

God sees that small measure of strength in you and says, “That much is good enough for the task ahead.” You tell God about your smallness. God counters it by telling you, “I will be with you.” He promises victory.

But then you are not still sure about God’s favor in your life. You want to do something that makes you think will earn his favor. Remember, this is your problem, not God’s.

He has called you. What more assurance do you need? But God is patient. He waited for Gideon to bring his offering.

The question to you is, “Are you keeping God waiting?” The Lord had said, “I will wait until you return.” Gideon did return.

But where are you? Are you still wondering about how God is going to help you do the work ahead? Are you delaying to make that commitment to God? Whatever it be that is delaying you, remember that God is waiting for you!

Now the fact is that Gideon had not realized that it was the Lord Himself who was speaking to him. For during that time of oppression from the enemies the people of Israel including Gideon had thought that God had abandoned them completely.

But God in His mercy was willing to step into their lives with His mighty deliverance once again even though the Israelites had forsaken him.

So also God is getting involved in your life once again. Only when Gideon came back and offered his offerings did he come to realize that He had met with the angel of the Lord.

Similarly, only if you return will your eyes be opened to see the Lord. Do not keep your God waiting!
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God-Confidence!

But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in him (Jeremiah 17:7 NIV).

Confidence is a word that is heard very much today. The world puts a great value on a confident person. They talk about self-confidence. But the Bible talks differently. It talks about God-confidence.

God Himself calls a man blessed who trusts in Him and whose confidence is in God. Such a person is compared to a tree planted by the water. That is the right environment for its growth.

Changes in climate do not cause it worry. For its roots go down deep to gather in water. This is the depth and stability of a man who has confidence in God.

On the other hand, God calls a man who trusts in man and depends on the flesh for his strength cursed. This is because he turns away from God who would have gladly sustained him and met his needs. 

The tragedy of the modern world is the same. They have turned away from God and put their confidence in men.

But the greater problem is that the Christian world is increasingly invaded and corrupted by worldly thinking. Just check your thinking patterns even as you are reading this.

Where is your confidence?

In your abilities? In your academic qualifications? In your salary? In your material possessions? In your relatives and friends? In your influence with people? You would be surprised to see that you would have said “Yes” to most of these questions, if not to all. God calls you cursed if these are the sources of your confidence.

But look at the man God calls blessed. His confidence is in God. He does not put confidence in his great tradition. Paul, in the New Testament wrote: “If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ” (Philippians 3:4b, 7 NIV). Paul was thus ready to give up his confidence in the flesh to put his confidence in God.

The most remarkable thing about a man whose confidence is in God is the way he is able to deal with difficult circumstances. When things go wrong and everything seems to fall apart, such a man stays calm. Instead of panicking and rushing here and there, he will dig his roots deeper and continue to bear fruit.
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He Will Also Send You Rain for the Seed You Sow

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful (Isaiah 30:23a NIV).

This is a promise which should put hope in the heart of all sowing God’s Word. Many times you might have been discouraged seeing no results in your ministry. Some get so discouraged that they stop sowing seeds altogether.

This is a mistake that you should not make. For some seeds lie hidden in the ground for a long time before it sprouts.

You also need to remember the many times that the Scriptures talk about the process of sowing seed. Just as the seed on the ground needs rain to make it sprout and grow, so also God’s work should happen in the hearts of men and women to make the seed of God’s Word sprout and grow in their hearts.

On the one side, there should be a human effort. You need to have a God-given burden for lost souls. You also need to pray and sow God’s Word continually.

Your work should be marked by perseverance. That means you have to keep on doing God’s work without getting discouraged: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 5:9 NIV).

Then on the other side, there is God’s blessing on your work. This is signified by the rain from heaven. The Spirit of God will work in the hearts of men and women where you have sown the seed. Then it will sprout and grow.

The promise here is that the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. This talks about multiplication. This is how God always works. That is why Jesus talked about the seed yielding a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Sometimes God uses His servants to do the watering too. For Paul said: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV).

But the point is that without the planting of the seed there is no need of watering. Therefore continue to plant seeds in hope. God will give the rain it needs and the growth too.
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May Those Who Hope in You Not Be Disgraced Because of Me

May those who hope in you not be disgraced because of me, O Lord, the Lord Almighty; may those who seek you not be put to shame because of me, O God of Israel (Psalm 69:6 NIV).

There are two possibilities for a prayer like this.

The first one can be sin. In the previous verse David talks about his folly and his guilt which is not hidden from God. When you commit folly or sin, it can ruin those who have looked up to you.

Their young faith can easily be shaken up. It can discourage someone to such an extent that he gives up fighting sin, simply because he was discouraged by your failure.

Jesus also referred to this possibility when He said: “But if anyone causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a large millstone hung around his neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea” (Matthew 18:6 NIV). Since such a serious possibility exists, you should pray an earnest prayer like David.

Secondly, in the context of the entire 69th Psalm, you have to consider another possibility for such a prayer. David talks about the troubles of his life.

He talks about his enemies who were hurting him without cause. Now when some believer sees a man like David in trouble like that, he would be discouraged to have a walk of trust and faith in the Lord.

He might think that the life of faith is full of difficulties with thorns all along the path and might be tempted to live a life of ease away from God. Now David is more concerned about this problem in this Psalm.

He prays that the troubles surrounding his life should not discourage someone else who has put his hope in God. Paul, on the other hand, had a chance to explain to his friends that what has happened to him has really served to advance the gospel (Philippians 1:12). But all may not get a chance to do so.

