Month: March 2023

Matthew 1:17

So all the generations from Abraham to David were 14 generations; and from David until the exile in Babylon, 14 generations, and from the exile to Babylon until the Messiah, 14 generations.

God first made a covenant with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, and God would bless the world through him. God promised David that the Messiah would come through his lineage. We see consistency with God in that He moved every 14 generations, and He kept His word to each covenant. Thus, we see a profound message unveiled: God is consistently moving on behalf of His people, and He keeps His promises.

When you are waiting day to day on a promise to be met, you miss seeing the big picture of what God is doing. If you look only at the major events of your life, however, you miss God in the details of everyday life. For some reason, He chooses to remain hidden until an appropriate time. When He decides to reveal Himself, however, there is no stopping Him! When it looks like God has abandoned you or you can’t see His hand in your life at all, know for sure that He is consistently moving, and He keeps His promises. When He is ready for you to know what He is doing, He will show you.

God created one last covenant in the Messiah. Through Him, all sins are forgiven. His sacrifice is the last thing needed. All who come to Him will have eternal life and a relationship with the Father as a beloved son (child). We are His people through Christ. This last covenant is one of grace. Although we don’t deserve to be called His children, He freely claims us as His own through the shed blood of His Lamb. He imparts to us the righteousness that we never earned. This new covenant gives us hope to face anything tomorrow may hold. God still moves among His people, and He still keeps His promises, which are now found in Christ. Rejoice in the grace you’ve been granted today, and trust in the consistency of a God who loves you as only a Father could.

Have a blessed day!

Mark 3:7-8

Jesus departed with His disciples to the sea, and a great multitude followed from Galilee, Judea, Jerusalem, Idumea, beyond the Jordan, and around Tyre and Sidon. The great multitude came to Him because they heard about everything He was doing.

Jesus knew how to attract a crowd. He didn’t need TV or the internet; He simply preached the Scriptures, performed miracles, and revealed the Father. People followed Him because they knew He had something they needed, and they desired to learn more. Religion as usual had not made a difference nor provided the answers they desperately needed, but in Him, they found hope. When God is moving among His people, hope will overflow to those around and draw even more to HIm.

Jesus met real needs among the people. He healed the sick that doctors could not heal. He cast out demons while everyone else outcast the demon possessed. He extended grace and compassion where the religious leaders condemned. Instead of draining the life out of the people with heavy demands, He raised the dead to life again. When a permanent sacrifice was needed to atone for sin, He became the sacrifice and gave up His life so all of humanity could have a relationship with the Father. When real needs are met, people will follow.

Realize today that every need you have can be met in Christ. By the same token, you cannot fill the unmet needs of the people you love. They need Jesus as much as you do, and the best thing you can do is to point them to Him. Crowds still follow Jesus when they hear what He can do, and it is our job to tell them. He is still preaching the Scriptures through the Holy Spirit, performing miracles through our prayers, and revealing the Father to those who are seeking. Jesus was with His disciples when the crowds followed Him, and He is with us today. We just need to clear the way and direct people to Him.

Have a blessed day!

Romans 12:19

Friends, do not avenge yourselves; instead, leave room for His wrath. For it is written: Vengeance belongs to Me; I will repay, says the Lord.

When someone maliciously attacks us or hurts us in some way, it may be hard not to retaliate or, at the least, to defend ourselves. Matthew 18 even instructs us to confront someone who offends us privately in hopes of resolving our issues. God wants His people at peace with one another because we have a common enemy who attacks us from the outside. Too often, however, the enemy finds an open door inside our churches and communities, where he goes on an internal attack. When he does, the body disintegrates.

To avenge means to punish as payment for a wrong done. When someone wrongs us, we cannot properly avenge ourselves. The wrongdoer must see that God is our protector and learn to fear Him. The fear of God is what brings wisdom; fear of man will only breed more hate and cause more strife.

God will avenge His people. We have His word on it. He knows the thoughts of man and the selfish ambitions that cause attacks and strife. People will attack you only if they are threatened by you in some way. By attacking you, they expose their evil plans or thoughts, and God must judge. Their attack will seem right in their own eyes because of their fear. When God exposes their evil thoughts or ambitions, however, they must acknowledge their own sin and can no longer blame you. If you avenge yourself, they have every reason to fear you and continue to fight against you. God’s vengeance is just, and it is final. We must allow Him to have the last word.

