365 Blessings- April 5

Elisha sent a messenger to say to him, "Go, wash yourself seven times in the Jordan, and your flesh will be restored and you will be cleansed." (2 Kings 5:10)

This was the prophetic promise given to Naaman, the commander of the army of the king of Aram when he had come seeking for a cure for his leprosy from the man of God Elisha.

Elisha did not come out to meet Naaman but had only sent a servant to give him the message. Naaman went away angry and said, "I thought that he would surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, wave his hand over the spot and cure me of my leprosy. Are not Abana and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than any of the waters of Israel? Couldn't I wash in them and be cleansed?" So he turned and went off in a rage. (2 Kings 5:11, 12)

Naaman's servants went to him and said, "My father, if the prophet had told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more, then, when he tells you, 'Wash and be cleansed'!" So he went down and dipped himself in the Jordan seven times, as the man of God had told him, and his flesh was restored and became clean like that of a young boy. (2 Kings 5:13, 14)

Obedience brought him healing and deliverance and he returned to his country a happy man.

To a disobedient king of Israel (Saul), God had this to say through Samuel the prophet:
"Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22)

The Apostle Peter exhorts us regarding obedience in his epistle:
As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. (1 Peter 1:14)

God expects us to be obedient to his Word at all times. God delights in our obedience and his blessings rest upon us when we live in obedience to him.

365 Blessings- April 4

And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. (2 Corinthians 9:8)

The phrases used by Apostle Paul in the above verse are excellent...all grace abound to you, in all things.., at all times.., having all that you need..., you will abound...

It all starts with "And God is able to make all grace abound to you."
But Paul's exhortation regarding "giving" by the believers in the Church at Corinth is found in this chapter just before the verse given above. He told them:
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. (2 Corinthians 9:6, 7)

The sowing principle is stressed upon here. It does not mention tithing but emphasizes the fact that God loves and rewards a cheerful giver. The heart attitude is important.
Give to whom? Paul lauded the Corinthian believers for their eagerness to give to all- God's servants, needy believers and generally others in need.

For I know your eagerness to help, and I have been boasting about it to the Macedonians, telling them that since last year you in Achaia were ready to give; and your enthusiasm has stirred most of them to action. (2 Corinthians 9:2)

Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else. (2 Corinthians 9:13)

Giving does not begin or end with tithing. Each man/woman should give what he/she has decided in his heart to give.

Giving not only refreshes the hearts of the needy, but as Paul mentions later in the chapter....This service that you perform is not only supplying the needs of God's people but is also overflowing in many expressions of thanks to God. (2 Corinthians 9:12)

Our giving with a cheerful heart also overflows in many expressions of thanks to God. God in fact gave us his greatest gift Jesus for whom the Apostle gives thanks to God as he ends the chapter saying:
Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! (2 Corinthians 9:15)

Let's not forget then that...God is able to make all grace abound to us, so that in all things at all times, having all that we need, we will abound in every good work.

365 Blessings- April 3

And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

Needs are basic human requirements. People need food, air, water, clothing, and shelter to survive. Basic amenities in the household are also needs. Education is another need, so also some basic means of travel. The above needs become wants when they are directed to specific things that might satisfy the need. A person who needs good and clean food for maintaining his/her health may desire rich and costly foods which may not really bring him/her benefits. He can survive with other food but this is what he wants. Excesses are wants for specific things that we don't actually need but may only enhance our lifestyle.

In the verse that we read above, the Apostle Paul says that God will meet all our needs. Doesn't mean that God will give us the latest and fastest cars or the most posh apartments in town. Of course he may give us that if he so chooses but the promise is for providing all our needs.

There are many who preach and stress that God gives the best if you do this or that, but that hardly lines up with the Word of God.

Jesus even exhorted his disciples to seek first the kingdom of God and therein their needs would be met.

God knows our needs. He is a loving father. He will not withold anything that is needed by us in our life. He cares for us since we have put our trust in him. When Jesus taught his disciples to pray, he said,
And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:7,8)

Yes, God the Father knows what you need before you ask him. One of the simple requests in this prayer as taught by Jesus was:
Give us today our daily bread. (Matthew 6:11)

Any other need can be similarly prayed for and met.
Could it be so simple? Yes it can be, if we truly consider God as our Father.

365 Blessings- April 2

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. (Matthew 6:14)

Sometimes it's so difficult to forgive; especially when the wound is deep in the spirit. The physical pain or the mental agony or both endured can bring bitterness, rage and an attitude of vengeance and this can last for years. There are many who justify the keeping of such feelings but the Bible advocates forgiveness.

