* Your right hand, O LORD, was majestic in power. Your right hand, O LORD, shattered the enemy Exodus 15:6
* The LORD's right hand is lifted high; the LORD's right hand has done mighty things! Psalm 118:16

I was wondering why the Scriptures specifically talks about God's right hand and came up with some thoughts I wanted to share with you.

The right hand is significantly "honorable" than the left, you might agree. We salute with the right hand, we place the right hand on our chest while taking an oath , we write/eat with the right hand, we shake hands with the right hand, in most customs we give/take things to/from elders with our right hand, we say good bye with our right hand, we bless someone with our right hand, etc.

For God to hold our right hand and still lead us, I imagine God is facing towards us holding our right hand pulling us out of a pit. In today's scriptures we see Moses and King David singing about the mighty right hand of God. It was only possible because they took no credit for themselves in any of their victory but gave all the credit to God's right hand which was holding them and leading them.

The very same right hand is holding and leading us today! Isn't that remarkable? Amen! Our God's right hand is majestic in power today; it will shatter our enemy! Our Lord's right hand is lifted high; it will do mighty things!
Amen!

With that we wrap up May 2014! Tomorrow is June! Praise the Lord!

With long life I will satisfy him and show him my salvation. Psalm 91:16

Who is the man who desires life and loves length of days that he may see good? Keep your tongue from evil And your lips from speaking deceit. Psalm 34:12

But, dear friends, remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ foretold. They said to you, “In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires.” These are the people who divide you, who follow mere natural instincts and do not have the Spirit.

But you, dear friends, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in God’s love as you wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you to eternal life.

Be merciful to those who doubt; save others by snatching them from the fire; to others show mercy, mixed with fear—hating even the clothing stained by corrupted flesh.

To him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy— to the only God our Savior be glory, majesty, power and authority, through Jesus Christ our Lord, before all ages, now and forevermore! Amen.

Jude 1:17-25

It is interesting how the disciples of Jesus Christ, who were once common fishermen, developed such wisdom and insight about all things supernatural and eternal. It is the wisdom that comes from knowing the Lord. It is the insight from being led by the Holy Spirit.

Here Apostle Jude calls us to persevere. It is as though he knew the current times. He warns us about the false preachers and insists us to safeguard our faith amidst it all.

It is important to hold on to our faith first. Then we could help out those who are in doubt and those on the verge of eternal fire. In doing so, we will stand before God without fault and with great joy! Hallelujah!

Let us heed to the call this morning: by building ourselves up in our faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keeping ourselves in God’s love as we wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring us to eternal life. Amen!

Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:20

I know it is too personal, but let me ask you; do you hate a brother or sister? Yes, you heard it right. Do you hate a brother or sister?

If we do, today's Scripture calls us a liar. It goes on to discuss further that if we can't love a brother or sister whom we can see, we can't possibly love God, whom we cannot see. In that case, the flip side is also true. If we truly love God we will surely love our brothers and sisters. 

There may be family dynamics, parents' partiality or misunderstandings that can often cause a rift among siblings, cousins and other relationships. It may be hard to love them in spite of it all. However, if we are constantly filled with the love of God, none of those causes would actually affect us. We will still be able to carry forward with the relationship without any bitterness or vengeance or envy. This is only possible with the help of God.

There was a period in my life where I felt absolutely no love for my in-laws. All I remembered was everything they said or did against me. Not that I didn't say or do anything, but in my mind my reciprocal was justified and so I felt no remorse for that. 

During a Sunday sermon one day I realized it was sinful not to forgive them. I started to pray for God's mercy and love to fill my heart so that I remember their offenses no more. It seemed hard in the beginning but trust me within few weeks of my earnest prayers I could completely forgive them. My hurt was wiped away as if it never was. Today I can honestly say I love my in-laws. Praise the Lord!

