Honey Drops!
How sweet are Your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!Psalm 119:103
The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul. The statutes of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are radiant, giving light to the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever. The ordinances of the LORD are sure and altogether righteous.
They are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. Psalm 19:7-10
[All these messages were shared by Sasimegala]
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PURPOSE OF GOD! FIND IT!! FULFILL IT!!!
“He is my shepherd, and he shall fulfill all my purpose.” Isaiah 44:28
C H Spurgeon knew that God has a definite purpose in the life of every individual. He wrote, “There is not a spider hanging on the wall that doesn't have an errand; there is not a weed growing in the corner of the church lot that doesn't have a purpose; there is not a single insect fluttering in the breeze that does not accomplish some divine decree; and I will never believe that God created any man, especially any Christian man, to be a blank, and to be a nothing. He made you for an end. Find out what that purpose is; find out your niche, and fill it. Even if it be something small, if it is only to be someone who picks up trash at the side of the road, or one who mows the church lawn, do something in this great battle for God and truth.”
People came from far and wide to admire the newly built church! Up on the roof, a little nail heard the people praising everything about the lovely structure! But no one ever praised the nail. It became so angry. “If I am that insignificant, I want to quit!” So the nail then released its hold, slid down the roof, and fell in the mud. That night it rained heavily. Soon, the shingle that had no nail blew away. The roof began to leak. The plaster began to fall. The carpet got stained. The pulpit Bible was ruined by water. All this because a little nail decided to quit without knowing that it had a purpose!
Dear friend, are you saying, “There is no purpose for my living on the face of this earth. It is better for me to die than live and be a burden to others”? God never creates a person ‘just like that’. He has got an eternal plan for you. Do not be vexed. Kneel down and ask Him. He will reveal to you the real purpose He created you for. Just find it out and fulfill it. You will reap great joy!
Dear Lord, reveal to me the purpose that You have for my life. Empower me with Your Spirit that I may live to fulfill it in time by submitting wholly to Your control with great joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Caring for the Dying!
“Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction…” (James 1:27)
The teacher asked the class to write a few lines about an unusual event that happened during the past week. Little Johnny got up and read his essay. It began, "Daddy fell into the well last week..." "Oh, my!" the teacher exclaimed. "Is he all right?" "He must be," said the boy. "He stopped yelling for help yesterday." The boy didn’t realize that his father needed help very badly and he had neglected all his cries, and his neglect probably resulted in his father’s death, and yet this prankster thought he was out of trouble. How sad! We are surrounded in the church, in the workplace, in our community with millions of people who are in desperate need and crying for help. However, after sometime most of such cries die down. We only assume that their problems have been solved. But the fact might be a little different. They might have grown weary of the neglect they received as answer to their cries and stopped crying for help, realizing the futility of their efforts. Lord Jesus always had a hearing ear when He walked on this earth. Whenever He heard the cries for help, He invariably stopped, helped and alleviated the pain of suffering people. He expects you and me to have the same attitude as we are His disciples.
Dear friends, today let us engrave in our hearts what James says. Religiosity is not something sitting on an unreachable pedestal, but stooping down so low in order to help the poor, the orphans and the widows who are in real distress. (James 1:27) When you hear cries of the desperate, stop, help and then only proceed on your work! Then heaven will rejoice and testify that you are a pure and undefiled religious person.
Dear Lord, let me be very quick in addressing to the woe and pain of the suffering people. Help me not to turn a deaf ear to the cries of the dying and desperate people. Let me stop, help and then proceed. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
[Shared by Sasimegala Mam]
A VERY EXCLUSIVE MEAL!
“Blessed is the man who will eat at the feast in the kingdom of God.” (Luke 14:15)
In this parable Jesus warns us not to miss the feast in the Kingdom of God at any cost. He gives examples of three men who rejected the invitation giving lame excuses. The first man gave more priority to his business. Buying and selling land or house or any other property is of course a demanding work. But it should not distract or deviate us from our spiritual goal which is “Kingdom work”. We should be bold enough to say ‘no’ to business even if it is ten times profitable, for the sake of following Christ. A friend recently said “I am getting out of real estate business. It takes all my time. I don’t have time for church, family or friends”.
Materialistic things were the second man’s priority. He had just purchased five yoke oxen and wanted to try them out. It is not likely that any of us have recently purchased oxen, but the novelty of new things may tempt us to slow down the Lord’s work. The distraction of a new car, a new house, a new TV or even a new friend, captures time and keeps us out of the Kingdom work. Do we have the guts to resist the temptation and toil for God? The third man who was invited, offered the excuse that he just got married. ‘Isn’t that a good excuse?’ we may wonder. Are not marriage and family high priorities in the Bible? Yes, of course, but the Bible never asserts the priority of marriage and family over God.
