The cry of a blind man caused Jesus to stand still and attend unto him. While the clamoring crowd discouraged his diligence, the creator of the universe responded to his desperation. Gratefully, our cries of faith and fear arrest the attention of the master.

David asks two questions of God after the city of Ziklag had been burned with fire: 1) Shall I pursue? and 2) Shall I overtake? God's answers: 1) Pursue, 2) Overtake, and 3) Recover all. God's answers exceeded David's questions. His supply is always greater than our demand.

The bloody coat brought to Jacob birthed a presumed hopeless future. The falsified evidences of the past keep us at arms length from our future. Although the proof may be inaccurate, it is true to us and holds us hostage from enjoying anything beyond the bloody coat. Thankfully, every bloody coat can be covered or even exchanged with the blood of HIS body when we put on Christ.

At times the key element that separates the people in the Father's house from those in the pig pen is one wrong decision. As notable as right decisions are, one wrong decision can be the start of a downward spiral that ends abruptly. Our decisions direct our destinies. Therefore, we should weigh each one of them carefully.

Discovering the favor of God may be obtained by avoiding what knowingly displeases God. The Lord was displeased: 1) with a man who wanted to limit his service when his service was going to exceed self and extend to someone else, 2) when people on the fringe of the camp complained, and 3) when a man pulled another into his sin or error.

Grandparent's Day - Timothy had a heritage of unfeigned faith that stretched all the way back to his grandmother. It was the key role of a grandparent that helped cultivate the scriptures in Timothy's life. Even though he had a Greek father, the impact of a grandparent pressed its way through to his generation.

Most people view Jesus as the carpenter's son. A select few seen him as the redeemer or the savior. However, all that began to change at the Jordan baptism. What was manifested there was the knowledge his mother had held in her heart from the beginning. He was the Son of God. It would be that Son of God status that the devil was constantly trying to probe and intimidate during the wilderness temptations of Luke 3. Why? Ultimately, because the purpose for the manifestation of the Son of God, scripture says, is that he might destroy all the works of the devil. Therefore, since we have been given power to become the sons of God as well, the devil is trying get us to forfeit our son of God status. The Son of God status ties the hands of the devil.

It wasn't enough for the generation that experienced the manna to have knowledge of the miraculous provision. Therefore, they were commanded to place some in the Ark of the Covenant for future generations to be exposed to it. There are aspects in this Christian life that should not only live in one generation never to succeed in another. There needs to be manna for the next generation.

The older brother in the story of the prodigal reveals issues often not addressed, because our focus is on the one who left. However, both brothers were in similar conditions...selfish and prideful. It is possible that our behavior as Christians keeps the backslider from returning home...the older brother refused to join the celebration. He would have been content giving up on his brother...when you consider the prodigals in your life do you find yourself giving up on them? Is it time to give up, yet?

Highlights:

8) Recognize if God's hand is in the development

9) What is their financial standing?

10) Get feedback from the family

11) Beware of unhealthy family attachments

12) Pop the question