Therefore there is great wisdom in praying like David prayed: Let no one who hopes in God be disgraced because of me.

Finally, beyond the scope of the two reasons mentioned above, there is a third possibility. David was finding life difficult because of his zeal for God and His house (v. 9).

When you show zeal (i.e. great enthusiasm) for the Lord, it is most likely that people close to you insult you. When that happens, pray that others who hope in God, may not be discouraged by the criticism you face.
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My Spirit Remains Among You, Do Not Fear

And my Spirit remains among you. Do not fear (Haggai 2:5b NIV).

The Spirit of God can change lives in a way no man can even dream of. One of the areas of human life that the Spirit transforms is the area of fear. He drives out fear by His presence.

And in its place He gives boldness. This was shown well in the lives of Jesus’ disciples to an amazing degree. These people who shut themselves in closed rooms for fear of the Jews were now in the streets proclaiming courageously the good news that Jesus is indeed risen and He is the Messiah.

This they did before the people whom they had feared (Ref. Acts 4:13). Isn’t that amazing!

Along with it you need to note that God has not given you a spirit of timidity (shy and nervous; easily frightened, lacking confidence) (Ref. 1 Timothy 1:7). That means, you are having a lack of intimate awareness of the Spirit of God remaining in you if you are dominated by fear.

See, if the Spirit of God remains in you, fear cannot exist alongside. It is impossible. So, if you are terrified about something, better earnestly ask God to give you a deeper awareness of the Spirit of God dwelling in you.

When that awareness comes, fear has to bow low and depart. Such is the mighty power of the Holy Spirit. Therefore do not fear.

Again, know that it is the quiet assurance that the Spirit of God is in us that made the Apostle John write: “The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (Ref. 1 John 4:4). Of course the greater one shall always triumph.

This is the privilege of believers who has the Spirit of God abundantly dwelling in them. He makes them overcome fear.

Finally, look at the word “my.” God says, “My Spirit.” Let there be no doubt in your mind that the Spirit of God in you is God Himself dwelling within you. In the Old Testament times, the Spirit of God remained among the people in a general sense.

But today, your body is His temple (1 Corinthians 6:19). He fills you to dwell within. So, do not fear! Fear comes when you doubt God’s love for you (Ref. 1 John 4:18). For “There is no fear in love.”
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Thus the Work on the House of God in Jerusalem Came to a Standstill

Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia (Ezra 4:24 NIV).

Can the work being done for God come to a standstill? The answer is yes. History tells us so. But can history repeat itself? Possibly yes. Your life tells so.

Is there some work of God that you have undertaken, moving ahead? Or has it come to a standstill? If it has come to a standstill, then it is time to start work again.

For God always completes what He has begun. Therefore, if you are sure that the work begun is God’s work, then the time to start work again is now.

But first, ask yourself these questions:

Did the work come to a standstill because of opposition? If so, God is encouraging you to look up to Him. He is the Lord of the universe and nothing is too difficult for Him. He can work and complete what He began to do in spite of severe opposition. So be encouraged.

Now look at another question. Did the work come to a standstill because of your complacency? If so, know that God and His work has to come first in your life. If you have neglected His work for seeking your own comforts in life; then know that you will soon have “a purse with holes in it” (Haggai 1:6).

Therefore repent. Come back to God, and with a willing heart start working. Then the Lord will bless you and your efforts.

Again, think of this. The temple of God was being built in Jerusalem. Others knew of it. Now think. What will others who know of your work think about God when it comes to a standstill?

Will they not say: “This fellow began to build and was not able to finish” (Luke 14:30)? Will such a situation glorify God? Definitely not. So, make haste and begin to work.

Finally, know that standstills are not forever. You trust in a God who directs the heart of kings like a watercourse wherever He pleases (Ref. Proverbs 21:1)! He even moves their heart to accomplish the purposes of His heart and get the work done. Therefore rise up and build!
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Do Not Interpretations Belong to God?

Then Joseph said to them, “Do not interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams” (Genesis 40:8b NIV).

The Bible deals much about dreams. The Book of Genesis and the Book of Daniel contains many references to dreams and their interpretation. Today, there is much talk about dreams in the Christian world too.

They quote the promise in Joel which speaks of old men dreaming dreams and young men seeing visions (Ref. Joel 2:28). That is fine. But sadly what is not emphasized today is the truth proclaimed by Joseph, “Do not interpretations belong to God?” Yes, it does!

First of all, it would be good to note that the servants of God mentioned in the Bible and who had dreams, never sought to have a dream. It was given to them. This is important because we live in a generation which is obsessed with dreams and visions.

The young man Joseph had dreams. But he never prayed to have a dream given to him. But God gave it to him in order to get him ready for the purpose that He chose to work through his life for the benefit of others. Therefore, do not seek to see to a dream or a vision.

Secondly, as you look through the pages of the Bible, you will find that only those who had an intimate relationship to God and had the fear of God in their heart were given the privilege of interpreting dreams.

On the other hand, you find Pharaoh and Nebuchadnezzar, two kings who knew not God, not able to interpret dreams. Even Daniel had to seek God much in prayer to get the interpretation of dreams.

So fear of God, an intimate relationship with Him and an earnest prayer life are all needed to get the interpretations of dreams.

