Blog Feed: Walk with Jesus Weekly Devotional

Obedience to God adds Length and Value to your Life

Published on 2012-05-25 02:37:37

The fear of the LORD adds length to life, but the years of the wicked are cut short. (Proverbs 10:27) How can the fear of the Lord make a person live longer? The answer lies in this: When someone fears the Lord he will be careful to obey the Lord’s commandments. The fear of the … Continue reading > read more

The Inevitable Fall of the World System

Published on 2012-05-18 14:29:35

They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields! (Isaiah 21:5) If one looks at what went down the night Babylon was destroyed, it starts making good sense to follow the advice of the Word of God. We are warned continually and patiently. We are … Continue reading > read more

God No Longer Counts your Sin against You

Published on 2012-05-11 14:54:46

Blessed is the one whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the LORD does not count against them and in whose spirit is no deceit. (Psalm 32:1-2) This state of blessedness is all the work of the Lord.  It is not about our good behavior, or our church … Continue reading > read more

Focus on What’s Truly Important to God

Published on 2012-05-04 13:53:23

Scripture Reference: Matthew 15:1-20 The self-righteous church leaders of Jesus’ day inadvertently presented Him with golden opportunities to correct distorted thinking. In this portion, Jesus discusses how important it is to focus on what’s truly important to God.We are prone to looking at outward things and use it as yardsticks to measure others. Jesus wants to … Continue reading > read more

The Righteous Stand Firm Forever

Published on 2012-04-27 13:17:19

When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever. (Proverbs 10:25) Throughout the Bible, there are many promises for the righteous. One that stands out for me is the promise in Psalm 1: That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does … Continue reading > read more

Don’t Trust in what is Marked for Destruction

Published on 2012-04-20 12:47:20

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 21:1 Since we are living in this world we are always at risk of following  its ways. Cleverly designed strategies to coerce people into believing and doing certain things may be attractive and we may be inclined to follow suit –even introduce it into the way we share the Gospel. But God … Continue reading > read more

When Wailing Turns to Dancing

Published on 2012-04-13 12:45:54

You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, that my heart may sing your praises and not be silent. LORD my God, I will praise you forever. Psalm 30:11-12 These are evidently the words of a person whose life was not devoid of heartache. David was a man … Continue reading > read more

Jesus’ Hearing: A Gathering of False Witnesses

Published on 2012-04-06 02:26:43

Scripture Reference: Matthew 26:57-68 Jesus is arrested and brought before the chief leader –Caiaphas who was surrounded by his supportive subordinates. Jesus, on the other hand, had just been deserted by all His friends. Peter followed Jesus, but  at a safe distance –just close enough to follow the proceedings. The church leaders were looking for “false evidence” … Continue reading > read more

A Person of Understanding Delights in Wisdom

Published on 2012-03-30 12:37:53

Scripture Reference: Proverbs 10:23 A fool finds pleasure in wicked schemes, but a person of understanding delights in wisdom. Proverbs describes many characteristics of a fool. Here we have another one: A fool is someone who will delight in evil schemes intended to harm another. That’s where he finds his pleasure. Doing the right thing is … Continue reading > read more

Seven Life Lessons from Isaiah 18

Published on 2012-03-23 11:21:57

Scripture Reference: Isaiah 18 This prophecy is believed to refer to Ethiopia. My aim was to find the relevance of these words for us today and to look at the life lessons that can be learnt. I saw seven life lessons in Isaiah 18 which I am sharing in this post: Many great and formidable nations … Continue reading > read more

When God Becomes our Hiding Place

Published on 2012-03-16 12:30:51

Suggested Reading: Psalm 32:3-7 In the beginning of Psalm 32, David described what an enormous privilege it is to have your sins forgiven by God. He then continues to describe how he suffered as he tried to hide the sin in his heart and goes on to show how God becomes our hiding place if … Continue reading > read more

The Condition of our Heart determines how we Respond to the Word

Published on 2012-03-09 12:34:27

Scripture Reference: Matthew 13:1-23 There are many critics to the word of God. They don’t realize that the reason they cannot respond in a fruitful way to hearing the word is because the condition of our heart determines how we respond to the Word. There is nothing wrong with the Word. The Word of God … Continue reading � > read more

