Monday, November 30, 2009

365 Blessings- September 2

Do not let the oppressed retreat in disgrace; may the poor and needy praise your name. (Psalm 74:21)

A cry from the heart of the psalmist. The world is one of the rich and mighty and justice often evades the poor. They are oppressed and suffer. Disgrace is often their food. Yet when the Almighty rises to fight for the oppressed believer, the Pharaohs of the world sink in the Red Seas.

All through the psalms, we read of cries for God to rise up and fight for the oppressed....You are God my stronghold. Why have you rejected me? Why must I go about mourning, oppressed by the enemy? (Psalm 43:2)
Defend the cause of the weak and fatherless; maintain the rights of the poor and oppressed. (Psalm 82:3)
....and also the declarations that he is the helper of the oppressed.
The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. (Psalm 9:9)
The LORD works righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. (Psalm 103:6)
Jesus himself said this about those who are his:
And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off? I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?" (Luke 18:7, 8)

Of course, faith is what is he always seeks in our lives as believer's. 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)

Jesus will not let you down. Cry out to him in your oppression. He will set you free. He will not let the enemy make you retreat in disgrace. Instead he will deliver you and you will praise him all the more.


Friday, November 27, 2009

365 Blessings- September 1


Cursed be the day I was born! May the day my mother bore me not be blessed! (Jeremiah 20:14)

Jeremiah is lamenting because of the great number of problems and persecution he is facing as a prophet of God. Some of us, when we experience distressing problems in our lives lament like Jeremiah: it was better if I was not born.

It's not surprising that Jeremiah is lamenting thus because he faced a lot of rejection. Read what he says,
"For twenty-three years - from the thirteenth year of Josiah son of Amon king of Judah until this very day - the word of the LORD has come to me and I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened." (Jeremiah 25:3)

Quite natural, I would say, his complaining. There are wives who have tried to reason with their husbands and parents who have tried to persuade their children to follow godly ways but failed.

But our God is a just God. He will not let you down. He says,
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)"

He also says,
"No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD. (Isaiah 54:17)"

So be strengthened this day. The Lord loves you with an everlasting love.


365 Blessings- August 31

The man who was dying blessed me; I made the widow's heart sing. (Job 29:13)

This is what Job said in one of his discourses. A dying man blessing him and a widow's heart singing. Why? Only because Job was a generous and kind man. He cared for the poor and for the orphans and widows.

The Apostle James says,
"Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world. (James 1:27)"

This then should be a part of our Christian life. The poor, the orphans and the widows; they need more love and care than those who are better off and in families.

Job said,
"I put on righteousness as my clothing; justice was my robe and my turban. I was eyes to the blind and feet to the lame. I was a father to the needy; I took up the case of the stranger. (Job 29:14- 16)

Even in the Old Testament, some of the laws given to the Israelites were to help the poor and needy:
When you are harvesting in your field and you overlook a sheaf, do not go back to get it. Leave it for the alien, the fatherless and the widow, so that the LORD your God may bless you in all the work of your hands. When you beat the olives from your trees, do not go over the branches a second time. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. When you harvest the grapes in your vineyard, do not go over the vines again. Leave what remains for the alien, the fatherless and the widow. (Deuteronomy 24:19-21)
Love & Compassion, 2 great virtues that Jesus himself had in abundance. He expects us also to follow in the same vein. He said,
"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. (Matthew 5:14-16)

May the Lord help each one of us to live as the Lord desires. 

Thursday, November 26, 2009

365 Blessings- August 30


About Naphtali he said: "Naphtali is abounding with the favor of the Lord and is full of his blessing; he will inherit southward to the lake." (Deuteronomy 33:23)

Naphtali was the 5th son of Jacob, and the 2nd born to him by Rachel's handmaid, Bilhah. At his birth Rachel is said to have exclaimed, naphtule 'Elohim niphtalti, "wrestlings of God"--i.e. "mighty wrestlings"--"have I wrestled."("I have had a great struggle with my sister, and I have won.")
Since her sister was fruitful and giving birth to many children and because she herself was barren, the children her maid Bilhah bore were a source of consolation to her. Naming him thus, indicated that she had won the favor and blessing of God.