Dear friend, Jesus wants us to partake in the festivities of the Kingdom. When we reject His invitation we not only disappoint ourselves but also our Lord Jesus. So when we receive an invitation to come to this party called the “kingdom of God” let us attend it and find ultimate fulfillment in this life and eternal life.
Lord, help me to prioritize the festivities of the Kingdom, for the wonderful banquet you have prepared for me. Let no worldly thing hold me back and make me ineligible to enter the feast. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
[Shared by Sasimegal Mam]
Pride knocks down! Humility lifts up!!
“If anyone thinks he is something when he is nothing, he deceives himself.”(Galatians 6:3)
One important attitude that is diminishing in people – even among children of God – is humility. I was shocked to see a person who has recently accepted Jesus as his Savior, posing himself as if he knew ‘in and out’ of the Bible. In fact, I was even more shocked to know that he did not even know the names of all the sixty six books of the Bible. He was even confronting with mature believers with regard to certain Biblical truths. What a sad thing it is to know that he not only deceived others but he also deceived himself. Joyce Meyer writes “Do not be a know–it–all kind of a person. Resist being that type of a person who thinks that you are always right and that no one else can teach you anything. We should have the humility to say, “I think I’m right, but I may be wrong” even when we are sure we are right.”
Dear friends, pride is very dangerous. It caused Satan to fall from the original position that he had with God. Now as a fallen angel, he goes around trying to fill people’s heart with prideful thoughts. Let us not allow pride to enter into our hearts. When we converse with others, especially with saints of God, let us listen to what they teach from the Bible and if there are any disagreements or doubts, let us discuss with them politely, as the Bereans did. Above all, let us seek the help of the Holy Spirit, our constant teacher, to throw light on the Scripture and reveal us the truth. In John 14:26, our Lord Jesus says, “The Counselor, Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things.” In John 16:13, He says, “The Holy Spirit will guide you into all truth.” Let us be willing to learn the Scripture with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Gracious Lord, fill me with Your Holy Spirit who will teach the secrets hidden in the Word. Give me a teachable spirit that I may pay a heeding ear to the saints of God while they teach the truth. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
[Shared by Sasimegala Mam]
Thorns that Protect!
“Rejoice… as… partakers of Christ's suffering, … when His glory shall be revealed, you may be glad also with exceeding joy.” (I Peter 4:13)
Benjamin Franklin once said: “The sentence which has most influenced my life is – ‘Some persons grumble because God placed thorns among roses. Why not thank God for He placed roses among thorns?’ It has given me an optimistic trend.” Grumbling spirit is what most of the people have. They don’t see reasons to laugh, to thank God, to look at life with optimism. But, God does not want it that way. He is a God of hope and joy! He wants us to enjoy the life He has graciously given unto us. No life is free of thorns. It is equally true that no life is devoid of roses! If you only can care to count the thorns and the roses, surely you will find that the roses always outnumber the thorns in your life. A Christian’s life is not always pleasant, because for his faith he may have to undergo fiery trials sometimes. But, God allows such trials only to strengthen the quality of life, and not to destroy it – just as the thorns in a rose plant protect the rose. But, we see only the trials and grumble and not the glory that lies behind it. Peter, in today’s text exhorts that when ‘reviled’ we must look at it as a ‘blessing’; when ‘suffering’ we must look at the waiting ‘glory’.
Dear friends, check out whether you are looking at the ‘thorns’ or appreciating the ‘roses’. Paul could see differently. He always looked down upon all his sufferings. (II Corinthians 11:23-30) Let us not be grumblers when we face trials for our faith. Instead, let us praise God for the thorns, and let us thank Him for sending them in our lives. For He will crown us with glorious crowns one day and we will appreciate better on that day, what Benjamin Franklin said Why not thank God for He placed roses among thorns?’
Lord, help me to have a thankful heart and praising lips, instead of a grumbling heart and complaining lips. Give me grace to count Your blessings in my life, name them one by one and thank You profoundly. In Jesus’ name I Pray. Amen.
God is with us! What else we need!