If someone has made you fighting mad, turn them over to God, and don’t avenge yourself. Don’t give your enemy anymore ammunition to come against you. Pray for them, and draw the power of God to the matter. God hears the prayers of His people, and He promises to avenge. As Romans 12:14 instructs us, “Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.” When you bless, you disarm your enemy. They cannot attack any further without blatantly appearing wrong and standing in judgment themselves. Being nice just might be the greatest weapon in your arsenal. Pull out your blessing pistol and use it where you need today.

Have a blessed day!

Genesis 30:1-2

When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she envied her sister. “Give me sons, or I will die!” she said to Jacob. 

Jacob became angry with Rachel and said, “Am I in God’s place, who has withheld children from you?’

Rachel had the heart, love, and affection of her husband, but it was not enough. She wore the shame of barrenness while her older sister bore sons to the same man. Leah’s union with Jacob was outwardly blessed while Rachel’s was not. We see the tension rise between the two lovers while Rachel demands from Jacob what only God could give her.

God used barrenness in several women to bring forth a child of great purpose. We see this in Sarah, Hannah, Manoah’s wife, and Elizabeth. Rachel did not know at the time she would bear a son who would rise to great power in Egypt and save Leah’s sons from hunger. She saw barrenness as a curse and looked to Jacob for an answer, rather than turning to God. We must come to look at our barren and empty places as places of purpose and look to God to fill them. Otherwise, we will falsely believe the devil’s lies that we are shameful and cursed, as Rachel did. If God has not yet filled a great void in your life, it is because He has something great for you, and the time has not yet come for Him to reveal it. Cry out to Him, and submit to His time table. No one who hopes in Him will be disappointed (Rom. 5:5).

Do you feel barren in any area of your life today? If so, surrender that place to God. Understand that no one else can fill that void, and you can destroy relationships by expecting someone else to do what only God can do for you. There is no need or void that God cannot fill, and He desires for you to live a fruitful and productive life. He loves you and has a heart of compassion toward you. Don’t believe for one minute the devil’s lie that God is angry with you or is punishing you by not addressing your barren areas.  God will use your barrenness to bring forth greatness and display His glory. Trust Him and begin to proclaim His favor; praise Him for what He has planned for you. I saw a quote recently that addressed this issue appropriately:  “When you enter God’s presence with praise, He can enter your problem with power.” Believe it, and do it!

Have a blessed day! 

Isaiah 56:7

I will bring them to My holy mountain and let them rejoice in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be acceptable to My altar for My house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.

God always intended for His house to be a house of prayer for all. Prayer is our communication with God, and it is not reserved for Jews only. God desires to fellowship with all nations, and this fellowship begins with prayer.

E.M. Bounds was a biblical scholar who studied prayer and wrote the most insightful sermons on prayer that have ever been preached. According to Bounds, “God does nothing except in response to prayer.” In other words, if you want something to happen in your life, you must first pray. If you need answers, you should pray and ask God. If you are struggling or being attacked in any way, you should pray.

Prayer is not just wishing something would happen. Prayer is asking the Father for the very thing you want. While you may think He knows your heart, you still need to ask Him. When you engage in the activity of asking, you begin to dialogue with God. Communication opens the door to response, and you participate in an active relationship with God as your heavenly Father. He is not a fairy that grants wishes; He is a Person who desires relationship with you.

You don’t need burnt offerings or sacrifices today to enter into fellowship with God because Jesus has already made the sacrifice for you. You simply need to accept His sacrifice and enter into prayer through His righteousness. God wants to hear your prayer, and He has established His house as a house of prayer for all. Take advantage of His great provision for you, and pray for the very thing you need. Stop wishing your life away and begin praying. Expect Him to answer, and look for His response. You will find your relationship developing with Him as you pray, and the fact that He responded will become more precious to you than the very answer itself.

Have a blessed day!

Malachi 4:5-6

Look, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome Day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers. Otherwise, I will come and strike the land with a curse.

