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Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The LORD's right hand has done mighty things! Psalm 118:15

What is the significance of the tents of the righteous? According to today's Scripture, shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous. There is constant praising and thanks giving in the tents of the righteous as the Lord has done mighty things for them.

What kind of voices resound in our homes? Are we acknowledging the mighty things God's right hand has done in our lives? Can people hear us rejoicing over our joy and victory that comes from the Lord?

If you were to tell me this morning that there is so much going on within your walls which prevents you from resounding shouts of joy and victory, here's a verse to strengthen you in the Lord:

Surely God does not reject a blameless man

Amen! Let us praise His Holy name!

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Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD. Jeremiah:31:20

Who is this Ephraim? Ephraim is Joseph's second son. Ephraim and his brother Manasseh were born to Joseph in Egypt before his father Jacob and his brothers came to him during the draught.

When Jacob sees Ephraim and Manasseh, he adopts them both as his own. (Gen 48:5) however Ephraim is set apart and seems like Jacob has a soft corner for him. Probably he recalls his younger days of being a second son to his own father and sees himself in Ephraim.

Very important point is that Ephraim became a blessing or greeting in Israel. People would bless their children, "God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh".

Later in Joshua we read, when Ephraim got his inheritance they (the tribe) did not drive out the Canaanites that dwelt among them (Judges 1:29)

Interestingly in Jeremiah 31:9, we read the Lord saying, "Ephraim is my firstborn"! In fact he was the second son to his father Joseph and the youngest if counted as a "son" of Jacob, yet he was as special as a first born in God's eyes.

You might be excited to know - as I am - that Joshua is a descendant of Ephraim! Plenty of other references can be found on Ephraim.

Why did God speak against Ephraim? I understand his main sin was not chasing away the Canaanites from his inherited land. I am sure he endured issues due to that.

Does it sound familiar? We too hold on to some "Canaanites" in our lives. Let us not take God's compassion on us for granted. It is true we are very dear to Him, but there are times as we continue to rebel, God's anger is directed towards us, but when we repent, almost immediately His mercy is revealed...

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Be happy, young man, while you are young, and let your heart give you joy in the days of your youth. Follow the ways of your heart and whatever your eyes see, but know that for all these things God will bring you to judgment. Ecclesiastes 11:9

As believers we are not at liberty to enjoy things that the worldly enjoy. But it you were to try it the way they do, today's verse comes as a reminder. As we look forward to having fun this weekend, let this verse ring in our ears.

Happy weekend everyone! Let's enjoy it the way pleasing to God Almighty and not necessarily our friends or self.

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Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken. Ecclesiastes 4:12

Today's message once again reinforces the bonding in a marriage. When we read about the account of creation in the book of Genesis, at the end of each day for each creation, it states that God saw that it was good. At the end of the 5th day, we read  in Genesis 1:31 God saw all that he had made, and it was very good. And there was evening, and there was morning—the sixth day.

However on the 6th day, when He made Adam the first human being, we read in Genesis 2:18, The Lord God said, “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” and proceeds to make Eve! Let's pause there for a minute.

Is it just enough for Adam & Eve to be together alone to make it good? Do they even understand each others' emotions or thought process or any of those sorts? Don't they need an interpreter who can help them understand each other and bond better?

How strong is a two cord strand compared to a three cord strand?

The third person recommended for every marriage is the presence of God Almighty who bridges the gaps between the two and acts as the glue if you will, between the husband and wife. When misunderstanding arises the Holy Spirit will guide and comfort them separately mending their hearts, removing their hurts, bringing them together and making them whole again.

This is why it is extremely important to keep our marriage a three strand cord and never a two strand cord and of course not a single strand (or separation) which is considered not good.

Let's invite the Divine presence in our marriages today if we do not sense Him already. Above all let us submit to His leadership in our lives rather than arguing over who is the head; undoubtedly it is Him!

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Often times in a marriage the love turns cold. Many, including good believers fall prey to this excuse to walk away from their commitment to their spouses. Even those who withstand the ordeal can not deny the fact that the thought has crossed their minds too. This is a very subtle & cunning way of the devil at work - to destroy the harmony of a marriage union.

