Kavod Gospel Productions√ (2024)

10/08/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
August 10, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"Overnight Success Is Not Overnight Fruit!"

“Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me.” —John 15:4

Many people today are looking for a shortcut to spirituality. They’re looking for the quick fix, for the emotional experience that will transform their lives.

But there are no shortcuts to spirituality. There is no such thing as a quick fix. There is no emotional experience that will change everything for you. If you want to grow and indeed flourish as a Christian, it will come down to a day-to-day commitment that you make.

You won’t see fruit grow overnight any more than you could plant a tree on Monday and eat peaches from it on Tuesday. It takes time. But in time, you will see the results as you’re faithful and consistent in the things that you need to do.

In John 15, Jesus compares Himself to a grapevine, God the Father to a gardener, and His followers to fruit. Psalm 1 reinforces the idea: “They are like trees planted along the riverbank, bearing fruit each season. Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (verse 3 NLT).

God has planted us, and as we sink our roots deeply into Him, He gives us permanence. Maybe that is why the psalmist David prayed, “Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me” (Psalm 51:10 NKJV). The word David used for steadfast could be translated as “stable,” “fixed,” or “constant.”

God also gives us productivity. If you are a believer who is walking with God, spiritual fruit will come out of your life. And what is this fruit? Galatians 5:22–23 tells us, “But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control” (NLT).

Producing spiritual fruit is not an overnight process. It takes time to grow. But in time it comes. The Bible tells us that “God has made everything beautiful for its own time” (Ecclesiastes 3:11 NLT). So be patient. It may not happen as quickly as you would like.

Lastly, God gives us prosperity. Psalm 1:3 tells us, “Their leaves never wither, and they prosper in all they do” (NLT). Our entire lives—family life, church life, personal life, business life—find balance because we are properly aligned with God.

On the other hand, when we don’t have this balance, we will be unhappy people. When the droughts of life devastate others because they have no resources to draw from, followers of Christ have an unfailing source.

Sometimes as Christians we grow frustrated because we see nonbelievers prospering, or so it appears. Things are going wonderfully for them, or so it seems. We see people who are dishonest and violate the standards of God, yet things seem to go along wonderfully for them.

But just remember, it all evens out in the end. Be consistent. Make a commitment to sink your roots deeply into Him, and you will see spiritual fruit in your life. You also will find happiness in the truest sense of the word.

03/08/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
August 3, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"Can you drink from the cup of suffering?"

“But Jesus said to Peter, ‘Put your sword back into its sheath. Shall I not drink from the cup of suffering the Father has given me?"—John 18:11.

One day, the mother of James and John, the Sons of Thunder, approached Jesus with them and said, “In your Kingdom, please let my two sons sit in places of honor next to you, one on your right and the other on your left” (Matthew 20:21 NLT); In verse 22 Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink from the bitter cup of suffering I am about to drink?”

As He prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was looking at the cup He had spoken of. And He wasn’t going to take just a sip of it. He was going to drink it all. He would taste death for everyone. And He had to drink it and die on the cross.

The prophet Isaiah described this cup that Jesus recoiled from as God’s fury: “Wake up, wake up, O Jerusalem! You have drunk the cup of the Lord’s fury. You have drunk the cup of terror, tipping out its last drops” (Isaiah 51:17 NLT).

That is why it is insulting to God to suggest that all religions are true and that whatever belief system you adopt will get you to Heaven if you are sincere. If that were the case, do you think that God the Father would have allowed His Son to suffer like He suffered, both in Gethsemane and on the cross? No.

But because there was no other way for us to be brought into a relationship with a holy God from whom we are separated by sin, the wrath of God the Father had to be poured out on God the Son. And for Jesus, this was a fate worse than death.

Then what kept Him going? What enabled Him to press on despite such difficult circumstances? We find the answer in Hebrews 12: “Because of the joy awaiting him, he endured the cross, disregarding its shame. Now he is seated in the place of honor beside God’s throne. Think of all the hostility he endured from sinful people; then you won’t become weary and give up” (verses 2–3 NLT).

Jesus told a story of a shepherd who had a hundred sheep, but one went astray. So, he went searching for it. And when he found it, he brought the sheep back, wrapped around his shoulders. Jesus concluded, “In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” (Luke 15:7 NLT).

Jesus also said, “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a treasure that a man discovered hidden in a field. In his excitement, he hid it again and sold everything he owned to get enough money to buy the field” (Matthew 13:44 NLT).

But what was that joy that was set before Him? It was you. And it was me. That is why Jesus went through all that anguish. He did it for all those who would come to faith in the world. We were the joy set before Him.

