365 Blessings- February 15

"Honor your father and mother" - which is the first commandment with a promise - (Ephesians 6:2)

Not all children would approve of that, but the Word of God is Truth and it cannot be changed. As the verse states, it's the first commandment with a promise. What promise? This one:
"Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the LORD your God is giving you. (Exodus 20:12)

Well, it's an Old Testament promise, but holds good because the Apostle Paul reiterates it while writing to the Ephesians. Writing to the Colossians, Paul gives this advice:
Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord. (Colossians 3:20)
Some children of believer's will find that hard to digest, but then it is the Word of God and it cannot be changed.
As children grow up and mature, their thinking and responding to situations may not match with the parent's thinking and things start going awry.
One clue to how far children should go in obeying parents is given in another exhortation that the Apostle gives to wives.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18)

As is fitting in the Lord. That's what is important. Anything that is not right according to the Word of God need not be obeyed or given into by a child. Of course, some children have no choice because of the strictness and unyielding nature of their parents. Nevertheless, obedience of children to their parents bring great blessings in their lives including the one mentioned in the title verse.

Are you a child? Do you obey your parents?
Are you a parent? Does your child/children obey you?
Ponder this for a moment. Find the reasons of why you don't/can't obey your parents or why your child/children don't obey you?
If both are living according to the Word, there will be a good relationship. If not, your heart needs a probing and things have to be set right. The sooner the better. 

365 Blessings- February 14

Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. (2 Peter 1:4)

The Apostle Peter starts the chapter talking about the faith that we have now as believer's. He calls it "precious faith."
Simon Peter, a servant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who through the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ have received a faith as precious as ours: (2 Peter 1:1)

And then he talks about the nature of the promises given to those with the precious faith. As we read in the title verse-"very great and precious promises".

So we must not consider the promises given to us as believer's to be trivial. They are very great and precious. Through them we can participate in the divine nature thus escaping the corruption in the world. The Apostle states that the corruption in the world is due to evil desires.

If we do not hold fast to the promises, we don't partake of the divine nature and fall prey to evil desires of the world. This can either cause spiritual stagnation or destruction.

Many believer's are ineffective and unproductive because they care not to add certain qualities to the precious faith that they have received. Regarding this Peter elaborates:For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love. For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:5-8)

O My! Is this so important? Read Peter's exhortation and conclusion:
Therefore, my brothers, be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure. For if you do these things, you will never fall, and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:10, 11)

A rich welcome awaits us provided we obey these words of exhortation. May the Lord help us all to make our calling and election sure.

365 Blessings- February 13

And the LORD said to Joshua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. (Joshua 3:7)

There is a special "Today" for everyone of us who have trusted in the Lord Jesus Christ. A "Today" where God begins to exalt us for persevering and for being faithful to him.

That's what happened in the life of Joshua. Long years of being humble and faithful under the Lord's watchful eyes. In the shadow of a great leader for many years, yet not rebelling with others and trying to usurp authority. Not planning a coup to overthrow Moses, but waiting patiently for the Lord, fighting the battles that he was entrusted with and having faith that the God who called him was faithful and would be with him at all times.

The Bible says,
No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt a man. But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. (Psalm 75:6,7)

When God began to exalt Joshua, the Israelites truly realized that God was with Joshua as he was with Moses.

For Joshua, God often pronounced miracles and victories even before Joshua dealt with the problems. Here are a few examples:
Then the LORD said to Joshua, "See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men. (Joshua 6:2)
The LORD said to Joshua, "Do not be afraid of them(the five kings of the Amorites - the kings of Jerusalem, Hebron, Jarmuth, Lachish and Eglon); I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you." (Joshua 10:8)

When God's time of exalting Joshua came, it truly could be seen by all. God exalts us in his ways and at his time. If we wait patiently and are faithful to him, we will experience the same..... in our work place, in the ministry or in any sphere of our lives. 

