The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26 

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 12:32

The Lord is our good shepherd, no doubt about that. He knows very well the state of mind of His flock. He knows our anxieties. He understands our worries, fear, concern. He sees our hard work. He listens to our hearts cry. He offers rest to our weary souls.

May be you are worried about an impending job interview and the Lord reaches out assuring you, "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you this job."

May be you are worried about a recent test result and He comforts you saying,  "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you complete healing and a full recovery."

It could be that you are too stressed out and He  reminds you,  "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you rest."

Whatever it is your burden today, bring it to Him, cast it all at His feet and walk away with His promise for you:  "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father's good pleasure to give you the kingdom."

Amen! Praise the Lord!

Happy Tuesday.

“This is what the Lord says to his anointed,
to <"your name here"> (Cyrus), whose right hand I take hold of

to subdue nations before him
and to strip kings of their armor,
to open doors before him
so that gates will not be shut:

I will go before you
and will level the mountains;
I will break down gates of bronze
and cut through bars of iron.

I will give you the treasures of darkness,
riches stored in secret places,
so that you may know that I am the Lord,
the God of Israel, who summons you by name.

For the sake of Jacob my servant,
of Israel my chosen,
I summon you by name
and bestow on you a title of honor,
though you do not acknowledge me.

I am the Lord, and there is no other;
apart from me there is no God.
I will strengthen you,
though you have not acknowledged me,

so that from the rising of the sun
to the place of its setting
men may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.

A perfect message for the time of the year! Remember He holds our right hand! He will go before us to open the doors, to level the mountains, to break down the bronze gates and to cut through iron bars! Praise God! Repeat reading the portion again till you get it.

If your mother tongue is different from English I strongly encourage you to read the same Scripture in your language to fully understandthe depth of His promise to you.

If you fully obey the Lord your God and carefully follow all his commands I give you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations on earth. All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

You will be blessed in the city and blessed in the country.

The fruit of your womb will be blessed, and the crops of your land and the young of your livestock—the calves of your herds and the lambs of your flocks.

Your basket and your kneading trough will be blessed.

You will be blessed when you come in and blessed when you go out.

The Lord will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven.

The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to. The Lord your God will bless you in the land he is giving you.

The Lord will establish you as his holy people, as he promised you on oath, if you keep the commands of the Lord your God and walk in obedience to him. Then all the peoples on earth will see that you are called by the name of the Lord, and they will fear you.

The Lord will grant you abundant prosperity—in the fruit of your womb, the young of your livestock and the crops of your ground—in the land he swore to your ancestors to give you.

The Lord will open the heavens, the storehouse of his bounty, to send rain on your land in season and to bless all the work of your hands. You will lend to many nations but will borrow from none. The Lord will make you the head, not the tail.

If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your God that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom. Do not turn aside from any of the commands I give you today, to the right or to the left, following other gods and serving them.

Celebrate the Festival of Ingathering at the end of the year, when you gather in your crops from the field. Exodus 23:16

Festival of Harvest is celebrated for the first fruits of the year; Festival of Ingathering is celebrated for the last harvest of the year.

Even us who are not in agriculture field can relate to the first fruits and last fruits in terms of our finances. We can fully attribute our yields to the Lord God Almighty who gave us the strength all year long to work and benefit from the works of our hands.

Let us not let the year slip without celebrating the important feast of ingathering. A grateful heart is all that is expected of us by the Lord.

Let us give Him thanks for His many blessings. God bless you all!

It is a land the LORD your God cares for; the eyes of the LORD your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. Deuteronomy 11:12

The 'land' here can very well represent us, our household, our territory. It is true God cared for us all through this year. His eyes were continually on us from the beginning of the year to today - the last Friday of the month! Praise the Lord!

The stress is on the word 'continually'. We were not even seeking His presence continually. Yet, His eyes were on us continually. But why?

Because, the devil roams the earth continually also - back and forth looking to devour. (The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Job 1:7. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I Peter 5:8)

As we wrap up the year, let us acknowledge His continual care in our lives. Let us be grateful for His protection and His providence. Let us earn to seek Him continually as well.

God bless you all. Happy last Friday of 2014! Have a good weekend.

Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. I Peter 5:8

The LORD said to Satan, "Where have you come from?" Satan answered the LORD, "From roaming through the earth and going back and forth in it." Job 1:7

Festive times are not all that fun for most people. Seemingly on the outside the lights and glitter may give an illusion of joy and happiness however deep inside many feel a sense of loss.

Memories of the bygone years of Christmas-es past might come back to haunt some. Genuine needs and the lack of resources to meet them might sadden others. Feeling of loneliness or the possibility of having to spend the season on their own without company might heavily burden some.

If we do not pay careful attention we will completely miss out on the fact that these are all nothing but the "roars" of the prowling lion in disguise. Fear, anger, enemity, depression & death are different ways he could attack us. We could fall prey to his cunning tactics so easily if we are not self-controlled and alert against him.

Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

It is my prayer that the love of Jesus Christ fill your hearts once more - erradicating the fear, anger, enemity, depression and/or thoughts of sin anyone reading this might be experiencing this morning.

Resist the devil. Be self-controlled and alert! Submit yourself to God. Jesus loves you! I too love you!