“I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.” (John 14:18)
A wounded soldier was being carried by his fellow soldiers. Feeling that he is dying, he said, “Leave me here. Don’t bother anymore. I am dying.” They did so and returned to the battlefield. After sometime, an officer coming that way stopped and asked him, “Can I do anything for you?” “Shall I get you a little water?” “Is there anything that you want me to do?” “Do you want me to write to your friends?” The soldier opened his eyes and said, “Sir, there is only one thing I request you. Will you do it?” The officer was so moved and he said, “Yes, tell me.” “Then, please open my pack and get the Bible. Read John 14:27 for me.” He started reading the verse: “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” When the officer finished reading that verse, the dying soldier gratefully mumbled, “Thank you sir, I have that peace. I am going to that Saviour – He is with me – I want nothing more.”
The officer, who was a non-believer, saw that the man really had the comforting presence of God with him, and that he had an eternal hope. He soon became a Christian, moved by the soldier’s testimony and by reading his Bible. Yes, if God is with us we will not be moved by the pressures of the world, we will not be worried about the future of our lives. We will not be bothered about the absence of human comfort. We will also say with David, “The Lord is my Shepherd. I shall not want.” (Psalm 23:1)
Dear friends, God can surely provide all of your needs. More than these He wants to give His peace and satisfy you with His presence. Even if you don’t have anything else in this world, have JESUS, the Saviour!
Dear Lord, You are the Shepherd of my soul and I have given You full control over my life. Help me to look unto You and be satisfied. Let Your presence alone be sufficient, for You alone can fill me with joy. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Perseverance Pays!
“ Therefore… surrounded with so great a cloud of witnesses, … let us run with patience the race that is set before us,”(Hebrews 12:1)
Beth Anne was attempting to qualify for the 1992 Olympic Trials marathon. A female runner must complete the 26mile, 385 yard race in less than two hours, forty five minutes to compete at the Olympic Trials. Beth started strong but when she crossed mile 23, she fatigued. She managed to reach the final lap, with just two minutes left to qualify. But, two hundred yards from the finish, she stumbled and fell. Dazed, she stayed down for twenty seconds. The crowd yelled, "Get up!" The clock was ticking 2:44, less than a minute to go. Beth Anne staggered to her feet and began walking. Five yards short of the finish, with ten seconds to go, she fell again. She began to crawl, the crowd cheering her on, and she crossed the finish line on her hands and knees. Her time? Two hours, 44 minutes, 57 seconds. With just three seconds to go she qualified! Perseverance and patience won the race!
In Hebrews 10:35, 36 the author exhorts, “Therefore do not cast away your confidence, which has great reward. For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise.” Any prize is won only after we pursue. Any promise is realized only after we patiently wait. Why then are we not willing to patiently wait for the promises of God to be fulfilled? Why then are we not willing to endure the difficulties of this life?
So, dear friends, when you want to quit, just ask grace from the Lord to endure a little longer. Our life is a marathon. We need to endure great adversities on the way. But, we have the prize waiting at the finish line. Let us not lose hope. But put our confidence and trust in the Lord who will enable us to run the race.
Dear Lord, though I start my work enthusiastically, I lose my interest on the way, especially when I face harsh times. Help me to persevere till the end and achieve success in every endeavor with Your help. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Love, Success and Wealth!
“Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us …” (I John 3:1)
Once, three old men visited a small house in the countryside. The woman of the house went out and invited the men in. "We do not go into a house together," they replied. "Why is that?" she wanted to know. One of the old men explained: "His name is Wealth," he said pointing to one of his friends. And pointing to another one he said, "He is Success, and I am Love." Then he added, "Now go in and discuss with your husband which one of us you want in your home." The woman went in and told her husband what was said. Her husband was overjoyed. He wanted to invite Wealth. His wife disagreed and wanted Success to come in. But their daughter-in-law said, “Let us ask Love to come in. Then our house will be full of love and we will be happy.” They finally decided to heed to their daughter-in-law’s advice. The woman went out and asked the 3 old men, "Which one of you is Love? Please come in and be our guest." Love got up and started walking toward the house. The other two also got up and followed him. Surprised, the lady asked Wealth and Success: "I only invited Love, Why are you coming in?" The old men replied together: "If you had invited Wealth or Success, the other two of us would've stayed out, but since you invited Love, wherever he goes, we go with him. Wherever there is Love, there is also Wealth and Success!"
Dear friends, love is supreme. God is love and he wants us, His children to have His love in us, show it to others and bring them also into His house. If we have love, we have everything. If we don’t, we have nothing. Let us ask for love to be poured in our hearts through the anointing of the Holy Spirit and live a life filled with love of God. (Romans 5:5)
Lord, let me overflow with Your love always. Let me seek to remain in love, than to seek to become wealthy or successful. You loved me first. Help me to reciprocate this love to You, by loving others as myself. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Deliberate sinning destroys one's soul!