The extent to which a person can forgive the offender varies and in the case of believer's it depends on spiritual maturity.
Bitterness, rage and a vengeful attitude caused by an unforgiving attitude can often bring about bodily sickness to the one having it.
The Biblical viewpoint regarding forgiveness is clear. For God to forgive our sins, we must forgive the sins that others commit against us.

Once Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?" Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21, 22)

Jesus also said, "And when you stand praying, if you hold anything against anyone, forgive him, so that your Father in heaven may forgive you your sins." (Mark 11:25)

And how must the forgiveness be? Often we may forgive others with our words, yet we may hold a grudge against them.
Jesus warned his disciples regarding such an attitude saying,
"This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18:35)

So forgiveness that God expects is that which comes from the heart. Difficult yet possible because God has given the Holy Spirit to those who believe in Jesus.

And may God give us the spiritual strength needed to have a forgiving attitude at all times.

365 Blessings- April 1

The angel of the LORD also said to her: "You are now with child and you will have a son. You shall name him Ishmael, for the LORD has heard of your misery. He will be a wild donkey of a man; his hand will be against everyone and everyone's hand against him, and he will live in hostility toward all his brothers." (Genesis 16:12)

Ultrasound scanning machines of this age sometimes do predict wrongly the sex of a child in the womb. Back in the good old days when there were no such machines around, heaven prophesied that Hagar, the Egyptian maidservant turned wife of Abraham would deliver a baby boy who would be called Ishmael and that when he grew up he would be a wild donkey of a man. Prophesy the sex, name and ability of the one to be born and be perfect in the outcome of all the things prophecied. Isn't that wonderful?

Hagar had received these prophecies from heaven and later God had promised Abraham to bless this son of his.
And as for Ishmael, I have heard you: I will surely bless him; I will make him fruitful and will greatly increase his numbers. He will be the father of twelve rulers, and I will make him into a great nation. (Genesis 17:20)

Yet some years later Ishmael was on the verge of death being expelled from home with his mother and in the wilderness without food and water.
Then she went off and sat down nearby, about a bowshot away, for she thought, "I cannot watch the boy die." And as she sat there nearby, she began to sob. (Genesis 21:16)

But God does not forget the promises he makes; neither does he need help from others to fulfill it. So we find an angel helping Hagar out.

God heard the boy crying, and the angel of God called to Hagar from heaven and said to her, "What is the matter, Hagar? Do not be afraid; God has heard the boy crying as he lies there. Lift the boy up and take him by the hand, for I will make him into a great nation." Then God opened her eyes and she saw a well of water. So she went and filled the skin with water and gave the boy a drink. God was with the boy as he grew up. He lived in the desert and became an archer. (Genesis 21:17-20)

Still later, the Bible gives an account of the progeny of Ishmael.
These are the names of the sons of Ishmael, listed in the order of their birth: Nebaioth the firstborn of Ishmael, Kedar, Adbeel, Mibsam, Mishma, Dumah, Massa, Hadad, Tema, Jetur, Naphish and Kedemah. These were the sons of Ishmael, and these are the names of the twelve tribal rulers according to their settlements and camps. (Genesis 25:13-16)

What God promised Hagar & Abraham, he fulfilled at the right time. He will fulfill what he has promised you too. Trust in him.

365 Blessings- March 31

I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high. (Luke 24:49)

The promise was of the Holy Spirit and the disciples waited as Jesus asked them to. The Bible says,
They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. (Acts 1:14)

They didn't know what exactly was going to happen, but they must have remembered Jesus' words...clothed with power from on high.

When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. (Acts 2:1-4)

This was not the only occasion when the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. The book of Acts cites several occasions where the disciples experienced what Jesus had promised them--being clothed with power from on high.

After they prayed, the place where they were meeting was shaken. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God boldly. (Acts 4:31)

Have you experienced the power of Pentecost in your life as the disciples did?
The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy exhorted him saying,
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. (2 Timothy 1:7)

Power, love & self-discipline. Can you identify yourself with that? The presence of the Holy Spirit in you will bring godly power, love that is godly and self-control.

Our Savior, before his ascension, told his disciples:
But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

Is the power of the Holy Spirit upon your life? Are you able to witness strongly? Can you speak the Word of God boldly as the disciples did when they were filled with the Holy Spirit? If you are lacking the power, the remedy is simple. Ask..., Jesus said and you will receive. He also said,
If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!" (Luke 11:13)

Ask...Seek...Knock....Be clothed with power from on high. The power of Pentecost is for you too.

365 Blessings- March 30

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1)(NIV)

This verse ends uniquely in several Bible translations:

...well-proved help in trouble--Amplified Bible
...very much found to be a help in distresses--Green's Literal Translation
...a helper who is always found in times of trouble--Christian Std. Bible
...always ready to help in times of trouble--New Living Translation
...a very present help in trouble--KJV

And all of it is true to the hilt.

