Kingdom Values

Woe to him who builds his realm by unjust gain to set his nest on high, to escape the clutches of ruin!" — Habakkuk 2:9

In our "dog eat dog" world, in our race to get to the top and leave all our rivals in a heap at the bottom, God tells us both "Whoa!" and "Woe!" He tells us to stop and realize that Kingdom values are different from worldly values — that there is no success without service. He also warns us that he will bring us to ruin if we ignore his values by placing ourselves above the well-being of others or pursuing our own success at the cost of our ethics.

Ways to Peace

. By Interceding
1 Timothy 2:1-2
I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men;   For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty.

. By loving the Word
Psalm 119:165
For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

. By Seeking
Psalm 34:14
Depart from evil, and do good;
seek peace, and pursue it.

. By Righteousness
Isaiah 32:17
And the work of righteousness shall be peace;
and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever.

Thought

Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.  To these I commit my day.  If I succeed, I will give thanks.  If I fail, I will seek his grace.  And then, when this day is done, I will place my head on my pillow and rest. - Max Lucado

[Message No: 7631]

Put God First

But Jehoshaphat also said to the king of Israel, "First seek the counsel of the LORD."  - 1 Kings 22:5
This verse is from the wonderful story of Micaiah the prophet. Jehoshaphat knew not to trust the counsel of false prophets. He was adamant that before they went into battle with anyone, God's people needed to first seek the counsel of the Lord! This should also be our approach to life. So often we ask God to bless what we've already decided rather than spending time in prayer, fasting, and Scripture seeking our Father's will. Let's not rush our decisions. God has promised that he would lead us with his Spirit, let's not rush the Spirit's input, or even worse, ignore it and then ask God to bless us anyway!

Purge out old leaven

1 Corinthians 5:7
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.

Purify hearts of doubt

James 4:8
Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

Prophet Moses

Exodus 9:29
So Moses said to him, “As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread out my hands to the Lord; the thunder will cease, and there will be no more hail, that you may know that the earth is the Lord's

Put others in remembrance of essentials 

2 Timothy 2:14
Remind them of these things, charging them before the Lord not to strive about words to no profit, to the ruin of the hearers.

Quench not the Spirit

1 Thessalonians 5:19
Do not quench the Spirit.

Raise the Dead

Matthew 10:8
Heal the sick, cleanse the lepers, raise the dead, cast out demons. Freely you have received, freely give.
[Message No: 7630]

Resentment Hurts You More than Anyone Else

“To worry yourself to death with resentment would be a foolish, senseless thing to do” Job 5:2 (GNT).

Why is it so important to us to have the last word?

What are some of the ways you’ve seen lingering resentment hurt you or people you care about?
What past hurt do you need to forgive in order to let go of lingering resentment?

Just and True

“Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty. Just and true are your ways, King of the nations. Who will not fear you, Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship before you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” Revelation 15:3-4

Therefore, we must approach difficult passages with humility. Our limited knowledge and perspective make it absurd for us to judge God. Instead, by affirming the truth of God’s character and submitting to the Holy Spirit for guidance, we ask God to show us how to correctly view his justice.

When God Seems Small

When God seems small, “magnify Him with thanksgiving.” (Psalm 69:30)

Forgetting to be thankful, we complain. We wallow in the uncomfortable. We forget to focus on God’s goodness.

We wonder why God is no longer the invincible, all-powerful, loving God we’ve seen Him to be so many times before.

When God seems small, we need to remember the exhortation found many times in the Psalms to magnify the Lord.

To “magnify” means to “to increase in significance; to cause to be held in greater esteem; to enlarge.” (Webster’s dictionary)
Our God never changes.

It is Finished

John 17:4
have glorified You on the earth. I have finished the work which You have given Me to do.

[Message No: 7629]

No One Can Separate Us

But let all who take refuge in you be glad; let them ever sing for joy. Spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may rejoice in you. — Psalm 5:11

The last several years have not been easy for believers. Persecution around the world is at an all-time high. In the United States, mass murderers specifically targeted those who believed in God. Though executed for their faith, their witness to the LORD has been as inspiring. We have many choices when faced with such reality. Shock probably should not be among them. This is an old horror, going back to the earliest days of the Christian community. It actually originated long before the days of Jesus, when our Jewish heroes were persecuted for two simple reasons: they believed in the One true God and they were Jewish.

I believe it's time that we start praying this ancient prayer from today's Scripture in Psalm 5 again. When we pray it, let's remember that no matter what others may do to us, they cannot separate us from God and the deliverance he holds for us in the  future.

Thus, this short message had any effect on me today? Is this message is only for the early Christians? Or is it for the persecuted Christians?

Suppose day and time will come, we may stand in their shoes, what happens? Are we prepared to meet such eventualities in our lives? Today, it’s time for each one of us to reflect on our spiritual lives, where we stand, how close to our Savior in our Faith.

It’s not too late, our Lord is close to us and waiting for our call to Him, let us call Him, Abba Father – confess our sins and take ‘U’ turn from our sinful life towards Him. He is eve ready to receive us and grant us much needed peace and assurance that we will be with Him, when He calls us back to Home.

Questions of Jesus

. On Commitment

Luke 16:11
If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?

. On Fear

Mark 4:40
And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith?

[Message No: 7628]

It’s a different Voice

And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased." — Mark 1:11

Shortly after Jesus' baptism, he went to face Satan in a gruelling 40 days of temptation. Remember what Satan's opening words were? "If you are the Son of God..." Wasn't it great that God had already reassured him of his relationship before it was questioned? What do those you love need to hear from you today? You don't know when their time of trial will come; you just know it will, so go ahead and reassure them before it's necessary!

The Veil is Removed

2 Corinthians 3:15-16
Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.  But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

Questions in Job 

39:20
Do you make him leap like the locust?
His majestic snorting is terrifying.

39:26
“Is it by your understanding that the hawk soars
and spreads his wings toward the south?

Nothing to Fear

Mark 4:40
He said to them, “Why are you so afraid? Have you still no faith?”

. Is it of the Purpose of God?

2 Timothy 2:10
Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.

. Is it the Appointment of God?

1 Thessalonians 5:9
For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

[Message No: 7627]

Rend Your Heart

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. — Joel 2:13

One of the most amazing things about our God is that he is so gracious and compassionate. This is true even when we've "blown it big time." In fact, when we sin, he longs to forgive and cleanse, not condemn and punish. His grace rushes to greet our genuine heartbreak and heart-change with forgiveness, cleansing, and redemption.

The Death of Jesus

Mark  15:33-41 — Mt 27:45-56; Lk 23:44-49; Jn 19:29-30
  At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.    And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).

    When some of those standing near heard this, they said, “Listen, he’s calling Elijah.”
    Someone ran, filled a sponge with wine vinegar,  put it on a staff, and offered it to Jesus to drink. “Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to take him down,” he said.
      With a loud cry, Jesus breathed his last.

    The curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.    And when the centurion,  who stood there in front of Jesus, saw how he died, he said, “Surely this man was the Son of God!”
    Some women were watching from a distance.  Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome.    In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there.

Questions of Jesus

. On Touch

Mark 5:30
And Jesus, immediately knowing in himself that virtue had gone out of him, turned him about in the press, and said, Who touched my clothes?

. On the Times

Luke 12:56
Ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth; but how is it that ye do not discern this time?

