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?

* You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the LORD will give you, O Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the LORD will be with you. 2 Chronicles 20:17

* The LORD your God, who is going before you, will fight for you, as he did for you in Egypt, before your very eyes Deuteronomy 1:30

* The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still Exodus 14:14

* You yourselves have seen everything the LORD your God has done to all these nations for your sake; it was the LORD your God who fought for you. Joshua 23:3

There are plenty of Scripture verses stressing the same point repeatedly that our Lord will fight our fights; so it has to be true!

Whatever be our circumstances, whatever be our battle, we can trust that our Lord will fight it for us. Let us by heart these verses and repeat it in our prayers, claiming victory over our battles.

Now, stop fighting it all yourselves. Have a blessed week!

Do not be over wicked, and do not be a fool--why die before your time? Ecclesiastes 7:17

Agree, this doesn't quite fit in for the morning devotion. However I am urged in the Holy Spirit to share this. Seems to me there is someone among us who is often having suicidal thoughts. This is a direct message from the Holy Spirit for that person.

Whatever is your burden it cannot justify your "solution".

God has the solution for all your problems. He invites you with open arms: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest." (Matthew 11:28)

You need to do just that! Take all your burden, all your tears, all your frustrations, all your failures, all your disappointments, the heaving heart, the broken spirit, the hurting body, everything, all - bundle them up, drag it to the cross and toss it there! Now do not carry them back.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ died on the cross for it all. He died so that you can live. He gives you rest. He grants you peace. He fills you with joy! He loves you unconditionally. You are set FREE! The price has been paid for.

What more do you need? Why die before your time?

Rebuke the wicked thoughts in Jesus's name. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.(James 4:7)

Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him. James 1:12

Don't ever miss the crown over few trials. Your reward in heaven is greater. Amen!

Jesus says, as recorded in the Gospel of John:

"I am the door; if anyone enters through Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. "The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep. John 10:9-11

Wishing everyone joined at this coffee table, this life in full that God has given us. Remain happy in the Lord!

Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:13 

In the book of Joel we read of many end time prophesies and here in Chapter 2 a detailed description of an army of locusts. If you have some time today I encourage you to read the full chapter to get a glimpse of the impending danger by an invasion of locusts. It is dreadful to realize that such destruction could be caused by swarms of locusts. It is absolutely horrifying even to read.

The chapter does not end with just the warning; but goes on to explain how we can escape the ordeal. This clearly shows the love of the Lord to protect us from these calamities. In verses 12-13 we read:

“Even now,” declares the Lord,

“return to me with all your heart,

with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart

and not your garments.
Return to the Lord your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,
and he relents from sending calamity. Joel 2:12-13

You may ask, what does rending our hearts or repenting have to do with escaping the army of locusts. The answer is in verse 32: And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Joel 2:32 Amen!

If we are intune with the Lord, we will be caught up in the sky when Christ returns to gather His Church before such calamities strike the earth. Praise the Lord!

We have been warned. Let us heed to it. It is time to return to the Lord with all our heart! Yes, today!

Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it—he will be blessed in what he does. James 1:22-25

The past few days we discussed about the enemies of the heart. Now what? That is the question.

As today's Scripture says we should not merely listen to the Word of God which will be decieving ourselves. Let us follow what we have learned. Then we will be blessed in what we do.

So, here's a reiteration of what we learned over the days.

* Let us cure our guilt by confession
* Let us get rid of our anger by forgiveness
* Let us overcome our greed by generosity
* Let us be free of our jealousy by celebration

Hope you enjoyed the series as much as I did. Love you all in Christ Jesus our Lord! God bless.Have a blessed weekend!

Note: This study is an excerpt from my Sunday School notes which was based on Andy Stanley's  book Enemies of the Heart. 

Jealousy is an emotion and typically refers to the negative thoughts and feelings of insecurity, fear, and anxiety over an anticipated loss of something that the person values, particularly in reference to a human connection. Jealousy often consists of a combination of presenting emotions such as anger, resentment, inadequacy, helplessness and disgust. It is not to be confused with envy. [Wikipedia]

The attitude behind jealousy: God owes me!