Well-proved help (as the Amplified Bible put it) seems to be quite appropriate because Jesus proves time and again that he is truly our Savior and in fact has saved us from what would otherwise have been death or destruction.

Is he a very much found to be a help in distresses (as the Green's Literal Translation says)? Yes he is and he does not go back on the promise in his Word-I will never leave you nor forsake you.

What about the phrase used in the Christian Std. Bible?
...a helper who is always found in times of trouble.
People; even our near and dear ones may seem helpless, but Jesus does help like only he can.

The New Living translation says-- God is always ready to help in times of trouble. Friends may find faults and hold back their helping hand, but Jesus never fails us.

Like the Christian Std. Bible, the NIV also mentions God to be an ever-present help, meaning that he is always there with us from the beginning of the trouble to the end of it.

And the original KJV says that God is a very present help in trouble--If the question is--who comes to the scene first? when a child of God falls into trouble....The answer is clear. It's their Savior, Jesus Christ.

365 Blessings- March 29

With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation. (Isaiah 12:3)

Travelling through Samaria, Jesus came to a town called Sychar.
Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

The woman was perplexed and remarked, "You have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again,
but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life." The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water."

The Samaritan woman had a life changing experience speaking to the Author of salvation. She saw a new well and new waters. And she wanted to drink of it.

The Bible says,
"Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without cost. Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare. (Isaiah 55:1, 2)

What a wonderful promise.
Are you drawing waters joyfully from the wells of salvation?
If you are, blessed are you.
If you have still not experienced this wonderful blessing, Jesus invites you today. He says,
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." (Matthew 11:28-30)

Will you accept his invitation?

365 Blessings- March 28

Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust at your feet. Then you will know that I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed." (Isaiah 49:23)

The Bible says,
And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. (Romans 5:5)

Abraham, called by God at around age 75, whilst living among moon worshippers was promised by God of many things of which one was:"To your offspring I will give this land." He did not see an offspring of his for the next 10 years and when he did, it was through his Egyptian maidservant turned wife Hagar. That was not the offspring of promise through his wife Sarah.

This must have been a good cause for disappointment and discouragement to Abraham. Yet the Bible says,
Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, "So shall your offspring be." Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead - since he was about a hundred years old - and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God,
being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. (Romans 4:18-21)

Abraham,
1. Against all hope, in hope believed
2. Did not weaken in his faith
3. Did not waver through unbelief
4. Was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God

The waiting must have been a torture, but God rewarded him finally.

Much for us to learn.

In the promise for today, God says,
"Those who hope in me will not be disappointed."
Hope against hope and you will see a miracle.

365 Blessings- March 27

He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend. (Proverbs 22:11)

If you are a child of God with the qualities described above, you will have the King of Kings, Jesus, as your friend.

The Psalmist explains who all can be in fellowship with God after asking the question himself. Who may ascend the hill of the LORD? Who may stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to an idol or swear by what is false. He will receive blessing from the LORD and vindication from God his Savior. (Psalm 24:3-5)

Once Jesus told his disciples:
You are my friends if you do what I command. I no longer call you servants, because a servant does not know his master's business. Instead, I have called you friends, for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you. (John 15:14, 15)

What's this "master's business" that Jesus is talking about? The master's business is doing the will of God. For the disciples and for us it means being a true witness for Jesus Christ and bearing fruit that will last. That's what Jesus told his disciples:
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit - fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. (John 15:16)

If you are fulfilling the commands of Jesus to be a witness for the kingdom of God and bearing fruit that lasts, you have Jesus as your friend.

What better friend can one have? A friend who is always with us; helping, saving, healing, delivering, nurturing, pacifying and consoling.

No one else can do all this other than the Lord Almighty, Everlasting Father & Prince of Peace. Is he your friend? If not, make him your friend by living a life pleasing to him obeying the Word of God.

365 Blessings- March 26

And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. (Matthew 28:20)

Wonderful promise from Jesus to the disciples after giving them orders to fufill the Great Commission. This promise holds true not only for them but for every disciple of Jesus Christ. There's nothing too hard to understand these words of Jesus. Plain and simple- He says, he's with us at all times. But what's the point of Jesus being with us and him not doing anything when we are in trouble? Can that happen? The disciples once thought so. This is what really happened,

That day when evening came, he said to his disciples, "Let us go over to the other side." Leaving the crowd behind, they took him along, just as he was, in the boat. There were also other boats with him. A furious squall came up, and the waves broke over the boat, so that it was nearly swamped. Jesus was in the stern, sleeping on a cushion. The disciples woke him and said to him, "Teacher, don't you care if we drown?" (Mark 4:35-38)

In short, the disciples were hinting- What's the point of you being with us if you are not doing anything to save us?

