I live in the Seattle area, the epicenter of the coronavirus in the US. The Care Center that everyone is talking about is only 15 minutes from my home. Public gatherings are prohibited; schools are closed. Each new day seems to bring more bad news. Yesterday all dine-in restaurants were ordered to close. Yet in the midst of it all, I have peace and JOY!!!!
How do I keep my JOY? I am diligent to guard my heart (Pr. 4:23).
Here is my recipe for having JOY in any and all circumstances:
Read MoreGod gave Adam and Eve dominion over the earth and everything in it (Genesis 1:28). Unfortunately, Adam yielded to the enemy and gave his authority over to Satan. You do not have dominion over the one that you yield to. That is way God tells us to resist the devil, and he will flee from us (James 4:7). In other words, exercise your authority over him, and he must flee.
It is still God’s plan for the people of His creation to rule and reign over the earth . . .
Read MoreThe pillar of cloud by day and fire by night is what captured my attention in Numbers chapter 9. I noticed that the text reiterated the same information 7 times! Seven is the number of completeness or perfection. Clearly, this was important to the Lord. So I paused to wonder why . . .
Read MoreAs priest of the Most High God (1Pet 2:9), I pay close attention whenever priests are mentioned in the Old Testament. Those references give valuable insight or instruction. In this reference from Numbers 4:16, God is telling Moses which parts of the tabernacle the various sons of Levi will carry as they march through the wilderness.
Eleazar, the priest, has the responsibility of carrying . . .
Read MoreOne of the organizational details is the Marching Order of the tribes. When the pillar of cloud and/or fire would lift from the Tabernacle, the Israelites were to break camp and follow. God gave specific instruction about the order in which they should march.
I began to wonder if there was a significance to our Christian walk in their Marching Orders. And I believe I have found one. . .
Read MoreThe book labeled “Numbers” in our Bible has a couple different names in Hebrew. The most common Hebrew name is “bemidbar” which means “in the wilderness.” “In the wilderness” is a much more befitting title because the wilderness wanderings . . .
Read MoreI love to walk on the beach. There is something about the roar of the ocean and the salt air that causes me to heave a contented sigh. Even if the wind whips the waves into whitecaps, I still enjoy watching the water swirl about. So when I contemplated a new heaven and new earth without a sea as it says in Revelation, . . .
Read MoreEleazar, one of David’s three mighty men, is a beautiful analogy for the spiritual battles of life.
First, his name, Eleazar, means “God is my help.” What an auspicious beginning! And it is all the more poignant when you look at Who . . .
Read MoreLook what I found buried in a list of sundry laws: Love your neighbor as Yourself. Tucked in near the end of a sentence, at the bottom of a list of do’s and don’ts, is God’s true intention. Love your neighbor. Jesus made these words famous, but He is quoting them .. .
Read MoreMoses climbed the mountain with two tablets of stone for God to write on. The Ten Commandments on those stones was God’s summary of the Old Testament Law. The Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5-7 is basically a restatement of that Law, seen through the eyes of grace. Jesus climbed the mountain . . .
Read MoreTwice Moses spent 40 days on the mountain and came down with 2 tablets of stone. The first set where hewn and engraved by the finger of God. But Moses shattered those tablets . . .
Read MoreDiscover creative ways to encourage others and to motivate them toward acts of compassion, doing beautiful works as expressions of love. Hebrews 10:24 TPT
This verse beautifully and succinctly sums up my life’s goal. . . .
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