Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. I Thessalonians 5:18

Easier said than done, you would agree- to give thanks in all circumstances. We all have something to be thankful for; but honestly can we say we are thankful for everything? Paul instructs us we should be!

There is an illustration I had read somewhere, where everyone was asked to bundle up their problems and throw it in a basket; and later each person was asked to take one bundle from the basket; interestingly most of them walked away with their original bundle. What this tells us is that what one might frown as "problem" is nothing compared to what someone else is going through.

Once I fell down in an airport elevator trying to handle two toddlers by myself. Got some scratches on my foot and felt terrible about the situation. What my little daughter - hardly four at that time - told me, made me to think. She said, "It's okay Mommy! It could have been worse!"

How true! Since then I have learnt to take things in the lighter sense which has helped me remain grateful in most circumstances - if not all, which I am striving for.

For a change let us learn to look at our problems from a different angle today, from an outsider's perspective; see if it is not something to be grateful for after all?!

Let me remind you once again: Give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. Amen!

* 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!

The Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together and I will give them water.” Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well! Sing about it, about the well that the princes dug, that the nobles of the people sank - the nobles with scepters and staffs.” Numbers 21:16-18

Interestingly this scripture from the Old Testament has a striking resemblance to the New Testament where Jesus offers Living Water to the thirsty (John 4:13)! Also John reminds us: "Whoever believes in Him, streams of living water will flow from within him." (John 7:38)

The Lord talks through Prophet Jeremiah, "My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13

The question today is, is this our story? Have we forsaken our Spring of Living Water? Have we dug our own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water?

In other words, have we forsaken Him and served other "gods" that never satisfy us such as - our forms of entertainment, ways of recreation, kinds of socializing, you name it - anything and everything that is our top priority in terms of our time, finances and energy? Hope not!

OR can we gladly say, "With joy I will draw water from the wells of salvation" (Isaiah 12:3) Then we can sing like the Israelites sang: “Spring up, O well!"

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!

You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your sons will be like olive shoots around your table. Thus is the man blessed who fears the Lord. Psalm 128:2-4

In Genesis 3:16-19, we read of a somewhat contrasting scenario:

To the woman he said, “I will greatly increase your pains in childbearing; with pain you will give birth to children. Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you.”

To Adam he said, “Because you listened to your wife and ate from the tree about which I commanded you, ‘You must not eat of it,’ “Cursed is the ground because of you; through painful toil you will eat of it all the days of your life...”

I find it amazing how even the curse God gave man, was in fact a blessing in disguise. I am sure you will agree with me that having a job, being profitable by the toil of our hands, having children are all in fact blessings; no denying that!

Let us pause a moment this morning to acknowledge and appreciate the blessings He has showered on us. Let our hearts earn to Him with sincere gratitude.

God bless you! Have a blessed Thursday!

Trouble and anguish have taken hold on me; Yet thy commandments are my delight. Psalm 119:143

With all that pressure at work, home & church it is difficult not to feel stressed or anguished.

As we read in the scripture here, King David did too from time to time. In a different translation we read, As pressure and stress bear down on me, I find joy in your commands.

Clearly he had found the perfect stress reliever too - the commandments of the Lord!

In the same chapter verse 24 he says, "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."

Are we heading to the word of God for counseling? Can we say that we take joy in the commandments of the Lord?

I can honestly say that I have been reassured many times through the scriptures that God was in control of whatever stressful situation I was in at that time, bringing me complete peace and a good nights rest.

So, next time you feel stressed out, you know what to do - Take joy in His commandments!

"How long will you waver between two opinions? If the LORD is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him." 1 Kings 18:21

We are not getting into details on the context of today's text. However, if you wish to understand the context, please click here to read the full chapter.

How many of us can relate to wavering between two opinions? What causes us to waver? When a promise is delayed we waver; when our faith is tested we waver; out of fear of someone or something we waver, to avoid conflicts we waver... To sum it all up, in plain and simple words, we waver between hope and fear.

