Then Samuel took a stone and set it up between Mizpah and Shen. He named it Ebenezer, saying, "Thus far has the LORD helped us."

Throughout the Scriptures we read of several people designating stones as monuments for remembering the deliverance or encountering of God in that place.

If you recall Jacob had set up a stone pillar at the place where God had talked with him and called it Bethel (Genesis 35:14,15) and Joshua had set up the twelve stones that had been in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. (Joshua 4:9). King David confessed several times that the Lord was his rock of salvation (Psalm 18:2).

Here Prophet Samuel sets up a monument to remember the return of the Ark of the Lord and names it Ebenezer which means "Thus far the Lord has helped us".

Now the question is, do you have such a monument that reminds you constantly of God's deliverance from certain situation? If you think about it there are easy reminders in our lives such as birthdays, anniversaries, years of experience, number of children, we can go on and on and on.

If these are not enough reminders and/or if we would somehow forget what the Lord has done thus far, we might as well put up some monument as reminders. If we remember already, let us praise the Lord for helping us thus far!

And with that we complete four full months this year! WoW!

* Cast your cares on the LORD and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall. Psalm 55:22
* Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. I Peter 5:7
* I am the one who answers your prayers and cares for you. Hosea 14:8
* And if God cares so wonderfully for wildflowers that are here today and thrown into the fire tomorrow, he will certainly care for you Matthew: 6:30
* You saw how the LORD your God cared for you all along the way as you traveled through the wilderness, just as a father cares for his child. Deuteronomy 1:31

Today's message is specially for those who constantly worry about this or that. The verses here make it crystal clear that our Lord will sustain us through our tough times as long as we cast our cares on Him. What does it mean to cast our cares on the Lord?

It simply means bringing our burdens to His feet, praying it over from the depth of our hearts, crying it over (if we feel like) at His feet (not to anyone else), and then no longer be burdened by it but rejoice in His love. You might ask how is it even possible not to be burdened by it?

The answer is if you truly believe God will answer your prayers and handle it for you, you will know better to refrain from worrying further. Or in other words if you continue to worry it only means you have not trusted Him to lead you through.

I am casting all my worries right away; hope you will join me too!

Happy Monday all!

When you sacrifice a thank offering to the Lord, sacrifice it in such a way that it will be accepted on your behalf. It must be eaten that same day; leave none of it till morning. I am the Lord.

“Keep my commands and follow them. I am the Lord. Do not profane my holy name, for I must be acknowledged as holy by the Israelites. I am the Lord, who made you holy and who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord.” Leviticus 22:29-33

Indeed the Lord, the Lord alone is our God. Praise the Lord!

* I  am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Revelation 3:11
* Only hold on to what you have until I come. Revelation 2:25

The message for today is: Hold on to what you have!

Hold on to what we have? What do we have? Let's see what the Scripture tells us:

* Hold on to the good. 1 Thessalonians 5:21
* Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
*Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called.  1 Timothy 6:12
* She (wisdom) is a tree of life to those who embrace her; those who lay hold of her will be blessed. Proverbs 3:18
* Let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. Hebrews 4:14
* Stand firm and hold to the teachings we passed on to you. 2 Thessalonians 2:15
* Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your life. Proverbs 4:13

As born again believers we must therefore hold on to the good, our hope, eternal life, wisdom, our faith, what the Scripture teaches us and the instructions given in the Bible till He comes. That's all is expected of us.

Hold on tight! Don't loosen the grip!

Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. Ephesians 4:29

Filthy words proceed from corruption in the speaker, and they corrupt the minds and manners of those who hear them: Christians should beware of all such discourse. It is the duty of Christians to seek, by the blessing of God, to bring persons to think seriously, and to encourage and warn believers by their conversation. Be ye kind one to another. This sets forth the principle of love in the heart, and the outward expression of it, in a humble, courteous behavior.

Today's scripture is in plain and simple words so that we can understand it as is, without much explanation. Let us not let any unwholesome talk come out of our mouths. Let us not use fillers to fit in or feel good in a gathering.