27/07/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
July 27, 2024
Saturday Leadership Nugget
"DON'T FAIL THE TEST!"

The band Milli Vanilli was quite successful in its day, selling millions of albums. But then came the stunning revelation that they didn’t do the vocals on their own recordings. And they had to face the music.

One day, we all will stand before God Himself. And though some people may have done a brilliant job of fooling others, they will have to face the music.

As Christians, we shouldn’t spend time worrying about who these people are. Rather, we need to make sure that we aren’t pretenders ourselves.

Writing to the church in Corinth, the apostle Paul said, “Examine yourselves to see if your faith is genuine. Test yourselves. Surely you know that Jesus Christ is among you; if not, you have failed the test of genuine faith” 2 Corinthians 13:5 NLT.

Jesus said to the church in Laodicea, “I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!” Revelation 3:15–16 NLT.

This is a repulsive image. And that is exactly why Jesus chose to use it. He was trying to make a point. He was saying, “You know what? I can’t stand people who are lukewarm.”

What does it mean to be lukewarm? I don’t really believe there is any such thing as a lukewarm Christian. However, I do believe there are carnal Christians, which are those who believe but are compromising.

Notice in Revelation 3 that Jesus said, “You are . . . neither hot nor cold.” Then, a few verses later, He went on to say, “Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends” verse 20 NLT.

To the lukewarm person, Jesus is saying, “I’m standing at the door and knocking. Let Me in.” Spiritually speaking, then, a lukewarm person is not a compromising Christian. Rather, a lukewarm person is a person who is pretending to be a Christian but isn’t. And to be lukewarm is to be a genuine imitation.

Jesus was speaking to nonbelievers in the church of Laodicea who were pretending to be Christians. It’s a reminder that going to church doesn’t make you a Christian. There must be a moment when you believe in Jesus, when you put your faith in Him.

Maybe you’re putting on a good show right now. You have just about everyone convinced. You have your family and your friends thinking that you’re a very committed believer. But you’re living a double life and fooling them all.

But one day, that which is hidden will be revealed. There will be nowhere to hide. And you’ll realize the only person you were effectively fooling was yourself. God is giving you an opportunity today to come clean, to get right with Him. Don’t be a fake Christian!

20/07/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
July 20, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement

Peter had no idea that a storm was brewing. He never realized that his world was about to change within minutes.

Jesus was praying in anguish in the Garden of Gethsemane. The Bible tells us He “was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood” (Luke 22:44 NLT).

Then along came Judas Iscariot, followed by the temple guard and Roman soldiers with spears, shields, swords, and torches. There was one very zealous guy leading the charge: Malchus, the servant of the high priest.

So, Peter pulled out a sword, took a swipe, and cut off the man’s right ear. Peter probably was trying to cut off his head. But he was a fisherman, not a swordsman.

Then Jesus told him to put away the sword, saying, “Those who use the sword will die by the sword. Don’t you realize that I could ask my Father for thousands of angels to protect us, and he would send them instantly? But if I did, how would the Scriptures be fulfilled that describe what must happen now?” (Matthew 26:52–54 NLT).

Peter got things turned around. He was sleeping when he should have been praying and fighting when he should have been surrendering.

As for Malchus, Jesus healed him. The last miracle of Jesus was healing the ear of the man who came to arrest Him. That showed the Lord’s love to the very end.

Sometimes, like Peter, we forget to pray. And failure to pray can actually be a sin. Sin isn’t just breaking a commandment, though it includes that. There is also the sin of omission. James 4:17 reminds us, “Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it” (NLT). And 1 Thessalonians 5:17–18 says, “Never stop praying. Be thankful in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus” (NLT).

Peter fell because he trusted in human effort instead of God’s power. He also followed Jesus at a distance. Matthew 26:58 tells us, “Peter followed him at a distance and came to the high priest’s courtyard. He went in and sat with the guards and waited to see how it would all end” (NLT).

Take, for example, a marriage that is falling apart. A couple can cite various reasons, from money problems to parenting problems to a lot of arguments. But where it broke down was in their communication. Something happened. The friendship and companionship they built their marriage on isn’t what it used to be. And then other things found their way into a fractured marriage.

The same is true of our relationship with God. We drift away from the Lord in closeness. We’re no longer starting the day with Bible study and prayer. We’re too busy doing other things. Then other problems develop. And we find ourselves following Him at a distance.

That is what happened to Peter. And this distance from the Lord in closeness and fellowship is at the heart of every fall.

29/06/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
June 29, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement

We live in a culture where the church is under attack. Our values are mocked, laughed at, and, in some cases, even outlawed. Our belief about the family and about what matters in life is being challenged by an increasingly secular culture. And sometimes, we wonder whether evil will prevail.

