And there was again a battle in Gob with the Philistines, where Elhanan the son of Jaareoregim, a Bethlehemite, slew the brother of Goliath the Gittite, … And there was yet a battle in Gath… And when he defied Israel, Jonathan the son of Shimeah the brother of David slew him. 2 Samuel 21:19-21 When I was reading 2 Samuel 21:15-21 last week the words, “slew the brother of Goliath,” spoke to my spirit directly. These scriptures explain that Goliath had four descendants who attempted to kill David—one of these giant’s was Goliath’s big, bad brother. You have fought and…
“Now Moses kept the flock of Jethro his father in law, the priest of Midian: and he led the flock to the backside of the desert, and came to the mountain of God, even to Horeb.” Exodus 3:1 Have you ever found yourself in a “backside of the desert” kind of season? The kind where nothing seems to be growing, your strength feels like it’s running on fumes, and even your prayers sound a little dry? The desert can feel barren — a place of disapproval, health struggles, or heartbreak. That’s the kind of place Moses found himself in. Gone were the royal robes of Pharaoh’s palace. Now, he was wearing shepherd’s sandals and smelling like sheep. Imagine that résumé: “Former prince, current shepherd.” According to the worlds standards, Moses was demoted. And yet, it was not in Egypt’s luxury, but in the lonely backside of the desert, where Moses met God. DESERT EXPERIENCES The desert has a funny way of forcing reflection. When everything slows down (and there’s no Wi-Fi, literally or spiritually), the silence starts asking questions: “Did I miss God’s leading?” “Was that decision really the right one?” Sometimes the answer is, “yes, you took a wrong turn.”…
The very first thing the enemy speaks in scripture is, “Hath God said?” (Genesis 3:1). Phrasing is critical in this verse. Satan positioned his words in such a way that made Eve question the voice of God in her life and to devise distrust with God’s motives. He wanted her to question God’s word and authority. When we have a altered concept of God’s character, then we will most certainly have a skewed understanding of our own identity. We are created in the image of God, giving us His divine nature through distinction; therefore, our identity is in Him. The enemy knows the power each one of us has when we are grounded in the word of the Lord. As women, we are created to guard the glory of God and to share His glory with the world. It is not a surprise that the enemy’s first step of attack was on the woman. He was aware of God’s divine order within creation and he wanted to destroy that institution from the very beginning. He wanted to attack Eve’s identity and her trust in God word. He still does this today. If the devil can get you to believe a…
“He that winneth souls is wise.” (Proverbs 11:30) I am not a financial genius. Far from it. But over the years I have learned a few things about money. The first concept someone explained to me was that the earlier we invest, the longer our money will have to compound and grow. Through the years, small amounts become larger as our investments grow. The second piece of advice was that to succeed we must hang in there through downward trends and reversals. Don’t panic in the lean times. It’s all long-term, they said. Some of us did not understand these…
“Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times in every way. The Lord be with you all.” (II Thessalonians 3:16, ESV) Is it possible to feel peace even while living in our fast-paced and stress-filled world? When we find ourselves becoming anxious and overwhelmed, is there a way to find that inner peace we so desperately desire? The Source of Our Peace True peace comes from God, the source of all peace. As our Prince of Peace, He desires to give us peace in our lives. Although He really wants us to live a peace-filled life, so many people today live in fear and uncertainty. Life often brings times of confusion and trouble, and peace seems in short supply. It is during these times that the enemy tries to steal our peace by weighing us down with negative emotions. We may find ourselves battling things such as fear, stress, anxiety, conflict, shame, bitterness, or regret. These emotions do not come from God. First Corinthians 14:33 assures us that He “is not the author of confusion, but of peace.” Peace in Tribulation Many assume that peace comes with the absence of conflict, but that is not…
“Trust in Him at all times, you people; pour out your heart before Him; God is a refuge for us. Selah” (Psalm 62:8, NKJV). Life is unpredictable. Today may be sunny and bright, but tomorrow storm clouds of trouble may roll in and overwhelm us. It sometimes seems that one problem is scarcely resolved before we are blindsided with another. Financial setbacks, illness, grief, disappointments—all can cause us to despair and cry out, “God, do you see what’s happening to me?” Trouble is universal. Saint or sinner, no one is exempt. Job 14:1 tells us, “Man who is born of woman is of few days and full of trouble” (NKJV). It is how we choose to respond to the trials and disappointments of life that makes the difference. It is our choice. the story of Naomi We often think of the Book of Ruth as a “happily ever after” love story. While it does contain a beautiful story of love and redemption, it also tells of hardship, disappointment, and grief. Naomi experienced famine, leaving her homeland, sons who married pagan wives, and the death of her husband and both sons. The one bright spot in this bleak picture was the evident love and devotion of…