So, if any of you suffer with similar syndromes today, I urge you to reach out to God Almighty. Ask Him to refill your hearts with the joy of salvation once again. He will enable you to truly forgive your brothers and sisters. He will make it all possible to love them unconditionally - all over again. Not only that, your love for the Lord will be renewed. Praise the Lord!

By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another. John 13:35

"Let not your heart be troubled..." John 14:1-3

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:27

These are Jesus's parting words to His disciples. Soon after this conversation which happened during the Last Supper, He was to be crucified.

In the case of the disciples there was much to trouble them. They were about to part with their beloved, tender friend. They were to be left alone to meet persecutions and trials. They were without wealth, without friends, without honors. And it is not improbable that they felt that his death would demolish all their schemes, for they had not yet fully learned the doctrine that the Messiah must suffer and die. (Barnes notes on the Bible)

But we are in a better position than what the disciples were at; don't you think?

We know for a fact our Savior has risen! We have experienced the Great Comforter the Holy Spirit. We have the Scripture that sheds light on fulfilled prophesies; we hear of testimonies of lives changed because of salvation. We have friends and family who are tolerant of our faith.

We are not threatened to be killed for the Gospel of Christ. Above all we have the comforting presence of the Lord Jesus Christ always with us.

Then why are we troubled often?  What bothers us? Whatever is our care today let us take comfort in His love and accept the peace He offers.  Yes, now!

Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you. Psalm 55:22

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth. 3 John 1:4

Most parents would agree with me that life hasn't been the same since becoming parents. There is a constant nagging in the back of our minds of the well being of our children. This concern only gets stronger as the child grows into teenage years, a young adult and finally an adult.

All of us godly parents wish for our children to find Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and be transformed by the Holy Spirit into mature followers of Jesus Christ.

This is true of Spiritual parents too, who lead a person into salvation, for the newly saved to safe guard the seed of faith and live a fruitful life.

Apostle Paul had similar concerns about the Galatians. He writes, "My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you..." Galatians 4:19

Mere concern won't make a difference. But prayer will work wonders. Our prayers. For our children.

For my children below is the Scripture I keep referring to in my prayers, for their Spiritual well being: All your children will be taught by the LORD, and great will be their peace. Isaiah 54:13

I am sure you all do too. Indeed there is no greater joy than to hear our children are walking in the truth!

Who is he, this King of glory? The LORD Almighty--he is the King of glory. Psalm 24:10

On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written: KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS. Revelation 19:16

Imagine we are standing before our Lord and Savior, the King of kings and Lord of lords Jesus Christ! Now how do we visualize our selves? What is our expectation? Are we seeking His presence as the King's mere citizens forgetting that we are His own children?

A while back I happened to read C.H. Spurgeon's sermon The Throne of Grace and loved a passage from it which perfectly fits our discussion today.

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

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

Indeed we are His children, His royal priesthood!

In Hebrews 4:16 we read, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need."

Shall we?

Happy weekend everyone! And for those of us in the United States it is Memorial Day weekend! Let us be mindful and forever be grateful for our fellow citizens who have sacrificed their own lives for our freedom!

Today's reading: Proverbs 10 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "When words are many, sin is not absent, but he who holds his tongue is wise." 10:19

If there is one thing that can not be erased off someone's memory that easily - it is the words! Worst yet, if we speak something in anger. It lingers on for a long time causing further drift in relationship.

In my experience, every time I have sinned with my words is - whenever I try to give "company" to someone who is complaining about another. We believe we are helping them vent; but if we look closer, we are making them sin more with our "encouraging" words.

Being always opinionated about everything is another fool proof way to fail with words. Disciple James reminds us in his book: "My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry" James 1:19

Let us strive towards this goal in our Christian walk. Shall we?

The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. James 3:6-10

I am sure most of us made a conscious effort to make our words be few, yesterday. Once again we are reminded of taming our tongue this morning. This time rather than speaking little, it is speaking the right words that is being insisted upon.

