Category: Strength for Today

Exodus 28:29
“And Aaron shall bear the names of the children of Israel in the breastplate of judgment upon his heart, when he goeth in unto the holy place, for a memorial before the LORD continually.”

The breastplate of judgment was a very important part of the garments that Aaron, the high priest, wore. On this breastplate was engraved the names of each tribe of the children of Israel. This breastplate was fastened to the high priest so that those names would be placed over his heart. The breastplate was not just fastened over the shoulders, but on the bottom were two rings so that it could be fastened to the ephod that the priests wore so that that it was secure enough to always be close to the heart of the high priest. God wanted that breastplate to be on the heart of the high priest when he went to offer the sacrifice for the judgment of the people.

This is a great representation of what Jesus Christ did for every person. Jesus is our High Priest. This breastplate shows us what was going through the heart of Jesus Christ when He made the payment for our sins. Friend, this should give you comfort to know how precious you are to Him.

First, as different as you are, Jesus still loved you. This breastplate had twelve different stones to represent each tribe. It simply shows us that as different as we may be, Jesus loves each of us. Jesus loves you whether you’re poor or wealthy. Jesus loves you whether you’re intelligent or average. Jesus loves you whether you’re unknown or popular. Jesus Christ loves you no matter what your uniqueness may be.

Second, Jesus will never forget you no matter how far you may feel from Him. Those stones with the names engraved upon them were always on the heart of the priest. Likewise, you are always on the heart of Jesus Christ. I love this because while Jesus was on the cross, you were in His thoughts. Think about that Christian. Though He was suffering for your sin, He still had you on His heart. Yes, you are precious to Jesus Christ!

Third, as sinful as you may be, Jesus Christ had you on His heart and secured a way for you to be saved. That breastplate was secured so that it never was off the heart of the priest. When he went to make the sacrifice for every sin, the breastplate was on his heart. Likewise, Jesus Christ had every person on His heart while paying for their sins. Oh, the love of God! No matter how deep sin may have taken a person, Jesus Christ still had them on His heart as He paid for their sins. You cannot go so deep that the love of Christ cannot reach you.

Christian, this is a great reminder God gives us that we are always on His heart. You may feel unloved by many people, but you can always be assured that you are always on the heart of Christ. When you are forsaken by family, you are still on the heart of Christ. When you are cast out from society, you are still on the heart of Christ. When churches want nothing to do with you, you are still on the heart of Christ. You can go throughout this day knowing one thing; you are on the heart of Christ.

Exodus 21:1
“Now these are the judgments which thou shalt set before them.”

Any parent who wants to raise their child right will teach them from an early age not to give excuses. Personal responsibility seems to be a thing of the past. Someone does wrong and they want to give an excuse as to why they did it without taking responsibility for their own actions. There are no acceptable excuses when it comes to personal responsibility.

God deals with personal responsibility in Exodus 21. God uses several illustrations to talk about four different areas where people have no excuse. God is teaching us that we are responsible in these four areas of life. Claiming ignorance is not acceptable to God. God expects you to know better in these four areas and to be sure that you are in control of your being and possessions. Let me show you these four areas.

First, you are responsible for your actions. God is very plain that you are to be under control. God dealt with this subject by using murder and thievery as His illustrations. God wants you to understand that you are responsible for every action you perform. If you do wrong, then you should pay for it. It doesn’t matter what someone else did to you, it only matters how you act. You cannot control what others do, but you can control what you do.

Second, you are responsible for your attitude. Throughout this chapter, you see God using people who get into disagreements and responding out of anger. You are ultimately responsible for keeping your attitude under control. You may get angry, but you are to control that anger. A Christian who is not in control of their own disposition or attitude is a Christian who hurts their own testimony and the testimony of the name of Christ. God’s simply teaching that there are no excuses for an attitude that is out of control.

Third, you are responsible for your possessions. Again, God talks about a man who has an ox that would get loose and hurt another person. That man was responsible for that ox. Likewise, you are responsible for everything you own. You are responsible to take care of your possessions so that they can’t hurt others. If you can’t take care of your possessions so that they can’t hurt others, then you need to get rid of them.

Fourth, you are responsible for your knowledge. Ignorance is no excuse. When someone tells you that something you own is going to hurt someone, then you are responsible to make sure that it doesn’t. Burying your head in the sand is no excuse. You are to listen to others even if you think others are just being petty.

Friend, the name of Christ is at stake in these four areas. All it takes is for you to mess up in one of these areas and the world will use it as their ammunition to slander the name of Christ. Be sure to take responsibility in these four areas of your life so that the name of Christ is not marred by your lack of responsibility.

