Saturday, December 31, 2011

HE HOLDS MY TOMORROWS!!

He holds my tomorrows!


Verse for Today: Saturday, December 31, 2011


Revelation 1:8 – “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty.”

God’s people have the privilege to begin and end the years of their sojourn with the Almighty who is beyond beginning or end. All living things on earth have a beginning and an end. The affairs of all that exist in this universe have their beginning and end as directed by the Almighty who controls our lives from the beginning. But it is amazing to realize that God’s people were seen by His eyes before the foundation of the world was laid. Our ancestry was directed by Him through the centuries and at the right time we were made to be born and born again into God’s family. We were known to Him before time ever broke into being and our eternal life is also known to Him. Our years are important to Him because we are part of His plan and program. So every seemingly insignificant and unimportant event in our lives has His hands behind it all. He has a plan for us each day of our lives, but it is up to us to know and live according to that plan. He leads us a step at a time so that we would accomplish this plan daily. Days and years come and go, but His hands are with us as we rest in His mighty arms. Each evening, we have the privilege to see how He led us that day and what we received from Him. At the end of every period of time like the year, we can take stock of our mistakes, failures, disobedience and lost opportunities and feel sorry for it all. We can also enlist the innumerable blessings that we enjoyed from Him and thank Him. The failures teach us lessons to guard against and blessings are for us to trust Him to move forward.

Dear friend, the end of the year is a time for you to take stock of the year that is passing. We all need to search our souls to see how we made use of the opportunities in serving the Lord and to learn lessons to avoid failures and losses. Failures need not pull us back, but push us forward with greater trust in the Lord. Our God is able to take glory to Himself even through our failures. If the Lord has closed certain doors, let us not force it open. Let us thank Him for the doors which He closed and for those that He has opened. Remember, He is the Alpha and the Omega and knows the beginning from the end. He leads us with an eternal perspective and not with the temporal. His valuation of our lives and struggles is on the basis of how it has added to our spiritual welfare and His glory. It is also a great assurance that He will be with us now and throughout the upcoming year. He is not finished with us yet and will continue to work on us and with us to accomplish His purpose in us. We progress from year end to a New Year and go on to timelessness when we reach our eternal home. Let our vision and goal for the coming year be faithfulness to Him and His cause. He will be with us each day of the New Year and will lead us through all the life experiences which are yet unknown to us, but known to Him. He has already prepared His resources and ways to meet all our future needs and all the experiences which await us in the New Year and beyond. So let us praise Him for the unknown days, months and years which unfold before our eyes day by day.

Psalms 68:19 – Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens.

Thought for Today

We do not need to know our tomorrows because we know our Lord who knows all our tomorrows and has already made provisions for it all.

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Friday, December 30, 2011

VERBATIM OR ACTION??

Verbatim or action?

Verse for Today: Friday, December 30, 2011


Matthew 26:56 – Then all the disciples left Him and fled.


True loyalty and love stand the test of danger. If we love someone truly, we would be willing to take risk to be with that person. If we say that we love and trust someone, it would be proved even when that person is taken captive or made to stand trial even when innocent. Loyalty comes from the bottom of our hearts as we declare our allegiance to those whom we love deeply. Abraham showed loyalty and love to his nephew Lot and his family and was willing to bargain with God for their lives. Jonathan declared his loyalty to David, but when David was in the wilderness, Jonathan was in the palace. Many loyalists of David deserted him when Absalom drove him out of Jerusalem. When Paul stood trial in Rome, none of the believers stood with him. Many even used gospel to increase the sufferings of Paul while he was in the prison. The people who enjoyed the benefits of Jesus’ public ministry shouted out asking for His crucifixion. They demanded that Barabbas be released and Jesus be crucified. But the disciples of Jesus were those who had deep love for Jesus that they left everything to follow Him. One of them even declared that he was willing to die for Him. But they witnessed one among them selling their Lord for thirty pieces of silver. When the hour came for the Lord to be arrested, all of His beloved disciples ran away from Him because they were afraid for their own lives. Within a few hours, Peter publicly denounced Him three times. But even when all of them deserted Him, the Lord was with them in His presence. He kept them all safe during those dangerous days. All through history we see that even when we desert Him or refuse to prove our loyalty to Him, our Lord still goes with us. He wants to bring us back to true loyalty and love in action for Him.

Dear friend, does your loyalty to Jesus vanish when you are fearful of your likely losses because of your faith. When you consider your sustainability more important than your love for the Lord, are you easily tempted to sell Him like Esau who sold his birthright for a few spoonful of stew? We prove or disprove our love and loyalty to our Lord when we wrongly obtain lucrative job offers, economically covetable relationships, profitable business partnerships, attractive positions in the society or church and other benefits when these stand on our way to serving His interests. When we serve our interests and that of the world for some benefits which stand diametrically opposed to the principles and commandments in the Bible, we prove that we do not have any loyalty to the Lord. We are in essence telling the world that we do not believe any more in the power of the Lord to supply our needs and to protect us from danger. We often put our safety or gain before that of our relationship with the Lord. But we cause pain to His heart when we denounce Him through our actions, thoughts and schemes. His love to us demonstrated on the cross of Calvary demands that we prove our loyalty and love to Him through our desires, likes, dislikes, priorities, plans and programs. He knows our motives behind each of our choices and actions and His heart aches for us when we desert Him for temporary gains. Perhaps we run away from Him out of discouragement because of the dangerous situation that we are in. But our Lord has promised that He will be with us in and through all our physical or emotional desert, rain, sun, snow, hurricane, flood and earthquake. His loyalty to us is permanent and His compassion will never depart from us. Just as David forgave Shimei, our Lord forgives us of our confessed disloyalty. Today He wants us to repent of our disloyalty and the forsaking of our first love to Him. He desires that we renew our love to Him just as Peter did when he returned from his backsliding to live for Him and His interests alone.

John 21:17 – The third time (Jesus) said to (Peter), “Simon son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.”

Thought for Today

Loyalty and love to the Lord remain as verbatim until it is proved through corresponding action.


Thursday, December 29, 2011

PROMISES UNFAILING!!

Promises unfailing!

Verse for Today: Thursday, December 29, 2011


1 Kings8:56 – Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses.

We humans fail in our promises because we are imperfect. We give promises thoughtlessly and then change our words with the accompaniment of excuses of various sorts. Our promises are often wishful thinking and emotional upswings. Often we are unable to keep our promises because circumstances change and our capacity to keep the promises change. These broken promises end up in a lot of broken relationships and resultant conflicts. But that is not so with our Lord. He promises with full capacity to keep the promises. His promises are perfect because He is perfect. His emotions are not like the ever changing human emotions. He has all the resources at His disposal to keep any or all of His promises. His character doesn’t change and that is how His words are. His words are eternally secure in Heaven and so even when the circumstances change, He never changes not does His promises. All God’s promises are written in His eternal Word and He stands by it with His changeless character. No one will ever be able to point one finger against Him due to any change in His promises. God Himself is the guarantee that He will keep His promises. They are fulfilled as per the time schedule that He has announced. He gave a year for Isaac to be born. He gave the time frame of seventy weeks for the restoration of Israel. He promised a historical schedule for the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem to be rebuilt. He gave the promise of the Savior with all the details about his birth, genealogy, mother and place of birth, life, sufferings, death and resurrection with absolute precision. Jacob and his family went to Egypt and according to His promise they came back. The promise He gave to Joseph was fulfilled. Jesus fulfilled all His promises during His public ministry. He has given wonderful promises of care, compassion, love, peace and provisions for His children. All of these promises which have been fulfilled give us the authenticity that the promises for the future will also be fulfilled. Our yesterdays and todays are best assurance that our tomorrows will be platforms of fulfillment of all God’s promises to us.

Dear friend, have you at any time doubted the promises of God? Perhaps a long wait or the pressure of our situations might lead us to doubt the words of God. Sometimes we become doubtful because someone keeps challenging us as to why our God is not answering our prayers as per His promises. These were the confusions the enemy of our soul created for God’s children during the Old Testament times and in the first century church. But all these doubters were answered as God’s plan of fulfilling His promises unfolded day by day. We can see the way God’s promises unfolded in the historical developments in the world, nation of Israel and the church with precise time lines. The genealogy of Jesus Christ is clear evidence that His promises are fulfilled to its last dot or stroke. Down through the centuries millions of His children all over the globe testify to the faithfulness of God and the authenticity of His promises. They are fulfilled to the last syllable and all details worked out exactly as the Lord promised. These promises are as valid today as they were millenniums back. God never changes and His promises do not change in power, credibility and intent. We have the privilege to claim these promises personally and take God at His Word. He will not disappoint us and change His words and it is as true as He lives. Today God wants to challenge our faith to believe on His unchanging promises to live with absolute trust on Him.