No, it won’t. Jesus said of His church, “All the powers of hell will not conquer it” (Matthew 16:18 NLT). So, we keep marching forward.

Sometimes, however, people get upset with the church. They might say they’re bitter toward the church. They may have been mistreated. Or, maybe someone representing the church didn’t do a good job of it. They may even have done a horrible thing in the name of the church, and there is no excuse for that.

Then again, it could be that someone who is supposedly bitter toward the church feels that way because they lived in disobedience. They did something wrong. And then they faced the repercussions of it in the church. Maybe they were told to not do what they were doing any longer, so they’re angry at the church.

The church has its strengths, and the church has its weaknesses. But no matter what, Jesus Christ established it, and as Christians, we are a part of it. We need to love the church, support the church, and be a functioning part of the church.

If you are looking for a hypocrite-free church, then your search is over because there is no such thing as a hypocrite-free church. Every church has hypocrites because every church is made up of human beings who fall short. We all have our shortcomings. We all have our flaws. But Jesus established the church.

The church is built on Christ, “the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:16). The apostle Paul wrote, “For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT).

Acts 2:42–47 gives us the basis of the early church, the church that changed the world. Verse 42 says, “All the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, and to fellowship, and to sharing in meals (including the Lord’s Supper), and to prayer.”

Then the passage concludes, “And each day the Lord added to their fellowship those who were being saved” (verse 47 NLT).

Numerical growth is up to God. If a church takes care of its depth, then God will take care of its breadth. It doesn’t matter whether a church is the largest. What matters is having a strong church, a biblical church, and a church that is built on Christ Himself.

Is your life built on Jesus Christ? As that timeless hymn says, “On Christ, the solid Rock, I stand: all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand.”

If you have built your life on a church, it is the wrong foundation. If you have built your spiritual life on a person, that is a faulty foundation as well. Build your life on Christ Himself.

26/05/2024

~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
May 26, 2024
Sunday Scripture Encouragement

John 16:33 AMP:
I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

13/04/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
April 13, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"Are you spiritually bankrupt or rich?"

The culture in which we live today is spiritually bankrupt and hostile to God. We’re living in a world that is hostile to our faith and values as followers of Jesus Christ.

That is why the Bible says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world”
(1 John 2:15–16 NLT).

As Christians living in a culture that is hostile to our faith, it is tempting for us to try to fit in and not stand out as people who really believe in Jesus, as people who hold certain values. But if you are a child of God, then don’t hide it. Be proud of it.

In this day, when it’s acceptable to openly mock and deride Christians, it is a real temptation not to stand up for what you believe.

Yet the Bible tells us, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT).

Instead of being squeezed into the mold of the world, we are to fill our minds with the things of God. We’re to fill our lives with the things that will build us up spiritually. If we do this, God says that He will reveal His will.

This is called a conditional promise. We need to do our part, and thus, God will do His. And if we do not do our part, then He will not do His. If you are not willing to “let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think,” then don’t expect to know God’s will for your life.

But if you are willing to take these steps and make this commitment, then God promises that He will reveal to you His good and pleasing and perfect will. And God’s will for you is always good. The psalmist David reminds us, “Taste and see that the Lord is good. Oh, the joys of those who take refuge in him!” (Psalm 34:8 NLT). Remember that God is good.

Some people have a warped concept of God as being some kind of celestial party pooper in Heaven. They think that God is waiting for them to surrender their lives to Him so that He can make them miserable. However, that is a warped concept of our heavenly Father. His plan for you is good. It is perfect. And it is better than your plan for yourself.

If God gives you many years in life, I think you’ll find, in retrospect, that you were glad you walked in the will of God. I can also guarantee that you’ll regret it if you don’t.

31/03/2024

Happy Resurrection Day
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
March 31, 2024
Sunday Scripture Encouragement

“He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying” —Matthew 28:6

The resurrection of Jesus Christ changed everything. It changed a group of disillusioned, discouraged, downhearted disciples into a group of on-fire, passionate preachers who turned their world upside down. And the resurrection of Jesus can change your life as well.

It can bring something we all need, something that seems to be in short supply today: hope. We must have hope to survive in life. Someone has said that we can live forty days without food, three days without water, about eight minutes without air, and about one second without hope.

The Bible tells us about two disciples of Jesus who had lost hope. It was their understanding that the Messiah would overthrow the tyranny of Rome. But, in passages such as Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53, the Scriptures speak of a suffering Savior—not a militant Messiah.

