Daily Deliverance - Acts 10:34

"Then Peter began to speak: "Now I really understand that God doesn't show favoritism, but in every nation the person who fears Him and does righteousness is acceptable to Him." (Acts 10:34, HCSB)

A Roman military commander by the name of Cornelius lived in the city of Caesarea in the region of Samaria north of Judea. Although Cornelius was not a Jew, he worshiped God in the custom of the Jews.

Cornelius had a vision to request the Apostle Peter, who was staying in the city of Joppa about 50 miles away, to come to his home.

Tears in a Bottle - Psalm 56:8-9

"You keep track of all my sorrows. You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book. My enemies will retreat when I call to you for help. This I know: God is on my side!" (Psalm 56:8-9, NLT)

Did you ever play games as a child that required the choosing of "sides?"

A "side" was one of two or more contesting groups or teams. A captain would be selected or appointed for each "side" and each captain then would choose others to be on his or her side.

Of course, sides were chosen strategically so that a winning team would be assembled, or so all of one's best friends were on the same side!

Stop Complaining - Exodus 16:8

"Yes, your complaints are against the Lord,not against us."  (Exodus 16:8, NLT)

When the Israelites escaped from Egypt, God did not lead them straight to the promised land because they weren't prepared for war with the Canaanites: "God said, If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt" (vs. 13:17).

Instead of going north towards Canaan, Moses led them south into the wilderness or desert region of the Sinai peninsula. After three days they came to an oasis but the water there was not potable.

The people complained against Moses and he threw a piece of wood into the water, which made it drinkable (vs. 15:24-25).

What? - Exodus 15:15, 31-32

"When the Israelites saw it, they asked one another, 'What is it?' because they didn't know what it was. Moses told them, 'It is the bread the Lord has given you to eat'... The house of Israel named the substance manna. It resembled coriander seed, was white, and tasted like wafers made with honey." (Exodus 15:15,31-32, HCSB)

The word manna is the anglicized form of the Hebrew word man, which is the interrogative "What?"

God sent manna in response to the Israelites complaining that began not long after escaping from Egyptian bondage. The Israelites complained that in Egypt they had all the bread they wanted (vs. 3).

Escaping Your Comfort Zone - Acts 8:4-8

"So those who were scattered went on their way preaching the message of good news. Philip went down to a city in Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds paid attention with one mind to what Philip said, as they heard and saw the signs he was performing. For unclean spirits, crying out with a loud voice, came out of many who were possessed, and many who were paralyzed and lame were healed. So there was great joy in that city"  (Acts 8:4-8, HCSB).

Because of the persecution of the church in Jerusalem, the believers were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.

Among those who were scattered was Philip, who went to a city in Samaria. Philip proclaimed to the people in that city that Jesus was the Messiah and performed many miracles among them and many people believed his message and were baptized.

Rescue Me - Exodus 14:13-14

"But Moses told the people, Don’t be afraid. Just stand still and watch the Lord rescue you today. The Egyptians you see today will never be seen again. The Lord himself will fight for you. Just stay calm." (Exodus 14:13-14, NLT)

After Pharaoh let the Israelites go, he changed his mind yet again and ordered the Egyptian army to pursue Israel. The Egyptian army caught up to the Israelites while they were camped along the shore of the Red Sea.

As the Egyptians approached, the Israelites began to grumble and complain that they regretted leaving the slavery of Egypt. This complaint was to be a common one among the Israelites over the next forty years.

But in one of the great affirmations of faith in the Bible, Moses declared in these verses his confidence that God would rescue the people of Israel from the Egyptians.

In order for God to rescue them, the Israelites needed not let the approaching Egyptian army distract them from focusing on God and His deliverance.

The psalmist also assured us that  when we turn our attention to thanking and obeying God and not to worrying about impending trouble, then God will come to our rescue: "Make thankfulness your sacrifice to God, and keep the vows you made to the Most High. Then call on me when you are in trouble, and I will rescue you, and you will give me glory" (Psalm 50:14-15, NLT).

Make this your prayer in difficult times:  
Heavenly Father,
     Don't let my problems distract me from calling on you for help and deliverance.
     I will listen for your voice and in calmness I will see your approaching deliverance and my fears will be assuaged.
     Rescue me from my trouble and I will give you glory.
Amen.

Who Needs Whom? - Psalm 50:7-15

"Listen, My people, and I will speak; I will testify against you, Israel. I am God, your God. I do not rebuke you for your sacrifices or for your burnt offerings, which are continually before Me...If I were hungry, I would not tell you, for the world and everything in it is Mine...Sacrifice a thank offering to God, and pay your vows to the Most High. Call on Me in a day of trouble; I will rescue you, and you will honor Me." (Psalm 50:7-15, HCSB)

God did not need the sacrifices of Israel to be exalted.

