Moment of Birth and Not Give Delivery?

“Do I bring to the moment of birth and not give delivery?” says the Lord. “Do I close up the womb when I bring to delivery?” says your God (Isaiah 66:9 NIV).

This is a question that we need to give careful thought to. It reveals one important characteristic of God’s dealing with His children.… Read the rest

A Wife of Noble Character

A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies … Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised (Proverbs 31:10,30 NIV).

A wife of noble character. She is a young man’s dream. No scheming of his can bring him … Read the rest

The Lord God Almighty Is His Name

He who forms the mountains, creates the wind, and reveals his thoughts to man, he who turns dawn to darkness, and treads the high places of the earth–the Lord God Almighty is his name (Amos 4:13 NIV).

Look at the myriad works of God. He forms the mountains. They are a tower of strength. Full … Read the rest

Prepare to Meet Your God

Therefore this is what I will do to you, Israel, and because I will do this to you, prepare to meet your God, O Israel (Amos 4:12 NIV).

This is a direct challenge. It calls you to prepare to meet your God. He is going to strike in greater judgments than so far seen. The … Read the rest

Whoever Found Them Devoured Them

Whoever found them devoured them; their enemies said, “We are not guilty, for they sinned against the Lord, their true pasture, the Lord, the hope of their fathers” (Jeremiah 50:7 NIV).

When you sin against God you lose God’s protection on your life. You are then an easy target for the enemy. They fail not … Read the rest

Was So Long in Coming Down

When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us.” (Exodus 32:1a NIV).

God has His own reasons to allow delays in our lives. These delays are sometimes not easy to accept. Because we are … Read the rest

Shiloh, See What I Did to It

Go now to the place in Shiloh where I first made a dwelling for my Name, and see what I did to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel (Jeremiah 7:12 NIV).

Shiloh was the first place of worship for the Israelites when they entered the Promised Land of Canaan. There stood the … Read the rest

Through Your Own Fault

Through your own fault you will lose the inheritance I gave you (Jeremiah 17:4a NIV).

Let us face the truth. We can lose what God has given to us to keep as our own. His blessings can be lost.

This is a possibility. There is no advantage in pretending that such a possibility does not … Read the rest

Not to Look Lustfully at a Girl

I made a covenant with my eyes not to look lustfully at a girl (Job 31:1 NIV).

There are many agreements made in this world. It is usually between two or more parties. But here Job is making an agreement with himself. That sounds strange but it is true. He made an agreement with his … Read the rest

He Did Not Remember Joseph

The chief cupbearer, however, did not remember Joseph; he forgot him. When two full years had passed, Pharoah had a dream (Genesis 40:23,41:1a NIV).

A dream and its interpretation was the basis upon which Joseph planned his release from prison. Of course he had done nothing to deserve being in prison.

But that is not … Read the rest

When My Spirit Grows Faint

When my spirit grows faint within me, it is you who know my way. In the path where I walk men have hidden a snare for me (Psalm 142:3 NIV).

There are times when we lose our physical strength. But there are also times when we lose the strength of our spirit. That is what … Read the rest

Unless the Lord Builds

Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain (Psalm 127:1 NIV).

We need God. The truth is as simple as that. When the master builder Solomon says it we need to take note. And when Solomon who never faced … Read the rest

You Will Be Disappointed by Egypt

Why do you go about so much, changing your ways? You will be disappointed by Egypt as you were by Assyria. You will also leave that place with your hands on your head, for the Lord has rejected those you trust; you will not be helped by them (Jeremiah 2:36,37 NIV).

Those who do not … Read the rest

Broken Cisterns

My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water (Jeremiah 2:13 NIV).

It is amazing if you really look at the way people throw away the priceless things of life to settle for cheap things. Nowhere else … Read the rest

New Heavens and a New Earth

Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind (Isaiah 65:17 NIV).

God creates. Man also makes a lot of things.

Yet his efforts have created a lot of destruction. The earth was corrupted by mankind which was created by God … Read the rest

A Dream and a Stairway

He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. There above it stood the Lord…. (Genesis 28:12,13a NIV).

The dream of a stairway is symbolic of blessing. The author of blessing is God … Read the rest

Turn Back the Battle at the Gate

He will be a spirit of justice to him who sits in judgment, a source of strength to those who turn back the battle at the gate (Isaiah 28:6 NIV).

The enemies are attacking. We are inside our fort. The fort is high and strong. It cannot be easily climbed over or broken down. So … Read the rest

Remember These Things

Remember these things, O Jacob, for you are my servant, O Israel. I have made you, you are my servant; I will not forget you. I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you (Isaiah 44:21,22 NIV).

God is asking His … Read the rest

Arriving as the Barley Harvest Was Beginning

So Naomi returned from Moab accompanied by Ruth the Moabitess, her daughter-in-law, arriving in Bethlehem as the barley harvest was beginning (Ruth 1:22 NIV).

“Bethlehem” means “house of bread.” Yet this account in the Bible tells us that even in this “house of bread” a famine can occur.

As a result Naomi and her husband … Read the rest