God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. - Psalm 46:1 REFERENCE Psalm 46:1-11 Trouble is anything that gets you worried and agitated; it normally brings discomfort, inconvenience, anxiety, fear and discouragement. In John 16:33 Jesus said: “…In this world, you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” So whether you expect it or not trouble always comes, but you can rejoice in the truth that Jesus HAS (past tense) already overcome the troubles in the world for you and stripped it of its power to harm you....
Now concerning spiritual gifts brethren, I do not want you to be ignorant. - 1 Corinthians 12:1 REFERENCE 1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Apostle Paul realized that ignorance would rob you of something that has already been paid for you to enjoy; so he says you can’t afford to be ignorant where spiritual gifts are concerned. Spiritual gifts are special abilities distributed to believers by the Holy Spirit with the sole aim of building the body of Christ. It is the Holy Spirit that wills what gift(s) a believer can have; but verse 31 of the passage admonished that you should desire...
Nevertheless, my brethren who went up with me made the heart of the people melt, but I wholly followed the LORD my God. - Joshua 14:8 REFERENCE Joshua 14:6-12 The things you say can either kill or make (faith) alive. Your mouth and the words you speak hold the keys to the door of your future, prosperity, experience, etc. the earlier you start speaking the right words i.e. God’s words even when nothing around you points to that, the faster the manifestation of those things you have been saying. As leaders in one capacity or the other (e.g. children’s...
Along the bank of the river, on this side and that, will grow all kinds of trees used for food; their leaves will not wither, and their fruit will not fail. They will bear fruit every month, because their water flows from the sanctuary. Their fruit will be for food, and their leaves for medicine. - Ezekiel 47:12 REFERENCE Ezekiel 47:7-12 Uniquely represented in this passage is a life that constantly receives it’s true life from Jesus the ‘River/Water of life.’ Here it describes some features that are commonplace for the tree (man), which grows “Along the bank of the...
Yet the chief butler did not remember Joseph, but forgot him. - Genesis 40:23 REFERENCE Genesis 40:5-15, 23 Isn’t it typical of us (humans) to easily forget the kindness and goodness others have shown to us? In this passage, we saw how Joseph helped to interpret the butler’s dream who was then restored back to his position from prison. Although the butler made a promise to repay Joseph’s kindness by mentioning him to Pharaoh (who has power to release him from prison), he still forgot about him once he was out of the prison and Joseph remained in his...
Sing, O barren, you who have not borne! Break forth into singing,… For more are the children of the desolate than the children of the married woman… ~ Isaiah 54:1 REFERENCE Isaiah 54:1-10 It takes real faith and sacrifice to sing when things are not adding up and you are not seeing fruits from your labor. It seems almost unfair to tell someone who is experiencing a drought to rejoice, because the person doesn’t have any reason to be joyful. However, God who knows the end from the beginning gave the directive for the barren to rejoice in this...
Then the Lord turned to him and said, 'Go in this might of yours, and you shall save Israel from the hand of the Midianites. Have I not sent you?' - Judges 6:14 REFERENCE Judges 6:11-23 When the Angel of God met Gideon in this story, he was hiding in fear because of the enemy. Gideon had so much self doubt that the Angel had to introduce him to himself; i.e. the real Gideon, the way God made him and sees him – a mighty man of valor who can save a nation, but who was in confinement because...
For the LORD will restore the excellence of Jacob like the excellence of Israel for the emptiers have emptied them out and ruined their vine branches. - Nahum 2:2 REFERENCE Nahum 2:1-6 Restoration means putting something back to its original state, i.e. repair or return to how it was previously. God promised to restore His children in our text to their former state of excellence after they had suffered in the hands of their emptiers. The devil is the one who empties people of their worth and value; he ruins people’s character and personalities. He destroys homes and takes away...
Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. - Proverbs 22:29 (KJV). DILIGENCE is one of the strongest forces on earth; it can make someone who has been labeled a failure excel and prosper exceedingly. Diligence, simply means doing something consistently until the purpose is accomplished. God requires us to be diligent in all we do but especially in seeking an intimate relationship with Him, so no matter where we are in life (mountain top or valley), we will be consistent in pursuing Him. If you must walk...
So she went away and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and he and her household ate for many days. - 1 Kings 17:15 REFERENCE 1 Kings 17:8-16 Faith is taking a risk based on God’s word; it means belief in the word of God to the point of acting on it. The widow in our passage today took a risk based on the word of God Elijah gave her; it wasn’t a convenient thing for her to do but it was absolutely necessary for her sustenance. This shows us that faith is not always convenient, it...