The gift of peace

Being a Christian does not mean we are immune to being sad.

When feelings of darkness and finality surround us due to the loss of a loved one, we can find the love of Jesus Christ through reading His words, and through these words, Jesus gives us the gift of peace that only He can give.

We must learn to thank God for the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ and for showing us that when we know Him we find the gifts of peace, comfort, hope and joy that only He can bring into our world

John 14:27
Peace is my parting gift to you, my own peace, such as the world cannot give. Set your troubled hearts at rest, and banish your fears.

(0538 31 III 2008)

Fear of the darkness

There is just something about the light of the sun that makes us feel safe, and something about the dark of night that generates fear. Sometimes, our life becomes one of shadows. We do not want the full sun because it burns us. Neither do we want the full darkness, because it holds our fears. We move into a world of shadows.

Imagine standing at the door of our well-lighted homes, looking out into the darkness, wondering what is out there.
Likewise, the fears in our lives have accumulated and blocked out the light and we cannot see Jesus who is standing out there in the light.

Let us ask God to open our hearts and let the true light dispel the darkness and shadows lurking there. May it warm our hearts and refresh our souls.

Isaiah 9:2
The people walking in darkness have seen a great light;
on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned.

(0537 30 III 2008)

Let us stop, listen and obey

Let us ask God to help us to follow His leading and prompting. May we not withhold good from those who deserve it when it is within our power to act today, not tomorrow.
Let us leave our concerns with Him , for God does answer prayer!

Proverbs 3:27-28
Do not withhold good from those who deserve it, when it is in your power to act. Do not say to your neighbor, "Come back later; I'll give it tomorrow" -- when you now you have it with you.

(0536 29 III 2008)

Lasting

God's Word does not get old. God's love does not wear out. He does n0t get tired of loving us. He is love. His merciful love is created new every morning. He is faithful. Let is remember these truths as we go about our days.

Lamentations 3:22-23
God's loyal love couldn't have run out, his merciful love couldn't have dried up. They're created new every morning. How great your faithfulness!

(0535 28 III 2008)

Nothing is impossible

Do you believe that God can do all things?
Do you believe that nothing will be impossible with God?

The God whom we worship is the One who comes to us, who fills and surrounds us, who blesses and redeems and uses our humanity.

Nothing is impossible. God can do absolutely everything, if not exclusively, when human beings are willing to cooperate

Luke 1:34-37
Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God."

(0534 27 III 2008)

Let it be with me according to your Word

Do you always live in this moment of expectant hope and regrettable repentance.
Is that the way you live ?
Do you fight and grasp and seek that ever illusive sense of control?
Do you get all caught up in yourselves, your desires, your needs, your wishes?
Do you impose your wills on the world, and the people. around you?
Do you decide what God wants and then make it happen through whatever means necessary?

Or do you let go and let God?

Or do you your will and your lives over to the care of God as you understood God. Not grasping for healing but trusting a process, embracing the Power that can take care of us in our powerlessness. Not doing life on our own but doing life with the support and love and fellowship of others. Not isolating but integrating.

Luke 1:38
Then Mary said, "Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her

(0533 26 III 2008)

The narrow way

God’s standards may seem restrictive, but with the help of the Holy Spirit we can learn to control ourselves and follow the narrow but safe way.

When we get into trouble for disobeying God’s standards, we often want to blame the guidelines.

Proverbs 25 : 28
Whoever has no rule over his own spirit is like a
city broken down, without walls

(0532 25 III 2008).

Envy

Spiritual gifts and the natural talents we use in Christ are given by God for the good of His church. When we accept this, there is no reason for us to be envy

John 3 : 27
A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven

(0531 24 III 2008)

No basis for bias

When we show kindness and respect to people regardless of their race, social position, or financial standing, we are reflecting God’s character. He “loves stranger, giving him food and clothing” (Deuteronomy 10 : 18). When we treat others, we must show the world that is filled with prejudice that there is no basis for bias.

Deuteronomy 10 : 12 – 22
The Lord your God ….. shows no partiality.

(0530 23 III 2008)

Double standard

Have you come across someone who asks something of God but at the same time doubts that God cann give it to him. Even while he is praying, he is probably thinking of some strategy for achieving his goal without God’s help. He is wavering between sheer faith in God and reliance on his own ingenuity

Pray in faith. Do not look for answers from another source. Tune in to God only.

James 1 : 6
But let him ask in faith, with no doubting

(0529 22 III 2008)

Peace

Christians can have peace even in the valley of the shadows of death. As children of God, we can live each day with the assurance that come what may, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. You can experience a wonderful peace – even when you called to walk through the “valley of the shadow”

Psalm 23 : 4
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no death

(0528 21 III 2008)

Weak and wise

We are susceptible to many dangers. Disease, depression, war, accident and isolation threaten us constantly. Trusting God does not exempt us from life’s troubles, but it does give protection to our soul.

