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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 only kiss those whom we love, whom we are in a relationship with. 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!

With that we end a month in the new year! Tomorrow is a new month. Let's try something new at Coffee with Jesus.

If anybody is interested in sharing their testimony please send an email to nrigirl at hotmail dot com. Also, if you would like to wish your loved one Happy Birthday, please email the information. We will post the birthday message on Coffee with Jesus and mail them a Coffee with Jesus mug as our gift.

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Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

Many of us wonder how we can find out the fill of God in our lives. Today's Scripture gives us the answer for that.

If we do not conform to this world, but are transformed by the renewing of our mind, then we will know what is the perfect will of God for us. Isn't that simple? I believe it is smart, holding us responsible for knowing the will of God! Instead of saying, ask your pastor or check with your parents to find out what God's will for your life is, the Scripture clearly says it is within our capacity to know His will!

That arises further questions: How not to conform to the world?

In the Gospel of Mark when we read about the parable of the sower, chapter 4 verse 19 says, "...the worries of this life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things come in and choke the word, making it unfruitful."

This is conforming to the world. This is what the ungodly do - they worry for this life, they deceive for wealth and they desire worldly things. But not so are the godly. We need to live a life without conforming to the world.

Ephesians 4:17-32 explains How we can be transformed by the renewing of our minds?:

So I tell you this, and insist on it in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their thinking. They are darkened in their understanding and separated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them due to the hardening of their hearts. Having lost all sensitivity, they have given themselves over to sensuality so as to indulge in every kind of impurity, with a continual lust for more.

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Teach me to do your will... Psalm 143:10

I am astonished by the close relationship King David had with the Lord.

He was constantly praying, constantly worshipping, constantly praising, constantly learning, constantly improving, constantly repenting, constantly singing the name of the Lord! Our Lord!

There are endless Scriptures on that:

Here in Psalm 143, he prays, "Teach me to do your will".

In Psalm 25:4 he sings, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths".

Again in Psalm 119:12 he says, "teach me your decrees".

In Psalm 139:24 he asks, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting".

Just the fact that he repeatedly asked these questions indicate how keen he was to follow the will of God.

How are we doing? Are we constantly seeking the will of God?

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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 Mathew 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

It is no coincidence that similar message is shared today as yesterday; it is stressed a second time in a row so that we understand the importance of taming our tongue.

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

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 hurt or heal someone; what is the fruit of your tongue? Is it life or death?

I am choosing life today... are you?

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Do not be quick with your mouth, do not be hasty in your heart to utter anything before God. God is in heaven and you are on earth, so let your words be few. Ecclesiastes 5:2

As we start a new week today, I want to put a challenge in front of us - to make our words few.

Through the week, anytime we feel the urge to talk more, to explain our cases, to judge someone, to argue, why not even in our prayers, let us remind our self about this very verse and make a conscious effort to make our words few.

The chances are, we will be tempted more. But with the grace of God we can handle it the way the Scripture teaches us and before long it could become our very nature!

When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise. Proverbs 10:19

We all stumble in many ways. If anyone is never at fault in what he says, he is a perfect man, able to keep his whole body in check. James 3:2

Shall we try?

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Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Psalm 51:7

Today's verse is actually part of the prayer of repentance by King David. Click here to read the entire prayer.

As you can see, these are not words of guilt alone; these are sincere statements made by a repenting heart with a crushed spirit.

King David was not trying to elude from God's presence like Adam had once done. He came begging and crying back to God repenting for his sin. In verse 4 he says, "Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight". We can sense his agony here, his total surrender, his complete acceptance of what he had done was wrong.

As he was praying such he also asks to be cleaned by hyssop which is our discussion today.

What is hyssop?
Hyssop is a herb that was commonly used by the Israelites during their ceremonial cleansing and sprinkling. It is an emblem of purification process, purification from sin, purification from leprosy and the like.

Deep cleaning
David understood his heart needed a thorough cleaning with such importance as that of a ceremonial cleansing and so he requests thus. Let us pause right there.

We too need such a cleansing. Many times we have taken things for granted and have valued ourselves a little too high. Let us open it all up today, let us come clean revealing the darkest deepest parts of our inmost being and make sure they are cleansed white as snow.

