Now therefore, I pray you, let your servant remain instead of the youth [to be] a slave to my lord, and let the young man go home with his [half] brothers. – Genesis 44:33, Amplified Bible (AMP) Years before, motivated by jealous rage, all the brothers of Joseph, save Reuben, desired to kill their youngest… Continue reading What would you do to save your father?
Category: Chastening
Be obedient when the Holy Spirit recruits you to pray.
…the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us… – Romans 8:26, KJV Working in his field in Asia, a missionary became aware of two very urgent issues back home. On a moment’s notice, he dropped his mission work in order to hop on a plane to the United States, and, during the flight, both issues weighed… Continue reading Be obedient when the Holy Spirit recruits you to pray.
Sometimes it takes a little heat to chase the impurities away.
Surely there is a mine for silver, and a place for gold where they refine it. Iron is taken out of the earth, and copper is smelted from the stone ore. – Job 28:1-2, Amplified Bible (AMP) The process of extracting raw gold from gold-bearing rock and transforming it into pure gold is a fascinating… Continue reading Sometimes it takes a little heat to chase the impurities away.
If you want to keep what you love, take a glimpse into the future.
Behold, You have driven me out this day from the face of the land, and from Your face I will be hidden… – Genesis 4:14, Amplified Bible (AMP) Imagine that there is something you want to do really, really badly. You want to do it so badly, you are sick with anticipation and with longing.… Continue reading If you want to keep what you love, take a glimpse into the future.
Life is filled with irony – and so is God’s Word.
Those whom I [dearly and tenderly] love, I tell their faults and convict and convince and reprove and chasten [I discipline and instruct them]… – Revelation 3:19, Amplified Bible (AMP) Life is filled with irony. Take, for example, today’s (January 6, 2014) news headline from the New York Post: Coast Guard to Save Ships Trapped in Antarctic Ice.… Continue reading Life is filled with irony – and so is God’s Word.
Don’t twist God’s words to ease your conscience. It won’t get you anywhere.
Her prophets are light [lacking truth, gravity, and steadiness] and men of treachery; her priests have profaned the sanctuary; [defrauding God and man by pretending their own word is God’s word] they have done violence to the law. – Zephaniah 3:4, Amplified Bible (AMP) As we start out the New Year, we ought to make… Continue reading Don’t twist God’s words to ease your conscience. It won’t get you anywhere.
Oh, the pain you could avoid if you’d just do things God’s way!
And they slew the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes and put out the eyes of Zedekiah and bound him in double fetters [hands and feet] and carried him to Babylon. – 2 Kings 25:7, Amplified Bible (AMP) While visiting my sister and her family for Christmas, I was reclining on a rather comfy couch… Continue reading Oh, the pain you could avoid if you’d just do things God’s way!
Be prepared to be opposed when you turn unto God.
Then [the guiding angel] showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the Lord, and Satan standing at Joshua’s right hand to be his adversary and to accuse him. – Zechariah 3:1, Amplified Bible (AMP) Imagine that you are six years old, and the heavy rain you’ve been watching from the window… Continue reading Be prepared to be opposed when you turn unto God.
There is a downside to not seeking God’s Kingdom first.
You have sown much, but you have reaped little… – Haggai 1:6, Amplified Bible (AMP) Treadmills are great for exercise, but there is one very ironic thing about them. For all the work one puts into walking or running on a treadmill, once the workout is done, you can honestly say that you’ve gotten nowhere.… Continue reading There is a downside to not seeking God’s Kingdom first.
When you’re hungry, God doesn’t recommend eating the wind.
Ephraim herds and feeds on the wind… – Hosea 12:1, Amplified Bible (AMP) I have a cat named Toby. Toby is a lot of fun to be around, but there is one thing he does that is absolutely hilarious. Every now and then, he likes to roughhouse. Unfortunately, he’s an only cat, so when he… Continue reading When you’re hungry, God doesn’t recommend eating the wind.