Short and Inspiring Meditations from the Old Testament for Daily Reading.
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 … Read the rest
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. … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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. … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
“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 … Read the rest
“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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
“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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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 … Read the rest
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. … Read the rest
“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