All we need to do is to ask. Ask: "Lord! Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. Amen!"

Happy cleansing to us all!

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* The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 118:6
* In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? Psalm 56:11
* In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me? Psalm 56:4

I absolutely adore the total confidence in which King David sings about his trust in the Lord. No, these are not just words he wrote to fill up his page; he speaks from the abundance of his heart.

The scripture says in Luke 6:45: ...of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh. Very true of King David otherwise we will not find the consistency in his words across the different psalms.

He is not just sitting idle either. If we look at the above Scriptures closely we can see what more he did for his part:

1. The Lord is with him - Or in other words, he is with the Lord
2. In God he trusts - not on his own strength
3. He will not be afraid - of any man
4. In God, whose word he praises. - he reads the word of God and praises based on the word of God.
5. He trusts in the Lord - all over again
6. He will not fear of man - he is determined not to fear men.
7. He understands mortal man is no match for his Immortal Lord. - Amen!

If we follow in his foot steps, we too need not fear any man. We can boldly say:

* The LORD is with me; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
* In God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?
* In God, whose word I praise, in God I trust; I will not be afraid. What can mortal man do to me?

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When your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight, for I bear your name, O LORD God Almighty. Jeremiah 15:16

When was the last time we feasted on the Word of God? Can we relate to the verse above where Prophet Jeremiah says he ate His words which were his joy and his heart's delight.

It is not just Jeremiah who enjoyed the words of the Lord...

King David sings:

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


Job too loved them, he said: I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. Job 23:12

Jesus in response to the temptations by satan answered: "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'" Matthew 4:4

Peter instructs: Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation... 1 Peter 2:2

It is a true joy 'eat'ing the Word of God. Why not have some today? Have a blessed day!

Taste and see that the LORD is good. Psalm 34:8

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when they carry out their wicked schemes. Psalm 37:7

"Be still and know that I am Lord" Psalm 46:10

How to be still?
A well known verse from the Bible, yet one we all struggle with. When situation calls for a panic we start running wild, trying to figure out a solution for the issue at hand, instead of submitting it at the Lord's feet and doing things in accordance with His divine guidance.

Only when all our "resolutions" fail we come to the Lord - as our last resort. All the while He was there saying, "Be Still"!

Only when we are still we can know that He is Lord

For example when a child gets hurt with a thorn of some kind, we as parent can't help much unless the child calms down and allows us to intervene. In the same way, our Father Lord asks us to be still; so that He can intervene and take care of our pain and suffering. Why is it hard for us to do? Can we at least try?

Let us make it part of our prayer going forward: "Dear Lord, Please teach us to be still so that we can see your glory. In Jesus' name - Amen"

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They that wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. Isaiah 40:31

'Waiting on the Lord' is a frequently mentioned term among Christians. We are fond of the familiar Scripture verse above. But what really is Waiting on the Lord?

Looking up the thesaurus we have the following:

Definition: pause, rest

Synonyms: abide, anticipate, await, bide, bide one's time, cool it, dally, delay, expect, fill time, foresee, hang around, hang onto, hang out, hold back, hold everything, hold on, lie in wait, lie low, linger, look for, look forward to, mark time, put on hold, remain, save it, sit tight, sit up for, stall, stand by, stay, stay up for, stick around, sweat it, tarry, watch

Antonyms: carry out, do, forge, forward, go, go ahead

So, to say we must wait on the Lord implies we have to abide in the Lord, expect from the Lord, delay our own decision making, linger in His presence, tarry, hold on, look forward to His answer, stand by for His deliverence etc. In addition it also means not to carry out things in our whim or fancy, not to go ahead with our own conclusions, not to move forward without hearing from Him etc.

Wait in the Lord, wait at His presence, bring it to His feet, raise it to His hearing, tarry for a definite answer from Him on all matters concerning. The business idea you have, the marriage proposal at hand, the job offer you like, for all things big and small, pause, consult with the Lord, wait on Him and then do it according to His will. Don't move an inch before you have heard from Him. Do not proceed!

Pause. Pray. Listen. Act.

