Acts 20:38 Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
Paul was about to leave the believers in Ephesus. Paul exhorted the believers in the way that they should live their lives and then communicated to them the bad […]
Matthew 5:9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.
When you add knowledge of the ways of God to your life, then you understand how God expects you to live. Not only do you read the commands of Christ on how to live, but you can also study the life […]
Proverbs 19:2 Also, that the soul be without knowledge, is not good; and he that hasteth with his feet sinneth.
You would think it foolish of a man to climb a mountain in the middle of the night. It would be very easy to make some sort of mistake which would result in him becoming lost […]
Proverbs 17:5 Whoso mocketh the poor reproacheth his MAKER: and he that is glad at calamities shall not be unpunished.
Do you understand that God made everyone? It does not matter if you are rich or you are poor, God is your Creator. When you laugh at a person who does not seem to have it […]
Proverbs 16:7 When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
Jacob was on his way back to the land of Canaan when his father-in-law Laban came after him with a band of men. Jacob was doing that which was pleasing to the Lord and as such, […]
Proverbs 14:26 In the fear of the LORD is strong confidence: and his children shall have a place of refuge.
The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. The more time you spend adding knowledge of the ways of God, the better understanding you will have as to the direction God would have you […]
Proverbs 14:18 The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge.
You do not have to do anything to learn how to be a fool but you need to be wise if you desire to obtain knowledge. Other than Adam and Eve, we were born into a world full of sin. This means that […]
Proverbs 14:8 The wisdom of the prudent is to understand his way: but the folly of fools is deceit.
Are you a wise man or are you a fool? Jesus told us that a wise man builds his house upon the rock while the fool builds his house upon the sand. The house in this illustration […]
Genesis 37:19 And they said one to another, Behold, this dreamer cometh.
Jacob had sent his son Joseph to see how his brothers were doing. While Joseph was still a ways off, his brothers saw him and they conspired against him. Joseph’s brothers did not love their brother. In fact, they despised their brother because of […]
Genesis 37:4 And when his brethren saw that their father loved him more than all his brethren, they hated him and could not speak peaceably unto him.
Jacob loved Joseph and he gave Joseph a coat of many colors. Joseph’s brothers saw the coat and rather than love their brother, they allowed their jealousy to build […]
Proverbs 6:19 and he that soweth discord among brethren.
The seventh item in the list of seven abominations unto the Lord is one who stirs up strife among those who should be at peace. The word brethren is a broad term; its meaning would safely stretch anywhere between a physical brother all the way to two […]
Acts 27:43 But the centurion, willing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose; and commanded that they which could swim should cast themselves first into the sea, and get to land:
Paul was a prisoner on board a ship bound for Italy. While they were traveling, the ship ran into a huge storm that lasted […]
1 Corinthians 13:4 Charity suffereth long,
Love is patient. A beautiful example of this principle is found in the story of Jacob and Rachel. We are told in scripture that Jacob served seven years for Rachel; and they seemed unto him but a few days, for the love he had to her. (Genesis 29:20).
We live in […]
Acts 25:3 And desired favor against him, that he would send for him to Jerusalem, laying wait in the way to kill him.
Festus came to Jerusalem and the high priest and the chief of the Jews came to him and asked Festus to do a favor for them. They requested that Festus request that Paul […]
Acts 19:15 And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and Paul I know but who are ye?
God was using Paul. Paul was laying hands on people and they were receiving the Holy Ghost. Paul was also doing many miracles in the name of the Lord. People were brining their sick to Paul […]
Acts 1:8 But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
Jesus was about to ascend up into heaven. However, before HE left, HE wanted to […]
Psalms 134:1 Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye servants of the Lord, which by night stand in the house of the Lord.
How many times have you asked the Lord to bless you? How many times have you interceded with God that HE would do something great in your life? How many times have you […]
Psalms 113:9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the Lord.