Hebrews 10:23 – Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for He who promised is faithful.

Thought for Today

The unchanging promises of the changeless God will become real in the ever changing circumstances of His children.




Wednesday, December 28, 2011

YOUR WORTH BEFORE GOD!!

Your worth before God!

Verse for Today: Wednesday, December 28, 2011


Matthew 10:29 – Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

All of God’s creation is precious to Him. He has created them all for man who is His ultimate creation. So man is most precious to God. That is why even when man committed sin and fell short of the glory of God, he was not given up by God. He came after man and invited him to His grace which God demonstrated through the sacrifice of His Only Begotten Son. God has deep interest in all the affairs of man. God shows extra care for His children and their affairs because it then becomes God’s family business. God tells man that He has so much concern about the sparrows which are infinitesimal in comparison with the value of man. So if God has great concern for sparrows, how much more value He attributes to His children is a wonderful thought for us to understand the deep concern He has for us. We have a Father in heaven who values us so much and looks after our affairs so keenly for our welfare and happiness. Even the smallest event in our lives is a matter of great concern for Him. His hands are with us as we go through everything in life. He protects us and provides for us. He guards us on all sides and has an additional garrison of His holy angels to keep us according to God’s plans and programs for us. When we have such a Father who loves us like His Only Begotten Son, we do not need to have any fear, apprehension, anguish or anxiety about our day to day affairs and our future. We can also find comfort in that we are far more important for the Father than the sparrows which are also wonderfully cared for by Him.

Dear reader, are you burdened today about your daily and future needs? Do you ever wonder how you would face the next moment in your life because of shortage of resources or strength to meet certain challenges? Remember, you are very special to your Father in heaven. He loved you so much as to sacrifice His Son for your redemption. He has made available all the resources of Heaven to sustain you on a daily basis. He has appointed His angles to stand guard so that you will be protected from all evil and the attacks of the enemy of your soul. He guides and leads you on your pathways and shows you His ways to tread. His Spirit is indwelling in you to speak to you continuously. His Word is deposited in your heart as an eternal investment. You are kept in the fellowship of the Triune God. You have direct access to the Father and are given the freedom to speak to Him without any appointment or time schedule. His eyes are always on you and His ears are open to your cries. The Lord Jesus is your Shepherd and His staff and rod are ministering to your needs. Your heart and mind are kept in God’s peace that passes all understanding. Each time you see a sparrow or any other creature in the animal world, you are reminded of the fact that your Father values you far greater than these creatures. Today if there is any doubt or confusion about your worth, just remind yourself that your worth is greater than that of the whole world. This truth ought to help you today to live joyfully and without stress and fear about your future.

Matthew 6:26 – Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?

Thought for Today

Blessed are those who realize their worth before God and live to meet all challenges through such a perspective in life.


Tuesday, December 27, 2011

STRENGTH FROM JOY!!

Strength from joy!

Verse for Today: Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Nehemiah 8:10b - …for the joy of the Lord is your strength.

The struggles and battles we face in our daily lives often drain us of our strength. The challenges in life are so intense that it takes away all our energies. Our enemy is so fierce and when he confronts us, it often affects our emotions and leads us to become powerless. When circumstances are against us, we are often caught unguarded and loose all courage. The ministries that are spread before us are so demanding that they take away our capacity to withstand the pressures. It is at this time that we must recharge our spiritual batteries in the presence of the Lord. When we spend time meditating on God’s Word, His Spirit fills our hearts with the glory of our Lord. When we are thus filled with His Spirit and His Word, His joy will fill our hearts. We will then be able to rejoice in tribulation and tests. Our hearts will be filled with special joy in spite of our circumstances. The joy that the Lord gives us will give us the necessary energy and strength to keep going. When joy fills our hearts, we will experience the power of the Spirit in our souls. Thus when our hearts are filled with joy, our body functions will become more efficient and the hormonal system will enhance our physical energy as well. Thus the Lord will make us emotionally, spiritually and physically strong to cope with the challenges which lie ahead of us. The people of Jerusalem were grieved and lost their energy because they were so contrite in their souls. So the Lord encouraged them through Nehemiah and Ezra to find their strength in the joy that is available to them in the Lord’s presence. This joy is given to us also today as we get our spiritual batteries recharged in the presence of the Lord in spite of our circumstances.

Dear reader, are you feeling drained out of your strength because of the fierce battle that you are engaged in your life experiences? Is your life a series of tests, tribulations and conflicts which create a lot of tensions and subsequently kill your joy? Remember, even as you are in a series of battles, you can take sufficient breaks in the presence of the Lord to recharge your spiritual batteries. The Lord’s presence is a place to unload your burdens and relax. You can always hand over your battles to the Lord who will fight for you because the battle belongs to the Lord in the final analysis. If you try to fight it out in your energy, you will surely drain out of your strength. But if you dwell in the presence of the Lord and entrust your battles to Him, He will keep your heart and soul in perfect peace in Him. There are times when your heart is grieved because of the failures and weaknesses the Spirit points out to you. It then becomes your opportunity to confess and repent of those sins and get your life right with the Lord. Thus when you enjoy true forgiveness from the Lord, it ought to make your heart rejoice in the Lord. It will impact your whole life with vigor, vitality, enthusiasm and excitement for the Lord. This joy was the strength of the life of Joseph in the pit and the dungeon, Daniel in the lion’s den, the Hebrew boys in the furnace, Peter the night before his expected execution and Paul in the Roman prison. It was the same strength John enjoyed at Patmos. This strength is available to us today to live joyfully in the Lord in spite of our circumstances. The Lord invites us today to go to His presence and recharge our spiritual batteries and be joyful with the strength and energy that He bestows upon each of us in all our situations.

Philippians 3:1 – Finally my brethren, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is safeguard for you.

Thought for Today

The joy of the Lord gives us the strength to fight the fiercest battles in life and come out victorious.




Monday, December 26, 2011

HE IS ABLE!!

He is able!

Verse for Today: Monday, December 26, 2011


Matthew 9:28 – (Jesus) asked them, “ Do you believe that I am able to do this?”

Every time we go to the Lord with a request, He has a question as to whether we wholeheartedly believe that He can do it for us. If there is even an iota of unbelief, doubt or lack of faith, our prayer becomes a ritual rather than a genuine cry from our heart to the All-sufficient Lord. But the irony is that He knows how much faith we have in His power to accomplish what we ask of Him. His ability is indefinable, His power is immeasurable and His resources are unlimited. He wants to meet our needs out of His love and compassion for us. No good thing will He ever keep away from us. He knows what is best for us and He has the power and wisdom to determine the timing and quantity of anything that we seek from Him. But it is imperative that we ask the Lord in full, absolute and unconditional faith. If we are not absolutely sure about His ability to perform a task for us, then we are not genuine and sincere in asking Him in prayer. Such prayers are unanswered and go without any response from the Lord. At the same time, He gives us His favor because He wants to meet our needs. So He gives us our daily requirements as He forgives us of our lack of faith and trust in Him. But if we ask in full faith, He will do it as an answer to our prayers. Realizing their week faith, the disciples once asked the Lord to increase their faith so that all they enjoy in life would be His answers to their prayers rather than His provision for their needs. On the one hand, we need full and unconditional faith in the Lord to get answers to our prayers. On the other hand, He understands our low level of faith and makes amends for it and meets our needs. So we must admit our lack of faith and ask the Lord to increase and strengthen our faith so that we can pray and get answers. This is a challenge in prayer that we need to handle each day in our personal relation with the Lord.

