365 Blessings- August 6

The LORD came and stood there, calling as at the other times, "Samuel! Samuel!" Then Samuel said, "Speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10)

Have you heard God's voice lately? He's always speaking to us in one way or the other. The problem is that we are not receptive many a times.

Think of switching on the radio and selecting shortwave band. There are 100's of stations broadcasting and sometimes we have to really strain to listen to what we want. But when we really want to listen, we would do all sorts of things like putting the antenna in different positions, standing near the window with the transistor and so on and so forth. God's voice gets crowded out with all the other voices that we are eagerly receiving into us. Not that his voice is feeble or not clear; the broadcast is perfect, but the reception and the receptiveness is poor.

In the book of Revelation we read the phrase "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches" written 7 times. It's not that only few people in these churches had ears; God here is speaking of receptiveness to his message.

The Psalmist sings,

Moses and Aaron were among his priests, Samuel was among those who called on his name; they called on the LORD and he answered them. He spoke to them from the pillar of cloud; they kept his statutes and the decrees he gave them. (Psalm 99:6, 7)

If we have the attitude that Samuel the prophet had, we surely will hear God's voice every day. In 1 Samuel Ch. 3 we read of Samuel telling the Lord, "......Speak, for your servant is listening." (1 Samuel 3:10)

Can we tell that to our Savior everyday? If we can, then he will speak to us and we can have great fellowship with him. Try it, if you have not yet done it; it's a very fulfilling experience.

365 Blessings- August 5

He is your praise; he is your God, who performed for you those great and awesome wonders you saw with your own eyes. (Deuteronomy 10:21)

Remember the past, how the Lord did great and awesome miracles for you? He is the same unchanging God and He will do it for you again. He is your praise and He never changes. Trust in Him to do the impossible for you and you will see His mighty power being released into your life once more.

So lift up your hands and praise the Lord.

The Israelites often wondered whether the Lord would do yet another miracle when they faced yet another impossible situation. And the Lord never failed them. Whether it was the red sea or Marah or lack of food or water, the Lord provided them what they needed at the right time. Not only that, He crushed their enemies who were more powerful than them.

Your loving Savior has a proven record of being faithful, so cast all your cares upon Him, for He cares for you.

This is what Joshua told the Israelites:

Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. (Joshua 23:14)

You have assurance from the Word today that your Savior will do the same for you.

Love the LORD, all his saints! The LORD preserves the faithful, but the proud he pays back in full. Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD. (Psalm 31:23, 24)

365 Blessings- August 4

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)

If you are reading this, the same applies to you. Remember you have been chosen by God to be a part of his kingdom here on earth and in eternity. The Apostle Paul says,

"For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified. (Romans 8:29, 30)

The Lord Jesus Christ has a plan and purpose for your life. Predestined, called, justified, glorified is the main plan, but while you live on earth, he has a specific plan for you like he had for Abraham and Sarah.

When you sit at his feet, he will reveal his plan for your life. Nothing haphazard, he will tell you things specifically. Because you have been chosen by him, he will arrange situations and circumstances to bring about the plans that he has for your life.

Though Joseph set out to obey his father and enquire about the well-being of his brothers, he landed in Egypt without friends or family, but God had planned things beforehand. God knew that his brothers would throw him in the pit and plan to kill him, so he sent the Ishmaelites at the right time and made them change their mind by speaking through Judah, so they sold him to the Ishmaelites instead of killing him.

Before Joseph reached Egypt, God had already chosen the house where Joseph would stay for the next 11 years.

Live close to God and you will see his plans for you taking shape and being fulfilled. Never forget that you are chosen by God.

365 Blessings- August 3

For I am the Lord, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you. (Isaiah 41:13)

Though spoken by the Lord to Israel as a nation, think of it today as the Lord speaking to you. The Lord has taken hold of your right hand to strengthen you and he promises to help you.

In the same chapter we read the Lord saying the following,

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

In Psalm 18, the psalmist tells the Lord,

You give me your shield of victory, and your right hand sustains me; you stoop down to make me great. (Psalm 18:35)

The saving, sustaining, strengthening, helping right hand of the Lord has been stretched forth towards you and he will bring about a change in the adverse circumstances that you are facing today. Trust in your Savior Jesus.

