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. Jude 1:20-23 

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 in our faith, staying focused on eternal life. It is as though he knew the current times. He warns us about the scoffers & false preachers in earlier verses, 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!

This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord. 2 Kings 3:18

Whatever is your need this morning, however hard it seems to you, remember it is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord!

To read it in context, "This is what the Lord says: Make this valley full of ditches. For this is what the Lord says: You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water, and you, your cattle and your other animals will drink. This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord..." 2 Kings 3:16-18

It might not seem like it is going to "rain". There may be no signs of deliverance. You will see neither wind nor rain, yet this valley will be filled with water! You and yours will drink!

The payment you are worried about, the job search that drains you out, the kids who are rebellious, the health condition of a loved one, the refinance that takes forever, it is all an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord.

If you read the earlier portion of the same chapter, Elisha makes a strong statement in verse 14. He says,: "I would not look at you or even notice you"; and we read that he ordered for a musician and sang hymns to the Lord.

That's exactly what we are going to do. Let us humble ourselves and look beyond our circumstances - beyond our bank balance, beyond the doctor's report, beyond the government statistics, we are going to praise and worship the Lord singing hymns to Him.

As we do, let us bring all our burdens at His feet this morning based on these words. His promises are yea and amen for those who believe! You may choose to place your hands on the screen or on the same portion of Scripture in your Bible and claim these very words as your own.

This is an easy thing in the eyes of the Lord! Can't wait to hear praise reports on the same...

Jesus asked the boy’s father, “How long has he been like this?” “From childhood,” he answered. “It has often thrown him into fire or water to kill him. But if you can do anything, take pity on us and help us.”

“‘If you can’?” said Jesus. “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Immediately the boy’s father exclaimed, “I do believe; help me overcome my unbelief!” Mark 9:21-24

In the Gospel of Mark we read an account of Jesus healing an evil possessed boy. Here's the link to the passage if you are interested.

Our focus today is on the conversation between the boy's father and Jesus. It is evident that the father was not fully convinced that Jesus could heal his son. True, he had some hope otherwise he wouldn't have brought his son to Jesus. But he was not very sure if Jesus could indeed help him. His doubt came out in the words he used like 'if', 'but', 'anything' etc. and Jesus did not miss noticing it.

So, He asks the father, "(What do you mean) 'if you can' ?" and goes on to assure, “Everything is possible for him who believes.”

The boy's father admits the slightest doubt he still has and pleads Jesus to help him overcome his unbelief. Jesus performs the miracle rebuking and chasing out the evil spirit from the boy, thus proving to the father, "Yes, I can!".

In our lives also, though we are steadfast believers, we do struggle with some trace of doubt from time to time. We can't deny that. We look at the statistics and fear the worst. To us Jesus gives the same answer He gave to the boy's father: “(Why doubt?) Everything is possible for him who believes.”

Amen! Everything! All things! Nothing is impossible for our Lord Jesus Christ, to heal, to deliver, to touch, to save. He is mighty to save.

Are we ready to admit our unbelief and pray to overcome it? When we do, our help will be near. Praise the Lord!

Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7

The hard thing about this verse is, often times we do not recognize the devil. On the contrary to our imaginations he doesn't come with baring teeth and twisted horns...

He is so subtle and cunning that at times it is hard to even recognize it as the devil. We might mistake him for self pity, temptation, depression, tiredness, sickness, sadness, etc.

Remember this: Anything that spoils our joy of salvation is the devil - or from the devil. So right away resist him and he will flee from you.

That brings us to a very important question: How to resist the devil?

* In the same verse we read, "Submit yourselves, then, to God"
* I Peter 5:8 says, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour"
* In I Peter 5:9 we read, "Resist him, standing firm in the faith..."
* Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. Ephesians 6:11


And when you do recognize him say, "I command you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ to stay away from me satan... I take victory in the blood of Jesus Christ!"

He will take off! As simple as that!

Happy Friday and have a restful weekend.

When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are satisfied with good things. Psalm 104:28

For today's reading you may consider Psalm 104 It is a beautiful song telling of the many wonderful works of our Lord from sea to mountain to the plains, and explains how God's hands provide for the needs of every living thing from wild animals to men to birds.

Verse 28 is one of my favorites verse which I use in my prayers all the time:
When He gives it to us, we gather it up; when He opens His hand, we are satisfied with good things.