We do want to believe in God's promises (hope) but at the same time we want to consider the 'what if it is not true' scenario (fear or doubt). The Scripture says: A double minded man is unstable in all his ways. James 1:8

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

Knowing these Scriptures will help us to improve in our faith and reduce our doubts. Any doubt about that? :)

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. Psalm 84:6

As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs... Who are they?

In the earlier verses (Psalms 84:4-5) we read in detail about them:

* They are blessed
* They dwell in the house of the Lord
* They are ever praising the Lord
* Their strength is in the Lord
* They have set their hearts on pilgrimage in other words, they have decided to follow the Lord.

So, for the promise above to be true in our lives we need to become them.

Then,

As we pass through the Valley of Baca, we will make it a place of springs... 

Shall we say amen?

2 Chronicles 6:40 "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

Today's Scripture is an extract from the Prayer of Solomon offered at the dedication of the temple. Please read the entire chapter if you have some time today.

It is great to be in the company of prayer warriors so that we learn how to pray. Prayer connects us one-on-one with our maker! When we pray God listens. When we praise He accepts it. When we call He answers. When we ask He gives. When we knock He opens. When we cry He comforts. Amen.

As believers, we are called to pray not only for our needs but for one another also. Even here at Coffee with Jesus, we have an opportunity to share our prayer requests and pray for one another. Please make it your regular practice to check out the prayer requests and pray for the shared needs. Please encourage one another through comments and testimonies.

Today's Scripture is my sincere prayer for this blog. Please join me in unison and let us pray the same together: "Now, my God, may your eyes be open and your ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place."

Amen!

Set a guard over my mouth, LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips. Psalm 141:3

Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from telling lies. Psalm 34:13

I said, "I will watch my ways and keep my tongue from sin; I will put a muzzle on my mouth while in the presence of the wicked." Psalm 39:1

Those who guard their lips preserve their lives, but those who speak rashly will come to ruin. Proverbs 13:3

Those who guard their mouths and their tongues keep themselves from calamity. Psalm 21:23

Dear friend, I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go  well with you, even as your soul is getting along well. 3 John 1:2

I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have a full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ. Philemon 1:6

I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being. Ephesians 3:16

I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.  Ephesians 3:17-19

And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight, so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ, filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ—to the glory and praise of God. Philippians 1:9-11

I  pray also that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. Ephesians 1:18-19

I (Jesus) pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one--as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. John 17:21

I  keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1:17

I  pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13

I pray that the Lord may fulfil his word. 1 Samuel 1:23

Amen!

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

I am astonished by the connection King David had with the Lord. He was constantly praying, constantly worshipping, constantly praising, constantly learning, constantly improving, constantly repenting, constantly singing the name of the Lord! Our Lord! There are endless Scriptures pointing us to that, let's look at a few of them today.

Here in Psalm 143, he prays, "Teach me to do your will". In Psalm 25:4 he sings, "Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths". Again in Psalm 119:12 he says, "teach me your decrees". In Psalm 139:24 he asks, "See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting". He cannot just say something if he did not mean it and applied it in his life everyday.

The question to us is: Is this our prayer also?

“Two things I ask of you, Lord; do not refuse me before I die: Remove far from me vanity and lies: give me neither poverty nor riches; feed me with food convenient for me: Lest I be full, and deny you, and say, Who is the LORD? or lest I be poor, and steal, and take the name of my God in vain. Proverbs 3:7-9

Agur (the author of  Proverbs 3rd chapter) wisely prayed for a middle state, that he might be kept at a  distance from temptations. He asked daily bread suited to his station, his family, and his real good. There is a remarkable similarity between this prayer and several clauses of the Lord's prayer such as 'Give us this day our daily bread, lead us not into temptations' etc.

If we are removed from vanity and lies; if we are interested in the pardoning love of Christ, and have him for our portion; if we walk with God, then we shall have all we can ask or think, as to spiritual things.

When we consider how those who have abundance are prone to abuse the gift, and what it is to suffer want, Agur's prayer will ever be found a wise one, though seldom offered.

Food convenient; what is so for one, may not be so for another; but we may be sure that our heavenly Father will supply all our need, and not suffer us to want anything good for us; and why should we wish for more? (Excerpt from Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary) 

Why not make it our prayer too this morning?

