How to Have an Enjoyable Life “Come, children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the Lord. Who is the man who delights in life, loving a long life to enjoy what is good? Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from deceitful speech. Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it.” (Psalm 34:11–14, HCSB) How can a person have an enjoyable life? There are a few ways listed... Read more
God’s Plan Versus My Agenda “God came to Balaam at night and said to him, “Since these men have come to summon you, get up and go with them, but you must only do what I tell you.” When he got up in the morning, Balaam saddled his donkey and went with the officials of Moab. But God was incensed that Balaam was going, and the Angel of the Lord took His stand on the path to oppose him. Balaam... Read more
Depression, Anger, Stress, and Trust “The entire Israelite community entered the Wilderness of Zin in the first month, and they settled in Kadesh. Miriam died and was buried there.” (Numbers 20:1, HCSB) Many people have talked about the consequences of Moses’ anger when he struck the rock. Moses was commanded to speak to the rock but instead spoke out of anger. As a result, Moses was not allowed to enter the Promised Land. But what was the source of the... Read more
The Jealousy Ritual ““This is the law regarding jealousy when a wife goes astray and defiles herself while under her husband’s authority, or when a feeling of jealousy comes over a husband and he becomes jealous of his wife. He is to have the woman stand before the Lord, and the priest will apply this entire ritual to her. The husband will be free of guilt, but that woman will bear the consequences of her guilt.”” (Numbers 5:29–31, HCSB) This... Read more
Funding the Church “The Lord spoke to Moses: “Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When someone makes a special vow to the Lord that involves the assessment of people, if the assessment concerns a male from 20 to 60 years old, your assessment is 50 silver shekels measured by the standard sanctuary shekel. If the person is a female, your assessment is 30 shekels. If the person is from five to 20 years old, your assessment for a male... Read more
My Holocaust ““You must make an earthen altar for Me and sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, your sheep and goats, as well as your cattle. I will come to you and bless you in every place where I cause My name to be remembered.” (Exodus 20:24, HCSB) During the 1930s and 1940s, Adolf Hitler authorized the Nazi program, “die Endlosung,” (Final Solution) a program where the Jews would be eliminated. He put the Jews in concentration... Read more
Sometimes God Hardens a Person’s Heart “Then the Lord said to Moses, “Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the hearts of his officials so that I may do these miraculous signs of Mine among them, and so that you may tell your son and grandson how severely I dealt with the Egyptians and performed miraculous signs among them, and you will know that I am Yahweh.”” (Exodus 10:1–2, HCSB) During the ten plagues which God... Read more
With God, It Always Gets Worse Before It Gets Better “So Moses went back to the Lord and asked, “Lord, why have You caused trouble for this people? And why did You ever send me? Ever since I went in to Pharaoh to speak in Your name he has caused trouble for this people, and You haven’t delivered Your people at all.” But the Lord replied to Moses, “Now you are going to see what I will do to Pharaoh:... Read more
Hesitating Before God “But Moses replied to the Lord, “Please, Lord, I have never been eloquent—either in the past or recently or since You have been speaking to Your servant —because I am slow and hesitant in speech.” Yahweh said to him, “Who made the human mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf, seeing or blind? Is it not I, Yahweh? Now go! I will help you speak and I will teach you what to say.” Moses said, “Please, Lord,... Read more
Getting Through a Spiritual Drought ““Let Pharaoh do this: Let him appoint overseers over the land and take a fifth of the harvest of the land of Egypt during the seven years of abundance. Let them gather all the excess food during these good years that are coming. Under Pharaoh’s authority, store the grain in the cities, so they may preserve it as food. The food will be a reserve for the land during the seven years of famine that... Read more
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