Thirdly, note that the Bible clearly says that each dream (which the chief cupbearer and the chief baker saw) had a meaning of its own. On the other hand, Joseph told Pharaoh that the dreams that he had were one and the same (see Genesis 41:25 and its reason in 41:32).

So, the interpreter of dreams has to have God-given wisdom to know when dreams have different meanings and when they point to the same thing.

Finally, if you look at Joseph, Daniel, or Joseph the husband of Mary; you will find that the dreams that God gave them had far reaching consequences in world history.

Surely, God has not given that kind of a role to no man or woman on earth today. You can be sure about that fact because God has given a blueprint of the outcome of human history in the pages of the Bible with its culmination in the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, King of Kings and Lord of Lords!
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As When Children Come to the Point of Birth

They told him, “This is what Hezekiah says: This day is a day of distress and rebuke and disgrace, as when children come to the point of birth and there is no strength to deliver them.” … Therefore pray for the remnant that still survives (2 Kings 19:3, 4z NIV).

This is a lesson about prayer. There comes times in life when some difficulty occurs in the fulfillment of something in your life. You may find everything work out fine till the last step.

But then you find things going wrong. That is the time when extra prayer is needed. We find this happening in this incident. Try to understand this. You will surely profit from it.

King Hezekiah was threatened by the king of Assyria, who took away much of the treasures from him. Then the Assyrian king again sent his commander with threatening messages to Hezekiah.

They even mocked him asking him as to what was the source of his confidence? And they mocked the God of Israel too. But Hezekiah had given orders to his people not to answer these threats.

Instead he took the matter to the Lord in prayer. He sent a message to Prophet Isaiah, a part of which you read as the verse above. He did this because his confidence was in God and he knew that extra prayer was needed very much then.

The imagery used here is to be noted. It is of childbirth. It is indeed a disgrace if when the moment of delivery comes, the mother does not have the strength to give birth to the child.

In practical and spiritual terms, it means the inability to see through some task which was brought near to completion. If that last thing is not done; it means that the entire effort that went before becomes meaningless.

It is like building a home and unable to fix the front door! Such kind of situations need to be taken to the Lord in prayer. You also can seek the prayer support of close friends.

When you do not trust in your own strength, but has placed your confidence in the Lord, He will surely answer your prayer. In this case, God gave an answer to King Hezekiah. He was told that the Assyrians would leave on hearing a certain report.

It happened exactly like that. God can do so in your case too. But you need to take the matter to God in prayer. Your cause will be thus upheld by God!

If you read the rest of the story you will find that there was a second threat. This time Hezekiah himself went to the temple to pray. And God answered him in an overwhelming manner. So be encouraged to pray.
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I’ll Draw Water for Your Camels Too

After she had given him a drink, she said, “I’ll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking” (Genesis 24:19 NIV).

Did not Jesus talk about going the second mile (Ref. Matthew 5:41)? What did He mean by that? Will it profit us to observe it? Meditating on the verse above might throw some light on going the second mile.

This incident in the life of Rebekah talks about an inner attitude and also a practical and cheerful way of carrying that into action. This attitude does not first think about what you are going to get. It thinks about what you can give.

Jesus came to give His life for us. That was His highest priority. God gave Jesus to us. Likewise God desires that we have a giving attitude. It is a life attitude of thinking how you can do good to others without having a selfish thought of calculating what you are going to get in return.

Now Rebekah, when asked to give a little water, gave it to Abraham’s servant. When he was satisfied, she willingly offered to draw water for his camels too.

Little did she know that what she was doing was an answer to his prayer. Little did she know that this one act of drawing water for the camels was going to take her to Isaac and the blessing of the Lord.

So, always be in an attitude of giving and doing good when that much is not expected from you. Who knows? Maybe you then become the answer to someone’s prayer! Who knows? God might use that one act from your part to bring you a greater blessing in life!

Now think about the task she performed. She drew water for ten camels. And camels can drink and store a lot of water. Just wonder how many times she might have gone to the well and brought enough water for the camels!

After that when the man asked her whether there was room in her father’s house for them to spend the night she again gives a reply which reflects her attitude. She said that they had plenty of straw and fodder as well as room for them to spend the night. See, she cared enough to put his mind at ease about his entire team as well!

The lesson that Rebekah teaches is that there are immense possibilities and blessings thrown open to you when you practice going the second mile. The rewards might come immediately; or at other times might come later in life at an unexpected time and manner. But it will surely come!
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Elijah Was Afraid and Ran for His Life

Elijah was afraid and ran for his life (1 Kings 19:3a NIV).

There are two kinds of running possible for a Christian. Both of them were exhibited in the life of Elijah within a space of 24 hours!

The first running occurred when the power of the Lord came upon him. He was then enabled to run ahead of the chariots and horses of the king.

The second running was a running away in fear. This happened when the queen threatened to kill Elijah for killing off the prophets of Baal.

If you take a look at your life, you too will find that both these kind of running occurs. If it happened in the life of one of the mightiest of prophets, why shouldn’t it happen in your life as well?

Now take a look at the first kind of running. It talks about dependence on the Spirit of God to do mighty things; things normally not possible in your own strength.

There is usually a purpose in such running. Always remember that God never meant the Christian to run on his own strength. God has planned it in such a way that He expects you to run in the strength of the Spirit of God. When you do so, He will make even the things that look impossible a possibility.

Now look at the second kind of running. It was a running away from duty. It was a running motivated by fear. You have to note that there is nothing to be ashamed of if you feel afraid. Many saints of God have felt it many times in their lives.

