Category: Daily Reflections

HAVE IT YOUR WAY?

“Would that we had died at the Lord’s hand in the land of Egypt, as we sat by our fleshpots and ate our fill of bread!” —Exodus 16:3 The Israelites had been freed from slavery in Egypt. Pharaoh, the Egyptian king, so oppressed them that he had their foremen beaten for not producing their quota of bricks, although Pharaoh did not provide the straw needed to make bricks (Ex 5:14). Pharaoh also commanded that every Israelite baby boy be thrown into the river (Ex 1:22). Pharaoh so hardened his heart that he still pursued the Israelites even after every Egyptian...

PROBLEM AREAS

“The Israelites had marched on dry land through the midst of the sea, with the water like a wall to their right and to their left. Thus the Lord saved Israel on that day from the power of the Egyptians.” —Exodus 14:29-30 Where’s the Red Sea in your life? Where must you make an act of faith and leave the enemy behind? Possibly your marriage, children, church, health, or finances are situations where you need to believe God for a miracle. Stretch out the hand of faith (Ex 14:21), put your foot in the water, and expect God to be...

THE FREEDOM TRAIN

“Far better for us to be the slaves of the Egyptians than to die in the desert.” —Exodus 14:12 If we are willing to give up our freedom to get something or prevent something, Satan, who specializes in enslaving us (see Heb 2:15), will probably oblige us. If we and our freedom can be bought, he will “buy us out” of freedom. If we can be intimidated and manipulated, Satan, who enslaves through fear, will be willing to play the games by which we surrender our freedom. Consequently, to prevent Satan from robbing us of our freedom, we must accept...

THE SCHOOL OF SUFFERING

“Even now I find my joy in the suffering I endure for you. In my own flesh I fill up what is lacking in the sufferings of Christ for the sake of His body, the Church.” —Colossians 1:24 Before we become committed to the Lord, we naturally choose to live a life of maximum pleasure and minimum pain. Because true love often entails pain, the life of maximum pleasure and minimum pain amounts to a life of maximum selfishness and minimum love. If we repent, choose love, and totally commit our lives to the Lord, we choose a life of...

DON’T CONTRADICT HIM

“Here is My Servant Whom I have chosen, My loved One in Whom I delight. I will endow Him with My Spirit.” —Matthew 12:18 Jesus has always been a “Sign of contradiction” (Lk 2:34, our transl). Some people respond to the contradiction by trying to destroy Him and His Church (see Mt 12:14-15), while others follow Him and are healed. Jesus is the greatest Healer of all times. However, He wants to be known not primarily as a healer but as crucified Love (see 1 Jn 4:8, 16). Jesus is the Lord of lords and the King of kings (see...