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

In most weddings we hear the sermon touching on the verse: "He who finds a wife finds what is good and receives favor from the LORD" Proverbs 18:22

Few questions today to the wives:
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:
*Fears the Lord
*She is of noble character

Why not take an up close look at ourselves this morning and strive to become prudent if found wanting?!

I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 36:26

I can sense it in the Spirit that today's message comes directly to someone among us - whose heart has been hardened over many situations in life. Rest assured today is the day of "heart transplant" for you, by the Lord Himself.

The Lord promises to give you a new heart with a new spirit in you. He will remove from you the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh! Hallelujah!

Whoever has hurt you in the past, whatever has hardened your heart, however long it has been, however hard your heart has become, this very minute the Holy Spirit is reaching in, removing it, lifting it up and away! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah! And here He is replacing it with a brand new heart! A heart full of joy! A heart full of praise! A heart that hurts no more. A heart that is soft and sensitive to His healing touch. Amen!

Lift your hands and praise the Lord! Raise your voice and praise the Lord! Pour out your heart and praise the Lord! It is okay to cry and praise the Lord. It is absolutely okay to jump and dance and clap and sing and snap and shout and praise the Lord!

Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts. 
Hebrews: 3:7-8

What is meant by hardening of our heart?

Gill's exposition of the entire Bible has a beautiful explanation for it, which I wish to share: (sorry it is one very long sentence, but if you pause and read it you will get it.)

There is a natural hardness of the heart; the heart of man is like a stone, destitute of spiritual life, motion, and activity; it is senseless, stupid, impenitent, stubborn, and inflexible, on which no impressions can be made, but by powerful grace: and there is an acquired, habitual, and voluntary hardness of heart, to which men arrive by various steps; as entertaining pleasing thoughts of sin; an actual commission of it, with frequency, till it becomes customary, and so habitual; an extenuation or justification of it, and so they become hardened against all reproofs and sermons, and to all afflictions and judgments; are insensible and past feeling, and openly declare for sin, and glory in it: and there is a hardness which God's people are liable to, and should guard against; and which is brought on by a neglect of private and public worship, and by keeping bad company, and through the ill examples of others, and by giving way to lesser sins; for all sin is of an hardening nature...

 Is our heart harden today? Have we become insensitive to the Holy Spirit? If we have the slightest doubt we need to work on it.

Tomorrow we shall see God's fix for a hardened heart...

Have a blessed Monday and a happy week ahead.

Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness? What harmony is there between Christ and Belial? What does a believer have in common with an unbeliever? What agreement is there between the temple of God and idols?

For we are the temple of the living God. As God has said: “I will live with them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”

“Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord. Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.”

“I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

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

God bless you.

Lift your eyes and look to the heavens:
Who created all these?
He who brings out the starry host one by one,
and calls them each by name.
Because of his great power and mighty strength,
not one of them is missing.

Why do you say, O Jacob,
and complain, O Israel,

“My way is hidden from the Lord;
my cause is disregarded by my God”?

Do you not know?
Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
the Creator of the ends of the earth.

He will not grow tired or weary,
and his understanding no one can fathom.
He gives strength to the weary
and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,
and young men stumble and fall;
but those who hope in the Lord
will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;
they will run and not grow weary,
they will walk and not be faint.

Such a beautiful passage from the Scriptures! It has an instant calming effect on our worries.

It reassures us that our Lord is mighty to save and that those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength! Amen!

Are you hoping? Please do.

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

God bless you; Enjoy your weekend. Coffee will be brewing here, so please stop by if you can...

Elijah cometh nigh unto all the people, and saith, 'Till when are ye leaping on the two branches? -- if Jehovah is God, go after Him; and if Baal, go after him;' 1 Kings 18:21(Young's Literal Translation)

Elijah went before the people and said, "How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." (NIV)

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

King David sings in Psalm 26:1 "I have trusted in the LORD without wavering". In his letters to the Hebrews Apostle Paul writes: Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm Hebrew 10:23

As part of His sermon on the mount, Jesus said: "Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the evil one." Matthew 5:37

James writes: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

Knowing these Scriptures will help us to improve in our faith thus reducing our doubts and fears which in turn will help us to be more stable in our pursuit of God.

Have a blessed Thursday all!

Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done. I Chronicles 16:8

Giving thanks - okay we can understand; but what does it have to do with 'making it known among the nations'?

