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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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You care for the land and water it; you enrich it abundantly. The streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain, for so you have ordained it. Psalm 65:9

Living Water is yet another name for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is no wonder there are so many scripture verses referring to this refreshing Living Water. The water that flows from Him does nourish our body, mind and soul.

He cares for the land (us) and waters (provides) for it. When He blesses it is not by human measures; He enriches us abundantly! I would like to insist blessing is not always in material form. Blessing is the joy, the salvation, the peace, the faith, the walk, the leading, the slow still voice, the daily providence, even our very breath, the fact that our systems work the way it should, etc. Don't we have these things in abundance? Are we not enriched by countless blessings already?! Amen!

And of course, blessings are not always spiritual form. There are these material blessings too such as the house, the job, the children, the vacation, the bonus, the new tires in the car, the flowers your special someone brought, the robins that visit your window sill, and the rest in those lines. Remember, the streams of God are filled with water to provide the people with grain.

As long as our focus is on the One who blesses us and not the blessings in itself, we will continue to be blessed. Stay blessed today!

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"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

Life can get weary sometime. The routine toil day after day could easily overwhelm us. Where will we go then? What will we do? How will we find solace? Only by taking it all to God Almighty and hear Him say these very words: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, I will give you rest".

Interstingly the invitation is forever open, it is us finding time to attend to it that prevents us from enjoying it's benefits.

In Matthew 6:33 we read: "Seek ye first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."

Often times our burden gets heavier because we have not sought after God first. Let us set aside a regular prayer time and list all our needs at His feet and see if His invitation stands true in our case.

I am 100% positive it is! Tested & true! Would you like to try it yourself?

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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

The message is very clear; this is especially true for marriage decisions. Those who are at the cross roads, take heed to the Word of God!

God bless you.

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

Taking revenge on someone for something they have done against us comes naturally for us humans. If nothing we at least know to distance ourselves from the offender.

Forgiving on the other hand is unnatural; our entire being can testify towards that - the heart doesn't heal, the mind doesn't forget, the mouth looks for ways to hurt back, the teeth grinds together, the chin gets uptight, the face frowns, our stomach churns in anger and bitterness when we think of that person or what they have done!

To forgive would therefore mean an unfair suggestion, an impossible expectation, extremely difficult, a term that almost shudders our inmost being.

All said, it is still what our Lord teaches us to do! Not just once, or twice, or a dozen times or even seventy-seven times as the Scripture suggests here, but as many times it takes for it to actually become our very nature! It is almost like we becoming aloof and indifferent to anything that could offend us.

How can we ever become like that? Only when we die & born again! Die to this world and live in Jesus Christ as a new being. Then we become like Him - ready to forgive and slow to take offense!

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Colossians 3:1-3

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“As I looked, thrones were set in place, and the Ancient of Days took his seat. His clothing was as white as snow; the hair of his head was white like wool. His throne was flaming with fire, and its wheels were all ablaze. A river of fire was flowing, coming out from before him. Thousands upon thousands attended him; ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him. The court was seated, and the books were opened. Daniel 7:9-10

The book of Daniel chapter 7 talks about an end-of-times dream that Daniel had; along with the intrepretation of the dream given by an angel. There are different theories as to which kingdoms the four beasts in the dream represent. I do not want to get into the details as I am not convinced one way or another about the available explanations.

Just wanted to focus our attention on the Ancient of Days seated on His throne! Our Father who is in Heaven! The One who gave His one and only Son Jesus Christ to die on the cross for you and me! The One whom we pray to in Jesus's name. The All powerful, Almighty God! Amen!

He is the King of kings and the Lord of  lords! He is the One who calls out the stars by name! He is the Alpha and the Omega! The Beginning and the End! At His right hand sits our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Amen!

We need not be intimidated by the Father. We who are washed by the blood of Jesus Christ have become His sons and daughters now. Now that we got the full picture of what He is like, let us imagine coming to our King of kings when we pray.