Those who Help others Help Themselves

Published on 2012-03-02 12:12:33

Scripture Reference: Proverbs 10:21 The lips of the righteous nourish many, but fools die for lack of sense. A righteous person lives for the benefit others and not only to please himself. For this reason, his words too will benefit others. I believe that one of the most foolish ways to live is to live only … Continue reading � > read more

David’s Total Submission to God’s Will

Published on 2012-02-24 14:23:38

Scripture Reference: 1 Chronicles 22 As I come to the final article in this series where I explored why David was called a man after God’s own heart, I will today look at his total submission to God’s will when he desired something with all his heart and God decided that it will not be … Continue reading � > read more

David’s Repentant Heart

Published on 2012-02-17 23:04:14

Scripture Reference: 2 Samuel 11-12 The Bible does not paint perfect pictures of the faith heroes. It is filled with honest accounts of the lives of great men and women of God. Reading about them shows us that God could still work through people today. We can relate to them on so many levels. These … Continue reading � > read more

How David showed God’s Kindness

Published on 2012-02-10 13:11:59

Scripture Reference: 2 Samuel 9 As I continue in my journey of learning why David is called a man after God’s own heart, I will now look at how David showed God’s kindness to Mephibosheth, Jonathan’s son, and the grandson of his enemy, King Saul. David is finally crowned king over all of Israel and … Continue reading � > read more

David’s Response when His Enemy Fell

Published on 2012-02-04 08:28:28

Here is another reason why I believe David was a man after God’s own heart: He didn’t rejoice when his enemy fell. Although King Saul was the reason he found himself demoted from military champion to fugitive, David did quite the opposite than rejoice when news reached him of the King’s death. He had many … Continue reading � > read more

David’s Generous Heart: “Share and Share Alike”

Published on 2012-01-28 04:02:28

I believe David’s generous heart was one more reason why he was called a man after God’s own heart. The Story: Prevented from going into battle with the Philistines, David and his men returned to Ziklag. Here they were met with the most devastating sight. Ziklag was completely plundered by the Amalekites. It was burned … Continue reading � > read more

David’s Choice: Vengeance belongs to God

Published on 2012-01-21 03:23:29

In this series, where I aim to explore why David was called a man after God’s heart, I will today look at David’s complete trust in God -so complete in fact that he left it over to God to deal with his powerful enemy: King Saul. He understood that vengeance belongs to God when he … Continue reading � > read more

David: A Faith that made Goliath look Small

Published on 2012-01-13 15:17:29

In my search to find out why David is called a man after God’s own heart, I have looked at the way David prayed and David’s humility. Combined with that humility, there was an unshakable faith in God –in His goodness, in His character, and in His power. This made David stand out above the … Continue reading � > read more

How God chooses a Leader: A reflection on David

Published on 2012-01-06 14:27:37

When the world chooses a leader, it looks for the obviously strong candidate who has already proven him or herself to have some outstanding qualities. They look at the outward appearance and very little consideration may be given to the heart of the potential new leader. But not God. When a replacement for an outgoing … Continue reading � > read more

The Way David Prayed

Published on 2011-12-30 20:07:18

Scripture Reference: Psalm 27:10-14 With 2012 just around the corner, I have decided to look into the life of David more intimately in the New Year. Since God called David a man after His own heart, I am eager to learn more about him. What was it about David’s heart that God loved so much? … Continue reading � > read more

Christmas Message: Peace and Joy are Inseparable

Published on 2011-12-23 08:41:38

Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace to those on whom his favour rests. (Luke 2:14). When I reflect on what Christmas time was like during my childhood, I realize that what I loved most about Christmas was the amicable and peaceful atmosphere. It seemed everyone was a little friendlier, happier, … Continue reading � > read more

The Wise in Heart Accepts Commands

Published on 2011-12-16 08:22:17

Scripture Reference: Proverbs 10:8 A wise person will be quick to listen and slow to speak. His ears and heart are open to sound advice. He has no issue listening to commands that will benefit him in the long run. Pride does not keep him from listening. Wisdom and pride don’t dwell together for a … Continue reading � > read more

Entry from My Journal – Winging It – 6/29-30/2011 (c) (via DAVIDWOODSONGS)

Published on 2011-07-06 00:54:50

David Wood is gifted with bringing across our responses to situations in life in a fun yet very insightful way. Here he shares why we sometimes withdraw from people’s attempts to help us and show us affection. A couple of … Continue readi > read more

