If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath

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

The reward of a gentle spirit and the fear of the Lord is wealth and honour and life. In Proverbs 15:33 we read, The fear of the LORD teaches a man wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Now, the question is How to develop this fear of the Lord? The answer is given in Proverbs 2:1-5:

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

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

Makes sense does it not?!

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. John 14:1-3

Life is full of disappointments and broken promises which makes our hearts troubled. In today's Scriptures we are reminded of our great hope an assured promise that our Lord Jesus will return to take us home with Him.

Now the question is, how do we get ready? There is only one answer: Be Holy!

I Peter 1:13-23 titled "Be Holy" instructs us to:

1. Prepare your minds for action
2, Be self-controlled
3. Set your hope fully on the grace
4. Do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance.
5. Just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do
6. Live your lives as strangers here (in this world)
7. Know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.
8. Have sincere love for your brothers, love one another deeply, from the heart.

With that being said, the rest of the week we will devote to learn more about holiness. Please stay tuned...

* Do not go about spreading slander among your people. Do not do anything that endangers your neighbor's life. I am the LORD. Leviticus 19:16
* A wicked man listens to evil lips; a liar pays attention to a malicious tongue. Proverbs 17:4
* A gossip betrays a confidence; so avoid a man who talks too much. Proverbs 20:19
* A gossip betrays a confidence, but a trustworthy man keeps a secret. Proverbs 11:13

What is gossip? (noun)

A person who habitually reveals personal or sensational facts about others.
A person who chatters or repeats idle talk and rumors, esp. about the private affairs of others.

The Bible instructs us to stay away from gossip. How do we stay away from gossip? The simple straight forward answer would be to put an end to a gossip then and there. I mostly tell people, "Let's not talk about it". It comes out awkward I am sure, but I would rather end it there than listening to the other person go on and on and on.

In my honest opinion listening to a gossip is equally bad as spreading the gossip. Also, remember a person who gossips about someone to you would definitely go around gossipping about you to others.

As believers we should not get trapped by the habit of gossipping. If someone shares a prayer request with you, don't feel the urge to go and share it with someone else. Keep it confident and pray over it. No act can justify a gossip.

Some people say, "I would like a good gossip or two". There is nothing "good" about any gossip. It is a waste of time and will surely come back to bite us. At any cost, let's avoid gossip!

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

Wait for the LORD; be strong and take heart and wait for the LORD. Psalm 27:14

Wait on the LORD, and keep his way, and he shall exalt thee to inherit the land. Psalm 37:34

I waited patiently for the LORD; and he inclined to me, and heard my cry. Psalm 40:1

Waiting on the Lord, is insisted time and time again throughout the scriptures. Yet we find it hard to wait.

Interestingly the scriptures above - all of them - do not stop with just the suggestion to wait, to proceed to explain the outcome of waiting such as:

* strength renewed
* exalted to inherit the land
* Our cries heard
* LORD inclined to hear our plea
... etc.

For those among us who are a little impatient (like me), may be we should try it too - wait on the Lord, to be heard, renewed, strengthened & answered.

What say?

I will sing to the LORD, because He has dealt bountifully with me. Psalm 13:6

I will offer in His tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing, yes, I will sing praises to the LORD. Psalm 27:6

I will sing to the LORD all my life; I will sing praise to my God as long as I live. Psalm 104:33

I will sing a new song to you, my God; on the ten-stringed lyre I will make music to you. Psalm 144:9

But I will sing of your strength, in the morning I will sing of your love; for you are my fortress, my refuge in times of trouble. Psalm 59:16

I will sing and make music with all my soul. Psalm 108:1

Can we sing too this morning - to our LORD - with all our soul?!

I will love you, O LORD, my strength. Psalms 18:1

This is not the often misused term we hear thrown around all the time. Love you! Love you too!

This is the very resolve an oath if you will that King David takes - to love the Lord - whom he identifies as his Strength. Praise the Lord!

It makes us wonder why would he start a psalm with these very lines? A sudden outburst of his true emotion?!

The header of the psalm gives us a glimpse of this resolve:

For the director of music. Of David the servant of the LORD. He sang to the LORD the words of this song when the LORD delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. He said: I love you, LORD my strength...

Don't you see what makes him to make such a statement? It is the fact that he experienced God's love first! God so loved him and delivered him from his enemies.

Let's pause there for today's coffee...

I know we all have experienced this very love of God King David experienced. We are delivered from the hands of the enemy. We are delivered from the throngs of this world. We are delivered from our very sins and filth.