Dear reader, are you praying with the sincere belief that your Lord will certainly provide you with what you ask? Are you fighting a daily battle with doubt, confusion, unbelief and faithlessness? Are your circumstances shaking your faith in your Lord? If the Lord is able to give you eternal life, do you think He cannot meet your mundane needs in life? If the Father has given you His Son as the greatest gift in life, do you think He will withhold lesser things from your life? Hannah is a classical example of a person who put all her faith in the Lord and prayed. Daniel and the Hebrew youth put all their faith in the Lord in the backdrop of the threats from the world. Elijah did not fear King Ahab and prayed in full faith for fire to come down at Carmel. David prayed such prayers of faith which have become part of the Scriptures. When Nehemiah prayed for capacity to refurbish the broken walls of Jerusalem, the Lord granted it because it was prayer in sincere faith. Today the Lord examines our hearts to see whether we are only exercising our tongues in prayer or really mean it from the bottom of our hearts. He is waiting for us to move His heart with a heart full of undiluted faith and trust in His power to grant us our requests. Shall we take this spiritual challenge today and put all our unconditional, undiluted, total and absolute trust in the power of the Lord to grant us our requests? Let us answer the Lord and say with all our heart, mind, soul and life that He is able to grant us our requests no matter how difficult it might be because there is nothing impossible with Him.

Hebrews 11:6 – And without faith, it is impossible to please God, because any one who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him.

Thought for Today

Genuine faith puts all its trust in the Lord’s capacity to grant our requests without the shadow of a doubt.

Sunday, December 25, 2011

BETHLEHEM BRINGS HOPE!!

Bethlehem Brings Hope!

Verse for Today: Sunday, December 25, 2011


Micah 5:2 – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will rule over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Prophet Micah lived during a time when all hope about Israel was gone. There seemed to be no future for God’s people. They were bewildered about the uncertainty which loomed large in front of their eyes. Hopelessness pervaded all spheres of activities and all walks of life. But when everybody gave up on a meaningful future, God spoke about a small, poor, insignificant and unimportant town called Bethlehem. It was a town which meant bread, but there was spiritual famine there. There were heartaches and disappointments in the air. But God asserted that Bethlehem would become a place of hope for His people because a King would be born there. This King would change the destiny of Israel as a nation and the whole world. When there was no hope, this town would bring hope back into the hearts of the people because Jesus, the Hope of the World, was going to be born there. Micah prophesied during the 8th century B.C. and put hope in the hearts of the concerned people of Israel. In order for this prophecy to be fulfilled, God moved the hearts of the rulers to make it necessary for Mary and Joseph of Nazareth to take a trip to Bethlehem. The little town of Bethlehem speaks to us today that the baby born in the manger in Bethlehem is the only hope for this decaying world. He was born in Bethlehem as the Savior and He made the salvation of the world possible through His death on the Cross of Calvary. One of these days, He would come back to establish His Kingdom here on earth and rule the world with justice. Hope for this world cannot be found in technology, science, globalization, peace summits or arms race as they all failed us miserably. Our hope is in a Savior born in Bethlehem and died on the cross. This is our moment of truth to entrust our lives to Him and find true hope.

Dear friend, Jesus was born in Bethlehem to put hope in the lives of people and nations. Perhaps your circumstances might look hopeless. You probably can’t find reasons to expect any thing good in this life. But if you commit your life to Jesus, He will put hope back into your life. If you entrust your life with Him, He will receive it, reshape it and put it back to work for His glory. So you don’t need to give up or quit, but allow Jesus to rebuild your life. He is the Master Designer and Builder of lives. He builds and rebuilds. He creates and recreates. He wants to reshape and remold your life so that you will become a vessel of great prospects. Yes, there is hope for you and about you. Even if the whole world gives up on you, Jesus will not. Any one who comes to Him will never be cast out or rejected. He can wipe your canvass clean and help you to draw your life picture all over again. He will forgive and forget your past failures and rewrite your story in His way. Today Jesus reminds us that He is the Prince of Hope who came to a hopeless place called Bethlehem to make it the citadel of hope. So let us put behind us all our past failures and losses and go to Jesus and ask Him to take hold of our lives to put hope back in us to go forward. Today let Jesus become your hope for the future. He will make the sun shine upon you and send bright rays of hope into your life to brighten you your pathways.

John 7:42 – “Does not the Scripture say that the Christ will come from David’s family and from Bethlehem, the town where David lived?”

Thought for Today

When Jesus, the Hope of the World, is born in our hearts, hope will fill our lives to help us live in peace.


Saturday, December 24, 2011

REVISITING BETHLEHEM!!

Revisiting Bethlehem!

Verse for Today: Saturday, December 24, 2011


Luke 2:15 – “Let us go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

On the night Jesus was born, the shepherds went to Bethlehem to see baby Jesus. They were not commanded to go and see the baby, but they had an urgency to see this Savior about whom the angels were singing. It is worth pondering over the reason why they wanted to go to the insignificant town of Bethlehem rather than to more important places. Had these shepherds gone to Greece we would have understood it as their quest for wisdom, knowledge and philosophy for which Greece was famous at that time. But human wisdom and knowledge would not solve life problems, for which they needed a Savior. When they learnt that He was born in Bethlehem, they went there to see Him. Had these shepherds gone to Rome, it would have been easier to understand because Rome was the centre of military might and the greatest power centre of that time to give protection and welfare. But military might and power would not solve man’s life problems, for which they looked for a Savior. So when they heard the heavenly announcement, it was a spontaneous response to go and see Him in Bethlehem. If these shepherds went to Jerusalem, it would have been reasonable because Jerusalem was the center of the great Jewish religion with its temple and priestly order of worship. But religion was unable to save these lost souls and solve their problems and so there was no use going to Jerusalem. They were moved by the presence of a Savior in the little town of Bethlehem and so quickly went to see Him. They found Him to be the answer to all their social, physical, mental and spiritual problems. They felt that the Savior born in a manger would be at their wave length and would accept them. The Lord gave these underprivileged people the opportunity to listen to the good news of the birth of the Messiah before the elite, the priests and the royals. These needy shepherds were the first to go and see the Savior in poor, old and insignificant Bethlehem. Today we all have the privilege and opportunity to see the Savior of Bethlehem who came to give us new life.

Dear reader, are you looked down upon by the elite of this world? Have you ever been rejected by the well-to-do, the wise, the religious and the powerful people around you? Are you feeling dejected, despised, mocked, pulled down and isolated by others? When the whole world rejects you, Jesus will accept you. He welcomes you to His presence without regard to any social, educational, religious or cultural stigma attached to you by the world. The Lord loves you and wants you to go to Him just as you are. Jesus came to Bethlehem to grip with the reality of poverty, discomfort, deprivation, social stigma, poor educational status or religious contempt. No matter what you are experiencing today, Jesus welcomes you. The closed doors of the Inns and the rejection of the people did not deter the Prince of Heaven to be born in Bethlehem. He humbled Himself to be born in a manger. As the true Shepherd he wanted to be symbolically with the sheep even at his birth! He was willing to express utter humility and wanted to identify Himself with the homeless and the rejected people of this world to give them a permanent home in heaven. When the angels presented the deplorable sign of a manger for the Savior to be born, the shepherds were excited to go to the manger to see the Prince of Glory who was willing to grip with the reality of their low estate. Today let us go to Bethlehem to revisit the humble King of the Universe and renew our humility before Him. Let us see Him as the One who identified with us in our low estate and died for us on the Cross of Calvary so that we could become princes and princesses with Him. Let us revisit the manger at Bethlehem to see His true humility and follow Him on the Calvary Road all the way to Golgotha.

Micah 5:2 – “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me One who will rule over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Thought for Today

The way of the cross is the prerequisite to revisiting Bethlehem to see the King in His humility and glory.


Friday, December 23, 2011

A GREAT WEDDING AT BETHLEHEM!!

A Great Wedding at Bethlehem!

Verse for Today: Friday, December 23, 2011


Ruth 4:11 – Then the elders and those at the gate (of Bethlehem) said, “We are witnesses. May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your home like Rachel and Leah, who together built up the house of Israel. May you have standing in Ephrathah and be famous in Bethlehem”.