Since ancient times no one has heard, no ear has perceived, no eye has seen any God besides you, who acts on behalf of those who wait for him. Isaiah 64:4

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When Israelites were being led out of their bondage, not all were happy all through the journey. They were unhappy, complaining and were going back to Egypt all the time - in their minds! As we read through Exodus we exclaim how they could have been so ungrateful while free, after all that they have been through in Egypt.

Often times we are no better off than them. We complain at the pressures of one job, God gives the next one, and then we start complaining about the commute. We ask for a home and when we are blessed with one, we rant it is not worth the price we paid... We wish to come to America and when we are here we wish to return home... When we are young we wish to grow up and when we are old we wish we were young...

This is the "wilderness syndrome" where we keep looking back at our Egypt(s) that we once left behind; in doing so we forget to appreciate what we have. Instead of praising God for his daily supply of abundant grace and mercy, we start worrying what's in store for tomorrow or how things would have worked out if he could have made different decisions... the list goes on.

Isaiah - Chapter 43, verses 18 & 19 says, "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland."

Let us start appreciating the new things in our lives. Let us stop dwelling on our past.

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Sara Grove's song "How is it between us" is one of my favorites. Sure, go ahead click here to turn it on!

Every now and then things get too busy in our lives that we take a little too long to catch up with the Lord. Hours, days, weeks could slip by so fast without a moment of pause.

When was the last time you had a conversation with the Lord? I am not talking about a quick customary "hi and bye" kind of conversation. I mean a true heart-felt conversation; a one-on-one, where you put down your guard and pretense and come to His presence - just the two of you - you and Him?!

How is it between you and the Lord? How is it between you both? How is it? When did you talk to Him last, and what has happened since?

Did you thank him for the autumn leaves? Did you tell Him about your youngest child? Did you laugh out with Him about the comment she made? How about the birds you see, the coffee you smell, the clothes you tried, the new perfume you got, does He know what you feel about it all? Did you complain about the long commute it took only to realize it could have been worse? Did you inquire about the new pimple you spot? Did you share your fears about your aging Dad? Did you plead your case to lose some weight?! Does He know you love the clouds?

You know these catching up could also be counted towards prayer as you are communicating with the Lord?! He is at the table, waiting for you to join; would you? could you? Hope you do...

Happy Sonday folks! Don't miss out on the worship; be there on time! Love you all in Christ Jesus!

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Then a voice came from the throne, saying: "Praise our God, all you his servants, you who fear him, both small and great!"

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting: "Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory!

For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)

Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God." Revelation 19:5-9

Those of us who are born again, have a wedding feast to look forward to! The wedding of the Lamb! As a matter of fact it is OUR(the Church) wedding with the Lamb!! We don't want to miss out on our wedding; do we?

In fact it is an open invitation to all. Though it says 'blessed are those that are invited', what it really means here is 'blessed are those who have accepted the invitation'.

I was browsing the Internet for an illustration to share with you all at the coffee table. Here's one that brought tears to my eyes... How beautifully the trumpet call and the rapture is explained here!

Are we ready? The invitation is still open - but only for little while. Let's accept it, get ready for it and pass it on...

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"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. Isaiah 55:8

Interestingly when God created man, He made him in His image (Genesis 1:27) - however not on the same thought level. No wonder our thoughts are not the same as His thoughts and our ways are not His.

What are some of His thoughts and ways that clearly outshines our thoughts and ways? For one, unconditional love - which He is a Master of - and which we will never be.

Forgiving is another. We don't fully forgive do we? We may somewhat forgive but as long as our memory lives we may not be able to forget it, which means that we have not fully forgiven. But when it comes to the Lord, He forgives as if we never did that and erases it completely from His memory and more often than not from our memory too.

How about dying on the cross for our sins. Will we do that? No, I didn't think so either. But the Lord died for us when we were still sinners. That is love beyond measure.

Not just these obvious traits, there are various other ways our thoughts differ from the Lord's. We expect certain things to fall certain way logically but God knows better and changes course altogether. Only when all is said and done, we will be able to look back and cherish the wonderful ways God led us through certain situation.

His thoughts are different from ours and His ways are far better than ours. Aren't we glad He is not like one us? Let us thank Him for that!