Wishing you a truly Merry Christmas! God bless you!

The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. Luke 2:10-11

Good news sure makes one rejoice. Everyone who has accepted Jesus Christ as their personal savior can vouch that indeed He was/is the good news of greatest joy in their lives.

Jesus Christ - the Savior of mankind has been born. He was later killed for our transgressions and soon resurrected thus overcoming death. Through Him there is salvation. In Him there is forgiveness. Which is the cause of great joy.

If there is anyone among the readers here that hasn't experienced this great joy, please do not be afraid. The Savior is born. Accept Him as your personal savior. He will set you free.

Praise the Lord! Merry Christmas 2014!

Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

King David often talks to his inner self, which I find quite interesting. Often he is upbeat and tells himself: "Praise the Lord,O my soul!", "Forget not His benefits,O my soul", "Bless the Lord, O my soul". Then there are times his despair is quite evident such as: "Why are you downcast, O my soul?", "Be at rest once more, O my soul", "my soul is troubled exceedingly...", etc.

Here, in Psalm 62: 5 King David reminds his soul to be calm about the prevailing situation and encourages that his help comes from the Lord. He is giving hope to a soul that is ready to give up waiting.

Barne's notes on the Bible explains:

The idea here is, that all that he expected or hoped for must come from God. He did not rely on his fellow men; he did not rely on himself. God alone could deliver him, and he confidently believed that God would do it.

Often are we in such circumstances that we feel that our only "expectation" - our only hope - is in God. All our strength fails; all our resources are exhausted; our fellow-men cannot or will not aid us; our own efforts seem to be vain; our plans are frustrated, and we are shut up to the conclusion that God alone can help us.

So we get the message. We need not panic or despair; but train our souls to be calm. Let us repeat King David's statement to ourselves: "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from Him!"

* Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:3

* This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God. 1 John 4:2-3

* But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth. 1 John 2:20

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit is God Almighty! God Himself living in us and guiding our every path. He is the third person in the triune nature of God.

How can we receive the gift of the Holy Spirit?

Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Acts 10:45 

What are the evidences of the Holy Spirit living in us?

The answer is plain and simple from today's Scriptures. Holy Spirit acknoledges that Jesus is Lord. In addition to that the Holy Spirit never curses the name of the Lord. All of us who believe,  acknowledge that Jesus is Lord and revere His name already have the Holy Spirit living in us!

What more can we expect from the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit prays for us in accordance with God's will.

The Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will. (Romans 8:26-27)

Holy Spirit brings us a step closer to God. We are no longer mere mankind but His sons and daughters! Amen! We read in Romans 8:15, 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." Amen!

Why do we need more of the Holy Spirit?

It is the power of the Holy Spirit or an overflowing abundance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit we need to strive for, so that we can be His witnesses wherever we go.

You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

The more Holy Spirit anointing we receive the more holy our way of life becomes and our thought process, our actions, our hobbies, our prayers will be holy molding us more and more in the image of God.

Make every effort to live in peace with all men and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

Be sure to fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart; consider what great things he has done for you. 1 Samuel 12:24

Our mouths were filled with laughter, our tongues with songs of joy. Then it was said among the nations, "The LORD has done great things for them." Psalm 126:2

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. Ecclesiastes 12:13

And now, O Israel, what does the Lord your God ask of you but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to observe the Lord’s commands and decrees that I am giving you today for your own good? Deuteronomy 10:12-13

We get the message - Fear the Lord and serve Him with all your heart! Don't we?

Matthew 14:13-21

Few things for our take away from these Scriptures this morning:

1. God's provision is tied to God's promise and plan.

God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work. 2 Corinthians 9:8

2. God provides in response to our faith

3. God's provision is for God's glory

Seek His kingdom and His righteousness first, all these things (everything else you worry about) will be added unto you!

We know it all along; but the question is, are we willing to seek?

God bless you all, enjoy the Saturday!

Then Abraham raised his eyes and looked, and behold, behind him a ram caught in the thicket by his horns; and Abraham went and took the ram and offered him up for a burnt offering in the place of his son. Abraham called the name of that place The LORD Will Provide, as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD it will be provided.” Genesis 22:13-14

Trust in the LORD and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Psalm 37:3

Good works begin with putting our faith in the Lord!  That is the beginning of the journey which we had discussed a few days ago.

Deeds follow faith. It is not by mere words we show our faith; we enact our faith.

In the same psalm where today's Scripture is quoted from, as we continue to read, there are few instructions for us which is highlighted below:

Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Commit your way to the Lord;
trust in him and he will do this:
He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn,
your vindication like the noonday sun.

Be still before the Lord
and wait patiently for him;
do not fret when people succeed in their ways,
when they carry out their wicked schemes.

Refrain from anger and turn from wrath;
do not fret—it leads only to evil.
For those who are evil will be destroyed,
but those who hope in the Lord will inherit the land.

Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. 1 Peter 4:10

Once we are connected to Jesus Christ, we become the best in whatever we are. And we ought to do it to serve one another, not for our personal gratification. Believers coming together as a Church body, complement each other.

One of the mistakes believers often make is that we expect perfection from one another. We disappoint one another.

Paul says, we are God's workmanship. We are in the process of becoming like Jesus.

When we are filled with God's love we are going to overlook each other's short comings.