[Message No: 7626]

Stop Being Uneasy about Your Life

Worry has more questions than answers, more work than energy, and thinks often about giving up. There’s not enough time, luck, credit, wisdom, or intelligence. We’re running out of everything it seems, and so we worry.  But worry doesn’t work. You can dedicate a decade of anxious thoughts to the brevity of life, and not extend it by one minute. Worry accomplishes nothing.

God doesn’t condemn legitimate concern for responsibilities but rather the continuous mind-set that dismisses God’s presence. Destructive anxiety subtracts God from the future and tallies up the challenges of the day without entering God into the equation.

Jesus gives us this challenge: “Your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. Seek the Kingdom of God above all else and live righteously; and he will give you everything you need” (Matthew 6:32-33).

Struggles

Struggles: Yes we all go through them. Sometimes we know why and probably most often we don’t. James tells us to…

‘Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds,’ James 1:2.
James tells us to consider it all joy when we go through them. But it can be a real struggle.
James continues on in verse three...

‘because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.’
Does that means so the at we can struggle better? Verse four gives us the answer.
‘Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.‘
This gives reason for the struggles, that we might grow from the experience. And then in verse twelve we get the results.

‘Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial because, having stood the test, that person will receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love him.’
Be blessed my friend!

[Message No: 7625]

Why God Blesses

Now he who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will also supply and increase your store of seed and will enlarge the harvest of your righteousness. — 2 Corinthians 9:10

God has blessed us so much in Jesus. Yet God longs to bless us even more. Why? God longs to bless us because ... he is a generous God ... because he is our loving Father ... because that is his nature ... because he wants us to be like him! God blesses us to be a blessing to others

Questions in 2 Kings

4:13
And he said to him, “Say now to her, ‘Look, you have been concerned for us with all this care. What can I do for you? Do you want me to speak on your behalf to the king or to the commander of the army?’ ”
  She answered, “I dwell among my own people.”

4:14
So he said, “What then is to be done for her?”
  And Gehazi answered, “Actually, she has no son, and her husband is old.”

4:23
So he said, “Why are you going to him today? It is neither the New Moon nor the Sabbath.”
  And she said, “It is well.”

Commands - Repent 

Mark 1:15
and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”

Acts 2:38
Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit

Transformed Life

2 Corinthians 5:21
For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

John 3:17
For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

Job 34:21
“For His eyes are on the ways of man,
 And He sees all his steps.

[Message No: 7624]

Out treatment towards others!

Zechariah 7:9-10

“This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another. Do not oppress the widow or the fatherless, the alien or the poor. In your hearts do not think evil of each other."

Do you want a clear, simple, straightforward word from the Lord today? That's what Zechariah gives us. He reminds us that God wants us to be fair, compassionate, caring, without prejudice, and tenderhearted to those in need, and to give each other the benefit of the doubt. In other words, he wants us to treat each other like Christ treated people. Why? Because we can't be right with God and be wrong with people!

Improving Our Prayers

Ephesians 3:14-16

Are you satisfied with your prayer life? I don’t know too many people who would answer yes to that question, because most of us know that we fall short in this discipline. Even the most mature believers recognize their need for improvement, and one of the best methods for doing that is examining scriptural prayers and using them as a model.

Several of Paul’s prayers are recorded in his epistles, and they supply wonderful insights about different ways to pray. In today’s passage, we see two foundations for prayer.

Immediately

Mark 1:18
They immediately left their nets and followed Him.

Changed

Mark 16:15
And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

Thoughts 

. Repentance was perhaps best defined by a small girl: “It’s to be sorry enough to quit.” - Unknown
. God is more truly imagined than expressed, and he exists more truly than he is imagined. - Augustine of Hippo

. “Stay” is a charming word in a friend’s vocabulary. - Louisa May Alcott

. The farther we go along the path of God, the more angels we shall encounter.

-H. C. Moolenburgh

[Message No: 7623]

Choosing Faith over Fear

“Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” Isaiah 41:10

These days, there are plenty of reasons to fear.

Our world seems to be in a continuous state of war and crisis. The jobs market is dismal, natural disasters wreak havoc, and stories of crime dominate the headlines. As Christians, we know that fear should have no place in our lives, but how can we ignore what’s going on around us?

Basically, there are two paths you can walk: faith or fear. It’s impossible to simultaneously trust God and not trust God. Another way of saying this is that you cannot both obey and disobey Him–partial obedience is disobedience. So, which road are you travelling?

Some people who read the Bible and believe in God nevertheless choose to live with fear. Seeing others experience hardship, they start wondering if it could happen to them: Someone at my office lost his job; will I be next? Someone died in an accident–I could die too. But this kind of “logic” places your circumstances above your relationship to God.

If Satan can get you to think like this, he has won the battle for your mind. But when you focus on God rather than your circumstances, whatever the situation is, you win.  The Bible tells us,
“God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline” (2 Timothy 1:7).

Live it

Ezekiel 33:30-33

“As for you, son of man, your people are talking together about you by the walls and at the doors of the houses, saying to each other, ‘Come and hear the message that has come from the Lord.’   My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before  you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy  for unjust gain.    Indeed, to them you are nothing more than one who sings love songs  with a beautiful voice and plays an instrument well, for they hear your words but do not put them into practice.

    “When all this comes true—and it surely will—then they will know that a prophet has been among them. ”

[Message No: 7622]

Questions in Luke -1

22:46
Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

22:48
But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

22:49
When those around Him saw what was going to happen, they said to Him, “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?”

22:52
Then Jesus said to the chief priests and officers of the temple and elders, who had come out against him, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?

22:64
They also blindfolded him and kept asking him, “Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”

22:67
If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,

22:70
So they all said, “Are you the Son of God, then?” And he said to them, “You say that I am.”

22:71
Then they said, “What further testimony do we need? We have heard it ourselves from his own lips.”

23:3
And Pilate asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” And he answered him, “You have said so.”

23:22
A third time he said to them, “Why? What evil has he done? I have found in him no guilt deserving death. I will therefore punish and release him.”

23:31
For if they do these things when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

[Message No: 7621]

Thither

1. The place of Refuge
Deuteronomy 4:42
That the slayer might flee thither, which should kill his neighbour unawares, and hated him not in times past; and that fleeing unto one of these cities he might live:

2. The place of Gathering
Deuteronomy 12:5
But unto the place which the Lord your God shall choose out of all your tribes to put his name there, even unto his habitation shall ye seek, and thither thou shalt come:

3. The place of Offering
Deuteronomy 12:6
And thither ye shall bring your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, and your tithes, and heave offerings of your hand, and your vows, and your freewill offerings, and the firstlings of your herds and of your flocks:

4. The place of Obedience
Deuteronomy 12:11
Then there shall be a place which the Lord your God shall choose to cause his name to dwell there; thither shall ye bring all that I command you; your burnt offerings, and your sacrifices, your tithes, and the heave offering of your hand, and all your choice vows which ye vow unto the Lord:

5. The place of Marshalling
Nehemiah 4:20
In what place therefore ye hear the sound of the trumpet, resort ye thither unto us: our God shall fight for us

6. The place of work
Nehemiah 5:16
Yea, also I continued in the work of this wall, neither bought we any land: and all my servants were gathered thither unto the work.

7. The place of Prayer
John 18:2
And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.

Acts 16:13
And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither.