It is wise to take refuge in God

Proverbs 30 : 26
The rock badgers are a feeble folk, yet they make their homes in the crags

(0527 20 III 2008)

Kindness

As we watch thousands of poor people in society go about in their daily lives, we may take for granted and become indifferent to their condition.

Most people tend to honour the wealthy and look down on the poor. In Proverbs 14 : 31 we are reminded that the poor are created by God. Every one of us is a product of His craftsmanship. When we oppress the poor, we are actually reproaching God who made them.

Proverbs 14 : 31
He who oppresses the poor reproaches his Maker, but he who honors Him has mercy on the needy

(0526 19 III 2008)

Complain or praise

Many people always look at life through dark glasses. Like children of Israel in the Scripture, they complain and grumble when they should be praising the Lord for His gracious provision. But there are people who concentrate on the bright side and are radiant, happy and grateful. They are realistic about the somber side of life but they do not fret and pout

No matter who you are or what your circumstances, there is always much 6o be grateful for. Praise God for His care and be thankful,.

Numbers 11 : 1
When the people complained, it displeased the Lord

(0525 18 III 2008)

Imitate or idolize

It is good to follow godly examples, but our worship must be reserved for Christ alone

How do we avoid being disillusioned by the spiritual examples we admire ? We must imitate them but not to idolize them. Paul saw himself as a copy to be followed only to the extent that he reflected the original. He said, “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ”(1 Corinthians 11 : 1)


(0524 17 III 2008)

Have you had a devastasting loss ??

Let Him pick up the pieces and build something new and better. Great losses created a condition in which Christ can become real to us.

Philippians 3 : 8
I also count all things loss for the excellence of
the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord

(0523 16 III 2008)

Go to HIM

Are you loaded with load of burdens ? Give them to Jesus. “Casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you (1 Peteer 5 : 7)

The burdens and difficulties we experience have been allowed by God so that we may learn to cast them all on Him. Instead of complaining, we need to bring our problems to God who is the great burden-bearer.

Psalm 55 : 22
Cast your burden on the Lord, and He shall sustain you

(0522 15 III 2008)

I am not strong enough

Many of us always think that God has abandoned them when times got b ad. Somehow we feel that God and good times always go hand in hand. We encounter trouble periodically and we must take by faith that AGod is very much with us, even though we cannot feel His presence.

God always sees us. Nothing gets by Him or escapes His notice. He always knows and cares. The issue is whether we will continue to be as trusting as He is faithful. Will we be good and godly even when times are bad ?

Job 23 : 3
Oh, that I knew where I might find Him

(0521 14 III 2008)

Do your very best

Paul told us that “Whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance; for you serve the Lord Christ. (Colossians 3 : 23 – 24)

When we have this awareness and we are motivated to please God, we will want to excel in our work. This will bring honour and glory to God

Colossians 3 : 23
Whatever you do, do it heartily as to the Lord

(0520 13 III 2008)

Promises and prayer

The content of our prayers is more important than how we pray.

Nehemiah wept as he prayed because he was deeply grieved by the news that things were not going well for his people who had returned to Jerusalem after a period of exile. He prayed with intense feelings. God gave him his requests not because he prayed intensely but it was the fact that he claimed God’s promises (Nehemiah 1 : 8-9)

God promised that He will never leave us (Matthew 28 : 20) that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our endurance (1 Corinthians 10 : 13) and that He will work all things for our good (Romans 8 : 28-30).

Claim promises like these makes our prayers effective.

Nehemiah 1 : 8
Remember, I pray, the word that You commanded Your servant Moses.

(0519 12 III 2008)

Do not fear

God turns fear to faith when we study and believe His promises as they are revealed in the Word. The Bible is the most important book anyone can own. Its facts never need updating. Its teachings never need revision. It is the truesst source of wisdom and understanding known to man.

John 14 : 1
Let not your heart be troubled

Psalm 119 : 4
Through Your precepts I get understanding

(0518 11 III 2008)

Trust only in HIM

We know there is a past. We know time does not slow down. We know that there is a future but we are a bit less certain of that. We just do not know for sure what that future holds.

Where we actually live, the only life we really have, is in the NOW - the moments of our lives where we live, breathe, and take the next step.
One day at a time - we can stay sober, we can stay sane, we can stay serene, we can stay connected.

Our imaginations are limited by what we think possible.

Luke 1:32-33
He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end

(0517 10 III 2008)

Do you hear sounds but cannot understand words ?

The source of the problem ius not in the ears. It stems from an injury to the brain.

There is also a spiritual deafness that affects people. The problem in man’s sinful hearts, the non believer cannot read the Bible and hear the preaching of God. Many can appreciate the Bible as literature, as reliable History, and as a source of high moral standard but fail to understand its spiritual message. The truths make no sense to them.