But your response to it is what counts. Elijah could have remembered how God enabled him to challenge 850 prophets who served idols and totally kill them off after one of God’s mighty displays of His power.

He could have reasoned that the God who did that through him would enable him to face the threat of this wicked queen also. Probably he might have been totally emotionally exhausted to think along these lines, then.

The point to be noted is that when you feel afraid and feel like running; take a moment to think of what God did through you in the past. Remember how you ran in the power of God’s Spirit. And don’t give up God’s work. He still has work for you to complete!

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But First Make a Small Cake of Bread for Me

“But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son” (1 Kings 17:13b NIV).

Giving to God is never easy. Here we find an example of a widow. She was about to prepare her last meal. Then comes Elijah. He makes a demand. He asked her to first make a small cake of bread for himself.

We have to remember that the widow knew nothing about God’s command to Elijah to be there. And Elijah only knew that God was going to provide him food through her. She was also told God’s promise that her jar of flour and jug of oil would not run dry till the Lord gave rain on the land. She obeyed.

But it is a wonder how she got the courage to act on his word! See, she was a foreigner and not an Israelite and might have only heard about the Lord of Israel.

If you were in her situation, it would have been a terrible struggle to decide whether to obey the prophet’s words.

So, giving to God is not easy; for many times you may have to decide to provide yourself with some comfort; or instead sacrifice it to give to God.

Again, giving to God means trusting God to provide. The widow, when she gave, was putting her trust in the Lord’s words through Elijah. She was ready to trust God rather than in the last meal she had.

This opened the way for God’s continual supply during the famine. It is interesting to note the fact that Jesus mentioned about this widow during one of His talks in another context (Luke 4:26). The lesson she teaches is that you too can trust in God’s provision when you give to God.

Then, there is the question of priorities. Elijah asked her to “first” make a small cake of bread for himself! Many find it difficult to give to God first. They try to manage money for all their needs first. Then they try to keep aside a portion at the end of the month to give to God.

But most of them will find that their money management finally leaves them with no money to give to God. Most of them will find themselves borrowing money too. So, if you wish to see God’s provision in your life, give to God the first and the best. Then spend on yourself from the rest.

Finally, many do not give to God because they think they don’t have much to give. This is a needless thought. Elijah told the widow to make for himself a small cake of bread from what she had! So, give a portion from whatever you have even though it might be very small. God will provide for you when you do so!
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Why This Pretense?

“Come in, wife of Jeroboam. Why this pretense? I have been sent to you with bad news” (1 Kings 14:6b NIV).

Jeroboam had a great opportunity in life. He became king with ten tribes to rule after a very symbolic prophesy by Prophet Ahijah. God even told Jeroboam that, if he obeyed Him, He would build for Jeroboam a dynasty as enduring like the one of David.

Could any many have desired a better promise from God? Yet, Jeroboam introduced idol worship and all other evils associated with it in Israel. The point to note is that God can give you great promises and great beginnings in life. But it is up to you to continue in obeying Him; and keeping yourself away from evil.

God gave warnings to Jeroboam through a prophet. But he did not change his ways. What about you? Now, Jeroboam’s son became ill. That meant he was affected very much by it. So he sends his wife to Ahijah the prophet who had told him that he would become king.

See, when you live in evil and do evil things; the willingness to go directly to God also disappears. Because fear about God’s judgment will rule your heart then. The same thing was true of Jeroboam. He was not willing to go to the prophet directly. Possibly an opportunity to repent and turn away from evil was thus closed.

So, instead of going himself, he sends his wife in disguise. This is true of all those children of God who live in sin. They try to send someone else to servants of God to know what is going to happen to them. More specifically, they would like to know what is going to happen to their future.

See, it was Jeroboam’s son who was ill. Whatever was happening to him was what was happening to Jeroboam’s future. Remember, God had promised him an enduring kingdom like that of David.

But the future was not to be; for God sees through pretenses. The disguise was of no use. The message of judgment was delivered. Jeroboam’s future was gone. Because he failed to walk in God’s ways.

The lesson for you is that no matter what promises God has given you; your future depends on your obeying God and turning away from evil.
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Babel: There the Lord Confused the Language of the Whole World

That is why it was called Babel–because there the Lord confused the language of the whole world. From there the Lord scattered them over the face of the whole earth (Genesis 11:9 NIV).

Have you ever thought about the many languages in the world? How did they all originate? Linguists are still doing a lot of research on this. Most of them are agreed that the major languages of the world do belong to a a few families of languages indicating the fact that they all had some kind of common root.

Let them study. But let us believe. Yes, let us believe what God has plainly written for us in His Word. He confused the language of the whole world. Before that the whole world had one language and a common speech (see verse 1).

But then the question is why did God do that? It was because of man’s rebellion against God. And it was the first organized rebellion. It was not just about building a city or a tower; there was something more to it.

They did not want to be scattered and they wanted to make a name for themselves. But where was God in all their plans? Were they trying to escape another flood of God’s judgment by building a tower?

Whatever be it, they were trying to set up their own kingdom on earth apart from God. Therefore, God intervened.

If He had not done so, the evil they would have attempted in later years would have surpassed the evil that existed before the flood of Noah’s time. And God would have been compelled to destroy all life a second time; maybe in another manner.

Now, when the language got confused they got scattered around the face of the whole earth. But God still had a plan for all of them. We find a glimpse of His plan during the day of Pentecost.