Rachel had to wait a long time to conceive a child by herself, but God had mercy on her and opened her womb and from her were born 2 sons to Jacob- Joseph & Benjamin.
Earlier she and Jacob had an argument when she was barren.
When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!" Jacob became angry with her and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children?" (Genesis 30:1, 2)
An argument because of the frustrations in her life because of being barren.
But God had compassion on her and fulfilled her desire in his time.
Our God is a prayer answering God. He answers our prayers and that's why the psalmist says,
"Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me! (Psalm 66:20)"

Be strengthened this day. Whatever be your request, He will answer your prayer too.

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

365 Blessings- August 29

I know that you are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. (Psalm 41:11)

The enemy tries to play on our thought processes and he often succeeds in bringing depression and anxiety in our lives. Sometimes nothing that we do seems to work. We pray faithfully, praise & thank God, worship, read the Word, fast, do good to others,etc. etc. yet we encounter delays in our prayers being answered. And then comes frustration which makes us think that all that we do is no good.

Have you experienced or are experiencing such a situation?

It's not going to last for a long time dear Brother, dear Sister. It's just a limited period of time during which we must continue to live faithfully to God and we will surely see His deliverance.

Frustrations come to all of us. It's just a part of life. More important is what we do with these frustrations! We can overcome them by prayer and waiting upon the Lord or we can go in to sin and then blame the frustrations for sinning.

Of course, the Lord understands our frustrating situations. He had gone through it several times when He was doing ministry for 3 1/2 years.

Even the Apostle Paul experienced it. He wrote thus;
At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. (2 Timothy 4:16,17)

Remember, the Lord is with you and will give you the required strength to overcome what you are experiencing today. So cheer up; Jesus loves you.

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

365 Blessings- August 28


It is written: "'As surely as I live,' says the Lord, 'every knee will bow before me; every tongue will confess to God.'" (Romans 14:11)

In the book of Philippians we read,
Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Philippians 2:9-11)

Every knee that has not bowed to the name of Jesus and every tongue that has not confessed that Jesus Christ is Lord will one day do that. But when??
There are so many who die without doing this, but the day is not far when they will be doing it.

In Revelation Ch. 20 we read,
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them.
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Revelation 20:11-15)

Yes, those who have not bowed their knees to the name of Jesus and every tongue that has not confessed that Jesus is Lord (while they lived) will do it just before they are thrown into the lake of fire. That will be the fulfillment of Apostle Paul's words.

As the Psalmist says,
God will bless us, and all the ends of the earth will fear him. (Psalm 67:7)
Praise the Lord.

Blessed are you if you have confessed "Jesus is Lord" and accepted His atoning work on the cross.

Monday, November 23, 2009

365 Blessings- August 27


It was not through law that Abraham and his offspring received the promise that he would be heir of the world, but through the righteousness that comes by faith. (Romans 4:13

One of the things the disciples got to hear often from Jesus was "O, ye of little faith"
I don't know about you, but I wonder how many times he must have told me that in the past 26 years that I have known him. And the majority of them must have been after I became a minister of the gospel.
The disciples were eyewitnesses of most of the miracles, yet wouldn't or couldn't believe. Philip, after being with Jesus after more than a year was asked a simple question.

"When Jesus looked up and saw a great crowd coming toward him, he said to Philip, "Where shall we buy bread for these people to eat?" He asked this only to test him, for he already had in mind what he was going to do.
Philip answered him, "Eight months' wages would not buy enough bread for each one to have a bite!" (John 6:5-7)

Philip's calculation was good, but not exactly what Jesus expected. And Jesus taught him new things.
Another of his disciples, Andrew, Simon Peter's brother, spoke up, "Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?" Jesus said, "Have the people sit down." There was plenty of grass in that place, and the men sat down, about five thousand of them. Jesus then took the loaves, gave thanks, and distributed to those who were seated as much as they wanted. He did the same with the fish. When they had all had enough to eat, he said to his disciples, "Gather the pieces that are left over. Let nothing be wasted." So they gathered them and filled twelve baskets with the pieces of the five barley loaves left over by those who had eaten. (John 6:8-13)
Even if he calls us "O, ye of little faith" He loves us, and with every miracle that He does for us, He expects us to grow in our faith in Him.