Sometimes we may feel like what the disciples felt when they were drowning despite Jesus being with them. Have you ever cried out like the disciples did-- Wake up Jesus, wake up..don't you care if I/We....whatever??

But Jesus is in control at all times. He knows every detail about the storms in our lives. We may feel we are drowning, but his everlasting arms are beneath us holding us and ours safe at all times.

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be still!" Then the wind died down and it was completely calm. (Mark 4:39)

Another great miracle...and the disciples were awestruck...They exclaimed, "Who is this? Even the wind and the waves obey him!" (Mark 4:41)

So be strengthened this day, dear brother/dear sister; he is with us at all times according to his promise, "And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

365 Blessings- March 25

Now the LORD spoke to Moses and Aaron, saying, "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, `Work a miracle,' then you shall say to Aaron, `Take your staff and throw it down before Pharaoh, that it may become a serpent.' " (Exodus 7:8, 9)

Moses and Aaron had obeyed the command of the Lord and had spoken to Pharaoh to release the Israelites. But Pharaoh said, "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I do not know the LORD, and besides, I will not let Israel go." (Exodus 5:2)
Moses and Aaron pleaded with Pharaoh, but instead of releasing the Israelites, he made them work more harder and stopped providing them with straw to make bricks. Their foremen were beaten. The foremen in turn poured out their anger on Moses and Aaron by blaming them for this sudden worsening of their working conditions. Moses was discouraged and complained to the Lord,
"O Lord, why have You brought harm to this people? Why did You ever send me? "Ever since I came to Pharaoh to speak in Your name, he has done harm to this people, and You have not delivered Your people at all." (Exodus 5:22, 23)

God again commanded Moses and Aaron to go to Pharaoh. He promised to do a miracle. When Aaron threw his staff down in the presence of Pharaoh, it would become a serpent. And that is exactly what happened. But other things happened that God had not revealed to Moses and Aaron. Then Pharaoh also called for the wise men and the sorcerers, and they also, the magicians of Egypt, did the same with their secret arts. (Exodus 7:11)

Each one threw down his staff and they turned into serpents. That really must have startled the brothers Moses and Aaron. Something that God did not reveal to them. For a moment they must have wondered what was happening, whether God Almighty was in control, but soon their doubts were cleared when they saw the power of God manifested in front of them. The Bible says,
Aaron's staff swallowed up their staffs. (Exodus 7:12)

Moses and Aaron must have immediately realized that the power that they had with them was greater than the power that the magicians and Pharaoh had.

The Bible says,
You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. (1 John 4:4)

John the Apostle here is speaking of the spirit of the Antichrist that is in the world. No doubt like the magicians of Egypt, the satanic spirits have power but there is a far greater and higher power in you and me who have accepted Jesus and Christ.

Like Aaron's staff could swallow the staffs of the magicians, the power of the Holy Spirit in every believer overcomes the power of the the evil one who is in the world.

Always remember, the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. So do not fear.

365 Blessings- March 24

But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. (Matthew 6:3,4)

When we give to the needy and make proclamations about it, we receive the kudos and applause from men. That becomes our reward.
Jesus said,
"Be careful not to do your 'acts of righteousness' before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
"So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. (Matthew 6:1, 2)

But when we do acts of charity secretly without others knowing about it, our heavenly Father seeing what we did in secret will reward us according to the richness of his grace. Definitely, the rewards that come from heaven are much greater than what men can ever give.

Perhaps no one may know what we are doing and no one may acknowledge us openly in that respect, but everything is noted down by heaven in secret.

Not that we can receive salvation by doing good in secret, as some other religions believe; we are saved by Jesus Christ to do good works.

Paul exhorted the Galatian believer's in this manner:
Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. (Galatians 6:9,10)

Greater rewards await us as we (believers) wait patiently doing good in the name of Jesus. The great promise made by the Lord regarding his return still awaits completion and every believer must look forward to that glorious day when the Savior fulfills this promise of his:
"Behold, I am coming soon! My reward is with me, and I will give to everyone according to what he has done. (Revelation 22:12)

365 Blessings- March 23

Then the LORD said, "I will surely return to you about this time next year, and Sarah your wife will have a son." Now Sarah was listening at the entrance to the tent, which was behind him. (Genesis 18:10)

That God would bless him with descendants was a promise that Abraham had heard many times from the Lord. But now there was something specific in the promise. Not a difficult to imagine promise like- "Look up at the heavens and count the stars - if indeed you can count them. So shall your offspring be" but something more concrete. God Almighty was promising to return the next year and give the long awaited blessing of a child of their own to Abraham and Sarah.