It is therefore very important to watch out that we are not deceived by the enemy's devious plans. Anytime our mind ponders over unnecessary thoughts let us refocus our attention to "whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable--if anything is excellent or praiseworthy--think about such things." as mentioned in Philippians 4:8

I am reminded of a few more Scripture to share:

Let love and faithfulness never leave you;
bind them around your neck,
write them on the tablet of your heart.

Then you will win favor and a good name
in the sight of God and man.

Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge him,
and he will make your paths straight.

Do not be wise in your own eyes;
fear the Lord and shun evil.
This will bring health to your body
and nourishment to your bones.  - Proverbs 3:3-8

Finally, remember you are always special in the eyes of the Lord, whose love for you never turns cold! As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5 Amen!

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And Asa cried unto the LORD his God, and said, LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee. II Chronicles 14:11

Today's message goes hand in hand with what we had dicussed couple of days ago: It is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.

Just to give you a brief history, King Asa was the great grandson of King Solomon. Even before his time the tribes of Judah & Benjamin had separated from the rest of the ten tribes of Israel thus splitting Solomon's kingdom in to two - Israel & Judah. King Asa was the king of Judah.

I find it interesting that when we are introduced to a king in the books of Kings and Chronicles the first thing we hear about him, only next to his age is whether he was good in the sight of the Lord. So, right away we will know what to expect in the rest of his reign.

About King Asa it is mentioned that he did what was good and right in the eyes of the Lord his God. (2 Chronicles 14:2). His reign was peaceful for about ten years. Then suddently the Cushites with their vast  army came to battle against Asa and his men.

That's when King Asa lifted up this prayer: "LORD, it is nothing with thee to help, whether with many, or with them that have no power: help us, O LORD our God; for we rest on thee, and in thy name we go against this multitude. O LORD, thou art our God; let not man prevail against thee."

Though the words are few, it is a very powerful prayer as we can see that King Asa gets the victory he prayed for. He goes against the multitude in God's name and gives the victory back to God alone!

In whose name are we going against our "multitude"? In our names? In our family names? In a person's name? In whose name are we praying? Who gets the name and fame for our victory?

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Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. Habakkuk 3:17-18

Ask any believer he/she will share with you the times when his/her prayers did not get answered (the way they expected that is). What happens then to our faith?! Do we continue the Spiritual walk or find it an excuse to stray?

Here Habakkuk makes a strong statement which attests to his faith during difficult times. Of course his hope is that the fig trees would bud and there would be plenty of grapes in the vines, the olives would not fail and his fields would produce food; he absolutely wishes for his sheep to multiply. But what if his desired outcome is not met? Will he be upset with the Lord? Will he be heartbroken and depressed? No! Absolutely NOT!!

In fact he says he would continue to rejoice in the Lord and that he would be joyful. Or in other words what we hear is that his ability to rejoice in the Lord is not based on whether he is blessed or not. Irrespective of the outcome he will rejoice in the Lord! Didn't Job have similar take on life?

Is that our story too?

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This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord. 2 Kings 3:18

Whatever is your need this morning, however hard it seems to you, remember it is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord!

To read it in context, "This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord..." 2 Kings 3:16-18

It might not seem like it is going to "rain". There may be no signs of deliverance. You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water! You and yours will drink!

The payment you are worried about, the job search that drains you out, the kids who are rebellious, the health condition of a loved one, the refinance that takes forever, it is all an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.

If you read the earlier portion of the same chapter, Elisha makes a strong statement in verse 14. He says,: "I would not look at you or even notice you"; and we read that he ordered for a musician and sang hymns to the Lord.

That's exactly what we are going to do. Let us humble ourselves and look beyond our circumstances - beyond our bank balance, beyond the doctor's report, beyond the government statistics, we are going to praise and worship the Lord singing hymns to Him.

As we do, let us bring all our burdens at His feet this morning based on these words. His promises are yea and amen for those who believe! You may choose to place your hands on the screen or on the same portion of Scripture in your Bible and claim these very words as your own.