Words have the influence to claim someone for or against a matter. Marketing specialists, can assure you that "word of mouth" is one of the most effective way of marketing technique out there. James chapter 3 goes on and on about the power of the tongue, associating our tongue to the rudder that can steer a huge ship.

In the Gospel of Luke we read of the scene when Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem where people put down the palm branches and their cloak for His colt to walk on. The crowd was singing and praising in loud voice of His many miracles and the disciples rebuked them. Jesus's response was, "if they keep quite, the stones will cry out."

That is true for us too. If we keep quite from proclaiming of His wonders, the stones will cry out - putting us to shame.

So, to answer our question, making known among the nations, means to make a bold statement that we acknowledge or support or affiliate with the brand called Jesus! We are not just stopping with a quick thank you, but we will announce, proclaim, make known of what He has done for us among the nations! You are with me on that - right?!

And he said, Lift up now thine eyes, and see, all the rams which leap upon the cattle are ringstraked, speckled, and grisled: for I have seen all that Laban doeth unto thee. Genesis 31:12 (KJV)

I strongly encourage you to read this portion of the Scripture which would set the context for today's devotion: Genesis 30:25 onwards.

It is an all too familiar story how Jacob was taken advantage of by his Father-in-law Laban. For the first fourteen years he worked for him for Rachel, he did not get paid at all. Later when Laban was willing to pay him he kept changing the wages because it seemed Jacob was getting the better of the deal. It was in fact in a dream Jacob got the hint to ask for speckled, ringstraked ad grisled flocks as his wages.

The focus of our attention today is the underlined text above: "I have seen all that Laban has done to you!"

It may appear for a while that we are on God's blind spot if you will and that He ignores how we are treated by certain individuals in our lives - be it a manager, a supervisor, a spouse, an in-law, a sibling, a friend, a neighbor - you name it. People could be taking advantage of our hard work, our simplicity, our honesty, our God fearing, you name it.

Just because we are Christians we are expected to shake off stuff that bothers us and tolerate everything under the sun. Worse yet people quote the Scriptures and demand us to react certain way to certain situation. Comments like , "show your other cheek" or "go the extra mile" or "forgive as you are forgiven" are not uncommon coming from our offenders.

Don't give up yet; just hang in there. Don't you doubt the least that whatever you are going through are all recorded in God's sight. He has seen it all! Soon He will justify your cause and bring you victory. He will never ever put you to shame.

Here are some more Scriptures along these lines to assure you indeed your help is near:

* Record my lament; list my tears on your scroll--are they not in your record? Psalm 56:8

* "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back." Isaiah 54:7

* This is what the LORD says: Stop your crying, and wipe away your tears. You will be rewarded for your work, declares the LORD Jeremiah 31:16

* Shout for joy, O heavens; rejoice, O earth; burst into song, O mountains! For the LORD comforts his people and will have compassion on his afflicted ones. Isaiah 49:13

* No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married. Isaiah 62:4

To conclude, His eyes have seen all they have done to you! Amen!

"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 Monday folks!

* All the trees of the field will know that I the LORD bring down the tall tree and make the low tree grow tall. I dry up the green tree and make the dry tree flourish. "'I the LORD have spoken, and I will do it.'" Ezekiel 17:24
* The lowly will be exalted and the exalted will be brought low. Ezekiel 21:26
* He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; he seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. I Samuel 2:8
* But it is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another. Psalm 75:7

If you carefully read the verses above, you will understand they all talk about one message: It is God who lifts one up or brings one down.

None of us want to be brought down or made low. The trick is to avoid the trap. What is the trap that brings one low? Pride & arrogance. The Scripture clearly says, "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." James 4:6. In Psalm 138:6 we read, "Though the LORD is on high, he looks upon the lowly, but the proud he knows from afar."

If we need His grace we need to get rid of pride and develop humility. Let's make it our daily prayer and conscious practice. Our Lord has spoken it; He will do it!

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows. James 1:17

We all love to receive gifts - don't we? Thankfully we have a generous Father who heaps us with abundance of gifts. Doesn't mean we will love all the gifts received. There may be times when things seem not up to our likes. We would have expected different turn outs than what is playing out. What do we do then? Murmur? Talk ill? No! Never!

Those are the times we remind ourselves of the related Scriptures to help overcome our anxiety.

In Romans 8:28 we read, "In all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."

Matthew 7:11 says, "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!"

Let us accept everything God allows for us with a cheerful heart. Let us not let anything bog us down from our joy of salvation. Let us repeat to our self: "All things happen for good for those who love Him" and it will be so. Amen!

