The Daily Word: Wednesday, January 31^st, 2018
Exodus 12:14-13:16
Matthew 20:29-21:22
Psalm 25:16-22
Proverbs 6:12-15
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

So you shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt. Therefore you shall observe this day throughout your generations as an everlasting ordinance. – Ex 12:17

Look at the way God talks here. He tells Moses: keep the Passover, “…for on this same day I will have brought your armies out of the land of Egypt.” God is using the future perfect tense. Merriam-Webster notes this tense is, “…used to refer to an action that will be completed by a specified time in the future.”[1] In other words, God is talking with Moses about a future event as if it has already happened. He is stating with complete and total certainty that when Moses practices the Passover in the future, God will have given him victory!

Think about your biggest prayer request. Then, ask God to give you the confidence that when you pray in the future, He will have already answered your prayers! Instead of praying, “God, please give me a promotion at work,” pray, “God, thank You that when I look back in 3 months, I will have been promoted!” Instead of praying, “God, please heal me,” pray, “God, thank You that when I go to use the shoulder that’s been bothering me, I will have already been healed!”

When we use the future perfect tense, we praise Him in advance because of the future we are sure He will give us. Use the future perfect, and God will bring about your perfect future.

Prayer:

Father, thank You that when I pray, I can have complete and total confidence in You! I know You are good, and You answer prayers, in Jesus name!

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Tuesday, January 30^th, 2018
Exodus 10:1-12:13
Matthew 20:1-28
Psalm 25:1-15
Proverbs 6:6-11
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

Then Pharaoh’s servants said to him, “How long shall this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve the Lord their God. Do you not yet know that Egypt is destroyed?” – Exodus 10:7

Pharaoh had two habits that interfered with making good decisions. If we want to be good leaders – in our churches, our jobs, and our families – we can learn from his mistakes.

1) Pharaoh ignored wise counsel.

In verse 7, we see that even Pharaoh’s servants knew the right choice: let God’s people go! But Pharaoh would not listen; and his people would pay the price. Being a good leader means listening to the people God has placed around you. Being in charge doesn’t mean ignoring your contemporaries; it means having the maturity and humility to consider differing points of view.

2) Pharaoh acted on his emotions.

Pharaoh was angry at Moses’ requests! He didn’t want to let God’s people go. So instead of using wisdom to make decisions, he used emotion. Bad leaders let their emotions guide the decision-making process. Good leaders are emotionally detached, and make decisions based on information instead of consternation.

Don’t be like Pharaoh. Listen to others, ignore your emotions, and listen to the Holy Spirit. The people you lead will thank you for it!

Prayer:

Father, help me to be a good leader! Give me the humility to listen to the wise counsel You have placed in my life. Give me the maturity to ignore my emotions and listen to Your Holy Spirit instead. Bless my leadership, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Monday, January 29^th, 2018
Exodus 8:1-9:35
Matthew 19:13-30
Psalm 24:1-10
Proverbs 6:1-5
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

But the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh; and he did not heed them, just as the Lord had spoken to Moses. – Ex 9:12

Moses knew that Pharaoh would harden his heart; but he still trusted the process. God told Moses in advance that he would have to go before Pharaoh ten times to ask for freedom for God’s people before they would be released. But Moses didn’t get frustrated. He didn’t ask God to just cut to the chase and let His people go! He trusted the process.

God wanted the world to see ten plagues so they would know His miracle-working power. He wanted the world to see Israel released in dramatic fashion so they would recognize Him as the God of deliverance! Don’t rush God’s work. Trust the process. You may be in the middle of a deliverance process that is taking longer than expected; but in the end, God will use it to make your faith – and your testimony – stronger than you could have ever imagined.

Trust the process. God will work all things for your good – and His glory – in the end!

Prayer:

Father, help me to trust the process! I know You will ask me to do things that don’t make sense. You will ask me to trust You when I can’t see the finish line! But I will trust You, with all my heart, in Jesus’ name.

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Sunday, January 28^th, 2018
Exodus 5:22-7:25
Matthew 18:21-19:12
Psalm 23:1-6
Proverbs 5:22-23
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

“Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?” – Matt 18:33

The blood of Jesus atones for all our sin: past, present and future. God paid our infinite sin debt with the very life of His Only Son Jesus Christ! He forgave us when forgiveness should have been impossible. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn 3:16).

Now it is our responsibility to go and do likewise. Who are we to withhold forgiveness when God has so freely offered it to us?

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven… – Matt 5:44-45

Prayer:

Father, give me the grace and the strength to forgive the people who offend me. You forgave me when it was impossible; now help me to forgive others, no matter how hard it seems, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Saturday, January 27^th, 2018
Exodus 4:1-5:21
Matthew 18:1-20
Psalm 22:19-31
Proverbs 5:15-21
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

But he said, “O my Lord, please send by the hand of whomever else You may send.” – Ex 4:13

God called Moses to lead His people. But Moses was afraid! “Suppose they will not believe me nor listen to my voice…,” he said (v 1). “I am not eloquent…but I am slow of speech and slow of tongue,” he argued (v 10). But God would have none of it.