We read in the Scriptures that God is jealous (Exodus 34:14); but His is the right kind. In Deuteronomy 32:21 we read, they made me jealous by what is not god and angered me with their worthless idols.

There is a difference between ambition, determination, motivation and being jealous.

Cure for jealousy: Celebration. Acknowledging what we have is much more than what we deserve.

What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? You want something but don’t get it. You kill and covet, but you cannot have what you want. You quarrel and fight. You do not have, because you do not ask God. When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. James 4:1-3

Let us celebrate what we have! Let us praise His Holy name with a grateful heart. Let us keep jealousy far from us. Are we not blessed much more than we deserve?!

Have a blessed Thursday! God bless you!

Guilt is defined as feelings of culpability especially for imagined offenses or from a sense of inadequacy : morbid self-reproach often manifest in marked preoccupation with the moral correctness of one's behavior.

Attitude behind guilt: I owe you.

Guilt can be a killer when we are really at fault. It is a result of our unconfessed sin.

Cure for guilt: Confession

We need to confess our sins to God obvisousely but we also need to confess it to one another - whoever we offended.

King David writes:  I decided to confess them to you, O LORD. ... I said, I will confess my transgressions to Yahweh, and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Psalm 32:5

James writes: Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. James 5:16

Confession will set you free!

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave to sin. Now a slave has no permanent place in the family, but a son belongs to it forever. So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. John 8:34-36

Amen!  Instead of carrying the burden of our guilt, let us confess it to the ones we offended and also to God and accept the deliverance only He can give. Whom the Son sets free is free indeed!

Whoever loves money never has money enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with his income. This too is meaningless. Ecclesiastes 5:10

“What comes out of a man is what makes him ‘unclean.’ For from within, out of men’s hearts, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, greed, malice, deceit, lewdness, envy, slander, arrogance and folly. All these evils come from inside and make a man ‘unclean.’” Mark 7:20-23

Greed is an excessive desire to acquire or possess more than what one needs or deserves, especially with respect to material wealth.

Attitude of the greedy is - I owe me!

A greedy person can become dishonest, deceitful because he/she is always looking out for more.

Luke 12 talks about a rich fool. He was called a fool because he failed to realize where his increase came from. He had forgotten who blessed him with the harvest in the first place. He claimed it all as his.

Greed is not a financial issue; it is a heart issue. Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34

Cure for greed - Generosity. Acknowledging that God has blessed us and what we have belongs to Him and being willing to share our blessings with others less fortunate.

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

King David prayed, Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. Psalm 119:36.

Can we make this our prayer too?

Psalm 86:15 - But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.

Ephesians 4:26-27 “In your anger do not sin”: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.

Man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. James 1:20

Next few days we will discuss certain enemies of the heart, a series which we have discussed couple of years ago. The first enemy of the heart we will focus on is anger.

Anger is an emotion related to one's psychological interpretation of having been offended, wronged or denied and a tendency to undo that by retaliation.

Attitude behind anger - You owe me!

God's anger is different from man's anger. God's anger is moral, holy and is about the righteousness of God. Man's anger is selfish, immoral and sinful - someone will have to pay.

Issues of anger - ill health, depression, paranoid, suspicious of others, judgemental, messes up our relationship with people and ultimately God Almighty.

Cure for anger: Forgiveness

Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. Colossians 3:5-8

No one owes us anything - not even an apology. We owe it to ourselves to be anger-free. That's what the Scripture tells us. If we are calling ourselves children of God, believers, would you carry an offense rest of your life, or would you rather forgive it and go anger free?

Let us choose what the Scripture tells us - Forgive! Shall we?

Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD. Jeremiah:31:20

Who is this Ephraim? Ephraim is Joseph's second son. Ephraim and his brother Manasseh were born to Joseph in Egypt before his father Jacob and his brothers came to him during the draught.