During the reign of the evil King Ahab, Elijah destroyed the prophets of Baal by calling down fire from heaven to consume his sacrifice before the Lord, proving He was God. Elijah then slayed the prophets of Baal. His mission was to destroy the high places Israel had established for other gods. John the Baptist came in the spirit of Elijah, calling people to repentance and preparing the way for Jesus to minister to Israel.

There will be, however, another Elijah to prepare the way for the second coming of Jesus. This Elijah will turn the hearts of the fathers toward the children and the hearts of the children toward the fathers. In other words, we will have to assume responsibility for what we birth, and children must learn to pay proper respect to their parents. Such a move will bring great healing to a nation now plagued with the effects of a fatherless generation.

Many of our children today are growing up in a fatherless household. Some have no male role model whatsoever, while others have multiple stepfathers who come and go during a lifetime. Many men have abandoned their role as father to their children, and mothers have been left to fend for themselves. Sadly, some of these mothers turn to man after man in search of someone to take care of them. The children grow up with no real sense of respect for men but with a need for a true father. When this void is not filled, a curse comes over the lives affected, and many of these children grow up to live self-destructive lives and repeat the cycle of fatherless homes.

Thank God for the spirit of Elijah that turns hearts of the fathers back toward the children and the hearts of children to their fathers! This is a restoring work within the family that enables them to live fruitful, productive lives that glorify God. When we see families being restored to operate the way God intended, we know that Jesus is coming soon! Those who respond to this restoring work will be ready for Him.

Pray for the spirit of Elijah to do a restoring work to families today. Every one of us knows someone affected by the curse of our fatherless generation. The spirit of Elijah brings wholeness to fragmented lives by pointing them to the coming Christ. God never meant for us to live broken, defeated, self-destructive, “less than” lives. Christ came to bring life and to bring it in abundance. Dare to ask for restoration today, and know that Jesus is coming soon!

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 4:6

Many are saying, “Who can show us anything good?” Look on us with favor, LORD.

We can show the world what is good because we serve a good God who has certainly been good to us. He has prepared and equipped us to do good works, and we should do them. Many in the world are hurting today and are in search of good news. Those who have experienced loss are looking for hope to overcome and to move forward in life. Can we give them the hope they desperately need and reason to live? Yes, we can!

All we need to do is to be who God has made us to be. By simply serving Him in the place where He has called us, we show the world something good. By sharing the message of Jesus Christ, we show the world resurrected life and give hope to overcome. Because God raised Jesus from the dead, He has forgiven our sins and can raise us from our dead situations. We can certainly show the world something more than good – miraculous, marvelous, and magnificent is the name of Jesus Christ and the power He works in us!

God’s favor can change any situation. When we serve Him out of a grateful and cheerful heart, He looks on us with favor. When we go forth sewing in tears, we will reap with joy, according to Psalm 126:5. God has not deserted us; He has a plan, and we can be excited about what He wants to do in us and through us because it is designed for our good and His glory! When His glory is revealed in us, we most assuredly show the world something good! Determine to allow God to reveal His glory in you. His favor is upon you to let His reflection shine!

Have a blessed day!

Psalm 74:15

You opened up springs and streams; You dried up ever-flowing rivers.

In difficult or trying times, we must remember that God is in control and place our trust fully in Him. He has the ability to do the impossible in our lives, and He still performs miracles. Our greatest challenge is usually not in fighting our giants but in resting in His presence and surrendering fully to His will and His plan for us.

Sometimes God’s provision is found in small springs and streams that don’t seem large enough or powerful enough to fill the demanding thirst we feel inside. He will, however, open up those insignificant springs and streams to become life-giving wells when we surrender our need to Him and begin to focus on purpose, rather than need. What appears small right now can open up to something much larger when God begins to act and reveal His glory in us.

God can also stop powerful forces that rage against us. He can dry up ever-flowing rivers that seem dangerous and unending at times. He can also deplete sources upon which we’ve depended that draw us away from Him or have served their purpose in our lives.

Whether God opens up a spring or stream or dries up a river for us, His work in doing so is direction for us. He will lead us to places where we could never go unless He makes a new way or deters us from the wrong path. We cannot trust the spring, stream, or river itself, but we can trust what God chooses to do with it in our lives.