“I will be safe, even though I persist my own way.” (Deut. 29:19)
The thing that our Lord hates most is idolatry. The very first commandment that the Lord gave the Israelites was, ‘I am the Lord your God … you shall have no other gods before me”. But sadly, Israel did not obey this commandment. Time and again they built altars for pagan gods on which they sacrificed offerings. They prostrated themselves before idols made of wood, stone, silver and gold and they worshiped before the Asherah poles. By doing so, they provoked the anger of the Lord God Almighty. Even though the Lord warned them regarding the severe calamities, plague, famine and distress that they would face because of their disobedience, they did not repent, but stubbornly followed their own ways. Our Lord is a loving and compassionate God but He punishes without mercy those who disobey His commandments. Especially, He never forgives the one who ‘deliberately’ sins against Him, the one who knows and still disobeys. Today’s passage talks about a man who makes his own plans to go astray and to turn away from the law of the Lord. Vs. 20 says, ‘The Lord will never be willing to forgive him. His wrath and zeal will turn against that man”.
Dear friends, you may not literally bow down before idols made of gold and stone. But is there any ‘idol’ which you have set up above our Lord? Is your husband/wife/child an idol for you? Is the TV/Internet your god? Is money becoming your great idol? Is your education/status/job your idol? Examine yourselves today. Give your life to God. Ask Him to set right your priorities. Let God be number one in your life. Leave all your sinful addictions which distract you from the cross of Calvary. Repent and draw near to Jesus. May He alone be the Lord of your life!
PRAYER:
Lord, sometimes I deliberately trespass Your commandments, inspite of hearing Your tender voice. Forgive me. Help me always to remember that You are the Lord of my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
THE LAST HOUR LABOURER!
“…the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard.” (Matthew 20:1)
We live in the suburbs of Chennai, South India. It is a very common sight here, to see laborers waiting at the road junction from early morning, expecting somebody to come and employ them for manual labor, especially for construction work. And the employers do come there and take a few and employ them. The more skilled are taken first. The least skilled is taken as the last choice. Now, please read the parable narrated in Mathew 20:1-16 fully. Jesus talks about a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire laborers for his vineyard. Normal working hours for a laborer are from 9 AM to 6 PM. The landowner went out once at 9 AM, then at 12 noon, then again at 3 PM and finally at 5 PM towards the close of the day. Consider why the landowner should go again and again to find out more laborers. Probably, the work was more. Or the workers hired earlier were turning lazy. Or the landowner wanted to complete the work before the end of day. Lord Jesus said: “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.” (John 9:4) Those days are coming. We are the last hour laborers! No doubt!
Dear friends, you and I are called to come into the vineyard, though we may be stepping into it in the late hours. We may be wondering that we have wasted our youth and prime, and whether we will be of any worth in the vineyard labor. See what Jesus said about the eleventh hour worker. 'Call the laborers and give them their wages, beginning with the last to the first.' (Matthew 20:8) Don’t worry. Come and work! Work sincerely! Do your best for the kingdom work! You will receive the reward first!
PRAYER:
Lord, I am sorry that I have not involved in Your Kingdom work for quite long. Today, I heed to Your call, and surrender my life that I may work sincerely and get Your approval and appreciation. Amen.
GOD SEES THE MIND NOT THE PURSE!
“For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has …” (II Corinthians 8:12)
Tony Campolo was addressing a group of over 300 women, when the president of the organization took a letter they received from a missionary asking for help of $ 4000 to take care of an emergency operation for his daughter. She asked the speaker, “Brother Campolo will you please pray that the Lord would provide this need?” He said, “No.” But continued, “I believe that God has already provided the resources and that all we need to do is give. Tell you what I’m going to do. I’m going to step up to this table and give every bit of cash I have in my pocket. And if all of you will do the same thing, I think God has already provided the resources.” He pulled out all the money he had in his pocket and it was $15 and then looked at the president of the organization. She opened her purse and took all out, and the amount was about $ 40. One by one the rest followed, and at the end when they counted the collection they found that they had collected just a few dollars more than $ 4000. God truly provided. Campolo said, “Now, here’s the lesson. God wants us to give what we have, and not what we don’t have. The only problem was that we were keeping it for ourselves. Now let’s pray and thank God for His provision.”
Dear friends, the problem with our giving is that we hold back our hand and restrict our giving. We try to reason out. The Lord always sees the heart and mind of the giver – and not the quantum given. How different our standard is from that of our Lord! We see how much a man gives. Christ sees how much he keeps. The old lady had just two mites. She gave all that she had. And that moved the heart of the Lord to commend her. So, let us give our very best. Let us not hold back anything for selfish ends.