Abraham had issues with faith too, but he matured in his faith and God honored his faith.
And God will honor our faith in him too. That's what the Apostle Paul writes here.
So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

Sunday, November 22, 2009

365 Blessings- August 26


Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. (Matthew 5:7)

Easy to say, "I told you this will happen, if you are not careful." several times to a believer friend or brother/sister in Christ who is at fault and then give him/her a dose of our wisdom several times. Well, it will all come back to us some day if we are not careful.

God is no respecter of persons and if we are merciful to others, God will show us mercy in our time of need.
Jesus told the story of the Good Samaritan.  "A man was going down from Jerusalem to Jericho, when he fell into the hands of robbers. They stripped him of his clothes, beat him and went away, leaving him half dead. A priest happened to be going down the same road, and when he saw the man, he passed by on the other side. So too, a Levite, when he came to the place and saw him, passed by on the other side. But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.' (Luke 10:30-35)
The Good Samaritan showed mercy and did not chide the fellow who was left half dead by robbers.
The question is whether we can bridle our tongue when we know that someone is in the wrong and needs encouragement and kind words.
Of course we can always behave like the priest & the Levite in the story of the Good Samaritan. (Luke 10:30-37)

We may have theology on our insides, but the Lord is searching for mercy in our hearts.
Easy to judge, difficult to show mercy? We must search our hearts again. And may the Holy Spirit help us in that.

Saturday, November 21, 2009

365 Blessings- August 25

He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes, with the princes of their people. (Psalm 113:7,8) 

Feeling "down in the dumps?" There's hope for you because this verse says so. Putting in a lot of effort but failing? There's hope for you because the Lord Jesus has not abandoned you. He's planning new things for you. Are you willing to take up the plans he has jotted out for you and start afresh?

The Bible says,
"He does not take his eyes off the righteous; he enthrones them with kings and exalts them forever. (Job 36:7)"

No, he has not forgotten you. He says,
"Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you! (Isaiah 49:15)"

Well, that should give you fresh hope.
If you are still not convinced, read this:
"Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the LORD, who has compassion on you. (Isaiah 54:10)"

The purists may say that this promise was for a nation. I say, today it's for you. Will you accept it?
One more thing: Don't fear the enemy! Who says so??
The Lord says,
"No weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD." (Isaiah 54:17)

Friday, November 20, 2009

365 Blessings- August 24


As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people both now and forevermore. (Psalm 125:2)

We must always remember that the Lord is our protection. Men can arrange the best of protection for themselves, but it's no use when the earth below shakes. The spot of ground that you are secure on, is the spot of ground covered by the blood of Jesus.

The Bible says,
“If you make the Most High your dwelling - even the LORD, who is my refuge then no harm will befall you, no disaster will come near your tent. (Psalm 91:9, 10)

If the Lord says that, it is true and it will stand you good stead in the time of trouble. Have no fear if you are residing in a quake hit area or an area prone to earthquakes. Hold on to the promise given above. God will fulfill it, in time of need.

God is faithful and he will not let you or your family down.
The Psalmist sang,
You are my hiding place; you will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. (Psalm 32:7)
Remember, God is like a huge mountain covering you and your family from all sides. You are secure.
You will know that your tent is secure; you will take stock of your property and find nothing missing. (Job 5:24)
You will be secure, because there is hope; you will look about you and take your rest in safety. (Job 11:18)

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

365 Blessings- August 23

You are not a God who takes pleasure in evil; with you the wicked cannot dwell. (Psalm 5:4)

