FRUITFUL OR FRUITLESS The staff belonging to the man I choose will sprout, and I will rid Myself of the constant grumbling of the Israelites against you. —Numbers 17:5             The Lord causes fruitfulness through the ones He has chosen.  In the context of the verse above it was Aaron’s staff of Levi that was chosen.  The staff “had sprouted, put forth buds, blossomed, and produced almonds!”  The fruitfulness gave evidence that the Lord had chosen to work through Aaron.             So today it is.  Fruitfulness is the evidence that the Lord has chosen someone to work through.  Jesus mentioned this in John 15:1-8. I am the true vine, and…

DISCIPLE! Joshua son of Nun, who had been Moses’ aide since youth… —Numbers 11:23             Here we receive insight into the life of Joshua.  He eventually became the leader of Israel and the Lord worked through him to bring His people into the Promise Land.  Joshua “had been Moses’ aide since youth.”  Oh, how important it is to disciple young people to become what the Lord desires them to be and not be swayed by the world which includes false teachers and cults.             It is so important to disciple young people that they would grow mature and be depending on the Lord and not be swayed in the spiritual…

HIS LOVE CAUSES ME TO SING AND PRAY By day the Lord directs his love, at night his song is with me— a prayer to the God of my life.  —Psalm 42:8 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. —John 3:16 Beloved, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God.  Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.  This is how God’s love was revealed among us: God sent His one and only Son…

GOD CAN BE FULLY TRUSTED, MAN CANNOT BE! Blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods. —Psalm 40:4             It is easy to spot those who do not trust the Lord, but have turned “aside to false gods.”  Pride and arrogance make their way.  They hold up those who have led them astray and promote their handlers’ false teaching.  They also like to attack those who are truly following Jesus.             Pick whatever cult or false teacher you want and you will see this.  One of Satan’s deceptions is to use “Christian” terminology and this…

MY FLEETING LIFE ON EARTH “Show me, O LORD, my end and the measure of my days.  Let me know how fleeting my life is.  You, indeed, have made my days as handbreadths, and my lifetime as nothing before You.  Truly each man at his best exists as but a breath.  —Psalm 39:4-5             A dear brother and friend, fellow worker and servant is going on 92 years of age.  Right up until 7 months ago he was very active in serving our Lord.  He loves the Lord and is looking forward to going home to be with the Him.  It is so refreshing talking with Him because I have…

BEWARE OF SHIPWRECKING THE FAITH! Yes, I confess my iniquity; I am troubled by my sin. —Psalm 38:18             David, the man after God’s own heart (Acts 13:22), was truly bothered by his sin.  It was troubling to him and he confessed it.  Confessing our sin is agreeing with God that we have fallen short of His perfection and expectation.  David was well aware of his short-comings.             David wanted a clear conscience just as the apostle Paul desired and Paul also encourage Timothy to have a good conscience.  It is this lack of a good conscience that “some have rejected and so have suffered shipwreck with regard to the faith. …

BE FAITHFUL IN FINANCES The wicked borrow and do not repay, but the righteous are gracious and giving. —Psalm 37:21 All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I had been eager to do all along. —Galatians 2:10 Anyone who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with their own hands, that they may have something to share with those in need. —Ephesians 4:28 Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. —Romans 13:8             Somebody has once said, “Show me your checkbook and…

LIFE & LIGHT For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light we see light.  —Psalm 36:9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.  In Him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.  There came a man who was sent from God. His name was John.  He came as a witness to testify about the Light, so that through him…

PROCLAIM HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS! My tongue will proclaim your righteousness, your praises all day long. —Psalm 35:8             Yes, I will proclaim Your righteousness and that righteousness You have given me—- “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (II Corinthians 5:21).  But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, as attested by the Law and the Prophets.  And this righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no distinction, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely…

SERVING IN REFUGE But the LORD will redeem those who serve him. No one who takes refuge in him will be condemned. —Psalm 34:22             To serve Him is to take refuge in Him and to take refuge in Him is to serve Him.  This gives evidence that one has been redeem by Him and will not be condemned. “I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service” (I Timothy 1:12).  “Protect me, for I am devoted to you. Save me, for I serve you and trust you. You are my God” (Psalm 86:2).  For when God made…