Does the Lord deal in specifics? is the question many a believer asks. Yes, he does; is the answer. But one may have to wait at his feet in prayer for a while often. A couple of clear examples of how the Lord speaks in minute detail is found in the following passages:

In Damascus there was a disciple named Ananias. The Lord called to him in a vision, "Ananias!" "Yes, Lord," he answered. The Lord told him, "Go to the house of Judas on Straight Street and ask for a man from Tarsus named Saul, for he is praying. In a vision he has seen a man named Ananias come and place his hands on him to restore his sight." (Acts 9:9-12)

One day at about three in the afternoon he had a vision. He distinctly saw an angel of God, who came to him and said, "Cornelius!" Cornelius stared at him in fear. "What is it, Lord?" he asked. The angel answered, "Your prayers and gifts to the poor have come up as a memorial offering before God. Now send men to Joppa to bring back a man named Simon who is called Peter. He is staying with Simon the tanner, whose house is by the sea." (Acts 10:3-6)

Not much difficulty in finding those addresses. The Lord has answers and solutions for all the problems that we face while we live here on earth and he has given us (believer's) the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, to guide us in the right path.

Regarding the Holy Spirit, Jesus said,
But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come. He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you. (John 16:13-15)

Coming back to the promise that God gave Abraham as we read in the title verse. As God said, so he did. That's what we read in Genesis Ch.21. Now the LORD was gracious to Sarah as he had said, and the LORD did for Sarah what he had promised. Sarah became pregnant and bore a son to Abraham in his old age, at the very time God had promised him. (Genesis 21:1,2)

You and I, we serve a God who keeps his word. All glory be to him.

365 Blessings- March 22

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. (Matthew 5:8)

Being pure in heart goes beyond having the right doctrines and attending the right churches. Purity in thought, word and deed at all times is a difficult standard to acheive and there's always another lesson to be learnt and another chapter to be explored as long as we live here on earth.

Regarding human purity, Eliphaz the Temanite, one of Job's friends had this to say,
"What is man, that he could be pure, or one born of woman, that he could be righteous? If God places no trust in his holy ones, if even the heavens are not pure in his eyes, how much less man, who is vile and corrupt, who drinks up evil like water! (Job 15:14-16)

And another friend of Job, Bildad the Shuhite shared his thoughts:
How then can a man be righteous before God? How can one born of woman be pure? If even the moon is not bright and the stars are not pure in his eyes, how much less man, who is but a maggot - a son of man, who is only a worm!" (Job 25:4-6)

What the friends of Job said was true but they chose the wrong occasion and the wrong person to whom to say that to. The knowledgable friends of Job tried to put down a man of whom God himself had testified to satan,
"Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one on earth like him; he is blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil." (Job 1:8)

Maitaining high standards of purity is the call from Jesus to all his children. How much each one of us acheives that is known only to the person concerned and the Lord himself.

The reward for being pure is one of the greatest...and something the world cannot give...Jesus said, "They will see God.” Hope you and I get that reward.

365 Blessings- March 21

He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak. (Isaiah 40:29)

Spiritually and physically, most of us grow weary and weak at one time or the other. It just happens, even to them who live very close to the Lord. Moses was a man who spent much time in the presence of the Lord. God spoke to him like a man speaks to his friend. Twice he fasted and prayed for 40 days and was continually in God's presence during those days. Yet there were times when Moses became weak and weary. Perhaps the burdens on his life were too great and he snapped under the pressure of it all. It happens to most of us. And does God understand? Yes, he does.

The Bible says,
As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; for he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust. (Psalm 103:13, 14)

Yes...he knows how we are formed, he remembers that we are dust.

We need to continually lean on the Lord for he is the fountain of strength, both spiritual and physical. The verses following the title verse here say,
Even youths grow tired and weary, and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. (Isaiah 40:30, 31)

Are you feeling weak spiritually or physically these days? God doesn't condemn you for not being spiritually strong like you were before. He understands the bodily pain and weakness that you suffer. God will renew your strength. He will build you up with the Holy Spirit. You will soar on wings like eagles and that will bring glory to him.

Always remember...He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak.

365 Blessings- March 20

Like a fluttering sparrow or a darting swallow, an undeserved curse does not come to rest. (Proverbs 26:2)

Balak, the king of Moab, recruited Balaam to curse the Israelites while they travelled to the promised land of Canaan. But God would not allow Balaam to curse Israel. Whenever Balaam opened his mouth, God made him proclaim blessings rather than curses. Balaam spoke of why the Israelites couldn't be cursed. During those days, the Israelites lived a life of obedience to God and his laws. Balaam said,
He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him,and the shout of a king is among them. (Numbers 23:21)

Living a life of obedience to God and his laws was their strength during those days; so no one could destroy them. But later on instead of cursing Israel, Balaam led them into sin as we read in the book of Revelation.
But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. (Revelation 2:14)

This led to their downfall and many calamities befell them.