Since God already owned every kind of animal, He did not need their sacrifices to make Him glorious or almighty.

Yet, Israel continually offered sacrifices to God.

So, a lack or religiosity was not Israel's main problem. They certainly knew how to be religious!

Death Defeated - Exodus 12:41-42

"In fact, it was on the last day of the 430th year that all the Lord’s forces left the land. On this night the Lord kept his promise to bring his people out of the land of Egypt. So this night belongs to him, and it must be commemorated every year by all the Israelites, from generation to generation." (Exodus 12:41-42, NLT).

The Passover was the major festival associated with the Exodus and the formative event of the Jewish religion.

The Passover was so-named because it memorialized God saving the Israelites from the death of the firstborn by marking their doorways with the blood of the Passover lamb: "For the Lord will pass through the land to strike down the Egyptians. But when he sees the blood on the top and sides of the doorframe, the Lord will pass over your home. He will not permit his death angel to enter your house and strike you down" (Exodus 12:23, NLT).

Why did the Passover require the Israelites to apply blood to their doorposts when they were not required to perform such a ritual to escape harm in any of the other preceding nine plagues?

The Power of Integrity - Acts 5:32

"We are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit, who is given by God to those who obey him.” (Acts 5:32, NLT)

After a first wave of persecution by the Jewish religious leaders, the early Church flourished because it had been empowered by God: "Yet more and more people believed and were brought to the Lord—crowds of both men and women." (Acts 5:14, NLT).

Acts 5:1-11 records the events that precipitated this great demonstration of the power of God in the Church.

A man named Ananias and his wife Sapphira sold some property and brought a portion of the proceeds to the apostles, claiming it was the full amount.

The Apostle Peter, by the power of the Holy Spirit, recognized their deception and told them they had embezzled the money from God: "You lied to the Holy Spirit, and you kept some of the money for yourself. The property was yours to sell or not sell, as you wished. And after selling it, the money was also yours to give away. How could you do a thing like this? You weren’t lying to us but to God!" (vs. 3-4).

Both Ananias and Sapphira fell dead when Peter confronted them with their sin!

Their lack of integrity had the potential to compromise the Church  and so they fell under the direct judgment of God.

The sudden judgment on Ananias and Sapphira had a sobering effect on both the believers and others who heard about the incident.  

A believer's integrity is critical to the effectiveness of his or her witness to others.

The power of the Holy Spirit is not hindered when believers live and act with integrity.

To engage in deception and somehow think that God doesn't know is a fundamental misconception of one's faith (or lack of faith). That sort of behavior would certainly call into question whether the deceiver really knows Christ and has the indwelling Holy Spirit.

For the Church to thrive and effectively (and powerfully) declare the gospel, Christ's followers must be people of the highest integrity.

"The way of the Lord is a stronghold to those with integrity." (Provers 10:29, NLT).

Lighting the Way - Psalm 43:3-4

"Send out your light and your truth; let them guide me. Let them lead me to your holy mountain, to the place where you live. There I will go to the altar of God, to God—the source of all my joy" (Psalm 43:3-4, NLT).

In this prayer for God’s redemption, light and truth are viewed as guides and the Temple on the mountain in Jerusalem symbolized God's holy presence among his people.

So the psalmist prayed for God's light and truth to lead him into God's presence where he could find happiness.

This verse is a Messianic promise because it ultimately finds fulfillment in Jesus Christ.

Living Life from the Bottom - Psalm 42

"Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God" (vs. 5).

Do you ever think you've got it all figured out?

Life is treating you well so you must be in God's will because you are so blessed.

Then the bottom falls out of your life and all that "blessedness" seems to go away.

Then you get all conflicted and begin to question everything you think you knew about what is God's will.

Bold! - Acts 4:31

"When they had prayed, the place where they were assembled was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak God's message with boldness" (Acts 4:31, HCSB).

Because Peter and John had healed a man who was lame from birth by the power of God and "were teaching the people and proclaiming the resurrection from the dead, using Jesus as the example" (vs. 2), the Sadducees became provoked.

These religious authorities did not believe in resurrection because they did not think it was taught in the Pentateuch, the first five books of the Old Testament, which was the only portion of Scripture they believed authoritative.

So they had Peter and John arrested!

When Futility Gives Way To Hope - Psalm 39:6-7

"Certainly, man walks about like a mere shadow. Indeed, they frantically rush around in vain, gathering possessions without knowing who will get them. Now, Lord, what do I wait for? My hope is in You" (Psalm 39:6-7, HCSB).