When Jacob sees Ephraim and Manasseh, he adopts them both as his own. (Gen 48:5) however Ephraim is set apart and seems like Jacob has a soft corner for him. Probably he recalls his younger days of being a second son to his own father and sees himself in Ephraim.

Very important point is that Ephraim became a blessing or greeting in Israel. People would bless their children, "God make thee as Ephraim and as Manasseh".

Later in Joshua we read, when Ephraim got his inheritance they (the tribe) did not drive out the Canaanites that dwelt among them (Judges 1:29)

Interestingly in Jeremiah 31:9, we read the Lord saying, "Ephraim is my firstborn"! In fact he was the second son to his father Joseph and the youngest if counted as a "son" of Jacob, yet he was as special as a first born in God's eyes.

You might be excited to know - as I am - that Joshua is a descendant of Ephraim! Plenty of other references can be found on Ephraim.

Why did God speak against Ephraim? I understand his main sin was not chasing away the Canaanites from his inherited land. I am sure he endured issues due to that.

Does it sound familiar? We too hold on to some "Canaanites" in our lives. Let us not take God's compassion on us for granted. It is true we are very dear to Him, but there are times as we continue to rebel, God's anger is directed towards us, but when we repent, almost immediately His mercy is revealed...

So, to sum it all up, we are God's delight; His dear sons & daughters! Amen!

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! God's delight! Remain in His love.

As the ark of the LORD was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the LORD, she despised him in her heart. 

When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.   2 Samuel 6:16

A familiar portion from the Scriptures. For those who are not sure, here's the cotext: King David was bringing the ark of the Lord into the city of David and he is so full of joy and merriment that he danced on the street, in front of the cart that was carrying the ark of the Lord. Seeing this from the palace window, his wife who was Saul's daughter despised him.

Not sure whether King David counted it against her or not, but looks like God did not approve of that as in the verses that follow we read, "And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death." 2 Samuel 6:23

How often do we despise our spouses - first in our hearts - and then by our words - and next by our actions?! First in private, then in public. First alone, then in front of others. I am guilty of this very action myself from time to time. May be we give it a different name such as, 'sharing our heart out', 'letting it all out', etc. but the Scripture calls it despising - without any sugar coating. Let us be aware that this is the reason for our lack of blessings.

You may ask, what then we ought to do when differences of opinion arise. The answer is to take it to God in prayer.He will give us a peace of mind and bring about a solution in the situation - not necessarily our way, but His way! Isn't that the best anyway?!

Let us sincerely respect our spouses. Let us use our words carefully while discussing with them about things we don't agree with. Every thought or word or action we do by despising our spouse is recorded against us - true for both guys and girls. I know it doesn't come naturally. The natural tendency is to act out, but the godly nature is to overcome this natural sin. This is something we need to consciously work on.With God's help we shall overcome.

Have a blessed Friday folks! God bless you all!

Do not revile the king even in your thoughts, or curse the rich in your bedroom, because a bird in the sky may carry your words, and a bird on the wing may report what you say. Ecclesiastes 10:20

What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs. Luke 12:13

It is not uncommon to come across people who are opinionated. They are full of complaints about everyone around them, from the President of the country to the local weather man, and disguise it under a broad umbrella called, "Freedom of speech".

May it be far from us believers - the children of God - to be like one of them. Let us be careful about our words about everyone around us. The more we abuse it the more insensitive we become to the effect of our words.

The Bible tells us that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Luke 6:45). Which means that if our heart is full of love, grace, joy, wisdom, peace, contentment, fear of the Lord, etc. our mouth will reflect that. It will not complain much. It will build not destroy. It will heal not hurt. It will draw closer not chase far off.

Apostle James has dedicated almost an entire chapter to the topic of taming the tongue.

In James chapter 3 verses 5-6 we read, "...the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell."