Confess with your mouth this day what David said,

I have set the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. (Psalm 16:8)

In the days to come you will be able to acknowledge the Lord's power upon your life saying,

Now I know that the LORD saves his anointed; he answers him from his holy heaven with the saving power of his right hand. (Psalm 20:6)

and also join with the psalmist in praising your Savior saying,

Like your name, O God, your praise reaches to the ends of the earth; your right hand is filled with righteousness. (Psalm 48:10)

365 Blessings- August 2

The righteous will flourish like a palm tree, they will grow like a cedar of Lebanon; planted in the house of the Lord, they will flourish in the courts of our God. They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, (Psalm 92:12-14)

Besides drink, food and shade, palm trees provide material needed for housing, thatching, hats, baskets, furniture, mats, cordage, clothing, charcoal, brooms, fans, ornaments, musical instruments, shampoo, containers, implements and oil for fuel, light, ointments, soap and more.Perhaps this is what the psalmist had in mind when he said that the righteous will flourish like a palm tree. He was looking at the abundant fruitfullness that they can have.

And then he compares their growth to that of a cedar. The flag of Lebanon features a cedar in green which is a reference to the famous cedars of Lebanon, renowned throughout the region. The Lebanon Cedar is an evergreen coniferous tree growing up to 40 m (130 ft) tall. To put it concisely, "The spiritual growth of a believer has no limits and can reach heights greater than the cedars of Lebanon."

The psalmist then tells us that, for this to happen, the believer has to be planted in the house of the Lord, because all the nourishment for his/her spiritual life comes from him/her being in the presence of the Lord. And when that is taken care of, they start flourishing. Age wouldn't be a factor for them to stop being fruitful. He says that they will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green.

Are you planted in the house of the Lord? No, it doesn't mean attending church, but being firmly rooted in the Word of God. If you are, your growth and fruitfulness are guaranteed.

365 Blessings- August 1

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Romans 8:11)

This is a great promise that the Bible gives to every believer. The promise of being resurrected. The word "resurrection" is found 40 times in the New Testament and it has great significance in relation to the Christian belief. The Apostle Paul says,

"But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith." (1 Corinthians 15:12-14)

There are many christians who do not believe in the resurrection. They are like the Saduccees of old, who did not believe in it either. But the Bible is very emphatic regarding this and talks of the "resurrection of life" and the "resurrection of damnation."

Marvel not at this: for the hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation. (John 5:28,29)

The program of the resurrection is clearly outlined in the Word of God.

1. The resurrection of Christ is the beginning- 1 Corinthians 15:23

2. The resurrection of the church age believers at the rapture- 1 Thessalonians 4:16

3. The resurrection of the tribulation period saints (Revelation 20:3-5) and the resurrection of Old Testament saints (Daniel 12:2) at the 2nd coming of Christ.

4. The final resurrection of the unsaved dead- Revelation 20:5, 11-14

The first three would be all included in the first resurrection or the resurrection to life and the fourth would be the second resurrection or the resurrection unto damnation.

And the Bible tells us,

Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years. (Revelation 20:6)

365 Blessings- July 31

I have become a laughingstock to my friends, though I called upon God and he answered - a mere laughingstock, though righteous and blameless! (Job 12:4)

When God's answer to our prayer is delayed, this is how some of our friends and relatives treat us. Perhaps some of them may not be calling upon God even half of what we do and the situation is often baffling to us as it was to Job.

Job was in great distress and this is what the Bible says about his friends:

When Job's three friends, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite, heard about all the troubles that had come upon him, they set out from their homes and met together by agreement to go and sympathize with him and comfort him. When they saw him from a distance, they could hardly recognize him; they began to weep aloud, and they tore their robes and sprinkled dust on their heads. Then they sat on the ground with him for seven days and seven nights. No one said a word to him, because they saw how great his suffering was. (Job 2:11-13)

Their intentions and grief seemed to be genuine & sincere for 1 week, but when they opened their mouths, it was accusation and judgment that they proclaimed upon Job.

Sometimes one gets fed up of listening to "It's all your fault", "It's all your fault" all the time. So what's to be done??

The prophet Jeremiah writes,

I say to myself, "The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him."

