But those who stumbled are armed with strength (1 Samuel 2:4b NIV).
Stumbling can occur through external sources. For example, you can stumble when you hit your foot against a stone. Stumbling can also occur due to internal weakness. For example, when some muscles or tendons get sprained you can stumble.
In the life of … Read the rest
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned (Isaiah 9:2 NIV).
This prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus walked the shores of Galilee. But this great light continues to shine even today. The simple question is, “Have you seen this … Read the rest
The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word” (1 Samuel 3:21 NIV).
These are days of signs and miracles and wonders. Most people think that God reveals Himself to them through such great happenings. It is true that God at times does reveal Himself in such … Read the rest
Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the Lord says: You will neither see wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water (2 Kings 3:16b, 17a NIV).
God performs miracles only where there is expectation. Even when the need is pressing, many fail to expect God to do something … Read the rest
Let us start rebuilding (Nehemiah 2:18c NIV).
God is offering you an opportunity today. He is giving you a chance to rebuild your life. Whatever may have caused your life to lie in ruins, God is now inviting you to rebuild your life.
He is with you in this huge effort. Do not look at … Read the rest
Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength (Nehemiah 8:10z NIV).
It is simple. Joy comes from God. His presence is full of joy and it radiates to you from there.
Joy cannot be bought. It is a gift from above. It cannot be imitated. If you try to do so … Read the rest
Nevertheless in their presumption they went up toward the high hill country, though neither Moses nor the ark of the Lord’s covenant moved from the camp (Numbers 14:44 NIV).
Presumption is dangerous in Christian living. It puts you in trouble and brings sorrow. But what is presumption? It is acting on what you think is … Read the rest
We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them (Numbers 13:33b NIV).
Inferiority at first sight! This is what happened to the majority of leaders who went to explore the land of Canaan. They saw giants there who were stronger and more powerful than they.
But was not their … Read the rest
I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name (Isaiah 45:3 NIV).
Anxious tomorrows can say goodbye when God makes this promise come true for you; for He is summoning you by … Read the rest
The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights (Habakkuk 3:19a NIV).
There are different sources from which we draw our strength from. Some find strength in the comfort and company of relatives and friends, or in the fellowship of … Read the rest
His ways are eternal (Habakkuk 3:6z NIV).
Timelessness. That is what in human terms “eternal” means. We cannot think without hours and days and months and years. But God is not at all limited by our thinking. His ways are eternal. They are not bound by time.
To God our past, present and future is … Read the rest
Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will hear” (Isaiah 65:24 NIV).
Have you ever felt that the sky is like a bronze shield preventing your prayers from reaching heaven?
Have you ever felt that your prayers are falling into empty nothingness; reaching nowhere?
Have you ever felt no joy … Read the rest
Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you” (Isaiah 35:3,4 NIV).
Fear! There might be no Christian who at some point in his life … Read the rest
Should I not be concerned about that great city (Jonah 4:11z NIV)?
This question was originally addressed to Jonah. But God is asking you the same question today. You may ask why is God asking you this question. It is the same reason why God asked it to Jonah.
See, Jonah was concerned about a … Read the rest
He relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:13z NIV).
Are you fearful of God’s judgment falling on you? If yes, then there is still hope. God can relent from sending calamity. The word “relent” means agreeing to something finally after initially refusing.
It also means a softening of attitude. So, there is a possibility that God … Read the rest
Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3 NIV).
PRESS ON. These two words hold in them the essence of effective Christian living. … Read the rest
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:2 NIV).
When you return to the Lord, He welcomes you back in very special ways. There is a initial waiting period that marks this occasion. This is a kind of second … Read the rest
Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1 NIV).
There is always the welcome opportunity to return to the Lord. You should not wait any longer to go back to Him. His … Read the rest
This is from the Lord (Genesis 24:50b NIV).
There is perhaps no other chapter in the Bible where God’s personal loving guidance is seen with greater clarity than in this chapter. When Laban and Bethuel had heard the story of how God had guided Abraham’s servant to Rebekah, they said: “This is from the Lord.”… Read the rest
After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah (2 Chronicles 32:1a NIV).
After something done well, people are usually rewarded. This should be especially true when you do something faithfully. But contrary to expectations, Hezekiah finds himself in a difficult situation.
He might have wondered why God … Read the rest
Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it (Genesis 28:16b NIV).
The setting sun, sleep, a stone for a pillow and a strange place. These were the settings for Jacob’s encounter with God in a dream. It was quite different from modern stage-managed performances.
But God manifested His presence … Read the rest
This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine (Genesis 41:36 NIV).
God gave Joseph knowledge about the coming famine and the specific number of years it would last. … Read the rest
There above it stood the Lord …. (Genesis 28:13a NIV).
Jacob’s dream of a ladder or stairway is famous.
To kids, the ascending and descending angels on the ladder holds great fascination. Even when they grow old, the childhood memories are not forgotten. That is the reason why so many people remember the angels when … Read the rest
Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north, south, east and west. All the land you see I will give to you and your offspring forever (Genesis 13:14b, 15 NIV).
Lot, Abram’s nephew and traveling companion, had just parted company. He had chosen a well watered land. And Abram was now standing … Read the rest
Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard that I have spoken against this place and its people … and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord (2 Kings 22:19 NIV).
“Because your heart was responsive!” Can God … Read the rest
The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! (2 Kings 13:17b NIV).
The first thing to note is that God has given the arrows of victory into your hands. You need to act with it now. They are meant to be used.
In this passage, Elisha the prophet asked the king of … Read the rest
But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9 NIV).
If this call never came! What would have happened? Think about it. Hope would die; killed instantaneously and without mercy.
“Where are you?” Most of us would dread such a call from God. It is true that He calls out to … Read the rest
Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:22 NIV).
“He brought her to the man.” This is a simple truth to be remembered. It was God who brought the woman to man. There is a solemnity about … Read the rest
Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need (Psalm 79:8 NIV).
We need to think much about this. Especially when we find certain kinds of illnesses or afflictions of both body and mind continue to torment families from generation … Read the rest
But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory (1 Chronicles 11:14 NIV).
Sometimes, it so happens, that all desert you when the enemies come. So it happened with David and Eleazer, one of David’s mighty men.… Read the rest
