Renewal Christian Center

Renewal Christian Center https://renewalchristiancenter.org Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:49:08 +0000 Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:49:08 +0000 hourly 1 3600 SnapPages.com Grace In Spite of Disobedience https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/03/grace-in-spite-of-disobedience Sat, 03 Oct 2026 06:13:15 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/03/grace-in-spite-of-disobedience

But the whole assembly talked about stoning them. Then the glory of the LORD appeared at the tent of meeting to all the Israelites. The LORD said to Moses, "How long will these people treat me with contempt? How long will they refuse to believe in me, in spite of all the signs I have performed among them? I will strike them down with a plague and destroy them, but I will make you into a nation greater and stronger than they."
Moses said to the LORD . . . "If you put all these people to death . . . the nations who have heard this report about you will say, 'The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land He promised them on oath . . .' "
The LORD replied, "I have forgiven them, as you asked. Nevertheless, as surely as I live . . . not one of those who saw my glory and the signs I performed in Egypt and in the wilderness but who disobeyed me and tested me ten times -- not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors." Numbers 14:10-23

The Bible declares in Jeremiah 17:9 that "the heart of man is desperately wicked . . ."
It sends chills down my spine to think that some of the Israelites talked about stoning Moses after all his hard work in bringing them out of Egypt. God was understandably angry because the people had treated God with contempt. He was ready to strike them down and make a new and greater nation out of Moses.

But Moses intervened and reminded God that the nations will mock God and say, "The LORD was not able to bring these people into the land He promised them on oath."
God forgave the sins of His people but there were severe consequences for their disobedience.
None of the wicked grumblers would see the Promised Land. They wandered in the wilderness for forty years until each of them died off!

It is said that "familiarity breeds contempt." The Israelites had become so familiar with the Presence of God on the journey that some of them had no reverence for God or respect for His servant Moses. In God's own words, "How long will these people treat me with contempt?"

In our walk with the Holy God, may we never become so familiar that we take Him for granted and treat Him and His servants with contempt. When we question the integrity and ability of God, we treat Him with contempt. When we give less than our best to God, we treat Him with contempt. The spirit of familiarity exacts a heavy price. It is dangerous and definitely not worth it. Let's repent of any such inclination and walk with God with deep reverence.

PRAYER:
Father, please forgive me for any way in which I have failed to reverence you. Help me never to get so familiar with you that I forget your might and holiness. Amen.

]]> Have A Different Spirit https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/02/have-a-different-spirit Fri, 02 Oct 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/02/have-a-different-spirit

". . . not one of them will ever see the land I promised on oath to their ancestors. No one who has treated me with contempt will ever see it. But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it." Numbers 14:23-24.

Of the twelve spies who went to explore the Promised Land, ten came back with a bad report and discouraged the Israelites. Only two, Joshua and Caleb, insisted on moving forward. Caleb said: "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us." (Numbers 14:7)

Whilst others were instilling fear and rebellion into the hearts of God's people, Caleb took a stand for God. His faith in God was absolute in the face of giants on the land! Caleb knew that God is a Promise Keeper and would deliver on His word. He had a different spirit and God rewarded him with an inheritance in the Promised Land.

The Promise was fulfilled in Joshua 14 when Caleb said to Joshua:
"Today, I am eighty-five years old. I am as strong now as I was when Moses sent me on that journey . . . So give me the hill country that the LORD promised me. You will remember that as scouts we found the descendants of Anak living there in great walled towns. But if the LORD is with me, I will drive them out of the land, just as the Lord said." So Joshua blessed Caleb . . . and gave Hebron to him as his portion of the land. (Joshua 14:10-13 NLT)

The promises of God are definite and sure, but it takes a different spirit to inherit those promises. Often, those marvelous promises are met with staunch resistance from the adversary. His sole goal is to drive fear into our hearts and tempt us to question God's faithfulness and ability. But, when God finds a person with a different spirit, God will fulfill His promise to him no matter how long it takes. So at eighty-five, God gave Caleb the strength to overcome the same giants he had seen forty-five years earlier and inherit their land.

These are days of much skepticism about God. Many are acting as if God is dead. They serve God half-heartedly and do not take His word to heart. But the truth is: God has not changed. Those who have a different spirit are still being given "mountains" to take for the glory of God. So, in the face of all the mockery around us, would you present a "different spirit" to God and watch Him use you? It takes a different spirit to stand up for God in this day and age. But the rewards are sure!

PRAYER:
Father, help me to have a different spirit and to believe you to use me to take "mountains for your glory." Amen

]]> Never Get Too Familiar with God https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/01/never-get-too-familiar-with-god Thu, 01 Oct 2026 07:56:15 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/10/01/never-get-too-familiar-with-god

PRAYER:
Father, please forgive me for any way in which I have failed to reverence you. Help me never to get so familiar with you that I forget your might and holiness. Amen.

]]> Forget the Past and Look Ahead to New Things https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/30/forget-the-past-and-look-ahead-to-new-things Wed, 30 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/30/forget-the-past-and-look-ahead-to-new-things

"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.
It is nothing compared to what I am going to do. For I am about to do something new.
See, I have already begun! Do you not see it?
I will make a pathway through the wilderness. I will create rivers in the dry wasteland.
The wild animals in the field will thank Me, the jackals and the owls, too, for giving them water in the desert.
Yes, I will make rivers in the dry wasteland so my chosen people can be refreshed."
Isaiah 43: 18-20 (NIV/NLT)

What an encouraging word from the lips of God!
Prior to uttering those words, God had reminded the Israelites about the incredible miracles He worked to rescue them from Egypt. He talked about the parting of the Red Sea. He talked about how He enticed and drowned the horses and chariots of Pharaoh. By all accounts, that is one of the most astonishing displays of God's power in the entire Bible.

Yet, incredibly, God speaks to the Israelites about the new wonderful things He has for them.
He tells Israel to forget those amazing miracles of the past, and look ahead to the new things He is about to do! Interestingly, He reminds them that those new things have already begun. God is actually surprised that His children were oblivious to those new things! So, He poses the question: "Do you not see it?"

