Category: Blackboards

Psalm 91:1

He who dwells in the secret place of the Most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

In the Old Testament, there was a place where God met with His people. In Exodus 25:22, God said, “And there I will meet with you, and I will speak with you from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubim which are on the ark of the Testimony…” This place was above the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant, under the wings of the two cherubim. The psalmist calls it “the secret place of the Most High…under the shadow of the Almighty.”

The mercy seat covered the ark which contained the three emblems of man’s rebellion: the golden pot of manna – man’s rebellion against God’s provision, two tablets of stone on which God wrote the Ten Commandments – man’s rebellion against God’s standard, and Aaron’s rod – man’s rebellion against God’s authority. Once a year on the Day of Atonement, the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animal on the mercy seat to make propitiation for the sins of Israel.

Today, it is not the blood of animals that makes propitiation for our sins, but the holy blood of the Son of God (Romans 3:24-25). The word for “propitiation” in the original Greek text is hilasterion, which actually means “mercy seat.” So Christ is our mercy seat. His blood speaks for us and puts God on our side. God does not see our rebellion. He sees the blood of His Son and accepts us!

That is why we can come boldly to the secret place of the Most High, in Christ, and feel secure that we have every right to be in God’s presence. We can come boldly to Him to obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need (Hebrews 4:16).

And because Christ, our mercy seat, covers us with His blood, we are under God’s protection. We are in the secret place of the Most High, abiding under the shadow of the Almighty. Here, no evil will befall us, nor will any plague come near our dwelling (Psalm 91:9-10). In the secret place of the Most High, we are favored and kept safe from all harm!

1 Corinthians 3:7

So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.

Sometimes, we think that the increase or success which we enjoy is the result of our own efforts or hard work. Now, I am not saying it’s OK to be lazy, but the truth is that God is the one behind our increase.

We see this truth when we read the story of Ruth, a young widow from Moab, who worked as a gleaner in a barley field from morning till evening. Now, we could attribute the entire ephah, which is a substantial 10 day supply of barley she collected at the end of the day to her hard work. After all, she did work all day in the field. But when we read about how Boaz, the owner of the field, had secretly told his reapers to “let grain from the bundles fall purposely for her; leave it that she may glean” (Ruth 2:16), we know that it was because of Boaz’s intervention that Ruth ended up with so much.

I believe that Jesus, our heavenly Boaz, does the same thing for us today. He causes people to favor us and “drop” blessings on us because He loves us. Then, He causes us to “pick up” these blessings. Sometimes it seems so natural that we forget that it is the Lord who has blessed us with the increases.

Your hard work is not behind your increase. The Bible tells us that it is “God who gives the increase.” He is the one who is behind your increase and He delights in blessing you because He loves you!

Exodus 15:27

Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.

Would you like to know an important biblical key to divine health? It is found in the above verse, which comes right after God says, “I am the Lord who heals you.” He said this to His people after He brought them out of Egypt (see Exodus 15:26).

The wells of water and palm trees speak of refreshment. They paint a picture of an oasis in the desert. The Israelites rested and were refreshed there. But why the numbers 12 and 70?

There are no insignificant details in the Bible. The 12 wells of water and 70 palm trees represent anointed ministries that refresh you with God’s Word. So if you want to know Jesus as the Lord who heals you, sit under anointed preaching of God’s Word, because when His Word goes forth, it will heal you. His Word is medicine to all your flesh (Proverbs 4:22)!

So how do we make that connection? Let the Bible interpret the Bible. Matthew 10:1 says that when Jesus had “called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.” He sent out the 12 and said to them, “And as you go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of heaven is at hand.’ Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons…” (Matthew 10:7-8).

Then, in Luke 10:1, the Lord “appointed seventy others also, and sent them two by two before His face into every city and place where He Himself was about to go.” He also said to the 70, “And heal the sick there, and say to them, ‘The kingdom of God has come near to you'” (Luke 10:9).

In other words, Jesus anointed the 12 and then the 70 disciples to preach God’s Word and heal the sick. Today, if you want refreshment, if you want health and healing, don’t sit under ministries that tell you that God doesn’t always want to heal and that He sometimes gives you diseases to teach you lessons. Instead, sit under anointed ministries that preach the good news and practice healing the sick. Believe God and begin to walk in divine health!

