‘Be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power.’ Ephesians 6:10 Paul tells us two things about his thorn: First, that it was a messenger of Satan sent to buffet him. The word ‘buffet’ means ‘to render blow after blow’. It was not one battle, but a series of […]
“Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me.” – Ezekiel 33:7 Roger Boisjoly, a booster rocket engineer at NASA contractor Morton Thiokol, tried vehemently to prevent the launch of the Space Shuttle […]
“I am the LORD your God; follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.” – Ezekiel 20:19 Kent and Barbara Hughes write in their book “Liberating Ministry from the Success Syndrome” the following: “Elisabeth Elliot once stayed in the farmhouse of a Welsh shepherd and his family high […]
“So I spoke to the people in the morning, and in the evening my wife died. The next morning I did as I had been commanded.” – Ezekiel 24:18 In an article titled “Ministering During Personal Tragedy”, author Jess Rainer writes: “We were not prepared for the death of our […]
“Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit. Why will you die, O house of Israel?” – Ezekiel 18:31 In his book “Grace: More Than We Deserve, Greater Than We Imagine”, author Max Lucado writes: “In the spring of 2010, […]
“You must speak my words to them, whether they listen or fail to listen, for they are rebellious.” – Ezekiel 2:7 In his book “The Holy Spirit: Activating God’s Power in Your Life”, evangelist Billy Graham tells of the importance of witnessing with the following illustration: “An old American Indian […]
“You have kept your promise because you are righteous.” Nehemiah 9:8 God is faithful to His Word. When He makes a promise, He fulfills it. The righteousness of God guarantees that every word He speaks is true and will come to pass. In Nehemiah’s time, the Israelites recognized God’s faithfulness, […]
“They all plotted together to come and fight against Jerusalem and stir up trouble against it. But we prayed to our God and posted a guard day and night to meet this threat.” Nehemiah 4:8-9 Life is full of challenges, and trouble often comes when we least expect it. The […]
“Don’t grumble against each other, brothers, or you will be judged. The Judge is standing at the door!”– James 5:9 Charles Darwin, known for his chronic complaining, was at his happiest when he had something to criticize. He wrote to Charles Lyell in October 1861: “But I am very poorly […]
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ‘Hear the word of the LORD!” – Ezekiel 13:2 Pastor Edward F. Markquart wrote: “The Old Testament prophet was to be keenly aware of the evil powers […]
“But in your great mercy, you did not put an end to them or abandon them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.” Nehemiah 9:31 God’s mercy is one of His most beautiful attributes. Throughout history, the people of Israel repeatedly turned away from God, yet He never abandoned […]
‘We are only God’s servants through whom you believed the Good News.’ 1 Corinthians 3:5 One day, when Charles Colson, founder of Prison Fellowship, was scheduled to preach to 300 inmates at San Quentin prison, a lockdown was called, and most of the prisoners were confined to their cells. To […]
“I put in charge of Jerusalem my brother Hanani, along with Hananiah the commander of the citadel, because he was a man of integrity and feared God more than most people do.” Nehemiah 7:2 In appointing leaders for Jerusalem, Nehemiah chose individuals not solely based on their skills or accomplishments […]
‘As You sent Me into the world, I have sent them into the world.’ John 17:18 Jesus prayed: ‘I have given them Your Word … My prayer is not that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of […]
“How you have helped the powerless! How you have saved the arm that is feeble!” – Job 26:2 Tracy Judkins ran away from the chaos of her dysfunctional family at the age of 17. To support herself, she ran into an even darker place. “The world of topless dancing is […]