Sometimes circumstances in our life may force us to think that God is on the side of our enemies, that he is supporting evildoers. But here is what David realized in his walk with God- that God does not take pleasure in evil and the wicked cannot dwell with him.
Regarding the wicked, the Bible has much to say and most of it is condemnation:
The wicked plot against the righteous and gnash their teeth at them; but the Lord laughs at the wicked, for he knows their day is coming. (Psalm 37:12, 13)
But the wicked will perish: The LORD's enemies will be like the beauty of the fields, they will vanish - vanish like smoke. (Psalm 37:20)
In the hand of the LORD is a cup full of foaming wine mixed with spices; he pours it out, and all the wicked of the earth drink it down to its very dregs. (Psalm 75:8)
The LORD watches over all who love him, but all the wicked he will destroy. (Psalm 145:20)
The LORD watches over the alien and sustains the fatherless and the widow, but he frustrates the ways of the wicked. (Psalm 146:9)
The LORD sustains the humble but casts the wicked to the ground. (Psalm 147:6)
The prophet Habakkuk was surprised that God was punishing Israel by sending an even more wicked nation- the Babylonians to persecute Israel. He could not understand God's intention about this. Sure, Judah deserved to be punished, but why the wicked Babylonians? was his question. God answered him in His own way telling him that He would deal with the Babylonians in His own time. The prophet ends his book by declaring that even if everything seems hopeless, he will never stop trusting God.

Well, there's a lesson for all of us here. We need to "hope against hope" as Abraham did and wait for God's deliverance. And come it will, sooner or later. There's no doubt about that.

365 Blessings- August 22

My God sent his angel, and he shut the mouths of the lions. They have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight. Nor have I ever done any wrong before you, O king." (Daniel 6:22)

Daniel says he was found "innocent in God's sight."
I wonder how many of us can say that. Can you? Can I? If we can, then certainly the Lord will not let the lions that we are facing now hurt us.

Speaking about Satan, the Apostle Peter writes;
"Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. (1 Peter 5:8)

The Apostle Paul says,
"But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth. (2 Timothy 4:17)"

The lion here was Nero who cunningly opposed Paul; In your case it may be someone you know through whom the devil is trying to destroy your life.

Remember what Daniel said, “The lions have not hurt me, because I was found innocent in his sight."

Solomon, the king of Israel prayed for God to let the innocent go free:
Hear the supplication of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place. Hear from heaven, your dwelling place, and when you hear, forgive. "When a man wrongs his neighbor and is required to take an oath and he comes and swears the oath before your altar in this temple, then hear from heaven and act. Judge between your servants, condemning the guilty and bringing down on his own head what he has done. Declare the innocent not guilty, and so establish his innocence. (1 Kings 8:30-32)

Your innocence in God's presence will be what delivers you. So, see to it that you are found innocent in His presence. 

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

365 Blessings- August 21


I will listen to what God the Lord will say; he promises peace to his people, his saints - but let them not return to folly. (Psalm 85:12)

So what is the Lord promising? Peace, of course! And for whom- for his saints. Well, we may not have the St. before our names, but that is how God sees us and that is how God wants us to be.

But look at the last part of the verse. It says, "let not the saints return to folly." Saints and folly do not go together. It sounds so un-saintely.
Yet, that's the truth. The Apostle Paul, in some of his letters to different churches begins by addressing the believers in those churches as saints and then goes on to pen their present follies. And the list of follies is quite long.

This is what Paul wrote to the holy and faithful brethren in Colosse:

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (Colossians 3:5-10)

The last part explains it all. It's all about renewal. Being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.

So let us not return to folly, but submit ourselves to God and experience the peace that comes from that submission.

Monday, November 16, 2009

365 Blessings- August 20

I will build you up again and you will be rebuilt, O Virgin Israel. Again you will take up your tambourines and go out to dance with the joyful. (Jeremiah 31:4)

Feeling shattered by the heavy burdens upon you?
Depressed? Because nothing that you put your hand to seems to work?
Find solace this day from this verse that the Lord speaks to you.