James 3:10

And so blessing and cursing come pouring out of the same mouth. Surely, my brothers and sisters, this is not right.

Most of us have experience the impact of negative words on our lives. Even a person that seems to brush it off on the surface, feels the impact deep down inside. On the other hand, we also know how good it feels when someone complements us and says something positive or uplifting.

So if we know how it feels to be the recipient of negative words, they why do we say negative things to, or about others? Words are powerful! God spoke the Universe and even the earth into existence with words. Jesus spoke to a fig tree and cursed it, and it never produce fruit again. (Mark 11:13-14) Be careful about what you speak out of your mouth, even about yourself!

“The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.” (Proverbs 18:21)

So what do you do when someone speaks a negative word to you? You have two choices. You can lash back and allow the hurt to embed deep inside and take away all of your joy and peace, or you can forgive. Forgiveness will bring you a total release from the pain. Forgiveness allows you to move forward casting that pain out of your life. Dwelling on those words will stir up anger which can cause you to lash out seeking revenge. But more importantly, it will cause you more pain and hurt.

If we understand the influences that cause people to be who they are, it will become easier to forgive them. People today are influenced by what they watch on TV, social media, call phones, text messages, the news, just to mention a few. When people get influenced by all of these things it will cause them to act the way they do. Having a clear understanding that you are dealing with something that is out of your control allows you to give it to God through forgiveness and let Him deal with it.

Forgiveness is the key to enjoying your life when situations like this occur. Prayer is powerful, and praying for your enemies is a sign of maturity. Never underestimate the power of prayer. Prayer causes God to take action. I believe that God answers every prayer. I also believe that when you don’t get what you are praying for, God’s answer was no. So pray for those who offend you, and lift up yourself and others with positive words of encouragement. God will take care of the rest.

Genesis 26:12

Then Isaac sowed in that land, and reaped in the same year a hundredfold; and the Lord blessed him.

If you sow apple seeds, you get apples. If you sow seeds of friendship, you get friends. If in the natural, you receive in the area in which you sow, how much more will you receive in the supernatural when God blesses you! The Bible tells us that when Isaac sowed in the land, he reaped a hundredfold even though there was a famine in that land. (Genesis 26:1) The reason was that “the Lord blessed him”.

So if you are believing God for a breakthrough in a particular area, sow in that area and watch as God, “is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think”. (Ephesians 3:20) Whatever money or time you give to the Lord, He will multiply it back to you. For example, in a 24 hour day the Lord can make your day very fruitful. And even after doing all that needs to be done, you will find that you still have time left to rest. Even if you have nothing to give but prayers, your prayers will not return to you void. God can answer them exceedingly above what you have asked. When Job lost everything that he possessed, he prayed for his friends, and the Lord not only restored his losses, but He also “gave Job twice as much as he had before”. (Job 42:10)

So start sowing seeds in the area that you are believing God for, and know that before long, you will be reaping your harvest!

Psalm 91:11-12

For He shall give His angels charge over you, to keep you in all your ways. In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.

You are about to step onto the road when something pulls you back just in time to avoid being hit by a speeding car. You are shocked. When you come to your senses, you ask yourself, “Could it be that an angel just saved me from a fatal accident?”

I believe that angels walk with us. The verse tells us that God has given His angels charge over us to keep us in all our ways. And in their hands they will bear us up, so that not even a stone will trip us up. But we may not know it when we encounter an angel. (Hebrews 13:2)

God tells us that we have an innumerable company of angels. (Hebrews 12:22) And He has given them charge over us to protect us from accidents, natural disasters, terrorist bombings and other dangers. So don’t fear these things and lock yourself at home. Go for that holiday! Go for that lunch appointment! Believe that God loves you, and thank Him for His angels who walk with you and watch over you!

Ephesians 1:4

For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.

Imagine walking through a field and coming across a small boat laying upside down. As you approach, you decide to turn it over so it’s right side up. As you begin, would you be cautious not knowing what had crawled under it? Every creepy crawly thing you could imagine has probably taken refuge under that boat. Now as you turn the boat right side up, all the creepy crawly things start to come out from under it and begin to leave.

Our lives are very similar to that boat. If we live a life that is upside down in sin, we allow every creepy crawly thing to enter and take refuge. We see examples of this everyday in the world. People that live upside down lives are filled with hate, immorality, violence, lying, and self-contentedness just to name a few.