As the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit; they began to speak in other tongues (languages). “God-fearing Jews from every nation from under heaven” had gathered together there. And each one heard the message in their own language. This was God’s first act of breaking the language barrier to proclaim His salvation.

Again, God’s plans are for the people of all languages. His salvation and redemption through the blood of Jesus comes to people of all languages (see Revelation 5:9, 7:9). Then the confusion of Babel will give way to unanimous and joyous shouts of “Hallelujah!” (see Revelation 19:6) in heaven!
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Ebed-Melech: Because You Trust in Me

“Go and tell Ebed-Melech the Cushite … `I will save you; you will not fall by the sword but will escape with your life, because you trust in me, declares the Lord’ ” (Jeremiah 39:16a, 18 NIV).

This message was important because it came to Jeremiah even while he was kept a prisoner in the courtyard of the guard. Now what was so special about Ebed-Melech?

He was a Cushite; a foreigner. And he was an official in the king’s palace. But was that all? Why did God remember him?

It was because he spoke up to help Jeremiah when the prophet’s own people had put him into a cistern full of mud where he sank down. He himself got permission from the king and went in person with a team of men to help Jeremiah out of that pit!

Why did he do that? The above verse tell us the reason. He trusted in God, the God of Israel. That made him take a bold step in saving God’s prophet even though many powerful people were swinging the king’s heart against Jeremiah at that time.

Saving Jeremiah was not just an act of kindness. It was much more than that since it came from a foreigner. It was his trust in God that made him do it. What kind of difference does trust in God make in your life? Does it stir you to action when it is needed the most?

As you look at Ebed-Melech, you will find him being rewarded by God in a very special way. The word of the Lord then came to Jeremiah, “Go and tell Ebed-Melech.”

Let this be a lesson to you. God remembers your acts of kindness towards His servants. God acknowledges your trust in Him. Ebed-Melech was told that his life was going to be spared even when God was sending disaster to their midst. He was promised that he will not fall by the sword of the enemies.

Maybe God’s word to you may not exactly be the same. But the point to be noted is that God does acknowledge your trust in Him and your act of kindness prompted by that. So continue to trust God and do good.
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Separate Those Who Lap the Water

So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues like a dog from those who kneel down to drink” (Judges 7:5 NIV).

Many come to serve God. But God does not choose all. He first of all finds those who are wavering because of fear. They are sent back.

Then again He continues to sift. He has His own methods to find out who belongs to His army and who does not. Here He asked Gideon to take them down to the water. He asked Gideon to keep with him the men who lapped the water with their tongue.

What is the point here? Why were those who knelt down to drink sent back? Those who lapped the water with their tongues had God’s priorities in mind even when they were satisfying their need. They knew that they were going on a divine mission to fight the Midianites.

That thought was uppermost in their minds. They did not allow even a basic need of satisfying their thirst distract them from the duty at hand. Remember that all of them had courage. That is why they passed the first selection. But then a great majority (97%) failed in the second test of priorities.

The important thing for you to note is that God is continuing His sifting process even today. But He does not announce to you beforehand that you are being taken to a test.

Therefore, if you wish to serve God, you have to be ever alert to such possibilities. Otherwise you will be left behind. You will then lose the privilege of serving God.

But there is still another sad truth to face. Those who pass the test will take over your provisions and trumpets (v.8). So when God passes on the responsibilities to others, you lose much in the process.

Therefore never lose sight of God’s priorities. If you do so, you will satisfy your need but lose the privilege of serving God. The times are difficult. And God needs men and women who are always alert to His priorities above their own needs.

Are you one lapping the water like a dog or are you one who kneels down to drink? The first shows an attitude of readiness and alertness; the second the attitude of easy-going self-mindedness. The choice is always yours. But the sifting belongs to God.
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Get Ready to Cross the Jordan River

Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give them–to the Israelites (Joshua 1:2 NIV).

The first instruction after Moses was dead was: “Get ready.” The Promised Land had to be conquered. The people were told to get ready to conquer it.

They were not asked to look back and think that Moses, their great leader, was not with them now. Instead they were given a forward vision. They were asked to get ready.

God is giving you the same instruction today. You have a task ahead. You are to get ready to accomplish that. The time of wandering in the desert is over. The time of God providing for you in miraculous ways are over.

Now is the time of surging ahead. Now is the time to obey God in a new dimension of faith. Now is the time to travel a way you have not traveled before. Therefore, get ready!

Again, God is not taking you through an easy route. He is telling you plainly that you have got to cross the Jordan River. The Promised Land lies beyond that. But you can see with your eyes that the Jordan is at flood stage during harvest time.

Don’t waver; for it is God’s command. When you get ready He will tell you how to cross it. You are not supposed to worry about it and not prepare. That could be a costly mistake. Get ready first; then God will show the way and lead you on.

The great tragedy in today’s Christian world is that people are living in complacency. They are not ready to break camp and move forward. People want to have blessings and stay where they are.

But God says to you today to get ready. You are to cross the Jordan. And pass on to the Promised Land. Conquests await you there.

But that is where true rewards come for obeying God. There lies the path of duty. It is there that you are going to learn the secrets of victory. Get ready to enjoy it. Once again, hear what God says, “Get ready!”
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Like an Eagle That Stirs Up Its Nest

He guarded him as the apple of his eye, like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions (Deuteronomy 32:10z, 11 NIV).