This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord! Can't wait to hear praise reports on the same...

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. I Corinthians 16:13

Be strong! It is not our physical strength we are talking here, but more importantly our spiritual strength.

We have a general idea of how to get strong physically; eat right and exercise. Same way for spiritual strength too we need to 'eat right' and 'excercise'.

Eat right what? Of course the Word of God! Word of God is referred to as bread, honey, and milk throughout the Bible; let us look at a few:

* "Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good." I Peter 2:2-3

* "... I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:48

* How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

Just like how we need to eat everyday for a healthy physical body, we need to consume the Word of God everyday for a strong spiritual self.

Can't just stop at that, we need to also exercise it to stay healthy! How do we exercise the Word of God? Of course by practicing it! By doing what it says, by removing what it says, by accepting what it says, by believing what is says, by proclaiming our faith, by living our life as one pleasing to God!

With that our 'Call of Duty' series ends. Now that we have heard the call loud and clear, let us go perform our duty!

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. I Corinthians 16:13

Today's focus in our ongoing series is, Be men (& women) of good courage!

Courage is defined as 'That quality of mind which enables one to encounter danger and difficulties with firmness, or without fear, or fainting of heart; valor; boldness; resolution.'

In Acts 4:13 we read, "When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus."

What is it that Peter and John did which made the people see their courage and take note that they had been with Jesus? If you read Acts Chapter 4 from the beginning, you will understand that Peter and John were jailed for preaching the Gospel and yet they were courageous and continued to proclaim the Good News!

How do we fare in terms of our courage? Are we standing up for the Good News or trying to be "politically correct"?

Recently I had shared a facebook video on my profile which raised some concerns from my non-believing friends. What do I do then? Stop sharing such videos? Disconnect from those friends? Quit social sites altogether? Or Continue to stand for what I believe in? That's where courage plays a role, in every day decisions like these little things.

Do we have the quality of mind which enables us to encounter danger and difficulties (even loss of friends) with firmness, or without fear, or fainting of heart to stand for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and for what He means to us? By looking at us will people take note that we have been with Jesus? This is our call of duty!

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. I Corinthians 16:13

This is a continuation of the Call of Duty we started discussing yesterday. Today we will discuss about standing firm in faith.

What does it mean to stand firm in faith?

Apostle Paul writes in his letter to the Thessalonians, "So then, brothers, stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter." 2 Thessalonians 2:15

So, standing firm in faith means to hold on to the teachings that are passed on to us in the Scriptures. A word of caution here... let us be careful not to get carried away by "teachings" that are not in accordance with the Word of God.

Galatians 5:1 says, "Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery."

So, standing firm in faith means not letting ourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery or sin. Once we were slaves, but now we are set FREE by His blood! Any habit or practice that could tempt us back into slavery is to be avoided at all cost.

It is not by our might we stand, but by the grace of God. Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, "Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come."

Finally remember, only if we stand firm to the end we will be saved(Matthew 24:13)!

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Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. I Corinthians 16:13

This is our call of duty! To be on guard, to stand firm in the faith, to be men(women) of courage and to be strong! Let us look at each one up close.

What does it mean to be on guard? Why is it important?
It means to be alert or vigilant against the devil; and also it means to be ready for the imminent return of our Lord.

The Bible says in I Peter 5:8, Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

If we slack even a little he will devour us alive. No, don't be afraid of his prowling. Scripture teaches us to, Resist the devil, and he will flee from us. James 4:7.

Apostle Paul instructs us in Ephesians 4:27, "...do not give the devil a foothold." A foothold is all the devil is looking for, to get in and settle down squarely in our hearts, instantly ridding off our joy and taking reign over our thoughts and actions.

A little temptation, a little stumble, a little pride, little self pity is all it takes to derail us from our Spiritual journey. Therefore it is extremely important to watch out for his cunning schemes.

Paul goes on to say in Ephesians 6:11, "Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes." You can read more about the Full Armor of God by clicking here, which we will also discuss at large one of the days.