To hear what the Bible says ask the Lord to open your understanding to what it says about Jesus. Put your trust in Christ as your personal.

1 Corinthians 2 : 14
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God.




(0516 09 III 2008)

Advancing through adversity

We are not immune to adversity. Adversity touches every life
We all have our fair share of the heartache, pressure, and anguish caused by hardships. Whatever form our trials may take—whether sickness, financial problems, animosity, rejection, bitterness, or anger—we tend to consider them “setbacks” in our life. God, however, has a different perspective. He views adversity as a way, not to hinder the saints, but to advance their spiritual growth.

We must bear in mind that adversity that touches our lives must first be sifted through the permissive will of God. God allows everything that occurs because HE sees how even adversity fit into HIS wonderful purpose for our lives (Romans 8 : 28)
According to Isaiah 55:8-9, God’s thoughts are higher than ours, so we cannot expect to understand all that He is doing. Therefore, far more important than determining the source of our adversity is learning how to respond properly.

The Bible reveals a number of reasons that the Lord allows difficulties in our life. As we begin to comprehend His purposes, we can learn to react in ways that will strengthen rather than discourage us.

One of God’s primary purposes for adversity is to get our attention.

Another way God uses adversity is to remind us of His great love for us.

The Bible realistically agrees that “No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening—it is painful!” (Hebrews 12:11)

Hebrews 12:5-6
My child, don’t ignore it when the Lord disciplines you, and don’t be discouraged when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes those He accepts as His children.

A third reason God sends adversity is for self-examination.

A fourth purpose God has for adversity is to teach us to hate evil as He does.

A fifth reason God sends adversity is to cause us to re-evaluate our priorities.

Another important purpose for adversity is to test our works. So when God sends adversity to test us, does our family watch us buckle, or do they see us standing strong in faith, trusting the Lord to teach us, strengthen us, and bring good from the circumstance?

Adversity can be a deadly discouragement . . . or God’s greatest tool for advancing spiritual growth. Your response will make all the difference. Remember that God has a purpose for the hardship He has allowed, and it fits with His wonderful plan for your life.

(0515 08 III 2008)

Keeping pace 0663 03VIII2008

Within our world, God calls us to act justly and to love mercy but amid the hustle and bustle of what we term reality, it is often easy to become side-tracked, to get off on a tangent and lose our place or focus. Before we know it we have all but forgotten God's original purpose for us.

Other times we forget to keep pace as we walk with Him. We seek to lunge ahead of His timing, or lag behind due to lack of faith or will-full pride which often results in undue frustration, fatigue, even pain as we may experience the humiliation of falling to failure.

The only way that place and pace can be maintained is through trust and obedience to His commands, which calls for our submission to His leadership, through humility, loving submission to our wonderful and wise, all-knowing, heavenly Father whose place (focus) and pace is always geared for our well-being, refreshment, joy and pleasant communion.

Micah 6 : 6-8
With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.

(0663 03VIII2008)

The fiery tongue

Why is it so difficult to control our overactive mouths?
We love to talk and talk, speaking before we think, voicing our indignant opinions, and criticizing everything and everyone in sight. James 3 : 5 describes the tongue as a force of destruction, saying, "The tongue is a small part of the body, and yet it boasts of great things. See how great a forest is set aflame by such a small fire!"

God's Word, however, emphasizes the importance of guarding our speech.

2 Timothy 2:16
But avoid worldly and empty chatter, for it will lead to further ungodliness.

1 Peter 3:10
The one who desires life, to love and see good days, must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit.

It is always a struggle to control our speech. However, with a concerted effort and guidance from the Holy Spirit, we can overcome these ailments.

Complaining
Philippians 2:14-15
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent. . . in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world.
In simpler terms, this verse instructs us to carry out the duties of our day without grumbling.

Lying
Proverbs 12:22
"lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.’
The Scripture assures us that God's perfect love casts out fear. (1 John 4:18) Ask God to show us that, because His truth resides in our heart, we do not need to lie.

Anger or Criticism
Proverbs 15:1
A gentle answer turns away wrath, but a harsh word stirs up anger.

Swearing or Using God's Name in Vain?
Matthew 12 : 36
But I tell you that every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for it in the day of judgment"
Leviticus 19 : 12
You shall not swear falsely by My name, so as to profane the name of your God; I am the Lord

James 1:26.
If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man's religion is worthless.

(0514 07 III 2008)

How can we protect ourselves from backsliding ?

To protect ourselves from backsliding is not fighting an imaginary war. We are continually in spiritual warfare. The Bible clearly tells us that our battle is real. Though we do not fight against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6 : 12), we must be prepared for enemy fire. We must equip ourselves with spiritual armour (Ephesians 6 : 14- 18) We must pay special attention to our individual weaknesses. We must also keep a close watch over what goes on inside our minds. A world of damage can be prevented by putting an end to destructive thoughts as soon as they enter our minds. To do so, we must submit such thoughts to Christ, (2 Corinthians 10 : 3-5).