 Rev. C.H. Spurgeon has explained it so beautifully in his sermon The Throne of Grace. Here's an excerpt from it:

We do not come, as it were, in prayer, only to God's almonry where he dispenses his favours to the poor, nor do we come to the back-door of the house of mercy to receive the broken scraps, though that were more than we deserve; to eat the crumbs that fall from the Master's table is more than we could claim; but, when we pray, we are standing in the palace, on the glittering floor of the great King's own reception room, and thus we are placed upon a vantage ground.

In prayer we stand where angels bow with veiled faces; there, even there, the cherubim and seraphim adore, before that selfsame throne to which our prayers ascend. And shall we come there with stunted requests, and narrow and contracted faith? Nay, it becomes not a King to be giving away pence and groats, he distributes pieces of broad gold; he scatters not as poor men must, scraps of bread and broken meat, but he makes a feast of fat things, of fat things full of marrow, of wines on the lees well refined.

As we move on to our chores today let this message sink in deeply. It could change how we pray next time around...

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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 than 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?

P.S: Even as I write this I am guilty of back biting lately. I am convinced this message is more for me than anyone else. I acknowledge that I have sinned with my words; I sincerely repent and ask for God's forgiveness. May I be careful not to repeat the same...

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If serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your forefathers served beyond the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord. Joshua 24:15

Weseley's Notes explains the Scripture thus:

Seem evil - Unjust, unreasonable or inconvenient. Choose ye - Not that he leaves them to their liberty, whether they would serve God or idols. For Joshua had no such power himself, nor could give it to any other; and both he and they were obliged by the law of Moses, to give their worship to God only, and to forbear all idolatry in themselves, and severely to punish it in others.

But it is a powerful insinuation, whereby he both implies, that the worship of God is so highly reasonable, necessary and beneficial; and the service of idols so absurd, and vain, and pernicious, that if it were left free for all men to take their choice, every man in his right wits must choose the service of God, before that of idols.

He provokes them to bind themselves faster to God by their own choice. He will - But know this, if you should all be so base and brutish, as to prefer senseless and impotent idols, before the true and living God, it is my firm purpose, that I will, and my children, and servants (as far as I can influence them) shall be constant and faithful to the Lord.

And that, whatever others do. They that resolve to serve God, must not start at being singular in it. They that are bound for heaven must be willing to swim against the stream, and must do, not as most do, but as the best do.

So, what is our resolve this morning?

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As we celebrate Thanksgiving today, we all have a list of things to be thankful for. Here's King David's comprehensive list in Psalm 136: which even dates back to the Exodus - the time of his ancestors!

It serves us as a cheat sheet if you will, of things we ought to be thankful for - yes, all the way from the very beginning! A grateful heart is all that is required of us after all.

Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of gods.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the Lord of lords:
His love endures forever.

to him who alone does great wonders,
His love endures forever.

who by his understanding made the heavens,
His love endures forever.

who spread out the earth upon the waters,
His love endures forever.

who made the great lights—
His love endures forever.

the sun to govern the day,
His love endures forever.

the moon and stars to govern the night;
His love endures forever.

to him who struck down the firstborn of Egypt
His love endures forever.

and brought Israel out from among them
His love endures forever.

with a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.

to him who divided the Red Sea asunder
His love endures forever.

and brought Israel through the midst of it,
His love endures forever.

but swept Pharaoh and his army into the Red Sea;
His love endures forever.

to him who led his people through the desert,
His love endures forever.

who struck down great kings,
His love endures forever.

and killed mighty kings—
His love endures forever.

Sihon king of the Amorites
His love endures forever.

and Og king of Bashan—
His love endures forever.

and gave their land as an inheritance,
His love endures forever.

an inheritance to his servant Israel;
His love endures forever.

to the One who remembered us in our low estate
His love endures forever.

and freed us from our enemies,
His love endures forever.

and who gives food to every creature.
His love endures forever.