8. The place of Testimony
Acts 8:30
And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?

[Message 7620]

Impossible Instructions

What sea faces you?
What tyrant is roaring? What enemies aim their arrows of discouragement, loss, and fear? Before God gives the command to move on, he asks that we be still. Stop long enough to gaze into God’s face. Stop in holy quiet to shut out the roar of the tempter who  murmurs that God isn’t strong enough, isn’t loving enough, can’t possibly care for insignificant you. Stop long enough to hear God’s sure whisper,
“I will fight for you.”

Often it’s only after those moments—or days—of stillness that we hear the next instruction: “Move on.” And when we’ve crossed the uncrossable sea, we, like one of the brave Israelite women will sing,
“The Lord is my strength and defence… He is my God and I will praise him…”

Exodus 14:13
“Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.”

2 Chronicles 20:17
You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see  the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out

2 Kings 6:16
“Don’t be afraid,”  the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more  than those who are with them.”

Lamentations 3:26
it is good to wait quietly
 for the salvation of the Lord.
    It is good for a man to bear the yoke
 while he is young.

Hosea 13:4
“But I have been the Lord your God
 ever since you came out of Egypt.
 You shall acknowledge  no God but me,
 no Savior  except me.

[Message No: 7619]

Life’s Uncertainty Teaches God Can be Trusted

Matthew 7

Because the well runs dry, we know Jesus is the river of living water (John 4).
Because the storm rages, we know Jesus is the Lord of the storms (Matthew 14).
Because the floods overwhelm, we know Jesus is the rock on which to build (Matthew 7).
Because the foundation shivers, we know Jesus is the cornerstone that will not move (Matthew 21).
Because sickness comes, we know Jesus is the healer (Matthew 4).
Because we’re bankrupt through the debt of sin, we know Jesus is our redeemer (Galatians 3).
Because we grieve, we know Jesus is the voice calling from the shore, “Friends, haven’t you any fish?” (John 21).

Because we’re full of doubt, we know Jesus is the nail-scarred palm inviting our touch (John 20).
Jesus taught in the “nasty now-and-now” because he knew disciples with focused faith are never made in the classroom; we’re made in the uncertainty of life as we come face-to-face with
“I can’t, but God can.”

If we will allow it, our circumstances drive us deeper into the heart of God, and we change because we have believed and come to know the Holy One of God (John 6:69).

Security Systems

Isaiah 30:15
This is what the Sovereign  Lord, the Holy One  of Israel, says:
  “In repentance and rest  is your salvation,
 in quietness and trust  is your strength,
 but you would have none of it.

Question: How are you doing with resting in God’s plan for your life?

Thought 

. For thy great gift, O Father,
We thank Thee today—
The gift of silence;
For the rich, warm, generous silence
We thank Thee,
Wherein our souls,
Stunted and shriveled and starved
In the arid desert of everyday hurry and strain,
May rest, and quietly grow, and expand
Upward to Thee.
- John S. Hoyland

[Message No: 7618]

Covid – 19

Some encouraging Bible Verses –

Isaiah 41:10

So do not fear,  for I am with you;

 do not be dismayed, for I am your God.

 I will strengthen  you and help  you;

 I will uphold you  with my righteous right hand.

2 Timothy 1:7

For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid,  but gives us power,  love and self-discipline.

Psalm 34:4

I sought the Lord,  and he answered me;

 he delivered  me from all my fears.

Romans 8:38-39

For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future,  nor any powers,    neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God  that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Philippians 4:6-7

Do not be anxious about anything,  but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.    And the peace of God,  which transcends all understanding,  will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

1 Peter 5:7

Cast all your anxiety on him  because he cares for you.

Psalm 55:22

Cast your cares on the Lord

 and he will sustain you;

 he will never let

 the righteous be shaken.

[Message No: 7617]

Jesus Presented in the Temple

Luke 2:22-24
    Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”), and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Examples of Wholeheartedness

` Josiah
2 Kings 23:25
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned  to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

` Paul
Philippians 3:8
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing  Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

` Jesus
Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven  said, “This is my Son,  whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Questions in 1st Corinthians 

10:22
Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?  Are we stronger than he?

10:29
I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom  being judged by another’s conscience?

11:22

Don’t you have homes to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God  by humiliating those who have nothing?  What shall I say to you? Shall I praise you?  Certainly not in this matter!

[Message No: 7616]

The Soldiers Mock Jesus

Mark  15:16-20 — Mt 27:27-31

  The soldiers led Jesus away into the palace  (that is, the Praetorium) and called together the whole company of soldiers.   They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him.   And they began to call out to him, “Hail, king of the Jews!”    Again and again they struck him on the head with a staff and spit on him.

Falling on their knees, they paid homage to him.   And when they had mocked him, they took off the purple robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him out  to crucify him.

Who God Is

 Exodus 34:6-7
And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, “The Lord, the Lord, the compassionate  and gracious God, slow to anger,  abounding in love  and faithfulness,    maintaining love to thousands,  and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.  Yet he does not leave the guilty unpunished;  he punishes the children and their children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation.”

Don’t Look Back

Philippians 3:13-14
Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind  and straining toward what is ahead,   I press on  toward the goal to win the prize  for which God has called  me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

Inseparable

Romans 8:35
Who shall separate us from the love of Christ?  Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?    As it is written:

Accepted in the Beloved

Ephesians 1:6
to the praise of his glorious grace,  which he has freely given us in the One he loves.

[Message No: 7615]

A Time for Everything

Proverbs 1:1-8

The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.
  To know wisdom and instruction;
to perceive the words of understanding;
  To receive the instruction of wisdom,
justice, and judgment, and equity;
  To give subtilty to the simple,
to the young man knowledge and discretion.

  A wise man will hear, and will increase learning;
 and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:
  To understand a proverb, and the interpretation;
the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

   The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction.
  My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
and forsake not the law of thy mother:

Happy The Souls To Jesus Joined

1 HAPPY the souls to Jesus joined,
And saved by grace alone,
Walking in all his ways they find
Their heaven on earth begun.

2 The church triumphant in thy love,
Their mighty joys we know;
They sing the Lamb in hymns above,
And we in hymns below.

3 Thee in thy glorious realm they praise,
And bow before thy throne,
We in the kingdom of thy grace:
The kingdoms are but one.

4 The holy to the holiest leads,
>From thence our spirits rise,
And he that in thy statutes treads
Shall meet thee in the skies.

[Message No: 7614]

The Prophet’s Question

Habakkuk 1:1-4

The burden which the prophet Habakkuk saw.
      The Prophet's Question
    O Lord, how long shall I cry,
 And You will not hear?
 Even cry out to You, “Violence!”

 And You will not save.
  Why do You show me iniquity,
 And cause me to see trouble?
 For plundering and violence are before me;
 There is strife, and contention arises.

  Therefore the law is powerless,
 And justice never goes forth.
 For the wicked surround the righteous;
 Therefore perverse judgment proceeds.

The Just live by Faith

Habakkuk 2: 2-4

Then the Lord answered me and said:
   “Write the vision
 And make it plain on tablets,
 That he may run who reads it.

  For the vision is yet for an appointed time;
 But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie.
 Though it tarries, wait for it;
 Because it will surely come,
 It will not tarry.

  “Behold the proud,
 His soul is not upright in him;
 But the just shall live by his faith.