Exodus 14:19
“And the angel of God, which went before the camp of Israel, removed and went behind them; and the pillar of the cloud went from before their face, and stood behind them:”

Looking the wrong way always causes a person to come to the wrong conclusion. When a person is driving and looking the wrong way, they can come to the conclusion that they are safe when in reality they could be headed for an accident right in front of them. Simply by not looking the right way they cannot see the hazards or the potential ahead of them.

The children of Israel certainly made this mistake when they approached the Red Sea. Behind them was the Egyptian army pursuing. They came to the conclusion that they should have stayed in Egypt because they thought the army was going to kill them. Yet, right in front of them was the presence of God. God had placed a cloud in front of them to lead them, but because they were looking the wrong way they could not see God’s presence. There were three areas where they were looking the wrong way.

First, they were looking to their past instead of their future. In front of them was victory and the will of God, but they were looking to their past which caused them to want to go back. You can totally destroy your life by continually looking to your past. Your past has a way of making your future look dim, but what you don’t see with the past are the heartaches you endured while you were there. You cannot allow your past to rob you of a bright future. There must come a point in your life when you decide not to look to the past and to stay focused on your future. Your future is bright, but you must stay focused upon it.

Second, they were looking at their problems instead of their solution. They saw the problem of the Egyptian army, but in front of them was the solution to the Egyptian army: God. Looking at your past tends to lead you to dwell on your problems; whereas, looking to your future tends to help you to see that God is your solution. Stop looking at your problems and realize that God is your solution to every problem. You have no problem that God cannot solve, but you will never realize that until you take your eyes off your problems.

Third, they were looking at their strength instead of their Strength. When they looked to their past and saw their problems, they came to the conclusion that they were not strong enough to handle them. If they would have looked to their future, they would have realized their solution was in the strength of the LORD. God is your strength. He can help you through anything you face if you will simply look to Him and trust Him. Your problem is not greater than He can handle. Stop dwelling on your problems and realize that God is the strength you need to overcome them.

Friend, if you look the wrong way you will always come up with the wrong solutions. Which way are you looking? At what are you looking? It all starts by looking towards your future. Looking towards your future is the catalyst that allows you to see your solution and realize that all strength comes from God. It is right there in front of you if you will look the right way. Decide right now to stop looking at your past. Purposely choose everyday to look towards your future, and you will always come up with the right solution to face any obstacle which comes your way.

Exodus 6:30
“And Moses said before the LORD, Behold, I am of uncircumcised lips, and how shall Pharaoh hearken unto me?”

The beginning years of Moses’ ministry was very similar to many. He had so many questions for God because his faith was weak. Every question he asked was simply a revelation of his lack of faith in God and His power. He asked God how he could speak, and God showed him that He could make that possible. He asked God how he could go alone, and God showed him that Aaron would be by his side. He twice asked God how Pharaoh was going to listen to him, and twice God just told him to do what He was supposed to do.

Christian, there are times when you need to stop asking God questions. By faith we have to trust God that whatever He commands us to do is the right thing to do. When God shows you His will for your life, you need to stop asking questions. When God commands you to do something in the Scriptures, you need to stop asking questions. I find there are three responses we should have when we have questions.

First, stop asking and start trusting. Do you think God cares for you? If you do, then you need to start trusting God that He will take care of you. Don’t you think that God can do what He says He will do? You just need to trust God that He will follow through on His Word. When is the last time you have ever seen God not fulfill what He says He will do? You just need to stop asking and start trusting God.

Second, stop asking and start obeying. I remember when I was a boy, that my mother would tell me to do something and I responded by asking, “Why?” She would oftentimes say, “Son, you don’t need to know the ‘why,’ you just need to obey.” Likewise, as a Christian you don’t need to know the “why” right now, you just need to obey God. Questioning God doesn’t get His work done. You need to trust God and obey Him.

Third, stop asking and start yielding. It was not Moses’ job to make Pharaoh listen, it was his job to yield to God and let God take care of Pharaoh listening. Christian, stop trying to take things into your own hands and yield to God and let Him worry about the rest. It is our job as a Christian to yield to the Holy Spirit and trust and obey God, but it is God’s job to do the work.

Preacher, it is your job to preach the Word exactly how God tells you to do it and it is God’s job to speak to the heart of the listener. Christian, it is your job to go tell the lost how to get saved and it is God’s job to save the lost. Stop worrying about how that person who looks so hardened will get saved. That’s not your job! Your job is to go tell someone how to get saved. Christian, it is your job to do God’s will for your life and it is God’s job to use you with your weaknesses to do His will. No matter what your concern may be, yield to God and let Him take care of His part.