Is our tongue starting fires or quenching fires? Is it full of venom against past, people, self, spouse or is it filled with love and praise for what/whom we have? Do we bless or curse mostly?

Let us give heed to the Scriptures that show us the way. Let us tame our tongue with God's help.

May our words be kind.

Kind words are like honey--sweet to the soul and healthy for the body. Proverbs 16:24

Let your words be few Ecclesiastes 5:2

The prudent hold their tongues. Proverbs 10:19

Fools multiply words. No one knows what is coming - who can tell someone else what will happen after them? Ecclesiastes 10:14

A fool uttereth all his mind: but a wise man keepeth it in till afterwards. Proverbs 29:11

All of us have opinions of things good and bad. We have a point to make, good & bad. We often share our thoughts without the filtering process - which is the Word of God, that gives us the divine wisdom. 

We might think we are being straight forward, but the Bible tells us we are fools if we don't control our tongue. I am guilty of it myself.   

Today's message challenges us to speak less, hold our tongue, nod, listen, cook, clean, do something but don't talk. Enough of entertaining our guests and neighbors and friends and collegues with our constant blabbering. We have shared our opinions time and time again. Now is the time to hold. Pause. Heal. Be.

Let our words be few. Today. Tomorrow. This week. Next week. For a month. For 6  weeks. Until it becomes our very nature. Then we will be prudent.

With God's help we can. Amen!

Then the Lord God provided a vine and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the vine. Jonah 4:6

“You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4:11

The book of Jonah is a very interesting book and I hope you have all read through it. If not please take your time one of these days to breeze through the four easy chapters.

Here's the summary to set the context: Jonah was asked to preach in Nineveh about the impending destruction to the city God was planning. He refuses to do it, leaves for Tarshish, gets thrown out into the stormy ocean, a big fish swallows him, he survives inside the belly of the fish for three days and night before finally being spit out. Now he visits Nineveh as how God had told him to. People of Nineveh including the king and the cattle everyone wear sackcloth and fast and pray asking God to relent from His fierce anger. When God saw what they did and how they turned from their evil ways, he had compassion and did not bring upon them the destruction he had threatened.

But Jonah was greatly displeased and became angry. He was not hesitant to let God know how very disappointed he was that he even wanted to die right then and there. If you think about it he had all the reasons to be angry, right? Wrong! That's what God intends to prove by teasing him with a little shade one day and removing it the next. Using that as an example God was able to explain to Jonah why He changed his mind about the hundred and twenty thousand people of Nineveh who could not tell their right hand from their left and the many cattle there. Though the chapter ends there I am sure Jonah was convinced of the reason and continued to serve the Lord, happily ever after...

Application: Like Jonah, we may think too high of ourselves at times and care more for our reputation than the will of God to be demonstrated in peoples lives. To us God asks the very same question today: “You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. Should I not be concerned about that great city?” Jonah 4:11

We were not punished according to our transgressions, why then do we expect others to be punished and not forgiven?! Freely we have received, let's freely give. (Matthew 10:8)

As Jesus and his disciples were on their way, he came to a village where a woman named Martha opened her home to him.

She had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said. But Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made.

She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!”


Paying close attention to the Scriptures here you will notice that it was Martha who invited Jesus to their home in the first place. She had the genuine desire to spend some quality time with the Lord. But when He stopped by though she got busy, preparing a nice meal, setting the table, arranging the center piece etc, forgetting to fellowship with the Lord. She got so overwhelmed to a point of frustration!

Mary on the other hand cared the least for the meal or what to feed Him and His disciples but chose to sit at His feet listening to the Lord.

Martha is now distraught! She has so much to do and so little time and above all Mary is not helping! Naturally she is irritated and complains about Mary to the Lord.

But to her dismay, the Lord takes the side of Mary. Not that He didn't appreciate the hard work Martha was putting into to make His visit special for Him and His disciples but that Martha didn't come to benefit from the fellowship she could have enjoyed with the Lord.