Give thanks to the God of heaven.
His love endures forever.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.Colossians 3:17

Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:19-20

Don't you love it how detailed our directions are for this journey called life? It is amazing how the specifics are stressed time and again so that we don't have any excuses.

Some of us might argue that these are too hard to follow and use that as an excuse to ignore it completely. Then there are those among us who "follow" instructions as if it were a ritual - rolling in and out of bed with a "word of prayer" for example, which has almost become a routine, a task without much thoughts applied.

As much as possible let us follow the Scriptures as it is. It is not too hard that we can't even try. It shouldn't become too easy that we do it superfluously.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it." Isaiah 30:21

Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.  Matthew 7:13-14

May God help us understand the meaning of His Scriptures and enable us to follow His commandments. God bless you all! Happy Thanksgiving!

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* Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. 1 Thessalonians 5:18

* It is God’s will that you should be sanctified. 1 Thessalonians 4:3

* For it is God's will that by doing good you should silence the ignorant talk of foolish men. 1 Peter 2:15

* Those who suffer according to God's will should commit themselves to their faithful Creator and continue to do good. 1 Peter 4:19

* It is better, if it is God's will, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. 1 Peter 3:17

* Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will. Romans 12:2

We often wonder what God's will is in our lives. We believe waiting passively for His will is what is expected of us -forgetting that we have an active role doing God's will. We kind of 'throw the ball in His court' expecting God to work out His will.

From the above Scriptures we can clearly understand 'the ball is very much in our court'. The list we need to actively work on to make sure God's will is done in our lives includes but not limited to:

Giving thanks, being sanctified, doing good, committing ourselves to our faithful Creator, not conforming to the pattern of this world, being transformed by the renewing of our mind, etc.

Then we will be able to test and approve what God's will is--his good, pleasing and perfect will - for our lives...

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"How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." 1 Kings 18:21

We are not getting into details on the context of today's text. However, if you wish to understand the context, please click here to read the full chapter.

How many of us can relate to wavering between two opinions? What causes us to waver? When a promise is delayed we waver; when our faith is tested we waver; out of fear of someone or something we waver, to avoid conflicts we waver... To sum it all up, in plain and simple words, we waver between hope and fear.

We do want to believe in God's promises (hope) but at the same time we want to consider the 'what if it is not true' scenario (fear or doubt). The Scripture says: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

Wavering or being unstable has huge consequences. If you recall Reuben, he received curse from his father Jacob instead of blessing. Jacob's words in Genesis 49:4 goes: "Unstable as water, thou shalt not excel"

King David sings in Psalm 26:1 "I have trusted in the LORD without wavering". In his letters to the Hebrews Apostle Paul writes: Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm Hebrew 10:23 As part of His sermon on the mount, Jesus said: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:37

Let me challenge you (& also me) this morning: How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him!

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Nehemiah was a cup bearer for King Artaxerxes - king of Babylon. Most Israelites had been taken exile during that time and the wall of Jerusalem was broken down. When Nehemiah heard it he wept, prayed and had a desire to rebuild the wall. Since he has found favor with the king the king sanctioned his pettition and rebuilt the wall.

When it was all set and done, Nehemiah made sure the city was concecrated for the Lord, the temple grounds reestablished by bringing in Levites and Priests to serve there, appointing a choir, and reminding people about the laws and festivities Moses had taught their forefathers to do.

This is in this context he restored the Sabbath the day of rest God had commanded us to follow. The following text explains exactly how he restored it.

In those days I saw in Judah some who were treading wine presses on the sabbath, and bringing in sacks of grain and loading them on donkeys, as well as wine, grapes, figs and all kinds of loads, and they brought them into Jerusalem on the sabbath day. So I admonished them on the day they sold food.