The psalmist realized that in the grand scheme of things his life was fleeting and short-lived, like a vapor or shadow.

People try to find meaning for their lives by gathering possessions as if more stuff will give more significance to their lives.

Enemy Occupied Territory - Exodus 6:5-6

"You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them. Therefore, say to the people of Israel: I am the Lord. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment" (Exodus 6:5-6, NLT).

Moses was commissioned by God to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage. Before confronting Pharaoh, Moses and his brother Aaron met with the Israelite leaders and rallied them with the hope that God would rescue them from Egyptian slavery, as stated in these verses.

When Moses and Aaron demanded in God's name that Pharaoh release the Israelites, Pharaoh considered their demands an affront to his own sovereignty and reacted by increasing the Israelites' workloads to an overwhelming level.

God Speaking to Us - Acts 1:15-16, 20

"During this time, when about 120 believers were together in one place, Peter stood up and addressed them. Brothers, he said, the Scriptures had to be fulfilled concerning Judas, who guided those who arrested Jesus. This was predicted long ago by the Holy Spirit, speaking through King David...Peter continued, This was written in the book of Psalms, where it says, Let his home become desolate, with no one living in it. It also says, Let someone else take his position"  (Acts 1:15-16,20, NLT). 

After the resurrection and ascension of Jesus, the death of Judas created a vacancy among the twelve Apostles.

The remaining eleven Apostles determined that a replacement should be found for Judas so that his position as the twelfth Apostle would not remain empty.

The Apostles considered that the new people of God, like Israel, were to have twelve designated and appointed leaders. (They certainly recalled the promise of Jesus in Matthew 19:28 and Luke 22:29-30 that they would sit on twelve thrones in His Kingdom and judge the twelve tribes of Israel).

God's Moral Otherness - Exodus 3:5-6

"Do not come any closer, the Lord warned. Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground. I am the God of your father—the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. When Moses heard this, he covered his face because he was afraid to look at God." (Exodus 3:5-6, NLT)

Moses was born a Hebrew but was raised by Pharoah's daughter as her own child. As an adult Moses was aware of his heritage and he killed an Egyptian to rescue a Hebrew slave and had to flee from Egypt. Moses escaped to the southern Sinai peninsula in an area occupied by nomadic shepherds and he became a shepherd also.

About forty years later God revealed Himself to Moses in a burning bush and commissioned Moses to return to Egypt to lead the Israelites out of slavery. When Moses saw the burning bush, he was amazed not that the bush was burning, but that it wasn't consumed by the fire. So he came closer to inspect the bush and when he did, God spoke the words in these verses to Moses.

Rock My World! - Matthew 27:50-53

"Jesus shouted again with a loud voice and gave up His spirit. Suddenly, the curtain of the sanctuary was split in two from top to bottom; the earth quaked and the rocks were split. The tombs were also opened and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And they came out of the tombs after His resurrection, entered the holy city, and appeared to many" (Matthew 27:50-53, HCSB)

The death and resurrection of Jesus literally rocked the world in and around Jerusalem at the time these historical events occurred.

Jesus's death and resurrection were of such cosmic proportions that nature didn't know how to react.

God became human and was put to death by the humanity He created. When Jesus died, the earth quaked and rocks were split so that even tombs that held the bodies of dead people were opened.

God Don't Carry No Grudges - Psalm 30:4-5

"Sing to Yahweh, you His faithful ones, and praise His holy name. For His anger lasts only a moment, but His favor, a lifetime. Weeping may spend the night, but there is joy in the morning" (Psalm 30:4-5,HCSB).

If you have children, I would dare say that you have been mad at them on more than one occasion because of their misbehavior.

The anger occurs because you don't want them to grow up acting badly and you probably expressed that concern to them in some form or manner.

But you punish the child if the misbehavior warrants punishment, and then you move on and don't hold it against the child for the rest of his or her lifetime.

For God's people, His faithful ones, He acts toward us in much the same way.

Don't Give Up the Fight, Find Delight - Psalm 28

In Psalm 28, the psalmist, referring to wicked people, lamented: "They care nothing for what the Lord has done or for what his hands have made." (vs. 28:3)

To the psalmist, the "wicked" were people who did not acknowledge God or obey His law. They did not discriminate between the sacred and the common, and therefore, had no respect for God's authority, creation, law, or salvation.

The primary characteristic of the wicked was faithlessness--they had no belief or faith in God.

Sometimes God's people can grow complacent in their faith and develop an attitude where they care little or nothing for what God has done or is doing.

Be a Blessing, Share the Gospel - Genesis 48:20

"So Jacob blessed the boys that day with this blessing: The people of Israel will use your names when they give a blessing" (Genesis 48:20, NLT)

Before Jacob (Israel) died, he blessed Joseph and his two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim.

