The Deciding Witness

"In the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." (Matthew 18:16)

You've been there many times, standing in the valley of decision. Perched precariously between victory and defeat. On one side of you is the word of the world authored by Satan that says, for example, "You're not going to get healed." On the other side of you, the Word of God is saying, "My Word is Yea and Amen" and "By His stripes, ye were healed." Who will determine how it all turns out? You will. You're the establishing witness.

I remember a fellow once who wanted me to pray for him. I said, "Now the Word says you're healed." He interrupted me and said, "Yeah, I know it says that, but I've got this terrible pain here...."

I looked him in the eye and said again, "The Word says, 'By His stripes, you were healed.'"

The Big Minute

Rabbi Shaul Rosenblatt

Bo (Exodus 10:1-13:16)

When God informs Moses of the tenth and final plague, he tells him that it will happen at "approximately" midnight. Rashi, the great commentator, asks why God was not more exact. Doesn't God have a watch? He answers that timekeeping was an inexact science in those days. Were God to have said "exactly" midnight, people might have confused their timings and thought that it was God, and not them, who had made a mistake. To avoid potential confusion, God says "approximately."

At first glance, this answer makes no sense. Let's put it in context for a moment. God has brought ten miraculous plagues upon Egypt - blood, locust with iron teeth, hail with fire inside, darkness that is palpable... These miracles are about to climax with the slaying of every firstborn Egyptian in a single moment. And God is worried that because someone might not have an atomic clock, he will think that God's not as cool as he says He is?!

Hide Or Seek? - The sin we try to cover up will eventually bring us down.

by Mart De Haan

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Our Daily Bread Radio is hosted by Les Lamborn

Read: Isaiah 30:8-18

He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. —Proverbs 28:13

Bible in a Year:
Psalms 16-17; Acts 20:1-16

An Indianapolis patrolman ran into trouble while he was investigating a routine traffic mishap. He had interviewed witnesses, arrested one of the drivers, and written up the accident report. Then he noticed that the offending motorist was chewing on something that wasn’t gum. He was eating the report! 

Despite the officer’s efforts to retrieve the report, it was destroyed. But the delay was only temporary. The patrolman tracked down the witnesses again and recompiled the evidence.

The resistance and coverup that this Indiana officer encountered is similar to what Isaiah saw in the people of Israel centuries ago. 

The prophet was grieved as he watched his countrymen try to ignore and conceal the evidence of their sin. They, in effect, stuck their fingers in their ears while the Lord spoke (Isa. 30:9), and they encouraged their prophets to tell them only what they wanted to hear (v.10). They would rather hide than seek the mercy of God. Consequently, the Lord sent judgment on them (vv.12-17).

We can learn from Israel’s mistakes that an attempt at coverup won’t do any good. It’s only temporary. We must confess our sins to God and forsake them. Then we will know the joy of God’s forgiveness.

The sins that would entangle us
Must never be ignored;
For if we try to cover them
They'll pierce us like a sword. —Sper

The sin we try to cover up will eventually bring us down.

http://odb.org/1999/07/16/hide-or-seek/