Be careful about constantly questioning God. Stop asking and start trusting, obeying and yielding. When you trust, obey and yield to God, then that is when He will begin to do a mighty work through your life.

Genesis 41:33
“Now therefore let Pharaoh look out a man discreet and wise, and set him over the land of Egypt.”

One of the most financial savvy men in the Scriptures was Joseph. Where he got this wisdom from I do not know, but it was very obvious that he had the mind of God when he advised Pharaoh. Had Pharaoh not listened to Joseph when he interpreted the dream, the greatest humanitarian disaster of all time would have happened. Let me show you the financial advice that Joseph gave and how it applies to your personal finances.

First, you need to be accountable to someone. Joseph told Pharaoh to set a man over the finances of Egypt. Everyone needs financial advice at some time in their life. A person who has full control of their own money will one day make a foolish decision. You need to find a couple of people in your life who can advise you on financial decisions. This person needs to be one who has been successful with their own finances. Just because someone holds a leadership position does not mean they are good with finances. Find those who have been financially savvy and let them advise you.

Second, be cautious in spending your money. Joseph told him to find a person who was “discreet and wise.” Being “discreet” means to be cautious. Don’t be spend happy, but be cautious with your money. Be wise with your spending habits. Don’t allow yourself to spend money on a whim. You will end up in a financial mess if you are not careful with your spending habits.

Third, set up a budget and live by it. Joseph told Pharaoh to set up officers over the land. These officers would dictate how the money would be spent. You must have a budget that dictates how you spend your money. Let me ask you, do you know where all your money is going? It would be wise to regularly go over your spending habits and make sure you are living within your budget. If you have no budget by which to live, then you are losing money. A budget must be your financial boss. If the money is not in your budget, then you must not spend it.

Fourth, set a portion aside for hard times. Joseph knew that the famine was coming, so he advised Pharaoh to set twenty percent aside for the years of famine. I’m not going to tell you how much you need to set aside, but I do believe you need to consistently set money aside for tough times. You are going to come across hard times, and if you have no money set aside, you are going to find yourself on the street. God takes care of us, but He also expects us to be wise enough to set aside during the time of financial blessing.

Friend, everyone will face financial famines in their lives. Are you prepared? If your famine started today, what do you have set aside to help you through it? Let this advice help you in preparing for that time. You will find that those who are financially set in their senior years are those who followed this advice throughout their life. Don’t be foolish and think you will never go through a financial famine; instead, follow this advice and you will be able to make it through a time of financial famine.

Genesis 31:37
“Whereas thou hast searched all my stuff, what hast thou found of all thy household stuff? set it here before my brethren and thy brethren, that they may judge betwixt us both.”

Jacob found himself in a very precarious situation. His father-in-law accused him of stealing his gods and insinuated that he had taken cattle. This was no light accusation. Though we know Jacob’s character had marks of deceit, he seemed to grow out of it after he got married. His name was on the line with this accusation. Jacob did the right thing by going straight to the source of the accusation and told him to either put up or shut up.

Accusations are easily said by those who do not like you. It is easy to say someone did something, because they hope that you won’t challenge them with proof. The problem with accusations is that they can damage someone’s name for a long time. Accusations must be dealt with, and they must be dealt with in a proper manner. Let me give you several thoughts on how to handle accusations.

First, don’t repeat hearsay. One of the biggest things that helps accusations to spread is to tell someone else something you heard. Spreading hearsay is gossip. The Scriptures say, “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people…” (Leviticus 19:16) Anytime you take hearsay and tell someone else, you are in direct disobedience to God’s Word. Learn to avoid using hearsay in conversations.

Second, just because someone says it does not make it true. Again, one of the common mistakes many make is that they think because someone they trust tells them something that it makes it true. You must learn that anybody can have an agenda. Even if it is true, they should not be talking to you about it. That is something they should be dealing with in a scriptural manner.

Third, always go to the source of accusations to stop them. One of the things this generation has lost is going to someone who started the accusation about you and asking them where they got their information and why they saying this about you. I have found that this is the best way to stop accusations. You will find that your direct approach will catch most people completely off-guard.

Fourth, don’t respond by spreading accusations yourself. Just because someone said something about you does not give you the right to do the same about them. Just because someone else has lowered their character by spreading accusations does not give you the right to do the same. Become the type of person who does not get into the accusation business.

Fifth, keep your Christian testimony at all cost. It is easy to get into the flesh when it comes to accusations. Don’t do it! Always remember that you stand before God for your actions, and that is why you must keep your Christian testimony at all times. Yes, you need to have a direct approach when dealing with accusation, but you must keep your Christian testimony as well. Always remember that time always reveals truth, so if you will keep your Christian testimony time will vindicate you.