PRAYER:
Lord, when I see somebody in need, instead of bending my knees to ask You to meet the need, help me to straighten my arms and open my palms to meet it, with what You have provided me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
PRAYER CAN BRING TRANSFORMATION!
“He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him.” (Ps 91:15)
The chairman of a large shipping company was staying in a hotel room in Canada. He had everything, but at that moment he was so overwhelmed by the pressures and demands of his life. Inspite of being one of the richest men, he was wallowing in self-pity. He did not eat his food, and he could not sleep worrying about his business, investments, decisions, family, health, and even trivial things. Suddenly he cried aloud, “God, it's a joke, isn't it? Life is nothing but a joke.” Then it occurred to him that he has just talked to God, after a very, very long time – probably since he was a little boy. He started praying, telling God about all his problems, anxiety and worries. Suddenly he heard a voice, “It doesn't have to be that way.” And a great peace enveloped his heart and soul. After he returned home, he told his wife about this incident and she said, “That's the message of the Bible. Jesus saves us not only from sins but also from all our anxiety. We can cast all care on Him. He will free us. 'It doesn't have to be that way.” Of course that man has struggles. He still has to work hard. But now, he has a source of strength. PRAYER! During times of stress, he prays. He says, "Prayer clears my head and reminds me of who I am and whose I am. I think back to the day in the hotel room in Canada and how depressed and lonely and lost I felt, until I heard God's voice saying, 'It doesn't have to be that way.'
Dear friends, don’t we identify with this gentleman? Don’t we worry too much about almost everything? It doesn’t have to be that way. Let us pray to the Lord and be freed of fear and anxiety. Prayer is surely a strong weapon that the Lord has given us.
PRAYER:
Lord, how wonderful You are! You sent Your Son Jesus to bear on the cross – my sins as well as my sickness, and also all my worry and anxiety. Accept my prayer today and relieve me of all fear and worry. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
GIVING IS A SPECIAL GRACE!
“…first they gave their own selves to the Lord…” (II Corinthians 8: 5)
Some people think that giving to God is an obligation while some others tend to think that it is a commitment that involves sacrifice. Some others think that it has come as a tradition, while quite a few attribute it to the continuous teaching and pestering of God’s servants. But, have we ever thought of it as the grace of God! For it is absolutely true that without His grace we will not be able to give freely and wholeheartedly. Andrew Murray, in one of his articles on giving, said, “If we have God's grace in us it will show itself in giving. If we want new grace, we must exercise what we have in giving. And in all we give we ought to do it in the consciousness of the grace of God that works it in us.”
Paul writes about the grace of giving in chapter 8 of his second epistle to the Corinthians, – “Their deep poverty abounded unto the riches of their liberality, for according to their power, yea, beyond their power, they gave of their own accord, beseeching us with much entreaty in regard of this grace.” (Vs 2) The characteristic giving of the Macedonian church teaches us how to give. They gave -- of their own accord / very liberally / beyond their power / with sacrifice.
Dear friends, we have to accept the fact that there are many among the poor who give liberally than the rich. This is because they do not hold fast to what they have, but simply let it go. If we want to be good givers, especially for the work of God, let us follow the Macedonian example. Let us ask God to give us that special grace so that we will also receive the abundance of joy as the believers in Macedonia, by such giving. If only we have this grace, there would be no reason why the Lord’s work should suffer.
PRAYER:
Lord, help me to understand that giving is not an obligation but only a grace that You have bestowed on me. Help me to let go that which I hold fast, so that You work will flourish. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
HELP THE POOR! LEND TO THE LORD!!
“He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know Me?” (Jeremiah 22:16)
Long ago, in a remote place in England, a baby was ill. His mother, a poor widow walked, in heavy rain, five miles to get a doctor. The doctor hesitated, because he wondered whether he would get paid for all his trouble. He thought, even if the child lived he would only become a poor laborer. But his love for humanity and professional duty prevailed over everything else, and so he went. The boy lived. Years after, this same child David Lloyd George became Prime Minister of England. The doctor said, "I never dreamed that in saving the life of that child in that remote place I was saving the life of the leader of England." When we do something for a little one we will never know how much we are doing. God loves people who care for the poor and needy. And He blesses them abundantly. When talking about Josiah, the king of Judah, the Lord testified, “He defended the cause of the poor and needy, and so all went well. Is that not what it means to know Me?” Yes, all goes well for the helped and the helper! God is a righteous judge. See what Jesus says in Matthew 25:40, “Assuredly, I say to you, in as much as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.”