God is neither stagnant nor locked up in the past. He has plans beyond our imagination. That is why the Scriptures say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. (I Cor. 2:9-10, NLT).

Don't be stuck in what God did in past years! Thank God for the wonderful things in your past, but don't limit Him by dwelling on the past. God is dynamic in His workings. He is constantly desirous of doing new and bigger things. His word still stands: "Call unto Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3, NKJV)

God wants your latter end to be more glorious than your beginning. Your past should never be brighter than your future! His past workings are nothing compared to the new and wonderful things He has in store for you. The best is yet to come.
Forget the past and look ahead to the future with excitement and anticipation.

PRAYER:
Father, I am very grateful for the blessings of the past. But please help me to look ahead with faith and a spirit of expectancy as I move ahead into the future with you. Amen.

]]> Their Protection Is Gone! https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/29/their-protection-is-gone Tue, 29 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/29/their-protection-is-gone

That night all the members of the community raised their voices and wept aloud. All the Israelites grumbled against Moses and Aaron . . . And they said to each other, "We should choose a leader and go back to Egypt."
. . . Joshua son of Nun and Caleb, son of Jephunneh, who were among those who had explored the land, tore their clothes and said to the entire Israelite assembly, "The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. If the LORD is pleased with us, He will lead us into that land . . . Only do not rebel against LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them." Numbers 14:1-9

Twelve men explored the land of Canaan. Ten of them brought a negative report and they caused many to grumble, lose hope, and miss out on the Promised Land! They convinced the people that they would be better off as slaves in Egypt, rather than take their chances and possibly die in the wilderness. It is obvious that they had no faith in God's ability to protect, sustain, and ensure that they would inherit the Promised Land.

Sharply contrasting the negative report and the sentiments of the Ten was the attitude of Joshua and Caleb. They reminded the people that not only was the land exceedingly good but also God was perfectly able to deliver it to the Israelites. The basis of their confident assertion was that the giants they were afraid of were without protection. Their protection was gone! But God was with Israel.

Many times our fear of "facing the giant" stems from the fact that we feel we are no match against him. Like the nine-foot giant David faced, we see the enemy as fully protected, and ourselves as defenseless.

But, like Caleb and Joshua, let's look beyond what we see with our eyes and remember that in the presence of God the enemy is without protection. When God shows up on our side, the protection of the enemy will be gone!
God is with you. You are not defenseless. The enemy is the one without defense. His protection is gone. Arise and take steps to overcome every obstacle and possess your Promised Land.

PRAYER:
Lord, I know you are with me. Thank you for being my defense. I will boldly arise to accomplish your purposes for me because the enemy's protection is gone! Amen.

]]> Don't Give Up Before You Have Even Tried https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/28/don-t-give-up-before-you-have-even-tried Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/28/don-t-give-up-before-you-have-even-tried

But Caleb tried to quiet the people as they stood before Moses. "Let's go at once to take the land," he said. "We can certainly conquer it!"
But the other men who had explored the land with him disagreed. "We can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" So they spread this bad report about the land among the Israelites: "The land we traveled through and explored will devour anyone who goes to live there. All the people we saw were huge. We even saw giants . . . Numbers 13:30-33 (NLT)

It is one thing to be given a promise. It is quite another thing to take possession of that promise.
All through Scripture, we see evidence that God's servants had to take practical steps to turn the promises of God into reality. Victory never came to anyone who sat and folded their arms! God never drops victory into our laps! Even the manna from heaven had to be "gathered." God did not drop it into their mouths!

Abraham had to set out away from his people and travel to an unknown land to obtain the promised blessings. David had to fight Goliath in order to secure the victory! Jesus had to endure the shame of the cross before He was given the name above all names.

The truth is: The promises of God would never be turned into fulfilled reality until we take concrete steps to obtain those promises. The Bible declares in Psalm 81:10 (NLT), "For it was I, the LORD your God, who rescued you from the land of Egypt. Open your mouth wide, and I will fill it with good things." Initiative matters to God!

Unfortunately, many never move from promise to reality. We are unwilling to take the initiative because the circumstances look daunting and we are afraid to fail!
That is what happened to the Israelites. In spite of the promises of God, their attitude was, "we can't go up against them! They are stronger than we are!" They gave up even before they had tried! As a result, the Promised land never became a reality for some of them.

I often tell people that I will rather set out and fall flat on my face in failure than hold back and wonder for the rest of my life what would have happened if I had only tried!

Never give up before you have tried over and over again! You never know what you might accomplish on the next try! May God give you the boldness to take practical steps to fulfill your vision, no matter how challenging the situation might be. If you believe, all things are possible.
Don't give up before trying!

PRAYER:
Lord, I know the challenges of my situation are real. But I ask for the grace to take the initiative toward accomplishing my vision. You are with me and therefore I have nothing to be afraid of. Amen

]]> Don't Focus on the Giants https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/27/don-t-focus-on-the-giants Sun, 27 Sep 2026 05:03:20 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/27/don-t-focus-on-the-giants

The LORD now said to Moses, "Send out men to explore the land of Canaan, the land I am giving to the Israelites. . . . So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He sent out twelve men . . .
After exploring the land for forty days, the men returned to Moses, Aaron, and the whole community of Israel . . . They reported to the whole community what they had seen and showed them the fruit they had taken from the land.
This was their report to Moses: "We entered the land you sent us to explore, and it is indeed a bountiful country -- a land flowing with milk and honey. . . . But the people living there are powerful, and their towns are large and fortified. We even saw giants there . . . Next to them we felt like grasshoppers, and that's what they thought, too!"
Numbers 13:1-33 (NLT)

I believe God's intention for sending out the explorers was so that the community would be encouraged by the report and motivated to fight and occupy the Promised Land.

The twelve spies did explore the land and they brought back fruit to attest that the land was fertile -- it did flow with milk and honey. However, their whole destiny was about to be changed because their focus shifted from the fruitfulness of the land to the giants on the land!
The joy of occupying a land flowing with milk and honey was replaced with the fear of fortified cities and giants. Needless to say, those individuals never got to inherit the Promised Land.