Mary had truly made the best use of every minute she spent with the Lord. She wanted to hear as much as possible. She wanted to share as much as possible.

Clearly we all fall into either one or the other category. Are we relaxed when it comes to spending time with the Lord or are we upkeep and busy running too many errands that we suppose are equivalent to spending time with the Lord?  Are we distracted like Martha or composed and at peace like Mary?

Do we worry and get upset about many things or have we chosen what is better? Do we cherish His fellowship or be concerned about the details?

* I  am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Revelation 3:11
* Only hold on to what you have until I come. Revelation 2:25

The message for today is: Hold on to what you have!

Hold on to what we have? What do we have? Let's see what the Scripture tells us:

* Hold on to the good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
* Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
*Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.  1 Timothy 6:12
* She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:18
* Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Hebrews 4:14
* Stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you. 2 Thessalonians 2:15
* Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13

To sum it all up in one sentence, let us hold on to the good, our hope, eternal life, wisdom, our faith, the Scriptures and the promises given us. Hold on tight! Don't loosen the grip!

Happy Monday everyone! Hold on tight. It will be Friday before we know it!

For our Coffee with Jesus this morning, let's read Psalm 136 together and have some fun doing it. I will read each verse and you say: "For His mercy endureth for ever" Shall we?! Here we go...

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Grieving makes one weak; rejoicing gives strength.

True, there have been circumstances that made it seem impossible to rejoice at times. But His grace had been sufficient; has it not? If not for that we would have succumbed to our grief and weakness. That is all the more reason to rejoice in the Lord!

We are also asked to share our blessings with the less fortunate amongst us - giving them a reason to rejoice in the Lord. Let us not forget that.

I'll repeat the Scripture again to let it sink in...

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Finally, 

Let us not be just hearers of the Word; but doers as well. (James1:22)

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Romans 2:13

We made it thru' the week, yea!

Today we are going to lift up the recent prayer requests in our midst.

Christine Kurnel has requested: Please pray for my daughter to overcome her heroin addiction. She has been battling this devil for too long. She is tired, and her family is tired. We have tried rehab, oxford house, detox. I am at my wits end. I do not want her to die. I want her to live and find God's true grace and that she is better than this and stronger than this. Pray for her to heal.

Tommy Taylor has shared:PRAYER request for Pastor Sodero (Italy) bad plane crash, very critical, along with flight student Massimo.

There is only one thing we as fellow believers and brothers and sisters in the Lord Jesus Christ can do for these needs. That is to uplift them in our prayers, which is all they have asked for.

Can we all join hands this morning to pray for these individuals and their needs, in one accord? Let us lift them up before our Lord Jesus Christ.

The Scripture very clearly says, 'where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.' Matthew 18:20.

Also, we are promised, "the prayer offered in faith will make the sick person well; the Lord will raise them up. If they have sinned, they will be forgiven." James 5:15

Definitely our Lord is in our midst. He is attentive to our prayers. He will bring about healing and comfort in all these needs. No doubt about it.

Let us pray:

Dear Father in heaven! Thank you for your grace for this new day Lord. Thank you for your grace all thru' this week Lord. Now we have gathered in your name lifting up these prayer requests among us Lord. 

Please heal Christine's daughter's addiction Lord. Lord, you came to give us life, life in abundance Lord. Please Lord, let this abundant life flow thru' Christine's daughter this very minute Lord. There is nothing impossible for you Lord. You alone can intervene Jesus. You alone can bring about a change in her life Lord. Please touch her Lord. Please heal her Lord. Please Lord. We are confident you will touch her this very day Lord, bringing about a change for good in her life Lord. Thank you Lord. Thank you Jesus.

We also lift up Pastor Sodero & flight student Massimo in your presence Lord. We pray for a full recovery Lord. We pray for their families and those dear to them Lord. We pray for your consoling presence Lord. We pray for comfort Lord. We pray for restoration of faith Lord. We pray for healing Lord.

