"Sing a New Song"
Psalms 96:1-6
The psalmist sings out his praises to God, overwhelmed by all that God has done. As we reflect on God's majesty and his goodness to us, we cannot help telling others about him. Witnessing comes naturally when ou ...
Posted Monday, December 17th 2007 at 9:05AM
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"Preparing the Way"
Luke 1:76-80
Zechariah had just recalled hundreds of years of God's sovereign work in history, beginning with Abraham and going on into eternity. Then, in tender contrast, he personalized the story. His son had been chosen ...
Posted Friday, December 14th 2007 at 9:38AM
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"His Name is John"
Luke 1:62-66
Zechariah praised God with his first words after months of silence. In a song that is often called Benedictus after the first words in the Latin translation of the passage, Zechariah prophesied the coming of a Sa ...
Posted Wednesday, December 12th 2007 at 9:37AM
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"Elisabeth Births a Son"
Luke 1:57-61
Family lines and family names were important to the Jews. The people naturally assumed the child would receive Zechariah's name or at least a family name. Thus, they were surprised that both Elisabeth and ...
Posted Tuesday, December 11th 2007 at 12:11PM
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"Nothing is Impossible"
Luke 1:36-38
A young, unmarried girl who became pregnant risked disaster. Unless the father of the child agreed to marry her, she would probably remain unmarried for life. If her own father rejected her, she could be fo ...
Posted Friday, December 7th 2007 at 6:54AM
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Mary's Son 's Future
Luke 1:30-33
Jesus, a Greek form of the Hebrew name Joshua, was a common name meaning "the Lord saves." Just as Joshua had led Israel into the Promised Land (see Joshua 1:1, 2), so Jesus would lead his people into eternal lif ...
Posted Wednesday, December 5th 2007 at 3:29PM
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'God's Wondrous Deeds'
Psalm 40:1-5
Waiting for God to help us is not easy, but David received benefits for waiting: God (1) lifted him out of his despair, (2) set his feet on solid ground, (3) steadied him as he walked, and (4) put a new song ...
Posted Monday, December 3rd 2007 at 10:06AM
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"Zecharias Sees a Vision"
Luke 1:18-23
When told he would have a son, Zechariah doubted the angel's word. From Zechariah's human perspective, his doubts were understandable-but with God, anything is possible. Although Zechariah and Elizabeth w ...
Posted Friday, November 30th 2007 at 10:23AM
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"A Ministry Foretold"
Luke 1:14-17
John's role was to be almost identical to that of an Old Testament prophet; to encourage people to turn away from sin and back to God. John is often compared to a great prophet, Elijah, who was known for stand ...
Posted Thursday, November 29th 2007 at 9:09AM
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"Incense Often Interrupted"
Luke 1:8-13
While burning incense on the altar, Zechariah was also praying, perhaps for a son or for the coming of the Messiah. In either case, his prayer was answered. He would soon have a son, who would prepare th ...
Posted Wednesday, November 28th 2007 at 9:40AM
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"Righteous Before God"
Luke 1:5-7
Zechariah and Elizabeth didn't merely go through the motions in following God's laws; they backed up their outward compliance with inward obedience. Unlike the religious leaders whom Jesus called hypocrites, Z ...
Posted Tuesday, November 27th 2007 at 9:31AM
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"Sing God's Praises"
Psalm 66
Our confession of sin must be continual because we continue to do wrong. But true confession requires us to listen to God and to want to stop doing what is wrong. David confessed his sins and prayed, "Cleanse me f ...
Posted Monday, November 26th 2007 at 9:17AM
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"God's Reassurance"
Genesis 46:1-4
God told Jacob to leave his home and travel to a strange and faraway land. But God reassured him by promising to go with him and take care of him. When new situations or surroundings frighten you, recognize t ...
Posted Tuesday, November 20th 2007 at 10:40AM
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"Bring Your Father"
Genesis 45:16-20
Good Morning,
Joseph was rejected, kidnapped, enslaved, and imprisoned. Although his brothers had been unfaithful to him, he graciously forgave them and shared his prosperity. Joseph demonstrated how Go ...
Posted Monday, November 19th 2007 at 8:00AM
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"Judah's Plea"
Genesis 44:14-34
When Judah was younger, he showed no regard for his brother Joseph or his father, Jacob. First, he convinced his brothers to sell Joseph as a a slave (37:27); then he joined his brothers in lying to his father ab ...
Posted Friday, November 16th 2007 at 10:09AM
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"Dining Together"
Genesis 43:16-34
Joseph ate by himself because he was following the laws of the Egyptians' caste system. Egyptians considered themselves highly intelligent and sophisticated. They looked upon shepherds and nomads as uncultured and even vulgar. As a Hebrew, Joseph could ...
Posted Thursday, November 15th 2007 at 11:00AM
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"Jacob's Difficult Decision"
Genesis 43:1-15
Jacob's and his sons had no relief from the famine. They could not see God's overall plan of sending them to Egypt to be reunited with Joseph and fed from Egypt's storehouses. If you are praying for ...
Posted Wednesday, November 14th 2007 at 9:53AM
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"Food in Egypt"
Genesis 42:1-20
Joseph remembered his dream about his brothers bowing down to him (37:6-9). Those dreams were coming true! As a young boy, Joseph was boastful about his dreams. As a man, he no longer flaunted his superior stat ...
Posted Tuesday, November 13th 2007 at 10:01AM
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"Restoration of God's Favor"
Psalm 85
The psalmist was asking God to revive his people, bringing them back to spiritual life. God is capable of reviving both churches and individuals. He can pour out his love on us, renewing our love for him. If ...
Posted Monday, November 12th 2007 at 10:29AM
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"Second-In-Command"
Genesis 41:37-45
Pharaoh recognized that Joseph was a man "filled with the spirit of God." You probably won't get to interpret dreams for a king, but those who know you should be able to see God in you, through your kind wor ...
Posted Friday, November 9th 2007 at 7:13AM
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"Joseph the Interpreter"
Genesis 41:25-36
After interpreting Pharaoh's dream, Joseph gave the king a survival plan for the next 14 years. The only way to prevent starvation was through careful planning; without a famine plan Egypt would have tu ...
Posted Thursday, November 8th 2007 at 10:18AM
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"Pharaoh's Dream"
Genesis 41:1-8
Our most important opportunities may come when we least expect them. Joseph was brought hastily from the dungeon and pushed before Pharaoh. Did he have the time to prepare? Yes and no. He had no warning that ...
Posted Wednesday, November 7th 2007 at 9:55AM
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"Revenge"
Genesis 39:11-20
As a prisoner and slave, Joseph could have seen his situation as hopeless. Instead, he did his best with each small task given him. His diligence and positive attitude were soon noticed by the warden, who promoted hi ...
Posted Tuesday, November 6th 2007 at 10:36AM
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"Joseph Refuses"
Genesis 39:6-10
Potiphar's wife failed to seduce Joseph, who resisted this temptation by saying it would be a sin against God. Joseph didn't say, "I'd be hurting you," or "I'd be sinning against Potiphar," or "I'd be sinning ag ...
Posted Monday, November 5th 2007 at 9:55AM
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"A Prayer For Deliverance"
Psalm 70
When others disappoint and threaten us, we feel empty as though a vital part of ourselves has been stolen. When others break the trust we have placed in them, they also break our spirits. At those empty, bro ...
Posted Friday, November 2nd 2007 at 8:35AM
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