First, he adopted Joseph's sons, which entitled them to part of the inheritance of the promised land. Then he gave Ephraim, the younger of Joseph's son, the right-hand blessing, which was the right to inheritance entitled to the eldest son.

Centuries later when God delivered the Israelites from Egyptian slavery and they possessed the land of Canaan, the tribes of Ephraim and Manasseh each received a portion of the land distribution.

Finding God's Will - Part 2: Why God Reveals His Will - Psalm 25:6-11

<< Part 1: Looking For God's Will

"Remember, Lord, Your compassion and Your faithful love, for they have existed from antiquity. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with Your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness, Lord. The Lord is good and upright; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All the Lord’s ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep His covenant and decrees. Because of Your name, Yahweh, forgive my sin, for it is great" (Psalm 25:6-11, HCSB).

The explanations the psalmist provides in Psalm 25 about how God reveals Himself and His will to us are so perceptive and penetrating that it merits another post to explain the reasons why God reveals His will.

Fortunately, Psalm 25 provides explanations for both How and Why!

Finding God's Will - Part 1: Looking for God's Will - Psalm 25:14

"The secret counsel of the Lord is for those who fear Him, and He reveals His covenant to them" (Psalm 25:14, HCSB).

Ostensibly, what most of us want to do most is God's will!

While we have good intentions, we don't really know how to go about doing God's will--or at least put into practice the patience, perseverance, and obedience required to do it!

But for those really, really looking for God's will, Psalm 25 provides some practical guidance and apt advice!

Just Do It - Matthew 25:40

"And the King will say, I tell you the truth, when you did it to one of the least of these my brothers and sisters, you were doing it to me" (Matthew 25:40, NLT).

In Matthew 25 Jesus told His disciples several object lessons when asked by them when the end of the world would come.

In one object lesson recorded in Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus referred to the time when He, the Coming King, will return to Earth to judge all nations.

Jesus told His disciples that on that judgement day, the King will separate all people into two groups in much the same way a shepherd separates sheep from goats.

Running the Family Business - Matthew 25:29-30

"To those who use well what they are given, even more will be given, and they will have an abundance. But from those who do nothing, even what little they have will be taken away. Now throw this useless servant into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matthew 25:29-30, NLT).

One of the parables Jesus told in response to questions from His disciples about the end of the world and when it will occur was about a man leaving on a journey who entrusted his business to his servants while he was gone.

He gave five bags of silver to one, two to another, and one to another, each according to his ability.

The servant with five bags of silver invested it and gained five more, the servant with two gained two more, but the servant with one hid it in a hole in the ground.

God's Instruction Manual - Psalm 19:7-11

"The instructions of the Lord are perfect, reviving the soul" (Psalm 19:7-11, NLT)

In Psalm 19 David declared the eminence and significance of God's law.

In general, God's instructions refer to all His laws or commands but can specifically refer to Genesis through Deuteronomy, the written code given through Moses.

We should consider God's instructions to be His complete revealed Word in the Bible, Old and New Testaments, Genesis through Revelation.

End of Days - Mathew 24:1-28

"But the one who endures to the end will be delivered. This good news of the kingdom will be proclaimed in all the world as a testimony to all nations. And then the end will come." (Mathew 24:13, HCSB).

In Matthew 24:1-28 Jesus described a number of signs and events including an increase in evil and great deception, wars, famines, natural disasters, persecution, false Christ’s, and astronomical disruption. that would precede His Second Coming and the end of world.

He also noted that the good news of His coming Kingdom would be preached to all nations.

Following the distress of the last days, Christ will return in power and glory in full view of all nations and He will gather all His people to Himself.

Our Beautiful Inheritance - Psalm 16:5-6

"Lord, You are my portion and my cup of blessing; You hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance" (Psalm 16:5-6, HCSB)

These verses use language that is usually reserved for describing the land promised to Israel. Instead, the Psalmist proclaims that it is God Himself, not the land, that is the true inheritance.

This declaration is rather like the promise made to Aaron, the brother of Moses, and his progeny, the succession of high priests over Israel.

The priests had no inheritance of land in Israel!

God's Plan: Your Success - Genesis 39:2, 21

"The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did as he served in the home of his Egyptian master...But the Lord was with Joseph in the prison and showed him his faithful love" (Genesis 39:2, 21, NLT).

Joseph, the great-grandson of Abraham, often seemed to be a victim of his own success.

He was the favorite son of his father, Jacob, and so his brothers were jealous of him.

God chose him from among his eleven other brothers to be the salvation of Israel and gave him dreams and visions to confirm His promise.