Also men of Tyre were living there who imported fish and all kinds of merchandise, and sold them to the sons of Judah on the sabbath, even in Jerusalem. Then I reprimanded the nobles of Judah and said to them, “What is this evil thing you are doing, by profaning the sabbath day? “Did not your fathers do the same, so that our God brought on us and on this city all this trouble? Yet you are adding to the wrath on Israel by profaning the sabbath.”

It came about that just as it grew dark at the gates of Jerusalem before the sabbath, I commanded that the doors should be shut and that they should not open them until after the sabbath. Then I stationed some of my servants at the gates so that no load would enter on the sabbath day.

Once or twice the traders and merchants of every kind of merchandise spent the night outside Jerusalem. Then I warned them and said to them, “Why do you spend the night in front of the wall? If you do so again, I will use force against you.” From that time on they did not come on the sabbath. And I commanded the Levites that they should purify themselves and come as gatekeepers to sanctify the sabbath day. For this also remember me, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of Your lovingkindness. Nehemiah 13:15-22

The question to us this morning is: Have we restored the Sabbath?! Do we give it the atmost reverence to spend in the fellowship of believers to worship the Lord? OR Have we allowed certain "merchants" in?!

Let us restore our Sabbath!

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"I will restore David's fallen tent. I will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be. Amos 9:11

Lot of families these days are breaking up under pressure and christian families are no exception. Financial stress, pressure at work, sinful ways, addictions, selfishness are satan's schemes to slowly creep in and ruin the harmony and peace of a family union. He aims at destroying the family nucleus which only makes it easier to further drift the members away from the Lord.

Our Lord on the other hand restores broken families and reestablishes our fallen tents. What a contrast! In Isaiah 58:12 we read, "Your people will rebuild the ancient ruins and will raise up the age-old foundations; you will be called Repairer of Broken Walls, Restorer of Streets with Dwellings."

Let us pray over our families based on these verses. Surely He will restore our fallen tents. He will repair its broken places, restore its ruins, and build it as it used to be! Praise and glory and honor to God Almighty! God bless you all!

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Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; Yet thy commandments are my delight. Psalm 119:143

With all that pressure at work, home & church it is difficult not to feel stressed or anguished this time of the year.

Today's Scripture tells us that King David too felt the same from time to time. In a different translation we read, As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.

Looks like he had found the perfect stress relief too - the commandments of the Lord! In the same chapter verse 24 he says, "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

Can we say that we take joy in the commandments of the Lord? Or is it the the last thing on our minds?

The Scriptures are given as an instruction manual if you will. There is instruction for every kind of issue we might face. So instead of responding in frustration when pressured, let us learn to take joy in His commandments!

Enjoy the weekend! Coffee will brew over the weekend too; stop by if you can.

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*I also made provision for contributions of wood at designated times, and for the firstfruits. Remember me with favor, O my God. Nehemiah 13:31

*Remember me for this, O my God, and do not blot out what I have so faithfully done for the house of my God and its services. Nehemiah 13:14

*Remember me with favor, O my God, for all I have done for these people. Nehemiah 5:19

*Remember this also in my favor, O my God, and spare me according to the greatness of your steadfast love. Nehemiah 13:22

Nehemiah was a cup bearer to King Artaxerxes. He requested and got permission from the king to rebuild Jerusalem walls. He gathered volunteers for the project. He arranged for the best wood and craftsmen who could work on it. Jerusalem was rebuilt after many generations. The walls were all employed. People started worshipping in the temple. The Levites and Priests returned to their duty back in Jerusalem. There was a well trained choir in place. It was indeed a tremendous success for Nehemiah and his people.

It is interesting how Nehemiah had one constant prayer throughout his book: "Remember me with favor, O my God!". Which makes me to believe that Nehemiah might not have received the credit that was due him for his successful execution of the work at hand.

There may be times when we undertake a great effort for the Lord and do it well - above and beyond our imagination or others' expectations, people may fail to appreciate it. The only person who will remember our hard work and sincere efforts and bless us accordingly is our Lord. Therefore, let us not be discouraged but make it our prayer too:

"Remember me with favor, O my God." Amen!