God cares for you. He cared for Jacob and his descendants like guarding the apple of His eye. Such tender care is shown to all those who trust in Him.

But the method of His care is surprising. He stirs up the nest in which you have found comfort and rest so far. He does so like an eagle. Why does an eagle do that? It is to teach the eaglets to fly.

Is God stirring your nest today? Take heart, it is His method of caring for you. You might be disturbed that your familiar surroundings are being shaken.

You might be afraid that you will fall. But can’t you feel the wind in your wings? Can’t you feel the strength in your wings; which you never had experienced before?

Now as you fly, you may not see God. Don’t get discouraged. He is hovering over you. Like fighter planes accompanying a plane carrying a VIP, God is above you; guarding you and watching over you every moment.

But then, after the initial excitement of flying, you feel your wings tiring. You probably lose height and speed. That is when you are terrified. You can’t see your nest. All what you see is the height at which you are flying and probably the rocks below.

You shudder inside. And think that it was foolishness to get out of the nest in the first place. But then you had no choice. It was God who pushed you out.

Even as you lose strength, you suddenly feel strength again. But wait a second. You are doing nothing now; yet you are still in the air. Wow! God has come underneath you and is carrying you.

Think of it. The mighty God is showing you that He cares enough to carry you in His wings!

The lesson is that there are many nests that you find rest in. But God does not leave you there always. He wants you to fly. He knows when the time is right.

Trust Him when He is stirring your nest; and step out. In moments when you lose strength; He will carry you!
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I Will Make You into a Threshing Sledge, New and Sharp

See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth. You will thresh the mountains and crush them, and reduce the hills into chaff … But you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel (Isaiah 41:15, 16b NIV).

God is a God of possibilities. He changes you so much to enable you to take up new challenges in life. He promises to give you a sharpness that is required to excel.

This gift to you will enable you to rise above those who oppose you and it will crush them. Are you able to see these possibilities? God is asking you to see them today!

And when He makes you into a threshing sledge; He makes it new and sharp. God will cause a newness to come to your life. It will restore vigor to you. You will be enabled to do the required task.

He will cause you to go ahead with full energy. He will equip you with skills required. This is God’s answer of help to your thoughts of inferiority and worthlessness. Even now He is doing a mighty work in your heart to make you a new and sharp instrument fit for the work ahead.

The impact of God’s work in your life will be known. Those who opposed you will be as nothing. Even when you search for them they will not be found.

But remember that it is not your ability that is creating this kind of an impact. It is God’s awesome work in your life that brings such a glorious result. Believe today that in God it is possible.

And when it happens it will be a time of great rejoicing. God will cause you have happiness in Him. You will praise His glorious name and acknowledge that God made it all possible. This is something not to be forgotten.

In moments of happiness do not forget the One who made it possible for you. Rejoice in Him and may you glory in the Holy One of Israel.
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Do Not Be Afraid, O Worm Jacob, O Little Israel

“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 feeling like a worm today.

You think yourself unworthy to receive the kindnesses of the Lord. You think you are despised by others. You would like to crawl and hide in the dirt like a worm. But even there your God sees you. And He does not despise you.

Instead He reminds you of who He is. He is your Redeemer who will deliver you from all evil. He is the Holy One.

You need to remember that these two titles of Redeemer and Holy One are not used of any other person than the Lord God of Israel. You are asked to think of how great your God is!

So instead of focusing on your weakness; count yourself privileged to look to God. Let His greatness and His willingness and tremendous ability to help you fill your mind.

That is exactly what God is promising here. He says that He Himself will help you. Your situation might seem so hopeless. But remember your Redeemer. He is going to help you. Your littleness does not make Him forget you.

He will not bypass you just because others don’t value you. Even when others don’t treat you with respect and often make you feel worthless; your God takes note of you. He will help you; for you are of great worth in His eyes. So do not be afraid.

Perhaps your greatest difficulty is that you are trembling with fear. Maybe there are many who oppose you and make you afraid. But God says to you today, “Do not be afraid.”

See, God is telling you this because He loves you. He never despises you even though you feel like a worm. Even when you think of your own littleness; God is telling you that you are precious in His eyes.

He cares so much that He would first like to breathe confidence into you. So He says, “Do not be afraid.” Be of good cheer, your God will also help you!
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He Who Made You, Who Formed You in the Womb

“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 see a baby growing in the womb. All this is amazing.

But more amazing is God’s statement that He fashioned you in the womb. Science may not proclaim this truth. But in God’s eyes your birth was not just a biological process. His hand shaped you; the one chosen by Him.

Therefore He knows you like none else. He knows your strengths. More than that He knows your failings. You as you are is not a surprise to Him for He fashioned you in the womb.

Therefore in your weak moments when you feel helpless quieten your mind in His presence. And allow the truth of the thought that God knows all about you to sink into your mind’s depths. That can bring you a calm assurance.

Further, God is saying to you that He will help you. For you are His chosen one. Therefore do not be afraid. He will yet do a mighty work in your life through His Spirit. God is thus pointing you to look to the future work He will do in your life.

To assure you its certainty, God reminds you of the fact that it was He who made you in the womb. The past of your life and its very first beginnings are His work. If He began; He will also complete. He will help you.

Today, God wants you to listen to the truth of His knowledge of you. Every muscle and every bone of yours was shaped by Him. He who fashioned your life will fashion its continuance too. His blessing will come; for you are His chosen one!