The Easy Way is not Always the Right Way

Published on 2011-06-21 12:26:45

Suggested Reading: Matthew 7:13-14 In life, every one is presented with two choices: We can take the easy way or we can take the hard way. Jesus said it like this,  “Wide is the gate and broad is the road … Continue reading → > read more

A Wise Son brings Joy to His Father

Published on 2011-06-20 12:50:12

A wise son brings joy to his father,    but a foolish son brings grief to his mother. (Proverbs 10:1) Intelligence may be inherited, but wisdom is passed on from parents to children and/or is given as a gift from God. … Continue reading U > read more

Our Victory comes from God Alone

Published on 2011-06-06 01:40:26

Suggested Reading: Psalm 18:30-50 God’s ways are perfect. Our ways are not. We make mistakes. We misjudge people. We misinterpret situations and facts, but not God. He is perfect. Why do we then prefer to find the truth in our … Continue read > read more

Praying with Freedom

Published on 2011-06-04 16:01:46

Suggested Reading: Matthew 7:7-12 Jesus extends an open invitation: “Ask and it will be given to you.” Before this, however, He also said that God  knows what we need even before we ask Him (Matthew 6:8) and according to what our Lord sa > read more

The Upright Will See God's Face

Published on 2011-05-28 15:19:03

Suggested Reading: Psalm 11 The final words of psalm 11, “the upright will see his face.” remind me of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus said, “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” If we … Continue read > read more

Using God’s Word to Entertain the Crowds

Published on 2011-05-26 14:00:21

Suggested Reading: Matthew 7:6 God‘s word is not for the purposes of promoting our own importance. We cannot use His word to sound cute and keep the crowds entertained. Jesus puts it this way: Do not give dogs what is sacred; don’t throw your > read more

Dressing Up a Corpse: Religious Works

Published on 2011-05-18 13:15:26

Suggested Reading: Isaiah 9: 8-21 Although this portion of Scripture refers to God’s judgment on Israel, it is important that we take great care to study what angered God so much that He proclaimed this terrible judgment on them. We … Continu > read more

That Useless Thing Called Worry

Published on 2011-05-16 12:23:16

Suggested Reading: Matthew 6:25-34 Jesus addresses the essential things people tend to worry about. They worry about their life, their physical needs and their appearance. Revealing our natural inclination to stress about these issues, He says we sho > read more

Fear God; Not Man

Published on 2011-05-08 11:51:27

Suggested Reading: Isaiah 8:11-17 God refers to the religious minded crowd who preferred to design their own brand of righteousness and disregard God’s righteousness and He tells Isaiah not to listen to their babbling. He tells him not to believe & > read more

Jesus’ Solution for Greed

Published on 2011-05-06 10:48:17

Suggested Reading: Matthew 6:19-24 Jesus teaches us to overcome greed by taking our eyes off things which are prone to decay, devaluation and destruction and to place our focus squarely on what heaven has to offer, since those are things that cannot > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed are Those who are Persecuted because of Righteousness

Published on 2011-04-26 13:22:28

Suggested Reading: Matthew 5:10-12 Jesus tells us that we will be persecuted when we take a stand for what is right. But immediately He adds that if that happens, we are blessed because the Kingdom of heaven will be ours. This is no small promise. Th > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Peacemakers

Published on 2011-04-17 01:18:29

Suggested Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 “Blessed are the peacemakers for they will be called sons of God.” Previous to this, Jesus said that those with a pure heart are blessed. He then continues to name one of the outward effects of a pure hea > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are The Pure in Heart

Published on 2011-04-06 14:54:32

As we become merciful towards the weaknesses of others, we are moving one more step up the ladder of our spiritual growth, since a merciful person has a heart touched by God. Our hearts are sanctified by God’s Spirit -He is the great Sanctifier. We > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are the Merciful

Published on 2011-03-29 14:47:14

� The previously mentioned beatitude, “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,” leads us straight to the next one: “Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy.” Since we now realize that any > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed are those Who Hunger and Thirst for Righteousness

Published on 2011-03-23 14:08:20

The connection between the beatitudes become clearer as we read through the list of those whom Jesus calls blessed. The first beatitude speaks of a spiritual poverty where we realize how far we fall short from God‘s glorious standard and realiz > read more