Finally it is also important to be on our guard or keep watch, because we do not know on what day our Lord will come. Matthew 24:42

More on our Call of Duty tomorrow... Stay blessed!

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"Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions." Luke 12:15

What is greed? I am sure all of us know what greed means; however I thought it will be a good idea to start with the definition. Greed means: 'An excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth'.

We sometimes tend to wrongly measure our happiness against what we have, which causes us to envy others and greed for more. Some may ask what is wrong with that as it only motivates us to 'be better off'? Is it so?

Well, if you think about it, greed makes us selfish, workaholics, spendthrifts, debtors and in the long run we will tend to lose focus on our priorities and run after things of this world soon forgetting the importance of the Eternal Glory we ought to be bound for.

That's the very reason why Jesus warns us to be on our guard against all kinds of greed. He also reminds us that the measure of our life is not in terms of our possession.

Here is another verse to set us on our track rest of the way.In I John 2:15 we read, "Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

King David shares in similar lines in one of his Psalms. In Psalm 62:12 he writes, "...though your riches increase, do not set your heart on them."

What do you think, is it hard to heed to these instructions?

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"Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." Luke 12:1

What is hypocrisy? A quick look up in the dictionary explains hypocrisy as "the practice of professing standards, beliefs, etc., contrary to one's real character or actual behaviour, esp the pretence of virtue and piety".

Hypocrisy or duplicity is the opposite of integrity. It could be unintentional at times but hypocrisy is something that will never go unnoticed in the sight of God who knows the depths of our hearts.

In today's Scripture hypocrisy is compared to yeast. Why so? Barnes's Notes on the Bible has a very good explanation which I would like to share with you:

1. Hypocrisy may exist without being immediately detected. Leaven mixed in flour is not known until it produces its effects.

2. Hypocrisy is insinuating. Leaven will soon pervade the whole mass. So hypocrisy will, if undetected and unremoved, soon pervade all our exercises and feelings.

3. It is swelling. It puffs us up, and fills us with pride and vanity. No man is more proud than the hypocrite, and none is more odious to God.

Barnes goes on to explain, "When Jesus cautions us to beware of 'the leaven of the Pharisees', He means that we should be cautious about imbibing their spirit and becoming like them."

Today let us take a moment to analyze our thoughts and actions and see if we have any "leaven" or "yeast" in us. If we do, let us work to get rid off it lest it fully leavens us...

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* The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18:21
* For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned Matthew 12:37
* When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. Proverbs 10:19
* The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.  James 3:6
* This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live. Deuteronomy 30:19

When we are frustrated with certain situation how do we handle it? Do we turn to offensive slang taking matters in our own hands OR we tame our tongue and praise the Lord who is able to solve the issues instead?

When a friend talks to us ill of his/her boss, spouse or co worker, what is our response? Are we nodding in agreement, adding fuel to the fire, thus not taming our tongue OR are we setting an example by responding wisely offering to pray over the situation thus ending such conversation?

Do we back bite? Do we rather praise men than God? Do our words constantly hurt someone OR heal? Do we bless our children or curse them by our words? Do we boast of ourselves OR share about His grace?

What is the fruit of your tongue? Is it life or death?

I am choosing life today... are you?

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Come, let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the LORD our Maker. Psalm 96:9

It is such a privilege we enjoy to be able to freely worship the Lord. I say privilege because most are denied the fellowship of believers and some are even persecuted and killed for coming together and worshipping the Lord!

Even those of us who live in a free country must consider it a privilege and thank the Lord for the good health and transportation which enable us to go and worship the Lord.

True! We can worship Him everyday within the confines of our homes by ourselves; but it is nowhere close to the sheer joy of worshipping the Lord in the fellowship of believers. When we come together as a Church to worship Him we are made complete - as we are one body - His bride!

Let us be mindful of that as we go on to worship the Lord today. Let us go into His presence with singing, dancing and a heart full of praise. Let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker!