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. Psalm 19:14

After singing about many aspects of his walk with the Lord such as the law of the Lord, the precepts of the Lord, the fear of the Lord etc., King David ends his song with a little prayer, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight..."

Following is an extract from Barnes Notes on the Bible commentary which helps us understand it better:

Let the words of my mouth - The words that I speak; all the words that I speak. And the meditation of my heart - The thoughts of my heart. Be acceptable in thy sight - Be such as thou wilt approve; or, be such as will be pleasing to thee; such as will give thee delight or satisfaction; such as will be agreeable to thee. This supposes:

(a) that God has such control over our thoughts and words, that he can cause us to order them aright; 
(b) that it is proper to pray to him to exert such an influence on our minds that our words and thoughts may be right and pure; 
(c) that it is one of the sincere desires and wishes of true piety that the thoughts and words may be acceptable or pleasing to God.

Though a simple prayer, it has such deep meaning in it. It would be a great idea to add it to our prayers everyday too; what do you say?

Today's reading: Proverbs 5 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "For a man’s ways are in full view of the Lord, and he examines all his paths. " 5:21

If you have not already done so, please click on the link above or turn your Bibles to Proverbs 5 and read it completely, slowly, taking in all the beautiful instructions very clearly written - not sugar coated - not grey - but clearly tells us what is right and what is wrong.

There is nothing hidden from the Lord. Even our deepest thoughts, our fondest desire, our sincere prayer are all in FULL view of the Lord. Sure, why not?! It is all good.

But how about the Lord knowing all about our secret sins, dirty thoughts, perverse heart, gossiping tongue, envy, pride, etc. ? Definitely not something we would like to bring to God's view. But guess what?

Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account. Hebrews 4:13

Indeed we are uncovered and laid bare before the Lord. Would it be a pretty sight or are there things we need to take care of first?

Let us make a commitment today and pray as King David did below:

* See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139:24
* How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. Psalm 19:12 (NLT)

Amen!

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

Yesterday we looked at the generous open invitation from our Lord to take our burdens to Him and get the rest He offers in return. Today let's focus on the "how to"

The answer can be found in the verse above. Here are the main points to remember:

1. Do not be anxious about anything - stop worrying first as worry doesn't help a bit.
2. In everything - not just a little here and there; in everything
3. By prayer and petition - no need to explain this I believe
4. With thanksgiving - of course remembering the past deliverance
5. Present your requests - submit your requests
6. To God - no one else but God.

What happens next is amazing: The peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:7

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

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

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

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

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

Tomorrow we will learn about "How to take our burdens to Him?" Please stay tuned...

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?!

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

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

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

I would like to quote from Barnes notes on the Bible:

The disciples had been greatly distressed at what Jesus had said about leaving them. Perhaps they had indicated their distress to him in some manner by their countenance or their expressions, and he proceeds new to administer to them such consolations as their circumstances made proper.

The discourse in this chapter was delivered, doubtless, while they were sitting at the table partaking of the Lord's Supper;  were while they were on their way to the Mount of Olives.

There is nowhere to be found a discourse so beautiful, so tender, so full of weighty thoughts, and so adapted to produce comfort, as that which occurs in these chapters of John.

It is the consolatory part of our religion, where Christ brings to bear on the mind full of anxiety, and perplexity, and care, the tender and inimitably beautiful truths of his gospel - truths fitted to allay every fear, silence every complaint, and give every needed consolation to the soul.

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

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

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

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

Then why are we troubled often?  What bothers you?

Let us take comfort in His love and accept the peace He offers.  Now.

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

First of all, what is refuge?

Looking it up in the dictionary we get the definition: "a condition of being safe or sheltered from pursuit, danger, or trouble."

So taking refuge in the Lord means finding safety or shelter from pursuit, danger, or trouble in the Lord. Meaning, anytime we are afraid, troubled, pursued we will run to His presence.