However, the people seemed to miss that. When Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, and the people laid branches at His feet and shouted: “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:9 NKJV), they showed their misunderstanding of why He came. “Hosanna!” means “Save now!” So essentially, they were saying, “Overthrow Rome now! Establish Your kingdom now!”

In their minds, everything seemed to be going beautifully. But suddenly and unexpectedly, one of Jesus’ own handpicked disciples betrayed Him. Jesus was sent to trial, and in a rush to judgment, they scourged Him and ultimately murdered Him in cold blood before their eyes.

His followers were absolutely devastated. This was their Messiah. This was their hero. And this was their friend. They still loved Him. They respected His teachings and honored His memory. But they felt He had failed. They thought He had come short of what He had arrived on this earth to accomplish.

Despite the fact that Jesus said He would die and rise again, they missed that memo. They wanted to get out of Jerusalem as quickly as possible. As two of Jesus’ disciples were walking and talking about everything that happened, Jesus came along and began walking with them.

He said to them, “What are you discussing so intently as you walk along?” (Luke 24:17 NLT).

Did you know that Jesus is walking with you, too? He noticed the sadness written across their faces, and He sees the same with us. If it troubles us, it troubles Him. If it concerns us, it concerns Him.

Although Jesus was walking with the two disciples, they didn’t know it was Him. Luke’s Gospel tells us that God prevented them from recognizing Jesus (see 24:16). In the same way, God is with us, whether we know it or not. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ, He becomes a part of your life and promises that He never will leave you or forsake you.

He not only is with you on sunny days, but He is also there on cloudy days. He not only is with you on the mountaintops, but He is also there in the valleys. He is walking with you through everything that you’re facing.

09/03/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
March 9, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"IT WAS BY HIS GRACE"

Christians have no grounds whatsoever for boasting. There is nothing to boast about. We didn’t become Christians because we were born into a Christian family, were relatively moral people, or did a number of good deeds. Therefore, we have absolutely nothing we can take credit for.

And if we find ourselves bragging about anything that we have done to obtain our salvation, either we are not saved, or we don’t understand what it means for God to forgive us.

In Ephesians 2, the apostle Paul makes a bedrock statement about the Christian faith: “God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it” (verses 8–9 NLT).

This is a foundational Christian doctrine. Yet it’s surprising how many people don’t grasp the simple yet profound truth that we are Christians entirely and solely because of the grace of God.

Earlier in Ephesians, Paul spoke of God’s mercy. Here, He speaks of God’s grace. God has dealt with us in grace, which is getting what we don’t deserve: His forgiveness, His pardon, and adoption into His family.

Someone has accurately defined grace as “God’s unmerited favor.” This grace came in spite of what we were and what we did.

Grace is getting what we don’t deserve. Mercy is not getting what we do deserve. And justice is getting what we deserve.

We never want to ask God to give us justice because, in doing so, we’re asking Him to give us what we deserve. And what we deserve is Hell. Thankfully, God has not dealt with us according to justice because Jesus Christ met God’s righteous requirement at Calvary. The death of Jesus satisfied the justice of God.

An effective testimony (your story of how you came to faith) always will glorify God and never will glorify the past. Some Christians make their lives before Christ sound so juicy and interesting that they make the present seem dull. That is an inaccurate testimony.

If you are honest about what you were before you became a Christian, then you must talk about the spiritual state you were in. You were separated from God and in rebellion against Him. A good testimony never will glorify the past; it always will glorify the Lord.

Every Christian has a testimony because the power of God has gloriously transformed every person who has put his or her faith in Jesus Christ.

It’s important to realize that salvation does not come from anything that we’ve done. So, let’s not boast about what we’ve done or what we gave up to follow Jesus. Granted, we may have given up some things, but they’re nothing compared to what God gave us in their place.

If we don’t realize that, then we don’t know how dark our state was, how miserable of a condition we were in, and how far we were separated from God.

03/02/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
February 3, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
1 Peter 5:5-7

20/01/2024

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
January 20, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
Read: Titus 1:2

07/01/2024

~LAMB’S WOOL~
w/Dr. Danette M. Vercher
January 7, 2024
Sunday Scripture Encouragement

06/01/2024

Happy
~LAMB’S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Vercher
January 6, 2024
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
Ephesians 3:20-21

30/12/2023

Happy My Pretties.
~LAMB’S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Vercher
December 30, 2023
Saturday Scripture Encouragement

God has been truly speaking and manifesting His glory. Stay focused, clear and concise in every area of your life. Married couples must reunite as kingdom mentors; Singles pay attention to miracles, signs and wonders as you pursue relationships. It’s imperative that you see God working!