It convinces me that every little blessing comes from the Lord: the breeze, the rain, the good dinner, the beautiful flowers, fresh drinking water, a good night's rest, etc.

A related verse can be found in Psalm 145, verse 16: You open your hand and satisfy the desires of every living thing.

Amen! It is the Lord who satisfies our desires, who feeds us, clothes us and provides for our other needs, not only for us humans but for all living things.

The least we can do is acknowledge Him by giving thanks. Would you?

Today's reading: Proverbs 24 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "Do not say, “I’ll do to him as he has done to me; I’ll pay that man back for what he did." 24:29

Here is a perfect example of a characteristic of human nature in contrast with godly nature. It is natural in human nature to feel the urge to take revenge; however, it is not fit for the faithful, who is to leave it up to God to revenge.

Proverbs 20:22 goes hand in hand with this verse; it says: "Do not say, "I'll pay you back for this wrong!" Wait for the LORD, and he will deliver you."

"It is mine to avenge; I will repay", says the Lord (Deuteronomy 32:25)

It may look like a failure as we can't reciprocate right away; but hang in there, God will repay.

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

Anyone here whose name is Deserted, who lives in the land of Desolate? Well, this message is for you. The Lord will call you Hephzibah as He delights in you. Your land will be Married, no longer Desolate!

Praise the Lord.

The name Hephzibah equals us to the Bride of Christ, as the Bridegroom rejoices over His bride. Just imagine, the King of kings and Lord of lords calling you Hephzibah - my beloved! Isn't that absolutely overwhelming?! 

Indeed His love for us is overwhelming. And soon we will be married to Christ Himself. What a privilege!

Let us therefore get rid of our feelings of self pity, depression & doubts and celebrate knowing that His love for us is all the more stronger.

Have a blessed day Hephzibah! Let us remain in His love.

Praise the Lord.
Praise the Lord, you his servants;
praise the name of the Lord.

Let the name of the Lord be praised,
both now and forevermore.

From the rising of the sun to the place where it sets,
the name of the Lord is to be praised.

The Lord is exalted over all the nations,
his glory above the heavens.

Who is like the Lord our God,
the One who sits enthroned on high,
who stoops down to look
on the heavens and the earth?

He raises the poor from the dust
and lifts the needy from the ash heap;
he seats them with princes,
with the princes of his people.

He settles the childless woman in her home
as a happy mother of children.

Praise the Lord.

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

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

It is not just Jeremiah who enjoyed the words of the Lord. King David sings: How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Psalm 119:103

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

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

Here's some for starters... Psalm 19

Have a blessed day!

"Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain." I Kings 18:41

You must read Kings if you haven't read already, which is full of accounts of kings and prophets. The scripture here is a conversation as it happened between Prophet Elijah and King Ahab. Ahab was an evil king and he had married Jezebel who was a devote worshiper of Baal. Elijah had prophesied three years ago that there would be no rain on the land for three years until he prays for it again.

At the end of the three years, Elijah appears before Ahab and invites the prophets of Baal for a sacrifice of bulls. Baal's prophets were to sacrifice one bull and Elijah was to sacrifice another and whoever serves the true God their sacrifice would be accepted. We learn that Baal's prophets screamed and shouted and even hurt themselves but no answer to their prayers.

When it was Elijah's turn he prayed: "Answer me, O Lord, answer me, so these people will know that you, O Lord, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice, the wood, the stones and the soil, and also licked up the water in the trench. When all the people saw this, they fell prostrate and cried, “The Lord—he is God! The Lord—he is God!”

That's when Elijah tells Ahab, "Go, eat and drink, for there is the sound of a heavy rain". It comes true shortly that there is a mighty downpour of rain after three long years of famine and drought.

What I wish to point out for today's take away is that we must also analyze ourselves and remove our Baals and any other idols such as fame, fortune or whatever else we are after. Then our years of drought will be exhausted by abundant rain, promised in today's Scripture.

His mercies are new every morning! Every week! Every weekend too. Amen!

“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

“Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

“Do not give dogs what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.

Lord, you have assigned me my portion and my cup; you have made my lot secure. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; surely I have a delightful inheritance. Psalm 16:5-6

Often times we have a disappointment about our life in general, starting with our spouses, to self to our career to homes. We feel we are obligated to better, bigger and more of everything. The disappointment then turns to frustrations, arguments and lovelessness, thus igniting more disappointments. There is no end to this cycle.