What you see is not as important as how you respond to what you see!
What you focus on will either propel you to fulfill your destiny or it might derail you from your assigned destiny.

Difficulties and challenges come with every opportunity in life. If we focus on the challenges, we will be too scared to take action. But if we focus on the excitement of the opportunity, we will be motivated to press on until our vision is accomplished. Don't focus on the giants -- they will derail you! Focus on the opportunities and you will be victorious.

He who began the good work in you will also be faithful to complete it (Philippians 1:6). God never gives us opportunities without making provision to overcome the giants that are bound to surface. God will always give you sufficient strength and grace to overcome whatever giant assails you.
Don't focus on the giants. Focus on the opportunity!

PRAYER:
Father, please help me not to focus on the giants but on the opportunities you give me. Amen.

]]> Don't Break God's Heart https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/26/don-t-break-god-s-heart Sat, 26 Sep 2026 05:10:57 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/26/don-t-break-god-s-heart

Hear the word of the LORD, you descendants of Jacob, all you clans of Israel.
This is what the LORD says: "What fault did your ancestors find in Me, that they strayed so far from Me?
They followed worthless idols and became worthless themselves. They did not ask, 'Where is the LORD, who brought us up out of Egypt and led us through the barren wilderness, through a land of deserts and ravines, a land of drought and utter darkness, a land where no one travels and no one lives?'
I brought you into a fertile land to eat its fruit and rich produce. But you came and defiled my land and made my inheritance detestable." Jeremiah 2:4-7

God experiences tremendous pain when rejected because He is a great lover and the purest example of faithfulness. God is hurt when we forget about His faithfulness to us and turn our backs on Him.

God's transparency in expressing pain is quite astonishing. He bares out His pain as He meticulously makes His case for how badly He has been treated by His children. He carefully paints a clear but sobering picture of how wonderful He has been to His children compared to the several ill-treatment and infidelities He has suffered at their hands. He makes it clear that His heart is broken. Listen to His tearful words again: "What fault did your ancestors find in Me that they strayed so far from Me? Can you see the near-human pain God is expressing?

Perhaps, the most astonishing thing of all is God's willingness to take His children back no matter how far they have strayed from Him or even how unfaithful they have been! As the great lover He is, He is always willing to forgive and reconcile. So, in spite of all the charges He leveled against Israel, He still extended a hand of reconciliation: "If you, Israel, will return, then return to me" (Jeremiah 4:1). God looks for repentance and reconciliation before exacting justice through His wrath. The Scripture makes it clear that "judgment is His strange work."

As you relate to God, can I challenge you to be faithful to Him? Can I remind you that He is the greatest lover of your soul? Can I remind you that He is the friend who sticks closer than a brother? Can I remind you that He has promised that even if our mother and father forsake us, He will never forget us because we are the apple of His eye?

Let's be motivated to spend time with this great lover of our souls and resolve never to break His heart through disobedience and unfaithfulness. The rewards of sincerely loving God are simply astonishing. It causes us to walk under open heavens of blessings all the time.
Don't break God's heart through unfaithfulness.

PRAYER:
Lord, I am sorry for the many times I have broken your heart through disobedience and unfaithfulness. Please help me to turn a new leaf in my relationship with you. Amen.

]]> Bring Me Your Heavy Load https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/25/bring-me-your-heavy-load Fri, 25 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/25/bring-me-your-heavy-load

"All things have been committed to me by my Father. No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." Matthew 11:27-29

What an invitation! Jesus is inviting us to take our weariness and our burdens to Him and He will give us rest. Jesus understands that the burdens of life can make us tired, weary, and discouraged. He wants to bring us relief.

The premise of the invitation is that every conceivable resource to meet every need has been given to Jesus by the Father. So, this is not an empty invitation. The one who controls everything is giving us the assurance that He can take care of whatever heavy load we are carrying because He has the ability to do that.

Along with His vast resources is the intense desire of Jesus to reveal the Father to "those to whom the Father chooses to reveal them." That is an even more exciting offer.
Jesus wants to bring us into an understanding and fellowship of the heart of our God! Then, along with that, He will take our burdens upon Himself and give us rest!

Whatever burden you are carrying is not too heavy for Jesus. So, would you take it to Him in prayer and faith today? Would you ask Jesus to truly reveal the Father to you so that you can understand the heart of God? Understanding the goodness, mercies, grace, and deep love of our Father's heart helps us to approach the Throne of Grace boldly through Jesus.

Jesus is our Mighty Intercessor and Burden Bearer. Let's take Him at His word and cast all our cares on Him because He truly cares for us.

Take a moment to reflect over whatever burden you may be carrying: Your family, job, career, business, finances, relationships, children, health, or ministry. No burden is too heavy for Jesus.
Let's take Him at His word. Let's take every burden to Jesus today.

PRAYER:
Jesus, I thank you for the provision you have made for my burdens. I bring it all to you because I know you care deeply about me. Thank you, Jesus. Amen

]]> The Lord Is My Mighty Warrior https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/24/the-lord-is-my-mighty-warrior Thu, 24 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/24/the-lord-is-my-mighty-warrior

I hear many whispering, "Terror on every side! Denounce him! Let's denounce him!"
All my friends are waiting for me to slip, saying, "Perhaps he will be deceived; then we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him."
But the LORD is with me like a mighty warrior; so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will fall and be thoroughly disgraced; their dishonor will never be forgotten.
LORD Almighty, you who examine the righteous and probe the heart and mind, let me see your vengeance on them, for to you, LORD, I have committed my cause.
Sing to the LORD! Give praise to the LORD! He rescues the life of the needy from the hands of the wicked. Jeremiah 20:10-13

The prophet Jeremiah had a very difficult assignment from the LORD. God called him to "Stand against the whole land -- against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests and the people of the land." But Jeremiah was assured of Divine Presence and protection. God assured him that even though the people would fight against him, they would not prevail because He, God, would rescue him.