The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. (Lamentations 3:24-26)

Jesus is righteous and He will bring deliverance to you at the right time putting all those who falsely accused you to shame. Trust in Him. He's a wonderful Savior.

365 Blessings- July 30

In the first year of Cyrus king of Persia, in order to fulfill the word of the LORD spoken by Jeremiah, the LORD moved the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to make a proclamation throughout his realm and to put it in writing: "This is what Cyrus king of Persia says: "'The LORD, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. (Ezra 1:1, 2)

Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites - everyone whose heart God had moved - prepared to go up and build the house of the LORD in Jerusalem. (Ezra 1:5)

From these verses, we can learn of a very important fact- The Lord moves hearts. He does it so that his plans and purposes are brought into fulfillment. After Solomon's temple had been destroyed and the Israelites had gone into captivity for 70 years, we see God moving the heart of Cyrus king of Persia to send the Israelites back to their land and give them permission to build the temple at Jerusalem.

God is sovereign and he can move the hearts of men to act favorably towards his children. He can devise circumstances in ways that tend to bring about deliverance for his children.

The Lord gave Pharoah dreams which finally led to the exaltation of Joseph. The Lord is righteous and he won't sit idle when he sees ruthless and wicked men trouble his children. Sometimes he forces them to set free his children as he did in the case of the Pharoah and the Israelites who were in bondage for 430 years.

Are you suffering because of you being subordinate to others, whether that be in your workplace or in the ministry? Take heart this day. The Lord is going to move the hearts of men these coming days and they are going to speak in your favor. They will set you free because God is going to bring such circumstances in their lives that they will be forced to set you free. Do you believe this?

Remember what the Lord Jesus told Martha,

"Did I not tell you that if you believed, you would see the glory of God?" (John 11:40)

Believe in the Lord's words. He's going to set you free.

365 Blessings- July 29

The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, "I will enter the battle in disguise, but you wear your royal robes." So the king of Israel disguised himself and went into battle. Now the king of Aram had ordered his chariot commanders, "Do not fight with anyone, small or great, except the king of Israel." When the chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat, they thought, "This is the king of Israel." So they turned to attack him, but Jehoshaphat cried out, and the LORD helped him. God drew them away from him, for when the chariot commanders saw that he was not the king of Israel, they stopped pursuing him. But someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor. The king told the chariot driver, "Wheel around and get me out of the fighting. I've been wounded." (2 Chronicles 18:29-33)

Jehoshapat, the king of Judah, who was God fearing made an unholy alliance with Ahab, the wicked king of Israel. This almost killed him, but for the mercy of the Lord. The Lord drew the enemy away from him and he was saved. But look what happened to the wicked king who devised the plan to save himself in war by making Jehoshapat look like the king that the enemy were after. The Bible says, "someone drew his bow at random and hit the king of Israel between the sections of his armor"

It was not just something that happened by chance. It was God's judgment on the wicked king.

Are you in an unholy alliance? It may lead to your downfall. Cry to the Lord for mercy and he will save you as he saved Jehoshapat.

The Bible is very clear regarding unholy alliances. the Apostle Paul writing to the Corinthians says,

"Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial ? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: "I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people." "Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you." "I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty." (2 Corinthians 6:14-18)

Being yoked together with unbelievers, wickedness, darkness, Belial, Idols... all these are definite danger signals for the believer. Check your life this day. Keep yourself clean. 

365 Blessings- July 28

Joseph had his chariot made ready and went to Goshen to meet his father Israel. As soon as Joseph appeared before him, he threw his arms around his father and wept for a long time. Israel said to Joseph, "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive." (Genesis 46:29, 30)

What a day it must have been for Jacob! Unbelievable, to say the least. The events that transpired must have confused him a lot as he traveled to Egypt to see his long lost son. But the voice of the Lord strengthened him.
"I am God, the God of your father," he said. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph's own hand will close your eyes." (Genesis 46:3, 4)

How wonderful it is when the Lord comforts us and strengthens us with his words. Notable are the words: "I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again."

Jacob, now old and tired of all that he had faced in his life needed God's affirmation of his presence with him and that is exactly what God did.

In verse 30 above, we read Jacob telling Joseph: "Now I am ready to die, since I have seen for myself that you are still alive."