What impossible situation do you face? Praise the Lord for putting you in a place where you must trust HIM and rely upon HIM to bring you out of your current distress. This entire […]
Psalms 75:7 But God is the judge: he putteth down one, and setteth up another.
What have you obtained apart from God? God sees everything and it is by HIS’ grace that you have obtained anything. As a servant of God, you need to understand that God giveth and God can take away. You are entitled […]
Genesis 26:7 And the men of the place asked him of his wife; and he said, She is my sister: for he feared to say, She is my wife; lest, said he, the men of the place should kill me for Rebekah; because she was fair to look upon.
God had just told Isaac that he was to sojourn in the land. Isaac understood that he was where the Lord desired him to be. Yet, while Isaac had the faith to remain in the land during a time of famine as per God�s direction, Isaac lacked the faith that God was going to protect him from men who might kill him for his wife�s sake.
This verse is an excellent example of the principle espoused by God in Exodus 34:7 where we learn that the sins of a father are passed down to his children. Abraham demonstrated a lack of faith when he told both Pharaoh and Abimelech that Sarah was his sister even though she was his wife. Isaac followed his father�s example and committed the same sin by stating that Rebekah was his sister.
Genesis 12:10 And there was a famine in the land: and Abram went down into Egypt to sojourn there; for the famine was grievous in the land.
Abraham may be the father of our faith, but he still made mistakes where he demonstrated his lack of faith. We have no indication from scripture that God told Abraham to sojourn in the land of Egypt during the famine. Whether or not Abraham demonstrated a lack of faith by leaving the promise land during a famine is not relevant in this devotional. What is relevant is the compromised situation that Abraham allowed himself to get into because he left Canaan to go to Egypt.
Abraham understood that he had a beautiful wife in Sarah. Because Abraham was in a strange land, he assumed that he would be killed so someone could marry Sarah. Because Abraham feared for his life, he came up with a plan whereby he had Sarah tell the truth, but that she tell the truth in such a way as to mislead the Egyptians.
God had told Abraham that his children would inherit the land of Canaan. Abraham understood this promise. However, just because Abraham understood the promise, it does not mean that he applied it to his life. Abraham had no children, thus, how could God fulfill HIS promise to Abraham if HE allowed Abraham to be killed in Egypt and Sarah being taken by an Egyptian ruler. God was going to have to protect Abraham in order to keep the promise that HE made with Abraham.
Nonetheless, Abraham demonstrated a lack of faith in God�s direction and protection for his life and as such, Abraham did that which was right in his own eyes. While in the end, everything resulted in good for Abraham in that he received great wealth from the Egyptians; the problem was that a seed of deceit was sown in his family that lasted for generations. Isaac and Rebekah lied to protect their lives, Jacob lied to receive a blessing, Jacob�s son�s lied about the death of Joseph.
Abraham had a promise from God that HE was going to be the father of a great nation. However, Abraham allowed his temporary safety to cloud out his faith in God and allowed him to sin and fall short of God�s perfect will. Just as God had guided Abraham to the land of Canaan, Abraham should have allowed God to guide his decision as to whether to go to Egypt to begin with, and once there, what to say so as to be in the center of God�s will so that God would protect him and Sarah.
There is no such thing as a small decision. Living by faith requires that you constantly be seeking the Lord for HIS daily direction. Just because your provision has dried up, it does not mean that it is time for you to be looking for greener pastures. It is your duty to listen closely to God�s purpose for your life and to determine where God desires you to go and what HE desires you to do.
You must make it a priority to spend quality time with God each day so that HE may direct your paths. Remember the promises that HE has given you that have not been fulfilled. When you understand what God�s will for your life is, do not be quick to depart from it just because things become difficult. Living by faith is not easy, but the rewards of being in the center of God�s will are amazing.
I Thessalonians 3:5 For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.
