Powerful Words from the ProphetsMy heart is torn within me, and my compassion overflows. No, I will not unleash my fierce anger. I will not completely destroy Israel, for I am God and not a mere mortal. I am the Holy One living among you, and I will not come to destroy. For someday the people will follow me. – Hosea 11:8-10 (NLT)“The One We’ve Wanted to Know” One day when I was in high school, I w...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“When Israel was a child, I loved him, and I called my son out of Egypt. But the more I called to him, the farther he moved from me, offering sacrifices to the images of Baal and burning incense to idols. I myself taught Israel how to walk, leading him along by the hand. But he doesn’t know or even care that it was I who took care of him.” – Hosea 11:1-3 (NLT)“Our G...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsI said, ‘Plant the good seeds of righteousness, and you will harvest a crop of love. Plow up the hard ground of your hearts, for now is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and shower righteousness upon you.’ – Hosea 10:12 (NLT)“Sow What You Want to Reap” “You reap what you sow.” Remember that old proverb? It’s so true. It’s stated repeatedly in Hosea. It’s t...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“Then I will return to my place until they admit their guilt and turn to me. For as soon as trouble comes, they will earnestly search for me.” – Hosea 5:15 (NLT)“Seeking God in Our Untroubled Times” Have you ever had a friend or family member whom you only heard from when they needed something? You know what I mean. They don’t contact you to wish you a happy birthda...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen the Lord said to me, “Go and love your wife again, even though she commits adultery with another lover. This will illustrate that the Lord still loves Israel, even though the people have turned to other gods and love to worship them.” So I bought her back for fifteen pieces of silver and five bushels of barley and a measure of wine. – Hosea 3:1-3 (NLT)“The High...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsWhen the Lord first began speaking to Israel through Hosea, he said to him, “Go and marry a prostitute, so that some of her children will be conceived in prostitution. This will illustrate how Israel has acted like a prostitute by turning against the Lord and worshiping other gods.” So Hosea married Gomer, the daughter of Diblaim, and she became pregnant and gave Ho...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer. But for twenty-one days the spirit prince of the kingdom of Persia blocked my way. Then Michael, one of the archangels, came to help me, and I left him the...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen he said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your request has been heard in heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.” – Daniel 10:12 (NLT)“What’s Taking God So Long?” We’re spoiled, aren’t we? We’ve created a world where waiting is thought of as something we shouldn’t hav...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“The moment you began praying, a command was given. And now I am here to tell you what it was, for you are very precious to God.” – Daniel 9:23 (NLT)“Why God Sends You an Angel” One night, several years ago, I came home late from work and was really hungry. After scrounging around in the refrigerator and not finding anything that I wanted, I finally told Wanda, “Wha...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“O my God, lean down and listen to me. Open your eyes and see our despair. See how your city—the city that bears your name—lies in ruins. We make this plea, not because we deserve help, but because of your mercy.” – Daniel 9:18 (NLT)“Getting What You Don’t Deserve” One of my favorite stories from the Bible is the story of Joseph and his brothers. Joseph grew up favo...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“O Lord, you are a great and awesome God! You always fulfill your covenant and keep your promises of unfailing love to those who love you and obey your commands.” – Daniel 9:4 (NLT)“The Promise Keeper” Last month, a woman in Florida decided to take a three-day cruise to the Bahamas. So she bought a ticket and boarded a Carnival cruise ship to “get away from it all.”...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsIt was the first year of the reign of Darius the Mede, the son of Ahasuerus, who became king of the Babylonians. During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, learned from reading the word of the Lord, as revealed to Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years. So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and fasting. – Da...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen King Darius sent this message to the people of every race and nation and language throughout the world: “Peace and prosperity to you! “I decree that everyone throughout my kingdom should tremble with fear before the God of Daniel. For he is the living God, and he will endure forever. His kingdom will never be destroyed, and his rule will never end. He rescues a...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“The king was overjoyed and ordered that Daniel be lifted from the den. Not a scratch was found on him, for he had trusted in his God. Then the king gave orders to arrest the men who had maliciously accused Daniel. He had them thrown into the lions’ den, along with their wives and children. The lions leaped on them and tore them apart before they even hit the floor ...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsVery early the next morning, the king got up and hurried out to the lions’ den. When he got there, he called out in anguish, “Daniel, servant of the living God! Was your God, whom you serve so faithfully, able to rescue you from the lions?” Daniel answered, “Long live the king! My God sent his angel to shut the lions’ mouths so that they would not hurt me…The king w...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen they told the king, “That man Daniel, one of the captives from Judah, is ignoring you and your law. He still prays to his God three times a day.” Hearing this, the king was deeply troubled, and he tried to think of a way to save Daniel. He spent the rest of the day looking for a way to get Daniel out of this predicament…So at last the king gave orders for Danie...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsBut when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God. – Daniel 6:10 (NLT)“An ‘As Usual’ Faith” The story of Daniel in the lion’s den is one of the most famous stories in the Bible. The c...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsThen the other supervisors and the governors tried to find something wrong with the way Daniel administered the empire, but they couldn't, because Daniel was reliable and did not do anything wrong or dishonest. They said to each other, “We are not going to find anything of which to accuse Daniel unless it is something in connection with his religion.” – Daniel 6:4-5...

Powerful Words from the ProphetsDarius the Mede decided to divide the kingdom into 120 provinces, and he appointed a high officer to rule over each province. The king also chose Daniel and two others as administrators to supervise the high officers and protect the king’s interests. Daniel soon proved himself more capable than all the other administrators and high officers. Because of Daniel’s grea...

Powerful Words from the Prophets“This is the message that was written: Mene, mene, tekel, and Parsin. This is what these words mean:…Parsin means ‘divided’—your kingdom has been divided and given to the Medes and Persians.” – Daniel 5:25, 28 (NLT)“When You Think You’re Invincible” On February 3, 2008, the New England Patriots played the New York Giants in the Super Bowl. New England was unbeaten c...