“Then Saul and all the people who were with him assembled, and they went to the battle; and indeed, every man’s sword was against his neighbor, and there was very great confusion.” ~ I Samuel 14:20 REFERENCE: I Samuel 14:13-20 How mighty is our God! Outnumbered, and facing a military garrison with his armorbearer, Jonathan declared, “nothing restrains the Lord from saving by many or by few,” – I Sam 14:6. They bravely approached the Philistine soldiers, and miraculously, they killed about 20 men. The Philistines were at war with Israel and all the odds were stacked against Israel. Worse still, the Philistines...
“This will be the behavior of the king who will reign over you: He will take your sons and appoint them for his own chariots and to be his horsemen, and some will run before his chariots.” – I Samuel 8:11 MAIN TEXT: I Samuel 8:9-20 Israel had God as their Monarch, but they soon envied their neighbors ruled by kings. These kings wore rich clothes, lived in regal buildings, rode strong stallions, and majestically led their armies into battle. Impressed, Israel felt having a king would earn them regional respect. They clamored to have their own king. What...
“Now David was greatly distressed, for the people spoke of stoning him because the soul of all the people was grieved... But David strengthened himself in the Lord his God.” – I Samuel 30:6 REFERENCE: I Samuel 30:1-8 Almost all men encounter failure on their journey to success. Their response is the difference between average people and achieving people. Winston Churchill said, “…failure is not fatal; it is the courage to continue that counts.” It is this courage to continue that many find difficult. The failing is not the problem; the question is, “Will failure move you forward?” Failure can either stagnate or...
“Therefore, say to them, ‘Thus says the LORD God: ‘None of My words will be postponed any more, but the words which I speak will be done,” says the LORD God.” – Ezekiel 12:28 REFERENCE: Ezekiel 12:26-28 In Old Testament times, God spoke through His prophets; they were His mouthpieces, and when they spoke, it was as though God Himself had spoken. No wonder the Bible says, “Believe in the Lord your God, you will be established; believe in His prophets, and you will prosper” (II Chronicles 20:20). In this verse, God and the prophets seem to be on the same...
“And now I urge you to take heart, for there will be no loss of life among you, but only of the ship.” ~ Acts 27:22 REFERENCE: Acts 27:18-26 It is said, “As long as there is life, there is hope.” Life is the most precious of the gifts God gave to man because you cannot benefit from other gifts without it. The worst the devil can do to a man on a mission is to cut his life short so that he will not reach his destination; for as long as he has life, he will arrive, although he...
“I was a father to the poor, and I searched out the case that I did not know.” – Job 29:16 REFERENCE: JOB 29:12-17 Job lived in the land of Uz, a blameless and upright man who loved God and shunned evil. The Bible says He was the greatest of all in the East, for he had great possessions. However, his greatness in wealth was dwarfed by his unmatched generosity; Job had a kind heart. Our text chronicles Job’s extraordinary dexterity in showing kindness without discrimination. He was fair to his servants, regarded the poor, wiped the tears...
“…the Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and after three days rise again.” – Mark 8:31 REFERENCE: Mark 8:27-33 You should be familiar with the slogan used by many freedom fighters, workers’ unions, and student unions across the globe – ‘Aluta Continua; Victoria Ascerta.’ It is of Latin origin, meaning, ‘The Struggle Continues; Victory is Certain.’ Whether you are in a civil group fighting for justice or not, life is full of struggles, but the assurance in God is that victory is certain. That is the assurance God wants...
“Then this Daniel distinguished himself above the governors and satraps, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king gave thought to setting him over the whole realm.” – Daniel 6:3 REFERENCE: Daniel 6:1-5 Daniel was a young man of princely lineage carried into captivity by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. From the day Daniel stepped into the foreign land, the trajectory of his life was nothing short of a miracle. It began with a decision not to defile himself with the idolatrous culture of Babylon but to keep his love and fear of God above other things. God...
“And Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.” ~ Genesis 41:15 REFERENCE: Genesis 41:9-15 What would abruptly end the jail term of a common prisoner and bring him before the leader of a great nation so that he could engage him in a conversation? Recommendation. Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I have heard it said of you;” this turned his life around. The butler benefitted from Joseph and his gifts while in the same prison and...
“When you have eaten and are full, then you shall bless the Lord your God for the good land which He has given you.” – Deuteronomy 8:10 REFERENCE: Deuteronomy 8:7-18 Watch global news or walk a few miles from your neighborhood, and you will notice the hundreds and thousands of people who lack most of life’s necessities. There is a scarcity of food and clean water; many are jobless, homeless, and living in abject poverty. I often feel pained that many may never be able to enter a fast-food joint and buy a beef burger. It’s sad. Reading this today is...