Sin in our lives opens up ways for evil forces to attack and subdue us.
As a child of God you do not have to fear when wicked people curse you, provided you are living close to God and obeying his Word. They may pronounce calamities upon your life while cursing you but none of those will happen to you because you are protected by God. The blood of the Lamb, Jesus Christ is your protection.

Because Jesus loves you, he will turn curses into blessings as he did for Israel when they lived close to him as is said in this verse.
However, the LORD your God would not listen to Balaam but turned the curse into a blessing for you, because the LORD your God loves you. (Deuteronomy 23:5)

365 Blessings- March 19

Now there have been many of those priests, since death prevented them from continuing in office; but because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. (Hebrews 7:23- 25)

How wonderful a promise! It says that Jesus, the permanent high priest, always lives to intercede for everyone who comes to God through him. Even when there is no one praying and interceding for you, Jesus is, because you are invaluable to him. When you are ill and tired and weary and can't pray, Jesus is interceding for you. When you are in mental agony and cannot bring words in your heart and mouth as prayer, Jesus is interceding for you. Can you believe that?

The Bible says,
Such a high priest meets our need - one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens. (Hebrews 7:26)

Jesus is the perfect intercessor. A human intercessor may have faults and sins in his life which may be a hindrance to his prayer being answered, but here is someone who is holy, blameless and pure; whose prayer God will surely answer. He is set apart from sinners and exalted above the heavens.

Not only Jesus, but even the Holy Spirit intercedes for us in the presence of the father.
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. (Romans 8:26)

And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will. (Romans 8:27)

The next time when you feel that you are all alone and that there is no one to pray and intercede for you, remember these promises. Jesus, the permanent high priest and the Counselor, the Holy Spirit are always there, continually interceding for you in the presence of the Father.

365 Blessings- March 18

Then the word of the LORD came to him: "Go at once to Zarephath of Sidon and stay there. I have commanded a widow in that place to supply you with food." (1 Kings 17:9)

Faith life can be exciting and intriguing at times. Earlier God had directed Elijah to the Kerith Ravine and told that he would be fed by ravens; the water from the brook there would quench his thirst. The quencher (brook) finally got quenched and God gave him new directions of which we read in the title verses.

Interestingly God didn't specify which widow in Zarepath he was to meet. The address was not complete yet Elijah went nevertheless in unquestioning obedience. And the Bible says,
When he came to the town gate, a widow was there gathering sticks. He called to her and asked, "Would you bring me a little water in a jar so I may have a drink?" (1 Kings 17:10)

Jesus once said,
I assure you that there were many widows in Israel in Elijah's time, when the sky was shut for three and a half years and there was a severe famine throughout the land. Yet Elijah was not sent to any of them, but to a widow in Zarephath in the region of Sidon. (Luke 4:25, 26)

It was not just coincidence that Elijah had come to the right address, God had guided his steps. Yes, God does that for his children. The Bible says,
Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. (Psalm 25:12)

Elijah first asked the widow for a drink and then for a piece of bread. A drink of water she could afford to give, but the bread was the last one she could make from what flour and oil she had left so that she and her son could have a last meal together before they died.

Then came the prophesy and promise from God that changed her life.

Elijah said to her, "Don't be afraid. Go home and do as you have said. But first make a small cake of bread for me from what you have and bring it to me, and then make something for yourself and your son. For this is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'The jar of flour will not be used up and the jug of oil will not run dry until the day the LORD gives rain on the land." (1 Kings 17:13,14)

She went away and did as Elijah had told her. So there was food every day for Elijah and for the woman and her family. For the jar of flour was not used up and the jug of oil did not run dry, in keeping with the word of the LORD spoken by Elijah. (1 Kings 17:15, 16)

When there is famine in the land, God will feed his children. He is faithful. Hope in him. The God of Elijah is your God too. The God who did a great miracle in the home of the widow of Zarepath is your God too. Trust in him.

365 Blessings- March 17

A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice. (Isaiah 42:3)

The Old Testament saint Job yearned to die while undergoing bodily and mental torture at the hands of satan, but he couldn't and wouldn't die because God had already planned to bless him after the period of suffering. Job couldn't stand the torture anymore and complained bitterly. Everyday that he lived was agony personified. His friends accused him, his body was sore and his mind was in utter confusion.He wanted to argue with God regarding his condition but couldn't find him amidst his chaos.