The infamous Bethlehem which went through a famine has blossomed again. The Lord sent a visitation to Bethlehem and its weeping has now become joy because of the plentiful harvest granted by the Lord. Ruth the gentile is now starting a new life in Bethlehem as the bride of the richest man in Bethlehem. She is now becoming the possessor of all the wealth of Boaz. When God revisited Bethlehem, it got a complete face lift. Its people are happy and even outsiders like Ruth are received into the grace Bethlehem has obtained in the sight of the Lord. Bethlehem is no more a place of weeping or groping in the unknown and dark future without hope. A great wedding is going to take place there. Boaz as the kinsman redeemer of Bethlehem is a beautiful picture of Jesus who became our Kinsman Redeemer who came to Bethlehem to grip with the reality of famine, weeping and waiting. He came to transform the pain and misery of Bethlehem into a banquet house of the richest man getting married to a gentile and outcast woman. Ruth was in the field of Boaz in fortunately so that the tears and separation of her widowhood is transformed into making her a bride and the great grandmother of Jesus Christ. Just as Boaz transformed the weeping Ruth into his joyful bride at the great wedding, Jesus was born as the Savior in Bethlehem to transform our sinful lives into one of jubilation as we become the members of His Church, His bride. The little town of Bethlehem shows us the Savior who changed our destiny and makes our lives a joyful celebration of the Savior’s love for us.

Dear friend, is your life one of spiritual famine and weeping because of your utter depravity and hopelessness? Are you under the grips of defeat, loss, loneliness and rejection because of the painful situations you are in today? Perhaps you are frustrated because of the dark clouds over the horizon of your life and without any hope. But there is no need for you to loose hope because Jesus came to Bethlehem to grip with the reality of spiritual famine, weeping, depravity, failure, rejection and hatred which we experience today. The poor and insignificant Bethlehem has become the focal point of hope for the world because the Savior was born there. Jesus came to Bethlehem to usher in a new era of hope, acceptance, love, gain, fellowship and camaraderie. This was why the Heavenly Choir started singing and praising God in Bethlehem. When you accept Jesus as your personal savior by repenting of your sins and confessing Him as your Lord and Savior, you become part of the Church and thus part of the bride of Christ. Just as there was a wedding between Boaz and Ruth and its jubilation in Bethlehem, there will soon be a wedding of the Church and Jesus, her Heavenly Bridegroom. Today Bethlehem reminds us of our Heavenly Bridegroom who will soon come back from Heaven to take us, His bride, to be with Him forever and ever. All our toils, tears and tensions will be removed from us forever. Today we might be experiencing depravity, but when our Bridegroom comes, we will receive all His riches in glory, just as Ruth experienced in Bethlehem. Bethlehem thus gives us hope, joy and peace in a world which is under the dark clouds of uncertainty and confusion.

Luke 2:11 – Today in the town of David (Bethlehem) a Saviour has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.

Thought for Today

When God so loved the world, He sent Christ our Redeemer to Bethlehem to transform our weeping into a wedding.




Thursday, December 22, 2011

THE WATER OF LIFE OF BETHLEHEM!!

The Water of Life of Bethlehem!

Verse for Today: Thursday, December 22, 2011


2 Samuel 23:15 – David longed for water and said, “Oh, that someone would get me a drink of water from the well near the gate of Bethlehem!”

Man longs to drink to quench his thirst. Man also has an inner thirst which is the thirst of his soul for God. But the world gives him the lukewarm water from its broken cisterns which increase his thirst. So he spends his entire life searching for better water from the world and pays for it with his life. David was thirsty and as a Bethlehemite, he knew that there was a well at the gates of Bethlehem which would quench his deep thirst. At that time David was running away because of his enemies. Still he desired to drink from the well of Bethlehem to quench his thirst. The water of Bethlehem meant all that a home and its rest would mean to him. But his followers had to risk their lives to give him that water to drink. Years later Jesus, the Water of Life came to Bethlehem to give the true and living water to all who are thirsty. He came to Bethlehem as a baby, but the thirsty people of Bethlehem did not recognize or accept Him. They rejected the Water of Life and have been in thirst all through the generations. Jesus the Water of Life poured Himself out for them on the Cross of Calvary and opened the never-ceasing stream of living water so that all who go to Him will quench their thirst forever. He quenches like nothing else would. If we drink this living water, He will take away our desires for the lukewarm waters of education, entertainment, fame and fortune and take away all the bitterness this world has put into our lives. He washes our hearts of all the sins and curses we inherited and all the iniquities we committed. By coming to Bethlehem 2000 years ago, Jesus announced that He was the Living Water for all to go to Him to drink to quench their inner thirst.

Dear friend, are you shopping for the best drinks of the world for your soul to take away all the bitterness in your soul? Are you lured into drinking the lukewarm waters of position, possession, prestige, popularity and prominence that this world offers you? But these will only increase your thirst and make you weary and sick with all the complications these desires create in you. But there is a stream of Living Water opened at Calvary for you to drink. He is the Water of Life who was born in Bethlehem to give you the drink of Heaven to quench all the thirst in your soul. If you are thirsty for love, He will fill you with divine love which makes you a part of the family of God to be loved by His and all His children. This love makes someone in some corner of the world to pray for you today because you are part of the family. If you are thirsty for peace, He will fill you with His peace no matter how complicated and cumbersome your situations are. Are you thirsty for rest in your soul? He will give you restful time of fellowship in His presence. Jesus offers to freely enrich your life with peace, love, rest, joy and satisfaction, whereas the water the world gives you cost you everything you have and are. Jesus paid the cost of your quenching with His life on the Cross. All you have to do is to go as you are to Jesus, admit that you are thirsty in your soul and ask for the living water and you will be filled to overflowing. You see, it was no mere accident that Jesus was born in Bethlehem. The most meaningful and rich intervention of God to quench the inner thirst of man opened with the birth of the Living Water at Bethlehem. This living water will cure us of all our anguishes and drench us with peace eternal. Today you are invited to come and drink as much as you desire from this Living Water born in Bethlehem.

John 7:37 – On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink.”

Thought for Today

The Living Water born in Bethlehem has opened a ceaseless stream at Calvary to quench our soul's thirst.







Wednesday, December 21, 2011

HEARTACHES OF BETHLEHEM!!

Heartaches of Bethlehem!

Verse for Today: Wednesday, December 21, 2011


Genesis 35:19 – So Rachel died and was buried on the way to Ephrata (that is Bethlehem).

Bethlehem was a place of heartaches. It was there that Rachel died and was buried. It was a day when Jacob was brokenhearted. There was a sword through the soul of Rachel and she cried aloud in Bethlehem because she was going to be separated from her husband and two children. In her time of heartache and pain, Rachel named her new born baby ‘Ben-Oni’ which meant ‘son of my sorrow’. This child was son of the sorrow for Rachel, Jacob and Joseph because Rachel was dying. Centuries later, Mary had a little boy in Bethlehem by the name Jesus who was called ‘Man of Sorrows’ by the prophet. Mary went through sorrow because she Mary couldn’t even find a place for her first baby to be born. He was acquainted with sorrow and grief all His years on earth and He lived in the shadow of death that He was going to go through for the sins of human beings. At His birth, Herod killed thousands of children, and their mothers cried aloud for their lost children. The enemy tried to kill Him several times before He reached the cross for which He came. His heart was sorrowful unto death in the garden of Gethsemane. He endured the cross and died with a loud cry. Yes, He was the Man of Sorrows who came to take away the sorrow that we all would have experienced all through eternity. Jacob was not ready to call his son Ben-Oni because of his faith in the Lord who was capable of making his son a ‘son of God’s right hand’ and so he called him Benjamin. The Man of Sorrows, born in Bethlehem as the son of Mary, became the ‘Son of God’s right hand’ as He became victorious over death. By coming to Bethlehem as a baby in the manger, Jesus declares to the world that He came to grip with the reality of heartache, pain, misery, loss and separation.

Dear reader, are you going through heartaches and pain of separation and misery? Are you finding it difficult to overcome your pain and loneliness because of your sense of loss or failure? Today you are invited by the Spirit of God to see the Savior who was born in Bethlehem as the ‘son of sorrow’. He was the true Ben-Oni who came to Bethlehem to take your pain and misery away. He came to Bethlehem to remove your sorrow and replace it with confidence, courage, strength, faith and trust in Him. He shouldered your sorrow and pain and became victorious over your feelings of pain, distress, agony, anguish and despondency. Today there is victory for you in all your difficult situations through Jesus who was born as the ‘son of sorrow’ in Bethlehem. Your Lord is today seated at the right hand of the Father as the victor over all your painful situations and is interceding for you. He is inviting you today to go to Him with your heartaches and misery. If you put your trust Him, He will shoulder all your heartaches for you. His hands will wipe your tears and take away your sorrow and loneliness. He will give you the strength to face your difficult situation and give you the needful rest and peace. He gave that peace to Jacob and made him ‘Prince with God.’ By coming to Bethlehem, He declare to the world that He has come to take away the pains and heartaches of all who are willing to go to Him for victory over all their situations. Today you have the opportunity to hand over all your heartaches to Him and find the much needed victory and rest.

