God’s Spirit has always been calling mankind to himself—to holiness, purity of heart, a separated life—and in every generation a remnant answers this call. Joseph responded to God’s call at a very early age; his ten older brothers received the same call to surrender and walk righteously, but they chose to remain in the world.…
“He sent a man before them, even Joseph, who was sold for a servant . . . until the time that his word came: the word of the Lord tried him” (Psalm 105:17, 19). Joseph was tested and tried in many ways but his greatest trial was the word he had received! Consider everything Joseph…
Joseph was in one of his darkest hours—lonely, downcast, about to give up his dreams, questioning his place in God. Suddenly, the call came from one of the king’s guards: “Joseph! Get cleaned up—Pharaoh is calling for you!” In that moment, I believe the Spirit of God came mightily upon Joseph and his heart leapt…
Does our heavenly Father favor certain of his children? Does the Bible say God is no respecter of persons? When it comes to salvation and his wonderful promises, God treats all alike but he also puts his special favor on those who respond wholeheartedly to his calling and yield their lives to him entirely! Job…
Joseph had a vision that his life would be used mightily by God. But that vision seemed like a pipe dream after his jealous brothers sold him into slavery. The following years of Joseph’s life were filled with hardship and injustice. Then, when Joseph seemed to get back on his feet, he was falsely accused…
David prayed, “Preserve me, O God: for in thee do I put my trust” (Psalm 16:1). The Hebrew word that David uses for preserve in this verse is packed with meaning. It says, in essence, “Put a hedge around me, a wall of protective thorns. Guard me and keep me. Observe my every move, all…
Paul said it: “To die is gain” (Philippians 1:21). That kind of talk is absolutely foreign to our modern spiritual vocabularies. We have become such life worshippers, that we have very little desire to depart to be with the Lord. Paul said, “I am in a strait betwixt two, having a desire to depart, and…
Sadly, great numbers of Christians do not know God’s voice. Some can go for months, even years, without ever receiving an intimate word from the Lord in their inner man. Oh, God did speak to them at one time. But over the years, they’ve learned to silence his voice in their hearts. Others have been…
In desperation, David cried out, “Lord, hear my voice: let thine ears be attentive to the voice of my supplications” (Psalm 130:2). This sounds to me like the plea of a dying man. David obviously wasn’t just uttering “thought prayers.” He was face down on the ground—broken, contrite, pleading with God from the very depths…
If you’re in the depths right now because of sin—if you’re overcome because of the Lord’s rod on your back, be encouraged. He’s chastening you because of his tender love. He chastens because he wants you to fear him—to know his care for you. What, exactly, does it mean to fear the Lord? It means…