Surrender your need fully to God today, and begin to walk where He leads you. Have faith that He can open up the spring or stream that currently gives you only a trickle. If He has dried up an ever-flowing river, He is simply redirecting you to a path with new purpose. Embrace it and worship Him. You will be amazed at the new landscape He is creating for you and working in you!

Have a blessed day!

1 Peter 3:22

Now that He has gone into heaven, He is at God’s right hand, with angels, authorities, and powers subjected to Him.

How do you picture Jesus today? He is more than someone who made a great impact during His time on earth. He is more than a good teacher who taught good ideas for us to follow. He is more than a concept or a historical figure. He is in charge, and one day He is coming back to see how we have cared for this earth, where He left us in charge to make disciples while He is physically away. When He returns, He won’t be happy, but He will take over. How will you answer to Him?

Jesus is at the right hand of God today with angels, authorities, and powers subjected to Him. They are there to do His bidding, and they must answer to Him, as well. We have a direct line of connection to Him through prayer. If Jesus is ultimately in charge, should we not strengthen that relationship as much as possible? Should we not be doing the things He called us to do? Can He not help us overcome every obstacle we face in our mission if such power exists at His command?

We serve an almighty, powerful Savior. That should create both comfort and fear in us. We should be comforted in knowing that we are His, He loves us beyond our comprehension, and nothing is impossible with Him. We should also fear Him, knowing that He is the ultimate judge, and He will hold us accountable for the mission He gave us and the gifts He granted us to complete that mission. See Jesus for the powerful ruler He is, and submit to His authority. If you are already surrendered to His authority now, you will be quite familiar with Him when He returns. The Devil would have you believe Christianity is fading and tyranny is taking charge, but God’s kingdom is coming to this earth. Walk in it now, and find favor with the One true King.

Have a blessed day!

1 Kings 17:20-22

The he (Elijah) cried out to the LORD and said, “My LORD God, have You also brought tragedy on the widow I am staying with by killing her son?” Then he stretched himself out over the boy three times. He cried out to the LORD and said, “My LORD God, please let this boy’s life return to him!” So the LORD listened to Elijah’s voice, and the boy’s life returned to him, and he lived.

God had instructed Elijah to go to a widow in Zarephath during his run from Jezebel for killing the prophets of Baal. Although the woman was planning to prepare her last meal for her son and herself when Elijah found her, God blessed her supply while Elijah was there so it would not run dry until God sent rain on the land again. At some point during Elijah’s stay with them, the boy became ill and died. His mother feared Elijah’s presence in her home was to remind her of her sins and that God was punishing her by taking her son. While a prophet’s presence in her home certainly brought blessing, it could also mean judgment from God.

Elijah took the boy, laid him on his own bed, and prayed over him. He asked God if He was responsible for the tragedy and asked God to let the boy live. God heard Elijah’s prayer and returned life to the boy. Although this widow realized sin in her life, God was merciful to her. She learned firsthand of the grace of an Almighty God toward her, and she was not an Israelite.

When we experience tragedy, we often feel as if we are being punished or judged by God. This is not the case. Our sin has already been judged on the cross. God saw the widow’s hardship and had compassion on her. He sent His prophet into her life to bless her and not to judge her. The enemy, however, felt differently. If he could make her think God was judging her, she might turn from Him in fear or anger. God did not allow this tragedy to be permanent. He merely used the devil’s intent to draw her even closer to Him as He revealed Himself as provider, protector, and deliverer to her. If Elijah’s God could deliver her son from death, why in this world would she turn from Him or reject Him?

The widow in Zarephath experienced a God who forgave sin and worked miracles in her life. This God showed great compassion toward her and showed her that her life was valuable to Him. In caring for His prophet, God used the widow’s service and blessed her. Regardless of your sin or your need, you are valuable to God. His plans for you are for good and not to harm you. He desires to draw you out of sin and into relationship with Him. Ask God for a miracle, and expect it. Just as He heard Elijah’s voice, He will hear yours. Your sin does not disqualify you from receiving a miracle; God’s grace qualifies you.

Have a blessed day!