That was the source of Jeremiah's confidence. So, in spite of all the attacks on him, Jeremiah could confidently assert that even though "All my friends are waiting for me to slip saying. . . we will prevail over him and take our revenge on him," they will not succeed.
Why was Jeremiah so confident of victory over his enemies? The reason is simple: Jeremiah had heard the assuring voice of God that his enemies would be defeated. Jeremiah spoke out the divine assurance from God and boldly proclaimed, "The LORD is with me like a mighty warrior so my persecutors will stumble and not prevail."

Jeremiah committed his cause and gave praise to the LORD, who rescues the needy from the hands of the wicked.

Question: Do you find yourself in an intensive battle because of what God has blessed you with or the assignment he has entrusted to you? Are people denouncing you and waiting for you to fall so that they can pounce on you and take revenge? Well, welcome to the club of the called!
The truth is that the blessings and the assignment God has for you are bound to attract many enemies -- spiritual and physical! It is rather naive to think that you will have no opposition or foes when you strive to become all that God has called you to be! Your calling will attract vicious opposition! There are people who are waiting for you to fall so they can pounce on you!

But listen: The LORD is with you like a Mighty Warrior. He will never leave you nor forsake you.
God will rescue you from your detractors. The battle is the LORD's. Commit your cause to him.
Don't be afraid! The LORD is with you like a Mighty Warrior! Praise Him for your victory!

PRAYER:
Father, thank you for the assurance that you are with me like a mighty warrior. I entrust myself completely into your hands. Fight my battles for me. Amen.

]]> The Consequences of Wrong Cravings https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/23/the-consequences-of-wrong-cravings Wed, 23 Sep 2026 04:02:11 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/23/the-consequences-of-wrong-cravings

Now the LORD sent a wind that brought quail from the sea and let them fall all around the camp. For miles in every direction there were quail flying about three feet above the ground. So the people went out and caught quail all that day and throughout the night and all the next day, too. No one gathered less than fifty bushels! They spread the quail all around the camp to dry. But while they were gorging themselves on the meat -- while it was still in their mouths -- the anger of the LORD blazed against the people, and He struck them with a severe plague. So that place was called Kibroth-hattaavah (which means "graves of gluttony") because there they buried the people who had craved meat from Egypt. Numbers 11:31-35 (NLT).

The LORD declares in Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," says the LORD. "They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
The Bible also tells us that God will not withhold any good thing from us and that He will give us whatever we ask in accordance with His will. The Israelites craved for meat that was not in accordance with God's will for them, hence the deadly consequences.

There are certain decisions that are bound to ensure that we will not finish well in life.
Those decisions stem from craving things outside of God's will and plan for our lives. They are stirred within us because of greed and ingratitude. When we are ungrateful and dissatisfied with what we have, we grumble, push, and use all kinds of methods to satisfy our desires.

The landscape of life is littered with shipwrecks of many lives that have fallen victim to such cravings. They include greed to acquire more and more material things that push us to steal, lie, and cheat to make more money. They include insatiable desires for sex which result in adultery, diseases, and broken lives and homes. The list of negative cravings is endless. We never finish well when we give in to those ungodly desires. If God has not blessed you with it, work hard and wait patiently. There is nothing wrong with desiring certain things but there is everything wrong with using the wrong methods to fulfill them.
If it is not from God, it is not worth it. Just leave it alone!

Question: Are you craving for that which falls outside of God's express will for your life?
It tells God that His plans for you are not good and His thoughts are less than honorable.
Ungodly cravings come at a substantial price -- death. The pleasure is hardly tasted before regret and death set in sooner or later. So, what ungodly cravings do you have?
Stick with the divine plan; it will do you a whole lot of good. God is omniscient, you are not!
He knows what is best for you! Accept it and be grateful!

PRAYER:
Lord, please help me to be grateful for what I have. I ask in Jesus' mighty Name. Amen

]]> Is The Lord's Arm Too Short to Save? https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/22/is-the-lord-s-arm-too-short-to-save Tue, 22 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/22/is-the-lord-s-arm-too-short-to-save

"Tell the people: 'Consecrate yourselves in preparation for tomorrow, when you will eat meat. The LORD heard you when you wailed, "If only we had meat to eat! We were better off in Egypt!" Now the LORD will give you meat, and you will eat it. You will not eat it for just one day or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, but for a whole month -- until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it -- because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before Him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"
But Moses said, "Here I am among six hundred thousand men on foot, and you say, 'I will give them meat to eat for a whole month!' Would they have enough if flocks and herds were slaughtered for them? Would they have enough if all the fish in the sea were caught for them?"
The LORD answered Moses, "Is the LORD's arm too short (Has my arm lost its power)? Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you." Numbers 11:18-23.

We are very shortsighted as humans when it comes to our dealings with God. We have a penchant to forget the incredible blessings which God has already bestowed upon us. We forget about His past "miracles." We easily forget about His past provision and the many battles He has already fought for us. We develop amnesia about God's past faithfulness and tend to focus on the seemingly impossible task at hand.

So, our minds tend to be riddled with questions: "God, how in the world are you going to pull me through this current situation?" "Lord, this is rather huge, are you really able?"
That was exactly the situation with Moses and the Israelites. Six hundred thousand men had a craving for meat in the desert and Moses questioned God's ability to provide given the circumstances. Listen: Jehovah Jireh is still able to provide!

The God who created the entire universe out of nothing and who parted the Red Sea so that the Israelites could walk through on dry ground had a simple answer for Moses. It was in the form of a question: Is the LORD's arm too short?"
In other words, is there any place that is beyond my reach? Is there any place where I cannot stretch my hand to pull out a solution to any situation? God assured Moses, "Now you will see whether or not what I say will come true for you."

God's ability to provide solutions to our most impossible situations is unquestionable. From the human perspective, we can express all kinds of doubts. But this never invalidates God's power or faithfulness. God is still able to do the unimaginable. So, can I encourage you to trust God with your situation? It is okay to have questions about your situation but God is still posing the same question He asked Moses: "Is the LORD's arm too short?"

