Some time later King Xerxes promoted Haman son of Hammedatha the Agagite over all the other nobles, making him the most powerful official in the empire. (Esther 3:1 NLT) Even though the previous chapter ends with Mordecai saving the king’s life and his deed being noted in the king’s records, the next chapter begins withContinueContinue reading “Unearned Rewards”
Author Archives: risingwiththeson
Traces of God
“If you keep quiet at a time like this, deliverance and relief for the Jews will arise from some other place, but you and your relatives will die. Who knows if perhaps you were made queen for just such a time as this?” (Esther 4:14 NLT) It has often been noted that the book ofContinueContinue reading “Traces of God”
Don’t Hold It, Share It
Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth, spoke up and said, “Moses, my lord, stop them!” But Moses replied, “Are you jealous for my sake? I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets and that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” (Numbers 11:28-29 NIV) When Moses, who hadContinueContinue reading “Don’t Hold It, Share It”
Making Promises to God
“The rest of the people—priests, Levites, gatekeepers, musicians, temple servants and all who separated themselves from the neighboring peoples for the sake of the Law of God, together with their wives and all their sons and daughters who are able to understand— all these now join their fellow Israelites the nobles, and bind themselves withContinueContinue reading “Making Promises to God”
Jesus Saw
When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Dear woman, here is your son,” and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home. (John 19:26-27 NIV) Just because He was suffering it doesn’t meanContinueContinue reading “Jesus Saw”
Discerning His Voice Through Songs
“So write down the words of this song, and teach it to the people of Israel. Help them learn it, so it may serve as a witness for me against them.”… So that very day Moses wrote down the words of the song and taught it to the Israelites. (Deuteronomy 31:19, 22 NLT) God usedContinueContinue reading “Discerning His Voice Through Songs”
No Pain, No Gain
Every place where you set your foot will be yours: Your territory will extend from the desert to Lebanon, and from the Euphrates River to the Mediterranean Sea. No one will be able to stand against you. The LORD your God, as he promised you, will put the terror and fear of you on theContinueContinue reading “No Pain, No Gain”
Letting Go of What Hurts Us
Further, he shall not acquire many [war] horses for himself, nor make the people return to Egypt in order to acquire horses [to expand his military power], since the Lord said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’” (Deuteronomy 17:16 AMP) The Israelites really had it tough in Egypt. They were enslaved andContinueContinue reading “Letting Go of What Hurts Us”
Know Your Worth
“We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.” (Numbers 13:33 NIV) The Israelites, God’s chosen people, His treasured possession (Deuteronomy 7:6), had low self-worth. They saw themselves as grasshoppers before the enemy. How sad it is when God’s own children, His special creation, see themselves small before the enemy.ContinueContinue reading “Know Your Worth”
When Another Pair of Eyes are Needed
Balaam was riding his donkey to Moab, and two of his servants were with him. But God was angry that Balaam had gone, so one of the LORD’s angels stood in the road to stop him. When Balaam’s donkey saw the angel standing there with a sword, it walked off the road and into anContinueContinue reading “When Another Pair of Eyes are Needed”