Now look at Jacob. He was the chosen one (Romans 9:11–13). But was he perfect? Not at all. His life was a game of deception. He was a deceiver from the very beginning; and he also was deceived in later life many times.

Yet God transformed him from being Jacob (deceiver) to Israel. From him came the twelve sons; the founding fathers of the tribes of Israel. Likewise God will help you too and do a mighty transforming work in your life; for you are His chosen one!
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You Are My Witnesses

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 on can witness to anything that he has no knowledge about. God is inviting you to know Him; believe in Him and understand that He alone is God.

He wants you to know His power and celebrate with awe and reverence the truth that He alone is God and there is none other than He. This knowledge helps you to become His witnesses.

If this knowledge is absent; when people cross-question (for example, “How intimately do you know God?) you, you will be found speechless.

Secondly, when God says, “You are My witnesses,” He is reminding you of your responsibility. For some reason known to God alone He has put the burden of telling others about Himself to His children. That includes you.

So God is reminding you today of your responsibility. God wants to demonstrate through your life and actions that He is God. He would like the world to know that He is a God who acts; and when He acts no one can reverse it.

He would like to demonstrate it to the world through your life. A changed life spreading God’s light in this world is the best witness indeed!

Finally, when God says, “You are My witnesses,” He is telling you to communicate the truth. The disciples of Jesus were not silent when they were asked to be His witnesses.

Of course, they were given power to do it (Acts 1:8) when the Holy Spirit came on them. That same power is available to you today. Then the question is what should you witness to?

The answer is found in the lips of the disciples themselves. They said repeatedly that they were bearing witnesses to His (Jesus’) resurrection from the dead (Acts 1:22, 2:32, 3:15, 4:33 and so on).

That is the message you are carry to others. Tell them that Jesus lives. Yes, He died for their sins, but now He lives for ever!
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You Shall Not Covet

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 he had read them he commented thus with a note of surprise and discovery: “The last one which forbids coveting includes everything!”

He saw what we Christian’s often fail to see. The last commandment includes everything in its scope. The problem with us is that for brevity we read only the phrase, “Do not covet” in our Church services. So we are not made aware of how far-reaching this commandment is.

Now what exactly is coveting? It is having a strong desire to have something; especially which belongs to someone else. Though God honors desires when you delight in Him (Psalm 37:4), He does not allow you to desire what belongs to someone else. That kind of a wrong desire leads to sin.

For example, King David became guilty of adultery and murder. But he would have been stopped from committing these sins had he remembered this commandment of not coveting.

When he sent messengers to find out who the woman was, they came and told him that she was the wife of Uriah. At least then he should have realized that he was coveting and violating the tenth commandment. Its violation led to the violation of other commandments as well.

Another reason for coveting is not being satisfied with what God has given you. This dissatisfaction leads to envy. When you become envious you are never able to take your thoughts off what is your neighbor’s.

And then it troubles you. And you think of how you can get what is someone else’s. So be content in life with what God has graciously given you.

Also note the fact that God asked David this question through Nathan the prophet: “And if all this had been too little, I would have given you more. Why did you despise the word of the Lord by doing what is evil in his eyes” (2 Samuel 12:8z, 9a)?

David might have been discontented about what God had already given him. So avoid dissatisfaction in life and be content. Do not covet!
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Break Camp and Advance

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 they make it their base where they can plan to move forward.

Others, who like to enjoy their rest miss God’s biggest plans for their lives. They fail to see that God has marked out the Christian’s race to be one of progress; not of standing still.

You can be sure that God gives seasons of refreshing and rest. But then soon you will hear His voice saying: “You have stayed long enough at this mountain.” Are you hearing that voice today?

You might also note that Horeb represented the Presence of God. It might seem good to you to be near the mountain where God’s presence is seen. But God does not wish to make it a permanent camp for you.

He tells you to break camp and advance. His Presence will still go with you. Do not love too much the security of resting quietly in God’s presence. He is stirring your cozy nest like an eagle stirs the nest where its young ones are. His command is to break camp.

But then breaking camp is for a purpose. It is to cause you to advance. God has already planned for you. But you need to go forward and take possession what He has kept for you. You need to look forward. You need to take one step at a time.

His guidance will of course be there. But unless you move His guidance will not come. To advance means to leave behind your place of rest. It means a lot of struggle too.

That truth has also been mentioned here. They were asked to advance into the hill country of the Amorites and other neighboring peoples. That meant that they had a tough terrain to conquer. It was the hill country.

It meant hard work. Then they had to fight the enemies. That meant battle. So advancing meant conquering rough country as well as ruthless enemies. Not an easy job at all.

But God’s command is still the same. You have stayed long enough here. Now break camp and advance!
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Forming an Alliance, but Not by My Spirit

“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 carefully and with much prayer. Here, it talks about the stubbornness of the Israelites.

They refused to change their attitude towards wrong alliances. God had clearly warned them not to make alliances that were not according to His plans. But they were unwilling to listen.

Here lies the danger. It is not the absence of warning that is the problem; for God always warns us when we are about to enter into wrong alliances. But the problem is our refusal to listen to Him.

Know for sure that God does not acknowledge alliances made without His approval. He calls them plans that are not His. The question is, “Are you stubborn enough to go ahead with your plans without God?”

Another most important element is the role of the Spirit of God in your alliances. When godly alliances are made, the Spirit of God will give His approval. His favor and blessing will rest on it. He will cause things to work out for your good.