Spiritually, morally and in all ways Israel was often in shambles because of moving away from the living God. But God had loved them with an everlasting love.
The Lord appeared to us in the past, saying: "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness. (Jeremiah 31:3)

Yes, God loves you with an everlasting love. That doesn't mean He approves the wrong in your life. He is gentle and long-suffering waiting for you to have close fellowship with Him at all times.
Regarding Israel, God said:
Nevertheless, I will bring health and healing to it; I will heal my people and will let them enjoy abundant peace and security. (Jeremiah 33:6)
"I will heal their waywardness and love them freely, for my anger has turned away from them. (Hosea 14:4)
He wants to build you and not destroy you; He wants to give you a hope and a future. So seek Him with all your heart and He will give you the peace that passes all understanding.
Remember,
"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)"

Sunday, November 15, 2009

365 Blessings- August 19


"If only you would hide me in the grave and conceal me till your anger has passed! If only you would set me a time and then remember me! (Job 14:13)"

Job knew what suffering was and in the depths of his misery and frustration, he cries to God and puts across the request that we read in the verse above.
"Hide me in the grave & conceal me till your anger has passed."
It's like Job is requesting an underground bunker where he can rest without the wrath of the Almighty coming near him.
Job wanted to die and forget his misery; that prayer was not answered, so now he prays for God to hide him alive till His wrath has passed.
He also prays to God to not just go on indefinitely, but to set a time.

How often we are troubled by problems that just do not go away how much ever we pray or plead. Some believers pray that death would be better than undergoing all this misery. But we must always remember a verse in the book of James. It will strengthen us and give us hope.

"As you know, we consider blessed those who have persevered. You have heard of Job's perseverance and have seen what the Lord finally brought about. The Lord is full of compassion and mercy. (James 5:11)"

Jesus who is compassionate and merciful will change the awful circumstances that you are facing these days and bless you like He blessed Job finally. So persevere. He will give you a sign of his goodness when you pray to him as the Psalmist did:
Give me a sign of your goodness, that my enemies may see it and be put to shame, for you, O LORD, have helped me and comforted me. (Psalm 86:17)

Saturday, November 14, 2009

365 Blessings- August 18

I will give you the treasures of darkness, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, who summons you by name. (Isaiah 45:3)

This is one of the many promises that God gave to Cyrus, the Persian king.
Treasures of darkness and riches stored in secret places. Something unusual, isn't it?

In the olden days, kings of rival nations always hid their treasures in secret places and in darkness because if they were attacked and they fell into the hands of the enemy, their treasures would not be discovered. Only a few of the king's closest aides knew about these secret places. God was going to give Cyrus these treasures of darkness and riches stored in secret places. And He fulfilled his promise in the lifetime of Cyrus.

Sometimes God gives us things that we don't ask of Him. It's just like He's decided to give it to us because of His great love for us.
Actually, we deserve nothing but the Bible says,
"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 8:32)"

Yes, God's love for you is great.
Sometimes some of us ask ourselves: Does God really love me?
Yes He does; He did not spare his own Son, just for you.

Paul the apostle desired that the Ephesians knew the greatness of God's love. So he wrote,
"And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, (Ephesians 3:17,18)


God's love is infinite and yes! He loves you much more than you can ever imagine.

Thursday, November 12, 2009

365 Blessings- August 17

I sent you to reap what you have not worked for. Others have done the hard work, and you have reaped the benefits of their labor." (John 4:38)

Some ministries grow rapidly while with others the growth is slow. Those whose ministries grow fast may think that it is because of their abilities or as some say, a greater anointing that is bringing them results. Anointing, methods and abilities are all important, but we must understand that many others have already labored for the souls that we have finally won for Christ.

It's like several people taking turns to cut down a big tree. The man whose final stroke of the axe brings the tree down cannot say that he was the only one who did the job, because there were several before him who also put in their efforts.

Sometimes it may take years for a person to accept Jesus as Savior. God may have dropped the seed of the gospel through several people of His into that person's life. Finally when the person comes to accept Christ, though the person who spoke last may feel that he/she has won a soul, God sees the many who have labored for it and the reward of the effort will be shared finally by all who have put in their effort.

Not only that, we may work hard to bring a person to Christ and finally he/she may join another church. It's not that we have lost something, but the words of Jesus that we read above coming true.

Sometimes we may do the hard work, but others may reap the benefits or sometimes others may do the hard work and we will reap the benefits.