We often have a wrong picture of who God is. Isaiah describes the Lord as magnificently lifted high. In Isaiah 6:1-3 we read,

"I saw the Lord, high and exalted, seated on a throne; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”

At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke. I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. Ephesians 4:1-3

For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

When we are saved by the grace of God, we find our identity in Jesus Christ. Because of that we do good works. It is a natural by product of being saved.

Clearly then, someone who claims to be a believer but does not do any good work needs to think again.

There are different kinds of works:

1. Works of the law or religious duty

A religious person is someone who lives out of fear because they are not confident in the grace of God. They have hard lines, a set of rules written down for them. They believe as long as they live by the law they are saved.

2. Works of the sinful nature

Our sinful nature finds ways for coping with the trials of life, in drugs, alcohol, etc, getting momentary relief.

3. Works of the flesh

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. Galatians 5:19-21

4. Works of darkness

Ephesians 5:11, Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

5. Works of righteousness.

Titus 3:5, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy.

Any amount of work towards any righteous cause will not save us.

Prophet Isaiah says our righteousness are like filthy rags. If our righteousness is like filthy rags imagine how our sin looks like.

So then, what kind of works is expected of us? We shall continue it for tomorrow...

Everyone born undertakes a journey. However you slice and dice it, the journey called life can be divided into only two types. A journey that leads to destruction or a journey that leads to life, for eternity.

By default we are on cruise control towards destruction. When we accept the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal savior, we hop on the journey that leads to life. Others continue on the journey to destruction.

For discussion this morning are two questions:

1. What role does Jesus play in our journey?

For some "christians" Jesus is nothing more than a mere travel insurance. The journey then becomes a set of do's and don't's making it all the more cumbersome. They are prone to dismiss it as difficult or impossible half way thru' and hop on the high way to destruction.

For true believers however, Jesus is the GPS (Global Positioning System). He shows us the way. He leads us and guides us. During our times of trouble or waywardness He takes us back on the journey to life. He is our constant companion. He is the ever-present help. Amen!

In the Scriptures we read,For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:10

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Matthew 11:28

Nowhere else we see such a direct call to go and lay down our burdens. I don't think no one else ever opened up such an invitation. Even we our self would not call out in a similar fashion for fear of adding to our burdens.

How many of us can say we truly share in other people's burdens? I don't think I do. I may listen, I may offer to pray, but that's about it. I might not even feel the same way the weary feels of his/her burden. Similarly how many of you will be willing to share in my burden? You may listen, you may advice me, you may pray for me and that's all you might be able to do.

As humans we are limited in our capacity to ease out other's weight. May be we will add to it like Job's friends did when he was suffering. Of course they thought they were helping him out but did they; hardly.

That's one reason why this invitation stands out in the crowd in a special way. Let us take heed and go to Him with all our burdens and take the rest He offers in return! Rest comes naturally from knowing that He can handle our cares. Amen!

The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature. Romans: 13:12-14

Dissension is defined as disagreement that leads to discord or quarrel. For some it is a regular habit to argue over anything and everything. You talk for something they will argue against it and you talk against something they will argue for it; such is their trend. If we argue for argument sake let's not do it; there is much to be achieved for the Lord instead of the time taken to argue over Biblical truth. Just by arguing we are not going to gain any insight.

Jealousy does not need any explanation; it is the aching pang we feel at heart, towards someone else's well being or our lack of it. In fact it is anger directed against God Himself for doing something good for someone else and not for us!

Quite honestly don't you see we are blessed much more than what we deserve? Then why do we feel jealous? It is unnecessary. When we develop godliness with contentment, it is great gain (1 Timothy 6:6.)

If we are not careful to nip off envy at the very bud, soon it will completely overwhelm us taking possession of our body, mind and even the soul. It is a parasite to be shunned at all cost.

Let us pray therefore to remove the "arguing spirit" and the "spirit of envy" from our hearts today. Let us praise God with a grateful heart for His many blessings in our lives this morning!

Have a blessed weekend everyone! Thank you for stopping by to have a sip of Coffee with Jesus!

"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 not removed, 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...

Happy Friday folks! Have a great weekend!

* These are the offerings you are to receive from them: gold, silver and bronze; blue, purple and scarlet yarn and fine linen; goat hair; ram skins dyed red and hides of sea cows; acacia wood; olive oil for the light; spices for the anointing oil and for the fragrant incense; and onyx stones and other gems to be mounted on the ephod and breastpiece. Exodus 25:3-7

* Make this tabernacle and all its furnishings exactly like the pattern I will show you. Exodus 25:9

* "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?!

You may ask what does it have to do with me?

Well, Apostle Paul asks in his letter to the Corinthians, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?" (1 Corinthians 3:16).

Again in 2 Corinthians 6:16 we read, "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."

It is also true that God created our inmost being; He knit us together in our mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13) Every little detail of our body was designed and made by our God!

So let us stop worrying about our height and weight and just praise the Lord for His handiwork. Have a thankful Thursday!

"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 greed 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.

Greedy people mostly look after only themselves. They don't spare for the poor. They are never satisfied with all the wealth they have acquired. They worship money, gold, fame, fortune and other forms of it. Soon pride is to follow.

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?

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 yesterday 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... Blessed Tuesday!