The answer is a resounding "No!" God's arm is not too short. What He says will come true!

PRAYER:
LORD, your arm is not too short to save. Help me to believe and wait on you. Amen.

]]> The Burden Is too Heavy For Me https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/21/the-burden-is-too-heavy-for-me Mon, 21 Sep 2026 04:35:34 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/21/the-burden-is-too-heavy-for-me

The rabble with them began to crave other food, and again the Israelites started wailing and said, "If only we had meat to eat! We remember the fish we ate in Egypt at no cost -- also the cucumbers, melons, leeks, onions and garlic. But now we have lost our appetite; we never see anything but this manna!" . . . Moses heard the people of every family wailing at the entrance to their tents. The LORD became exceedingly angry, and Moses was troubled. He asked the LORD, "Why have you brought this trouble on your servant? What have I done to displease you that you put the burden of all these people on me? Did I conceive all these people? Did I give them birth? . . .
Where can I get meat for all these people? They keep wailing to me, 'Give us meat to eat!'
I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me. If this is how you are going to treat me, please go ahead and kill me -- if I have found favor in your eyes -- and do not let me face my own ruin." Numbers 11:4-15.

There were 600,000 men on the journey with Moses through the desert as they traveled to the Promised Land. If we include the children, we could probably estimate the traveling population to be about a million and a half people. God had already worked many miracles for them. He had defeated Pharaoh and redeemed them from Egypt with a mighty hand. He had parted the Red Sea for them. He had provided them with food from heaven -- manna! Food from heaven must be cherished, no matter how it tastes, because it was prepared by the best chef from the best kitchen -- heaven!

But the people were dissatisfied and a few instigators (the rabble among them) began to create trouble. They incited the Israelites to grumble, complain, and crave for other food besides the "boring" manna! They wanted meat to eat! The people rebelled and stood in front of their tents and began to wail in protest. This was a breaking point for Moses.

God was angry with the people and Moses was frustrated with God. Imagine the scene as Moses cried out under duress, "I cannot carry all these people by myself; the burden is too heavy for me . . . go ahead and kill me . . . do not let me face my own ruin."

Question: Is your assignment and portion in life too heavy for you? Are you wondering why God has "burdened" you with the load you are carrying?

What is your burden? A broken home filled with pain, arguments, and suffering? A single mom with no support? A sick or disabled child to care for? A financial burden with mounting bills and harassing creditors? Is it pressure on the job? Is it the fear and burden of your children's future? Is it the responsibilities of your call and ministry? Is it your health?
God has not given you more than you can bear. He helped Moses -- He will help you!

PRAYER:
Prayer: Father, the burden is heavy, but I know your grace is sufficient for me. Amen!

]]> Praising God On Empty https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/20/praising-god-on-empty Sun, 20 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/20/praising-god-on-empty

"Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will be joyful in God my Savior.
The Sovereign LORD is my strength; He makes my feet like the feet of a deer, He enables me to tread on the heights."
Habakkuk 3:17-19

The prophet Habakkuk had many questions for God. He cried out in prayer: "How long, LORD, must I call for help, but you do not listen? . . . Why do you make me look at injustice? . . . the law is paralyzed, and justice never prevails. The wicked hem in the righteous, so that justice is perverted." (1:2-4) Habakkuk desperately needed answers from God. He said, "I will stand at my watch . . . I will look to see what He (God) will say to me . . . " (2:1). God started speaking to Habakkuk. The Bible says, "God came down from Teman . . . His splendor was like the sunrise . . . " (3:3-4)

Habakkuk did not understand the nature of divine workings until God appeared and "His glory covered the heavens and His praise filled the earth." (3:3) He then understood that a divine "delay" is neither a denial nor a reneging on the promises of God. Though the promise might tarry, it will surely come to pass. For the vision is for an appointed time!

Habakkuk's faith was rekindled and so he cried out: "Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food . . . yet I will rejoice in God my Savior." In other words, I have learned to praise God on empty. I will praise and rejoice in God no matter the circumstances.

This passage reminds me of a letter I received from my wife while I was in seminary. It is one of my most cherished possessions. It was a time in our life when we had "risked" everything to respond to the call of God on our lives. It was truly a time when there seemed to be "no grapes on the vines, no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls." She concluded her letter with this passage from Habakkuk and mentioned how she had learned to rejoice in the LORD.

When we truly come to understand the workings of divinity even with our very limited minds, we will learn to praise God on empty. We will praise Him because He is still able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we can think according to His power that is at work in us.
Praising God on empty releases His glory and His miraculous provision.

PRAYER:
Father, I thank you that our walk is by faith and not by sight. Please help me to learn to praise you even when everything is empty. Amen.

]]> Arise LORD and Scatter Your Enemies https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/19/arise-lord-and-scatter-your-enemies Sat, 19 Sep 2026 00:52:14 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/19/arise-lord-and-scatter-your-enemies

The cloud of the LORD was over them by day when they set out from the camp.
Whenever the ark set out, Moses said,
"Rise up, LORD!
May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you."
Whenever it came to rest, he said,
"Return, LORD to the countless thousands of Israel." Numbers 10:34-36.

This seems to be a rather curious thing that Moses did. The ark of God was always in front of the Israelites as they journeyed to the Promised Land. Without fail, Moses would ask God to scatter His enemies when they set out. When the ark came to rest where they were to camp for the day, Moses would say, "return LORD to the countless thousands of Israel."

I see this as a prayer from Moses. Moses was simply reminding God that there were hindering enemies to be encountered on the journey. He called upon God to arise, as they set out, and scatter those enemies and put them to flight. When they came to the camp where they were to rest, Moses would invite God to return to His people. It was almost as if Moses was welcoming God to His residence among His people.

Among others, I see two things to reflect over:
First, the prayer: "Rise LORD! May your enemies be scattered; may your foes flee before you," was a reminder to God that the Israelites were totally dependent upon Him to fight their battles for them. Without God's involvement, they could never defeat their enemies.
Second, "Return LORD to the countless thousands of Israel," was a prayer to honor God and welcome Him to enjoy His place among His own people. God owned Israel.

