Encouragement Prevails

"David again assembled all the fit young men in Israel, thirty thousand. He and all his troops set out to bring the ark of God from Baale-Judah. The ark bears the Name, the name of the Lord of Armies who is enthroned between the cherubim...David and the whole house of Israel were dancing before the LORD with all kinds of fir wood instruments, lyres, harps, tambourines, sistrums, and cymbals. When they came to Nacon's threshing floor, Uzzah reached out to the ark of God and took hold of it because the oxen had stumbled. Then the LORD's anger burned against Uzzah, and God struck him dead on the spot for his irreverence, and he died there next to the ark of God. David was angry because of the LORD's outburst against Uzzah, so he named that place Outburst Against Uzzah. David feared the LORD that day and said, 'How can the ark of the LORD ever come to me?' So he was not willing to bring the ark of the LORD to the city of David; instead, he diverted it to the house ...

1 Samuel 17:47 - “It is not by sword or by spear that the LORD saves, for the battle is the LORD’s. He will hand you over to us.” YES!!!! Jesus did not save by sword or spear by any means. Matthew 26:50-51 - Then they came up, took hold of Jesus, and arrested him. At that moment one of those with Jesus reached out his hand and drew his sword. He struck the high priest’s servant and cut off his ear. Luke 22:49 .- But Jesus responded, “No more of this!” And touching his ear, he healed him. Matthew 26:52-54 - Then Jesus told him, “Put your sword back in its place because all who take up the sword will perish by the sword. Or do you think that I cannot call on my Father, and he will provide me here and now with more than twelve legions of angels? How, then, would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen this way?” What was the way it must happen? First, he was put on trial before the high priests and found innocent. Yet, this ended in him getting spat in the fa...

4 women are mentioned in Jesus’ genealogy and another is referenced. With so few, it seems to shout out the significance and importance of them being there. I was intrigued, especially after reading about the first woman, and decided to research them all. Their stories are dark and rough. They are by no means perfect. Yet God is there moving and using them for such a great purpose. They were a part of our salvation. Let’s meet them. TAMAR is introduced to us in Genesis 38. She marries Judah’s firstborn son. Genesis 38:7 - Now Er, Judah’s firstborn son, was evil in the Lord’s sight, and the Lord put him to death. It was the next family member’s duty to step in and redeem her husband, producing offspring to carry on his name. Onan, Judah’s next son was given this task. Genesis 38:9-11 - But Onan knew that the offspring would not be his, so whenever he slept with his brother’s wife, he released his semen on the ground so that he would not produce offspring for his brother. What ...

Genesis 28:20-21 “If God will be with me and watch over me during this journey I’m making, if he provides me with food to eat and clothing to wear, and if I return safely to my father’s family, then the Lord will be my God.” In Genesis 28 Jacob is on his way to his uncle’s house. He had recently agreed to his mother’s plan to steal his older brother’s blessing. His older brother, Esau, now was plotting to kill him when their father passes away. His mother convinced Issac, the father, to send Jacob to this uncle to marry one of his daughters instead of a woman from the nations around them. One night as he was traveling Jacob had a dream. In the dream, God extends the covenant He initiated with Abraham to Jacob. Genesis 28:13-14,15 “I will give you and your offspring the land in which you are lying. Your offspring will be like the dust of the earth…. Look, I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go. I will bring you back to this land, for I will not leave you until I h...

Psalm 139:17-18 How precious are your thoughts concerning me, O God! How vast in number they are! If I try to count them, there would be more of them than there are grains of sand. This verse has been a sweet sentiment to me as long as I can remember, yet the whole chapter of Psalm 139 has not. When I would read it, I would have an uncomfortable feeling well up inside me. Psalm 139:1-6 Lord you have searched me and know me. You know when I sit down and when I stand up, you understand my thoughts from far away. You observe my travels and my rest; you are aware of all of my ways. Before a word is on my tongue, you know all about it, Lord. You have encircled me; you have placed your hand on me. This wondrous knowledge is beyond me. It is lofty; I am unable to reach it. “You know everything? Even…that? I can’t hide anything? I know that thing doesn’t please. I don’t feel comfortable with you knowing that…” I knew God to be a loving kind Father. I knew His thoughts of me were good...