Luke 2:6 – While (Joseph and Mary) were (in Bethlehem), the time came for the baby to be born.

Thought for Today

Jesus, the ‘Ben-Oni’ of Bethlehem, is today the ‘Benjamin’ of Calvary to give us victory over all our heartaches, sorrow, misery and pain.




Tuesday, December 20, 2011

THE HEAVENLY BREAD OF BETHLEHEM!!

The Heavenly Bread of Bethlehem!

Verse for Today: Tuesday, December 20, 2011


Ruth 1:1 – In the days when the judges ruled, there was a famine in the land, and a man from Bethlehem in Judah, together with his wife and two sons, went to live for a while in the country of Moab.

It is intriguing why Jesus came to Bethlehem rather than to any other place in Israel? Bethlehem means the ‘house of bread’. It is ironical that the house of bread is experiencing a famine which made some of its inhabitants seek bread elsewhere. It is sad for the house of bread not to have bread to satisfy the hunger of its citizens. Life was hard in Bethlehem at that time and people starved for the basic necessities. This is the situation we find around us where people starve for the lack of spiritual food. But God had promised through the prophets that He would give the land a visitation by sending them bread that would satisfy their hunger forever. That Heavenly Bread who was born in Bethlehem is Jesus. The Father gave Him to the world because the Father had compassion and concern over the hungry masses. He gave this Bread to all of us because He loved us so much. He allowed this Bread to be baked in the heat of the wrath of God towards man on the cross of Calvary. Today this Bread is available for us to spiritually eat and be fully satisfied for healthy growth and inner blessings. There are two kinds of people who starve for spiritual food today. One is the group which has never recognized the Bread of Heaven sent by the Father to satisfy all the spiritual needs of the people of this world. Second, there are those who have tasted this Bread, but would succumb to temptation to eat the garbage of this world and become spiritually sick. During the Christmas season, we are reminded of the Bread of Heaven who was born in Bethlehem, the House of Bread, for all those who are genuinely hungry. All are welcome to eat this spiritual bread and meet their inner hunger. There is a guarantee that all who eat will be fully satisfied and would not need to go to any other source.

Dear reader, are you a hungry soul today, seeking to satisfy your innermost desire for life and healthy growth? Are you craving for spiritual bread because of the deep hunger you experience in your soul? Are you tempted to eat the sickly garbage which this world gives you to eat in the name of food with an empty promise of false sense of satisfaction? But there is genuine satisfaction if you are willing to receive Jesus Christ, the Heavenly Bread of Life, offered to you free of cost by the Father who has compassion on you? By sending His only begotten Son to Bethlehem, God is sending you the message of good news that there is spiritual bread available to the hungry souls of this world. It is available to meet all your cravings. This Bread of Heaven is sufficient to heal all your spiritual sickness. If you are depressed, this Bread will make you joyful. If you are weary and in anguish, this Bread will give you peace and rest. If you are in anxiety, this Bread will give you faith and trust in the Lord to look after all your future. If you take this Bread regularly, you will be made like Jesus in character and behavior. You will then handle all your concerns just as Jesus would have handled. Your reactions will be like that of Jesus. You will be at peace in all situations because Jesus is with you and for you in all your situations. This Christmas season, God wants to remind you that Jesus, the Bread of Life, is sufficient to satisfy all your cravings. So there is no need for you to go hungry, but go to the Heavenly Bread, born in Bethlehem, eat and live in full satisfaction.

Luke 2:11 – Today in the Town of David (Bethlehem) a Savior has been born to you; He is Christ the Lord.

Thought for Today

There is no need for us to live with inner hunger when Jesus the Bread of Heaven, born in Bethlehem, has been made available for us today to meet all our needs to full satisfaction.

CONTACT US: todayintheword@gmail.com

Monday, December 19, 2011

HE COMES INTO MY SITUATION!!

He comes into my situation!

Verse for Today: Monday, December 19, 2011

John 11:29 – When Mary heard this (that Jesus was there), she got up quickly and went to Him.

Jesus comes to us at the darkest moments of our lives to give us fellowship, comfort and strength. He draws near His children with blessings of various kinds. He has immeasurable strength and comfort with Him to give to His children. He invites us each day to go to Him because He is near us. He has answers to our concerns and difficulties. He understands our heartaches and pain. Jesus is our answer to all our problems. He will not leave us empty handed. He is not like other kith and kin who cannot do any thing meaningful for us except nice words and other expressions of sympathy. They will all leave us after a short while, but our Lord comes never to leave us. He comes to resolve our difficult situations and put our shattered lives back on the track again. When the Lord comes to us, He already knows our needs and the painful condition of our hearts. He also knows what He will do to resolve our crises when we meet with Him because He is our All Sufficient Lord. Before the Lord came to Bethany, He knew why He came at that seemingly late hour and what He would do to wipe the tears of the bereaved sisters. This gives us tremendous confidence in going to the Lord Jesus with our most intimate needs. Today He wants to pull us out of our seclusion and isolation. We are fortunate to be able to go to the Lord who comes to us in our times of deep anguishes in life.

Dear reader, are you going through a time of misery, frustration and restlessness in your life? Is there any anguish or pain in your life that overwhelms you and make it unbearable? The Lord Jesus knows your situations and wants to come to you today to be the answer to your situations no matter what they are. As He comes to you, it is important that you turn to Him. He knows the depth of your loneliness, pain, misery, anguish and confusions. He understands your broken heart and the tears in your eyes and that is why He wants to come to you. He comes with answers to your difficulties and wants to bless you with His fellowship in His presence. In fact, the Lord wants to answer you far beyond your expectations even about your seeming impossible situations. Your situation might be insurmountable for you, but it is not at all difficult for the God of creation who comes to recreate and reform your life and situation. He is willing to touch your life with His hand of healing and comfort. He wants you to go to Him and express your anguishes to Him. The Lord will answer you in a manner which is far more glorious than you would expect. He always gives according to His dignity and status which is far beyond our imagination. His hands are far bigger than any of our calculations or measures and He wants to give you His best according to His measure. There is no history of any one who approached Jesus and returned disappointed. This Jesus is coming your way today to touch the sore spots of your life and make your life whole again. Will you go to Him and confide in Him with all your needs no matter how desperate it is? You will be in for a pleasant surprise when you tell Jesus all about your heartaches and misery. He comes to make your life joyful and strong through unusual and unexpected ways which are known to Him alone. Today it is our blessed privilege to know that Jesus comes to us in our times of need with open hands of invitation and He awaits our positive response.

Matthew 11:28 – “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.”

Thought for Today

Jesus comes to us today with blessings and comfort to enrich, strengthen and fortify our lives.

CONTACT US: todayintheword@gmail.com

Sunday, December 18, 2011

REST AND PEACE!!

Rest and peace!

Verse for Today: Sunday, December 18, 2011


1 Kings 8:56 – Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to His people Israel just as He promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises He gave through His servant Moses.


When we go through chaos and confusion in a restless world, it is likely that we loose hope. The world is trying to solve its conflicts and confusions, but the more they try, the more they find irresolvable chaos. While we live in such a restless world, we do not need to wallow in our confusing situations because our God is able to solve our problems and give us rest in His holy presence. When He promises to look after our affairs, we do not need to be restless, but can relax in His presence. There is a resolve for all our complicated situations in His presence. He has promised us rest and this rest can be found not only when we reach heaven, but it is promised for our present situations no matter how complicated it might be. Our God looks after our situations and gives us peace that passes all understanding in all our affairs. He gives us peace and rest as He has made us seated in heavenly places with Him where the chaos of this world would not affect us. We have the heavenly assurance that none of what He has promised will fail because our Lord doesn’t fail.