Dearly beloved, let us develop a habit of helping people who are poor and are in need. Let us open our hands freely to help them. Let us help a poor boy or girl to study, by paying their fees or getting them books and so on. Let us feed some hungry mouths by visiting an orphanage. There are umpteen ways to help them. Let us help them! By doing so, we will be pleasing our Lord who has been blessing the labor of our hands. And all will be well with us.
PRAYER:
Lord, let me defend the cause of the poor and the needy. I know that You will surely make everything go well with me as well. Give me grace to develop a ‘helping habit’ and please You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
POWER OF THE BLOOD!
“Wash me thoroughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.” (Psalm 51:2) NKJV
Once an unbeliever ridiculed a believer saying, “If Jesus Christ is able to save everyone from their sins, then why is it that there are still so many unbelievers and sinners in this world?” The believer saw at that moment a little boy who was very dirty passing by. He showed him to the unbeliever and asked, “If you say that soap and water can cleanse dirt, and there being so many soaps available in the market and with lots of water in the river, why do you think that this boy is still dirty?” To the confused unbeliever he said, “See, soap and water can cleanse only those who accept them and use them. So also, Jesus can save only those who can accept Him as their Saviour, and be cleansed by His regenerating power.”
King David, sinned with Bathsheba and he got convicted when Nathan, the prophet was sent to him by the Lord. Psalm 51 is his confession and prayer. See how sincerely he comes to the Lord and seeks His cleansing power, knowing that He alone is able to forgive all the sins. John writes in his first epistle, “…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (Vs 79)
Dear friends, there is no other way but to be cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ to get rid of all the filthy stains of our sins. “The wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Yes, Jesus shed His precious blood, died on the Cross, as penalty for our sins. So, let us come to Him and cry for forgiveness and cleansing. He will gladly do it and make us pure
PRAYER:
Lord, so far I had despised the blood of Christ in my ignorance. Now, I confess my mistake and ask You to cleanse my stains with Your precious blood and make me pure. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
FRAGRANCE OF HOLINESS!
“And the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon.” (Song of Solomon 4:11)
Fragrance! It doesn’t speak but makes itself felt! So is holiness. If a person is holy, he doesn’t cry out day and night that he is holy, but every part of his life sheds the fragrance of holiness around for others to feel and testify. Campbell Morgan said: “Holiness does not need to be talked about. The nearer a man lives to his Lord, the less he announces his nearness in actual words; but the more evident it is in tone and temper, and these are the things of holiness. Holiness is a rare and beautiful spirit which permeates and pervades the whole life, and sheds its fragrance everywhere.” He illustrated the beauty of his statement with his experience. Whenever he entered one room in his guest’s house he detected the fragrance of fresh roses. One day he asked the lady of the house the secret of the fragrance. She explained that when she went to the Holy Land a few years back she purchased a vial of the ‘otto of roses’. But, unfortunately she dropped the vial, wrapped up in cotton wool, and it broke. She swabbed the liquid with the wool and brought it home and put it in a vase. She said, “That fragrance had permeated the clay of the vase, and since then it had become almost impossible to enter the room without consciousness of it.”
Dear friends, Christ was broken for us, and if we really hold Him in us, we as the jars of clay should also allow Him to soak through us and spread the fragrance of the ‘Rose of Sharon’ in every area of our lives. Let us live to spread His fragrance to the people around. Let them say that our lives truly show the beauty of His holiness. We need not brag about our holiness, but let the fragrance spread around the testimony and bring glory to God!
PRAYER:
Holy Lord, You want me to be holy. Help me to be clothed in robe of righteousness. Let Your holiness fill me, that I may spread the fragrance of testimony and bring glory to You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
LORD OF COMPASSION!
“When Jesus… saw a large crowd, He had compassion on them and healed their sick.” (Matthew 14:14)
When our Lord Jesus Christ was here, on this earth, He was greatly moved by the sufferings of the people. The Bible says, again and again that because He was filled with compassion, He healed the sick, drove out the demons and brought to life the dead. In today’s text we read about the two blind men who were crying desperately to Jesus to heal them. Vs: 34 says, “Jesus had compassion on them and touched their eyes.” In another incident, Jesus saw a man with leprosy who begged Him to heal him. Jesus “filled with compassion reached out his hand and touched the man’’ thus healing him (Mark 1:40, 41). Also Matthew 9:36, says, “When He saw the crowds consisting of sick people and demon possessed, He had compassion on them and healed them because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” Jesus’ compassion for the people not only led Him to heal the sick but also to cater to their physical needs. In Matthew 15:32, He says, “I have compassion for these people. They have already been with me three days and have nothing to eat. I do not want to send them away hungry, or they may collapse on the way.’’ Having said this, He performed a miracle with seven loaves of bread and a few fish and fed more than four thousand who had gathered there!
