For forty years Israel had been wandering in the wilderness. Now before finally entering the promised land, Moses, who is 120 years old, gives the people a series of messages. In them he reiterates the importance of complete obedience to God, the consequences of choosing not to, and most of all to remember each step of their walk with Him. …
Drawing Near To God – Deuteronomy 1-4Read More »
Drawing Near To God – Deuteronomy 1-4 Read More »
The story of Joseph is a hard one to read. It seemed he couldn’t catch a break. Author A.W. Tozer once said, ‘It is doubtful that God ever used anybody greatly without first hurting him deeply”, and Joseph knew this firsthand. But even through his lowest of lows and highest of highs, Joseph recognized that it was the hand of God working in all things to bring about His will. …
Safe In His Hands – Genesis 50 Read More »
The book of Romans is one of my favorites. To me it’s the most beautiful letter Paul wrote. And I often find myself turning to its chapters when I’m feeling particularly unlovable and unworthy of God; His love, and His blessings. About the book Martin Luther wrote, “Romans is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. It can never be read or pondered too much, and the more it is dealt with the more precious it becomes, and the better it tastes.“ …
The Grace In Which We Stand – Romans 3-5 Read More »
During the days of Paul, the city of Corinth was a metropolis of wealth and immorality. A place in desperate need of the church Paul founded. This early church struggled in the midst of a pagan culture, so in response to the confusion of its members Paul wrote letters of both encouragement and instruction. One of the many issues Paul addressed, were the feelings of discontentment that plagued some of those who were still being influenced by a society who glorified the idea of “more”. …
Bloom Where You Are Planted – 1 Corinthians 7 Read More »
In our reading today Saul has died and David is made king over all of Israel. It was a long journey for David from shepherd boy to regent, and a journey he couldn’t have made without the help of many along the way. In Psalm 89:20-21 God says, “I have found David My servant; with My holy oil I have anointed him, with whom My hand will be established; My arm will also strengthen him.” God strengthened David in part by sending strong, noble, and faithful men to surround him.
God never asks us to go it alone. He knows the plans He has for us. Wonderful, glorious plans. And He will send helpers to us to accomplish those plans. Just like He did with David, God will send both believers and nonbelievers into our lives to strengthen, support, challenge, guide, protect, encourage, and love us. From Jonathon, the son of David’s greatest enemy, to men who would eagerly give their lives for their king, God provided mighty friends to help David fulfill what the Lord intended.
Chapters 11 and 12 are filled with name after name of men who came to the aid of David. Men who were sent by God. Men who performed great acts of valor and showed unwavering loyalty to help bring David victory over his enemies. Men like Amasai. “Then the Spirit came upon Amasai, chief of the Thirty, and he said, ‘We are yours, O David! We are with you, O son of Jesse! Success, success to you, and success to those who help you, for your God will help you.’” And the Bible goes on to say, “Day after day men came to help David, until he had a great army, like the army of God.” (v. 12:22)
These great friendships were not lost on David. When three brave men broke through the camp of the Philistines just to bring David a drink from the well in Bethlehem, instead of drinking the water, “he poured it out to the Lord” (v. 11:18) David understood the value of the sacrifice these men were willing to take on his behalf and wanted to thank the Lord for the blood they were willing to shed. Can you imagine being the type of friend that would lay down your life for another, or having a friend that would do the same? As believers we do have a friend like that….Jesus Christ.
Jesus shed His precious blood and gave His life for us; His friends. In John 15:13-15 He says, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master’s business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you.” Because of the friend we have in Jesus and His example, shouldn’t we want to be that same kind of friend to others? To extend the same grace and love described by the Apostle Paul? “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:7-8)
Life can be hard, and at times lonely. But God never intends our walk with Him to be one of solitude. We all need the love and support of godly friends. I’ve heard it said that if you can count your true friends on the fingers of one hand, you are blessed. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 reminds us, “Two are better than one because they have a good return for their labor. For if either of them falls, the one will lift up his companion. But woe to the one who falls when there is not another to lift him up. Furthermore, if two lie down together they keep warm, but how can one be warm alone? And if one can overpower him who is alone, two can revisit him. A cord of three strands is not quickly torn apart.” My prayer for you today is that God will bless you and send you a mighty friend if you need one, and send you out as a mighty friend to be a blessing to another.
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Two Are Better Than One – 1 Chronicles 10-12 Read More »
The story of the Crucifixion is a tough one. It’s gut wrenching what Jesus suffered at the hands of His captors. He endured savagery, mockery, and rejection. He was brutalized and spit upon. What He withstood we can barely comprehend. And He did so willingly. At any time more than twelve legions of angels were ready to rescue the Lord at a moments notice, (Matt. 26:53), yet Jesus bore His Cross to the end. He bore it for our salvation and to see the will of God done. …
Honoring The Final Words Of The King – Mark 15-16Read More »
Honoring The Final Words Of The King – Mark 15-16 Read More »
Jesus is leaving the Temple in Jerusalem where He had been teaching. One of the disciples, overwhelmed by the temple’s beauty said to Jesus, “Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings!” (v. 1). But instead of agreeing, Jesus tells him that this magnificent structure would instead be completely destroyed. …
Shamar, Take Heed! – Mark 13 Read More »
After returning to Antioch, Paul learned that controversy was brewing among the newly founded churches in the Roman province of Galatia. Some Jewish Christians accused him of “sweetening the pot” to make the message of the gospel more appealing to Gentiles. They disagreed with Paul’s teaching that Gentile believers didn’t need to follow the Jewish laws and customs to receive salvation, and told the members so. …
No Other Gospel – Galatians 1-2 Read More »
We’ve all heard it said that patience, (waiting without complaint), is a virtue. And the apostle Paul lists patience among the fruits of the Spirit. (Gal. 5:22-23) Unfortunately, for me patience has always been a struggle and waiting is definitely not one of my strengths. …
Waiting For The Lord – Psalm 27 Read More »
During His time on earth, Jesus taught about the kingdom of heaven using parables. In chapter 20 we learn the story of the workers in the vineyard. At first glance it seems a tale about an unjust landowner who pays his workers unfairly. But in actuality it’s a lesson on grace and how “the last shall be first, and the first last”. …
It Isn’t Fair – Matthew 19-20 Read More »