[Message No: 7613]

Jesus one who saves us

God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. — John 3:17

How do you view God? Is he someone looking for a way to condemn you? Is he an out of touch old man who doesn't really know what it's like in our modern world? Is he too holy to soil himself with the concerns of mere mortals and has left it up to us to work everything out for ourselves? No. NO. NO! God chose to enter our world and experience it from the side of mortality.

God chose to enter our world, not to condemn us, or it, but to redeem it and each of us. Jesus is the great reminder that God longs to save us, not condemn us. Thank God for God! Thank God for Jesus who was and is God with us.

The Power of God's Grace

Romans 5:1-5
Therefore, since we have been justified  through faith,  we have peace  with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,    through whom we have gained access  by faith into this grace in which we now stand.  And we boast in the hope  of the glory of God.   Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings,  because we know that suffering produces perseverance;    perseverance, character; and character, hope.   And hope  does not put us to shame, because God’s love  has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit,  who has been given to us.

It’s The Thought that Counts

Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death,  but the gift of God is eternal life  in Christ Jesus our Lord.

God of Love
Titus 3:4
But when the kindness  and love of God our Savior  appeared,

Thought 

 “A silly idea is current that good people do not know what temptation means. This is an obvious lie. Only those who try to resist temptation know how strong it is... A man who gives in to temptation after five minutes simply does not know what it would have been like an hour later. That is why bad people, in one sense, know very little about badness. They have lived a sheltered life by always giving in.” ― C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity

[Message No: 7612]

What the Bible says about the Diseases

Psalm 107:20
He sent out his word  and healed them;
 he rescued  them from the grave.

Deuteronomy 3:16
But to the Reubenites and the Gadites I gave the territory extending from Gilead down to the Arnon Gorge (the middle of the gorge being the border) and out to the Jabbok River,  which is the border of the Ammonites.

Isaiah 38:16-17
Lord, by such things people live;
 and my spirit finds life in them too.
 You restored me to health
 and let me live.

    Surely it was for my benefit
 that I suffered such anguish.
 In your love you kept me
 from the pit  of destruction;
 you have put all my sins
 behind your back.

2 Thessalonians 3:16
Now may the Lord of peace  himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you.

Philippians 4:6
for even when I was in Thessalonica,  you sent me aid more than once when I was in need.

Luke 8:50
Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

Psalm 34:19
The righteous person may have many troubles,
 but the Lord delivers him from them all;

Revelation 21:4
He will wipe every tear from their eyes.  There will be no more death’  or mourning or crying or pain,  for the old order of things has passed away.”

Isaiah 41:10
So do not fear,  for I am with you;
 do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
 I will strengthen  you and help  you;
 I will uphold you  with my righteous right hand.

Mark 1:41
Jesus was indignant. He reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”

[Message No: 7611]

Jesus again predicts His Death

Luke 18:31-34
Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them, “We are going up to Jerusalem,  and everything that is written by the prophets  about the Son of Man  will be fulfilled.   He will be delivered over to the Gentiles.  They will mock him, insult him and spit on him;   they will flog him  and kill him.  On the third day  he will rise again.”

    The disciples did not understand any of this. Its meaning was hidden from them, and they did not know what he was talking about.

All That Pass By, To Jesus Draw Near

1 ALL that pass by, To Jesus draw near,
He utters a cry, Ye sinners, give ear!
>From hell to retrieve you He spreads out his hands;
Now, now to receive you, He graciously stands.

2 If any man thirst, And happy would be,
The vilest and worst May come unto me,
May drink of my Spirit, Excepted is none,
Lay claim to my merit, And take for his own.

3 Whoever receives The life-giving word,
In Jesus believes, His God and his Lord,
In him a pure river Of life shall arise,
Shall in the believer Spring up to the skies.

4 My God and my Lord! Thy call I obey,
My soul on thy word Of promise I stay,
Thy kind invitation I gladly embrace,
Athirst for salvation, Salvation by grace.

Fear

Genesis 42:18
On the third day, Joseph said to them, “Do this and you will live, for I fear God:

Numbers 14:9
Only do not rebel  against the Lord. And do not be afraid  of the people of the land,  because we will devour them. Their protection is gone, but the Lord is with  us.  Do not be afraid of them.”

[Message No: 7610]

We do have awesome and eternal God

"Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise." — Nehemiah 9:5

"Stand up and shout it if you love my Jesus..." That's a song our children love to sing! But what happens to that youthful exuberance and joy at worshiping the Lord? Scripture seems to show us that God doesn't want us to lose it. Read through the Bible and highlight all the physical acts used to reverence and praise our awesome and eternal God. In a world which regularly uses God's name in vain, isn't it time we stood up and praised him — not only in church (our private worship) and our daily devotionals (our personal worship), but also in our lives every day (our public worship)?!
It's a personal question. Today, how many of us are praising Him in front of other people.

Often times in Churches we observe that members hesitate to say ‘Halleluiah’ and ‘Praise the Lord’.  At the time of Praise and Worship moment, hardly we have seen raising hands in the Worship places.
Why, it’s happening? Are they afraid? Are they feel ashamed to praise Lord God? All these seems to be small but extremely serious in the presence and eyes of our Lord. It’s time for us to examine ourselves what stand we are taking in our lives. let’s pray and commit such brothers and sisters in our prayers constantly that Lord will touch and change them.

Some of the other Bible verses for this thoughts are: 

1 Kings 8:15
Then he said:
  “Praise be to the Lord,  the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said,

Nehemiah 9:4
Standing on the stairs of the Levites  were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 

Nehemiah 9:6
You alone are the Lord.  You made the heavens,  even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,  the earth  and all that is on it, the seas  and all that is in them.  You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven  worship you.

Psalm 72:19
Praise be to his glorious name  forever;
 may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
 Amen and Amen.

[Message No: 7609]

We do have awesome and eternal God

"Stand up and praise the LORD your God, who is from everlasting to everlasting. Blessed be your glorious name, and may it be exalted above all blessing and praise." — Nehemiah 9:5

"Stand up and shout it if you love my Jesus..." That's a song our children love to sing! But what happens to that youthful exuberance and joy at worshiping the Lord? Scripture seems to show us that God doesn't want us to lose it. Read through the Bible and highlight all the physical acts used to reverence and praise our awesome and eternal God. In a world which regularly uses God's name in vain, isn't it time we stood up and praised him — not only in church (our private worship) and our daily devotionals (our personal worship), but also in our lives every day (our public worship)?!
It's a personal question. Today, how many of us are praising Him in front of other people. Often times in Churches we observe that members hesitate to say ‘Halleluiah’ and ‘Praise the Lord’. 

At the time of Praise and Worship moment, hardly we have seen raising hands in the Worship places.
Why, it’s happening? Are they afraid? Are they feel ashamed to praise Lord God? All these seems to be small but extremely serious in the presence and eyes of our Lord. It’s time for us to examine ourselves what stand we are taking in our lives. let’s pray and commit such brothers and sisters in our prayers constantly that Lord will touch and change them.
Some of the other Bible verses for this thoughts are: 

1 Kings 8:15

Then he said:
  “Praise be to the Lord,  the God of Israel, who with his own hand has fulfilled what he promised with his own mouth to my father David. For he said,
Nehemiah 9:4
Standing on the stairs of the Levites  were Jeshua, Bani, Kadmiel, Shebaniah, Bunni, Sherebiah, Bani and Kenani. They cried out with loud voices to the Lord their God. 