But then, how many of us have made the same resolve - to love Him right back?!

When was the last time you confessed to God that you love Him? When was the last time you proclaimed to the world you love Jesus?! When was the last time you realized for yourself you are in love with the Lord?

Let us resolve this morning to stand firm in our love for the Lord, who is our strength!

I love the LORD, because He hears my voice and my supplications Psalm 116:1

"For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, which spreads out its roots by the river, and will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, and will not be anxious in the year of drought, nor will cease from yielding fruit." Jeremiah 17:8

He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in its season and its leaf does not wither; and in whatever he does, he prospers. Psalm 1:3

Beautiful scriptures shared by the Holy Spirit this morning! Praise the Lord!

We all can visualize such a tree - flourishing, abundant with sweet delicious fruits and shade, a delight to the people around, a true beauty to behold! And of course we all want to be blessed such!

The good news is that we can! Yes we all can! Every one of us here at the coffee table this morning can be and will be blessed as such...

... if only we can do the simple commands preceding these scriptures.

Jeremiah 17:7 But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord, whose confidence is in Him.

Psalm 1: 1-2 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law he meditates day and night. 

Isn't that cool folks?  

And seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. Jeremiah 29:7

Pray for the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper that love thee. Psalm 122:6

So, what is peace? The dictionary lists the synonyms as: freedom from disturbance; quiet, tranquility, calm, restfulness, order, harmony, nonviolence, etc.

Peace in other words is the inner joy - quite - calm - rest - harmony - order - we can enjoy in-spite of what is going on in or around us.

In today's scripture the Lord is talking through Prophet Jeremiah that we can still find peace amidst our turbulence's (whatever issues we are facing), during our captivity (whatever worries us at the moment), by seeking and praying for the peace of the city, (situation, family, work, business, etc).

So, dear folks, we are accountable for our own peace. We can claim the ever-eluding peace by praying over the situation and trusting that God is in control of it all and then most importantly to stop worrying about it further.

He got up, rebuked the wind and said to the waves, "Quiet! Be Still!" Then the wind dies down and it was completely calm. Mark 4:39

Let us also submit our storms to His authority so that He can command our worries to stop and give us the calm we need.

Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you. Psalm 55:22

And you will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart. Jeremiah 29:13

Now set your heart and your soul to seek the Lord your God. 1 Chronicles 22:19

If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. 1 Chronicles 28:9

So, we get it. There are so many scriptures about seeking God. But what does it mean - to seek? Let's check the dictionary...

seek
1. attempt to find (something)."they came here to seek shelter from biting winter winds"
synonyms: search for, try to find, look for, be on the lookout for, be after, hunt for, be in quest of
2. attempt or desire to obtain or achieve (something)."the new regime sought his extradition"
synonyms: try to obtain, work toward, be intent on, aim at/for
3. ask for (something) from someone."he sought help from the police"
synonyms: ask for, request, solicit, call for, entreat, beg for, petition for, appeal for, apply for

* Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only. Matthew 4:10
* Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs. Psalm 100:2
* Worship the LORD in the splendor of his holiness. Psalm 96:9
* You must not worship the LORD your God in their way, because in worshiping their gods, they do all kinds of detestable things the LORD hates. Deuteronomy 12:31
* Worship the LORD your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water. Exodus 23:25

As we get ready to worship the Lord this morning let us remind ourselves of these Scriptures above. As you see, there are instructions on how to worship the Lord and how not to worship the Lord.

Since the verses are self explanatory I do not wish to elaborate on it. However, wanted to stress one point: Let us serve Him only.

Happy "Son"day everyone!

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 marriage be held in honor among all... Hebrews 13:4

How many of us - born again believers - can vouch that we do respect marriage in general and our, your marriage in particular?

How we treat our spouse says it all! It is sad to see even among seasoned believers marriage is losing it's luster.

Even as I write this, I am guilty of often finding fault with my husband and thus not enjoying the peace and harmony God had intended for our marriage in the first place. But lately this Scripture has worked in me that I am beginning to be cautious of my spoken and unspoken words towards my husband and that of course has made our bond stronger and our joy fuller. Praise the Lord.

My prayer for you is that may the Holy Spirit work in each of your hearts this morning to respect your spouses and honor the marriage unions you share.

God bless you!

God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 1 Thessalonians 4:7

In order to understand what this Scripture actually means let us read the complete passage:

The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. Romans 13:11-12

For some, their faith has gone cold as it seems forever for the return of the King. Some even disregard His grace completely. We don't have to look far to find evidence of the fearlessness among the multitude, for God.

