An Offer You Can’t Refuse – Genesis 17:1-2

Posted on January 12, 2014 by Steve

“When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will multiply you greatly” (Genesis 17:1-2, ESV).

Thirteen years after Ishmael’s birth, God again appeared to Abram, whom He renamed as Abraham during this appearance. In these verses God calls Himself “El Shaddai,” for which the meaning is unknown, but its translation as “God Almighty” is based on a tradition going back more than two thousand years.

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Blessed To Be a Blessing – Zechariah 8:23

Posted on December 24, 2013 by Steve

“In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew saying, Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you” (Zechariah 8:23, ESV).

Zechariah prophesied about a day when the Lord would restore a remnant in Israel. When the restoration takes place, Jerusalem will be a prosperous and peaceful place and will be known by its faithfulness to God.

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Count Your Blessings – Revelation 14:13

Posted on December 23, 2013 by Steve

“Blessed indeed, says the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!” (Revelation 14:13, ESV).

Did you know the book of Revelation has its own set of Beatitudes that pronounce blessings similar to the ones in from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5? But, in Revelation these seven pronouncements of blessing are stated in several places throughout the book:

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Blessing You Right Where You Are – Jeremiah 42

Posted on October 15, 2013 by Steve

“They said, Please pray to the Lord your God for us. As you can see, we are only a tiny remnant compared to what we were before. Pray that the Lord your God will show us what to do and where to go…Whether we like it or not, we will obey the Lord our God to whom we are sending you with our plea. For if we obey him, everything will turn out well for us… And today I have told you exactly what he said, but you will not obey the Lord your God any better now than you have in the past” (Jeremiah 42:2,3,6,21, NLT).

Following the destruction of Jerusalem by the Babylonians, King Nebuchadnezzar appointed a governor over Judah. The new governor encouraged the people of Judah who had fled to neighboring countries to return to Judah and farm the land.

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Quality of Life Checklist – Ephesians 1:3-14

Posted on September 8, 2013 by Steve

There is a quality of life that Christians enjoy that results from being a believer and follower of Jesus. Jesus referred to it as abundant life: “I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance” (John 10:10, HCSB).

The Apostle Paul expounds on the spiritual blessings that God supplies His people in the opening chapter and verses of the book of Ephesians.

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More – Leviticus 19:23-25

Posted on April 12, 2013 by Steve

“When you come into the land and plant any kind of tree for food, you are to consider the fruit forbidden. It will be forbidden to you for three years; it is not to be eaten. In the fourth year all its fruit must be consecrated as a praise offering to the Lord. But in the fifth year you may eat its fruit. In this way its yield will increase for you; I am Yahweh your God” (Leviticus 19:23-25, HCSB).

The prohibition from eating the fruit of a newly planted fruit tree may have had to do with the fact that the fruit of a young tree was not well formed and did not taste good in the early stages of its life.

Since the firstfruits belonged to God (see Numbers 18:12-17), the fruit of the fourth year was consecrated to God as a praise offering to indicate that the Israelites recognized that God was the One who gave them the good things the earth produced and blessed them with increased production.

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Fortunate Misfortunes – Psalm 66:10-12

Posted on March 5, 2013 by Steve

“For You, God, tested us; You refined us as silver is refined. You lured us into a trap; you placed burdens on our backs. You let men ride over our heads; we went through fire and water, but You brought us out to abundance” (Psalm 66:10-12, HCSB).