23/12/2023

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
December 23, 2023
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"MY QUEST" ~ Psalm 16:11

12/11/2023

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
November 11, 2023
Saturday Scripture Encouragement
"Which Crown Will Be Your Reward?"

According to Scripture, rewards will be given out in Heaven for our faithfulness.

What kind of rewards will they be? The Bible specifically mentions crowns. For example, there is a crown of rejoicing, which we could also call the soul winner’s crown. The apostle Paul wrote, “After all, what gives us hope and joy, and what will be our proud reward and crown as we stand before our Lord Jesus when he returns? It is you!” (1 Thessalonians 2:19 NLT).

Paul was effectively saying that the people he reached with the gospel will be his crown of rejoicing. This seems to indicate that if we have led others to Christ, then we will receive a special crown.

The Bible also mentions a crown of life. James 1:12 tells us, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him” (NLT). This crown is for those who have resisted temptation and persevered under trial.

Some people have tougher lives than others. Certain people seem to skate through life relatively unscathed. On the other hand, maybe you’ve had a difficult life, but you’ve been faithful during those times of testing. Despite setbacks, hardships, disabilities, or illnesses, you have honored the Lord. As a result, you will receive the crown of life.

Then there is the crown of righteousness. Paul mentioned this crown in 2 Timothy: “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of his return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to his appearing” (4:8 NLT).

This is a crown for faithful living. It’s a crown for those who long for the return of Christ, for those who live in the light of Heaven.

Here’s what we need to remember: It isn’t about how famous you are. Rather, it’s about being faithful with what God has called you to do. It is not about what God has called your friend or your pastor or someone else to do. It’s all about what God has given you to do. Have you been faithful?

As you think about your life, you might say, “I don’t know that I’ve reached thousands or hundreds or even tens.” But if you follow Jesus Christ and have told others about Him, then you’ve sown seeds of the gospel.

That seed might not break ground until later. Maybe one person you’ve led to the Lord will lead twenty people to the Lord twenty years from now. Or maybe the person you impacted with the gospel will have children who raise their children in the way of the Lord. And maybe one of their children will become the next Billy Graham.

All the spiritual fruit that goes from generation to generation will come back to you. You will share in it. And you will be rewarded for your faithfulness to God.

14/10/2023

Happy
~LAMB'S WOOL~w/Dr. Danette M. Verchér
October 14, 2023
Saturday Leadership Nugget
"IDOLATRY IS A SUBTLE TRAP OF EVIL!"

Everyone has a god. Even atheists have something they believe in. That god may be themselves. It may be a possession. Or, it may be a career. But everyone has something they live for, something that gets them up in the morning, drives them, and gives their lives a sense of meaning.

The question is, who or what do you believe in?

The Lord wants to rule and reign in our hearts. And He wants everything else in our lives to be a distant second to Him. He wants our primary passion, excitement, and purpose to be a love for Him.

The apostle Paul said, “To me, living means living for Christ” (Philippians 1:21 NLT). That should be the motto of every Christian. It’s something that we all should be able to say.

An idol is anything or anyone that takes the place of God in our lives. It’s anything that would begin to crowd our relationship with God and become more important to us than God Himself.

Writing to the church in Corinth, Paul referred to a specific instance in the lives of the Israelites when they worshipped the golden calf. He wrote, “These things happened as a warning to us, so that we would not crave evil things as they did, or worship idols as some of them did” (1 Corinthians 10:6–7 NLT).

The children of Israel had seen God work in dramatic ways. They saw God deliver them from the land of Egypt with a number of miracles that He performed on their behalf. He turned the Nile River to blood, sent plagues of lice and frogs, and even killed the Egyptians’ firstborn sons.

Then, when they began their journey, God opened the Red Sea for them, and they crossed on dry ground. Afterward it closed behind them, drowning the Egyptian army in the process. In addition, the Lord provided a miraculous navigation system: a huge cloud guided them during the day, and a fire in the sky directed them at night.

And every morning when they walked outside their tents, a breakfast of manna was waiting for them, supplied by the Creator Himself. But despite all these miracles, the people turned their backs on God and engaged in full-blown idolatry.

The problem was their faith was shallow. Thus, they were fickle. And from the moment that Moses left their midst to meet with God on Mount Sinai, it was only a matter of time until they started looking for something to take his place. So the plan for the golden calf was devised, and the Bible tells us about the horrible results.

Certainly, miracles and supernatural phenomena do not guarantee a mature faith that will resist the temptations in our paths. Sooner or later, we must take personal responsibility for our actions and our sins and call them what they are.

Let’s guard ourselves from the subtle trap of idolatry. Let’s not allow anyone or anything to take precedence over Jesus Christ in our hearts.

Kavod Gospel Productions√