“Then He closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all who were in the synagogue were fixed on Him.” ~ Luke 4:20 REFERENCE: Luke 4:16-21 Amidst the culture of hero-worship that permeates today’s society, believers can get distracted and soon turn their attention to false gods. There are great orators, singers, actors, social media influencers, talk show hosts, entertainers, and musicians, many of whom have very many followers. However, a child of God must be careful to have his eyes fixed on Jesus all the time. What you keep looking at...
"God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved: God shall help her, and that RIGHT EARLY." ~ Psalm 46:5 (KJV) REFERENCE: Psalm 46:1-5 (KJV) God intends to do a quick work in your life this year. I hear God say, “It will happen early; you will not have to wait for long or till much later in the year.” What you look expectantly to Him for this year will happen as the sun rises on the year like a new day. Looking at your plans, savings, or present position, it may take quite a while, but God wants to...
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!” ~ I John 3:1 REFERENCE: I John 3:1-3 Everybody needs love. A loveless world will soon witness chaos and the vilest atrocities of man towards one another. Selfishness is on the rise; many are so self-absorbed that they do not notice those around them, and no one takes note of them. God offers His love as a remedy to this need. Love becomes weighty when we receive it from someone better and of a higher status than us, who does not...
“Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked. And that day was the Sabbath.” ~ John 5:8-9 REFERENCE: John 5:1-9 By an ordinance from the beginning of creation, God set aside the Sabbath to be a day of rest for man. With the death and resurrection of Jesus, Sabbath is no longer a day, but any time man’s faith reaches out to receive the mercy of God. Jesus said, “The sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath.” It was made for...
“…On the day that the enemies of the Jews had hoped to overpower them, the opposite occurred, in that the Jews themselves overpowered those who hated them.” ~ Esther 9:1 REFERENCE: Esther 9:1-5 Movies often mimic life. The movie usually starts with the hero suffering and being hurt by the villain and his minions. He is on the receiving end until a point leading to the final showdown: a gang of villains gang up on the actor, with the odds stacked against him, but suddenly, things turn around, and the movie ends well. Rough patches often mark the...
“For the LORD your God has blessed you in all the work of your hand. He knows your trudging through this great wilderness. These forty years the LORD your God has been with you; you have lacked nothing.” ~ Deuteronomy 2:7 REFERENCE: Deuteronomy 2:2-7 A mind battle most believers fight is wondering if God is with them on their journeys. When we pass through difficult times or desires delay, we wonder if God still cares or remembers us. As we begin a new year, let the journey of Israel in the wilderness be an encouragement to you. As you...
“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” ~ Psalm 5:3 REFERENCE: Psalm 5:1-3 We continue to learn from David’s morning duty today. He resolved that God would hear his voice every morning as a matter of duty and importance. He further said he would direct that voice to God and would look up. To what would David be referring? What does he mean? From our text, it is plain that when David said God would hear his voice in the morning, he...
“My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD; In the morning I will direct it to You, and I will look up.” ~ Psalm 5:3 REFERENCE: Psalm 5:1-3 Every new day is ushered in by the morning. The morning is the foundation of every day. If the foundation is well laid, there will be stability throughout the day. It is the gate to each new day; it can either open to goodness or keep it away, depending on what men do with the morning. Each morning promises another chance at having a better life. It is...
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out…” – I Peter 2:9 REFERENCE: I Peter 2:9-10 In our last episode, we saw that the believer in Christ is both a king and priest: a royal priest. A person is either one or the other, not both at once, but God has made you that. You are ‘one of a kind’, a peculiar breed, unmatched, and unequaled. You matter to God. Peter says you are chosen. To be chosen means...
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” – I Peter 2:9 REFERENCE: I Peter 2:9-10 In ancient Israel, different persons occupied the offices of the king and priest; the high priest ministered in the temple, and a king sat on the royal throne. However, as a believer, you have the honor of being both a priest and a king. Better put, you are a royal priest. Over the years, many Christians...