Nehemiah 9:6

You alone are the Lord.  You made the heavens,  even the highest heavens, and all their starry host,  the earth  and all that is on it, the seas  and all that is in them.  You give life to everything, and the multitudes of heaven  worship you.

Psalm 72:19

Praise be to his glorious name  forever;
 may the whole earth be filled with his glory.
 Amen and Amen.

[Message No: 7608]

The Blessings of the Lordship

. Salvation

Romans 10:9
that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

. Inheritance

Colossians 3:23-24
And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ.

. Ministry

Luke 4:18
“The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me,
 Because He has anointed Me
 To preach the gospel to the poor;
 He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted,
 To proclaim liberty to the captives
 And recovery of sight to the blind,
 To set at liberty those who are oppressed;

. Rich Blessing

Romans 10:12
For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him.

Thought 

. Let nothing disturb you,
Nothing frighten you.
All things pass,
And God never changes.
When you endure things with patience,
You attain all things that God can give you.
When you have God,
You lack for nothing. - Teresa of Avila

[Message No: 7607]

God’s Word is Powerful

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. — 1 Peter 1:23

Words are powerful! They can maim, wound, and debilitate. They can also bless, encourage, and inspire. When those words are God's Word, they are even more important. God's Word — the Scriptures, the Gospel — is not only truth, but it is life! Alive and enduring, God's Word imparts life to us and gives us his message of eternal life. It tells us of his grace and teaches us how we can be born again. Let's not take it for granted ... or neglect its message ... or remain silent about its truth.

Ho! Every One That Thirsts, Draw Nigh!

1 HO! every one that thirsts, draw nigh!
('Tis God invites the fallen race)
Mercy and free salvation buy;
Buy wine, and milk, and gospel grace.

2 Come to the living waters, come!
Sinners, obey your Maker's call;
Return, ye weary wanderers, home,
And find my grace is free for all.

3 See from the Rock a fountain rise!
For you in healing streams it rolls;
Money ye need not bring, nor price,
Ye labouring, burdened, sin-sick souls.

4 Nothing ye in exchange shall give,
Leave all you have and are behind,
Frankly the gift of God receive,
Pardon and peace in Jesus find.

Fear

Deuteronomy 2:25
This very day I will begin to put the terror  and fear  of you on all the nations under heaven. They will hear reports of you and will tremble  and be in anguish because of you.”

[Message No: 7606]

How much can we save ourselves?

Today, whole world is at standstill, alarmed, in every family we see the picture of stress and worry. Slowly everyone’s active life is coming to stand still. People not thinking except Carona virus. 24x7 we are watching the TV to see mainly only about Carona and it’s immense effect in all over the world.

Every Government is doing their Best to curb this C Virus, but it’s spreading. We are experiencing today in our own country and cities. Families and individuals  are affected.

Time like this as believers – all knows that we are having only one way i.e. our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Even our Worship services are stopped all over in our Churches!
Time like this what are we doing or what we are supposed to do? Those who know the way to tell others. As I mentioned above that only Jesus can save us.

Let’s see few verses from our Holy Bibles which will encourage us to take courage, reduce our stress and even those who are affected will get healed.

Acts 4:12
Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”

Acts 16:30-31
He then brought them out and asked, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”
    They replied, “Believe  in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved —you and your household.”

John 5:24
Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me  has eternal life  and will not be judged  but has crossed over from death to life.

Matthew 6:9-13
This, then, is how you should pray:
  “‘Our Father  in heaven,
 hallowed be your name,
    your kingdom  come,
 your will be done,
 on earth as it is in heaven.
    Give us today our daily bread.
    And forgive us our debts,
 as we also have forgiven our debtors.
    And lead us not into temptation,
 but deliver us from the evil one.’

Revelation 3:20
Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline.  So be earnest and repent.    Here I am! I stand at the door  and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door,  I will come in  and eat with that person, and they with me.

Matthew 9:6-8
But I want you to know that the Son of Man  has authority on earth to forgive sins.” So he said to the paralyzed man, “Get up, take your mat and go home.”   Then the man got up and went home.   When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God,  who had given such authority to man.

Romans 10:9-10
If you declare  with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,”  and believe  in your heart that God raised him from the dead,  you will be saved.    For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved.

Matthew 19:25-26
When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, “Who then can be saved?”
    Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

[Message No: 7605]

Let’s turn to God

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord. — Acts 3:19

I'm not sure what we fear about repentance (turning our hearts and lives to God)? God will not only receive us; he will also redeem us and remake us. But that repentance is often so hard for us to do. We get stuck in old patterns of destructive and addictive behavior. We believe Satan's deceptive lies. We use self-deprecating thoughts to defeat the Spirit's work in ourselves. So why not come clean and confess our sins and truly turn our lives over to God? If we will, we will find something truly refreshing!

A Living Hope

1 Peter 1:1-9
Hope is a belief or expectation that something will happen. If it doesn’t, we may experience discouragement, depression, or even despair.
Believers shouldn’t react to trials the way the world does. Instead, we are to live by faith— “confidence in what we hope for” (Heb. 11:1 NIV). When circumstances overwhelm you, focus on Jesus. Look for encouragement in His Word and be reminded of what is yours in Christ (Eph. 1:3-8).

Ways of a Fool - He

Is light and frivolous.

Ecclesiastes 7:6 
Like the crackling of thorns  under the pot,
 so is the laughter  of fools.
 This too is meaningless

Acknowledge he is a fool.

Ecclesiastes 10:3 
Even as fools walk along the road,
 they lack sense
 and show everyone  how stupid they are.

Is full of empty words.

Ecclesiastes 10:14 
and fools multiply words.
 No one knows what is coming—
 who can tell someone else what will happen after them?

[Message No: 7604]

Warning against rejecting Wisdom

Proverbs 1: 23
Turn you at my reproof:
behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you,
I will make known my words unto you.

Proverbs 1:33
but whoever listens to me will live in safety
 and be at ease, without fear of harm.”

O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing

1 O FOR a thousand tongues to sing
My great Redeemer's praise,
The glories of my God and King,
The triumphs of his grace!
2 My gracious Master and my God,
Assist me to proclaim,
To spread through all the earth abroad
The honours of thy name.
3 Jesus! the name that charms our fears,
That bids our sorrows cease;
'Tis music in the sinner's ears,
'Tis life, and health, and peace.
4 He breaks the power of cancelled sin,
He sets the prisoner free;
His blood can make the foulest clean,
His blood availed for me.

Thoughts

. True prayer is a way of life, not an emergency. - Unknown
. Have thy tools ready. God will provide the work. - Charles Kingsley

[Message No: 7603]

Our Faith and Obedience in our God

Then I said to you, "Do not be terrified; do not be afraid of them. The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes." — Deuteronomy 1:29-30

Moses began his farewell message to Israel with a reminder of their parents' refusal to obey God's word to enter the Promised Land. With his death, these Israelites will have to follow a leader other than Moses for the first time in their lives. Moses wants them to know that their real Leader hasn't changed. God had done mighty things for them in Moses' day.

Now God will do mighty things in their day through Joshua. They will have more than second hand deliverance stories to tell their grandchildren. They will be eyewitnesses of God's power and faithfulness. But they would have to obey this same command their parents ignored and own a faith that their ancestors did not have!