Genesis 49:28
“All these are the twelve tribes of Israel: and this is it that their father spake unto them, and blessed them; every one according to his blessing he blessed them.”

The life of Jacob is one that started in much turmoil but ended in serenity. Between the time when he exercised faith and the time of peace, there were many mistakes and battles that he fought. When he bought the birthright, that was an exercise of faith. He believed God’s promise that his father told him about, and that was why he exercised the faith to purchase the birthright. That exercise of faith was not realized immediately, and at many times that exercise of faith may have seemed futile. Yet, God always honors faith. In spite of the many mistakes he made in his life, his act of faith was finally realized as his life ended in blessings and peace.

Faith’s blessings are oftentimes deferred. The life of Jacob truly teaches the Christian that faith will always be honored if we never give up on it. As I look at Jacob’s faith, I see there are several lessons that we can learn that will be useful in our daily life.

First, don’t give up on your exercised faith. Many times we can give up on faith because we see no fruit coming from it. We give money in the offering and see no blessings coming from giving. We’ve stepped out by faith and don’t see the immediate rewards of faith and become discouraged. Never let doubt cause you to give up on your faith. Just because you have not seen an immediate reward for your faith does not mean that your faith will not be rewarded. Faith will be rewarded if you keep believing in it. It may not be rewarded in your timing, but it will be rewarded in God’s timing.

Second, between the step of faith and its reward, you will endure much hardness. God never said that the journey of faith would be easy. In fact, God reveals the opposite in 2 Timothy 2:3 when He says, “Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.” Jacob faced battles, heartache and death along the way, but his faith was rewarded. You will also see battles, heartaches, setbacks and death along the way, but you must never give up on your faith and belief that God will reward you for your act of faith.

Third, don’t allow your missteps in life to keep you from pursuing your act of faith. The one thing about Jacob that I love is that he continued to pursue his faith even after he made tragic mistakes. Christian, you are going to make mistakes in your life, but that does not mean that God won’t reward your faith. So, you messed up. Get up, and continue from where you are until the reward of faith is realized. God knew when you stepped out by faith that you would make mistakes, but He still challenged you to take that step of faith for He has a great reward for you if you will continue to pursue it.

Jacob’s life ended in blessing and tranquility. When you see him blessing his sons, you see the peace and blessings he wanted when he purchased the birthright. Friend, don’t let situations of your life keep you from pursuing your step of faith. Somewhere in the past you have taken a step of faith. Let me encourage you to continue pursuing it. It doesn’t matter what you have done, if you will continue to follow that step of faith then God’s rewards will come in His timeline.

Genesis 24:10
“And the servant took ten camels of the camels of his master, and departed; for all the goods of his master were in his hand: and he arose, and went to Mesopotamia, unto the city of Nahor.”

Every day we take trips and never one time stop to be sure that we do what it takes to make that trip blessed. We need to do something, so we quickly get in the car and drive to wherever we are going without one thought of what we must do to make sure that trip ends in the right manner. Whether it is an errand in town or a long journey, having a blessed trip should be your desire.

The Scriptures says, “The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.” (Psalm 121:8) God desires to bless your trip when you are leaving your home or when you are going home. Abraham’s servant understood the importance of making sure he had a blessed trip, and he did four things to make sure his trip was blessed.

First, he understood that his trip was important. You should never take any trip for granted. Every trip you take is important. It may be a trip to the grocery store, gas station, doctor’s office or an important business meeting, but they are all important. When you treat any trip unimportantly, you are telling yourself that what you are doing is of no importance. God commands us to treat everything we do with importance, and this includes every trip you take.

Second, he had a purpose for his trip. His purpose for taking this journey was to find a wife for Isaac. Always have a purpose whenever you take a trip. A trip without a purpose is a trip filled with temptation. Purpose has a way of keeping you from doing things you should not do or going to places you should not go. Always have a purpose for taking every trip and every trip will more likely see success.

Third, he was prepared for his trip. Abraham’s servant didn’t take the trip without proper preparation, because if he had he it was likely he would have found himself without enough food for his journey. When you are taking a journey, especially a long one, be sure to be prepared. Physically get the rest you need, but also know well ahead of time what time you need to leave so that you get there on time. When you are not pushed for time, the trip will be more relaxing.

Fourth, Abraham’s servant prayed for God’s blessing on the trip. This is so important if you want God to bless your trip. A quick word of prayer for God to keep you safe and to bless your journey doesn’t take long, but it can have a great impact on that journey’s safety and success. God could bless your trip if you ask Him, but if you treat it as unimportant you most likely will not ask for His help. You may be surprised how God will bless every trip and allow you to come across the right people who can help you in the future. Likewise, asking for God’s help just may help you avoid an accident.