Don’t argue with God’s plan for your life; just step out in faith and get it done. God had an answer for every one of Moses’ excuses; and He has an answer for every one of yours. You can do it, because He said you can!

Prayer:

Father, fill me with faith to believe that what You say is true! If You tell me I can do it, I believe it’s possible, in Jesus’ name.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Friday, January 26^th, 2018
Exodus 2:11-3:22
Matthew 17:10-27
Psalm 22:1-18
Proverbs 5:7-14
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me? Why are You so far from helping Me, and from the words of My groaning? – Ps 22:1

Jesus uttered these words so you would never have to. As Jesus hung and died on the Cross, He became your sin (2 Cor 5:21). In one infinite moment, He took on an eternity of suffering for every single one of your faults, failures, and mistakes:

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” – Matt 27:46

From the beginning of time, Jesus and God had been One; but as Jesus hung on the Cross, God turned His back on His Only Son; and He did it so you would only ever see His face.

What a sacrifice. What a Savior! He died, so you would never have to. He chose death, so you could have eternal life!

Prayer:

Father, thank You for the sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ on the Cross! Thank You that Jesus chose death, so that I could have life. I am forever grateful. I don’t deserve Your love; but You died for me to have it anyway.

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Thursday, January 25^th, 2018
Genesis 50:1-Exodus 2:10
Matthew 16:13-17:9
Psalm 21:1-13
Proverbs 5:1-6
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

“But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive. Now therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” And [Joseph] comforted them and spoke kindly to them. – Gen 50:20-21

Here was Joseph’s chance to repay his evil brothers! Their father, Jacob, was dead. Now Joseph was in charge, and his brothers knew it: “When Joseph’s brothers saw that their father was dead, they said, ‘Perhaps Joseph will hate us, and may actually repay us for all the evil which we did to him’” (Gen 50:15). Joseph’s brothers had left him for dead and sold him into slavery; so now was the time to get them back, right?

Wrong. You see, Joseph didn’t need to get his brothers back. He understood an important principle: whatever your enemy intends for evil, God will use for good (Rom 8:28). “Vengeance is Mine,” says the Lord (Deut 32:35). If God’s going to repay our enemies for us, that means we don’t have to worry about “getting them back” ourselves!

Joseph understood that God had turned around his brothers’ evil actions for good; so instead of repaying them with evil, he showered his brothers with kindness.

Who has been wicked to you? Forgive them. Who has caused offense? Let it go. Do you long for the day when you can get them back, and set things straight? Or do you yearn for the day when you can bless them, even though they don’t deserve it?

“But I say to you who hear: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, and pray for those who spitefully use you. To him who strikes you on the one cheek, offer the other also. And from him who takes away your cloak, do not withhold your tunic either.” – Lk 6:27-29

Prayer:

Father, help me to forgive the people in my life who have offended me most. I release them in Jesus’ name. They owe me nothing. Give me the strength and the courage to be kind to them, and to pray for them, even if they don’t deserve it!

Archives
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Wednesday, January 24^th, 2018
Genesis 48:1-49:33
Matthew 15:29-16:12
Psalm 20:1-9
Proverbs 4:20-27
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life. – Prov 4:23

To “keep” is the Hebrew natsar, which means “to guard, watch over, and preserve from danger” (Strong’s #5341).

Your heart is your most important possession. When you gave your life to Jesus, He gave you a new heart and filled you with His Holy Spirit (Ezek 36:26). You are a new creation (2 Cor 5:17)! God has given you an amazing gift; and now it is your responsibility to protect it.

Guard your heart. When people say hateful things and try to get you to partner with their negativity, don’t let them. When the enemy comes to you and whispers that you are not good enough to be a child of God, don’t let him. Guard your heart with everything you have, and insist on being the child of God He has called you to be!

Prayer:

Father, give me the strength and the wisdom to guard my heart. Thank You for my new heart. Thank You for my new life! Help me to keep my eyes fixed on the Cross, and my heart full of Your love, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.

The Daily Word: Monday, January 22^nd, 2018
Genesis 44:1-45:28
Matthew 14:13-36
Psalm 18:37-50
Proverbs 4:11-13
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Commentary from Pastor Michael White:

“Also do not be concerned about your goods, for the best of all the land of Egypt is yours.” Gen 45:20

This is supernatural favor! Joseph’s brothers were far from perfect. They had sold Joseph into slavery because they were jealous of him! They certainly hadn’t earned a reward for good behavior.

But look how God blessed them. Joseph forgave them. Pharaoh gifted them the “best of all the land of Egypt.” In a famine where people were struggling to survive, God blessed His people so they would thrive.

The blessings of God are not conditioned on your perfect behavior; they are conditioned on your relationship with God through Jesus Christ! Joseph blessed his brothers because they were his family; and God will bless you – no matter what you’ve done – for exactly the same reason.

Prayer:

Father, thank You for Your unconditional blessings. I know my past cannot disqualify me from Your goodness. Thank You for blessing me with the best You have to offer, in Jesus’ name!

Archives
See commentary from this day in 2014.
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© Michael D. White, 2018. All rights reserved.