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Blessed is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD his God. Psalm 146:5

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, Hope is:

to cherish a desire with anticipation (or)
to desire with expectation of obtainment (or)
to expect with confidence

We all have hopes - hope for betterment - hope for retirement - hope for a future. But more importantly do we have the hope of eternal life?

The Bible says, If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. (I Cor 15:19)

Let us not forget the ultimate reward - which is our salvation. Prophet Jeremiah writes, The LORD [is] my portion, saith my soul; therefore will I hope in him. Lamentation 3:24

King David constantly sings about his hope in the Lord:

Lord, where do I put my hope? My only hope is in you. Psalm 39:7 (NLT)
For you have been my hope, O Sovereign LORD, my confidence since my youth. Psalm 71:5
I wait for you, O LORD; you will answer, O Lord my God. Psalm 38:15

Can we sing the same today? What is our hope? Who is our hope on?

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

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For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay. Habakkuk 2:3

Sometimes we get a revelation from the Lord through a word or song or a message. But it may not immediately come true.

If that is your case, the Bible says, "Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay."

We have been praying for my Aunt's visa to America and we were assured day after day with great promises from the scriptures. However she didn't get through the visa interview. As I was contemplating what could have possibly gone wrong with the assurances & promises, I happened to come across this verse in a very unlikely of places - in my closet - where I was looking for some important documents this morning.

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?" Numbers 23:19

I was stunned!! It was a straight forward answer to what was going through in my mind. I immediately asked for forgiveness and looked at things from a different perspective. Sometimes things may not work out the way we are expecting it, but it definitely does not mean His promises have failed. In course of time it will all come clear for our understanding. For now let us accept the limitations and move forward.

One thing to remember is: "All things happen for good for those who love the Lord." Amen!

Hang in there; His promises are Yeah and Amen!

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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. But if anyone does not have them, he is nearsighted and blind, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his past sins.

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Then Jesus went through the towns and villages, teaching as he made his way to Jerusalem. Someone asked him, “Lord, are only a few people going to be saved?”

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* My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. Psalm 119:148
* On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Psalm 63:6
* I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways Psalm 119:15

Do we stay late any night just to meditate on His promises? May be if you are a Pastor you would. But for others it might be the least priority in a day's schedule. In one of our posts - Healthy Start, we saw King David rose up early every morning to praise & worship the Lord. (Psalm 5:3, Psalm 59:16, Psalm 119:147).

Here we see that he also stayed awake late in the night to meditate on the promises. He was a king, he had a big family, he was running for his life from time to time, yet he found time to sit at His feet both early mornings and late nights. Clearly his first priority was the Lord. No wonder he was a man after God's own heart (1 Samuel 13:13) or in other words a friend of God.

My sincere desire is to be a friend of God. You too wish the same? Well, now we know how to...

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The Lord said to Cain, “Where is your brother Abel?” Genesis 4:9

Yesterday we learnt about God's question to Adam: Where are you? Adam accepts his mistake though in a round about finger pointing way.

But now Cain has killed his brother Abel and when God asks a question in a similar fashion: Where is your brother Abel? we see that Cain has absolutely no remorse. No finger pointing is involved this time around. He is adamant and has a "so what?" attitude. He lies to God saying, "I don't know" and then quickly questions back the Lord as if to cover up his lie, "Am I my brother's keeper?". How sad is that?

It was not an accident that Cain killed Abel. It was premeditated; planned out well in advance; it was a calculated strike. We see that the sin has now advanced from Adam's case, to much more than mere disobedience. Jealousy, hatred, pride, anger, disregard for God are some of the other sins that were bundled into his action. Still no remorse. Shows clearly Cain is farther away from the Lord than his father Adam was when he committed sin. Now we understand why sin is fatal.

Coming back to the question, where is your/my brother? Do we know where our brothers and sisters are? Do we know of their well being in Christ? Are they in the Lord? If not, what are we doing about it? Are we helping them grow in faith or worst have we "killed" any by our words or deeds?

To answer Cain's question: Yes, we as believers definitely are our brother's keepers! Where is your brother?

