Paul St John

Be WHAT?

"Be Strong And Of Good Courage" God reminds us of this time and again. I'm sorry, but that scares me that God tells me to be strong and have good courage, because that means I'm going to have to step…

Mister Ed Has Nothing On Balaam

I don't know about anyone else, but if the donkey I was riding turned around and talked to me, not sure my first response would be to talk back. Conversation with a donkey would be a little awkward given…

Numbers 22:28 (CEB)

It's Just NOT A Good Idea

We tempt God day after day with our attitudes, our rituals, our rules, our regulations, our sense of purity, our judgements....but do we stop to think about why He doesn't destroy us? We may be unhappy…

Numbers 16:30 (CEB), Numbers 16:31 (CEB), Numbers 16:32 (CEB), Numbers 16:33 (CEB), Numbers 16:34 (CEB), Numbers 16:35 (CEB)

Complain, Complain, Complain

Let's see..... 1. The Israelites complained about being slaves in Egypt.       * God went to GREAT lengths to get them out of Egypt (several plagues resulting in the death of every firstborn of the Egyptians).…

Numbers 14:11 (CEB)

Rollin' Rollin' Rollin"!

If you were 20 years of age or older, you were to be enlisted into the nomadic army of Israel. Remember, the Israelites are still wandering about the dessert on their way to the Promised Land. The tribes…

Numbers 1:19 (CEB), Numbers 1:20 (CEB), Numbers 1:21 (CEB), Numbers 1:22 (CEB), Numbers 1:23 (CEB), Numbers 1:24 (CEB), Numbers 1:25 (CEB), Numbers 1:26 (CEB), Numbers 1:27 (CEB), Numbers 1:28 (CEB), Numbers 1:29 (CEB), Numbers 1:30 (CEB), Numbers 1:31 (CEB), Numbers 1:32 (CEB), Numbers 1:33 (CEB), Numbers 1:34 (CEB), Numbers 1:35 (CEB), Numbers 1:36 (CEB), Numbers 1:37 (CEB), Numbers 1:38 (CEB), Numbers 1:39 (CEB), Numbers 1:40 (CEB), Numbers 1:41 (CEB), Numbers 1:42 (CEB), Numbers 1:43 (CEB), Numbers 1:44 (CEB), Numbers 1:45 (CEB), Numbers 1:46 (CEB)

Doing The Unthinkable

Imagine bringing your tithes and offerings to the church, giving to the building program, giving to help with the build and grounds committee, and one Sunday the pastor stand up and says, "Stop! You're…

Exodus 36:3 (CEB), Exodus 36:4 (CEB), Exodus 36:5 (CEB), Exodus 36:6 (CEB)

Obedience Led to the Outing of the Ites

God told Moses, "Be sure to obey what I command you today." And God made the Amorites, Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Hivites, Jebusites, and all the other Ites leave the area. God still does that…

Exodus 34:11 (CEB)

God Is In The Small Stuff

If you read these chapters, you will see that God gives specific instructions about how He wants things done, how He wants things made, and what He wants from the Israelites. This got me to thinking...if…

Exodus 28:1 (CEB)

That's A LOT Of Gold!

It's pretty amazing to me that God requires so much pure gold to be used in making the accoutrements of worship. Something to remember, gold is heavy! So all this gold is going to be very heavy to transport.…

Exodus 25:11 (KJV), Exodus 25:13 (KJV), Exodus 25:17 (KJV), Exodus 25:18 (KJV), Exodus 25:21 (KJV), Exodus 25:24 (KJV), Exodus 25:25 (KJV), Exodus 25:26 (KJV), Exodus 25:28 (KJV), Exodus 25:29 (KJV), Exodus 25:31 (KJV), Exodus 25:36 (KJV)

God don't play!

When God says we are to have no other gods, He ain't kidding! No other gods means NO OTHER GODS! Not money, not sports, not your spouse, not your kids, not your job...nothing should come before God!…

Exodus 20:3 (KJV)

Want Some Cheese With That?

