Now there was a famine in the days of David for three years, year after year; and David inquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, 'It is because of Saul and his bloodthirsty house, because he killed the Gibeonites.' ~ II Samuel 21:1 REFERENCE II Samuel 21:1-14 The background to this passage is found in Joshua 9, when the Gibeonites entered into a peace treaty with the Israelites by deception. Although the treaty was made by falsehood, God still honored it because the Israelites swore by Him. When king Saul went against the treaty by killing...
For thus says the LORD: After seventy years are completed at Babylon, I will visit you and perform My good word toward you, and cause you to return to this place.- Jeremiah 29:10 REFERENCE Jeremiah 29:10-14 One of the greatest gift God has given to man is ‘TIME,’ it has helped man to plan his life, set goals, make appointments, and has been exchanged for money severally. But, time has been one of man’s greatest source of frustration because he cannot hasten it, delay it or control it. The only person that can control time is God, and...
…One thing you lack: Go your way, sell whatever you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; But he was sad at this word, and went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions. - Mark 10:21-22 REFERENCE Mark 10:17-30 From the account of today’s passage, we see that, it is very possible for a man to be very religious and not be generous. However, any religion that has not affected the pocket is no religion at all. Religion becomes empty lip-service, when it does not affect your pocket or place demands...
But Ruth said: 'Entreat me not to leave you, Or to turn back from following after you; For wherever you go, I will go; And wherever you lodge, I will lodge; Your people shall be my people, And your God, my God. Where you die, I will die…' - Ruth 1:16-17 REFERENCE Ruth: 1:6-18 What prompted Ruth to follow her mother in-law, despite the lack of prospects, to an unknown land, to strangers and to a foreign God, when she could easily have gone back to her family – the familiar, and a support system after the death...
Then the Spirit said to Philip, 'Go near and overtake this chariot.' So Philip ran to him, and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah, and said, 'Do you understand what you are reading?' And he said, 'How can I, unless someone guides me?' - Acts 8:29-31 REFERENCE Acts 8:26-40 The Spirit of God supernaturally directed Philip to go to the eunuch in this text, who was obviously in a dilemma – confused about what he was reading in the scriptures, and needed clarity to encourage his faith. What Philip did, was to begin from where the eunuch was,...
For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God. - Romans 8:19 REFERENCE Romans 8:18-22 Man was created and clothed with glory to rule as the leader of the world. However, he ‘fell’ and all of that changed – he was stripped of his glory and that affected other created things because God in His wisdom decided to ‘remove’ the glory of the created world so that there will still be a balance in the hierarchical order, although at a baser level of glory. The creation was subjected to...
So he went down and dipped seven times in the Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean. - II Kings 5:14 REFERENCE II Kings 5:1-15 One of the evils that befall us in our generation is 'lack of motivation', which results in quitting. Many of us have become defeatist and resigned to fate. There is so much against people now more than before: unemployment, mounting bills, delay in getting married, marital challenges, medical conditions, rising cost of living, etc....
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. - Romans 5:8-9 REFERENCE Romans 5:1-11 When you were still a sinner and least deserving of it, God anticipated your need for a savior and sacrificed His son for you. He gave His best gift to redeem you from the curse of the Law and from His wrath by availing His blood for you. So now that you are His...
O God, You are my God; Early will I seek You; My soul thirsts for You… - Psalms 63:1 REFERENCE Psalm 63:1-8 Yesterday, we concluded with the thought that God wants you to be a solution provider, so, He is calling you to the place of intimacy with Him. That’s the place David longed for when he said, “As the deer pants for the water…” (Psalm 42:1&2). You proceed from God and are made by Him and for Him. The river that disconnects with its source will soon dry up. Nurturing intimacy with God has immeasurable benefits: a....
But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me… - Jeremiah 9:24 REFERENCE Jeremiah 9:23-24 The solution to the problems of this world will be found in God, not in religion – that is why He desires that we know Him intimately. God speaking through Jeremiah says, the essence of life is not in our wisdom, or skills, accomplishments or riches. But our boast and focus in life must be that we know and understand God. God’s eyes run to and fro the earth to show Himself strong on behalf of those whose...