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As God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. Colossians 3:12-14

Didn't we just undergo a beauty treatment? Next we need a new wardrobe! Of course, filled with beautiful clothes for the beautiful YOU! Here's the Designer suggested list on things we need to accumulate on: Compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience so that we can clothe ourselves with these.

Now let's add some 'forgiveness' to the look - please note, it is not just the cheap namesake 'forgiveness' we are talking here; go for the best quality - the name brand - the kind that forgives whatever grievances - the Jesus brand - yes, that's the best!

Oh! Don't forget to spray on some Love! This binds you together in perfect unity - with God, with yourself, with your family and the rest.

Wow what an amazing make over! You look stunning! Stay blessed! :)

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Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

Hope you are with me on the beauty regimen we have been discussing the last couple of days. I am truly enjoying it and hopefully becoming more beautiful:) Today we will discuss how 'the fear of the Lord' adds to our beauty.

Interestingly the fear of the Lord goes hand in hand with 'the gentle and quiet spirit' we had discussed yesterday. Proverbs 22:4 in the Basic English translation goes: The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life. In Proverbs 15:33 we read, The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Now, the question is How to develop this fear of the Lord? The answer is given in Proverbs 2:1-5:

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Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
I Peter 3:3-4

Unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit! Yes, that's our first check in our 'Beauty Regimen', a continuation of yesterday's post.

I am sorry to say this, but in this light most of us look 'ugly' as we hardly have any trace of this quality of 'a gentle and quite spirit' in us. We are defensive! We talk back! We fight! We argue! We kick and scream and what not?!

On the other hand, our Lord Jesus Christ is the best example of one with this unfading beauty. About Him we read in Isaiah 53:7, He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth.

The Gospel writers who have seen Jesus face to face write about this very nature. Matthew writes in verses 27:12, "When he was accused by the chief priests and the elders, he gave no answer". Mark notes, "Jesus still made no reply, and Pilate was amazed" in chapter 15 verse 5.Luke 23:9 says, He plied him with many questions, but Jesus gave him no answer. Again in John 19:9 we read, "...but Jesus gave him no answer".

The opposite of Gentle Spirit is Pride. We read about that in Proverbs 23:9, Proverbs 16:19 and Ecclesiastes 7:8.

In his letter to the Philippians Apostle Paul insists, Let your gentle spirit be known to all men. Philippians 4:5

Gentle Spirit comes with it's own reward in addition to the unfading inner beauty. In Proverbs 22:4 we read, The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life.

Our Lord Jesus Christ in His own words said, "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

So, Gentle Spirit also gives us rest - the beauty rest! Why not desire it with our whole heart?! Those of us who seek to develop this 'beauty' in us will have to take the effort to practice it consciously. The next time the need arises for us to defend ourselves, let's remember this and save those words! We will turn out beautiful!

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All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you. Song of Solomon 4:7

There are specific mention of women of beauty in the Bible, such as Sarah, Abigail, Rachel, Tamar, Queen Vashti, etc. To be beautiful is in fact every woman's desire. We take special care to look beautiful.

But are we really beautiful? What is the beauty that is expected of us by our Lord? Let's do a quick check based on the Scriptures:

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God’s sight.
I Peter 3:3-4

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Proverbs 31:30

How beautiful is our inner self? Do we have the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit which is of great worth in God's sight? Do we fear or in other words regard or respect the Lord?

If the answer is yes, then we are indeed beautiful! If the answer is no, then we better start on the "beauty regimen" the details of which we will discuss tomorrow...

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"I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes," says the LORD. Zephaniah 3:20

The problem with us believers is that we are sometimes hesitant to claim certain promises as our own. Some even dismiss it as from the past, for certain people, at specific times, within certain context, etc.

True, all Scriptures were written in some context, however these are 'living and enduring word of God' (I Peter 1:23) making it true for all generations.

Here's further explanation on that by Apostle Paul: For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.
2 Corinthians 1:20

As the children of God, born of Christ, washed by His blood, these promises are ours to claim as our own! What a privilege!

Why then is it hard to believe that He will restore our fortune and give us honor and praise among the peoples of the earth? Let's shake off any doubt and claim it as our own; shall we?