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2 Chronicles 6:40 "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

Today's Scripture is an extract from the Prayer of Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple. Please read the entire chapter if you have some time today.

It is great to be in company of prayer warriors so that we learn how to pray. Prayer connects us one-on-one with our maker! When we pray God listens. When we praise He accepts it. When we call He answers. When we ask He gives. When we knock He opens. When we cry He comforts. Amen.

As believers we are called to pray not only for our needs but for one another also. Even here at Coffee with Jesus we have an opportunity to share our prayer requests and pray for one another. Please make it your regular practice to check out the prayer requests and pray for the shared needs. Please encourage one another by comments and testimonies.

Today's Scripture is my sincere prayer for this blog. Please join me in unison and let us pray the same together: "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

Amen!

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'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!' Matthew 25:23

I am sure we all hope to hear our Master say, "Well done, good and faithful servant!.... Come and share your master's happiness!" someday. The condition seems to be simple - to be faithful with a few things.

What would those few things be? I guess one would be how we spend our time, another would be how we use our resources, it could be our talents, our finances, our dealings, our attitudes, our conversations... simple things really...

In Luke 16:10 we read, "Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much."

Let us assess each area in our lives and make a conscious effort to become faithful with the few things; then our Master will surely say, "Well done!"

On a different note, if any of you are interested in sharing your testimony with the rest of us, please contact me at nrigirl@hotmail.com I will gladly publish it for a Tuesday or Thursday post... Thank you!

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* A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19
* A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:13

What is gossip? (noun)

A person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others.
A person who chatters or repeats idle talk and rumors, esp. about the private affairs of others.

The Bible instructs us to stay away from gossip. How do we stay away from gossip? The simple straight forward answer would be to put an end to a gossip then and there. I mostly tell people, "Let's not talk about it". It comes out awkward I am sure, but I would rather end it there than listening to the other person go on and on and on.

In my honest opinion listening to a gossip is equally bad as spreading the gossip. Also, remember a person who gossips about someone to you would definitely go around gossipping about you to others.

As believers we should not get trapped by the habit of gossipping. If someone shares a prayer request with you, don't feel the urge to go and share it with someone else. Keep it confident and pray over it. No act can justify a gossip.

Some people say, "I would like a good gossip or two". There is nothing "good" about any gossip. It is a waste of time and will surely come back to bite us. At any cost, let's avoid gossip!

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Glad you could stop by for some Coffee with Jesus on your busy Sunday morning. Let's read Psalm 136 together and have some fun doing it. I will read each verse and you say: "For His mercy endureth for ever" Shall we?! Here we go...

Me: O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: O give thanks unto the God of gods:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: O give thanks to the Lord of lords:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him who alone doeth great wonders:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him that by wisdom made the heavens:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him that stretched out the earth above the waters:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him that made great lights:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: The sun to rule by day:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: The moon and stars to rule by night:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him that smote Egypt in their firstborn:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And brought out Israel from among them:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: With a strong hand, and with a stretched out arm:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him which divided the Red sea into parts:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And made Israel to pass through the midst of it:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: But overthrew Pharaoh and his host in the Red sea:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him which led his people through the wilderness:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: To him which smote great kings:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And slew famous kings:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: Sihon king of the Amorites:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And Og the king of Bashan:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And gave their land for an heritage:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: Even an heritage unto Israel his servant:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: Who remembered us in our low estate:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever:

Me: And hath redeemed us from our enemies:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Me: Who giveth food to all flesh:
You: For his mercy endureth for ever.

(Let's read the last verse together...)
Us: O give thanks unto the God of heaven:
Us: For his mercy endureth for ever.

Great! We did it!! It was fun doing it together; was it not? Have a great "Son"day folks! Remember: His Mercy endureth for ever...

