March 23, 2012

What Rahab Knew (3/23)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Joshua 1-4.

When Joshua sent spies to Jericho, they received help from an unlikely ally – a harlot named Rahab. Despite her past, she would prove to be a valuable and faithful friend to God and the Israelites.

But why did she help the spies? It was because of the things she knew about God and His aid for the Israelites.

“Now before they lay down, she came up to them on the roof, and said to the men, ‘I know that the Lord has given you the land, and that the terror of you has fallen on us, and that all the inhabitants of the land have melted away before you. For we have heard how the Lord dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you utterly destroyed. When we heard it, our hearts melted and no courage remained in any man any longer because of you; for the Lord your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath’” (Joshua 2:8-11).

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February 23, 2012

Things That Are More Valuable Than Gold

Gold

In our troubled and uncertain economy, gold is seen by many people as a wise investment. We certainly want to be good stewards of the blessings we have received (cf. Matthew 25:14-30). This could lead us to obtain gold. Yet we must remember two points. First, even a “safe” investment like gold is uncertain (cf. 1 Timothy 6:17). Second, as we will focus on in this article, there are some things that will always be more valuable than gold, regardless of how much this precious metal is worth in relation to our nation’s currency.
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February 17, 2012

“When You Enter the Land of Canaan” (2/17)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Leviticus 14-15.

The Law of Moses contained very specific instructions regarding leprosy and those who had the disease. It can be tempting for us today to quickly skim over these sections, but there are still lessons to be learned.

“The Lord further spoke to Moses and to Aaron, saying: ‘When you enter the land of Canaan, which I give you for a possession, and I put a mark of leprosy on a house in the land of your possession, then the one who owns the house shall come and tell the priest, saying, ‘Something like a mark of leprosy has become visible to me in the house’” (Leviticus 14:33-35).

The main point of this passage has to do with a priest inspecting a house for leprosy. But a statement is made in passing that can help reinforce our faith in God’s promises.
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February 2, 2012

Tell Your Sons and Your Grandsons (2/2)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Exodus 10-12.

The plagues with which God afflicted Pharaoh and the nation of Egypt were designed to do a couple of things: to cause Pharaoh to let the people go and to prove to all who heard of these events that the Lord was the one true God over all things. But this was not only for the benefit of that generation. It was to help those of future generations to develop their own faith as well.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart and the heart of his servants, that I may perform these signs of Mine among them, and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your grandson, how I made a mockery of the Egyptians and how I performed My signs among them, that you may know that I am the Lord’” (Exodus 10:1-2).

Those who descended from Moses’ generation needed to know about these works of God. They needed to hear of His miracles. They needed to be told of the foolish and futile attempts of the Egyptians to oppose the Lord. If the future generations were not told, they could not know.
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January 29, 2012

“Carry My Bones Up From Here” (1/29)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 48-50.

Before Joseph’s death, he charged his brethren to do something regarding his remains.

“Then Joseph made the sons of Israel swear, saying, ‘God will surely take care of you, and you shall carry my bones up from here’” (Genesis 50:25).

There are two noteworthy points about Joseph’s statement here.
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January 21, 2012

Esau’s Blessing (1/21)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 27-29.

Esau, as the firstborn, expected to receive the blessing from his father before he died. Isaac expected to give the blessing of the firstborn to Esau. Yet Jacob came first and deceived Isaac and received the blessing from his father (Genesis 27:18-29).

When it was discovered what had happened, Isaac “trembled violently” (Genesis 27:33) and Esau “cried out with an exceedingly great and bitter cry, and said to his father, ‘Bless me, even me also, O my father!’” (Genesis 27:34).

With the blessing of the firstborn given to Jacob, and Esau begging his father for a blessing, what would Isaac do now for his favored son?
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January 19, 2012

We Will Go, Worship, and Return (1/19)

Thought from today’s Bible reading from Genesis 22-24.

“Abraham said to his young men, ‘Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you’” (Genesis 22:5).

There is nothing particularly unusual about a father and son going somewhere to worship. Lots of people worship God. It is certainly commendable but not particularly unusual.

What makes Abraham’s plan remarkable are the circumstances. God told him to sacrifice his son (Genesis 22:2), and Abraham was prepared to do it (Genesis 22:6,9-10). Only an angel’s intervention prevented him from offering Isaac on the altar (Genesis 22:11-12). This demonstrates Abraham’s great faith and shows his trust in God’s promises and His commandments.
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