In any specific area in our lives that feels like a failure, let us claim this promise and pray that He restores our fortune.

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Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds. James 1:2

Can Monday mornings be as good as Friday evenings? I didn't think so. Is it even possible to consider it pure joy when we face trials? I wonder why? Let's read on...

... because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:3,4

Trials enable us to mature in our faith. Trials allow us to recognize our dependency on God. Trials teach us to acknowledge His deliverance. Trials are allowed to prepare us to minister to others when they pass through similar circumstances. Above all, trials makes us long for His kingdom.

So, Mondays aren't that bad after all! Let's consider it all JOY; shall we? Have a great week ahead and His presence will be with you!

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* His heart is secure, he will have no fear; in the end he will look in triumph on his foes. Psalm 112:8
* Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.
Hebrews 13:9

Different translations have different words for "secure" such as: confident, steady, upheld, established, resting safely, strengthend, maintained etc. So we get the point!

The question is how to keep our heart secure or established or steady?: I believe the answer is given in the second verse above: Do not be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings.

When will we be carried away by all kinds of strange teachings? : Only when we do not know the fundamentals of our christian faith.

How to learn the fundamentals of our faith?: Of course, by learning the word of God.

How to learn the Word of God?: By reading, meditating, studying, listening and why not - by googling too! :)

Any teaching or doctrine or "vision" or "calling" that can not be traced back to B-I-B-L-E which is the Book for you and me; has to be dismissed as 'strange teachings'.

Then our heart will be secure, we will have no fear; in the end we will look in triumph on our foes! Amen?

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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 reed here implies the weak and fragile among us who sway at the slightest wind. A bruised reed would therefore mean the person who has been greatly afflicted by the trials of life, yet not completely broken.

Same way, a smoldering wick has very little strength to stay alive. That's how severe the wind blows.

Today's message is for those who can relate to such a situation. Please be comforted that our Lord carefully tends to you. In faithfulness He will bring your justice. So hang in there...

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On the coffee table today, let's read a passage from the Bible together: 2 Samuel 6:12-23

As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart. 2 Samuel 6:16

Our focus today is the highlighted text. Does it sound familiar? How often do we despise our spouses - first in our hearts - and then by our words - and next by our actions?!

Let us be aware that this is the reason for our lack of blessings.(refer to verse 23)

Let us sincerely respect our spouses. Let us use our words carefully while discussing with them about things we don't agree with. Every thought or word or action we do by despising our spouse is recorded against us - true for both guys and girls.

While at it, here are few more things the Scriptures teach us NOT to despise:

* Do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his hunger when he is starving. Proverbs 6:13
* Do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke. Proverbs 3:11
* Do not despise the discipline of the Almighty. Job 5:17
* Do not despise your mother when she is old. Proverbs 23:22
* Do not despise one of these little ones (children) Matthew 18:10
* Do not despise prophecies I Thessalonians 5:20

Now that we know, let us not despise...

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Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6

The passage here has amazing resemblance to something our Lord spoke about, as written in the Gospel of John 6:51-56:

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day."

Don't you see the remarkable resemblance here? One is the offer made by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ to share in His body (which is our portion) and His blood (which is our cup); the other is King David's claim that his portion and his cup was is from the Lord, due to which he is assured of his delightful inheritance.

Isn't that what is promised for us who share in His broken body and His shed blood? Our delightful inheritance is our eternal life. Amen!

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If the Lord had not been on our side—
let Israel say—
if the Lord had not been on our side
when men attacked us,
when their anger flared against us,
they would have swallowed us alive;
the flood would have engulfed us,
the torrent would have swept over us,
the raging waters
would have swept us away.

Praise be to the Lord,
who has not let us be torn by their teeth.

We have escaped like a bird
out of the fowler’s snare;
the snare has been broken,
and we have escaped.
Our help is in the name of the Lord,
the Maker of heaven and earth. ~ Psalm 124

Here's a psalm/song we can all relate to. Every one of us can sense the divine protection all through our lives - physically as well as spiritually.