Unless of course, we understand that everything we have is what God has given to us and intended for us as our inheritance.

Of all the people in the world, isn't it amazing how God brought you and your spouse together as husband and wife?! Yet we complain. we murmur. we fight. we take flight.

This can't be.

Let us let today's scripture sink in for a while. Take the time to read it over and over until you fully get it. Now thank the Lord for it. For your assigned portion. For your assigned cup. For your secure lot. For your boundary lines. For the pleasant places. For your delightful rightful inheritance.

Praise the Lord from the very depth of your heart. And, stop any and all bickering over your lot.

Love you all in Christ Jesus. Have a blessed Thursday!

Those who honor me I will honor. I Samuel 2:30

Constant mention of God's love somehow gives a wrong idea that we can take Him for granted. We forget where we came from and who God really is.

He is the King of kings; the Lord of lords; the Beginning and the End! We were in sin, wearing rags, decaying in our souls. Yet He chose to love us. He cleansed us by His blood, made us holy, clothed us with garments of righteousness, wrote His name on us... and now we have forgotten all that...

In Malachi 1:6 we read, A son honors his father, and a servant his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

He goes on to explain we have defiled His alter by offering the blind and lame animals; we have not given Him the best of what we have. We can't deny that, can we?

According to Proverbs 3:9 let us honor the LORD with our wealth, with the first fruits of all our crops. The keyword here is 'all' not just 'some' or 'any' or 'one' or 'none' but 'all'. In all areas of our lives (including our finances) let our first priority and our best service be to God and godly affairs.

Those who honor the Lord will be honored by Him. What a privilege that is!

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! Happy Tuesday!

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

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

Throughout generations, the plea remains constant - Fear the Lord and serve Him with all your heart!

Do we?

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

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 girl/lady 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 mindful in 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. We will be crucifying Him all over again when we do that.

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

It pleased the Lord to bless Israel. Numbers 24:1

Seeing the Israelites camped at the plains of Moab and knowing what they did to the Amorites, Balak the king of Moab was terrified. He sends in his counsel men to bring Balaam - a well known sorcerer of that time, to curse the Israelites.

The king takes Balaam to a nearby mount from where they could see the encampment and curse them. But as it turns out Balaam only blesses them because God did not allow him to curse his children. Balak tries again from two different locations but all the time there was only blessing instead of cursing.

In fact he blesses, "There is no sorcery against Jacob, no divination against Israel" (Numbers 23:23) which extends to any future attempt to curse them by anyone else.

Let us hold on to this verse as our promise. Nobody can do us any harm intentionally or unintentionally. No evil spirit can come near our tents. No divination against us will work. Never fear any black magic or witchcraft or anything related.

We are not commoners or the ordinary folks. We are the children of the Most High. As Apostle Peter reminds us in I Peter 2:9, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light."

Amen! We are called out of darkness into His wonderful light. It pleases the Lord to bless us. Amen!

Watch over your heart with all diligence, For from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. Hebrews 13:4

But I say to you that everyone who looks at a wo/man with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her/him in his/her heart. Matthew 5:28

Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. 1 Corinthians 6:18

Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 1 Peter 2:11

Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. Romans 6:12

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Romans 12:1

Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Proverbs 4:23

Let us heed to the strong corrections the Holy Spirit is talking in and about our lives this morning.

Happy Sunday!

trust in him and he will do this:

the justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Psalm 37:5-6

Amen! What a great promise for us this morning. In fact, I believe this is a direct message for me as much as for the rest of you around the coffee table.

The world around us is tough. It speaks foul language. It hates the godly. It ridicules the righteous and deny justice to their cause. On the other hand, it supports the ungodly, goes hand in hand with the foul mouthed and loves their ways. It is difficult to survive such a world on a daily basis - almost impossible on our own!

That's when promises like these encourage our spirits and speaks directly to our souls. It is an assurance that the Lord support our righteous cause; and bring us justice like the bight sun. Just as bright and powerful the sun is at noon, everyone will see us shine through!

However, it all starts with a commitment on our side - to commit to His ways and trust in Him. Which then brings us to our today's discussion: How to commit our ways to the Lord?