King David could relate to being in danger, he was being pursued; he was troubled all the time. Yet he sings constantly, 

* "But the LORD has become my fortress, and my God the rock in whom I take refuge." Psalm 94:22

* The LORD is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble. Psalm 9:9

*  The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. Psalm 18:2

* I will say of the LORD, "He is my refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust." Psalm 91:2

* I have become a sign to many; you are my strong refuge. Psalm 71:7

Just the fact that he keeps on repeating the same idea proves that he was very much in the habit of doing it - taking refuge in the Lord.

How do we fare? When the enemy strikes, how do we react? Do we at least know these Scriptures to give us comfort? Do we fight it ourselves or run to God who is our refuge? 

May the LORD repay you for what you have done. May you be richly rewarded by the LORD, the God of Israel, under whose wings you have come to take refuge." Ruth 2:12

The LORD is near to all them that call on him, to all that call on him in truth. Psalm 145:18

The LORD is far from the wicked, but he hears the prayer of the righteous. Proverbs 15:29

The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Psalm 34:18

What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? Deuteronomy 4:7

The Lord is near to those who call on Him, those that call on Him in truth. Which makes us believe there are people who call on him not in truth. We see it all around us. Sadly for many, the name of the Lord, Jesus Christ, has become a curse word, they use the name of the Lord in vain.

Let us be careful not to use the Lord's name in vain. Let us regard Him when we call upon His name. Then we will know He is near. He will hear our cry when we call Him in truth, that is when we mean it!

Keep calling the name of the Lord in truth, to keep Him near - how about that?! 

Seek the LORD while he may be found; call on him while he is near.  Isaiah 55:6

Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. James 4:8 

Be blessed everyone. Enjoy the Wednesday. 

The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom. Like the crocus, it will burst into bloom; it will rejoice greatly and shout for joy. Isaiah 35:1-2

Praise God for this beautiful verse this morning! May it be Yeah and Amen to those who believe. Your wilderness and my wilderness will rejoice and blossom. It will burst into bloom! Hallelujah!

Since this is a very beautiful passage, I decided to post the rest of the chapter too as part of today's Coffee with Jesus. Slowly read the verses; let it sink in! The passage header says in NIV: Joy of the Redeemed. Since we are the redeemed in fact it is talking about us!

The glory of Lebanon will be given to it,

the splendor of Carmel and Sharon;

they will see the glory of the Lord,

the splendor of our God.

Strengthen the feeble hands,

steady the knees that give way;

say to those with fearful hearts,

“Be strong, do not fear;

your God will come,

he will come with vengeance;

with divine retribution

he will come to save you.”

Then will the eyes of the blind be opened

and the ears of the deaf unstopped.

Then will the lame leap like a deer,

and the mute tongue shout for joy.

Water will gush forth in the wilderness

and streams in the desert.

The burning sand will become a pool,

the thirsty ground bubbling springs.

In the haunts where jackals once lay,

grass and reeds and papyrus will grow.

And a highway will be there;

it will be called the Way of Holiness.

The unclean will not journey on it;

it will be for those who walk in that Way;

wicked fools will not go about on it.

No lion will be there,

nor will any ferocious beast get up on it;

they will not be found there.

But only the redeemed will walk there,

and the ransomed of the Lord will return.

They will enter Zion with singing;

everlasting joy will crown their heads.

Gladness and joy will overtake them,

and sorrow and sighing will flee away.

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

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

What powerful promises this morning! Praise the Lord!

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

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

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

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

Can you say amen?

If you love me, keep my commands. John 14:15

In fact, this is love for God: to keep his commands. And his commands are not burdensome.I John 5:3

For my yoke is easy and my burden is light. Matthew 11:30

Praise the Lord! Happy Sunday! As we wrap up the week we are also wrapping up our series on Grace & Peace.  

The 4th key to finding His grace and availing His peace is to obey His commands. Scriptures are full of His commands. Anywhere you turn, for whatever circumstances you are presently in, the Scripture has the answers. When we obey the commands of God He will shower His countless blessings on us, which very much includes the promised grace and peace that we are after.

In Leviticus 3rd chapter verses 3-13, God has promised us the benefits of following His commands, which I wish to share with you. Take your time to read  it and re read it, till the contents sink in.

‘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 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.

Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. John 12:26

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand. John 10:27-28

Whoever does not take up their cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Matthew 10:38


Grace & Peace series continues... The 3rd key to finding grace and availing the peace He offers is to follow His lead.

What does it mean to 'follow' someone? Dictionary.com defines it as:

In the morning, LORD, you hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before you and wait expectantly. Psalm 5:3

They that wait upon 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

The 2nd key to finding grace & peace is to take the time.

Taking the time or waiting on the Lord does not come naturally to us.  We would rather take matters into our own hands than "sit around", we reason. From Abraham to Moses to Peter to even us, all have history of impatience and we have seen the consequences of that.

Waiting on the Lord means getting the confirmation on God's will, to surrender the matter at hand at His feet and wait for His leading. Taking the time to read and meditate the Word of God will enable us to hear when the Lord speaks. Our hearts will be in synch with the will of God. Naturally this will result in us finding the grace and peace that has been given to us.

Shall we set aside some time each day to wait on the Lord? Morning or evening or at noon, that is up to you. But take the time!

I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits, and in his word I put my hope. Psalm 130:5

My soul waits in silence for God only; From Him is my salvation. Psalm 62:1

Surely I have composed and quieted my soul; Like a weaned child rests against his mother, My soul is like a weaned child within me. Psalm 131:2

Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Psalm 62:5

Be still, and know that I am God.Psalm 46:10

Yesterday we started a new series Grace & Peace.Today we will see what is the #1 key to finding the grace and availing the peace God has intended for us, which is to Quiet your soul.

God did not design us human beings to run 24 X 7. We were made to rest systematically. Only to insist that God Himself rested on the 7th day of creation and set aside the Sabbath for us to rest. If it were not so important,it wouldn't have found it's place among the ten commandments.

So, when was the last time you rested completely - quieting your soul? Were all the distractions we were after, worth it? The non-stop text messages, the social networking way into wee hours, were it really truly worth anything? From my own experience I can tell all these distractions are far from quieting us. No wonder we feel edgy and cranky most of the time.

When we quiet our soul like how God had planned for us, we are renewed and refreshed - all body, mind and soul. Only when we quiet our soul, we can hear God speak, thus know the will of God in our lives, which leads to the complete peace - His peace - that has been made available for us.

My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. John 14:27

Today's Scriptures clearly explain there are two things God has already given to us. Grace & Peace. He has given; means it is served. But have we availed it?

If you ever feel pressured or in turmoil - without peace, clearly you haven't availed it. If you are calm and composed in all situation surely you have received it.

Grace is composed of His love, His mercies, His kindness, His justice. (Your servant has found favor in your eyes, and you have shown great kindness to me in sparing my life.Genesis 19:19)

In Peace we find the rest He promised. (Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.Matthew 11:28; My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest. Exodus 33:14)

Even the lamenting Prophet Jeremiah writes: The LORD'S loving kindnesses indeed never cease, For His compassions never fail. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. "The LORD is my portion," says my soul, "Therefore I have hope in Him."… Lamentations 3:23-24

I encourage you all to avail His grace and to find His rest this morning. We will discuss the howto's in more detail in the coming days...

Grace and peace be yours in abundance through the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. 2 Peter:1:2

What I have said, that will I bring about; what I have planned, that will I do. Isaiah 46:11

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill? Numbers 23:19

The LORD Almighty has sworn, "Surely, as I have planned, so it will be, and as I have purposed, so it will stand. Isaiah 14:24

God bless each one of you gathering here day after day to dine with the Lord Jesus. Coffee with Jesus has been a wonderful experience for me and I praise God for the many promises He has given us all through the years.

For some of us we are still waiting for some of the promises to come true. May I encourage you in the Lord according to the Scriptures shared today, the Lord will bring about what He has planned. Never doubt His promises.

Hold fast to your faith. In the end it will all be worth it. God bless you all.

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

What remarkable promises for us today - the first day of the year!

Amen! Our God's right hand is majestic in power today; it will shatter our enemy!

Our Lord's right hand is lifted high; it will do mighty things!

Whatever "enemies" you face this year or whatever "mighty things" are ahead of you, the Lord's right hand will deliver you! Praise the Lord!

Happy 2018!