"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 anyone who was such a source of  light in your lives please share it in the comments section below; it may benefit fellow readers.

Happy Monday! Have a blessed week ahead!

As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Colossians 3:12

We all like hearing things like we are loved, dearly loved, His own , His chosen people etc. Good! However sometimes we fail to realize what it really means to be His chosen people, His dearly beloved...

The Scripture is very clear on the roles a dearly beloved of the Lord ought to play. There is a dress code if you will for His chosen people. We are expected to wear compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Now, let's pause there and analyze ourselves.

How compassionate are we? When we came across someone in need did we walk past them or stopped to help? Are we kind to one another or rude always? Humble or proud? Gentle or harsh? Patient or hurried? Those who can say for sure you have mastered it all, you are obviously His chosen people, holy & dearly loved!

Others who have some doubt, let us work towards improving in that area. Doesn't mean we are loved any less. We are still His chosen people, holy and dearly loved. Remember He first loved us even while we were sinners? So let us work to fit in to His perception of us.

As God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, let us clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Amen!

God bless you all. Enjoy the Sunday!

No weapon forged against you will prevail. Isaiah 54:17

Let's go to the potter's house for our coffee with Jesus this morning!

Today's reading is from Jeremiah 18:1-10:

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.

And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."

As we read in the Scripture portion above, if in His anger our Heavenly Father ever spoke anything against us and we repent and plead for mercy, He immediately relents. On the other hand any blessings we have been promised could be reverted based on our evilness.

Often times we take the Scripture so lightly that we do not realize it is the very Word of God Almighty. Let us give the Word the reverence it so deserves. Let us hear, heed and receive the blessings our Lord has  in store for us. Let us allow Him to make us and mold us to be a vessel worthy to hold His blessings. Amen!

Happy Friday all! Enjoy the much deserved weekend!

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 evident 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

The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”.He replied, “If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you. Luke 17:5-6

Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, "Why could we not drive it out?" And He said to them, "Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible to you.  Matthew 17:19-20

Indeed just the right question - same as the one we have. How to increase our faith. Jesus Himself responds, a very little faith can do mighty things.

Now, what really is this faith?

Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Why is faith important?

Because, "Without faith it is impossible to please God..." Hebrews 11:6

How much is too little?
Any amount of faith that is not in action is too little. It is of no use.

Is there any such thing as too much faith?
Again, any faith that is not in action is too much. It is of no use.

So, what is the right amount of faith?

A faith as the mustard seed. Neither too little, nor too much. It is the faith in action that is the right amount of faith.

What do you mean by 'faith as mustard seed'?
A mustard seed has life in it. Mustard seed is willing to die so that it can grow big and yield. In short, mustard seed exemplifies faith in action. It is complete or whole. Live and life giving. Has and acts.

Same way, our faith should be. It should be a complete faith. Perfect faith. 100% faith in God. 100% faith that whatever God allows in our lives is for our good. (In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. Romans 8:28)

Perfect faith trusts every word of the Scripture that is given us. Perfect faith is ready and open for listening and acting upon God's words. True faith never tests God. True faith believes Him completely. True faith needs no proof on God's ability to save. True faith knows God will save. True faith believes without seeing.

True faith knows to live is for Christ and to die is gain (Philippians 1:21). This perfect faith dies daily - to sin, to self, to the world, and lives for Christ, as His testimony, yielding fruits for His glory. Amen!

So, what about moving the mountain or mulberry tree to the sea?

That is, if it really boils down to that that a mountain needs to be moved or a tree uprooted, believe 100% that God can move it and yes it will be moved! Yes, figuratively as well as literally! No question about that! Remember true faith never doubts?

Well, now that is the kind of faith we must strive for. When it comes to growing our faith, it is more of the quality than the quantity. Knowing His perfect will should be our business. Nothing less.

God bless you! Blessings for a happy Wednesday!

* Then Jesus said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17:19
* Jesus said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Luke 7:50
* Jesus said to him, "Receive your sight; your faith has healed you." Luke 18:42
* Jesus said to her, "Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace and be freed from your suffering." Mark 5:34
* Jesus turned and saw her. "Take heart, daughter," he said, "your faith has healed you." And the woman was healed at that moment. Matthew 9:22

Interesting how many times Jesus accounts the healing and restoration to the faith of the individual. Which makes us to believe we are all capable of carrying faith. In Romans 12: 3 we read, for each of us a measure of faith is given. How we make use of it makes all the difference. 

 Fear or doubt is the opposite of faith. Jesus often reprimanded his disciples and followers for their 'little faith.' 

If God so clothes the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more clothe you? You of little faith! Matthew 6:30

Jesus replied, "You of little faith, why are you so afraid?" Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. Matthew 8:26

Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. "You of little faith," he said, "why did you doubt?" Matthew 14:31

So, how good is our faith? Is our faith big enough to bring us healing, peace and freedom from suffering? Or are we of little faith? Let us focus in on the same topic for the rest of the week and learn how to grow in our faith. Please stay tuned...

You know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. James 1:3

Now on his way to Jerusalem, Jesus traveled along the border between Samaria and Galilee. As he was going into a village, ten men who had leprosy met him. They stood at a distance and called out in a loud voice, “Jesus, Master, have pity on us!”

