“He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, o love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” ~ Micah 6:8 REFERENCE: Micah 6:8 The various religious beliefs and spiritual practices that claim to have the ‘light’ and offer salvation are puzzling. There are almost as many ideologies as there are people groups on earth. Man forms his religion and sets its rituals and practices: sacrifices, rites, doctrines, worship, order, etc. People do all sorts, but who cares to inquire about what the Lord requires? Scripture...
“So, when He heard that he was sick, He stayed two more days in the place where He was.” ~ John 11:6 REFERENCE: JOHN 11:1-11 Solomon said that love is a strong force, “Many waters cannot quench love.” People have done heroic things and made great sacrifices for love’s sake. For this reason, when you find yourself in dire straits, the person you expect most to come to your aid is the person who loves you. It is odd, then, when someone who claims to love you sees you in need but delays in giving you aid. They told Jesus that...
“And after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.” ~ I Kings 19:12 REFERENCE: I Kings 19:11-15 I like to listen to my music at a high volume. It is something I’ve gotten used to over the years. My wife is the opposite; her music is low volume, and she speaks softly. When conversing with her in the car, if my music is loud and she’s talking to me, I will say, “Speak louder; I can’t hear you.” She will reach out to the radio and lower the...
“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day to save many people alive.” – Genesis 50:20 REFERENCE: Genesis 50:15-21 Evil is constantly in this world with us. Sometimes, we get affected by its viciousness so that the saint can go through unpleasant seasons. People often ask, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” We live in a world where the devil runs the show. However, the good thing is that we serve a God who can turn evil to good. Joseph’s life is...
“Call to Me, and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things you do not know.” – Jeremiah 33:3 REFERENCE: Jeremiah 33:1-3 Life is full of mysteries and puzzles that confront us daily, and without insight or light, life's challenges will always floor us. It takes a level of revelation to deal with some issues of life. When you know what to do per time or situation, you will live as a high flyer. A faulty vehicle never puzzles a car mechanic because he has light (insight). Are you facing a challenge and wondering how to...
“But the more they afflicted them, the more they multiplied and grew. And they were in dread of the children of Israel.” ~ Exodus 6:12 REFERENCE: Exodus 1:6-13 Life is full of sudden turns, which are usually for the worse. Satan manipulates life’s events to hurt God’s elect. Israel flourished in Egypt and was treated kindly because of Joseph’s impact on their nation. However, events turned, and a new king came to the throne. He ordered them to be afflicted because he felt threatened by their size, but Israel multiplied as they did that. The Pharaoh did not foresee...
“But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind.” ~ James 1:6 REFERENCE: James 1:5-8 James puts forth the fundamental principle of asking from God. Although he was teaching on asking God for wisdom, the principle will work for anything you ask God for in prayers. He said asking must be done in faith and with no doubting, believing that God will give to you liberally and without faulting you or your request (that is, not giving reasons why you should be denied). Doubting...
“But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”” – Luke 9:62 REFERENCE: Luke 9:57-62 When God made us, He put our eyes at the front of our heads so we could always look forward. He wants us to set our eyes on a goal, keep at it, and decide not to look back. Looking back suggests a lack of commitment to a cause you are pursuing. Without commitment, it is not easy to do anything of lasting impact. If you are on a journey...
“But new wine must be put into new wineskins, and both are preserved.” – Luke 5:38 REFERENCE: LUKE 5:36-39 We rarely choose change; it happens to us. Things we cannot change happen; hence, we have to change. When change happens, it affects social norms, disrupts established patterns, and creates new social models. The earthquakes in Turkey will forever impact their architecture and land use policies. Change is like new wine that must be put in new wineskin to benefit us. Jesus said, “Nobody puts new wine in old wineskins, else the old wineskins will burst, and the wine will...
“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...