The Bible says,
Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is a tree of life. (Proverbs 13:12)

That's exactly what Jacob had experienced in his life. Now he was content after a long, long wait.
Are you waiting for something to happen? Something that you greatly desire, but not yet received? Take heart. The Lord will fulfill your desire as he fulfilled Jacob's.

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. (Psalm 31:19)

365 Blessings- July 27

Although he did not remove the high places from Israel, Asa's heart was fully committed [to the LORD] all his life. (2 Chronicles 15:17)

Hearts fully committed to the Lord are hard to find, but such have a special blessing from the Lord. He is always there to strengthen them in times of trouble and distress.

The Psalmist says:
But the eyes of the LORD are on those who fear him, on those whose hope is in his unfailing love. (Psalm 33:18)
Again in Psalm 34, we read,
The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their cry. (Psalm 34:15)

Commitment is difficult but it pays dividends. Athletes who win top spots really put in a lot of hard work to achieve success.

The Apostle Paul referring to this writes:
No one serving as a soldier gets involved in civilian affairs - he wants to please his commanding officer. Similarly, if anyone competes as an athlete, he does not receive the victor's crown unless he competes according to the rules. (2 Timothy 2:4,5)

Writing to the church at Corinth, Paul again says,
Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last; but we do it to get a crown that will last forever. (1 Corinthians 9:25)

That's what all of us believers are hoping for! Aren't we? A crown that will last for ever. And a crown that will last forever is what we will receive--that is--if our hearts are committed to the Lord.

365 Blessings- July 26

But I will restore you to health and heal your wounds,' declares the LORD, 'because you are called an outcast, Zion for whom no one cares.' (Jeremiah 30:17)

A great promise of restoration to a people who were suffering at the hands of the enemy. God's own people were now being called "an outcast." It was like no one cared for them. Everyone seemed to have forsaken them and they were feeling very low.

As Gideon, one of the men whom God chose to be a judge of Israel once asked:
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the Lord has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian." (Judges 6:13)

Israelites had sinned and so God had given them into the hands of the enemy then. But sometimes we may not find any explanation to the sufferings that we go through.

"Why God lets us suffer even when we are sure that we are not doing anything wrong" is a question that haunts many believers.

Not everything is explainable, but the promises of God are for us in times of suffering and finally he will grant the deliverance that we are so eager to have. The Bible says,
And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)

Restoration is guaranteed, so hold fast to his promises.

You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favor to her; the appointed time has come. (Psalm 102:13)

365 Blessings- July 25

"I know that You can do all things, And that no purpose of Yours can be thwarted. (Job 42:2)

Job here has finally realized that whatever God decides to do, he brings it into being. No one can thwart what he purposes to do. That means whatever he has decided for you as a child of God, he will bring it to fulfillment. no one can thwart what he has purposed for you. As a New Testament believer, you must remember what Jesus has said regarding you; you, who has believed that Jesus is your Good Shepherd.
Jesus said,
"......I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. (John 10:10)
'
That's the plan and purpose that God has regarding you. But how can one have an "abundant life" in the midst of such terrible problems that plague our world? Quite an "enigma". Yet if we lean on the Lord for all the small and big things of our life, we can surely experience this "abundant life" that Jesus is talking about. That's why in the same chapter Jesus said, '"I am the good shepherd, and I know My own and My own know Me, (John 10:14) and also
"My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; (John 10:27)

Jesus, here is talking about a personal relationship where his sheep hear his voice. This is not a one time experience but a life long relationship. If we are willing to enter into such an relationship, only then we can experience the "abundant life" that Jesus spoke of.

His plans for you are concrete and they are for your blessing; to give you a hope and a future.

365 Blessings- July 24

If I say, 'I will forget my complaint, I will change my expression, and smile,' I still dread all my sufferings, for I know you will not hold me innocent. (Job 9:27, 28)

Job wanted to desperately smile despite his misery, yet he knew that it was not going to be a "smile because of true joy" but a "smile that momentarily hid his pain"

Interestingly; behind many a smile hides many sorrows. You experience it at some time or the other in this life that we live on earth.
Job had tried to prove himself innocent before God. He had no lawyer, so he argued his case with his friends and with the Almighty.
It didn't seem to be working though.