When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, all the creepy crawly things leave, and no longer have a hold on us. Paul tells us that God “chose us in Him” to emphasize that salvation depends totally on God. We are not saved because we deserve it, but because God is gracious and freely gives salvation. We can not and did not influence God’s decision to save us; He saved us according to His plan. Sometimes it’s hard to imagine how God could accept us. But because of Christ, we are holy and blameless in His sight.

If you find yourself living a life upside down, it’s time to accept the free gift of salvation and live the life God has intended for you. To accept God’s free gift of salvation (click here)

Proverbs 12:28

In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.

God does not want us to worry about anything that happens in the world. We don’t need to be affected by whatever is causing the world to be afraid because we are the righteousness of God in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21). And the Bible says, “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.”

The patriarchs of the Old Testament did not suffer during the famines that occurred during their lifetimes. Abraham remained very rich in livestock, silver and gold (Genesis 12:10, 13:1-2). Isaac reaped a hundredfold in the land he sowed (Genesis 26:1, 12-14). Joseph, with his entire family, was richly provided for in Egypt (Genesis 47:11–13, 27). They weren’t just spared from suffering – they prospered exceedingly!

So even if our nation or the world enters a recession, we need not suffer. As long as we keep our eyes on Jesus, our righteousness, we will thrive!

In the midst of fearful news such as terrorist attacks, deadly pestilences and natural calamities, God says, “In the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death.” In fact, He protected an entire coastal town in South India during the Asian Tsunami in 2004. A pastor who lived in that coastal town was praying that morning when he felt prompted by the Holy Spirit to plead the blood of Jesus over his entire town. So he did just that. When the tsunami struck, his town was untouched while five other towns, which were further inland, were wiped out by the devastating flood.

God protects us when the world is experiencing evil because we are the righteousness of God in Christ. So establish yourself in His Word that declares “in the way of righteousness is life, and in its pathway there is no death”!

Job 42:5

“I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees You.”

You may have heard of God from a friend or colleague. Perhaps you continue to hear of Him in church services on Sundays. Like Job, you say to God, “I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear.” But God also wants you to be able to say to Him, “But now my eye sees You.”

When Job told the Lord, “My eye sees You,” he was not saying that he saw God physically. He was referring to the moment when he had a personal revelation of God.

Why was it so important for Job or us to have a personal revelation of God? You see, God wanted Job to know that without a personal revelation of Him, the devil could easily steal from him. But from the moment that Job had a personal revelation of God, things got a lot better for him, with God restoring to him double of everything that he had lost. (Job 42:10-16)

Having a personal revelation of God will change the way we think. We don’t just need to hear of a God who “so loved the world”. (John 3:16) We need to know the God who so loves us!!

When you are reading your Bible or hearing God’s Word being preached, and suddenly you exclaim, “I see it, Lord!” that is when your personal revelation of God has come. And you are now in a position to receive all that He has for you!

Exodus 13:13

Now the blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you; and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you…

On the night of the first Passover, many of the children of Israel were probably very nervous. Imagine the conversations like, “Did you hear that the angel of death is passing through tonight?” “Yes! We were told to put the blood of the lamb on the door posts of our home and everything would be all right. Is that true?”

Like the Israelites, you might be wondering, “Can the blood really protect me? How much blood do I have to put on my door posts? Will the angel of death get me if I am fearful?”

Don’t add to God’s conditions. He said, “When I see the blood, I will pass over you and the plague shall not be on you to destroy you.” He did not say, “When I see the blood, plus your understanding, efforts, obedience, faithfulness and refusal to give in to fear, then I will pass over you.”

It is the blood of Jesus alone that delivers you. If you think that it is because of your faith, then you will always be wondering, “Do I have enough faith?” It is the blood of Jesus alone that saves. And when you see that it is the blood alone that saves, God calls that faith in the blood, and every plague will pass over you!

God wants you to know that it is Jesus’ blood alone that saves because every time you think that your deliverance depends partly on God and partly on you, you will not have a settled peace in your heart. But when you know that it is the blood alone that saves, you will have an unshakable peace.

It was the blood that saved the children of Israel from the destroyer on that Passover night and it is still the blood that saves today. And all you need to do for the blood to avail is to say, “Father, I thank You that the blood of Jesus alone covers me and my family. No evil, plague or disaster will befall me or my family because of the blood!”