It’s always very interesting to hear and know about the stories of the past or even adventures. Many will listen and spend some time in pondering the about the lesson that, how they will be  benefitted now. What they heard was in the past, results were pertaining to the past period. One will think that how it should affect them in  their today’s life.

In spite of all these kind of thoughts some will believe in faith and take the lesson by not only adopting that in their lives but they even practice it.

We the present generation too reading and studying the Word of God, may be daily or once in a while, how much do we believe? Some people in Israelites did believe and followed and got the all needed blessings from God.

Are we ready to follow the same even today?

Questions in Job 

39:13
“The wings of the ostrich flap joyfully,
 though they cannot compare
 with the wings and feathers of the stork.

39:19
“Do you give the horse its strength
 or clothe its neck with a flowing mane?

39:27
Does the eagle soar at your command
 and build its nest on high?

[Message No: 7602]

Genius God

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature — have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. — Romans 1:20

What an incredible world we live in! The expanse of space is humbling. The majesty of the mountain peaks takes away our breath. On and on we could go, describing all the beautiful, magnificent, and awe-inspiring wonders of the universe. The variety, the order, the symmetry, and the unexpected all testify to God, the Genius behind it all.

Friends, we know that our God is Almighty God, Creator of the universe particularly you and me. Often times, during our adversities, sicknesses, problems of various kinds which we face on daily basis – we tend to forget that we have Genius God. Nothing is impossible to Him.

Why can’t  we humbly submit ourselves into His hands? Let’s be rest assured that we are safe in His hands.

Today let’s pray and submit ourselves with whatever problems or load we are carrying, give it to Him, Lord it’s yours – Bible says, “Battle belongs to Lord”. He will take care of your every situations and going to lead to safe path.

What a friend we have in Jesus

All our sins and griefs to bear
And what a privilege to carry
Everything to God in prayer
Oh, what peace we often forfeit
Oh, what needless pain we bear
All because we do not carry
Everything to God in prayer
Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged
Take it to…

Questions in 2 Chronicles 

32:12
Has not the same Hezekiah taken away His high places and His altars, and commanded Judah and Jerusalem, saying, “You shall worship before one altar and burn incense on it”?

32:13
Do you not know what I and my fathers have done to all the peoples of other lands? Were the gods of the nations of those lands in any way able to deliver their lands out of my hand?

[Message No: 7601]

Why do we rejoice in the Lord always?

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near.” - Philippians 4:4-5

Because the Lord is near, we can rejoice and treat others with gentleness. He is near because he lives in us through his Spirit. He is near because his coming is at hand. He is near because when we gather with other believers, serve others who are in need, or share the Gospel with friends and people of other cultures, he has promised to be with us.

There is nothing more infectious than a joyous and kind person. Because Jesus lives in us, works through us, and is coming for us, we can be both joyful and tender!

Love for Enemies

Matthew 5:43-48

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor  and hate your enemy.’    But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,    that you may be children  of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous.    If you love those who love you, what reward will you get?  Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 

And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?   Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Giving to the Needy

Matthew 6:1
Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them.  If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.

Matthew 23:5
“Everything they do is done for people to see:  They make their phylacteries  wide and the tassels on their garments  long;

Matthew 6:4

“Everything they do is done for people to see:  They make their phylacteries  wide and the tassels on their garments  long;

Romans 12:8
if it is to encourage, then give encouragement;  if it is giving, then give generously;  if it is to lead, do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.

[Message No: 7600]

Purposes of Separation

. To hold fast to the Lord

Joshua 23:7-8
that you may not mix with these nations remaining among you or make mention of the names of their gods or swear by them or serve them or bow down to them,  but you shall cling to the Lord your God just as you have done to this day.

. To love the Lord our God

Joshua 23:11-12
Be very careful, therefore, to love the Lord your God.  For if you turn back and cling to the remnant of these nations remaining among you and make marriages with them, so that you associate with them and they with you,

. To follow the Lord

Deuteronomy 7:3-4
You shall not intermarry with them, giving your daughters to their sons or taking their daughters for your sons,  for they would turn away your sons from following me, to serve other gods. Then the anger of the Lord would be kindled against you, and he would destroy you quickly.

. To be strong and eat the good

Ezra 9:12
Therefore do not give your daughters to their sons, neither take their daughters for your sons, and never seek their peace or prosperity, that you may be strong and eat the good of the land and leave it for an inheritance to your children forever.’

. To do His will

Ezra 10:11
Now then make confession to the Lord, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.”

. To teach and to warn

2 Thes. 3:14-15
If anyone does not obey what we say in this letter, take note of that person, and have nothing to do with him, that he may be ashamed.  Do not regard him as an enemy, but warn him as a brother.

. To escape from sin and plagues

Revelation 18:4
Then I heard another voice from heaven saying,     
“Come out of her, my people,
lest you take part in her sins,
lest you share in her plagues;

[Message No: 7599]

Stay far away from evil

To the pure, all things are pure, but to those who are corrupted and do not believe, nothing is pure. In fact, both their minds and consciences are corrupted. — Titus 1:15

Rust stains, grass stains, blood stains, chocolate stains — ARGH! Those stains are real nightmares in the laundry room. They don't just leave a stain on the surface of the fabric, but they also leave a residue that infiltrates the fibers of our clothes. Evil is that way. We must not kid ourselves. Evil corrupts and leaves a residue that corrupts everything it touches, including the hearts of otherwise decent people. That's why we are urged to stay far away from evil and avoid its very appearance. That's also why Jesus died: to not only overcome the Evil One, but to also clean away the stain and its residue.

Filling Our Minds with God’s Love

Philippians 4:8
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

Seven fold blessing 

Ephesians 3:14-15
For this reason I kneel  before the Father,   from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.

Full

Acts 6:5
This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen,  a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit;  also Philip,  Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism.

You can know the Spirit's Fullness

Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine,  which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit,

His Astonishing Gift

Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God,  with whom you were sealed  for the day of redemption.

[Message No: 7598]

Things men can do

. Provoke God with Wrath

 “But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
 You grew fat, you grew thick,
 You are obese!
 Then he forsook God who made him,
 And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
  They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
 With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
  They sacrificed to demons, not to God,
 To gods they did not know,
 To new gods, new arrivals
 That your fathers did not fear.
  Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful,
 And have forgotten the God who fathered you.
  “And when the Lord saw it, He spurned them,
 Because of the provocation of His sons and His daughters.
  And He said: “I will hide My face from them,
 I will see what their end will be,
 For they are a perverse generation,
 Children in whom is no faith.

Deuteronomy 32:15-20 

15 Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior.
16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols.
17 They sacrificed to demons, which are not God— gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear.
18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth.
19 The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters.
20 “I will hide my face from them,” he said, “And see what their end will be; for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful.

[Message No: 7597]

Incredible, isn't it?!

For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. — 1 Peter 1:18-19

A: "How much did it cost?"

B: "What? This old thing? This sack of bones and blood and brain? This heart and mind and soul that live inside?"

A: "Yeah! How much did it cost?"

 B: "It cost the greatest gift of heaven to redeem it and make me whole. That's how much God thinks of me. Incredible, isn't it?!"