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LORD God called to the man, "Where are you?" Genesis 3:9

Let us go back to the Garden of Eden for a minute. It was such a paradise and Adam and Eve had everything they needed, they didn't have to work hard, food was readily available as the earth was yielding its fruits in abundance, the animals were tame & friendly, birds obeyed to their call, they were in their honey moon with the least of care and best of all God was their friend. He stopped by to enjoy a conversation with them every day...

Suddenly everything turns upside down. They have had the forbidden fruit and are running around to hide from God. They are running away from Him as far as possible. They are overcome by guilt, shame, agony so much that they didn't have the strength to face their creator anymore.

That's when they hear His voice, "Where are you?" Definitely God knew where they were. Why then He asked?

Wesley's Notes says:

This enquiry after Adam may be looked upon as a gracious pursuit in order to his recovery. If God had not called to him to reduce him, his condition would have been as desperate as that of fallen angels.

Aren't you glad He asked? Our Lord extends the same question to all of us today: "Where are you?" It is important to analyze our selves every now and then to make sure we are on the right track - walking towards Him and not away from Him.

Are we in His bosom enjoying His nearness or are we far away from Him filled with guilt, shame, sorrow and agony? Have we acknowledged and answered to His call? Where are you?

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* Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22
* Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I Peter 5:7
* I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. Hosea 14:8
* And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you Matthew: 6:30
* You saw how the LORD your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Deuteronomy 1:31

Today's message is specially for those who constantly worry about this or that. The verses here make it crystal clear that our Lord will sustain us through our tough times as long as we cast our cares on Him. What does it mean to cast our cares on the Lord?

It simply means bringing our burdens to His feet, praying it over from the depth of our hearts, crying it over (if we feel like) at His feet (not to anyone else), and then no longer be burdened by it but rejoice in His love.

You might ask is it even possible not to be burdened by worries. Yes; if you truly believe! In other words if you continue to worry it only means you have not yet believed!

Glancing back at our past, every one of us here can testify how God led us through our valleys as much as the peaks. Why then we doubt Him right now?

I am casting all my worries right away rebuking my doubts; hope you will join me too!

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"Three cups shaped like almond flowers with buds and blossoms are to be on one branch, three on the next branch, and the same for all six branches extending from the lamp stand." Exodus 25:33

It makes me go 'wow!' every time I read the detailed instructions God gave Moses about the Tabernacle, the lamp stand, the table and its accessories. How very specific including the measurements, color of the thread to use, from where to where, what design, then what metal to cover it with etc etc. I love it! I absolutely adore the decorative sense of God Almighty. The interest He takes on every single detail... isn't that amazing?!

All around us we can see more proof of God as Master Designer.

The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands.Psalms 19:1

Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Matthew 6:26

See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. Matthew 6:28-29

We too are God's own handiwork.

Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand. Isaiah 64:8

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  Psalm 139:13-14

For the rest of the day let us give thanks for all things beautiful in and around us. Let His name alone be glorified.

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The people walking in darkness have seen a great light; on those living in the land of the shadow of death a light has dawned. Isaiah 9:2

But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. 1 John 1:7

Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, O LORD. Psalm 89:15

Come, O house of Jacob, let us walk in the light of the LORD. Isaiah 2:5

When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." John 8:12

"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden. Matthew 5:14

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven. Matthew 5:16

Beautiful Scriptures! Enlightening!

Just two days ago we had discussed in similar lines: Arise, shine; for your light has come. The fact that we are reminded of it again means it is the Holy Spirit in the works - speaking to us through these Scriptures this morning.

Light is defined in the dictionary as "the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible". Let it be our prayer that we become the natural agent that stimulates sight and make things visible for those still in darkness around us.

More importantly let us put away traces of any deeds of darkness that may be hidden in us...

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Sustain me according to your promise, and I will live; do not let my hopes be dashed. Psalm 119:116

It is not just us who get weary when the blessing we hope for is delayed. Every one can relate to it. Let us therefore learn from some examples from the Scriptures on godly men on how they handled the stress associated with delayed hope.