As we journey through life, we must be conscious of the fact that there are opposing forces that can only be vanquished by God Himself. We must always remind God that we are totally dependent upon Him to put our enemies to flight. God must arise and scatter the enemy! Only God can fight our battles for us. We must also consciously express our gratitude to God and make Him totally welcome in our lives by reminding Him and ourselves that we belong completely to Him.

May God arise and scatter your enemies and may you reverence Him as the true owner of your life.

PRAYER:
Rise up, LORD, scatter your enemies and put your foes to flight. I belong to you, so take full control and let my life praise you. I ask this in the Mighty Name of Jesus. Amen.

]]> A Human Agent For A Divine Assignment https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/18/a-human-agent-for-a-divine-assignment Fri, 18 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/18/a-human-agent-for-a-divine-assignment

Now Moses said to Hobab son of Reuel the Midianite, Moses' father-in-law, "We are setting out for the place about which the LORD said, 'I will give it to you.' Come with us and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel."
He answered, "No, I will not go; I am going back to my own land and my own people."
But Moses said, "Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us."
So they set out from the mountain of the LORD and traveled for three days. The ark of the covenant of the LORD went before them during those three days to find them a place to rest. Numbers 10:29-33

There is no question that God was the one ultimately leading the Israelites as they journeyed through the desert. Nonetheless, Moses saw the need to secure the help of Hobab, his brother-in-law. Moses had a rather persuasive plea: "Please do not leave us. You know where we should camp in the wilderness, and you can be our eyes. If you come with us, we will share with you whatever good things the LORD gives us." It appears Hobab was convinced and went with the Israelites.

The right "human help agents" are always crucial to the implementation of every divine vision.
God knew that Hobab could serve in very practical ways as the "eyes" of Israel in the desert so he sent him to Moses. God had already used Hobab's father to advise Moses on how to organize the people and reduce his leadership burden. As a visionary, Moses immediately recognized the immense value of Hobab and persuaded him to go with them. He was also rather smart in promising to share whatever blessings they received with Hobab.

As we execute God's plans, dreams, assignments, and vision for our lives, it is crucial to recognize the Hobabs who can serve as "our eyes" and help us in the journey.
Hobabs are critical to the journey and it is important that we share the blessings of God with them as well. We must learn to appreciate and take care of them.

May the LORD bring you Hobabs who can serve as your eyes on the journey to fulfill your destiny. The Hobabs of life serve as critical human agents for divine assignments.
May you recognize the Hobabs in your life. They are your eyes in the desert!

PRAYER:
Father, I thank you for the Hobabs I have encountered in life. I pray that as I journey on, you will bring me godly Hobabs to help me along the way. I ask this in Jesus' name. Amen.

]]> God Truly Longs To Bless You https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/17/god-truly-longs-to-bless-you Thu, 17 Sep 2026 03:05:26 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/17/god-truly-longs-to-bless-you

The LORD said to Moses, "Tell Aaron and his sons, 'This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
" ' "The LORD bless you and keep you;
The LORD make His face shine on you and be gracious to you;
The LORD turn His face toward you and give you peace."
"So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them." Numbers 6:22-27.

God desires to bless and prosper His children far more than we could ever imagine. At the very core of God's being is a deep desire to see His children flourish. This has been the case since God first created humans. The Bible records that "God blessed them and said to them, "Be fruitful and multiply." (Genesis 1:28). After God had destroyed the earth with a flood, the Bible also says, "Then God blessed Noah and his sons, saying to them, "Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the earth." (Genesis 9:1).

When God called Abram, He made a promise to him: "I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing." (Genesis 12:2)
Scripture also records these words from the apostle Peter: "When God raised up His servant (Jesus), He sent Him first to you to bless you . . . (Acts 3:26). Jesus came, first to bless!

Numbers 6:22-27 takes us deep into the heart of our loving heavenly Father. Almost as if to ensure that His children were blessed in the right way, God gave specific words of blessing to be pronounced by the priests upon His children. God instructed the priests: "This is how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them: The LORD bless you and keep you . . . So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them.

An interesting insight into this instruction is that God wanted the blessings to be pronounced over the Israelites verbally to their hearing. Putting this blessing on them in Yahweh's name was then going to elicit a response of blessing from God. God's blessing was going to be released on the Israelites after His human emissaries had verbally blessed His people. There is a spiritual significance when a righteous person pronounces blessings on someone. God could have blessed without the involvement of the priests, but He chose to involve them.

Every morning, I take time to pronounce blessings on my wife and children. I also bless my church family. I believe it releases the blessings of God upon my family and God's church.
Would you take time to release blessings on your family and dear ones?
It is of great significance because God desires to bless His children! It is God's desire to bless!

PRAYER:
Father, cause your blessings to overtake my loved ones today. Amen.

]]> Our God Demands Purity https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/16/our-god-demands-purity Wed, 16 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/16/our-god-demands-purity

The LORD said to Moses, "Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind . . . Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so that they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them."
The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the LORD had instructed Moses. Numbers 5:1-4.

God pitched his tent among the Israelites. He dwelt in their midst. God was intimately involved in their lives. He led them by the Pillar of Cloud by day and the Pillar of Fire by night. He fed them with food from Heaven and gave them water to drink. Our Holy God walked closely with His people.

The presence of God meant that extra care had to be taken to accommodate His holiness. Anyone with a defiling disease or a bodily discharge of any kind had to be sent outside the camp. God's reason was "so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them." The presence of divinity demanded absolute purity.

This must have been quite disruptive for families. A mother or father could be sent to live outside the camp because of a skin condition or bodily discharge. They came back only after they had gone through the prescribed ceremonial cleansing and had been certified as clean by a priest.

As disruptive of life as this must have been, there is a vital lesson: God's holiness is disruptive!
God's holiness disrupts every form of impurity. The holiness of God cannot be contained in an impure environment. In fact, the Bible makes it clear that if God is to use us in a special way, we must first cleanse ourselves (2 Timothy 2:20-21).