At times like this it may be difficult to stay focused in our walk. It's like we are running this race and just few yards from the finish line we give up. Today's message comes as a wake up call for us. It is time to be alert because our salvation is much closer than when we first started this journey. Amen!

So, How do we stay awake? Good question! The answer is right there in verses Romans 13:13-14, listed below:

* Let us put aside the deeds of darkness
* Put on the armor of light.
* Let us behave decently, as in the daytime,
* not in orgies and drunkenness,
* not in sexual immorality and debauchery,
* not in dissension and jealousy.
* Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ,
* Do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Have a wide awake Wednesday! :)

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

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

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

My sincere desire is to be a friend of God; you too wish the same? Well, now we know what works...

Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. Psalm 1:2

* Each morning everyone gathered as much as he needed, and when the sun grew hot, it melted away. Exodus 16:21
* In the morning, O LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait in expectation. Psalm 5:3
* In the morning I will sing of your love Psalm 59:16
* His compassions never fail. They are new every morning Lamentations 3:22,23
* I rise before dawn and cry for help Psalm 119:147

Scriptures show the importance of sitting at His feet in the morning and yet that is one area we neglect. When Israelites were fed by Manna, every morning they had to gather as much as they needed. As the sun grew hot, it melted away.

Same is true for our Spiritual Manna - the Word of God. We need to gather it every morning as when the day progresses we may altogether skip it. We all know the Lord's prayer, "Give us each day our daily bread" Let us take an effort to eat it every day, possibly at breakfast for a healthy start.

Manna for breakfast anyone?!

Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life." John 6:68

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world." John 6:51

On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. John 7:37

How many of us can say we have feasted enough on the Bread of life this morning?! Can we set aside all other distractions, silence our peripherals and turn to the Scriptures for a brief moment this morning?

Let us read the above scriptures one more time and let the meaning of it sink in. If He is the Bread, are we having enough of Him? Are we hungry and thirsty for Him? Why wouldn't we take the time to eat and drink of Him if it will lead us to eternal life?

Let these Scriptures ponder your thoughts as you start the day. Pause once in a while to feast on His words.

May God bless you! Have a blessed Sunday!

Beloved: "I am a rose of Sharon, a lily of the valleys." Song of Solomon 2:1
Lover: "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens." Song of Solomon 2:2

Where is Sharon? What is so special about the rose of Sharon?

Sharon is a fruitful pasture land, a place where even David's cattle were fed (1 Chronicles 27:29). Isaiah 35:2 mentions about the splendor of Carmel & Sharon which gives a better picture of Sharon. Barnes's notes on the Bible says: "Sharon" is usually the proper name of the celebrated plain from Joppa to Caesarea, between the hill-country and the sea, and travelers have remarked the abundance of flowers with which this plain is still carpeted in spring.

A rose of Sharon therefore is a common scene, it is not extraordinary. Same way lilly of the valleys is quite common. It is like the bride saying, "I am just a commoner; not quite fit to marry you". But the Lover reassures her that she is very special; in the very next verse He says: "Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the maidens."

Of all the "flowers" of the pasture, our Christ has found us to be special, worthy of His love! Isn't that awesome! We are commoners, ordinary folks, fishermen if you will, but our Lord has chosen us to be His bride; His flawless bride is what He is making of us.

To conclude, it is not Sharon that is special neither it's roses, it is the love of the Lord that makes us special. Let us cherish His love for the rest of the day...

Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say. Exodus 4:12

We would think Moses, having been raised by the Princess of Egypt in the Palace of the Pharaoh himself, would be well with words. He might have learned a thing or two that improves his presentation and communication skills, wouldn't he?

On the contrary. We read in Exodus chapter 4 of Moses trying to evade God's call to lead the Israelites out of slavery from Egypt, blaming it all on his poor communication skills. Turns out he had a stutter or stammer, a speech disorder.

That's when God assures him,  "Now go; I will help you speak and will teach you what to say."

But Moses begs and pleads all the more to be excused from this great commission. Upon his insistence  God gives him a helper Aaron. In addition the Lord also promises in verse 15, " I will help both of you speak and will teach you what to do."

I find it interesting how even Aaron needed God's instruction on what to speak. Be it Moses with his speech disorder or Aaron who has good communication skills, ultimately it is the Lord who instructs them what to speak.