Every child of God must master the art of taming the tongue. This is one area we can clearly differ from the ungodly.

Our Lord Jesus Christ was a perfect example of One who had mastered it all! We read in Isaiah 53:7, "He was oppressed and afflicted, yet he did not open his mouth; he was led like a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before its shearers is silent, so he did not open his mouth."

 Let us make this our desire too. Let us make this our regular prayer: "May the words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer." Psalm 19:14

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

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

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? :)

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 Tuesday!

Today's reading: Proverbs 17 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "Even a fool is thought wise if he keeps silent, and discerning if he holds his tongue"  17:28

If this is true, then interestingly the opposite is true as well:

"Even a wise is thought foolish if he does not keep silent, and not discerning if he does not hold his tongue"  

It is so difficult to keep silent when it comes to defending ourselves- right? Wrong! That's what I have figured out lately. These days I practice silence when I actually need to defend myself and it works wonders!

When someone doesn't talk much it is difficult to find out what really goes on in their mind and they have time to contemplate their thoughts and rephrase it if needed. How nice?! On the other hand if we are quick to say something it is hard to undo the damage.

I am so glad to find such practical wisdom stressed in the Scriptures. Let us pray for a discerning tongue. Definitely this is one area I am trying to improve.

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 chapter 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 here is one of my favorite which I use in my prayers all the time.

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.

Indeed 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 thing.

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

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

We all love to receive gifts - don't we? Thankfully we have a generous Father who heaps us with abundance of gifts. Doesn't mean we will love all the gifts received. There may be times when things seem not up to our likes.

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

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

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

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

Seek the LORD and His strength; Seek His face continually. Psalm 105:4

I sought the LORD, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalm 34:4

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

If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you. 2 Chronicles 15:2

You, LORD, have never forsaken those who seek you. Psalm 9:10

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!" Your face, LORD, I will seek. Psalm 27:8 

Seek Him continually! That is the message for us this morning! Above Scriptures clearly explain the benefits of seeking His face.

What does it mean to seek someone/something?

* To try to locate or discover; search for
* To endeavor to obtain or reach
* To go to or toward
* To inquire for; request
* To try; endeavor.
* To make a search or investigation.

Seek God. Then you will find Him. Seek Him continually. Till you find Him! Amen!

Happy Friday!

* It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in man. Psalm 118:8
* Do not put your trust in princes, in mortal men, who cannot save. Psalm 146:3
* Stop trusting in man, who has but a breath in his nostrils. Isaiah 2:22
* Look now, you are depending on Egypt, that splintered reed of a staff, which pierces a man's hand and wounds him if he leans on it! Isaiah 36:6
* Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be afraid and put to shame.Isaiah 20:5
* This is what the LORD says: "Cursed is the one who trusts in man, who depends on flesh for his strength and whose heart turns away from the LORD. Jeremiah 17:5

I am sure you noticed how the verses got stronger and stronger as we read through the list above. It starts as a suggestion, became a command and ends in a warning.

This is a good reason to analyze our selves if we trust in any men. How about our bosses? Husbands? Neighbors? Parents? Or even your own hands? Are we clinging on to mere men or our ability as our "source" forgetting that the ultimate Source is the Lord God Almighty?

Today's take away is from Isaiah 26:4 which once again re insists the importance of trusting in the Lord: Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal. Shall we?

Today's reading: Proverbs 22 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "He who loves a pure heart and whose speech is gracious will have the king for his friend." 22:11

We see of different people in the Bible who were friends with God. King David was a friend of God, Abraham was a friend of God, Job was a friend of God, Adam was a friend of God, Moses was a friend of God, also little Samuel was a friend of God.

Jesus is our King. He is indeed the King of kings. What does it take to be friends with Him? Today's verse has the answer - simple and straight forward.

1. He who loves a pure heart AND
2. He whose speech is gracious  - will be friends with the King!

In Matthew 5:8 we read, "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

Proverbs 16:13 says, "Kings take pleasure in honest lips; they value a man who speaks the truth" - which only reassures the fact that a man/woman who loves pure heart and whose speech is gracious will be a friend of the King.