He accused God of many things.
"If only my anguish could be weighed and all my misery be placed on the scales! It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas - no wonder my words have been impetuous. The arrows of the Almighty are in me, my spirit drinks in their poison; God's terrors are marshaled against me. (Job 6:2-4)
He carries out his decree against me, and many such plans he still has in store. (Job 23:14)

His threshold of bearing insults and sufferings were reaching it's zenith. And when he thought the torture saga would never end, suddenly everything changed. Was it a dream? Was he seeing visions? No it was reality. His health, his friends, his family, his livestock and a lot more just came back to him in a new way. It just happened. The Lord Almighty opened a new chapter in his life, a chapter that lasted 140 years. He saw his children and their children to the fourth generation.

And the Bible ends his story by saying,
And so he died, old and full of years. (Job 42:17)

There's hope for you and me...because (as Job said amidst his sufferings).... My Redeemer lives.

365 Blessings- March 16

But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, who, by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (Philippians 3:20,21)

I like the part of the above verse which says, "power that enables him to bring everything under his control."

Power and Control are 2 inseparable words. People often have a feeling that the amount of power a person has is directly proportional to the control that person can exert. Of course in human terms there are limitations. But the above verses say that Jesus has the power to bring everything under his control. That means he is All Powerful. No wonder he is called the King Of Kings and Lord Of Lords.

And when we entrust our life with it's problems to Jesus who is All Powerful, we can have peace and joy at all times. That doesn't mean we won't feel hurt or we won't grieve, but it means that we will have peace and joy that is able to overcome the hurts and griefs.
That peace and joy comes from Jesus. He says,
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

In Psalms 121, the psalmist exudes confidence regarding his faith in the All Powerul God. He says,
I lift up my eyes to the hills - where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip - he who watches over you will not slumber; indeed, he who watches over Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The LORD watches over you - the LORD is your shade at your right hand; the sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon by night. The LORD will keep you from all harm - he will watch over your life; the LORD will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore. (Psalm 121:1-8)

Nice psalm to read aloud. Give it a try. It'll boost your faith. Remember, you serve an All Powerful God. Everything is under his control.

365 Blessings- March 15

Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

Sometimes believer's tend to think that it's because of their faithfulness that the Lord is blessing them. In one way, this may account for several blessings but if we realize the utter helplessness of man without God, we would be able to affirm what Jeremiah says in the verses given above.

It's God's love for us that keeps us going amidst life's uncertainities. If you are the only one in your family who has acknowledged salvation through Jesus, how great a responsibility lies on your shoulders. It's like you holding an umbrella in incessant rain and all your family members are sheltered under this umbrella that you hold. In such a situation, it's your prayers that are so very important for the others. Your pleading for them to acknowledge Christ may fall on deaf ears yet they may be escaping from dangerous situations in their lives because of your prayers. They may never realize that or realizing they may ignore it. And the futility of it all can make one despair.

Jeremiah understood life's vagaries firsthand and thus strengthened himself while lamenting for Israel. His prophesies fell on deaf ears and he was often frustrated by the hatred and torture that he had to face.

When Jerusalem was destroyed and the people went into exile, the prophet lamented the downfall and penned his thoughts in this book called Lamentations.

Yet he found solace when he thought of the Lord's faithfulness amidst all these calamities and thus he writes,
Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:22,23)

May the Holy Spirit help us to meditate on the faithfulness of God and be strengthened amidst situations in our lives where things don't seem to be progressing as we wish it had. Remember, his compassions never fail, they are new every morning.

365 Blessings- March 14

Jesus said, "You believe because I told you I saw you under the fig tree. You shall see greater things than that." He then added, "I tell you the truth, you shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man." (John 1:50, 51)

Nathanael is promised here by Jesus that he was going to witness greater miracles than what he now thought was a miracle. He was astounded at the comments Jesus made regarding him although it was the first time that they were meeting.
....."Here is a true Israelite, in whom there is nothing false." (John 1:47)
....."I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you." (John 1:48)

Jesus was telling him that he was going to witness greater things after becoming a disciple. Jesus also promises him here that he was going to witness the resurrection and the ministry of angels to Jesus.

Many people come to Christ after they witness a miracle from the Lord in their lives. It may be a small miracle or a great one that brings about a life changing experience. The promise given to Nathanael was fulfilled as he witnessed miracle after miracle being done by Jesus and he was witness to the resurrection too as were the other 10 disciples.

The writer of Hebrews says,
Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. (Hebrews 11:1)

As we keep trusting the Lord amidst the numerous troubles in our lives, we can see the Lord doing greater miracles than what we witnessed before. As our faith in the Lord increases we can see the Lord's miraculous deliverances in our lives.