But when you make plans that are not from God and make alliances without His consent; then you will find God fighting against you. For example, God destroyed the fleet of trading ships of the godly King Jehoshaphat because he made an alliance with Ahaziah king of Israel, who was guilty of wickedness (2 Chronicles 20:35-37)!

Finally, you have to note that God sees your making alliances without His consent as “heaping sin upon sin.” To depend on man’s strength is sin in God’s eyes.

Instead you should learn to depend on God. You should learn to consult God in important matters of decision though there is nothing wrong to receive help from others. But trusting them instead of God, like the Israelites who trusted in Egypt and Pharaoh’s protection, is sin.

Therefore make plans by consulting God. Make alliances that has got the approval of the Spirit of God. Then you will have success in life.
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As They Pass Through the Valley of Baca

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 Psalmist talks about the blessedness of those who dwell in God’s house in the beginning of this Psalm. He even envies the sparrow and swallow who found a place near God’s altar.

But then he focuses on those who come to God’s house from far away. He tells us that they are strengthened in their journey to God’s house because God is their strength. Therefore they are blessed.

The man who has God as his strength is on a pilgrimage. He is always on a journey which moves him closer to God. He is one who has no confidence in himself; but only in God who strengthens Him. He draws strength from God.

And he has his heart set on this journey. That means that he has firmly decided to complete this journey. No distractions or other duties thrust upon him can take his eyes away from his pilgrimage towards God and His house.

The Psalmist here talks about the Valley of Baca. It is also known as the Valley of Weeping or the Valley of Tears. He points out that the pilgrim passes through this valley.

It is said that there was some difficult valley in Israel through which people had to pass to reach Zion; where the tabernacle of God stood. This valley had such hardships that it was named the Valley of Weeping. Pilgrims may not have an easy journey of faith. They might pass through difficult times.

Yet it is pointed out that these pilgrims make that valley a place of springs. They are not discouraged by the difficulties there. Instead, they made provisions of storing water. They might have dug wells there.

Likewise, if you are journeying towards God, you can turn places of difficulty into places of blessing. This can happen if your strength is in God.

Further, it says that the autumn rains also cover it with pools. That means that these pilgrims were assisted on their journey by provision of rain water from above. It talks about God’s grace which comes from above, and His encouragement that meets your needs in your journey. It refreshes you and helps you move forward.

Finally, the Psalmist points out that God gives much strength to those whose strength are in Him. It is an endless supply. This enables them to complete their journey. They will appear before God in Zion.

Dear child of God walking as a pilgrim; know that God is your strength. In spite of your difficulties He will strengthen you to appear before Him. You will complete your journey of faith.

And He will strengthen you along the way and give you grace to turn your places of difficulty into places of blessing!
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Because They Have Not Followed Me Wholeheartedly

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 God and conquering it. It causes you to think of going back to old habits and ungodly ways of the past. It makes you talk discouraging words to your fellow-believer and cause him also to lose courage.

It leads you to the very edge of what God has promised; but will not allow you to enjoy what God has already given you. Finally, it makes you wander around for many years instead of reaching God’s promised destination for you in your life. These are the results of not following God wholeheartedly.

But is there a better way? There is. To know God means to follow Him. You cannot have a relationship with God and not follow Him. He leads and you are to follow. And there is a better manner of following. It is to follow God wholeheartedly.

Such followers look to God for their strength. They see giants of the land and say that with God’s help they can conquer them. They are focused on God and not on the obstacles that are in their way.

And such people are specially noted by God and rewarded. Joshua and Caleb were two such people who enjoyed the favor of God on their lives because they followed God wholeheartedly.

Following God is an exciting adventure. It is an adventure of faith. God always shows you a Promised Land. He wants you to get there and enjoy His blessings.

There are battles ahead for sure. And there are enemies to be conquered. But when you follow God wholeheartedly all this can be accomplished. You can ask, “How can I be sure about it?” Good question.

The answer is that God Himself goes before those who follow Him wholeheartedly and fights the battles for them. So, be encouraged today and decide to follow your God wholeheartedly.
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The Means of Turning the Israelites Away from the Lord

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 your life.

In this incident recorded here, God had asked the Israelites to take vengeance on the Midianites. This was because they deceived the Israelites by making them commit sexual immorality with their women.

When they had thus trapped the Israelites they also invited them to worship their gods. They relied on this deception when their earlier attempts to curse the Israelites through a prophet named Balaam had ended with him pronouncing a blessing on them instead of a curse.

God sent a plague against the Israelites for their sin and in one day 24,000 died because of sexual immorality.

Now when God asked the Israelites to take vengeance on the Midianites they did so. But they spared all the women. Moses became angry with them and pointed out that it was those women who had turned them away from the Lord. They were not to be spared.

In your battle against sin how often do you spare the things and influences that turn you away from the Lord? This kind of soft attitude towards it can cause your ruin.

In fact, you should remember that you are having a kind of unholy alliance with such influences. They not only defile you but also lead you to greater sins.

Finally, they turn you to the worship of other gods and idols. So be very careful. See that you are not tolerating evil influences in your life.

Another important thing to note is that these women had tempted the Israelites and led them into sin on the advice of Balaam. He could not put a curse on the Israelites because God had blessed them.

So he acted deceptively and made the Midianite women cause Israel to sin.

You whom God has blessed take warning. No one can put a curse on you because God has blessed you. But they can deceive you through sinful influences.

So be warned. And do not play with or have soft attitude towards any sinful influence that turns you away from the Lord.
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