When Moses summoned all Israelites and gave them the ten commandments from the Lord, he had given an important instruction which holds true for us even to this day:

Be careful to do what the LORD your God has commanded you; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. Deuteronomy 5:32

King Solomon shares a wise word: Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed. Proverbs 16:3.

He repeats in Proverbs 3:6, In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.

Yet again He says, in Proverbs 4:27, Do not swerve to the right or the left; keep your foot from evil.

The Bible is full of instructions on how we can continually commit our ways to the Lord. We only need to read it and apply it in our lives - with a conscious effort.

Then the Lord will bring forth our justice as bright as the noonday sun and our righteousness will shine like the dawn!.

“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20

We as believers are given one commission and one commission only - to go and make disciples. 

A disciple is a learner or pupil, who is committed to a leader or teacher. Making disciples takes on our part:

* Time
* Relationship
* Truth
* Humility

The discipleship model is:

* I do it; I follow Christ
* I do it, you watch (Follow my example)
* You do it, I watch (Making sure you can do it)
* You do it; You follow Christ

Paul said, "Follow me as I follow Christ". True we can follow someone who follows Christ. But just as a copy of a copy of a copy of a copy can get blurrier and blurrier, following a follower of a follower of a follower of a follower of Christ could soon lose it's essence. We need to be connected one on one with the real thing - the original who is Jesus Christ!

Are we making disciples? Are we following the Lord in the first place so that we can influence others to follow Christ? Let us recommit ourselves to the great commission to follow and thus making disciples.

Anyone who does not carry his cross and follow me cannot be my disciple. Luke 14:27

Whether we like it or not, we all have a cross to bear. I have a cross, you have a cross, every one of us have a cross. Believers and non believers alike have their own cross; young and old, rich and poor, every one has a cross. Sure it could vary in dimensions but for each of us our cross seem heavy at times.

I would like to imagine that this cross was laid on us when Adam and Eve were sent out of Eden to toil hard and make a living. Since then I don't think anyone had it easy; one way or another everyone had to/has to/will have to carry their cross.

The question is, are we ready to follow the Lord inspite of our cross? What would that mean? Are we ready to serve the Lord through thick and also through thin? Do we sing praises only when everything goes well or even otherwise? Does our love for the Lord remain constant no matter what happens around us? Do we continue to trust our Source even when our resources run out?

Carrying the cross and following the Lord means just that we do not turn away from God when our cross gets heavy; but we cling closer to God and take joy in His promises...

The secret is when we take one step towards Him He comes running to receive us and to carry our cross rest of the way... He assures, His yoke is easy and His burden is light.Amen.

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.” Matthew 11:28-30

For today's coffee I would like to share an illustration from John Bunyan's book The Pilgrim's Progress.

Christian - the lead character in the book, is on a journey - from the City of Destruction to the Celestial City. Christian is weighed down by a great burden, the knowledge of his sin, which he believed came from his reading "the book in his hand", (the Bible). This burden, which would cause him to sink into Tophet (hell), is so unbearable that Christian must seek deliverance.

He meets Evangelist as he is walking out in the fields, who directs him to the "Wicket Gate" for deliverance. He is diverted by Mr. Worldly Wiseman into seeking deliverance from his burden through the Law, supposedly with the help of a Mr. Legality and his son Civility in the village of Morality, rather than through Christ, allegorically by way of the Wicket Gate.

Once again the Evangelist meets the wayward Christian as he stops before Mount Sinai on the way to Legality's home. It hangs over the road and threatens to crush any who would pass it. Evangelist shows Christian that he had sinned by turning out of his way, but he assures him that he will be welcomed at the Wicket Gate if he should turn around and go there, which Christian does.

At the Wicket Gate begins the "straight and narrow" King's Highway, and Christian is directed onto it by the gatekeeper Good Will. To Christian's query about relief from his burden, Good Will directs him forward to "the place of deliverance."

Christian finally reaches the "place of deliverance" (allegorically, the cross of Calvary and the open sepulcher of Christ), where the "straps" that bound Christian's burden to him break, and it rolls away into the open sepulcher.