It is easy figuring things out when all is going well for the believer. Then comes a time when things go wrong and you can't figure out anything. There will be no dearth of advice though, yet nothing will work till God holds out the golden scepter.

Job finally was set free from his misery not because of his arguments, but because God's time of deliverance had arrived.

The Bible says,

As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him; (Psalm 103:13)

The LORD is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. (Psalm 116:5)

How’s the situation now? Too late you may say, as Mary and Martha said when Jesus came to Bethany to raise up Lazarus. Hang on..Just hang on..Deliverance may just be around the corner, so hang on to the faith that you have left, even though it may be as fragile as a single strand of thread. Don't give up.

365 Blessings- July 23

The Lord said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them; I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you." (Joshua 10:8)

Marching against the 5 Amorite kings to save the Gibeonites, Joshua was given this promise by God. After an all-night march from Gilgal, Joshua took the enemy by surprise.
The Lord threw them into confusion before Israel, who defeated them in a great victory at Gibeon. As they fled before Israel, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites. On the day the Lord gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the Lord in the presence of Israel: "O sun, stand still over Gibeon, O moon, over the Valley of Aijalon." So the sun stood still, and the moon stopped, till the nation avenged itself on its enemies. The sun stopped in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day.

Not only to Joshua, God gives you a promise this day, that the satanic forces that are troubling you will not be able to withstand you.

Wear the full armor of God and resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. (Ephesians 6:13-17)

Extinguish all his fiery darts with the shield of faith that God has given you. War against the evil forces with the "Sword of the Spirit- The Word of God" and the victory will be yours. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. 

365 Blessings- July 22

Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? (James 2:5)

Your bank balance doesn't look healthy! It's a matter of perpetual concern! So what's to be done?

Here's something that the Lord Almighty wants you to remember. He says,
As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you. (Joshua 1:5)
Be strong and courageous.... (Joshua 1:6)
Be strong and very courageous....(Joshua 1:7)
Do not let this Book of the Law (for you and me- The Word of God) depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. (Joshua 1:8)
Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. (Joshua 1:9)

Can you believe that? The God who provided for the Israelites in the wilderness is still the same.
The Israelites ate manna forty years, until they came to a land that was settled; they ate manna until they reached the border of Canaan. (Exodus 16:35)
The manna stopped the day after they ate the food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate of the produce of Canaan. (Joshua 5:12)

Times have changed but the Lord Almighty is just the same, caring and providing for those who trust in him. He is Jehovah Jireh, our Provider.

In times of doubt and unbelief, latch on to the Lord's promises.
He will never leave you nor forsake you. Some of what you need, he will provide through natural means and some supernaturally.

365 Blessings- July 21

Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. (Hebrews 9:27,28)

We should if not everyday, ask ourselves often, this very pertinent question...
Are we waiting for the coming of the Lord?

After Jesus’ resurrection, as his disciples watched him ascend to heaven, two angels asked: "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." (Acts 1:11)

Jesus himself told his disciples...
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:3)

We read in the book of Revelation,

"Behold, I come like a thief! Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." (Revelation 16:15)

Dear friend, Jesus is coming back and that too very soon...moreover he is coming unexpectedly. Are you ready to meet him? He has this to say to you today...
"Be careful, or your hearts will be weighed down with dissipation, drunkenness and the anxieties of life, and that day will close on you unexpectedly like a trap.
For it will come upon all those who live on the face of the whole earth. Be always on the watch, and pray that you may be able to escape all that is about to happen, and that you may be able to stand before the Son of Man." (Luke 21:34-36)

"...he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him." This promise will be fulfilled soon.