Let's pause there for today's coffee. How good or bad is our skills? Are you afraid of  opening your mouth, sharing your ideas, presenting your project, preaching His Gospel, making statements of Faith?

Remember, the Lord who taught Moses and Aaron to undertake the exodus is alive and well today. Take courage this morning, as He promises to teach us what to say.

Let us make it our prayer like King David, "Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long." Psalm 25:5

Amen! Happy Friday folks!

* You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Joel 2:26
* Do not be afraid; you will not suffer shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth and remember no more the reproach of your widowhood Isaiah 54:4

Dignity is an important motivation. When we think our dignity is lost or when we fear disgrace we lose all hope in life. However if our pride is in our Lord, we will not be put to shame.

It may seem like disgrace temporarily but in the long run we can look back and see that it was not really a disgrace and that His grace was sufficient for us. Amen!

Have a blessed day folks!

Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passes away, and the lust thereof: but he that does the will of God stays for ever. 1 John 2:15-17

I must confess I am no exception when it comes to loving things of the world. Shoes, bags, watches  and perfumes are my temptations. I have an appetite for fine things. According to the Scripture this morning, I do understand these are vain fancies I run after, which needs to be at once curtailed.

Clearly the Scripture says the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life are of this world and not of the Father. If I love the Father I must confess and denounce my craze for things of the world, which I do.

Dear Father: Thank you for the conviction of my sin at the coffee table this morning Lord. I am sorry for lusting after things of this world Lord. There are enough of everything you have blessed me with Lord. I need not and must not desire more of anything but you Lord. Please forgive me Lord. Please help me control my spending habit Lord. Please let me be very careful about using the funds you have given me to please you Lord. Please forgive me Lord. Please let me not repeat the same mistakes again Lord. Thank you once again for your mercy Lord. For your grace that is ready to forgive me Lord. Thank you Jesus for embracing me once again in your love Lord.

If there is anyone else here who needs a special touch this morning, please reach out to them Lord. Let them experience your presence Lord. Let them enjoy your embrace Lord. 

All glory, honor and power to you alone Lord.

In Jesus Christ's most precious name I pray,
Amen!

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that.1 Timothy 6:6-8

You may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. James 1:4

The LORD is my shepherd, I lack nothing. Psalm 23:1

Those who fear him lack nothing Psalm 34:9

Those who give to the poor will lack nothing. Proverbs 28:27

The lions may grow weak and hungry, but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing. Psalm 34:10

Shall we say amen!

Have a blessed Sunday!

“You have heard that it was said, ‘Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth.’

But I tell you, do not resist an evil person. If anyone slaps you on the right cheek, turn to them the other cheek also.

And if anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, hand over your coat as well.

If anyone forces you to go one mile, go with them two miles.

Give to the one who asks you, and do not turn away from the one who wants to borrow from you.


Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God's wrath, for it is written: "It is mine to avenge; I will repay," says the Lord.

Jesus Himself prayed the following prayer. Let us repeat it every day of our lives, even many times during the day if possible and meditate on the meaning of our prayer. The most difficult line here is "forgive us as we forgave" which means if we haven't forgiven, we are not forgiven. How strong these words are. Let us reexamine our self and be ready and willing to forgive others so that our sins will be forgiven for us too.

 " '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.
 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 men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins. Matthew 6:9-15

Let us pray, "Dear Lord Jesus, thank you for teaching us to pray. I understand it is important for me to forgive others so that I will be forgiven. But I find it difficult to forgive others at times, Lord, please help me in this area, please help me forgive others. Fill me with your love and joy. Thank you for forgiving my sins Lord. In Jesus' name, Amen!"

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

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

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

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

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

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

Have a blessed Thursday!

This is what the LORD says: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded," declares the LORD. Jeremiah 31:16

I can sense that today's verse is meant for someone for whom it is much needed! Whoever is crying continuously over something, this message comes from the Lord to you: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded".

King David cries out in Psalm 56:8: "You tell my wanderings: put you my tears into your bottle: are they not in your book?"  Indeed our every tear drop has been recorded and accounted for by our Lord.

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

So, the message today comes loud and clear for whoever needs to hear: "Restrain your voice from weeping and your eyes from tears, for your work will be rewarded". Amen!

Hugs to you my friend. Please be comforted in the Lord. Remember, the Joy of the Lord is our strength...

Then Samuel brought Saul and his servant into the hall and seated them at the head of those who were invited—about thirty in number. Samuel said to the cook, “Bring the piece of meat I gave you, the one I told you to lay aside.”