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

God's love has been personified in many roles such as father, mother, master, friend and also lover and here the groom. What that implies is that He perfects each role in its fullest. No one can love us as much as He does in any role. He is the ultimate Mother, Father, Lover, Master, Friend and Groom.

The fondness between a bride and groom is a very special kind of love. To know God rejoices over us like a groom would rejoice over his bride is very exciting, is it not? It implies that the bride (us) ought to love Him (God) like a bride would rejoice over her groom, does it not? Are we?

Do we love Him the best? Are we constantly indulged in thoughts of Him? Are we looking forward to spending time with Him as much as possible? Do we long to see Him?

Let us this morning develop a new kind of fondness, a new perspective, a new infilling of love and a special bonding to fall in love with Him all over again. Let's go celebrate with our Groom this weekend!

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

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

I am reminded of a few more Scripture to share:

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

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

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

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

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

He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. Isaiah 53:5

We sometimes tend to forget the essence of the Gospel in our lives. We become less sensitive to the ultimate sacrifice our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ bore for us.

Let us read the Scripture above as below:

My Lord Jesus Christ was pierced for my transgressions!
My Lord Jesus Christ was crushed for my iniquities!
My Lord Jesus Christ bore my punishments upon Himself!
My Lord Jesus Christ brought me peace!
My Lord Jesus Christ was wounded for me!
My Lord Jesus Christ healed me!

Gospel is very personal folks! It is not as generic as we tend to think of at times. True He died for the entire human race. But more importantly He died for me! For you! On a personal level. One on one! It is like dying that many times all over again!

Let us not make light of His sufferings for us. Let us not let His blood go wasted. Let us be rinsed all over again, engulfed by His supreme love. Let us be mindful of the fact that He took our place on the cross! Amen!

There are six things the Lord hates, seven that are detestable to him:

* haughty eyes,
* a lying tongue,
* hands that shed innocent blood,
* a heart that devises wicked schemes,
* feet that are quick to rush into evil,
* a false witness who pours out lies, and
* a man who stirs up dissension among brothers. Proverbs 6:16-19

I am sure we are familiar with this list of things that are detestable (odious - abhorrent - loathsome - abominable - hateful) to the Lord.

If we think deeper most of us are guilty of at least one of these!

It is a shocking realization for us "grown" Christians that we could even be part of the "rest of them" out there.

We have never arrived until our last breath or until the Lord returns whichever occurs first. Till then it takes a constant effort to walk in faith, staying clear of things that are detestable to the Lord.

With God's help we can. God bess you!

Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my lover among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste. He has taken me to the banquet hall, and his banner over me is love. Song of Solomon 2:3-4

Those of us who have experienced the love of the Lord can assure to the fact that His love is the best! It is unconditional to begin with; it is sacrificial love, love that is always constant and does not depend on our merits.

As believers we make up His Church which is personified as the bride here. There may be other attractions around us in the world, but He is the best! His love supersedes every other "love". Like the apple tree is the best among all wild trees in a forest; our Savior is set apart as pure gold from all other glitter.

We have a date with Him today. He is taking us to the banquet hall. Let us remember one thing - His banner over us is LOVE!

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

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

Looking up the thesaurus we have the following:

Definition: pause, rest

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

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

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

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

Pause. Pray. Listen. Act.

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

How blessed is the person,
who does not take the advice of the wicked,
who does not stand on the path with sinners,
and who does not sit in the seat of mockers.

But he delights in the LORD’s instruction,
and meditates in his instruction day and night.

He will be like a tree planted by streams of water,
yielding its fruit in its season,
and whose leaf does not wither.

He will prosper in everything he does.
But this is not the case with the wicked.
They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

Therefore the wicked will not escape judgment,
nor will sinners have a place in the assembly of the righteous.

For the LORD knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will be destroyed.

~ Psalm 1 (International Standard Version)

Do you want to be blessed? Well, here's the how to's!

The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it. Proverbs 10:22

Isaac planted crops in that land and the same year reaped a hundredfold, because the LORD blessed him. The man became rich, and his wealth continued to grow until he became very wealthy. Genesis 26:12-13

Remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth... Deuteronomy 8:18 

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. Matthew 7:7

Amen! Precious blessings this morning!

Let us be careful not to make it our priority to accrue wealth. Our priority or primary focus in this life is to do the will of God. Whether we seek after or not wealth will follow, as long as we first seek Him - with all our heart.