Paul had planted the church in Thessalonica. Paul knew that the church was suffering tribulation. Paul was afraid that Satan might have caused the church to stumble as a result of suffering tribulation. Paul cared very much for the church but he understood that the church had to survive on its own faith, not the faith of Paul and Timothy. Paul thus stayed away from the church as long as he could so that the church would prove its own faith. Nonetheless, Paul had too much invested in the church and eventually he could no longer wait to discover if the churches faith had held out. Paul sent Timothy to discover if the church�s faith held.
Paul understood that the church would rely upon his faith if he was present. In order for the church�s faith to grow, they needed to learn to struggle on their own. Jacob is a perfect example of someone relying upon the faith of others. However, once Jacob wrestled with God alone, Jacob developed a personal relationship with God and the God of his fathers had now become his God.
This principle of growing stronger by testing is demonstrated in nature. If someone were to help a butterfly escape from its cocoon, while the butterfly will have escaped the cocoon quicker, it will not survive because it is the struggle that makes the butterfly strong enough so that it can live and fly.
There are two families who live next door to each other. One set of parents does not make their children do anything. They give their children whatever they want whenever they want. The other set of parents require that their children do household chores. This second family makes the children earn their own money in order to receive the toys that they desire to have. When the children grow up, which set of children is more likely to succeed in society? The children who learned to work are more likely to succeed.
The trials and temptations that you face are designed to give you the strength to do greater things for God. You must face the trials and temptations alone. You cannot afford to rely upon others to see you through your struggles. God and God alone should be your focus. You cannot afford to expect man to assist you in escaping from your trial. Instead, your focus should be only on God and while God may use man, you will know that it is God who you must thank and it is God who made a way of escape for you.
Jacob had to face God alone and this gave him the confidence of saying that he had a personal relationship with God. Paul had to leave the church of Thessalonica alone so that they could face their struggle and establish their own faith.
The struggle of your faith is personal. You must learn to look towards God. The harder the trial, the more you must rely upon God. God knows how HE plans to use you. God knows the mountains HE desires you to climb so HE gives you the appropriate trials so that you will have the strength to do HIS will. Do not look to others to create a way of escape for you during your trials. Also, if you see someone else struggling, be wise like Paul who was not quick in offering assistance but allow the church to focus on God.
Acts 13:8 But Elymas the sorcerer (for so is his name by interpretation) withstood them, seeking to turn away the deputy from the faith.
Saul and Barnabas had just returned to Antioch from ministering to the saints in Jerusalem. God impressed upon a couple of prophets that they were to separate Saul and Barnabas for the work God had called them to. Saul and Barnabas are now on their first trip and they are at Paphos and one of the local leaders desires to learn more about God. However, Elymas prevents the sharing of the gospel until Saul commands God to blind the sorcerer. The deputy was so astonished that he believed.
Hebrews 11:21 By faith Jacob, when he was a dying, blessed both the sons of Joseph; and worshipped, leaning upon the top of his staff.
When Jacob was dying, Joseph brought him his two sons to be blessed. Jacob claimed Joseph�s sons as his own. Because Jacob claimed the sons of Joseph, we do not have the tribe of Joseph, but we have the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob blessed Joseph�s sons saying that their seed shall become a multitude. When it came time for Joshua to divide the promise land, one of the problems that existed was the size of Ephraim and Manasseh. Ephraim and Manasseh were given larger territories because of their size.
Hebrews 11:20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come.
Isaac laid his hands upon Jacob thinking it was Esau and he blessed Jacob. When Esau came into the tent to receive his blessing, Isaac answered that Jacob had received the blessing and that Jacob would indeed be blessed. Isaac understood when he laid his hands upon his sons and blessed them that the words that he spoke were directly from the Lord and that the Lord would do according to the blessing that was pronounced.
Throughout scripture one will find stories of prophets boldly predicting what was going to happen next. These statements were not made on a whim. These prophets understood that one false prophecy and they would be deemed a false prophet and would be worthy of death. It was a serious matter to prophecy a blessing or a curse upon an individual and as such, the speaker always had to be sure of their words before they spoke them.
