“Your sandals shall be iron and bronze; as your days, so shall your strength be.” – Deuteronomy 33:25 REFERENCE: Deuteronomy 33:24-25 “As your days, so shall your strength be.” God wants you to be relevant to your generation and not be behind in the modes and methods of the new. Paul kept pressing forward to new things, the sons of Issachar understood the times, and Daniel served in three different governments. These men kept themselves relevant. God wants the new you to be relevant to your world. Let us consider what God wants ‘The New You’ to look...
“So also is the resurrection of the dead. The body is sown in corruption, it is raised in incorruption.” – 1 Corinthians 15:42 REFERENCE: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:35-44 Times are rapidly changing. To be ahead of the change, form a mental picture of the new you, the kind of person you hope to be in marriage, business, ministry, career, health, etc. Change is a form of death; it is the old dying for the new to emerge, the cessation of a phase, and the inception of another. To benefit from a change, be ready to let the old go. ...
"Now when the people complained, it displeased the LORD; for the LORD heard it, and His anger was aroused. So, the fire of the LORD burned among them..." ~ Numbers 11:1 REFERENCE: Numbers 11:1-6 Things are tough. Life is hard. I am underpaid. This country is terrible. Nothing ever works out for me. Why am I still at this level? Have you heard someone around you say any of these before, or have you been guilty yourself? With everything happening around us, it is almost impossible not to say such things; but that is complaining. Complaining displeases God. It...
“Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all, but is under guardians and stewards until the time appointed by the father.” – Galatians 4:1-2 REFERENCE: Galatians 4:1-7 Timing is everything in life. Solomon said, “To everything, there is a season, a time for every purpose under heaven.” Certain things will only happen at certain times; this is why Paul said that a child, although an heir or inheritor of his Father’s estate, will be treated as a slave and put under instructors...
"Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts." ~ I Peter 3:10 (NIV) REFERENCE: James 3:2-5 (NIV) In the last episode, we saw the connection between the tongue and seeing good days. The Lord wants me to stay on the same thought – the power of the tongue. Your words can shape your life and create a haven of serenity. Your tongue is tiny compared to other body parts, but God put it there so you can make great boasts – big declarations about your life and future. I have often seen...
“Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.” – Mark4:39 REFERENCE: Mark 4:35-41 Colossians 3:15 says, “Let the peace of Christ [the inner calm of one who walks daily with Him] be the controlling factor in your hearts [deciding and settling questions that arise]. To this peace indeed you were called as members in one body [of believers]….” (AMP). Peace is another fruit of the Spirit that believers are to manifest; “To this peace indeed you were called….” This peace comes from intimacy...
"He who would love life and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil…" ~ I Peter 3:10 REFERENCE: I Peter 3:8-12 We all desire to see good days in life, so we hope, pray, and work. Although it eludes many people, it is a possibility. Good days mean having peace, being free from troubles, debts, the yoke of a debilitating illness, etc. Our text reveals that if 'good days' is what we want to experience or see, it will have much to do with our tongue and what we say. Solomon said that the power of...
"Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness..." ~ II Corinthians 12:8-9 REFERENCE: II Corinthians 12:7-10 Jesus Christ is the embodiment of the Grace of God. We often only see Grace as unmerited favor. Still, it is God's help made available to man to fulfill God's work or bear difficult situations without losing enthusiasm or quitting. Despite the 'thorn' that troubled Paul, he did mighty exploits through the sufficient grace of Christ...
“And the Lord said to Satan, “Behold, all that he has is in your power; only do not lay a hand on his person.” So, Satan went out from the presence of the Lord.” ~ Job 1:12 REFERENCE: JOB 1:8-22 Satan is the author of evil; he ruined Job’s estate and killed his children. He wreaked havoc in his life using natural means like wind and fire (lightning). Satan also used human instruments, the Sabeans and Chaldeans, to attack Job’s servants at different times and made off with his livestock. Job’s mistake in all these is that he did...
“If God gives some people wealth, property, and the power to enjoy those things, they should enjoy them …that is a gift from God.” ~ Ecclesiastes 5:19 (ERV) REFERENCE: Ecclesiastes 5:18-20 (ERV) The conclusion drawn by king Solomon on wealth is an excellent way to end this series. The wise and wealthy king, having seen the brevity of life and the vanity of endless pursuit of wealth and material things, counsels, “Take it easy, enjoy, and be thankful to God for the things you have because He gave them to you.” If you have a job, food, drink, and a...