Thank you Jesus. We also lift up all the unspoken needs in our midst Lord. For all the aches and pains, for all sicknesses and stress Lord. Please be merciful unto us Lord. Deliver us from all harm Lord. Protect us under your wings Lord.

We praise you and glorify your name Lord. We love you Jesus. We love you Father. We love you Holy Spirit. Thank you for your comforting presence in our midst Lord. Thank you Jesus. In Jesus' name we pray, amen!

The sluggard craves and gets nothing, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied. Proverbs 13:4

Reading through the Book of Proverbs you would notice how often a sluggard is reprimanded. Almost in all those Scriptures immediately following the mention of the sluggard and his curse, is the mention of the diligent and the blessings associated with him. Here's to list a few:

* The lazy man does not roast his game, but the diligent man prizes his possessions. Proverbs 12:27
* Lazy hands make a man poor, but diligent hands bring wealth. Proverbs 10:4
* Diligent hands will rule, but laziness ends in slave labor. Proverbs 12:24
* Seest thou a man diligent in his business? he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men. Proverbs 22:29
* The plans of the diligent lead to profit. Proverbs 21:5

Now coming back to today's Scripture, if we are diligent our desires will be fully satisfied.

What does it take to be diligent? Diligence means "making every effort to excel in what we do". Marked by persevering, painstaking effort or in plain and simple words, diligence is striving for perfection.

Being diligence does not mean running after the world; it means being diligent for the Lord, for spreading the Gospel, for living a holy life, for winning souls for Christ!

When we are diligent in godly affairs He will bless us with our desires for everything else.Things will fall in place. With less effort on our part we will reap great benefits.

For the Scripture insists:Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added unto you. Luke 12:31

Amen!

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

I am astonished by the connection 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 pointing us to that, let's look at a few of them today.

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".

As a King he couldn't just say words he did not mean. He was indeed making strong statements here. He was constantly seeking God's will in His life. Sure enough God led his path, even when his foot slipped, he was forgiven and set on solid rock!

Many of us wonder from time to time, "How do we know the will of God?" The simple answer is, when we constantly seek the will of God like King David did, God reveals Himself to us.

God answers us in ways we can not imagine - sometimes very subtle - as if it is a secret between you and Him! But sure you will know it when He speaks to you. Just be keen to listen Him speak!

Thank you for gladly joining us here over the coffee table with fellow believers this morning! Have a blessed day.

Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. 2 Corinthians 9:6

One man gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty. Proverbs 11:24

He who is kind to the poor lends to the LORD, and he will reward him for what he has done. Proverbs 19:7

Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Galatians 6:9

Generosity is a virtue every believer must exhibit; however it is sadly on the decline. The economic downfall in the recent years has only made it convenient to justify our withdrawal.

As today's Scriptures remind us, we need to develop a generous heart. We can do that only when we fully  understand His generous grace on us.

When we believe that the Lord is our everlasting Source and not our jobs or savings or name or fame or anything else we are a step closer to realizing generosity in us. Trusting that He holds our future and desiring to be a blessing to others will land us on opportunities that will enable us to reach out.

Not just money; our time, our talents, our abilities, our fortune can all be used to glorify the Lord. Afterall we are homeward bound; let us act like one!

Freely you have received; freely give. Matthew 10:8

Honor your father and your mother, as the LORD your God has commanded you, so that you may live long and that it may go well with you in the land the LORD your God is giving you. Deuteronomy 5:16 

Happy Mothers Day to all mothers out there. Indeed mothers are special.

God has a soft corner for mothers too. He has given them an equal right on par with the fathers. If it were not so, the above Scripture would not have made it into the ten commandments.

God listens to the cry of a mother.