As children of God, God's Holy Spirit dwells in us. We live in Jesus, move in Him, and have our being in Him. To a far greater extent, we live in "greater proximity" to God than the Israelites could ever have imagined. We have been blessed and given much by God. But Scripture also reminds us that "to whom much is given, from him much will be required . . . " (Luke 12:48, NKJV)

It is imperative that we live with the constant reminder that our Holy God dwells in us and that we must continually cleanse ourselves of every form of defilement. Our confession of sin releases the cleansing power from the Blood of Jesus to wash away our sins and allow us to continually dwell in the presence of our Holy God.
Our God demands purity. Let us resolve to walk with Him in purity!

PRAYER:
Father, I thank you for the privilege of your presence in my life. Your presence demands purity so help me to live with that conscious reminder. Amen.

]]> You Have A Role To Play https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/15/you-have-a-role-to-play Tue, 15 Sep 2026 05:41:49 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/15/you-have-a-role-to-play

The LORD spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: "Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army."
Numbers 1:1-3

God had liberated His children from the bondage of Egypt. All the Israelites basically had to do was to "stand still and see the deliverance of the LORD" as God worked miracle after miracle to bring Egypt to its knees. But now, it was time to move on to the business of marching on to possess the Promised Land.

It is interesting that the first thing God did before they even set out was to organize the Israelites into a fighting force. God asked Moses to take a census and record the names of all the men in Israel. Those who were twenty years or older and had the ability were to be drafted into the national army.

This is rather significant. It throws light on the fact that God was going to involve every capable person in the conquest of the Promised Land. Every capable man had a role to play. God was about to establish His Kingdom amidst the pagan nations of the earth. As Israel's Sovereign King, Yahweh would march ahead of the army in every endeavor. However, every capable man was to be a part of the fighting force. The Promised Land was not going to be dropped into their laps. They were to "fight" for it. The LORD carefully organized His people for the task ahead.

There is a lesson to be learned from this: God organized them to fight the opposing forces. Sometimes, the promises of God attract opposition from the enemy so we have to fight until they materialize. We plan and fight!

The temptation to relax and not consciously plan to organize and "fight" for the promises of God can be a real issue. We can claim the promises and yet do nothing practically to "fight" and possess it. If God organized Israel into a "Fighting Force," then you and I must do likewise to attain our "Promised Land." We have a role to play. We must carefully organize to "fight" being fully mindful that God is our leader in the battle. We fight under His banner and in His strength.
We have a role to play! We must be part of God's Fighting Force.

PRAYER:
Lord, please help me to recognize the need to organize and execute whatever battle plans you have for the attainment of my "Promised Land." Amen.

]]> Your Tithe Is Holy To God https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/13/your-tithe-is-holy-to-god Sun, 13 Sep 2026 23:17:43 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/13/your-tithe-is-holy-to-god

"[A Tithe] One-tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain from the fields or fruit from the trees, belongs to the LORD and must be set apart to him as holy.
If you want to buy back the LORD's tenth of the grain or fruit, you must pay its value, plus 20 percent. Count off every tenth animal from your herds and flocks and set them apart for the LORD as holy. You may not pick and choose between good and bad animals, and you may not substitute one for another."
. . . These are the commands that the LORD gave through Moses on Mount Sinai for the Israelites. Leviticus 27:30-34 (NLT)

Among the commands the LORD gave to His people for their prosperity and wellbeing was the stipulation that they were to give a tithe or one-tenth of their earnings to God. This was to be considered as holy to God. It was so important that God went into great detail about how to give it and even "penalties" to add when it was done outside of the regular stipulated way. One had to add an extra 20 percent if one decided to buy back the animal or produce that belonged to the LORD.

So, what was God's reason for stipulating that a tithe of the earnings was to be brought back to Him as an offering? The answer is given in Malachi 3:10, "Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so that there will be enough food in my temple." In other words, I want you to create a margin of ten percent in your income for my house to fund the preaching of the Gospel and the work of my Kingdom. Spend 90 percent on yourself but give 10 percent to my work.

God attached a blessing to the obedience of this stipulation, " If you do . . . I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!"

I find it simply amazing that many reject tithing with all kinds of arguments and in the process do not reap the blessings attached to this "command." Whatever your personal opinion might be, I encourage you to look at tithing simply from the viewpoint of giving because you love God and you want His work to be adequately funded. Tithing is God's basic plan to ensure that there is enough "food in His Temple." God's promise is that if we take care of His house, He will bless us beyond our storage capacity. In fact, He is so confident of this that He actually says, " Try it! Put me to the test!"

Listen: All that we acquire on earth, including what we refuse to give to God, can be wiped out in one natural disaster as we see from hurricane images all the time. They can be reduced to rubble in an instant! But what we give to God can never be wiped away because they have eternal value! They are spiritual and can never be touched by natural disasters.
Your tithe is Holy to God. Give it to Him! Put Him to the test! You will be blessed!

PRAYER:
Father, I ask that you will help me to give that which belongs to you. Amen.

]]> The Consequences Of Disobedience https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/13/the-consequences-of-disobedience Sun, 13 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/13/the-consequences-of-disobedience

"But if you will not listen to me and carry out all these commands, and if you reject my decrees and abhor my laws and fail to carry out all my commands and so violate my covenant, then I will do this to you: I will bring on you sudden terror, wasting diseases and fever that will destroy your sight and sap your strength. You will plant seed in vain because your enemies will eat it.
I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; those who hate you will rule over you, and you will flee even when no one is pursuing you. . . . I myself will be hostile toward you and will afflict you for your sins seven times over." Leviticus 26:14-24.

As humans, we desire to be told mostly positive things. It is easier to be the bearer of good news than difficult news. Difficult news tends to be frowned upon. But negative news helps to create a healthy balance in life. Difficult truths give us much needed reality checks.

We desire to hear continually about the blessings, forgiveness, and mercies of our God. It is all well and good to be reminded of the loving nature of our God. However, continually dwelling on that without balancing it with the consequences of violating God's holy expectations of His children is rather deceptive and destructive. There are consequences to both obedience and disobedience.