Let our words be helpful for building others up spiritually;  let our conversations be beneficial for those who listen and in addition let our words be few!

God bless you all! Enjoy your Friday!

Today's reading: Proverbs 29 Click here to read online (NIV)

Verse of the day: "A man's pride brings him low, but a man of lowly spirit gains honor." 29:23

Few other scriptures here in similar lines:

* "Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." Matthew 23:12
* "Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up." James 4:10
* "God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble." Proverbs 3:34

If there is one person who had all the reasons to have pride - it would be King Solomon! Why? Because the Bible says there was no one before him or no one after him who would be as wise as him!

But, King Solomon himself stays away from pride as carefully as possible. We can repeatedly see many references in Proverbs where he shuns away from pride and warns us to the consequences pride can lead us into. I am sure he had found it out to be true that being humble at heart would help receive the grace of the Lord.

Pride is a trap. Once we fall for it, it is very difficult to come out. These verses are here to warn us. Let us avoid pride at any cost!

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army that I sent among you. 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 2:25-26

It is such an encouragement to know that the Lord will repay us for the years the locusts have eaten. What are these "locusts" we read about?

It could be our joblessness, our ill health, our failures, our disappointments, our broken relationships - but the Lord promises us that He is going to look into it that we are rewarded for our losses.

Our health will be restored, our bills will be taken care of, our joy will be full, our relationships will be stronger, we will be singing and dancing and praising the name of our Lord who led us so wondrously! Hallelujah! And we will never be ashamed!

Wesley's Notes on Bible explains: Wondrously - In one year giving as much as the locusts wasted in the years foregoing. Ashamed - Neither disappointed of your hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen.

That's right! We will be neither disappointed of our hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen. For now let us praise the Lord!

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength." Nehemiah 8:10

Grieving makes one weak; rejoicing gives strength.

There may have been circumstances that made it seem impossible at times; but His grace has been sufficient. If not for that we would have succumbed to our weakness. There is all the more reason to rejoice in the Lord!

We are also asked to share our blessings with the less fortunate among us - giving them a reason to rejoice in the Lord. Let us not forget that.

I'll repeat the Scripture again to let it sink in...

"Go and enjoy choice food and sweet drinks, and send some to those who have nothing prepared. This day is sacred to our Lord. Do not grieve, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."

Let us not be just hearers of the Word; but doers as well. (James1:22)

For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. Romans 2:13

Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Luke 24:5,6

Happy resurrection Sunday every one! 

Arguments aside on whether we should call it Easter or not, it is a day of remembering the absolute truth of our faith, if not for which our life would be in vain. 

Praise the Lord! He has risen! Indeed He has risen! 

I myself am witness that my Lord Jesus Christ is alive and well! Praise the Lord!

Do you still seek Him among the dead? Please don't. He is not there. He has risen!

Want proof? Just ask the Risen Savior to reveal Himself to you. And He will.

Because I live, you also will live. John 14:19

"Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you." Isaiah 60:1

"...it is light that makes everything visible ...and Christ will shine on you."" Ephesians 5:14

"the LORD make his face shine upon you and be gracious to you;" Numbers 6:25

"You are the light of the world. ...let your light shine before men, that they may see your good deeds and praise your Father in heaven." Mathew 5:14-16

Let us shine for His glory today and always. Enjoy the weekend. 

God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. John 3:16

... who (Jesus Christ) gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works. Titus 2:14

As we remember the suffering of our Lord Jesus Christ today, even to the point of death and death on a cross, let us not forget that He actually gave Himself up - to be beaten, broke , spit at, humiliated and eventually to be killed. 

The Lord who raised the dead, healed the sick, comforted the poor, here allowed Himself to be killed in such a humiliating way. Do you wonder why? 

To give us life. Life eternal. Abounded. Praise the Lord. 

This world and the pain that comes with it are all temporary. Our eternal joy awaits us beyond this life. All we need to do here and now is that accept what He gave us. He gave us His body, His blood, His life. Let us cherish this valuable gift given to us. 