Remember Hagar with child Ishmael running away in distress, being sent away by her mistress Sarah, was heard by the Lord in the desert. God promised her Ishmael will live to be a great nation too and it has been so.

In spite of  Sarah's rudeness to Hagar, God blesses her with a child of her own.

God answers Hannah's distressed cry for a child, by blessing her with many children, the oldest being well known Prophet Samuel.

Even while at the cross our Lord Jesus hears/sees His mother Mary's distressed cry and hands her over to the care of his favorite disciple John.

I have heard many men of God testify that their mothers' tearful prayers have been the reason they are alive and well serving the Lord, freed from the bondage of sin that had ensnared them.

Why not, even all of us are blessed with fine mothers in our lives. Some of us are even blessed as mothers. Praise the Lord!

Let us take a moment today to thank the Lord for our mothers. Let us also thank the Lord for His special love and care for us mothers.

Happy Mothers Day! How precious it is to start at His presence this morning. Happy Mothers Day! Enjoy!

* My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Psalm 27:8
* I have set the LORD always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. Psalm 16:8
* Look to the LORD and his strength; seek his face always. Psalm 105:4

King David sets us a good example of seeking the Lord continually, not just on Sundays's not just on mornings but continually - all the days of the week, every hour of each day, every second of each hour...

What does it mean to seek?

The following definitions are given in the dictionary:

1. Attempt to find (something)
2. Attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something)
3. Ask for (something) from someone
4. Search for and find someone or something
5. Go to (a place)

Now, how do we seek the Lord?

Based on the definition of the word 'seek' we can say,

1. Find out more of the Lord
2. Desire more time with the Lord
3. Pray
4. Search the Scriptures more for hidden treasures.
5. Go to His feet more often.

The Scripture assures, those who seek Him will find Him... (Proverbs 8:17)

Hope you will start seeking from now on... Let's start this morning!

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

Humility is the fear of the LORD; its wages are riches and honor and life. Proverbs 22:4

Happy Friday all! As we wrap up this week, here's a beauty tip for us who are a little beauty conscious.

Today's Scriptures explain that a humble spirit is what it takes to become more beautiful!

Interestingly this is way opposite to what the world calls as beauty. The world cheers for loud, proud, fearless personality. But God expects a calm, composed, humble personality. Surely there is a clash! Whose call we heed?

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

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

In Philippians 2:3 he instructs, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves."

I know it is tough - to let go of things, to slow down, to take a back seat while others rush in. But remember by doing so we will turn out to be more beautiful in the eyes of our Maker. Isn't that what we strive for?

Enjoy the weekend! Coffee with Jesus will brew over the weekend too. So please join us if at all you can. Sure, bring your friends over too!

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, which aptly applies to marriage:

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. You are a very special spouse in His very eyes! Isn't that awesome!

As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you. Isaiah 62:5

Amen! Let us continue to rejoice in His love.

Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. Luke 16:10 (NIV)

He that is faithful in that which is least is faithful also in much: and he that is unjust in the least is unjust also in much. Luke 16:10 (KJV)

As God's own stewards we are called to be faithful with the little that is entrusted to us. For one it is our life, our spouse, our family, our church, our job, our community. Are we faithful in these 'least'? 

To answer the question,first we need to fully understand what does it really mean to be faithful?

Dictionary.com lists the following:

5. adhering or true to fact, a standard, or an original; accurate

With the definitions in front of us, let us repeat the question once again. Are we faithful with the least God has entrusted us with? 

1. Are we strict or thorough in the performance of duty of our calling?
2. Are we true to our promises and vows we have made?
3. Are we steady in our affection for people in our care? 
4. Are we loyal to our spouses?
5. Are we reliable and trusted?
6. Are we adhering to facts - which is God's Word - the Holy Bible?

If our answer is in the affirmative, we can be sure we will be entrusted with much more.Also, we will hear our Master say,

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


Amen! Have a nice day! It will be weekend soon!