It is my desire to be a friend of God. I will work to consciously keep my heart pure and my speech gracious. Please do the same if you too wish to be friends with our King!

Happy Wednesday!

Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong 1 Kings 3:9

A very interesting conversation goes on between God and King Solomon in the book of I Kings 3rd chapter. Agreed, it was a dream but we all know the dream very much came true.

God tells King Solomon to ask for anything he wants and very clearly, of course very cleverly, King Solomon asks for a discerning heart to govern and to distinguish between right and wrong. What was God's response to that? God gave him what he had asked for plus everything else he didn't dare asking for. Isn't that amazing!

If God is to appear in our dreams tonight, what will be our plea? What do we consider as the most important thing we need?

Are we seeking for a discerning heart to distinguish between right and wrong? Wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord. If we have the fear of the Lord in our heart, we already have a 'seed of wisdom' in us. We only need to ask for more to cultivate that 'seed'.

Is asking for wisdom part of our daily prayer? 

Today's reading: Proverbs 16 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the Lord" 15:16

Here's a verse which reminds us that God indeed is in control of all things. I remember yet another verse anytime I come across this one: "The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but victory rests with the LORD." Proverbs 21:31

Doesn't mean we shouldn't train the horse for the day of battle or that we shouldn't be prepared to meet the worst. What it really means is that when we are finally granted victory, it is not because of the strength of the horse or our merits. The victory is from the Lord. It is because He fights our fight! Amen!

We need not fear about our circumstances at work or in the government or the world around; as ultimately what God allows for us will only happen, not what man intends.

I encourage you all to hold dear to these verses as you practice dependency on God every single day.

Happy Monday!

For the Day: 

* 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 mostly neglect. When Israelites were fed by Manna in the desert, every morning they had to gather as much as they needed. When 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 before the sun rises 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 as breakfast for a healthy start.

Trust me, it is such a refreshing experience sitting at His feet first thing in the morning. His presence will overwhelm your thoughts and your heart will be filled up to the rim and overflowing with His love and mercies.

Is there any better way to start our day?

For the Night:

* On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night. Psalm 63:6
* But his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:2
* I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. Psalm 16:7
* In the night I remember your name, O LORD, and I will keep your law. Psalm 119:55
* My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises. Psalm 119:148

King David has set us a great example as a prayer warrior. He was constantly connected with God, day in and day out.

Prophet Isaiah too insists on praying in the night; he writes: My soul yearns for you in the night Isaiah 26:9

Prophet Jeremiah reminds us in Lamentations 2:19, Arise, cry out in the night, as the watches of the night begin; pour out your heart like water in the presence of the Lord.

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ also prayed at night. In Luke 6:12 we read, One of those days Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God.

We may reason we do not have time to pray; but it is high time we make time to pray. If we don't pray for our children who else would?  If kings and prophets and our Lord Himself chose to pray, what makes us think we can survive without it?

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

Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Psalm 37:4

Who doesn't wish for the desires of their heart to be granted! We all wish our desires or dreams would come true, don't we? Well, the Bible assures us of a sure fire way of getting our wishes granted; which is to delight ourselves in the Lord!

Let us discuss How to delight in the Lord? To delight in the Lord means to delight in the things of the Lord. We will look at Scripture examples of things that we can delight in that are of the Lord.:

* If you keep your feet from breaking the Sabbath and from doing as you please on my holy day, if you call the Sabbath a delight and the Lord’s holy day honorable, and if you honor it by not going your own way and not doing as you please or speaking idle words, then you will find your joy in the Lord, and I will cause you to ride on the heights of the land and to feast on the inheritance of your father Jacob.” The mouth of the Lord has spoken. Isaiah 58:13-14

* I long for your salvation, O LORD, and your law is my delight. Psalm 119:174

* Blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked or stand in the way of sinners
or sit in the seat of mockers. But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night. Psalm 1:1-2

* He will delight in the fear of the Lord. Isaiah 11:3

* Blessed is the man who fears the LORD, who finds great delight in his commands.Psalm 112:1

* I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness... Isaiah 61:10

* My soul will rejoice in the LORD and delight in his salvation. Psalm 35:9

Enough said I believe. The Scripture clearly tells us how all we can delight in the Lord. When we do as it says, all the desires of our heart will be granted!