365 Blessings- February 12

For he stands at the right hand of the needy one, to save his life from those who condemn him. (Psalm 109:31)

Who would have wondered that the lives of the people mentioned below would change dramatically by the power of the one mentioned in the verses above. Yes, El Shaddai- God Almighty did it and he can do it for you too.

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe - the richly ornamented robe he was wearing - and they took him and threw him into the cistern. Now the cistern was empty; there was no water in it. (Genesis 37:23, 24)

Yet having learned who Mordecai's people were, he scorned the idea of killing only Mordecai. Instead Haman looked for a way to destroy all Mordecai's people, the Jews, throughout the whole kingdom of Xerxes. When Mordecai learned of all that had been done, he tore his clothes, put on sackcloth and ashes, and went out into the city, wailing loudly and bitterly. (Esther 3:6)(Esther 4:1)

So Satan went out from the presence of the LORD and afflicted Job with painful sores from the soles of his feet to the top of his head. Then Job took a piece of broken pottery and scraped himself with it as he sat among the ashes. (Job 2:7, 8)

The lives of Joseph, Mordecai and Job are just a few examples of what the Lord can do by his mighty power.

Read about their later lives after God delivered them by his mighty power.
So Pharaoh said to Joseph, "I hereby put you in charge of the whole land of Egypt." Then Pharaoh took his signet ring from his finger and put it on Joseph's finger. He dressed him in robes of fine linen and put a gold chain around his neck. He had him ride in a chariot as his second-in-command, and men shouted before him, "Make way !" Thus he put him in charge of the whole land of Egypt. (Genesis 41:41-43)

Mordecai left the king's presence wearing royal garments of blue and white, a large crown of gold and a purple robe of fine linen. And the city of Susa held a joyous celebration. Mordecai was prominent in the palace; his reputation spread throughout the provinces, and he became more and more powerful. (Esther 8:15)(Esther 9:4)

After Job had prayed for his friends, the LORD made him prosperous again and gave him twice as much as he had before. The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first....(Job 42:10,12) If you are down in the dumps today, there's hope for you 'coz the God of Joseph, Mordecai and Job is still alive. He says,
"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) 

He is still able to do great wonders.

365 Blessings- February 11

Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, a Levite and descendant of Asaph, as he stood in the assembly. He said: "Listen, King Jehoshaphat and all who live in Judah and Jerusalem! This is what the LORD says to you: 'Do not be afraid or discouraged because of this vast army. For the battle is not yours, but God's. (2 Chronicles 20:14, 15)

Jehoshaphat, king of Judah was afraid because the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites had declared war on him. Alarmed, Jehoshaphat resolved to inquire of the LORD, and he proclaimed a fast for all Judah. The people of Judah came together to seek help from the LORD; indeed, they came from every town in Judah to seek him. Jehoshaphat praised and glorified God and cried to him for help. That is when the above prophecy and promise were given to Jehoshaphat and the people in Judah.

More specific directions were given to the king:
Tomorrow march down against them. They will be climbing up by the Pass of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the gorge in the Desert of Jeruel. You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you.'" (2 Chronicles 20:16, 17)

Early in the morning they left for the Desert of Tekoa. As they set out, Jehoshaphat stood and said, "Listen to me, Judah and people of Jerusalem! Have faith in the LORD your God and you will be upheld; have faith in his prophets and you will be successful." After consulting the people, Jehoshaphat appointed men to sing to the LORD and to praise him for the splendor of his holiness as they went out at the head of the army, saying: "Give thanks to the LORD, for his love endures forever." As they began to sing and praise, the LORD set ambushes against the men of Ammon and Moab and Mount Seir who were invading Judah, and they were defeated. (2 Chronicles 20:20- 22)

The faithfulness of God was manifest again as he defeated the enemies of Judah. If you are being attacked by evil forces, cry out to God as Jehoshapat did. Never forget to praise and glorify God in the midst of the attack. Jesus will deliver you and you will glorify him again for his faithfulness.