Dear friends, do you sometimes grumble that God does not care for you and He does not love you? Will such a compassionate Lord turn His face away from you when you cry in despair? No, never. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. So cheer up. He stands very near you, ready to wipe away your tears. Have faith in Him and be relieved from your sufferings.
PRAYER:
Lord, You know all the difficulties that I am undergoing right now. I am sure that You will not hide Your face from me when I call upon You, because You are compassionate. I trust that you will deliver me. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
INTEGRITY! DO WE HAVE IT?
“Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity.” (Proverbs 19:1) KJV
Recent surveys have shown a decline in morals and ethics. Integrity seems to be a forgotten word. By definition, integrity means “soundness of moral principle and character, complete honesty and uprightness with no masking of intent.” Its opposite is hypocrisy. It means that a person must be openly honest, making certain that he conveys no false claims either in word or in life. Integrity excludes lying, stealing, cheating, and every form of deception. Integrity makes a man completely trustworthy. Proverbs 19:1 says, “Better is the poor that walketh in his integrity than he that is perverse in his lips and is a fool.” Proverbs 20:7 describes the blessing one receives for his integrity. “A righteous man that walketh in his integrity, blessed are his children after him.” In the earlier book of Deuteronomy we find these words of advice, “Thou shalt not wrest justice: thou shalt not respect persons; neither shalt thou take a bribe; for a bribe doth blind the eyes of the wise and pervert the words of the righteous. That which is altogether just shalt thou follow that thou mayest live, and inherit the land which Jehovah thy God giveth thee.” (Deut. 16:19, 20).
When General Dean was a prisoner of the Communist forces in North Korea, there came a time when he was told that he was soon to be executed before a firing squad. He was given time to write a letter to his wife, in which he included instructions for their son. Under these most severe circumstances he wrote briefly but powerfully, “Tell Bill the word is integrity.”
Dear friends, today the Lord instructs us so: “I tell you, the word is INTEGRITY!” Shall we take an oath today to remain completely honest and upright in the sight of God and all men?
PRAYER:
Lord, thank You for showing me the necessity to keep my integrity intact at all times. Help me not to lose my integrity by succumbing to the evils of the world. Let Integrity be the watchword in my life. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
GIVING IS HONORING GOD!
“Then Abraham gave him a tenth of everything”. (Genesis 14: 20)
Giving is an act of worshipping the Lord and acknowledging God’s ownership. Abraham was the first man to give tithe. Later Jacob made a vow to the Lord at Bethel that he would surely give Him a tenth of all that the Lord would give him. We also know from the commandments given by the Lord to the Israelites, that He desired thank-offerings from them. Exodus 23:19 says, “Bring the best of the first-fruits of your soil to the house of the Lord your God.” Not only that, the Lord also encouraged the Israelites in Deuteronomy 14: 29, to bring all the tithes and give them to the Levites, the fatherless and the widows, so that they might eat and be satisfied. In today’s text, we read how King David did not restrict his giving only to tithe, but he gave over and above from what he had thousands of talents of gold of Ophir, and refined silver for building the temple of the Lord. Seeing his generous contribution, the leaders of Israelites also gave wholeheartedly and freely to the Lord. We read one more example in Exodus 36, how the Israelites gave more than required, for building the tabernacle of the Lord. Moses had to give an order that no man or woman should give any offering and thus they were restrained from bringing more.
Dear friends, tithing is not just an Old Testament law but a valid principle to follow in any generation for people who accept the Kingship of the Lord over their lives. Our Lord has given everything, all that He has created, without any reservation – for us to enjoy. Above all, He gave His Only Son to die for our salvation. Then why should we be stingy in giving? Why should we be selfish and hoard money only for our families? Let us give freely and wholeheartedly for His Kingdom work.
PRAYER:
Lord, the whole world belongs to You. Yet You desire my offerings. You want me to give You back a portion from what You have given me. Help me to worship You by giving wholeheartedly to the extension of your kingdom. Amen.
LOVE IS SUPREME!
“The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, patience, kindness goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control”. (Galatians 5: 22)
In this Bible verse, Paul lists a cluster of nine qualities which together he calls as the fruit of the Spirit, but of all these, love takes the first place. If we ask people, what is the chief distinguishing mark of a Christian, we get different answers. Some say truth, some say correct doctrines, some say faith and others say integrity and still others emphasize service. Yes, all these are indispensable characters a Christian should have, but nothing can take the place of love. For “God is love”(1 John 4 :8) “The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit are united to each other in self-giving love. Love is the principal, the paramount, the preeminent, the distinguishing characteristic of the people of God. Nothing can dislodge or replace it, Love is supreme” writes John Stott.