Dear friend, are you getting boggled down because of the intensity of chaos and confusion that prevail around you? Are your situations taking your peace away from you and giving you insomnia? But there is no need for you to suffer such restlessness because your Lord has promised you rest and peace in His presence. In order for you to experience this peace and rest, you need to spend more and more time in the Lord’s presence and ask that you may be filled with His peace and rest. Abraham experienced this peace and rest even when he was a childless ‘father of many nations’ and lived by faith to earn that title. David experienced such peace and rest as the anointed king of Israel even when he was running for life. Joseph had such a rest while in the pit and the dungeon. Daniel found such peace and rest even in the lion’s den. When the brook of Cherith dried and the ravens stopped coming with lunch and dinner, Elijah found reasons for rest and peace in the presence of God. Apostle Peter had such a rest and peaceful sleep the night before his expected execution. Apostle Paul kept his ministry of writing about the peace of God when he was in a dungeon in Rome. They sought peace and rest and the Lord gave it to them. If we so desire and ask the Lord, He will give us rest and peace in His presence no matter what our situation is or who is fighting us. Our Lord will guard our hearts and minds from anxiety and anguish even in the worst scenarios of life. As we rest, our Lord works out victory for us in our situations. Today He is challenging us to take Him at His Word and trust Him to fulfill His promise of rest and peace no matter how complicated our situations are. Let us today draw from His well of peace and drink to our brim and rest at His green pastures and cool waters.

Exodus 33:14 – The Lord replied, “My presence will go with you and I will give you rest.”

Thought for Today

God’s promise of rest is made available to all His children who genuinely desire and seek Him and His presence.

CONTACT US: todayintheword@gmail.com

Saturday, December 17, 2011

COURAGE FOR THE FAINTHEARTED!!

Courage for the fainthearted!

Verse for Today: Saturday, December 17, 2011


Acts 23:11 – The following night the Lord stood near Paul and said, “Take courage! As you have testified about Me in Jerusalem, so you must also testify in Rome.”

God never forsakes His children when they are intimidated from all corners. He gives them courage and strength to face their difficult situations to go forward. He knows when we need further strengthening and so He comes to us at the right time to speak to us in a special way. He knows all about the roadblocks we face in our ministries and our daily lives. When intimidations galore, even the strongest among us sometimes become discouraged. Elijah had such a discouragement in life. David experienced deep discouragements on many occasions during his life time. Jacob went through shattering experiences in life several times. Jacob was in deep distress when he lost his beloved Rachel and later on when his precious Joseph was gone. Job went through such bitter experiences when he lost everything in life. John had nothing to hold on while in exile in Patmos. But our Lord never forsook His dear ones at the lowest ebbs of life. He revived their sagging spirits and fortified their hearts. He spoke to them, encouraged them, took their fears away and gave them abundance of courage. Paul was intimidated by the enemies of gospel cruelly. But the Lord didn’t forsake him and his ministry. The Lord took time to meet him when he was alone in the barracks. He spoke to Paul to encourage him and reassured him about his life and ministry. The Lord reassured Paul that he would sustain him to fulfill the ministries for which he was called.

Dear reader, are you experiencing serious intimidation and threats from the enemy in your life and ministry? Are you gripped with fear and anxiety about the future? Is your situation far beyond your capacity to handle all by yourself? Remember, your Lord knows how complicated your situation is. He is speaking to you today through the life of Paul that your Lord will not send you forward alone. He will go before you and prepare your way. He will equip you for the ministries that He has planned for you. He will give you the courage and strength to face your situations. There might be more serious intimidation awaiting you in the future. The wind, waves, earthquake, tsunami, shipwreck and other experiences might come your way again. But none of these need to discourage you because your Lord will be with you every step of the way. He will look after you and your activities. He will give you energy, strength, courage and confidence to face each of your future situations. He is willing to give far more than you ever ask for or imagine. He will meet all your needs at the right time. So there is no need for you to be afraid of your present or upcoming situations. Today the Lord speaks and commands us not to be discouraged. We often get discouraged when we try to work out our situations in our own strength. But when we trust the Lord, He will fulfill His plans for us with His resources. Paul had so much of ministry waiting for him. God had already planned some more books of the Bible to be written by Paul. More revelations were waiting for him in the days to come. These are all ordained of the Lord in his life for which the Lord prepared His servant and gave Him divine courage. The same courage and strength are available for us today to face our situations for the glory of God.

Psalms 31:24 – Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord.

Thought for Today

Greater the intimidation we face, greater will be the courage and strength poured into us by the Lord.




Friday, December 16, 2011

BREAKING THR0UGH HINDRANCES!!

Breaking through hindrances!

Verse for Today: Friday, December 16, 2011

Luke 17:6 – (Jesus) replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you.”

Our Lord has given us the privilege to address hindrances and obstacles in our lives to be removed. We are commanded to use our privilege as the children of the Almighty God to weather away the hindrances which the enemy brings on our pathways. We are not to stall our trek of faith because our enemy tries to stop us. Our pathway is one of faith and not sight. When we look to the future through Jesus, we will see only light and not darkness. It is when we take our eyes off Jesus that we see hindrances. We have the authority to command these obstacles to move away from us as we pray in the name of the Lord which is the most powerful name in this universe. But often we are bewildered when we see obstacles and run away or run back. We are not to run back because we are only given weapons to fight forward and march onward. Our weapons are faith and the right use of the Word. As the Word is the Lord, when we use His name, the enemy flees from us. At the name of Jesus, all hindrances are removed. At the name of Jesus, light comes on our pathways. At the name of Jesus, impossibilities in situations and circumstances give way to possibilities. When we approach and deal with hindrances in the name of the Lord, they get uprooted and flee. This is a serious spiritual warfare that we are engaged in and victory is available to us if we exercise our spiritual position as the children of the King.

Dear friend, are you facing hindrances in your spiritual life which discourage you from going forward? Are there huge obstacles on your way when you desire to go forward for the Lord? Hindrances often come from the enemy and we need to face the enemy by faith and get spiritual victory. Often the hindrance is in our hearts and not in front of us. We are get worldly perceptions and illusory thinking about these hindrances from the enemy through our circumstances and situations which make us fearful and so we retreat. But we need spiritual discernment to see if these hindrances are illusions or reality? Either way, we can go forward through the spiritual authority and power we have in Jesus to go forward to accomplish God’s purpose for us. Sometimes hindrances are tests to measure our level of faith and trust in the Lord. These tests come from the Lord or that He would allow us to go through it, to strengthen our faith. But in all these situations and circumstances, we must use the Word of God to combat the hindrances and go forward by faith. We can attempt great things for God by faith in spite of hindrances and roadblocks. This was how Joseph progressed in his walk with the Lord. Daniel and the Hebrew boys had hindrances of various kinds, but they went forward challenging the roadblocks with their faith in the Lord. Israelites faced several roadblocks, but they finally arrived at the Promised Land. When we exercise our spiritual position as the children of the King, we can also get such victories over roadblocks. Hindrances should not scare us, but make us courageous to go forward in the name of Jesus. Today let us exercise our faith in the victorious Lord and ask that the hindrances be removed. Let us go forward in faith and appropriate victory through our Lord.

Exodus 14:15 – Then the Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to move on.”

Thought for Today

All that we accomplish for the Lord will meet with resistance from the enemy in the form of hindrances, but we can overcome it all in the power of the Lord.




Thursday, December 15, 2011

OUR BENEVOLENT AND COMPASSIONATE FATHER!!

Our Benevolent and Compassionate Father!

Verse for Today: Thursday, December 15, 2011

Genesis 50:21 – “So then, don’t be afraid. I will provide for you and your children.” And (Joseph) reassured them and spoke kindly to them.

Joseph’s brothers had doubts about their sustainability in Egypt because they were guilty of their wrong doings against their brother. But Joseph willingly and purposefully forgave them and took time to repeatedly dispel their fears. He kept promising them that he would provide for them and their families. Joseph was such a benevolent brother who was able to see the hand of God working through him to fulfill His purpose in the lives of the family of Jacob. Joseph speaks to us today about the providence of God towards His children during difficult times. God moves various events in human history and turned things around for His children’s welfare. His purposes in these interventions are to glorify His name through the lives of His children. At the same time, God reveals His character through these events. He is a forgiving and loving Father who keep helping and supporting His children during difficult times. He looks at our future and not our past. When we confess our past failures and weaknesses, He forgives us and will not remember these sins any longer. But He is interested in building us up for the future so that He can use our lives to become a blessing to those whom we touch through our interactions of different kinds. God touched Joseph’s life and used Him to touch the lives of the people of Egypt and even the royal family. He also had the opportunity to touch the lives of his father, stepmothers and brothers with all their families. The reassurance Joseph gave to his brothers is similar to the reassurance our Lord gives today to all His children that He will look after us in our times of needs.