Recipe for Growth

1 Peter 2:2
Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk,  so that by it you may grow up  in your salvation

Events after the Millennium 

Matthew 18:8-9
If your hand or your foot causes you to stumble,  cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life maimed or crippled than to have two hands or two feet and be thrown into eternal fire.   And if your eye causes you to stumble,  gouge it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into the fire of hell.

Mt 25:41
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me,  you who are cursed, into the eternal fire  prepared for the devil and his angels.

` Caleb
Numbers 14:24
But because my servant Caleb  has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly,  I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.

` David
1 Kings 14:8
I tore  the kingdom away from the house of David and gave it to you, but you have not been like my servant David, who kept my commands and followed me with all his heart, doing only what was right  in my eyes.

[Message No: 7596]

Praying for beginning of revival

You gave abundant showers, O God; you refreshed your weary inheritance. — Psalm 68:9

Dryness, whether spiritual or physical, is sapping to the spirit and wilting to all living things. Let's join our hearts together today, tens of thousands strong, praying that God will do two things: (1) that he bring rain and refreshment on those lands that are parched and where times are hard; and (2) that he will refresh all of his servants who are discouraged and close to giving up in their difficulties, challenges, temptations, discouragements, and failures. Let's pray for today to be a day of refreshment and the beginning of revival in our world and among God's people!

God’s Word for God’s People

Zechariah 8:7-8
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “I will save my people from the countries of the east and the west.    I will bring them back  to live  in Jerusalem; they will be my people,  and I will be faithful and righteous to them as their God. ”

Zechariah 8:20
This is what the Lord Almighty says: “Many peoples and the inhabitants of many cities will yet come

Zechariah 8:21
The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying,
 “Let us continue to go and pray before the Lord,
 And seek the Lord of hosts.
 I myself will go also.”

Who is the child of Devil?

. Leaving Christian fellowship

1 John 2:19
They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us; but they went out that they might be made manifest, that none of them were of us.


Questions in Luke  

22:46
Then He said to them, “Why do you sleep? Rise and pray, lest you enter into temptation.”

22:48
But Jesus said to him, “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”

[Message No: 7595]

The Beatitudes - 2

5]

Matthew 5:8
Blessed are the pure in heart,
 for they will see God.
Psalm 17:15
As for me, I will be vindicated and will see your face;
 when I awake,  I will be satisfied with seeing your likeness.

6]

Matthew 5:9
Blessed are the peacemakers,
 for they will be called children of God.
Romans 8:14
For those who are led by the Spirit of God  are the children of God.

7]

Matthew 5:10
Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
1 Peter 3:14
But even if you should suffer for what is right, you are blessed.  “Do not fear their threats; do not be frightened.”

8]

Matthew 5:11
“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me.

Psalm 9:2
I will be glad and rejoice  in you;
 I will sing the praises  of your name,  O Most High.

Isaiah 51:7
“Hear me, you who know what is right,
 you people who have taken my instruction to heart:
 Do not fear the reproach of mere mortals
 or be terrified by their insults.

[Message No: 7594]

The Beatitudes - 1

1]

Matthew 5:3
“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
 for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Matthew 25:34
Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom  prepared for you since the creation of the world.

2]

Matthew 5:5
Blessed are the meek,
 for they will inherit the earth.
Psalm 37:11
But the meek will inherit the land
 and enjoy peace and prosperity.

3]

Matthew 5:6
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
 for they will be filled.
Isaiah 55:1
Come, all you who are thirsty,
 come to the waters;
 and you who have no money,
 come, buy  and eat!
 Come, buy wine and milk
 without money and without cost.

4]

Matthew 5:7
Blessed are the merciful,
 for they will be shown mercy.
Joshua 2:13
that you will spare the lives of my father and mother, my brothers and sisters, and all who belong to them —and that you will save us from death.”

[Message No: 7593]

Assurance In Trials

Romans 8:37-39
God’s love is eternal. Regardless of our circumstances or poor decisions, His care is unconditional–even when He reprimands us. Loving parents allow disobedient children to experience the consequences of wrong choices; they recognize the benefit of learning from mistakes. Of course, there are also times when we are negatively affected by others’ wrong actions. Even then, God is sovereign and allows only what will bring good in His followers’ lives.

In difficult times, we can remember that God will meet all of our needs, is always with us, and loves us forever. Though Jesus said we would face troubles in this life, He offered encouragement: The ultimate victory is His. So keep in mind that trials are fleeting, whereas our Father’s love is forever.

Teachings of Christ

Pharisee and tax collector
Luke 18:10-14 
10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.
11 The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’
13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’
14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Two Kingdoms 

. Earthly Capital –

Isaiah 2:3
and many peoples shall come, and say:
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of the God of Jacob,
that he may teach us his ways
and that we may walk in his paths.”
For out of Zion shall go forth the law,
and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.

. Heavenly Capital –

Hebrew 12:22
Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees,

[Message No: 7592]

Are we working for Eternal Life?

Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval. — John 6:27

What are you spending the biggest bulk of your life working for? Is it a boss, a promotion, a sense of importance, a secure lifestyle ...? If it can be taken from you, or you can be removed from it, then it's not very permanent is it! Only what Jesus gives us is truly lasting, and it comes from God's grace. So how can you more fully invest yourself in work that "endures to eternal life"?

Jesus Heals on the Sabbath

Mark 3:1-6
  Another time Jesus went into the synagogue,  and a man with a shriveled hand was there.   Some of them were looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, so they watched him closely  to see if he would heal him on the Sabbath.    Jesus said to the man with the shriveled hand, “Stand up in front of everyone.”
    Then Jesus asked them, “Which is lawful on the Sabbath: to do good or to do evil, to save life or to kill?” But they remained silent.

    He looked around at them in anger and, deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts, said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was completely restored.   Then the Pharisees went out and began to plot with the Herodians  how they might kill Jesus.

Commands - Repent 

Matthew 5:38-39
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’    But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

James 4:7
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil,  and he will flee from you.

1 Pet 5:9
Resist him,  standing firm in the faith,  because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

[Message No: 7591]

Christian standard is High and Hard

Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. — Philippians 2:3

Humility is recognizing who God has made us to be and using that recognition to serve and redeem others. Living in humility as Jesus did, we don't just practice the golden rule, but we go one step better — we treat others better than we would treat ourselves.

Are we instructed to do this because we're unworthy or unfit? No! Jesus was worthy and glorious, but he chose to treat others better than himself when he sacrificially gave himself to redeem them.
It's a high standard. It's a hard standard. It is not for wimps. But it is ultimately glorious.

Christian Calendar

Year Ash Wednesday Good Friday   Easter

2020 February 226 April 10   April 12

2021 February 27 April 2   April 4

2022 March 2 April 15   April 17

2023 February 23 April 7   April 9

2024 February 14 March 29   March 31

2025 March 5 April 18   April 20

Seven Words from the Cross

1. “Father forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing” – Luke 23:34

2. “Today you will be with me in Paradise – Luke 23:43

3. “Woman, here is your son” – John 19:26-27

4. “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me? – Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34 & Psalm 22:1

5. “I thirst” – John 19:28

6. “It is finished” – John 19:30

7. “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit” – Luke 23:46 & Psalm 31:5

[Message No: 7590]

Our Busyness – Father’s Business

Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through a prophetic message when the body of elders laid their hands on you. — 1 Timothy 4:14

Life seems so busy, so full of distractions and "to do" lists. Let's not let our "busyness" keep us from our Father's "business." Let's find the ways God has gifted us to serve him and his people; then let's dedicate ourselves to that with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.