After Christian is relieved of his burden, he is greeted by three shining ones, who give him the greeting of peace, new garments, and a scroll as a passport into the Celestial City — these are allegorical figures indicative of Christian Baptism and the journey continues all the way to the Celestial City. (Excerpts from Wikipedia)

The point of focus for our discussion is, when we lose our burden of sin and guilt at the cross, we pick up a lighter load and continue on the journey. This lighter load indicates the teachings of the Scriptures, the areas in which we need to improve, loving, forgiving, etc to become more like Jesus every day. Compared to our original bundle of sin, this yoke is very light and not a difficult task at hand. Might seem so at times but by His grace we can do it! Amen!

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. Psalms 68:19

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

Let us pray:

Our Father in heaven, thank you for this time together at your presence Lord. Thank you for every one of us gathered here in your name Lord. We are here seeking the new heart and new spirit you have promised us Lord.

Some of us come with a heavy heart this morning Lord. Some of us have hardened heart Lord. Some of us are fearful Lord. Some of us are shameful Lord. Some of us are feeble at heart Lord. Some of us have heart disease Lord. We submit all of us at your feet Lord.

Your Word promises us that you will give us a new heart Lord. Please grant us one Lord. To each one of us Lord.

Give us a heart of flesh, sensitive to your touch, completely healed, forgiven, loved and filled up to the rim and overflowing with your love and grace Lord. Please mold us Lord. Please make us Lord. And use us for your glory Lord.

Please heal those among us who have been diagnosed with physical heart conditions Lord. Please touch them and heal them this very minute Lord. Let them feel your arms embracing them this very minute Lord. Let them sense your presence fill their rooms this very minute Lord. Let them experience the power of your hands reaching out to them this very minute Lord. Please heal them Lord. Please touch them Lord. Remove all the pain Lord. Completely heal them Lord.

Thank you Jesus. Thank you Savior. Thank you Holy Spirit. We love you and praise you and glorify your name Lord. In Jesus Christ's most powerful name we pray, Amen!

Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. Psalm 51:10

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 will see how to soften our hearts... Have a blessed Thursday!

“And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full.

But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.

And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

“This, then, is how you should pray:

“ ‘Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.’

For if you forgive other people when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.

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. Luke 11:9-10

When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:3

What is it we are asking Him this morning? What is the motive behind our plea? Do we intend on spending whatever we are asking for - for our pleasure or for His glory?

In the Gospel of Mark chapter 10 we read of an interesting conversation between James/John and Jesus:

Then James and John, the sons of Zebedee, came to him. “Teacher,” they said, “we want you to do for us whatever we ask.”

“What do you want me to do for you?” he asked.

They replied, “Let one of us sit at your right and the other at your left in your glory.”

“You don’t know what you are asking,” Jesus said.

Do we know what we are asking this morning? Let us get right with our motives before we ask for anything. Then it will be given to us.

"Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime; it is the LORD who makes the storm clouds. He gives showers of rain to men, and plants of the field to everyone" Zechariah 10:1

The message comes loud and clear - Ask the Lord for rain. Rain? What rain? Showers of blessings of course.Whatever pressing needs we have let us bring it all at His feet today. Ask and you will receive! Let us ask our Lord to send us the showers of blessings we have been longing for.

It could be a job, it could be a much needed vacation or financial freedom or spiritual freedom or physical healing or mental healing - whatever it is, you know your need. Let us together bring it all at His feet and pray over these days; let's hold hands:

Dear Father in Heaven! We praise your name as we begin the new year Lord. Thank you for your provisions in the past years Lord. Thank you that you are going to provide for us throughout this new month too Lord. Dear Lord, the scripture asks us to ask for rain Lord. We are here gathered in your name - asking for the rain you have promised us Lord. Please send your rain at this very moment Lord, this very day Lord. Thank you Jesus! 

Please send the rain according to each need we have brought to your feet this morning Lord! Please Lord, we know you are mighty to save! We know your promises are ye and amen! We know you said if we ask we will receive it Lord. Now we are asking Lord. We do believe you are sending us the showers Lord. Please Lord, let the people not be disappointed Lord. Please meet their needs Lord. You alone can do it Lord. Send them the much needed rain Lord! In your beloved son our beloved Savior Jesus Christ's name we pray, Amen!

Here's wishing you all a Blessed & Prosperous New Year 2017!

Blessings from Scriptures below.

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

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

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

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

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

Let us be careful to obey His commands and follow His decrees; so that all these promised blessings will be ours! God bless you all very much. Jesus loves you!