365 Blessings- July 20

The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. In times of disaster they will not wither; in days of famine they will enjoy plenty. (Psalm 37:18,19)

One thing that the Lord delights in is when he sees that we are living a blameless life. In the Old Testament, we read the Israelites being exhorted to live a blameless life.
You must be blameless before the LORD your God. (Deuteronomy 18:13)

But is it really possible for one to be found blameless in the presence of a pure & holy God? Perhaps difficult, but this is what we read about some saints of old.
Noah was a righteous man, blameless among the people of his time, and he walked with God. (Genesis 6:9)
In the land of Uz there lived a man whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and shunned evil. (Job 1:1)

God demands blamelessness in our lives. It is not optional. That's what he demanded from Abraham several thousand years back.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty ; walk before me and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)

There are blessings innumerable in the Word of God for those who live a blameless life serving the living God. Here are a few...
The days of the blameless are known to the LORD, and their inheritance will endure forever. (Psalm 37:18)
Consider the blameless, observe the upright; there is a future for the man of peace. (Psalm 37:37)
For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows favor and honor; no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. (Psalm 84:11)
He holds victory in store for the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless, (Proverbs 2:7)

Shall we then take a decision today as the Psalmist did long back?
I will be careful to lead a blameless life......I will walk in my house with blameless heart. (Psalm 101:2)

Remember....He holds victory in store for the upright; he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless. (Proverbs 2:7)

365 Blessings- July 19

He also says, "In the beginning, O Lord, you laid the foundations of the earth, and the heavens are the work of your hands. They will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment. You will roll them up like a robe; like a garment they will be changed. But you remain the same, and your years will never end." (Hebrews 1:10-12)

The unchanging nature of God is very wonderfully portrayed here by the author of Hebrews. God remains the same even though his creations come into being and then disappear. Many are they who have mouthed sarcasm at the Eternal One but eventually have fulfilled what the Bible says about their actual state.
".....for dust you are and to dust you will return." (Genesis 3:19)

The Lord himself proclaims,

"I the LORD do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed. (Malachi 3:6)

The Apostle Paul rightly describes the unmatchable qualities of this mighty God when he writes to Timothy.
Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

The Bible says,

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. (James 1:17)

Yes, he is the only God & he is eternal & immortal, whether anyone believes it or not. Sadly, there are many who live rebelliously to the divine authority and have to endure eternal punishment for their folly. Many argue about this matter, but the Bible says,
For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - his eternal power and divine nature - have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.

And to them who believe in this only eternal and unchanging and immortal God, he has promised the greatest blessing through his son Jesus Christ--ETERNAL LIFE.

365 Blessings- July 18

Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life that is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 1:1)

There's promise of life in Christ Jesus. Yes, eternal life is promised through him who said, "God is not the God of the dead but of the living." And in this context Jesus was teaching the Sadducees about the resurrection. He said, "At the resurrection people will neither marry nor be given in marriage; they will be like the angels in heaven. But about the resurrection of the dead - have you not read what God said to you, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob' ? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." (Matthew 22:30-32)
Abraham, Isaac & Jacob, though they had died physically when their time on earth was up, they were living eternally, according to these words of Jesus.

Jesus affirmed that again when he spoke to Martha, Lazarus sister. He said,
"I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die......" (John 11:25, 26)

If fact, in the gospel of John, Jesus repeatedly spoke of the promise of eternal life that comes through believing in him.
Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him." (John 3:36)

"I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life. (John 5:24)

For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:40)

If you have accepted Jesus as your Savior and are living for him, this promise of eternal life will come true in your lives sooner or later. How blessed and glorious will that day be!
Here's a great verse of exhortation to all of us who have put our trust in Jesus.
Keep yourselves in God's love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life. (Jude 1:21)

365 Blessings- July 17

Return to your fortress, O prisoners of hope; even now I announce that I will restore twice as much to you. (Zechariah 9:12)

The redeeming grace of Almighty God is wonderfully portrayed in this great promise to God's people who were in Babylonian captivity. True that they were prisoners; but prisoners of hope. They were now free to return to their homeland but they had nothing to bank on. All they had was destroyed by the ravages of the Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar. Their homes, their fields, their temple; all lay in ruins.
Yet, they had a promise to hold on to. The God against whom they had sinned resulting in their captivity had forgiven them and was willing to restore them. In fact, he was willing to restore twice as much to them.

Believers are in a way, prisoners of hope. As Paul the Apostle says,
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know!
I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far. (Philippians 1:21-23)

Problems in life often brings despair to the believer, yet we have hope that Jesus will not leave us nor forsake us in any circumstance. Even when we sin and punishment comes into our lives, we can always be sure that the Lord will forgive us when we repent and bear fruit that comes from a repentant heart.

