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FAVOR WITH EGYPTIANS

“And the Lord had given the people favor in the sight of the Egyptians, so that they granted them what they requested. Thus, they plundered the Egyptians.” ~ Exodus 12:36   REFERENCE: Exodus 12:21-25 and 35-36   The odd and unlikely happened on the day enslaved Israelites found favor with the Egyptians, their slave masters. It was unheard of that a slave, leaving against the wish of his master, would go to him and ask for his precious possessions, and the master would give him. That is what to expect when the favor of God is upon a man; the unusual and astonishing...
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AREN’T YOU TIRED?

"Oh, that you had heeded My commandments! Then your peace would have been like a river, and your righteousness like the waves of the sea." ~ Isaiah 48:18   REFERENCE: Isaiah 48:16-19   Aren't you tired? Aren't you tired of the back and forth with your husband, holding on to the hurt of the breakup, and going from one prayer house to another? Aren't you tired of sitting daily at a man's office, waiting for him to introduce you to someone who will introduce you to another person? Aren't you tired of doing things your way and always falling flat on...
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GOD SPEAKS; LISTEN!

"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me." – John 10:27   REFERENCE: John 10:27-30   Our God is a speaking God! The Psalmist contrasted Him to idols with mouths that do not speak, eyes but do not see ears but they do not hear, noses but do not smell, and although they have throats, they do not mutter words (Psalm 115:5-8). God is ever willing to instruct and guide us. Like a good parent, He wants to speak to us about our lives, families, marriage choices, business, investments, service to Him, ministry, etc. God speaks,...
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THE BLEATING OF SHEEP: SELF-CONCEIT

"Then he said, "I have sinned; yet honor me now, please, before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me, that I may worship the Lord your God." ~ I Samuel 15:30   REFERENCE: I Samuel 15:17-30   Sadly, so much went wrong with Saul in this one event of his life. His failure on the mission to destroy Amalek brought out all of Saul's character flaws concealed by the trappings of his office as a king. After much rationalizing, Saul finally admitted that he was wrong, only that he needed to save his face before his...
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THE BLEATING OF SHEEP: HYPOCRISY

"And Saul said to Samuel, "But I have obeyed the voice of the Lord, and gone on the mission on which the Lord sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites." ~ I Samuel 15:20   REFERENCE: I Samuel 15:7-21   Our key verse shows the second time Saul told Samuel that he had performed and obeyed the command of the Lord. In verse 13, it appears that Saul is unaware of the implications of his action, but from the above, there is a tone of intentionality. By repeating that he had obeyed God,...
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THE BLEATING OF SHEEP

“But Samuel said, “What then is this bleating of the sheep in my ears and the lowing of the oxen which I hear?” ~ I Samuel 15:14   REFERENCE: I Samuel 15:1-14   Do you know people who claim to be one thing, but everything around them says differently? King Saul fit that bill when he gave himself laurels while reporting to prophet Samuel on the assignment God gave him. As smug and satisfied as Saul was, something gave away the fact that he did not do what he claimed and did not deserve the laurels – the bleating of sheep....
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TAKE POSSESSION

“Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, ‘Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it.’” – Numbers 13:30   REFERENCE: Numbers 13:16-33    Moses sent twelve men to spy out their land of promise – Canaan, which they were to take possession of. Although God had given them the land, Moses wanted them to have a vision of the land to whet their appetite for entering it. Ten of the twelve spies brought back a bad report about the land. The bad report put fear in the people, and they...
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AT EASE IN ZION?

"Woe to you who are at ease in Zion, and trust in Mount Samaria, notable persons in the chief nation, to whom the house of Israel comes!" ~ Amos 6:1   REFERENCE: Amos 6:1-7   This chapter begins with words that sound strange to our pleasure-seeking and vain generation: "Woe to those who are at ease." That is not how we see things; we would rather say, "Blessed or happy are those who are at ease, who never experience the bite of economic hardship, are never worried about tomorrow's needs, and live very 'soft' lives." We consider they are doing well and envy...
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HOPE IN GOD

"The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I hope in Him!" ~ Lamentations 3:24   REFERENCE: Lamentations 3:21-25   Today's world struggles with insecurity, uncertainties, and hyperinflation; it is so easy to feel overwhelmed and disheartened. However, amid it all, you can find hope and encouragement in the unchanging character of God. The indicators may not be giving positive signs, but hope in God. Anchor your heart in His faithfulness and ever-sure promises.   Difficult times ultimately come to snuff out your hope because hope is crucial to living. If a man loses hope, why should he still live?...
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THINGS YOU DO NOT KNOW

“Call to Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things which you do not know.” – Jeremiah 33:3   REFERENCE: Jeremiah 33:1-3   As I grow older and learn more, I realize there is so much I do not know. What we don’t know is more than what we know. There is only One who is Omniscient – all-knowing, and that is God. God’s knowledge is bottomless and broad; after all, He manufactured all things, visible and invisible, material and immaterial, and they are all at His command.   Life can be puzzling and is often...
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