When he saw them, he said, “Go, show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went, they were cleansed.

One of them, when he saw he was healed, came back, praising God in a loud voice. He threw himself at Jesus’ feet and thanked him—and he was a Samaritan.

Jesus asked, “Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Has no one returned to give praise to God except this foreigner?” Then he said to him, “Rise and go; your faith has made you well.” Luke 11-19

A grateful heart is not common for all. But then we are not called to be a commoner. We are royalty - sons and daughters of the King of kings and the Lord of lords. 

We have come a long way this year - from the 1st of day of the 1st month to now the 1st day of the last month! Let us be grateful for everything God had provided for us this year so far. For all the resources, for good health, for the peaceful mind, for His constant presence, His abundant grace, let us be thankful.

When our heart is filled with gratitude we cannot keep quite about it. We will throw ourselves at His feet and thank Him. We will open our mouths and praise Him out loud. We will be ready and willing to share our testimonies with our friends, neighbors, co-workers, church members, and even complete strangers.

How many of us are grateful this morning? Do we represent the ungrateful majority in today's Scripture portion or the very grateful minority? If we are royals, let us not behave like commoners.

Happy December everyone! Have a blessed month ahead! May the blessing of the Lord be with you.

Today's reading: Proverbs 11 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself." 11:25 (KJV)

In Luke 6:38, we read: "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you."

We can find numerous other verses in similar lines. The bottom line is 'Being generous'.

My Mom always encourages us whenever we get discouraged of giving: "It is a blessing being at the giving end rather than at the receiving end." How true!

Indeed, giving is better than receiving. Even when it comes to prayer, giving praises to God is far better than always asking for one thing or another.

It may seem like no one is watching our giving or that only we are giving all the time. But remember nothing is hidden from the Lord's eyes and He will repay you for what you have given. Let us earn to be givers and not so much of receivers! Because that's the true blessing God intends for His children!

Enjoy the "Son"day!

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army that I sent among you. You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Joel 2:25-26

It is such an encouragement to know that the Lord will repay us for the years the locusts have eaten. What are these "locusts" we read about?

It could be our joblessness, our ill health, our failures, our disappointments, our broken relationships - but the Lord promises us that He is going to look into it that we are rewarded for our losses.

Our health will be restored, our bills will be taken care of, our joy will be full, our relationships will be stronger, we will be singing and dancing and praising the name of our Lord who led us so wondrously! Hallelujah! And we will never be ashamed!

Wesley's Notes on Bible explains: Wondrously - In one year giving as much as the locusts wasted in the years foregoing. Ashamed - Neither disappointed of your hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen.

That's right! We will be neither disappointed of our hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen. For now let us praise the Lord!

When you sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the Lord.

“Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. Do not profane my holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who made you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 22:29-33

Today we celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States of America. The ultimate concept behind the festivities is to give thanks to the Lord for yielding the harvest of the year.

When the last crops are done with, just before the start of winter, families of early English settlers in the 'New World' came together to thank the Lord, which then became an American tradition to be followed for centuries. What a beautiful idea!

Today as we remember our pilgrimage to this beautiful country, let us also remember our onward journey - the walk of faith - as we traverse this temporary world into God's eternity.

Keep praising the Lord along the way. Give thanks for each new day. Let us sacrifice our lives as accepted offering for the Lord Almighty.

I agree it is a buy day. But amidst it all remember to thank the Lord!

Have a blessed Thanksgiving!

How abundant are the good things that you have stored up for those who fear you, that you bestow in the sight of all, on those who take refuge in you. Psalm 31:19

King David here exclaims on the goodness of God. He does not tell us how great was God's goodness, for he could not; there are no measures which can set forth the immeasurable goodness of God!

Notes of exclamation suit us when words of explanation are of no avail. If we cannot measure we can marvel; and though we may not calculate with accuracy, we can adore with fervency.

Overwhelming are the proofs of the Lord's favor to believers, history teems with amazing instances, and our own lives are full of prodigies of grace. We serve a good Master. Faith receives a large reward even now, but looks for the full inheritance in the future. ~ The Treasury of David

Everyone who is in agreement with today's Scripture and the explanation above, praise the Lord with me. Indeed, abundant are the good things that our Lord has stored up for us who fear Him.

Let us therefore press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called us heavenward in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:14)

Jacob left Beersheba and set out for Harran.

When he reached a certain place, he stopped for the night because the sun had set. Taking one of the stones there, he put it under his head and lay down to sleep. He had a dream in which he saw a stairway resting on the earth, with its top reaching to heaven, and the angels of God were ascending and descending on it.

There above it stood the Lord, and he said: “I am the Lord, the God of your father Abraham and the God of Isaac. I will give you and your descendants the land on which you are lying. Your descendants will be like the dust of the earth, and you will spread out to the west and to the east, to the north and to the south. All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring. I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you.”

When Jacob awoke from his sleep, he thought, “Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it.” He was afraid and said, “How awesome is this place! This is none other than the house of God; this is the gate of heaven.”

Early the next morning Jacob took the stone he had placed under his head and set it up as a pillar and poured oil on top of it. He called that place Bethel, though the city used to be called Luz.

Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking and will give me food to eat and clothes to wear so that I return safely to my father’s household, then the Lord will be my God and this stone that I have set up as a pillar will be God’s house, and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.” Genesis 28:10-22

Blessed day all! The Scripture here describes the first ever encounter of God, Jacob had in his life. When he was running all alone, fearing retaliation of his brother Esau. The God whom he had heard a mention of by his father Isaac, his grandfather Abraham, now meets him face to face!

Jacob took it to heart, made a wow, and was blessed accordingly, just as he was promised.

The same promise is given us this morning, to all of us who have gathered here in His name!

"... I am with you and will watch over you wherever you go, and I will bring you back to this land. I will not leave you until I have done what I have promised you."

Whether we claim it as ours, what we do with it, is entirely up to us. In my case, I choose to believe! Amen!

He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name. Psalm 147:4

He who... calls for the waters of the sea and pours them out over the face of the land--the LORD is his name. Amos:9:6

I believe there is nothing as magnificent as a starry night sky or as mesmerizing as an endless ocean. These clearly display the wisdom beyond measure of Lord God Almighty - the maker of heaven and the earth.

To top it all, He calls each star and waters by name! Truly amazing!

The same Lord also called you & me - by name - even before our birth -which is beyond our imagination. There are countless scriptures we can read that He has called us by name.

I encourage each one of us to claim these as our personal promises and live to fulfill our calling:

The LORD called me before my birth; from within the womb he called me by name. Isaiah 49:1

I have called you by name; you are mine. Isaiah:43:1

I have also called you by your name; I have given you a title of honor Though you have not known Me. Isaiah 45:4

"... The one who calls you is faithful ..." 1 Thessalonians 5: 24

Have a blessed week and happy Monday!

In days to come Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:6

This is a prophetic verse about Israel which has already come true since the late 1900s. Israel which was barren for many years has been reestablished and the agriculture industry is in full bloom, flourishing with exports to all over the world. Also, Jesus Christ - the seed that was sown in Israel has been yielding fruits in all corners of the world! That is in the literal and spiritual sense of the verse.

But what is in there for you and me? Well, is it not a great promise? Then let's claim it! Let's also work on our Fruits of the Spirit so that our fruits can fill all the world around us...

Several times in the past we have discussed each Fruit of the Spirit in detail. For ease of use here's the links to our discussions on each fruit to refresh your memories.

* Love
* Joy
* Peace
* Patience
* Kindness
* Goodness
* Faithfulness
* Gentleness
* Self-control

Happy 'Son'day!

A fool shows his annoyance at once, but a prudent man overlooks an insult. Proverbs 12:16

How many of us are wise based on the standard set forth here by today's Scripture? I feel ashamed to say I am not.

The fact of the matter is we can be gentle and polished outwardly - at work, in the church, with friends for example; but at home we could be way different, annoyed, irritated, frustrated, angry, over the simplest of insults.

Just realized this is foolish and sinful. What do we do then when situation calls for it - when the spouse is forever working, when the house is a total mess, when the chicken doesn't thaw on time??

Don't we show our annoyance at once? We thus make fools of our selves according to today's Scripture. We need to learn to overlook insults and not get annoyed by it. Then we will be considered prudent.

Very hard I am sure. But with His grace we can do it. Knowing these Scriptures help us mold our character.

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control. Proverbs 29:11

Today's reading: Proverbs 19 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "Houses and wealth are inherited from parents, but a prudent wife is from the LORD" 19:14

"He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD" Proverbs 18:22

Let us ask ourselves these questions at the coffee table this morning:

Are we good?
Are we worth to be called 'a favor from the Lord'?
Are we prudent wives?

What does it take to be a prudent wife?

In Proverbs 31:30 we read, "Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised"; verse 10 says, "A wife of noble character who can find? She is worth far more than rubies."

A prudent wife/girl:

*Fears the Lord
*She is of noble character

Let us look at ourselves up close. Then we will know if we have what it takes to be a prudent wife.

It goes without saying, the same is true for guys too: A man of noble character, the one who fears the Lord is a hard find.

Take best care of yours if you have already found one. :)

Have a blessed weekend all! Coffee will brew over the weekend also. Stop by if you can. God bless you!

On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited to the wedding. When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to him, “They have no more wine.”

“Woman, why do you involve me?” Jesus replied. “My hour has not yet come.”

His mother said to the servants, “Do whatever he tells you.”

Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons.

Jesus said to the servants, “Fill the jars with water”; so they filled them to the brim. Then he told them, “Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.”


~ John 2:1-8

A familiar passage indeed! The focus this morning however is on the highlighted text above.

Thoughts to ponder: 

Have we ran out of wine during our festivities? Is that because of the empty jars in our lives? When was the last time we got filled? Did we care to offer some to the Master of the banquet?

For the choice wine to return in our lives, let us do so whatever He tells us to do this morning!

How long, Lord? Will you forget me forever?
How long will you hide your face from me?

How long must I wrestle with my thoughts
and day after day have sorrow in my heart?

How long will my enemy triumph over me?
Look on me and answer, Lord my God.

Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep in death,
and my enemy will say, “I have overcome him,”
and my foes will rejoice when I fall.

But I trust in your unfailing love;
my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing the Lord’s praise,
for he has been good to me.