When we read about the Israelite community complaining about not having what they're used to; how they wish they were back in Egypt; how they don't like what's happening, it's easy to picture them as…

Exodus 16:2 (CEB)

Don't Panic

I absolutely love verse 14!"The LORD will fight FORyou. You just keep still." Ever notice when God sends His messengers, the first thing they say is "Don't be afraid..." Why? Because God is AWESOME!…

Exodus 14:14 (CEB)

Remember Where You Came From

When our life is good and we've achieved goals, it's easy to forget where we came from. We see it all the time, people who become successful or famous or powerful and they forget their humble beginnings.…

Exodus 13:3 (CEB)

Ol' Pharoah Was A Stubborn Ol' Soul

How stubborn can one man be?  Oh wait.....it was the "man" part I must've not noticed before.  Men do tend to be stubborn. I am a man, and I freely admit that I am stubborn, BUT when it gets down to…

Exodus 8:1 (CEB), Exodus 8:2 (CEB), Exodus 8:3 (CEB), Exodus 8:4 (CEB), Exodus 8:5 (CEB), Exodus 8:6 (CEB), Exodus 8:7 (CEB), Exodus 8:8 (CEB), Exodus 8:9 (CEB), Exodus 8:10 (CEB), Exodus 8:11 (CEB), Exodus 8:12 (CEB), Exodus 8:13 (CEB), Exodus 8:14 (CEB), Exodus 8:15 (CEB), Exodus 8:16 (CEB), Exodus 8:17 (CEB), Exodus 8:18 (CEB), Exodus 8:19 (CEB), Exodus 8:20 (CEB), Exodus 8:21 (CEB), Exodus 8:22 (CEB), Exodus 8:23 (CEB), Exodus 8:24 (CEB), Exodus 8:25 (CEB), Exodus 8:26 (CEB), Exodus 8:27 (CEB), Exodus 8:28 (CEB), Exodus 8:29 (CEB), Exodus 8:30 (CEB), Exodus 8:31 (CEB), Exodus 8:32 (CEB), Exodus 9:1 (CEB), Exodus 9:2 (CEB), Exodus 9:3 (CEB), Exodus 9:4 (CEB), Exodus 9:5 (CEB), Exodus 9:6 (CEB), Exodus 9:7 (CEB), Exodus 9:8 (CEB), Exodus 9:9 (CEB), Exodus 9:10 (CEB), Exodus 9:11 (CEB), Exodus 9:12 (CEB), Exodus 9:13 (CEB), Exodus 9:14 (CEB), Exodus 9:15 (CEB), Exodus 9:16 (CEB), Exodus 9:17 (CEB), Exodus 9:18 (CEB), Exodus 9:19 (CEB), Exodus 9:20 (CEB), Exodus 9:21 (CEB), Exodus 9:22 (CEB), Exodus 9:23 (CEB), Exodus 9:24 (CEB), Exodus 9:25 (CEB), Exodus 9:26 (CEB), Exodus 9:27 (CEB), Exodus 9:28 (CEB), Exodus 9:29 (CEB), Exodus 9:30 (CEB), Exodus 9:31 (CEB), Exodus 9:32 (CEB), Exodus 9:33 (CEB), Exodus 9:34 (CEB), Exodus 9:35 (CEB), Exodus 10:1 (CEB), Exodus 10:2 (CEB), Exodus 10:3 (CEB), Exodus 10:4 (CEB), Exodus 10:5 (CEB), Exodus 10:6 (CEB), Exodus 10:7 (CEB), Exodus 10:8 (CEB), Exodus 10:9 (CEB), Exodus 10:10 (CEB), Exodus 10:11 (CEB), Exodus 10:12 (CEB), Exodus 10:13 (CEB), Exodus 10:14 (CEB), Exodus 10:15 (CEB), Exodus 10:16 (CEB), Exodus 10:17 (CEB), Exodus 10:18 (CEB), Exodus 10:19 (CEB), Exodus 10:20 (CEB), Exodus 10:21 (CEB), Exodus 10:22 (CEB), Exodus 10:23 (CEB), Exodus 10:24 (CEB), Exodus 10:25 (CEB), Exodus 10:26 (CEB), Exodus 10:27 (CEB), Exodus 10:28 (CEB), Exodus 10:29 (CEB), Exodus 11:1 (CEB), Exodus 11:2 (CEB), Exodus 11:3 (CEB), Exodus 11:4 (CEB), Exodus 11:5 (CEB), Exodus 11:6 (CEB), Exodus 11:7 (CEB), Exodus 11:8 (CEB), Exodus 11:9 (CEB), Exodus 11:10 (CEB)

But....but.....but......