Blessed Are the Meek

Published on 2011-03-18 13:24:41

The second beatitude: “Blessed are those who mourn…” talks about how God works in us so that we become compassionate with others who struggle with the same weaknesses we are fighting to overcome. It purges the hard-hearted judgmenta > read more

The Beatitudes: Blessed Are Those Who Mourn

Published on 2011-03-13 13:48:40

� Suggested Reading: Matthew 5:1-12 Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. We would consider somebody blessed who is happy, but Jesus says those who mourn are also blessed. It is in mourning that we experience the comfort and n > read more

Beatitudes: How They Connect To Each Other

Published on 2011-03-08 15:20:41

For the next few weeks I will be posting short discussions on each of the Beatitudes and how the one links to the next one like the rungs on a ladder. Suggested reading is from Matthew 5:1-12. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom > read more

There Is A Wide Distinction Between Discipline And Punishment

Published on 2011-03-03 13:51:34

Hebrews 12 verses 5-12 echoes the words of Solomon in Proverbs 3:11-12: My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline and do not resent His rebuke, because the LORD disciplines those He loves, as a father the son he delights in. Discipline is ne > read more

God’s Wisdom Protects Us from Getting Involved with the Wrong People

Published on 2011-02-26 14:40:16

Suggested Reading: Proverbs 2:16-22 � God’s wisdom will not only protect us from the pitfalls in financial and occupational situations (as we read in preceding verses), but perhaps the greatest benefit of wisdom is that it will protect us from > read more

How Long, O Lord, How Long?

Published on 2011-02-21 13:04:04

Suggested Reading: Psalm 6 David, understanding the how great God is and knowing that He does not delight in the wrong, prays that God will show him mercy and not rebuke him in His anger. David understands that it is a dreadful thing to fall into the > read more

The Outcome For Those Who Designed Their Own Brand Of Salvation

Published on 2011-02-16 11:43:01

It is much easier to bring messages that sound cute and fluffy. Everybody likes to hear them and they make you popular. But, if one takes the written Word in its entirety and if one listens to the things Jesus taught, it soon becomes clear that God i > read more

How the Church Became Infected with the World System and God’s Solution to the Problem

Published on 2011-02-08 15:44:02

I often marvel at how it must have been for a prophet like Isaiah who was charged with bringing the message of God to a people who liked to make their own sweet-sounding messages instead. Look at what he says (Isaiah 1:21), See how the faithful city > read more

We Can Use Words to Destroy or to Build Up

Published on 2011-02-01 09:05:26

With his mouth the godless destroys his neighbor, but through knowledge the righteous escape (Proverbs 11:9) NIV The power of our words is a theme that runs consistently through the Bible, and is emphasized by Jesus Himself when He says, “But I > read more

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Published on 2011-01-25 10:12:36

He called a little child and had him stand among them (Matthew 18:2) NIV It’s easy to love a child if one looks at the things they say with such bright-eyed innocence. It simply melts the heart. A good friend recently forwarded the following qu > read more

Jesus Loves the Little Children

Published on 2011-01-25 10:12:36

He called a little child and had him stand among them (Matthew 18:2) NIV It’s easy to love a child if one looks at the things they say with such bright-eyed innocence. It simply melts the heart. A good friend recently forwarded the following qu > read more

Integrity acts as a Guide through Life

Published on 2011-01-18 08:28:05

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (Proverbs 11:3) NIV The way an upright person deals with people is based on sound principles and employs the golden rule taught by Jesus, “Do unto oth > read more

Integrity acts as a Guide through Life

Published on 2011-01-18 08:28:05

The integrity of the upright guides them, but the unfaithful are destroyed by their duplicity (Proverbs 11:3) NIV The way an upright person deals with people is based on sound principles and employs the golden rule taught by Jesus, “Do unto oth > read more

Can you tell the difference between Man-made ideas and the Commands of God?

Published on 2011-01-11 14:13:58

Their worship is a farce for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God (Matthew 15:9) NLT There were many different kinds of people who “followed” the Lord Jesus during His time on earth. Some followed Him for the thrill of seeing th > read more

Can you tell the difference between Man-made ideas and the Commands of God?