We all take hundreds of trips every year. Don’t become so used to taking trips that you don’t follow these four steps to having a blessed trip. Start asking God for His blessings and safety on each trip and watch how much easier each trip becomes.

Genesis 21:1-2
“And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken. For Sarah conceived, and bare Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”

There are very few things in life upon which you can depend. As soon as you think you can depend upon someone or something they or it lets you down. When you depend upon a person, you are depending upon someone who will let you down because they are sinful. When you depend upon an object, it will eventually break down because no object works flawlessly. Trying to find something or someone upon which or whom you can depend will lead to a failed search.

There is One upon Whom you can depend, and that person is God. God’s dependability is impeccable. Humans may let you down, but God can always be depended upon. Objects may break down at the worst possible time, but God will never break down and will always be there when you need Him. In the verses above, we find there are three things in which God has never failed.

First, God’s presence has never failed. The verse says, “And the LORD visited Sarah as he had said…” God said that He would be there for Sarah, and He was. Whenever God says He is going to be there for you, there is nothing for you to worry about because He will always be with you. When you face the greatest heartaches of life, He will be there. When you face your toughest trials in life, He will be there. When others leave you, He will always be there. You can rest assured that God will always be there for you.

Second, God’s promises have never failed. God continues by saying, “…the LORD did unto Sarah as he had spoken.” God promised Sarah that she would have a child, and He came through. Friend, whatever God has promised in His Word, you can rest assure that He will come through on that promise. He promised to supply your needs, and He has always supplied every need. There is not one promise in the Word of God that God hasn’t fulfilled every time. You can rely on the promises of God because He has never failed to keep His Word.

Third, God’s timing is perfect. God says, “…at the set time of which God had spoken to him.” God’s timing is impeccable. We oftentimes worry about God coming through, but He has never failed to come through at the right time. Christian, if God said He will do something at a certain time, then you can be assured that He will do it. His timing may not be our timing, but His timing is accurate and always right.

The dependability of God is impeccable. Stop trusting in man and what he says he will do and trust the God Who has never failed with His presence, promises or timing. When all else fails, you can rest secure in these three things.

Genesis 15:1
“After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward.”

Abram had obeyed God and stepped out by faith and left his father’s house. Abram did not know where this journey of faith would lead, all he knew was that God was going to make of him a great nation. It did not take long on this journey of faith before he faced his first battle.

Lot and his herdsmen were not getting along with Abram’s herdsmen, so they decided to separate. Not long after they separated Lot was taken captive. Even though Abram had separated from Lot, that did not stop his love for his nephew. So, he went to war and delivered him. It was after those two battles when God said to Abram, “Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield…”

This promise that God gave to Abram is also for every Christian who decides to live by faith. To know that God is on your side when the battles come your way is not only comforting, but it is also assuring. There are three things this promise does not mean, but one thing it does mean that will be very helpful to you.

First, it does not mean that you won’t have battles. Whenever you step out by faith and obey God’s commands, you had better get ready for the battles to come. The Devil never likes it when God’s people step out by faith, and he will do all that he can to defeat them. A great work is about to happen when God’s people step out by faith. When you step out by faith, you must expect the battles to come.

Second, it does not mean that the battle will be pleasant. You can’t pick and choose which battle you are going to fight. The Devil fights dirty, and you must realize that those battles will be unpleasant and unfair. I have never liked one battle that has come my way, but I’ve had to fight them. Likewise, the battles you face in your life will be unpleasant and unfair. They will come from directions you never imagined. They will come from people you do not know. The Devil will be sure to make your battle unpleasant.

Third, it does not mean that you won’t be shot at. God is your shield for a reason. You wouldn’t need a shield if the shots of the Devil didn’t get close. You need a shield because the shots of the Devil will be coming directly towards you. You will hear the sound of the shots all around you in this battle, but you must not despair.

Fourth, this verse does mean that the enemy’s attack won’t hurt you. They may be shooting to kill, but God is your shield. The comfort this should bring to every Christian is tremendous. Because God is your shield, He will never fail in warding off the shots of the enemy. As long as you stay behind the shield, you will be fine.

Friend, let this thought encourage you in the battles. When the battle starts it can seem like you may go under, but God is your shield and He will protect you from every attack. This means that you are on the winning side. Don’t run and hide from the battle. The battle simply means you are doing right, but with God’s help as your shield the battle will not overtake you but you will overtake the battle.