The Father’s Willing Embrace
Have you ever had a friend or loved one say to you, out of the blue: “Are you mad at me? Did I do something wrong?” You may simply be quiet, deep in thought, so you answer, “No, I’m not mad. You didn’t do anything to hurt me. I’m just quiet right now.” They press…
The Lord Raises Up His People
One of God’s names in scripture is Jehovah-Nissi. It means the God who provides, who is a banner, who lifts ups, who exalts. It’s an interesting combination of meanings all together in one word. This Hebrew word nissi was used in Jewish weddings. When the bride and groom were at the wedding party, all of…
His Word My Hope Secures
Brother Dave Wilkerson used to tell one of the most fantastic stories. It was about this 82-year-old woman who was living by herself in one of the New York boroughs. One night, she heard someone start hammering on the front door. Her bedroom was at the top of the stairs; she looked down and saw…
God’s Faithfulness Is Our Strength
One of the most important verses in all of scripture is found in Peter’s first epistle where the apostle speaks of the necessity of having our faith tested. “That the genuineness of your faith, being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by fire, may be found to praise, honor, and…
Finding Joy in Our Testing
When the children of Israel were going through testing, were they really supposed to express gratitude and thanksgiving in the midst of it? When they were surrounded and in a hopeless situation, did God really expect them to have a joyful reaction? Absolutely! That was the secret to getting out of their difficulty. You see,…
Thanksgiving Time!
The subject of thanksgiving came to me recently during a time of great personal heaviness. At the time, our church building needed major work. Parishioners’ problems were piling up. Everyone I knew seemed to be going through some kind of trial, and I was feeling the burden of it all. I went into my office…
God’s Glory Revealed to Us
In Exodus 33, Moses didn’t know it, but God was about to bring him into a greater revelation of his glory and nature. This revelation would go far beyond friendship, far beyond intimacy. It’s a revelation God wants all his hurting people to know. The Lord told Moses he was going to show him his…
The Testing of Our Faith
The book of Genesis in the 22nd chapter has a very interesting beginning that we often skim right over. It starts with “After these things God tested Abraham…” (Genesis 22:1, ESV). After what things? The answer is the previous test Abraham had already been through. There’s some wonderful ancient literature written by rabbis that give…
The God Who Gives Generously
Are you at the end of your rope, weary, cast down, about to give up? I challenge you to answer the following questions with a simple yes or no: • Does the Word of God promise to supply all your needs? • Did Jesus say he would never leave you but would be with you…
To Know and Love God
I am going to make a very shocking statement, and I mean every word of it; I really do not know God in the way that I should. How do I know this? The Holy Spirit told me. He whispered to me, lovingly, “David, you really don’t know God in the way he wants you…