~ Psalm 13

A perfect example of how King David was like every one of us. Again, a perfect example of how King David was unlike most of us.

He was like us with his despair; yet he was unlike us in his ability to rejoice in his despair.

He starts this psalm in agony but ends it with such joy.

His questions seem like he is doubting God; but the answers come right back with such assurance of his salvation.

He was hurting, on the verge of giving up, yet not quite. He had mastered the art of quieting his soul time and time again when situations called for an uproar.

King David is indeed a great example to learn many things from.

Let us pray for such a heart - a heart like King David's. A heart that trusts in God's unfailing love, even though the human nature of despair overtakes us. A heart that praises more and complains less. A heart that always seeks the Lord. A heart that is forever connected and in tune with the Maker. A heart that claims to be a friend of God. Precious.

God bless you folks! It is Wednesday! Just two more days until weekend. We can make it, no doubt!

The ransomed of the Lord will return. They will enter Zion with singing; everlasting joy will crown their heads. Gladness and joy will overtake them, and sorrow and sighing will flee away. Isaiah 35:10

He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away. Revelation 21:4

What powerful promises this morning! Praise the Lord!

Though it is widely applicable for all of us believers here at Coffee with Jesus, I can sense that it comes as a direct consolation message to someone in particular going through crying and sorrow this very minute - with no one around to care.

Don't ever think you are alone; you have a great Redeemer - who wipes away your tears, eases your pain, embraces you fully and loves you unconditionally. Amen!

May God bless you and fill you with the promised joy this very day! Repeat the promises to yourself and claim it as your own:

Everlasting joy will crown your head. Gladness and joy will overtake you. Sorrow and sighing will flee away! The Lord will wipe every tear from your eyes!

Can you say amen?

Their Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is his name. He will vigorously defend their cause so that he may bring rest to their land. Jeremiah 50:34

We are going to claim this verse as our promise today. Let's read it again custom fit for our needs: My Redeemer is strong; the LORD Almighty is His name. He will vigorously defend my cause so that He may bring rest to my land.

Who is a Redeemer?
* A close relative who is capable of freeing us from debt;
* A saviour

How Jesus redeemed us?
* By paying the price of our sin upon the cross Himself
* By freeing us from the penalty of death that was the wages of our sin, but gave us eternal life instead.
* Saved us from God's wrath by His blood.

What more our Redeemer is capable of doing today?
* He can free us from our financial burden
* He can pay off our debts
* He can free us from worries and depression and the like
* He can heal us from sorrow
* He will defend our cause vigorously
* He will bring rest to our land.

Job during his severe affliction reminded himself, "I know that my Redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand upon the earth. And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! Job 19:25-27

We all know how Job was redeemed and his health, wealth and fortune were restored.

King David sings in Psalm 25:3, "No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame." Amen!

This was true in the life of Job, King David and many other saints from the old and new testament. Why, is it not true in our case too?! Those who are sure praise the Lord; those who are not, claim Him now.

"... these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well." ...the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. Mark 16:14-20

"... you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." Acts 1:8

All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. Acts 2:4

Listed here are few Scriptures that talk about the external manifestation of the indwelling or the infilling of the Holy Spirit within us. I do not think further explanation is needed as these Scriptures are self explanatory.

Yet, I would like to discuss one subject 'Speaking in tongues' here which is constantly argued about among believers - mostly between believers who have received the gift of speaking in tongues and believers who have not received the gift. Some go to the extent to say one cannot go to heaven if they don't speak in tongues and some go to the other extreme that people talking in tongues are evil possessed.

We have to be very cautious about making such statements because any such remarks are against the Word of God. The Scripture says, "Whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will never be forgiven; he is guilty of an eternal sin." Mark 3:29. So it is extremely important to refrain from doing so.

The Scripture says, "Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever" Hebrews 13:8. Therefore the Scriptures on the manifestations of the Holy Spirit are also true yesterday, today and forever, not just for the first century as some claim.

Just because one hasn't manifested in Spirit certain way doesn't make him any less holy than the one who has manifested and vice versa one who speaks in tongues must not boast against the one who does not. Paul instructs us in I Corinthians 10:31, "whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God." and again in I Corinthians 14:40, "...everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way."

So, coming back to our original discussion on Speaking in tongues:

Is it true? Yes, absolutely.
How do I say it so confidently? Because I have experienced it myself.
How does it help? Helps me pray better especially during my personal prayer time and during worship.
What is the advantage? I can connect better with the Almighty, loving Him better with body, mind and soul. The Christian walk has been more rewarding as I can sense a constant companionship in the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. The whole concept of 'being holy like the One who called us is holy' is less challenging with the constant reminder from the Holy Spirit about things good vs. evil.

With that, we will end this series on Holy Spirit. However, if you have unanswered questions, bring it on! We will discuss it on the coffee table. God alone be glorified in and through us!

* And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us. Romans 5:5

* Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." Galatians 4:6

First and foremost the gift of the Holy Spirit pours out His love into our hearts - an abundant overflowing love, for Christ our Lord, for the neighbors, for fellow mankind, for the sinners and for all.

In addition to that we now have the Holy Spirit dwelling within us that calls out "Abba, Father" thus giving us a sense of closeness with God.