What is Brokenness ? 

` It is yielding self-will to God’s will
Matthew 26:39
And going a little farther he fell on his face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as you will.

` It is entrusting to God
1 Peter 2:23
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

` It is a Godly sorrow
2 Corinthians 7:10
When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

Questions in 1st Corinthians  

10:22
Are we trying to arouse the Lord’s jealousy?  Are we stronger than he?

10:29
I am referring to the other person’s conscience, not yours. For why is my freedom  being judged by another’s conscience?

12:15
Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.

[Message No: 7589]

Who is the child of Devil?

. Failing to other overcome Satan

1 John 2:13-14
am writing to you, fathers,
 because you know him who is from the beginning.
 I am writing to you, young men,
 because you have overcome  the evil one.
    I write to you, dear children,
 because you know the Father.
 I write to you, fathers,
 because you know him who is from the beginning.
 I write to you, young men,
 because you are strong,
 and the word of God  lives in you,
 and you have overcome the evil one.

. Loving the world and the things in it

1 John 2:15-17
On Not Loving the World
  Do not love the world or anything in the world.  If anyone loves the world, love for the Father is not in them.    For everything in the world—the lust of the flesh,  the lust of the eyes,  and the pride of life—comes not from the Father but from the world.   The world and its desires pass away,  but whoever does the will of God  lives forever.

1 John 3:1
See what great love  the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!  And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.

1 John 3:13
Do not be surprised, my brothers and sisters, if the world hates you.

1 John 3:4-5
Everyone who sins breaks the law; in fact, sin is lawlessness.    But you know that he appeared so that he might take away our sins.  And in him is no sin.

[Message No: 7588]

Testimony

Friends, what is testimony? Who gives testimony? May be many more reasons are there.

I feel, one must come forward to share/give their Testimony. It will not only give them courage, future hope, blessedness received from our Heavenly Father. It will be surely encourage many readers, in return they too may be blessed by our Lord.

In such case, those who are already blessed by our Lord, you might have been healed, your financial problems might have been solved. Your strain relationship with your spouse might have been revived. Thus you may be having manifold witnesses  to give or share.

Why can’t you share your Testimony with me, I can publish in this blog. Many will be blessed from your Testimony.

Now, let us see few scriptures from our Bible, which will certainly encourage us:

John 8:17-18
In your own Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true.    I am one who testifies for myself; my other witness is the Father, who sent me.”

2 Timothy 1:8
So do not be ashamed  of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner.  Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel,  by the power of God. 

Matthew 24:14
And this gospel of the kingdom  will be preached in the whole world  as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

Revelation 1:2
who testifies to everything he saw—that is, the word of God  and the testimony of Jesus Christ.

Deuteronomy 19:15
One witness is not enough to convict anyone accused of any crime or offense they may have committed. A matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.

3 John 1:12
Demetrius is well spoken of by everyone —and even by the truth itself. We also speak well of him, and you know that our testimony is true.

1 John 5:10
Whoever believes in the Son of God accepts this testimony.  Whoever does not believe God has made him out to be a liar,  because they have not believed the testimony God has given about his Son.

[Message No: 7587]

God’s Word is Powerful

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God. — 1 Peter 1:23

Words are powerful! They can maim, wound, and debilitate. They can also bless, encourage, and inspire. When those words are God's Word, they are even more important. God's Word — the Scriptures, the Gospel — is not only truth, but it is life! Alive and enduring, God's Word imparts life to us and gives us his message of eternal life. It tells us of his grace and teaches us how we can be born again. Let's not take it for granted ... or neglect its message ... or remain silent about its truth.
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” (Hebrews 4:12)

You would expect a book that is divine and living would in fact be active, and so it is. Paul writes in 1 Thess. 2:13 that the word of God does work. Jeremiah writes: “”Is not my word like fire, declares the LORD, and like a hammer that breaks the rock into pieces?” (Jeremiah 23:29)

God’s word is powerful. The word translated here as powerful is the source of our word energy. It means to say that God’s word has God’s power, his energy.

Because it is God’s word, it is an undefeatable word. The Bible has all the essentials of the life and power of God to do his work! Isaiah says that the word of God does not return void; it does his work, powerfully so (Is. 55). The Word of God is powerful.

Some of the implications about the Word of God -
From the standpoint of your own sanctification or spiritual growth, you need this book every single day. You need to read it, meditate on it, memorize it, and delight in it. You need it preached each Lord’s Day and you need it singing in your head all day long. It is a powerful book.

From the standpoint of evangelism and mission: this is what we want to get out of our mouths and into the ears of our hearers. We want people to hear the Word of God. It is this this that does the powerful heart work of conversion. Our stories are helpful and even moving; however, they are not powerful unto salvation like the word of God.

[Message No: 7586]

Examples of Wholeheartedness

` Josiah

2 Kings 23:25
Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned  to the Lord as he did—with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with all the Law of Moses.

` Paul

Philippians 3:8
What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing  Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ

` Jesus

Matthew 3:17
And a voice from heaven  said, “This is my Son,  whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Thoughts 

. Believe in the Lord, and He will do half the work–the last half. - Cyrus Curtis

. God is our true Friend, who always gives us the counsel and comfort we need.  Our danger lies in resisting Him; so it is essential that we acquire the habit of hearkening to His voice, or keeping silence within, and listening so as to lose nothing of what He says to us.  We know well enough how to keep outward silence, and to hush our spoken words, but we know little of interior silence.  It consists in hushing our idle, restless, wandering imagination, in quieting the promptings of our worldly minds, and in suppressing the crowd of unprofitable thoughts which excite and disturb the soul. - Francois Fenelon

Warning against back-sliding

1 John 2:1-2
My dear children,  I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate  with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous One.   He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins,  and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

1 John 2:24-25
As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning  remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father.    And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

[Message No: 7585]

Don’t treat others as your “Ex…”

Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God." — Ruth 1:16

This beautiful statement of loyalty makes its way into thousands of weddings each year. Incredibly, this wasn't originally a pledge of a bride or groom. Instead, it was the pledge of Ruth to her mother-in-law — some would call her an ex-mother-in-law since Ruth's husband, Naomi's son, had died, but Ruth never treats Naomi as an "ex" of any kind. God loves loyalty and bestows his blessing and favor when we are loyal to others.

In an era where people are thrown away as readily as paper plates and napkins, let's remember that loyalty is a quality that God not only loves, but it is also a quality that he defines for us in Jesus. So let's see loyalty to friends, to family, and to other followers of Jesus as a crucial commitment.

Question of Jesus

. On Understanding

Matthew 13:51
Jesus said to them, “Have you understood all these things?”
  They said to Him, “Yes, Lord.”

Matthew 15:17
Do you not yet understand that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and is eliminated?

Completion

Acts 14:26
From there they sailed to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.

2 Timothy 4:7
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.
Isaiah 66:22
“For as the new heavens and the new earth
 Which I will make shall remain before Me,” says the Lord,
 “So shall your descendants and your name remain.

Thought 

Blessed are the single-hearted, for they shall enjoy much peace…If you refuse to be hurried and pressed, if you stay your soul on God, nothing can keep you from that clearness of spirit which is life and peace.  In that stillness you will know what His will is. – Amy Carmichael

[Message No: 7584]