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

Some of us take our faith a little too seriously that we even forget to smile at times let alone laugh. We walk around with a stern face, frowns and complaints that it is hard for people to notice even a trace of joy in us.

Joy of course is an internal virtue but will surely manifest externally. When our hearts are filled with JOY, our mouths will be filled with laughter and our tongues with songs of joy. People can immediately take note of our joy and will see that we don't panic like the rest of the crowd. They will wonder for sure if not already know that our Lord has done great things for us.

Now, let me ask you something. When was the last time you actually laughed? No, not the quick superficial one to keep company, but the hearty, cheerful kind? Has it been long since you last sang or danced in sheer joy? Without any reserve or caution, forgetting everything and just giving thanks to God - kind of Joy? Can it be said of us by onlookers that our Lord has done mighty things for us?

Let us take a stand today! Please repeat this after me: "The Lord has done mighty things for me; Therefore my mouth is filled with laughter and my tongue with songs of joy!"

"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) - not however on His 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? May be for a close family member or a friend, but for a stranger? 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.

Okay, we get the point. His thoughts are different from ours and His ways are far better than ours. Let us thank Him for that! Shall we?

Be careful that you do not forget the LORD Deuteronomy 6:12

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

Online dictionary defines forget as follows:

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

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

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

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

Let it be our reminder too. Happy "Son"day!

Can a maid forget her ornaments, or a bride her attire? yet my people have forgotten me days without number. Jeremiah 2:32

You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress. Isaiah 17:10

Israel has forgotten his Maker... Hosea 8:14

I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Revelation 2:4

 It is no accident you are here this morning hearing what the Holy Spirit has to share with us  - loud and clear.

Just as how unnatural it is for a young woman to forget her jewels/fine clothes it is unnatural for us to forget God and cherish not the fond memories of our past affection. Yet some of us have gone astray. We have forsaken our first love.

Hope this is not entirely true in our case. But if we are not consciously making every effort to stay in love, we will be easily carried away by worldly affairs making us remember the Lord less and less. If we are not watchful very soon we will be far from the Lord heading into darkness.

Definitely it is not something that will go unnoticed by God. He would sense the slightest withdrawal from us. What is it that we lack in Him that we forget Him from time to time? That we do not make time for Him? That we go days on end without hearing from Him or talking to Him?

Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. James 4:4

Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 1 John 2:15

But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them--yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 1 Corinthians 15:10

Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you. Romans 12:3

Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God. 2 Corinthians 3:5

What we read in these Scriptures is the exact opposite of what we see and hear around us. The world defines self confidence as confidence in oneself or one's own abilities. But for us - the believers - the Lord must be our confidence!

Paul has set a very good example for us in his statements. Great King Solomon - the wisest ever lived has said: The Lord Is My Confidence. Proverbs 3:26. My favorite King David has sang, It is better to trust in the LORD Than to put confidence in man. Psalm 118:8

The Lord has spoken through Prophet Isaiah: "Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Can we too confirm the Lord indeed is our confidence?!

"You are all together beautiful,my love;there is no flaw in you." - Song of Solomon 4:7

This is one of my favorite verses from the Bible. It amazes me at all times. I take the verse personally for me and encourage all of you to take it personally for yourself too! It is for every one of us indeed, where God says, "You are all together beautiful, my love;there is no flaw in you."

I am sure it makes us pause & analyze our self, to see if it truly fits us; you would agree it always fails. If we were to take an inventory of our flaws it would go miles long... No matter how hard we try, we would still be full of flaws, but the unfailing, unconditional love of God sees beyond our flaws and lovingly calls us "Beautiful" and "Flawless".

I sometime wonder if these are the exact words Jesus uses as He pleads our case with the Father, "... there is no flaw in him/her"

I turn to this verse anytime I need an assurance of the Divine Love which brings instant joy to my heart & music to my soul.. Hope it does to you too.

Happy May folks! May God bless you this new month!