"why has all this happened to us? ". This was Gideon's question when the angel told him that the Lord was with him. He wanted to know why he needed to thresh his wheat in the winepress because of the invading Midianites. He asked where all the wonders he heard about had gone: why had ... Read more

"my God shall supply". We know all the riches of heaven are His. Scripture tells us that He owns the cattle on a thousand hills and the wealth of every mine. He created all things and upholds them. His storehouse holds more than Joseph's in Egypt, His wisdom far exceeds that of Solomon and His ... Read more

"my flesh shall rest in hope". Naturally speaking my body, or my flesh is slowly dying. I am trying to get done all I can before my last breath heralds an enforced rest. But he whose hope is in the Lord knows One who rose again triumphant from the grave: mightily and victoriously overcoming the ... Read more

"Because I live, you will live also". The truth that Jesus is alive infuses life into every one of His followers. The day of His resurrection poured a flood of light on those dark days at Calvary. He died to save us, He lives to intercede for us. We can expect and experience new life ... Read more

"Does a person gain anything if he wins the whole world but loses his life? ". Life is as valued by the beggar as it is the prince, though in vastly contrasting ways. The world is valuable but in real terms only if you can enjoy and benefit from it. If you have to barter ... Read more

"The hope of the righteous shall be gladness". Hopes and aspirations can change quite considerably as life goes on. When we think of some of the things we hoped for we wonder where our sense was. Hope can fade - in later years it generally does: to see it fade in a younger person is ... Read more

"Who has determined the course of history? ". God determined history and carried it out. Sending His Son into our world He fulfilled Old Testament prophecy. The Incarnation, when God took upon Himself our likeness in the Person of His Only Son, altered the course of history for all time. Men no longer look forward ... Read more

"Search the scriptures". Jesus spoke these words to those who were teachers of the Law and should be fully conversant with Scriptures. They read these Scriptures but not with enlightened vision. So they did not recognise Christ when He came. All men need to be careful they do not treat the Scriptures as an old ... Read more

"By faith the walls of Jericho fell down". The faith was in the hearts of Joshua and the Children of Israel who marched around the city day after day for a whole week. They encompassed the city seven times the seventh day, blew their trumpets and shouted with a great shout. Not an arrow was ... Read more

"Great peace have those who love your law". Great peace ensues once a soul recognises God's law, and especially when that soul hears God speaking through His word. The trespasser must always be wary of the landowner catching him, the transgressor of being found out. Neither can ever really be at rest. Religion wherever and ... Read more

"now he commands all men everywhere to repent". These words are taken from the Apostle Paul's sermon on Mars Hill Athens, after he had seen the altar they had erected "to the Unknown God." He told of the true God's dealings with men in time past. Now, since Jesus came, God is looking for those ... Read more

"Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged". These were God's words to Joshua and that made all the difference. We are afraid and become discouraged because we do not know and cannot see God's plan. God says "Do not be afraid" because those who follow Him have nothing to fear. Fear will be fuelled ... Read more

"faith as small as a mustard seed". The disciples had asked Jesus to increase their faith. It was as if they thought Jesus was responsible for their level of faith. Jesus put the onus back on them. It is not so much about how much faith we have but rather what we do with the ... Read more

"we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard". You can't keep quiet: what has happened directs your mind and governs your tongue. You know that if God can bless you, He can bless anybody and you tell them so. It has been so wonderful to experience the Lord at work that you ... Read more

"live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature". Think and act positively expecting the new life in the Spirit to kill the desires of the flesh. Go on the offensive, be strong in the Lord. Draw your strength and pleasure from Him. Don't entertain the devil for one ... Read more

"Apply your mind to instruction and your ear to words of knowledge". Learning comes more easily to some than others. Some find no difficulty in paying attention while others have thoughts that wander all too easily. Learning about the Lord is the highest application for the mind and attention to His voice will produce the ... Read more

"You have stayed long enough at this mountain". Some of us can settle down and be comfortable anywhere. But a halfway house is not for permanent residence. The Children of Israel lingered too long at Mount Horeb and the Lord had to tell Moses to get them on their way to the Promised Land. A ... Read more

"salvation has come to this house". We are not told what happened other than Jesus stayed there with Zacchaeus. He was a seeking soul and it is therefore not surprising that he found salvation in this Friend of Sinners. That Jesus included "this house" suggests that the others in the family trusted Christ, too. They ... Read more

"be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray". No good being taken up with an hundred and one other things if you want to be effective in prayer. You must be able to put out all the hindrances and temptations if you would wrestle in prayer with God. If, like the church in ... Read more

"Take careful heed to yourselves". The Lord leading and protecting His people for 40 years in the desert did not absolve them from responsibility, neither was God's care any excuse for them to be careless. The Israelite's experience was not unique. We who claim to be disciples need to take heed these many years later. ... Read more

"these men had been with Jesus". Not only had they been with Him, but they had become like Jesus. They had caught something of the power and authority that Jesus was known to have - something of Him had rubbed off on them. Those who attempt to live up to the demands of the gospel ... Read more