If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have been engulfed in our grief over the loss of our loved ones.

If the Lord had not been on our side, we would have been shattered to pieces on the first onset of a heartbreaking argument with our spouses.

If the Lord had not been on our side, our marriages would not have withstood the trials it encountered.

If the Lord had not been on our side, we wouldn't be continuing our faith journey.

If the Lord had not been on our side, we could have lost the JOY and PEACE we are now abundantly blessed with.

... We can add many more to this list.

Recognizing His presence in our lives is vital for our Spiritual health! Let us take the time today to list a few of the countless blessings He has done in our lives - merely by being with us, living in us and working through us. Acknowledging His presence is the least we could do for Him in return.

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Undoubtedly yes!

But how would we explain it to a non-believer who asks for proof? Now that's the question...

Most won't take it if we were to quote from the Scriptures to prove the Scriptures, dismissing it as "circular reference". But it won't be so! Because Bible is not just one book written by an author at one particular time; but a collection of books, written by over 40 people spanning many generations - over 1500 years! However all these books were divine influenced. How so?

How else can it be that it has the same message from the beginning to the end? The creation of man, the fall of mankind and the redemption of man by Christ Jesus is all it talks about! The historic events recorded in the Bible are so accurate even to date! The scientific evidents offered by the Scriptures on the earth, the sun, the moon, the countless stars and galaxies, the oceans and depths only prove it strongly that the Scriptures are proven words of truth!

Now how is it possible for so many different human beings from various walks of lives, living in different geological areas - over the span of many hundreds of years apart to convey the same message? To think about it, there was no Internet, phone, fax or any of those stuff we relate with knowledge sharing these days. Anywhere you slice and dice it from, it holds true to every word!

It couldn't have been possible by mere human; without the divine intervention of the God Almighty!

For those who insist on more answers, I would say, "Why fear the Bible? Get yourself a copy and start reading it. Before you know it, you would have the answers revealed! Because these are Living Words of God! They are Yeah and Amen! Then, Now and Forever!"

P.S. If you do not already have a copy of the Holy Bible but would like one, please write to nrigirl at hotmail dot com with your mailing address. I will be happy to mail you a copy to assist you in your search. :)

Here are some Scripture references:

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. II Timothy 3:16-17

For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

My word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty,but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55:11

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away. Matthew 24:35

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Now when he saw the crowds, he went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them, saying:

“Blessed are the poor in spirit,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

Blessed are those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.

Blessed are the meek,
for they will inherit the earth.

Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
for they will be filled.

Blessed are the merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.

Blessed are the pure in heart,
for they will see God.

Blessed are the peacemakers,
for they will be called sons of God.

Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness,
for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you. Matthew 5:1-12

A very familiar passage indeed, also known as The Beatitudes. Thought we can look at each of these up close in the coming days.

In the meantime, if you would like to share which is your favorite of these, please post it in the comments section below explaining 'why'; it can make our discussions more interesting. Thank you!

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For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship. And by him we cry, "Abba, Father." Romans 8:15

Over the last few days we have been discussing about some serious stuff such as 'The throne of God' and the 'Wedding of the Lamb', etc., which might have triggered some kind of fear among us.

Today's message from the Holy Spirit is to eradicate any such fear or doubt from our heart. As the verse above insists, we did not receive the spirit that makes us slave to fear, but we have received the Spirit of sonship! This should only bring us closer to Our Father rather than away from Him as the spirit of fear would do.

He is our Father! He has called us by name. He died for our sins. He has written our names in the Book of Life. He is coming to take us home! We will be caught up in the clouds upon His return! Absolutely no doubt about it.

It is sad to see even some good believers being unsure if they would be taken in the rapture. This is the work of the enemy who sows the seed of doubt and fear, making us lose our hope of spending our eternity with the Lord.

That's when knowing the Scripture like the one above helps; as it reminds us that we are His sons and daughters! Here's one more in those lines: For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. II Timothy 1:7

Let us call out "Abba! Father!" and reconnect with Him today.

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