Carried away by the enemy and living in a foreign land humbled the Israelites. They repented of their sins and cried out to God who was ready to forgive them. God effected their deliverance and they returned to their own country as "prisoners of hope."

God loves you and is able to restore twice as much of what you have lost.

365 Blessings- July 16

I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him. (Isaiah 57:18)

A promise perhaps to a person, more likely to the nation Israel which was sick spiritually. Spiritual sickness is worse than the physical, because the physical is temporary while the spiritual has permanent implications. Covetousness and idolatory had made the nation sick and God was promising to heal when he saw their repentance.

There are 3 promises in this single verse. God was going to heal, guide and restore comfort. All these are what we all desire in our lives and if we live a life of continual repentance, God is always ready to give these.

Here again the "fear of the Lord" is so very important. The Psalmist David exhorts us
in this manner:
Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him. The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them. (Psalm 25:12, 14)

Some believers trivialize sin and live in it justifying themselves saying that "after all we are human." But neither God nor the Bible supports that point of view. If we desire healing, guidance and comfort in our lives, we must make it a point to check our spiritual life everyday. God loves us, but neither he nor his Word has changed. God called Abraham to serve him at age 75, but even at age 99, God had this to say to Abraham.
"I am God Almighty ; walk before me and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)
That's what God wants from us too.
May the Holy Spirit strengthen each of us to live a blameless life. Healing, guidance and comfort from the Most High will then be ours.

365 Blessings- July 15

The poor and needy search for water, but there is none; their tongues are parched with thirst. But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them. I will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. I will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs. (Isaiah 41:18)

The water miracles in the Bible are many and some of them are quite astounding, like this one.
The Israelite community camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." Then Moses cried out to the Lord, "What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me." The Lord answered Moses, "Walk on ahead of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink." So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel. (Exodus 17)

We are not talking here of God providing water to a couple of hundred people. The community was quite large, with 6 lakh men itself; counting the women and children would put the figure at 15-20 lakhs.

Moses was given a command and he obeyed it. God proved to the Israelites once again that he is Almighty and All Sufficient.

Here are 2 verses from the book of Isaiah, one a past happening and one a future promise;

They did not thirst when he led them through the deserts; he made water flow for them from the rock; he split the rock and water gushed out. (Isaiah 48:21)

They will neither hunger nor thirst, nor will the desert heat or the sun beat upon them. He who has compassion on them will guide them and lead them beside springs of water. (Isaiah 49:10)

As a child of this Almighty God, you can also boldly say what the Apostle Paul wrote to the Philippians.
My God will meet all your (my) needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:19)

365 Blessings- July 14

Therefore I am now going to allure her; I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her. There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope. There she will sing as in the days of her youth, as in the day she came up out of Egypt. (Hosea 2:14,15)

God is All Powerful and he can change what was once a valley of trouble into a door of hope. “Achor” in Hebrew means “trouble.” Achan's sin (Joshua Chapter 7) of stealing things devoted to destruction brought calamity to him and his family. He stole a beautiful robe, two hundred shekels of silver and a wedge of gold weighing fifty shekels and hid it under the ground in his tent when God had expressly forbidden that. Joshua who was not aware of this was defeated in battle in the conquest of Ai, because of this sin.
God said,
Israel has sinned; they have violated my covenant, which I commanded them to keep. They have taken some of the devoted things; they have stolen, they have lied, they have put them with their own possessions. (Joshua 7:11)

Finally Achan was caught and we read in the book of Joshua...
Joshua said, "Why have you brought this trouble on us? The Lord will bring trouble on you today." Then all Israel stoned him, and after they had stoned the rest, they burned them. Over Achan they heaped up a large pile of rocks, which remains to this day. Then the Lord turned from his fierce anger. Therefore that place has been called the Valley of Achor ever since. (Joshua 7:25,26)

In Hosea, we read that God was going to make the “Valley of Achor a door of hope”. For Israel which had sinned repeatedly by committing all kinds of sins and wickedness, there was still hope, for God was going to open for them a door of hope.

Making the Valley of Achor/ Valley of Trouble, a door of hope, is something only God Almighty can do. It means that the place where you saw defeat and distress will become a "door of hope" for you and your family. Can you believe that?
A place where you were ridiculed will become a place where you will bloom again because the Lord has loved you with an ever-lasting love.