"who changes rocks into pools of water and solid cliffs into flowing springs". Our verse lists rocks becoming pools of water and cliffs flowing springs, no doubt alluding to water flowing from the rock when Israel journeyed through the wilderness. One cannot imagine any two more opposites than flint stone and running water. The Children ... Read more

"According to your faith be it unto you". The two blind men were vociferous in their appeal for mercy and their cries caused them to be brought before Him. But they were to learn it was not then up to Jesus: their healing was as much up to them. Jesus asked if they believed He ... Read more

"seeing him who is invisible". This is a paradox that only those who have the experience can understand. Those listed in this great faith chapter knew about it and so do those who have exercised faith in the promise of God. There is an unseen hand guiding the affairs of history. More important is God ... Read more

"fear the Lord your God … walk in all his ways … love him … serve the Lord your God … with all your soul". With these words God commands His People through the words of Moses today. Fear - an appreciation and respect for who He is and worship and honour given to His ... Read more

"taken up dead". The unforeseen happens, our circumstances change, things are no longer the same and what we knew as something very much alive we take up as something dead. We begin a new project but it dies on us; nothing we can do will revive it - we take it up, but it's dead. ... Read more

p>"the people sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play". Aaron proclaimed it a feast to the Lord but it was idolatry. When worship becomes eating, drinking and playing it becomes idolatry. True worship is both happy and deeply satisfying, but it is not hilarity or play. God was graciously real ... Read more

"Peace, be still". There are really two statements in these words of Jesus as He stood among the frightened disciples in a storm. Peace - that is His Name - Prince of Peace. He challenged the fear that had gripped His disciples. In that boat with Jesus was the safest place they could be. "Peace" ... Read more

"I am a woman who is deeply troubled". Hannah was disturbed in spirit because God had shut her womb and prayer did not seem to be having any effect. So she sets us the good example of continuing more fervently in prayer rather than giving up praying. Furthermore, her fervent prayer was misunderstood by the ... Read more

"I want to encourage you". What a lovely expression! How we should all be seeking to do this, one to the other! Here are some ways in which we may encourage our brothers and sisters: take a genuine interest in their situation tell them you appreciate what they are doing assure them you're praying for ... Read more

"you have put all my sins behind your back". Hezekiah had just been granted an extension to his life after God had told him to put his house in order because he was about to die. He had been very distressed about this and pleaded his case before the Lord. And the Lord confirmed by ... Read more

"The Lord has done great things for us". Often at the time, God's plan and purpose was obscure - you did not recognise just what He was doing. But now you can see things in better perspective. You are enjoying today the fruit of God's blessing upon your life in days past. The way He ... Read more

"He touched her hand and the fever left her". Fever rages in many today. The fever of frustration - trying so hard yet never seeming to get there. The fever of human effort - demanding we put all we have into it yet gaining nothing of eternal value. The fever of passion and of evil ... Read more

"women who work hard in the Lord". This is not about whether you go out to work or not. It's not about getting status from a job title or how much you earn. This is work that is done 'in the Lord' - based on a relationship with Christ. Hard work involves effort, sacrifice, even ... Read more

"set your affection on things above". There is so much to attract below that it needs a conscious effort to do this! Our world is so full of fascinating things which, while not evil in themselves, detract from the things of God. Fascinations, obsessions and desires that are not of the Lord need pulling out ... Read more

"the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man". Where can greater love be found than in God so loving the world that He gave His Only Son? The object of that loving kindness was rebellious and unlovely. Even now most of those on whom this love was expended are disinterested in what God ... Read more

"and great will be your children's peace". This chapter in the prophecy of Isaiah describes the future glory of Zion, the city of God. Those journeying there should not be afraid - they will not suffer shame. They should not fear disgrace and will not be humiliated. It is the Holy One of Israel who ... Read more

"children of the promise". This is what we have become through faith in Jesus Christ. God promised Abraham that "through your offspring all the nations of the earth will be blessed." In and through the work of Christ, the blessing is now available to all. In Christ we have become children of God and now ... Read more

"narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life". A man must humble himself if he would enter the gate. Once sin is confessed and forgiven and Jesus is in His rightful place as Lord, there can be no sitting back at ease. All hell may be loosed to get the ... Read more

"Blessed is every one who fears the Lord". "Everyone blessed" is a sweeping statement, but it is true. Whoever places the God of the whole earth in His rightful place must know blessing. To expect enduring blessing without Him is folly. Exalt Him: Extol His mighty Name in your heart, experience Him in your life ... Read more

"he went up to the temple of the Lord and spread it out before the Lord". Hezekiah's example is a good one to follow. He was a godly king and used to praying to the Lord and when Sennacherib, King of Assyria sent a threatening and frightening letter to say he was about to attack, ... Read more

"those who are … unstable twist". The Apostle Peter refers to things in Paul's Epistles which are hard to understand. These references were not made in any derogatory manner but as a warning to those who twist Scriptures for their own use. The danger is that when we find something we do not like in ... Read more