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TROUBLE

"God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble." ~ Psalm 46:1   REFERENCE: Psalm 46:1-11   No matter who you are or how rich you are, we do not want trouble. Trouble can turn kings into beggars and make strong men cry. It has broken families, drained their resources, and left them impoverished. Trouble is whatever gets you worried or agitated; it brings distress, inconvenience, anxiety, fear, and discouragement. However, God is our present help in trouble. I have been in situations where I was confused and fearful, times when I thought I would not see the...
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FORTIFIED FOR THE MISSION

“For behold, I have made you this day A fortified city and an iron pillar, And bronze walls against the whole land— Against the kings of Judah, Against its princes, Against its priests, And against the people of the land.” Jeremiah 1:18   REFERENCE: Jeremiah 1:17-19   We all have a sense of mission, a driving conviction that our life is about something, and we ought to be doing it. We often desire to be or do more than we presently are, and we have an innate desire to want to better our lot. In several instances, what keeps us immobilized...
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STRENGTHEN THE BRETHREN

“…Indeed, satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you… when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” – Luke 22:31-32   REFERENCE: Luke 22:31-33   God has a plan for every season or experience you may find yourself in; to use it to strengthen the brethren. It may be bereavement, betrayal, or backsliding (as in our text), yet, God would use it as a tool of help and hope for many. This outlook is what God wants us to have towards our wilderness seasons. No matter how painful, God will...
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ANT-SPIRE – MOVE YOURSELF

"Which having no captain, overseer or ruler, provides her supplies in the summer, and gathers her food in the harvest." – Proverbs 6:7-8   REFERENCE: Proverbs 6:6-11   I formed the word, 'ant-spire.' It is borne out of an attitude adopted by ants, as seen in our text – "having no captain, overseer, or ruler, yet gathers her food." Ant-spire is from ant and inspire; it captures the self-motivation that characterizes ants, an inward sense of inspiration that moves them to do what needs to be done against all odds and without outward encouragement.   Ants are innately relentless; they are always on...
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THE BLESSED TRIBE

"He also brought them out with silver and gold, And there was none feeble among His tribes." ~ Psalm 105:37   REFERENCE: Psalm 105:37-45   David gives a brief account of the exodus of Israel from slavery in Egypt into their Promised Land. It reveals God's special regard for His people and the unusual acts of grace and power displayed toward them. After over four hundred years in slavery, they left with gold and silver, a feat never heard of, and none was feeble amongst them; they were a blessed tribe.   The Israelites were so blessed that they witnessed the...
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RESPONSE TO LIFE: COGNIZANCE

“…And the third captain of fifty went up, and came and fell on his knees before Elijah, and pleaded with him, and said to him: “Man of God, please let my life and the life of these fifty servants of yours be precious in your sight…” ~ II Kings 1:13   REFERENCE: II Kings 1:2-15   Cognizance is not trendy; it means knowledge, awareness, or notice. To take cognizance of something is to take note of or consider things or events around you. It is opposite to ignorance, and as seen yesterday, an arrogant man will rarely be cognizant of things...
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RESPONSE TO LIFE: ARROGANCE

"Then he sent to him another captain of fifty with his fifty men. And he answered and said to him: "Man of God, thus has the king said, 'Come down quickly!'" ~ II Kings 1:11   REFERENCE: II Kings 1:2-15   We established that life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. The three captains of fifty sent to arrest Elijah vividly teach us this truth. Yesterday we saw how the ignorance of the first captain led to his death. His approach to life was rooted in ignorance. Enter the second captain of...
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RESPONSE TO LIFE: IGNORANCE

“Then the king sent to him a captain of fifty with his fifty men. So he went up to him (Elijah), and there he was, sitting on the top of a hill. And he spoke to him: “Man of God, the king has said, ‘Come down!’ ” ~ II Kings 1:9   REFERENCE: II Kings 1:2-15   Life is 10 percent what happens to us and 90 percent how we respond to it. We face the same challenges in life, have the same hours in a day, are tempted by satan and men, have bills to pay, deal with emotional challenges,...
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FURNISHED IN ABUNDANCE

“And God is able to make all grace (every favor and earthly blessing) come to you in abundance, so that you may always and under all circumstances and whatever the need be self-sufficient [possessing enough to require no aid or support and furnished in abundance for every good work and charitable donation].” ~ II Corinthians 9:8 (AMPC)   REFERENCE: II Corinthians 9:7-9 (AMPC)   I love this main verse because it begins by saying, “God is able to...” It introduces God as having the ability to do, make, give, transform, heal, etc. Paul further says that God can make all grace...
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DEPENDABLE GOD

"The God of my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, My stronghold and my refuge; My Savior, You save me from violence." – II Samuel 22:3   REFERENCE: II Samuel 22:1-4   In a world of variables, we unconsciously seek stability or assurances. We seek things or people we can lean on or trust to hold up or stay with us through tough times. However, experience has shown that men disappoint, money develops wings and flies away, friends leave, and positions or offices of influence do not endure forever. The only dependable One...
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