Dear friends, we live in a world where love is becoming a rare commodity. Even within the family, love between parents and children, love between husband and wife, and love between the siblings is diminishing and as a result unity is lost and relationship is strained. As children of a loving Father, let us love one another. If we put on love the prime fruit of the Spirit then joy and peace will automatically follow. When we are filled with God’s love, we would be more patient even with irritating people. We would be kind to others even if they treat us badly. We would serve others and be good to them. We would be faithful in all our dealings, and our promises. We would show our gentleness to all. Above all, we would master our self and be controlled by the Holy Spirit. So let us crucify our self with Christ. Let us be filled with the Holy Spirit who pours out God’s love into our hearts. Let us strive to become like Jesus, who possessed all these nine qualities in Him.
PRAYER:
Dear Lord, Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that Your love may overflow in my heart. Let the cluster of all the nine qualities of the fruit of the spirit be manifested in my life that I may glorify You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
CHOICE MAKES THE DIFFERENCE!
Read: Luke 18:18-30 Matt 4:18-20
"Come, follow me" Jesus said,… At once they left their nets and followed Him". (Matthew 4: 19, 20)
A students coming out of the examination hall after taking up a exam remarked, "It is easier to write short essays or to answer in short paragraphs, but it is very difficult to answer objective question - competitive for example - "choose the best option". The reason is, out of the four options given, more than one would seem to be correct. It needs logic, discretion and besides "subject knowledge". Of course it is true. Even in our life here on this earth, we are faced with making important choices, but the option given to as is only to Christ or World.
Dr. Pierce Harris, a farmer pastor of the First Methodist Church of Atlanta, once was invited to preach to some prisoners. One of the prisoners got up from the audience and introduced the speaker as follows. "Several years ago, to boys lived in a town in north Georgiou. They went to the same school, played together and attend the same Sunday school. One dropped out of the Sunday school and said it was, "Sissy stuff". The other boy kept on going. One rejected Christ, the other accepted Him. The boy who rejected Christ is the one honored preacher who will speak to as today!"
Our choice makes all the difference. Since our life on this earth is very short when compared to the years we are going stand in eternity let us make the right decision. If we choose Christ, we would enjoy eternal life with Him in heaven. On the other hand if we give first priority to the pleasures of this world and yield to its temptations we would face eternal condemnation. Jim Reeves sighs. "Than to be a king of a vast domain, and to be held in sins dread way, I'd rather have Jesus, than any thing, this World affords today". Dear friends, have you chosen the best option - JESUS? If not, accept Him today without delay.
PRAYER: Thank You Lord for helping me to choose You as my Saviour and Master, and to reject the temporal pleasures of this world. I pray for those who have made the wrong choices. I beg You to save them too. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
HOW TO KNOW GOD'S WILL FOR US?
Read: Psalm 119: 33-40
Teach me to do your will, for you are my God may your God Spirit lead me on level ground. (Psalm 119: 33 - 40)
All of us are keen in knowing God's will in all walks of our lives, atleast before taking major decisions such as taking up new jobs, in buying and selling material possessions and so on. Ephesians 5:17 says, "So then, do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is." But how can we know God's will when there are more than one doors opened, in other words if there are many options available? Even when our heart is right and our motive is pure, the will of God is not always revealed in a crystal clear manner. Sometimes people follow ridiculous methods to understand the will of God in their lives.
I read an interesting incident in Charles R. Swindoll's article, "God's will"- A lady received a brochure, advertising a tour to Israel. Because going to the Holy Land was one of her lifelong dreams, she really wanted to go. She had the money, the time, the interest and the strength. But was it God's will? Before going to bed, she noticed that the airplane she would be traveling was a 747 jumbo jet. After spending a sleepless night wrestling with all pros and cons, she was greatly relieved the following morning that it was God's will for her to go. How did she know for sure? When she awoke and glanced at her digital clock, it read 7:47. That was her "sign" from God! Isn't it unbelievable?!
Dear friends, God makes His will known to us through His Word when we study it diligently, through circumstances and through the counsel of others. We can be sure that we have done His will if we have a total peace deep inside and an abiding satisfaction in our hearts. So let us not blindly follow "signs" but be prudent though to know and imply the Lord's will in our lives.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, When I am in crossroads, give me Your strength not to pay heed to my flesh and take hasty decisions, but help me to know Your will through Your Word and through the counsel of godly people. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
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