1 John 4:4
Greater is He [Christ] who is in you, than he [Satan] who is in the world.

(0513 06 III 2008)

Recognising HIS voice

There are times in our lives when we have to ask the Lord to give us direction and guidance. One thing we want to be certain of is this: we want to know that we are hearing God correctly. That is, we want to be sure that we are hearing His voice and not our own thoughts, which could be focused on selfish desires.
How can we know when we are hearing from God?
The first thing would be this: when God is speaking, we can rest assured that whatever He says will be consistent with His Word. God's message to us will never contradict anything that is in the Scriptures.
Second, we need to realize that sometimes when God speaks to us, His message will conflict with human reason. Think about Noah when God told him to build the ark. Do you think the people around him understood what he was doing? No, they did not. But because Noah recognized the Lord's voice and followed His instructions, he and his family were spared from disaster.
Third, when God speaks, He calls for courage and for patience. When Jesus warned the disciples that He would be killed, but would rise again on the third day (Matt. 16:21), He was asking them to be strong and to trust His timing. If we pay close attention to what the Scriptures say, we can easily identify this as a pattern God uses in speaking. God often instructs to "Wait. Trust Me. Seek My Face. Fast and pray."
Finally, when God speaks, the things He tells us to do will lead to spiritual growth. We can be certain that He will never direct us to do anything that would cause us to backslide. Does He not say that He predestined us to be conformed to the likeness of Christ? This is His way of saying that we will continually grow in the likeness of Him all the days of our lives. Jesus said, "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me"
If we want to be able to recognize the voice of God, we must trust Him and start listening. Most importantly, when we hear God's voice, we must decide to obey Him. When we obey Him, a peace that passes understanding will follow.

(0512 05 III 2008)

The burden of emotional baggage

Our emotions exert a powerful influence over our lives. Sometimes our emotional drives can be healthy. Other times, however, our emotions take a negative turn and work against our lives of faith and usefulness in God’s kingdom.

We must realize that we have a choice: either our emotions will control us, or we will control them. When we allow ourselves to be governed by our emotions, the results will be painful and often devastating to our lives. Negative emotions place us in bondage—bondage to anger, fear, resentment, hostility, lust, jealousy, uncertainty, and unforgiveness. Most people are not aware that they have been enslaved by these feelings.

Not realizing the damage that is being done, many people continue to go about their daily lives carrying this emotional baggage. Over time, these destructive feelings can become rooted in their personalities.. If they have lived with unforgiveness, anger, or bitterness for a long time, they may simply not know how to live without it. Therefore, they continue on in their lives of bondage.

Bondage of any kind is contrary to God’s perfect will for our lives. John 8:36 proclaims, “If the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.” Likewise, the apostle Paul instructs, “It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery” (Galatians 5:1).



(0511 04 III 2008)

The power in weakness

You may have come across someone who faced extreme hardships and as a result, lost faith in God. You have also come across someone who endured similar circumstances but the trials actually strengthened the person’s faith in God.

What is the difference between these two lives?

- one person knows the source of his strength and the other does not.
- one is richer in his understanding of the ways of God and confident in God’s power. This person is willing to be weak and to rely upon God’s strength.

We must learn that it is in our weakest moments that God is free to do His greatest work in empowering and strengthening us. It is in these trying times that we can feel the greatest surge of God’s power in our lives.

Apostle Paul, who is revered as one of the most influential messengers of the Gospel, wrote this to the Church at Corinth, "Now when I came to you, brethren, I didn’t come with the superiority of speech or wisdom . . . I was with you in weakness, fear and trembling" (1 Corinthians 2:1,3). Later in his letter, he proclaims "Therefore I am well content with weaknesses, with insults, with distresses, with persecutions, with difficulties, for Christ’s sake; for when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10). Paul learned a life-changing, burden-freeing truth through suffering and persevering: all the strength he needed was available to him through the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ power is sufficient to overcome any trial, difficulty, or persecution we may endure.

If we are facing any insurmountable trial in our life, we must not be afraid to admit that we cannot handle it alone. Instead, confess our weaknesses to the Lord and draw from the deep well of His everlasting strength and love.





(0510) 03 III 2008

Knowing what HE wants

Having the spiritual shrewdness to make wise decisions is critical in life. Discernment is an asset that is not acquired instantly, but grows out of a life totally consecrated to and dependent upon God.

First we must confess our sins and allow God complete access to our mind and will. When we disobey God in word, action, or motive, there is a hindrance and it is difficult to receive clear guidance.


When you struggle between your will and God’s will, you don’t get a clear message. Your mind and will are divided and you cannot know what God is saying.


(0509 02 III 2008)