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...
Rejoice in the LORD, O you righteous! For praise from the upright is beautiful. - Psalm 33:1 REFERENCE Psalm 33:1-3 According to our text today, God loves it when praises come to Him from us – the saints, and it makes a beautiful sight in heaven. We serve a very big God, the El-Shaddai – God who is sufficient for all our needs. When we praise Him in spite of our circumstances, we are simply telling Him that He is bigger than our circumstances and this gladdens His heart because it shows that we believe in His ability to help,...
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...
But the boat was now in the middle of the sea, tossed by the waves, for the wind was contrary. – Matthew 14:24 REFERENCE Matthew 14:22-32 We notice in the passage we read today that Jesus made His disciples get into a boat to go to a particular area; so we can confidently say the disciples were on assignment for God – in the will of God. However their journey was interrupted by the waves and contrary wind that met them headlong. This clearly shows that the journey of life is not always smooth sail even though we are walking...
Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from the slave, though he is the master of all. – Galatians 4:1 REFERENCE Galatians 4:1-9 An heir is someone who has the legal right to inherit the properties of another at their demise. On the other hand, a child is a minor who needs guardians and teachers for daily direction. This means a child is immature and is incapable of handling certain responsibilities. Therefore, an heir who is still a child cannot lay claim to his inheritance until he gets to...
For by You I can run against (or through) a troop, by my God, I can leap over a wall. - Psalm 18:29 (Emphasis mine). REFERENCE Psalm 18:29-39 David made this statement in our text today after God victoriously brought him through a series of life-threatening battles. He saw the mighty hand of God move so much in his life that he came to the conclusion that he could scale any wall no matter how high that wall was as long as the Lord was on his side. Like David, you too can overcome any situation you face headlong as...
Saul was very angry with Jonathan and said to him, '… I know that you have chosen to support that son of Jesse… As long as Jesse’s son lives, you will never be king and have a kingdom…' - 1 Samuel 20:30-31 (ERV). REFERENCE 1 Samuel 20:30-42 The focus of our text today – Jonathan, clearly demonstrated in this passage that he knew his place in life; so even when his father verbally abused him and challenged him to fight for the throne, he wasn’t moved because he knew God had given the throne to his friend David and...
But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come. – Mark 4:29 REFERENCE Mark 4:26-29 A seed is a flowering plant’s unit of reproduction, capable of developing into another such plant. It is anything that can multiply and become more if sown in the proper soil. When an orange seed is planted in the right soil, it becomes an orange tree with time. This is a natural law (an established principle) and so it must be fulfilled. In the same way, when ‘seeds’ are planted in the kingdom of God, they...