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

God bless you all!

Today, if you would hear His voice, Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness... Psalm 95:7-8

So, how exactly does God speak to us? For some God speaks to them in visions, dreams and even audibly. But for most part, God speaks to us through His Scriptures - the Holy Bible! The Holy Spirit residing in us, will make us conscious to specific Scriptures, as we read it. That's why it is vital to read the Word of God on a regular basis, with an expectation to hear from Him.

We would wish He was "louder" at times. But it is against His very nature to force an entry in our lives. He simply knocks. Gently provokes. Quietly talks. If our hearts are sensitive to His call and ears are attentive to His voice , we will open at once, obey immediately & listen patiently.

True, sometimes we will hear what we don't want to hear. That's when most of us suffer the "hardening of the heart" syndrome. We twist and turn and make things work out the way we had intended it to, in the first place. We come up with logical reasoning as to why we can't do what the Lord prompts us to do. We find excuses to downplay His voice - the gentle reminder from His Scriptures.

But today, if you heard His voice, please do not harden your hearts, as you have done several times in the past...

Today we will obey!

“If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath
and from doing as you please on my holy day,

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?!

* 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 Sunday!

Have you completely forgotten this word of encouragement that addresses you as a father addresses his son?

It says,

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
because the Lord disciplines the one he loves,
and he chastens everyone he accepts as his son.”

Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?

If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.

Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live!

They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. “Make level paths for your feet,” so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed. ~ Hebrews 12: 4-13

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 weekend folks! Remember: His Mercy endureth for ever...

Today's reading: Proverbs 18 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe." 18:10

The Name by itself is very powerful. People like to name-drop to show they have friends in the high places. We feel good if someone remembers us by our name. Names have meaning. Names even determine one's personality. Have you ever seen a Joy who is not always happy? Or how about an Angel who is not beautiful? Or an Israel who is not blessed?

More than any name Jesus's name is the most powerful. How can we say that? Because the Scripture says, in Philippians 2:9: "God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name."

Even while we pray we are taught to end our request in Jesus's Name! We are also warned against misusing God's name in vain: "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain" Exodus 20:7

There are so many beautiful names for our Lord. May be when time permits we will do a Name Month - discussing the names of our Lord. The take away for today is The Name of the Lord is a great tower; we can run into it to take refuge! Amen!

Happy Thursday!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Since today's verse starts with 'Yet' let's read a few verses above that: Revelation 2:2-3: I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.

All is well. All is good. We are okay - that's what we think. But there is a complaint against us - that we have lost our first love... :( What? Me? Is our first reaction. But if we sit down to think about it, sadly, we can all relate to that.

We are not as upbeat about spending time with the Lord. Not as keen on spreading the Gospel. Not as passionate about church gathering - as in the past. Our love has gone cold - okay not really cold - but not hot either. This is bad - very bad. In Revelation 3:16 it says, "Because you are lukewarm--neither hot nor cold--I am about to spit you out of my mouth."

What is the remedy? In the following verse it says: Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place. Revelation 2:5

Let us repent and do the things we did at first. Let us first seek Him and His kingdom, shall we? Matthew 6:33

Abraham called that place The LORD Will Provide. And to this day it is said, "On the mountain of the LORD it will be provided." Genesis 22:14

We are all familiar with Abraham's trekking trip with young Isaac to one of the mounts in Moriah. We have heard about it time an time again and admire at Abraham's faith.

Let us for a moment think of the plight Abraham was in. He was childless for all his life holding on to God's promises for over 80 years and now finally God has blessed him with a son, but asks him to sacrifice him. Just imagine how hard it is.

Reading the passage carefully we can see that Abraham already knew what was going to happen at the eleventh hour! He knew his son was in safe hands, he knew God was not that cruel after all, he knew it was a test for him, he knew God's promises to bless his descendants like ocean sand will be fulfilled through Isaac, he knew they were both going to return from their trip safe and sound, and above all he knew God was going to provide for the offering! It all came to pass just as he believed.

Now, how are we doing when it comes to believing that the Lord will provide? On hearing a bad news such as job cut or pay cut or hours cut, what is our reaction? Do we panic or do we keep our cool believing that it will be provided at the Lord's mountain? Do we immediately withhold our tithes and offering or continue to open our hands to bless God's ministry and the poor and the needy?

If we are not certain, let us pray "Help me overcome my unbelief!" Mark 9:24

Happy August 2016!