Dear friend, do you sometimes develop doubts about God’s willingness and capacity to help you in times of dire needs? Are you unsure about God’s open mind and free dealings with you in spite of your shortcomings and the ways by which you have grieved the Spirit of God? But if you have sought God’s forgiveness through genuine repentance, He will forgive you and will not fish out those sins He once forgave you. His displeasure with you will not last long because when you repent, He will not deal with you according to your past, but according to your future. This was how He dealt with Abraham, Isaac, Noah, David, Moses and Peter. His displeasure with them melted when they expressed their penitence to Him. Thereafter the Lord kept providing for them to meet their needs. Just as Joseph was magnanimous with his brothers, our Lord will be magnanimous with us in providing for us. Today He wants us not to be afraid of possible punishment for our spiritual crimes. As a loving father, our God will spank us for some of our disobedience, but He will not deal with us according to our shortcomings. So we can go to Him with confidence and courage today and confess our failures and weaknesses. He will surely forgive us and will reassure us, as He reassured Peter after he disowned the Lord three times. His promise of provision, protection and fellowship will be available to us as we renew our lives each day with the help of His Spirit.

Psalms 103:10 –
(Our Lord) does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities.

Thought for Today

God deals with His children as a benevolent father and not as a taskmaster.







Wednesday, December 14, 2011

THE ROCK THAT WILL NOT ROCK!!

The Rock that will not rock!

Verse for Today: Wednesday, December 14, 2011

Psalms 18:46 – The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God my Savior!

It is our privilege to acknowledge and confide in our Lord who lives in our hearts. He lives for us and works for us today. He is our Rock who never changes with the changing world that is around us. He doesn’t change His character. His promises never change. His love for us never changes. He might not be pleased with all that we do, but that doesn’t mean that His love for us diminishes. His love to us is not conditional on our qualifications or merit. He is the exalted Lord who is above all our situations. We can face the realities of life because our Lord lives for us and He works for us. He stands firm like the Rock for us in all our situations and circumstances. Because our Lord lives for us and looks after our affairs, we need not be afraid of the consequences of the complications of our situations. Our Lord is able to take our lives out of the webs of conflicts, uncertainties, unpleasantness, rejections, oppressions, loneliness and puzzling questions about our future. Our Lord lives and so we can live with Him and for Him and move forward with Him as He leads and guides us. He proves to us each day that He is above all our problems and He invites us to live with Him at that height where our problems do not bother us. Our greatest confidence in life is that our Lord is alive like a Rock and lifted up above all our situations. He gets Himself involved with our situations to give us peace and sustainability. He rules and overrules our life situations to make sure that all glory for all that happens in our lives go to Him. We need to remind ourselves of the truth that our Lord is alive and He rules our lives for His glory. Thus we can live without anxiety about our future and trust our Lord to make our lives platforms for glorifying His name.

Dear friend, if you are going through shaky circumstances, you need not be anxious about it because your Lord who is the Rock has placed you on Him so as not to feel unstable. If you are not sure how your future turns out to be, you can still move forward your Lord knows it. If you feel intimidated, you need not be afraid because there is no scope for fear in and with the Lord. If you are confronted by the enemy through fierce attacks, you can be sure that his darts will not hit you because your Lord has encircled around you with glory. David and Daniel experienced the care and support of the Lord who was with them and protected them in times of trouble. Moses was preserved by the Lord all the time and accomplished His purpose through his tough life. Thus Moses was enabled to stand boldly for the Lord in front of the Pharaoh. Elijah faced Ahab boldly because His Lord was in control of his life and future. Daniel had no hesitation to speak boldly to Nebuchadnezzar. Peter and John spoke boldly about the Lord without fear of consequences. Paul was courageous to speak to the rulers and religious leaders. This Lord is our Lord today and forever and He lives in our lives as the Rock on whom we can lean and relax. He is exalted above all powers in this universe. He glorifies Himself through us if we are fully surrendered to His will. Today it is our blessed privilege to move with the Lord and face our situations with confidence, courage and faith.

Deuteronomy 31:6 – Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Thought for Today

No circumstance on earth will ever shake the Rock of Ages and all who take refuge on the Rock.




Tuesday, December 13, 2011

COMFORTING KNOWLEDGE!!

Comforting knowledge!

Verse for Today: Tuesday, December 13, 2011

Psalms 46:10a – Cease striving and know that I am God.

It is a matter of great comfort to realize that God knows us with all our needs, difficulties, battles and burdens. It is equally important for us to know our God who is in control of our situations. When these two sides of knowledge come together it makes the life of a child of God most peaceful and relaxing. As God knows my situation, I can relax because nothing will happen to me without His permission. He knows when I struggle and scramble for a release from my bondage. He deals with me graciously and lovingly in my times of burdens and battles. As He knows my situation, He becomes my partner in my struggles and battles. He gives me victory in my difficult situations and takes me forward without getting boggled down in areas which might clog my life. When my God is in full and absolute control of my situations, I do not need to handle my situation my own way, but leave it with Him. When the Lord is handling my difficulties in His own way, there is no need for me to try to strive to find a solution to it. While Daniel relaxed in the den of lions and Joseph relaxed in the dungeon, they were sure that their Lord was in full control of their situations. When David was running from pillar to post for refuge, he was able to sing that he would not fear any evil because his Shepherd was in control of his situations. When Sanballat and Tobias tried to sabotage the refurbishment work of the walls of Jerusalem, Nehemiah handed his struggles over to the Lord to handle it. The Lord wonderfully handled the struggles of Elijah, Mordecai, Esther, Ruth, Moses, Joshua, Paul and others. This Lord is with us today. He knows us and our struggles too. So we can cease to struggle and find our peace and rest in His arms.

Dear friend, are you striving to keep going through some difficult situations and circumstances in your life? Are there times when you your goings get tougher and tougher? Remember, your Lord knows all about it. He will not allow you to suffer beyond the capacity He gives you each day to handle your situations. He will give you the strength to face your situations and become victorious. So it is your special privilege today to know your Lord and His power more intimately and leave your situations for Him to handle His way. You do not need to struggle with your situation because your Lord is in control of it. He will do the needful to manage your affairs according to His will. He will solve your puzzles for you. He will carry you and your burdens on His shoulders. He will fill your heart with His peace which passes all understanding about the consequences of your situations. He wants to glorify His name in and through all that happens in your life. He will increase your faith to be able to trust Him totally in all aspects of your situation boldly. So you can learn to be silent before Him and watch how He handles it for your spiritual welfare and for building up your life of faith. He has done it for His servants down through the centuries and will do it for you also. Your happiness is His concern. Your burden is His burden. Remember, He is the Lord of all your situations and circumstances also. He will watch over you no matter where the world locks you in. When you go through water, fire, wind, waves, lion’s den, pits, dungeons, shipwreck, shortages, failures, loss, abuse, oppression, separation, hunger, thirst or deprivation of various kinds, your Lord will be with you and will provide for you to meet all your needs for your contentment and His glory. So today you can cease to struggle and get to know your Lord more intimately than yesterday and relax in His presence in peace.

Psalms 138:3 – On the day I called, You answered me; You made me bold with strength in my soul.

Thought for Today

When we know the Lord and that He knows us with our situations, we can relax and be comfortable in His presence in perfect peace.


Monday, December 12, 2011

ALL CALLS ANSWERED!!

All calls answered!

Verse for Today: Monday, December 12, 2011

Mark 10:49 – And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him here.” So they called the blind man, saying to him, “Take courage, stand up! He is calling for you.”

When we go through dire needs in the spiritual, emotional and physical realms of life, often the people around us look at us and pass by. Most may not even notice us. A few might look at us, but do not have the time to stop. They are all busy in their own spectrum of life. One or two might express concern, but don’t do any thing about our situations because they are incapable of doing any thing. But that is not the case with our Lord Jesus. He knows that we are helpless and weak and need His help. He knows where we are and how miserable our lives are. Even though He runs the whole universe, He has time to stop for us and wants to encourage us to talk to Him about our needs. Even though He knows our needs, He wants us to speak to Him about it in simple and direct expressions. No matter what our need is, He comes to call us and asks that we go to Him. All that we need to do is to get up from our situations and go to Jesus. He has the answers to our problems and concerns. He is ready to do what we desire because He considers it as a fundamental need in our lives. Jesus stopped for this blind beggar because he sincerely called out in loud voice for Jesus to help. He is the most fortunate man on that day because Jesus Christ is passing his way. Jesus is willing to stop for Bartimaeus who calls out in spite of the crowd and the accompanying noise attached to the large procession of people. Today Bartimaeus speaks to us loudly about the need for us to call out to Jesus in times of dire need.