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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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* 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

* I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him." Lamentations 3:24


A portion or a share is a part of the whole, an allotment, if you will, mostly referred to as an inheritance. It could be a portion of the booty or plunder that one had the right to, or the portion of land that belonged to one in the division of an estate.

So, to say that the Lord is our portion means that we will trust in the Lord for our portion, for our inheritance, for our lot, for our part, for our rightful allotment.

It also means that whatever we enjoy at current times, all the little blessings, are given us by the Lord as our portion and secured lot! The joy in our heart, the peace of our mind, the confidence in our Lord are all part of His grace we enjoy.

His mercies are new every morning. Let us praise Him with a grateful heart for securing our lot and for being our portion. Amen!

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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 carefully reading and learning from 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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Be careful that you do not forget the LORD.  Deuteronomy 6:12

Have we ever forgotten the Lord? In order to answer this question, we need to understand the accurate meaning of the word 'forget'.

Online dictionary defines forget as below:

1. To be unable to remember (something).
2. To treat with thoughtless inattention; neglect.
3. To leave behind unintentionally.
4. To fail to mention.
5. To banish from one's thoughts.
6. To disregard on purpose.
7. To cease remembering
8. To fail or neglect to become aware at the proper or specified moment.

Now that we know what it actually means to 'forget', let us repeat the question to ourselves: Have we ever forgotten the Lord?

I am afraid we are all guilty of doing just that based on the specifics above. Unable to remember, cease remembering, neglect, fail to mention... does any of these sound familiar? Yes, unfortunately.

That is why King David kept reminding his soul. In Psalm 103:2 he sings: "Praise the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Just as today's verse insists let us be careful not to forget the Lord.

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* Provide for those who grieve in Zion--to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Isaiah 61:3

As we unfold from the aftermath of Sandy and return to normalcy here in the East Cost of USA, for some it is never going to be the same. Their lives have changed upside down overnight. Many have lost homes, some have lost loved ones. No word of comfort can truly console them.

However for the children of God there is hope! There is consolation at His feet. His words offer comfort and peace beyond understanding.

The Lord is our strength (Exodus 15:7, Psalm 28:7); the beautiful garment is the salvation through Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:10). When we put on the Lord as our strength and wear the garment of righteousness then we will have a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. Amen!

Please be comforted in His promises. They are yeah & amen!

P.S: If you have been personally affected by the hurricane please reach out to us with your need. Our email address is nrigirl@hotmail.com Thank you!

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For his anger lasts only a moment, but his favor lasts a lifetime; weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning. Psalm 30:5

We see two characteristics of God's very nature here - former as a Judge who cannot tolerate sin and the latter as the Father who cannot and will not tolerate the punishment upon us; rather would bear it upon Himself!

This description of God's slowness to anger, and readiness to save, is given by King David - someone who is deeply acquainted with God.

The Lord spoke through Prophet Isaiah:

"For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back. In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the LORD your Redeemer. Isaiah 54:7-8


Be encouraged He is angry no more! Praise the Lord! Joy comes in the morning! Amen!

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Kiss the Son, lest he be angry and you be destroyed in your way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are all who take refuge in him. Psalm 2:12

Kissing is a token of expressing affection. We don't just kiss anybody, but people related to us. So, if we are to kiss the Son, we should have established a personal relationship with Him.

Who is the Son? How do we develop a personal relationship with Him? In I John 4:15 we read, "If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in him and he in God."

Romans 10:9 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

I John 5:5 we read: "Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."

So, to answer our question: Jesus is the Son of God and by believing in Him we can develop a personal relationship with Him.

Then we can kiss the Son, lest he be angry and we be destroyed in our way, for his wrath can flare up in a moment. Blessed are we who take refuge in him. Amen!

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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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Dear All!

Hope all is well at your end. If any of you are in need of support/prayer please feel free to share.

We were unable to post Coffee with Jesus for the last several days due to power failure. His grace has been sufficient inspite of it all.

Hope the same with you all.

Love you all in Christ Jesus,

~ NRIGirl