Published on 2011-01-11 14:13:58

Their worship is a farce for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God (Matthew 15:9) NLT There were many different kinds of people who “followed” the Lord Jesus during His time on earth. Some followed Him for the thrill of seeing th > read more

He Calms our Fears

Published on 2011-01-04 10:46:44

They were terrified, “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:26b-27) NIV One of our Lord‘s countless outstan > read more

He Calms our Fears

Published on 2011-01-04 10:46:44

They were terrified, “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” (Matthew 14:26b-27) NIV One of our Lord‘s countless outstan > read more

Jesus Stopped…

Published on 2010-12-28 06:50:54

We know from other narratives in the Gospel that as Jesus left Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, His steps were more determined than ever before. He knew that His time had come to be delivered over to death. He was fully aware that the machine was set > read more

Jesus Stopped…

Published on 2010-12-28 06:50:54

We know from other narratives in the Gospel that as Jesus left Jericho on His way to Jerusalem, His steps were more determined than ever before. He knew that His time had come to be delivered over to death. He was fully aware that the machine was set > read more

The Young and the Rich

Published on 2010-12-21 09:41:02

A rich young man approached Jesus, recognizing Him as a Teacher and asked him what he must do to get eternal life. The fact that he used the word do was already an indication that he understood eternal life as something he must work for and that he v > read more

The Young and the Rich

Published on 2010-12-21 09:41:02

A rich young man approached Jesus, recognizing Him as a Teacher and asked him what he must do to get eternal life. The fact that he used the word do was already an indication that he understood eternal life as something he must work for and that he v > read more

Storing Knowledge

Published on 2010-12-14 02:22:31

Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin (Proverbs 10:14) A person who mastered the art of listening well to what others have to say, is a wise person. He has learnt to store up knowledge within himself and doesn’t have > read more

Storing Knowledge

Published on 2010-12-14 02:22:31

Wise men store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin (Proverbs 10:14) A person who mastered the art of listening well to what others have to say, is a wise person. He has learnt to store up knowledge within himself and doesn’t have > read more

The Seventh Sign: The Raising of Lazarus

Published on 2010-12-07 09:27:50

Every sign that preceded this one appears to have been part of a building up towards a climax: Jesus raising a man, dead and buried for four days, back to life. His initial response to receiving the news of His friend’s grave illness may have appea > read more

The Seventh Sign: The Raising of Lazarus

Published on 2010-12-07 09:27:50

Every sign that preceded this one appears to have been part of a building up towards a climax: Jesus raising a man, dead and buried for four days, back to life. His initial response to receiving the news of His friend’s grave illness may have appea > read more

Sixth Sign: Healing of the Man born Blind

Published on 2010-11-30 13:09:27

Before Jesus came across the blind beggar, He was challenged by the Pharisees because He claimed to be the Light of the world. Then, He was threatened with stoning for claiming He is God.  Following these challenges the events unfolded that were to > read more

Sixth Sign: Healing of the Man born Blind

Published on 2010-11-30 13:09:27

Before Jesus came across the blind beggar, He was challenged by the Pharisees because He claimed to be the Light of the world. Then, He was threatened with stoning for claiming He is God.  Following these challenges the events unfolded that were to > read more

Fifth Sign: Jesus Walks on Water

Published on 2010-11-23 14:37:52

This fifth sign in the Gospel of John records where Jesus walked on the water and proves that all the forces of nature are under His control.  “For by Him all things were created…” (Colossians 1:16a) Jesus told His disciples to c > read more

Fourth Sign: Feeding of the Five Thousand

Published on 2010-11-16 13:43:29

This is the only one of the seven signs that is recorded in all four of the Gospels. The sign is reminiscent of the manna that God gave His people from heaven as they travelled through the wilderness. As the Jews participated in the miracle of the fi > read more

Third Sign: Healing at the Pool of Bethesda

Published on 2010-11-10 15:09:43

� � � � In Jerusalem there was a pool around which a great number of disabled people used to lie. Here one would find the paralyzed; the blind waiting for a chance to get into the pool. The name of the pool was Bethesda: House of > read more

The Second Sign: Healing of the Royal Official’s Son

Published on 2010-11-02 16:03:30

After Nicodemus’ night-time visit to Jesus, it appears, according to the narrative in John, that Jesus’ popularity increased significantly. First, John’s disciples came to him. They’ve been eyeing the competition. The “other guy” over the > read more