Dear reader, are you burdened about a dire need in life which requires urgent divine intervention? Perhaps you find no sympathy from any one around in your cause. Most of their words are empty without accompanying action. Perhaps they are helpless because your needs are beyond their capacity to help. But there is no limitation for Jesus to help you. He is the Almighty and all sufficient God. He is also the willing Lord who sympathizes with you in your need. He comes your way each moment and is available for you to seek His help. He is ready to stop any time to help you in your problems. He has listening ears to your cries. His hands are powerful. He wants to touch you today and solve your problems. He has a plan to handle your case in a personal way. All you and I need to do is to call out to Him in our distresses. Day or night is not a deterrent to Him. Perhaps we do not call aloud because of feeble faith. Perhaps we feel that our problems are too big and do not believe that He can solve it. But our Lord is far above all the problems we face and none of these is too hard for Him. He interfered in nature to handle human problems by turning water into wine or multiplying a lunch of a boy into a gourmet meal for a few thousands. He divides a great sea or a narrow river into two so that His children can walk the dry land to go across. He heals in split seconds what doctors tried for years with all possible means. When He says, it happens and when He touches things change. Today He wants to reassure you and challenge you to call His name and cry unto Him to handle your problems. The Lord who stopped for Bartimaeus will stop for you also. Remember, the Lord Jesus is passing your way today and He is available for you to meet your needs and provide you with an option to follow Him as His disciple.

Psalms 145:18 – The Lord is near to all who call on Him, to all who call on Him in truth.

Thought for Today

The limitation to our concerns and problems being resolved is our willingness to call on the Lord to come and help us in our times of dire need.

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

FEAR TAKES A FLIGHT!!

Fear takes a flight!

Verse for Today: Sunday, December 11, 2011

Psalms 3:6 – I will not fear the tens of thousands drawn up against me on every side.

Fear comes to us when we see the fierce enemy and hear his saber rattling and become controlled by the consequences of his power. The sight and sound of the enemy will work hard in our hearts to send shock waves to our brains and out comes fear, anxiety and discouragement. These enemies are always around us and they try to negatively influence through our thoughts. In such instances, we might blurt our fearful words which do not have any fragrance of faith in it. We sometimes speak as if the Lord and His armies are not around us. But if we look with the eyes of faith, we will see how God is working for us. There might be tens of thousands of discouraging and fearful realities around us, but they cannot in any way make our situations hopeless because our Lord is working for us. It is at such times that we need to pronounce our fearlessness to the situations around us and rebuke negative thoughts in the name of the Lord. When the enemy hears the name of the Lord, he would run away because he cannot withstand the pressures of the powerful name of Jesus. But we must remember that the enemy is a shameful foe who has no hesitation to keep coming back to try to terrify us. He knows that the only thing he can do is to try to send discourage to us to take away our confidence. He might lure us into focusing on the consequences of his power in our imagination. He might make us bewildered by blinding our eyes and shaking our faith. But the enemy knows that if we look to the Lord in faith and call upon His name, he will have to disappear. We are safe in the hands of the Lord and that we need to look unto Him for encouragement and fearlessness. Thus we can keep moving forward with the Lord even through the garrison of the enemy without getting hurt.

Dear friend, are you feeling fearful because of the large number of enemies who are around you? Do you feel discouraged because of the shouts of the enemy just like the loud threats of Goliath? But these enemies are not at all a match for our Lord and His heavenly hosts. They are barking like stray dogs against a lion. Our Lord is the Lion of Judah and no dog can come near Him. So when we are with Him, the enemy would not touch us. Our Lord is today asking us to look at Him and be encouraged rather than looking at our enemies and become terrified. We know that human beings are not our enemies, but they are often used against us by the enemy of our souls who is our real foe. So let us not be afraid of people, but pray for them that they might not be used by the enemy against us. Circumstances are often used by the enemy against us. There are discouraging and fearful circumstances which act as hindrances. The enemy complicates our situations which are often difficult for us to handle. He tries to chain us to difficult and intimidating situations, but we need to break these bonds by faith. The enemy uses difficulties of some sort to slow us down and keep us away from the presence of the Lord. He will try to make us too busy to come to the Lord in prayer and meditation of His Word. He might bind us to painful life situations and make us too busy to be available for the Lord. But our love for the Lord must make us take a stand for the Lord and His presence. We must win over the hindering circumstances and come out victorious by faith for which the Lord will give us strength. He gives us His Spirit to aid us and His Word to show us the way to victory. So we should show the tenacity to stand strong for the Lord in all situations and circumstances and follow Him relentlessly. He challenges us today to dare to be bold and put our faith in Him in spite of all the enemies who are around us.

Psalms 27:14 – Wait for the Lord; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the Lord.

Thought for Today

The eyes of faith which see the Lord in His power will not be afraid or discouraged because of situations complicated by the enemy.




Saturday, December 10, 2011

THE INVISIBLE ARMY!!

The Invisible Army!

Verse for Today: Saturday, December 10, 2011

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

God’s children who are unable to see the invisible armies of God would naturally be terrified by the sight of the armies of the enemy in front of them. The enemy and his armies are physically present around us and they always intimidate us. Their intent is to defeat us. One of their fierce tactics is to create fear in us and make us retreat from our course. Our human instinct is to go by what we see and not by the invisible. Even when we know that God’s armies are protecting us, in times of intimidation we find it difficult to see them around us. So we fall easy prey to fear and anxiety and thus loose hope. But in order to see the invisible armies of God, we need spiritual vision. If our spiritual vision is blurred because of worldliness, backsliding and coldness in our love to the Lord, we need to correct our vision for which we must go to the Great Physician. He has the panacea of the Balm of Gilead with Him which He will apply to our eyes to give us proper spiritual vision. We can find the Balm or eye ointment in the Word of God. When we read the Word, the Spirit of God who is the writer of the Word will illuminate the Word to our hearts and reveal Jesus Christ in His glory to our eyes. This is how faith is generated in us. Thus when faith is generated, we would be able to see the great army of God around us to protect and preserve us. We can also see that the armies of God far outnumber the enemy’s troops. This truth would take away our fear and anxiety and fill us with confidence and courage to go forward. We will then be bold to face the enemy and his armies in the name of the victorious Lord Jesus who is the captain of the armies of God. So there is no need for us to be afraid of the enemy’s armies. We should look unto the author and perfecter of our faith to help us run and finish our race victoriously.

Dear reader, are you feeling greatly intimidated by the armies of the enemy lately? Do you at times feel weak in your faith and think that the enemy will easily defeat you? Is there a wind of fear and lack of courage blowing against you? Remember, God’s invisible army is around you. They are fully equipped with the most powerful weapons to defeat any of the tactics of the enemy. They will protect you from all evil. They encompass around you all the time. But if you want to see the army of God, you need proper spiritual eye sight. You need to apply spiritual balm from the Word for renewing and sustaining proper eye sight. Reading and meditating on the Word would open our eyes of understanding and will generate faith in our hearts. Then we will be able to see properly and realize that the heavenly hosts around us far outnumber the enemy who tries to devour us. We do not need to be anxious or fearful because our Lord and His heavenly hosts will protect us from all attacks by the enemy. Perhaps you are confronted with enemies like negative thoughts, doubts, confusions, discouragements, conflicts, failures and stress which the enemy use to fight and defeat you. But the whole armor of God which is given to us is sufficient to meet the soldiers of darkness and find victory for us. So today we can face the enemy with courage and strength which we receive from our Lord. He will continue to give us victory as He encompasses around us with His soldiers. Let us trust in the Lord, our commander-in-chief, to give us victory. Let us appreciate the fact that our heavenly army which is around is far greater in power and strength than the enemy. So we need not waste our energy by looking at our enemies and become slaves to them in our thought life. Let us today open our eyes and see the powerful army of God encompassing around us and become courageous.

Psalms 46:7 – The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our stronghold.

Thought for Today

When we apply the ointment of God’s Word to our spiritual eyes, we will be able to see the invisible armies of God around us and experience fearlessness and great confidence.