From the Heart by B.Demaere

Relationship is the key (Genesis 12:2) Romans 4:13)

  18. But I solemnly swear to keep you safe in the boat, with your wife and your sons and their wives. 21. And remember, take enough food for your family and for all the animals. Firstly, in this instance God personally makes one promise regardless of Noah's ability to built the Ark.  He makes the promise that he will keep him safe. Secondly, he reminds him of one detail which is important.  It is the food for everyone and the animals.  As a former cook, I can't imagine the amount of food they would have needed for just about two hundred days at sea, not able to fish.  In addition, they had to take animals for the sacrifices.  The comforting thought with travelling is that there is always a lighter cargo at the end of the trip. Nevertheless, he takes care of every detail for a successful voyage.  Everything worked out for everyone's good.  As God promised he took care of Noah and everyone with him.  He could look back on this adventure and sh...

  "You won't die"!" the serpent hissed Likewise, it is in the beginning of every temptation.  Maybe you have heard it more often that you care to admit..."You won't die"!  Just try it one more time and each time, you die a bit more inside.   Of course, you can hear the deception in these words?  Prior to this verse, God had specifically ordered them not to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:17).  But the name of the tree even sounded so good..."knowledge", we would have "knowledge?"  This is the very tree mankind still try to climb today.  'Indeed, by our knowledge we will win a place in heaven'.  'By our knowledge, we will conquer the seas and lands, we don't need God at all'.  'We know everything now'. Mankind claims pridefully! Mankind is dangerously living on the edge of Hell itself! Affirmatively, the wages of sin is death.   That's in the Bible too! (Romans 6:23) Furth...

You won’t die (Genesis 3:4) (John 3:16)

  I remember the days of old; I meditate on all that you have done; I ponder the work of your hands. Today at 11:00 am Remembrance day will be celebrated in some parts of the world.  What do we actually remember? Actually, I remember the stories my mother (still alive) used to tell us ( me and my younger brothers) throughout our childhood.  It was real for her, she was four years old when WWII broke out  in Belgium where she lived.  I remember her telling us a fascinating story about her dad taken as prisoner by the German in Holland.  The only way, my grandfather could be freed was one day, when they interrogated him.  With the little Dutch that he knew, he had to pronounce one sentence just right in Dutch.  My grandfather did it and was set free.  Imagine the feeling!  To be free from death or prison, just because of one right word. However, there is a spiritual application to this story.  Right now, eternal damnation is your dest...

Exploring the Bible by B.Demaere: The Race (Galatians 6:9) (2 Timothy 4:7) :   So don't get tired of doing what is good.  Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the approp...

  So don't get tired of doing what is good.  Don't get discouraged and give up, for we will reap a harvest of blessing at the appropriate time. (Galatians 6:9) I have fought a good fight, I have finished the race, and I have remained faithful. (2 Timothy 4:7) April 15, 2012   56 years old This is the date and the age I was when I ran my first and only Sun run 10 km race in Vancouver, BC.  Those were the years, I was into running and constantly training.  My goal was to eventually run a marathon, but a half marathon would have been enough.  Then, we moved, the sight of a hill and my enthusiasm deflated down to just walks. Although, discouragement comes slowly it is common.  It creeps in on us and before we know it we are on our knees begging for strength.  Maybe though, that's where we should have been at the start of the race.  How often do we do the race in our own strength instead of God's? Indeed, we see a distraction during the race ...

Exploring the Bible by B.Demaere: Where is your First Love? (Matthew 13:18-23) :   The good soil represents the hearts of those who TRULY ACCEPT God's message and produce a huge harvest-thirty, sixty, or even a hundre...

  The good soil represents the hearts of those who TRULY ACCEPT God's message and produce a huge harvest-thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times as much as had been planted.   (Matthew 13:23) In the first place, seeing this verse would you agree that your life like mine doesn't produce a huge harvest.  By looking in the previous verses we can identify which camp we belong to.  Firstly, we could belong to those who have been robbed by the Devil  (v.19).  Secondly, to the 'rocky bunch whose roots don't go deep (v20-21).  Thirdly, we have the 'thorny, messed up group.  There is overgrowth in that one.  Moreover, distractions in their lives smother the ground like thorns.  Meeting they have to go to, TV they have to watch to keep up with the latest news.  Lastly, there is the good soil people.  They are tuned in the Vine and grow in the Word.  They let the Master cultivate their ground. The rocks and the thorns have to be ...