True, speaking in tongues, prophesying, evangelizing are all signs that accompany the infilling of the Holy Spirit. But if we lack the fundamental love the Scripture here talks about then these external signs are of no use or it is voided.

This is exactly what Paul writes in I Corinthians 13:1-3

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

So, now you know if you have received the gift or not.

If you have the assurance you have received the gift of the Holy Spirit, Congratulations! Continue to abide in His love!

If you are not sure, continue to pray for the gift.

May God be glorified in and through us!

While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?”

They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.”

So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?”

“John’s baptism,” they replied.

Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. There were about twelve men in all. Acts 19:1-7

Our discussion on the Holy Spirit continues... Some might ask if these kinds of discussions are even necessary at the coffee table. In John 8:31-32, Jesus said, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”

And that is exactly what we are upto - to know the truth...

Many denominations within the Church argue Holy Spirit is received when a person believes Jesus Christ as their Lord & Savior or when the believer takes baptism. True to some extent. When a person is born again he has accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior and has an assurance his sins are forgiven. Definitely Holy Spirit dwells in him. However, this is different from the manifestation of Holy Spirit that we are discussing here.

In the above passage we see that the disciples were believers for a while; yet the manifestation of the Holy Spirit as mentioned in terms of speaking in tongues, prophesying, etc. was a new experience for them. That is what we want - this renewing, regenerating gift which is the infilling of the Holy Spirit!

How and why receiving the anointing of Holy Spirit important?
To live a holy life would be the simple answer, as we discussed few days ago. To continue to abide in Him. To be used for His glory.

How do we receive the Holy Spirit?
By inviting Him into our hearts with a sincere desire for Him. Luke 11:9-10 says, "Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened."

For those who are not sure, you don't have to take my word for it. Try a simple prayer with an earnest heart and God will reveal it to you.

"Our Father in heaven! We come at your presence this morning with an earnest heart to receive the Holy Spirit Lord. If it is true that there is an experience of infilling of the Holy Spirit, then reveal it to me Lord. Teach me according to the Scriptures Lord. You speak into my heart Lord. You guide me Lord. I too want the same experience of the infilling of the Holy Spirit, Lord. Anoint me Lord; Fill me Lord. Give me the gift of the Holy Spirit Lord! In Jesus's name I pray, amen!"

How do we know we have received the Holy Spirit?
We'll discuss that tomorrow...

I am the LORD, who brought you up out of Egypt to be your God; therefore be holy, because I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

In order to follow this commandment we need to clearly understand what holiness means.

What does it mean that the Lord our God is Holy? Holiness is the absence of even a trace of sin. Holiness is the devoid of even a glimpse of darkness. Holiness is the perfection of all things good - perfect love, perfect mercy, perfect forgiveness, perfect deliverance, perfect healing - that our God alone can offer.

I always find it interesting how people of most other belief systems take pride in sharing stories of their "gods" who do mean things to one another, who lust the women, envy their brother, cheat, lie, steal, kill, destroy,  the list goes on. Clearly these "gods" are not holy and hence they cannot impose such a commandment on their followers.

On the other hand the only true and living God - the Lord God Almighty - the Maker of heaven and earth is pure and just in all His dealings. He sets the best example of being holy for us believers to follow. He insists we too can live our lives in a holy fashion. He demands we be set apart from the rest of the crowd - be known as His chosen generation, His royal priesthood, His holy nation. Praise the Lord!

Is it even possible to be holy just as He is holy? Indeed it is! If it were not so, the Scriptures wouldn't have instructed us so. It gets easier in fact much easier with the infilling of the Holy Spirit.

Rest of the day, let us ponder over the commandment, "Be holy as I am holy" and ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us through.

We will be learning more about the Holy Spirit in the coming days. Please stay tuned.

Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14

But you have received the Holy Spirit, and he lives within you, so you don't need anyone to teach you what is true. For the Spirit teaches you everything you need to know, and what he teaches is true--it is not a lie. So just as he has taught you, remain in fellowship with Christ. I John 2:27

Today's Scripture continues in the same tone as yesterday's message. Indeed it is the work of the Holy Spirit! Praise God!

Above Scripture tells us that when we receive the Holy Spirit and He lives within us, He will teach us what is true. Here comes a touchy subject that is a cause for so many denominations in the Church today.

Who and What is this Holy Spirit? How do we receive Him? Is it necessary for the Christian walk? so many questions rush to our minds. Let us go to the Scriptures to get our answers as there is no place better than the Word of God for answers to our questions.

Who is the Holy Spirit?

Holy Spirit is the third face of God's Trinity. Just like how God the Father is real and how God our Lord Jesus Christ is real, God the Holy Spirit is also real. Now, you may ask how we can even understand that?

It can overwhelm us if we try to dig deeper and understand every details of it; but I believe it can be explained much simpler. We as humans have a trinity - body, mind and soul. Just like that God has a Trinity - Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

In John 14:26 Jesus is preparing his disciples for His ascension to heaven saying: "But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."

Now to get back to our original discussion today, if we have that Counselor living within us, He will teach us the truth and help us live a holy life just as He is holy.

Now that we have too many unanswered questions, let us discuss it in detail in the coming days - we will learn more about Holy Spirit and how we can receive Him to live within us...

If you have any specific questions, please share in the comments section below...