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

Why not give it a try?!

Blessed is the man who does not sit in the seat of mockers. Psalm 1:1

Different translations use different words for mockers such as, scoffers, scornful, pestilence, scorners, etc. We have an idea who a mocker is however, it doesn't hurt to start with the dictionary; does it?

Who is a mocker?

Webster's online dictionary defines a mocker as, a person who causes repeated emotional pain, distress, or annoyance to another.

Another gives this detailed explanation for the term 'mock':

* To treat with ridicule or contempt; deride.

* Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked. Psalm 1:1
* The counsel of the wicked is far from me. Job 21:16
* Hide me from the secret counsel of the wicked. Psalm 64:2
* A city is exalted by the blessing provided from the upright, but it is destroyed by the counsel of the wicked. Proverbs 11:11
* One who acts wickedly pays attention to evil counsel; a liar listens to a malicious tongue. Proverbs 17:4
* For the LORD detests the perverse but takes the upright into his confidence. Proverbs 3:32

So, the first condition for the blessings we discussed yesterday, is not to walk in the counsel of the wicked.

The trouble we have, is recognizing the wicked!

What do the wicked look like? How do we identify a counsel of the wicked?  Once we identify, how can we keep safe from them?

Interestingly, wicked look no different from us. They talk and walk very similar to us, which makes it all the more harder to recognize them.However, we have a great tool given in our hands, the Holy Bible, the Word of God, the Sword of the Spirit that can help us decipher the wickedness behind their smooth talking.

A wicked person is an ungodly person. They could be explicitly ungodly or disguised as "godly". They have no godly counsel to give you. They are wise in their own eyes and consider us who trust in the Lord, a little foolish. They don't hesitate to say us so.

He/she has no regard for the Lord, no consideration for fellow beings, no fear for authority, no regret for their wickedness. They have hardened their hearts to do evil. They seek their own good.

We are not to be so. We are not to walk with such. Because the Scripture tells us:

... You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. 1 Peter 2:9

Amen! We are different. We are special. We are called out of darkness into His marvelous light. 

Any counsel or advice or suggestion that is not in line with God's Word is wicked counsel of a wicked person. Period.  The only way we can be sure of this, is by knowing the Word of God ourselves and getting the understanding on it from God (Holy Spirit) Himself.  

We are called to be righteous, which is step one for becoming a 'tree planted by the streams of water'. 

We all want this blessing in our lives - that we want to prosper in whatever we do. The conditions behind the blessing seem to be quite simple:

* Do not walk in the counsel of the wicked

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

It says,

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

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

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

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

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

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

~Hebrews 12: 4-13

It's not my words folks, the entire passage is from the Scriptures. And therefore let us heed to it.

Blessed Tuesday all!

Here's an interesting passage from the First Book of Samuel Chapter 3:

Then Eli realized that the Lord was calling the boy. So Eli told Samuel, “Go and lie down, and if he calls you, say, ‘Speak, Lord, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. The Lord came and stood there, calling as at the other times, “Samuel! Samuel!”
Then Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”

We as believers look forward to hearing the Lord speak to us. But when He actually does, are we listening?! It doesn't seem so - not always.

We only "listen" to the part we want to hear and not to what is being spoken.

We take the promises without the conditions, demand forgiveness without repentance, want to be loved without commitments...

This can't help us mature in our Faith.

Today let us prepare our hearts to say "Speak Lord, I am listening"

Here's wishing you all a Blessed July 2018!

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!