The Bible says,
And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. (Hebrews 11:6)

365 Blessings- March 13

The LORD redeems his servants; no one will be condemned who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:22)

"No one will be condemned who takes refuge in him."
A similar promise is found in Romans Ch.8. It says,
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. (Romans 8:1, 2)

There is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Isn't that wonderful?
Are you in Christ Jesus?
Do you feel that you are being condemned by people? Or is the devil using people to condemn you? Don't fall for that trick. Stand firm, rooted in the Word of God.

The Bible says,
Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died - more than that, who was raised to life - is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. (Romans 8:33, 34)

The Bible also exhorts us saying,
If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all - how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? (Romans 8:31, 32)

Are people belitteling the salvation that you have through Jesus Christ? Satan is jealous of the honor that you have in the presence of God as his child. He was jealous of the blessings that God bestowed upon Adam and Eve in the garden of Eden. That's why he plotted against them and made them fall.

God has given you the Holy Spirit who will guide you in all the truth. Be led by the Spirit of God each day. That alone will keep you victorious against your enemy, the devil.

Take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. (Ephesians 6:16)

365 Blessings- March 12

Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him. (Psalm 34:8)

David, the psalmist was quite convinced about what he had tasted. He had tasted the goodness of the Lord and is exhorting others to do the same. He sang this song after he pretended to be insane before Abimelech, who drove him away.

He had tasted that the Lord was good regarding two major matters which he details:
I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. (Psalm 34:4)
This poor man called, and the LORD heard him; he saved him out of all his troubles. (Psalm 34:6)

Deliverance from fears and troubles.
That's what we all desire in our lives. And regarding this most of us have tasted that the Lord is good. Time and again we have seen the faithfulness of the Lord come true regarding several issues.

This was not the last time that David had to go through problematic situations. Far from it.
Yet he found that his continual trust in the Lord Almighty brought him into a state of blessedness. That's why he says,
Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

You and me, we can (some have) repeatedly taste and see that the Lord is good; amidst worries, sicknesses, financial crisis, failures, back-slidings and a whole lot of imaginable and unimaginable situations.

The verse that lies sandwiched between the 2 deliverance verses (34:4,6) is an affirmation of David's faith in God Almighty. He says,
Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame. (Psalm 34:5)

I guess we too can say that with him.

365 Blessings- March 11

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat. For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall and like the heat of the desert. You silence the uproar of foreigners; as heat is reduced by the shadow of a cloud, so the song of the ruthless is stilled. (Isaiah 25:4, 5)

Notice the part of verse 4 which says- For the breath of the ruthless is like a storm driving against a wall and like the heat of the desert.

The psalmist cried out in despair:
Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. (Psalm 12:1, 2)

We are hurt the most when people speak sweetly when we are face to face with them and then when our backs are turned, they stab us with their words and actions. And sometimes this is done by people whom we have loved from our hearts.

David once made a complain regarding this to the Lord:
They repay me evil for good and leave my soul forlorn. Yet when they were ill, I put on sackcloth and humbled myself with fasting. When my prayers returned to me unanswered, I went about mourning as though for my friend or brother. I bowed my head in grief as though weeping for my mother. But when I stumbled, they gathered in glee; attackers gathered against me when I was unaware. They slandered me without ceasing.
Like the ungodly they maliciously mocked ; they gnashed their teeth at me. O Lord, how long will you look on? Rescue my life from their ravages, my precious life from these lions. (Psalm 35:12-17)

Sadly this is true in the life of many a believer.
But then the promise says,
God is a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.

Yes, the Lord is mighty to calm the storms of your life. He loves you and he will still the storms that ravage your life. Remember his promise,
"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

365 Blessings- March 10

I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them. (Isaiah 42:16)

Another wonderful promise from the book of Isaiah. The Israelites were not literally blind yet their living demonstrated their blindness. Here God promises them to lead them by ways they have not known. But why does God want to lead them by ways they have not known?

Long back God answered this question through Moses when he lead the Israelites through the wilderness to Canaan. He said,

Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands.
He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. (Deuteronomy 8:2,3)

The Lord again warned them through Moses,
When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the LORD your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the LORD your God, failing to observe his commands, his laws and his decrees that I am giving you this day. Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. (Deuteronomy 8:10-14)

Sadly, people tend to forget the Lord after they get what they desire through prayer. There are others on whom the Lord has shown mercy countless times, yet they never thank him or even acknowledge him. But that should not be our attitude. The Lord Jesus Christ is worthy of worship because he paid the price for our sins and unrighteousness on the cross. He purchased eternal salvation for us and thus he is worthy of praise.

As the Bible says,
"Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!" (Revelation 5:12)