Amen.

The end of all things is near. Therefore be alert and of sober mind so that you may pray. 1 Peter 4:7

Therefore, with minds that are alert and fully sober, set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming. 1 Peter 1:13

You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord's coming is near. James 5:8

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour...

But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth.

I do not write to you because you do not know the truth, but because you do know it and because no lie comes from the truth. Who is the liar? It is whoever denies that Jesus is the Christ. Such a person is the antichrist—denying the Father and the Son. No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.

As for you, see that what you have heard from the beginning remains in you. If it does, you also will remain in the Son and in the Father. And this is what he promised us—eternal life.

I am writing these things to you about those who are trying to lead you astray. As for you, the anointing you received from him remains in you, and you do not need anyone to teach you. But as his anointing teaches you about all things and as that anointing is real, not counterfeit—just as it has taught you, remain in him.

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone who does what is right has been born of him. 1 John 2:18~29

I think the Scriptures above are self explanatory. Surely, the end is near. Let us be alert and of sober mind.

God bless you!

* 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

Interesting how today's message is on the same lines as yesterday's... It is the Holy Spirit's working for stressing the point for someone that needs to hear it...

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!

"I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten--the great locust and the young locust, the other locusts and the locust swarm--my great army that I sent among you. 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 2:25-26

It is such an encouragement to know that the Lord will repay us for the years the locusts have eaten. What are these "locusts" we read about?

It could be our joblessness, our ill health, our failures, our disappointments, our broken relationships, etc. The Lord promises us this morning that He is going to look into it that we are rewarded for our losses.

Our health will be restored, our bills will be taken care of, our joy will be full, our relationships will be stronger, we will be singing and dancing and praising the name of our Lord who led us so wondrously! Hallelujah! And we will never be ashamed!

Wesley's Notes on Bible explains: Wondrously - In one year giving as much as the locusts wasted in the years foregoing. Ashamed - Neither disappointed of your hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen.

That's right! We will be neither disappointed of our hopes, nor necessitated to seek relief among the heathen. For now let us praise the Lord!

Let's go to the potter's house for our coffee with Jesus this morning!

Today's reading is from Jeremiah 18:1-10:

This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Go down to the potter’s house, and there I will give you my message.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Then the word of the Lord came to me: “O house of Israel, can I not do with you as this potter does?” declares the Lord. “Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, O house of Israel.

If at any time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be uprooted, torn down and destroyed, and if that nation I warned repents of its evil, then I will relent and not inflict on it the disaster I had planned.

And if at another time I announce that a nation or kingdom is to be built up and planted, and if it does evil in my sight and does not obey me, then I will reconsider the good I had intended to do for it."

As we read in the Scripture portion above, if in His anger He ever spoke anything against us and we repent and plead for mercy, He immediately relents. On the other hand any blessings we have been promised could be reverted based on our evilness.

Often times we take the Scripture so lightly that we do not realize it is the very Word of God Almighty. Let us give the Word the reverence it so deserves. Let us hear, heed and receive the blessings our Lord has  in store for us. Let us allow Him to make us and mold us to be a vessel worthy to hold His blessings. Amen!

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

Life can get weary sometime. The routine toil day after day could easily overwhelm us. Where will we go then? What will we do? How will we find solace? Only by taking it all to God Almighty and hear Him say these very words: "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, I will give you rest".

Interestingly the invitation is forever open, it is us finding time to attend to it that prevents us from enjoying it's benefits.

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

Often times our burden gets heavier because we have not sought after God first. Let us set aside a regular prayer time and list all our needs at His feet and see if His invitation stands true in our case.

I am 100% positive it is! Tested & true! Would you like to try it yourself?

Happy Sunday; I mean, 'Son'day!

Now what I am commanding you today is not too difficult for you or beyond your reach. It is not up in heaven, so that you have to ask, “Who will ascend into heaven to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” Nor is it beyond the sea, so that you have to ask, “Who will cross the sea to get it and proclaim it to us so we may obey it?” No, the word is very near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart so you may obey it.