Moses tries to excuse his way out of having to deal with the conflict that's coming by telling God that he has a "slow mouth and a thick tongue." Maybe he is truly afraid of public speaking, perhaps he…

Exodus 4:10 (CEB), Exodus 4:11 (CEB), Exodus 4:12 (CEB)

Are You KIDDING ME?

Okay, God tells Moses to throw his rod on the ground. Moses obeys and the rod becomes a snake. I don't know about snakes in Moses' day, but the snakes I've met......don't like people very much. They get…

Exodus 4:2 (KJV), Exodus 4:3 (KJV), Exodus 4:4 (KJV)

What's In YOUR Hand?

God asked Moses, "What's that in your hand?" God asks us that too, "What have I given you to help others?" He's given us a voice to share, hands to touch, arms to hug others, hearts to care, minds to…

Exodus 4:2 (CEB)

God Did WHAT?

How many times do we pass judgment on others or have others passed judgement on us? Look at Joseph's statement: "Am I God?" That should be the first question we ask ourselves when we feel the need to…

Genesis 50:19 (CEB), Genesis 50:20 (CEB)

If I Were Simeon, I Would Be TICKED OFF!!

According to the command of Joseph, who had been made governor of Egypt, one brother was to stay behind in jail while the rest took the grain back to Canaan to get their youngest brother and return.…

Genesis 42:36 (CEB), Genesis 43:1 (CEB), Genesis 43:2 (CEB)

Gift Giving At It's Finest

Jacob sent many expensive gifts to Esau seeking only his kindness. Esau may be a hairy outdoorsman, but he proves himself to be a true gentleman in these verses. In verse 9, Esau tells Jacob to keep his…

Genesis 33:10 (CEB), Genesis 33:11 (CEB)

Rasslin' With God

Jacob took his family and belongings and crossed the shallows of the river, BUT he stayed apart by himself. Nothing odd there. Suddenly, Scripture says that a man wrestled with Jacob until dawn and could…

Genesis 32:24 (CEB), Genesis 32:25 (CEB), Genesis 32:26 (CEB), Genesis 32:27 (CEB), Genesis 32:28 (CEB), Genesis 32:29 (CEB), Genesis 32:30 (CEB), Genesis 32:31 (CEB)

The Deceiver Gets Deceived

I've been told that if you grab a snake by the tail it willbite you in the rump. That's what seems to have happened with Jacob. Jacob, who deceived the birthright from Esau and his father's blessing…

Genesis 29:18 (CEB), Genesis 29:19 (CEB), Genesis 29:20 (CEB), Genesis 29:21 (CEB), Genesis 29:22 (CEB), Genesis 29:23 (CEB), Genesis 29:24 (CEB)

And Then, I Actually Started Reading The Bible

I can remember, way back when I was a child and dirt had just been invented, thinking what wonderful and holy people the biblical characters were. I felt intimidated by them and wondered how could I possibly…

Genesis 27:4 (CEB), Genesis 27:5 (CEB), Genesis 27:6 (CEB), Genesis 27:7 (CEB), Genesis 27:8 (CEB), Genesis 27:9 (CEB), Genesis 27:10 (CEB)

What? Again?

Remember when Abram said Sarai was his sister instead of his wife because he believed he would be killed so Sarai could be taken? Guess what? Isaac does the same thing here. He fears for his life because…

Genesis 26:6 (ESV), Genesis 26:7 (ESV), Genesis 26:8 (ESV), Genesis 26:9 (ESV), Genesis 26:10 (ESV), Genesis 26:11 (ESV)

Hairy And The Mama's Boy

Rebekah got pregnant. With twinsno less. Apparently the sibling rivalry began while they were still womb-mates. Rebekah checks with God about the inner turmoil in her womb and God tells her, "Two nations…

Genesis 25:23 (CEB), Genesis 25:24 (CEB), Genesis 25:25 (CEB), Genesis 25:26 (CEB), Genesis 25:27 (CEB), Genesis 25:28 (CEB), Genesis 25:29 (CEB), Genesis 25:30 (CEB), Genesis 25:31 (CEB), Genesis 25:32 (CEB), Genesis 25:33 (CEB), Genesis 25:34 (CEB)