King David reverts to prayer and supplication. There are numerous accounts of him praying and pleading thru' his psalms. He was certain his help would come from the Lord. He sings: Surely God is my help; the Lord is the one who sustains me. Psalm 54:4

Prophet Jeremiah learnt to wait for Him; he writes in Lamentations 3:21-24: My soul is downcast within me. Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope: Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”

Then there is the renewed hope when the wait is finally over and when we receive His blessings. In Ezekiel 37:11 we read: They (People of Israel) say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’

The Lord says in verse 37:13-14 "Then you, my people, will know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the Lord have spoken, and I have done it, declares the Lord."

So what do we need to do?
1. Pray
2. Be sure the Lord alone can help
3. Wait for the Lord
4. Receive your blessing

Is that hard?

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"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you." Isaiah 60:1

"...it is light that makes everything visible ...and Christ will shine on you."" Ephesians 5:14

"the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;" Numbers 6:25

"You are the light of the world. ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Mathew 5:14-16

I guess these verses are pretty straight forward and self explanatory. For today's coffee let's focus on the word "light". Thinking of light in general terms, what are some of the things that come to our minds? Of course the sun, the moon, the stars, light houses, street lights, lamps, flashlights, fire, decorations, what else?!

Now let's try to imagine ourselves as one of these sources of light. Can we be a sun to the world? How about a moon - reflecting the light from the Son? Could we be the stars brightening the night? A light house directing a boat or ship of life? Street lights illuminating someone's path? A lamp chasing away a child's fear? Flashlights used in a search, how about a bonfire to someone cold and tiered, or pretty decorations in the busy downtown? Do we shine for His glory?

Can we play light for today and practice it for the days to come?! When we attempt it the Lord makes His face shine upon us! It's a promise!

If you recall any such lights in your life please share so it may benefit fellow readers.

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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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Our Father in Heaven!

Thank you for this 4th day of the new year 2013 Lord! Thank you for this opportunity to gather in your name here Lord! Thank you for your presence which connects all of us from across the miles Lord. It is a privilege coming together in your name Lord from beyond country lines Lord.

You are our Father.You are our God. Your name alone be praised Lord. We love you. We glorify you. We praise your Holy name Lord.

Thank you Jesus for your love, for your kindness, for your compassion, for your grace, for your ever present help in time of need, for the joy of salvation, for the peace that passeth all understanding and all the other things you have blessed us with Lord.

Thank you Jesus for our family, spouse, kids, friends, neighbors, fellow believers and those who are kind to us, those who pray for us, those who love us Lord. Bless each and every one of them Lord. Take care of all their needs Lord. Repay them for the kindness they have shown towards us Lord.

Thank you for the jobs, homes and everything else that you have provided for us Lord. You have opened your hands and blessed us Lord. We thank you for the bottom of our hearts Lord.

Now, dear Lord we submit this New Year in your hands Lord. Thank you that you are in control Lord. Thank you that you are going to take care of all our needs this year Lord. Thank you that you are our ultimate Source Lord.

From the bottom of our hearts we thank you Lord. Continue to use us for your glory Lord. Thank you for your promises Lord. Thank you for your guidance Lord. Thank you for your grace Lord. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you Lord!

In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we pray, amen.

God bless you all. Enjoy your weekend!

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“A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. He who has ears, let him hear.” Matthew 13:3-9

“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means: When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is the seed sown along the path. The one who received the seed that fell on rocky places is the man who hears the word and at once receives it with joy. But since he has no root, he lasts only a short time. When trouble or persecution comes because of the word, he quickly falls away. The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful. But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.” Matthew 13:18-23

Of all these different types of soils, the one I fear most is the one that chocked the yields. We as believers who have accepted the Word of God should guard ourselves against the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth that could make us unfruitful.

For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. 1 Timothy 6:10

Let us cultivate our hearts as good soil removing the choking thorns with the help of the Holy Spirit.

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Here's wishing you all a Blessed & Prosperous New Year 2013! Blessings from Scriptures below. Let us be careful to obey His commands and follow His decrees; so that all these promised blessings will be ours! God bless you all very much. Jesus loves you!

“‘Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God.

“‘Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord.

“‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees of the field their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land.

“‘I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove savage beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you.

“‘I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high. Leviticus 26:1-13