Just as obedience is the key to our blessings, disobedience can also be the key to our sufferings. Understanding this spiritual principle leads to tremendous peace and helps us avoid untold hardships. That is God's desire for us: avoid disobedience and live in peace.

So, God made it clear that if the Israelites obeyed Him, they will enjoy peace in the land, put their enemies to flight, and behold an abundance of prosperity. However, if they rejected God's decrees, then He said, "I will set my face against you so that you will be defeated by your enemies; . . . Your strength will be spent in vain, because your soil [land] will not yield its crops . . ."
God's desire is to set His face upon us and bless us; not to set His face against us and afflict us.
But we have everything to do with that. The choice is ours.

Let's resolve to walk faithfully and obediently with God so that we can be covered with His favor.
Disobedience has severe consequences which are definitely not worth it.
Let's be children of obedience; not children of disobedience.

PRAYER:
Father, I ask that you give me the grace to walk in reverential fear of you, my Holy God. Help me to be mindful of your holiness at all times so that disobedience will continually dwindle from my life. Amen.

]]> A Blessing From God https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/12/a-blessing-from-god Sat, 12 Sep 2026 00:36:46 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/12/a-blessing-from-god

"Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the LORD.
If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land."
"I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.
I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. . . . I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people.
I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high." Leviticus 26:2-13.

This is the heart of God toward His obedient children.
My prayer for you today is that you will walk in obedience and harvest all these blessings from God:
May obedience be the hallmark of your life. May you reverence God's sanctuary.
May you follow and obey God's decrees so that He will send you rain in its season.

May your ground yield its crops and the trees their fruit.
May the Almighty grant you peace and may you lie down in safety.
May the sword of destruction never pass through your home.
May your enemies fall by the sword before you.

May God look with favor upon you and make you fruitful.
May God increase your numbers.

You will no longer be a slave to the Egyptians.
The bars of your yoke have been broken by the LORD
You will walk with your head held high.

This is God's desired blessing for you today. Receive it.

PRAYER:
LORD, I believe these promised blessings are my portion because I have purposed to live with you in obedience. Amen.

]]> God Rewards Our Obedience https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/11/god-rewards-our-obedience Fri, 11 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/11/god-rewards-our-obedience

"If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land."
"I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid.
. . . You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you.
Five of you will chase a hundred and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful . . .
You will still be eating last year's harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. . . . I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people." Leviticus 26:3-12

What a picture of divine prosperity!
God wants to send us rain in its season and cause the ground to yield its crops and the trees its fruit. God wants our land to be so fruitful that we will keep harvesting last year's crops until it is time to plant new crops. He wants to grant peace in the land so we will lie down and not be afraid. He wants to make us so prosperous that we will have to move out last year's crops to make room for the new! He wants to establish His dwelling among us and make us His people.
This is a picture of total divine favor and prosperity.

The question is: How does all this become possible?
The answer is bundled in one simple word: Obedience. Obedience to the commands of God is the primary key to our blessings and prosperity.

God has made it clear that if we will walk with Him in total obedience, His blessings will come upon us and overtake us. We find this delivered both to the entire nation of Israel in Deuteronomy 28 and individually by way of personal application to Joshua, their leader.
God said to Joshua, "Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)

Obedience is the key to divine prosperity. God rewards our obedience.

PRAYER:
Father, I ask for the grace to walk with you in total obedience. Help me to honor you in all I do so that I can walk in your promised prosperity and be a blessing to your Kingdom. Amen

]]> A Prayer For You Today https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/10/a-prayer-for-you-today Thu, 10 Sep 2026 02:00:00 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/10/a-prayer-for-you-today

May the LORD answer you when you are in distress;
May the name of the God of Jacob protect you.
May He send you help from the sanctuary and grant you support from Zion.
May He remember all your sacrifices and accept your burnt offerings.
May He give you the desire of your heart and make all your plans succeed.
May we shout for joy over your victory and lift up our banners in the name of our God.
May the LORD grant all your requests.
Psalm 20:1-5

I ask all this in the Mighty Name of our LORD and Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.

PRAYER:
Lord, please help me to walk with you in obedience so that all these blessings will come upon me and overtake my life. Amen.

]]> Don't Be Dishonest https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/09/don-t-be-dishonest Wed, 09 Sep 2026 05:49:08 +0000 https://renewalchristiancenter.org/blog/2026/09/09/don-t-be-dishonest

Do not use dishonest standards when measuring length, weight or quantity. Use honest scales and honest weights, an honest ephah and an honest hin. I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt. Keep all my decrees and all my laws and follow them. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:35-37.

God was clear in instructing the Israelites to be honest in their dealings with one another. In this particular instance, God admonished them not to be crooked but to show honesty in trading with one another. They were to avoid defrauding each other by using honest scales and weights as they sold and purchased items.
Again, He reminded them: "I am the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt." In other words, "I am the source of all that you are and all that you have. I know what is best for your life."

There is a statement I repeatedly make to my children when instructing them about how to conduct themselves. I often say to them: "This is for your own good." They have gotten to the point where they now finish that sentence for me. Dad, we know, "this is for our own good."
God's decrees about honesty were for the Israelites own good.

These are days when there is a glaring lack of honesty and integrity in society. Greed causes many individuals, corporations, leaders and government officials to use "dishonest scales" in many different ways. This has led to untold hardships to society as a whole. We have seen many highly-placed individuals go down the tubes because they were dishonest and lied about their activities.

The housing crash in the United States was attributed mainly to the dishonesty of financial institutions in their lending practices. A major automobile company was recently fined billions of dollars for cheating on emission standards set by the government and covering up the lie. These are all instances of the use of "dishonest scales" in society.

God wants you and me, as His children, to exercise integrity in all our ways. We must not resort to the use of "dishonest scales." We must be honest. Honesty gives you peace of mind and safeguards your good name and reputation. It invites the blessings of the LORD.

PRAYER:
Lord, please forgive me for any ways in which I have been dishonest. Help me to exercise integrity in all I do. Amen.

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