See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction. For I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in his ways, and to keep his commands, decrees and laws; then you will live and increase, and the Lord your God will bless you in the land you are entering to possess.

But if your heart turns away and you are not obedient, and if you are drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them, I declare to you this day that you will certainly be destroyed. You will not live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to enter and possess.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Deuteronomy 30:11-20

The Scripture clearly explains ultimately what it is that we must do to obey the Lord.

There is no long list like you would imagine. It all boils down to a single command we must follow and a single thing we must avoid at all cost.

We must:  Love the Lord our God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commands, decrees and laws. Period.

We must not: Be drawn away to bow down to other gods and worship them. Period.

As simple as that. Is it hard to follow?

Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding. Proverbs 23:23

Truth here means Jesus Christ.  We read in John 14:6, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Salvation is the ultimate gift God has made available for all those who believe in His Son Jesus Christ! It is God's master plan to reunite with man since his fall at Eden. Yet, many don't want anything to do with it. That's because they are deceived by the father of all lies to believe in lies instead of the Truth.

In Matthew 13:44 we read, "The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field."

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary explains it further in very simple words:

Buy the truth, and sell it not; be willing to part with any thing for it. Do not part with it for pleasures, honours, riches, or any thing in this world.

Jesus Himself said these words, as Apostle John notes, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8:32

So, those of us who have found the Truth, let us not sell it for anything or anybody; and those who have not, please buy it at all cost.  Whatever you loss in order to gain Him, you will receive it in many folds.

"Whoever acknowledges me before men, I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven." Matthew 10:32-33

Then they came to Jericho. As Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city, a blind> man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

Many rebuked him and told him to be quiet, but he shouted all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!” 

Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”

So they called to the blind man, “Cheer up! On your feet! He’s calling you.” Throwing his cloak aside, he jumped (leaped) to his feet and came to Jesus. 

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

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 

“Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road. Mark 10:46-52

What do you want Him to do for you today? Have  your answer ready; He will do it!

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...

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

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

Praise the Lord.

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

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

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

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

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

Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity! Psalm 133:1

I rejoiced with those who said to me, "Let us go to the house of the LORD." Psalm 122:1
 
Happy 'Son'day everyone. Are we happy this morning? Are we rejoicing in the Lord this morning? Do we look forward to the fellowship of believers this morning?

When was the last time we had true fellowship of believers? Do we attend Church for namesake or do we make an effort to fellowship?

Today for a change, let us walk across the room, shake a few hands, hug a few souls, pat a few shoulders, say hello to a complete stranger. If we feel up to it, why not, go ahead and invite someone home.If nothing, at least invite someone to join us over Coffee with Jesus!

I can guarantee you, your joy will be greater. It only multiples in the fellowship of believers. Why so? Because God's word tells us that Jesus Himself will be in our midst when we are gathered together in His name. Not in a multitude but just two or three is all is takes! Praise the Lord!

If you don't take my words for it, just try it once and let me know if it works or not.

God bless you all! 

"For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them." Matthew 18:20

A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of. Luke 6:45

Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it. Proverbs 4:23

Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Colossians 4:6

Need I say more?

Enjoy the weekend!

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

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

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

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

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

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

With God's help, we can! Amen! 

Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. Romans 12:2

Many of us wonder how we can find out the will of God in our lives. Today's Scripture gives us the answer to that.

If we do not conform to this world but are transformed by the renewing of our mind, then we will know what is the perfect will of God for us. Isn't that simple?

I believe it is smart, holding us responsible for knowing the will of God!

Instead of saying, ask your pastor or check with your parents to find out what God's will for your life is, the Scripture clearly says it is within our capacity to know His will!

Praise the Lord. Have a blessed Thursday!

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

* My lover is mine and I am his; he browses among the lilies. Song of Solomon 2:16
* I am my lover's and my lover is mine; he browses among the lilies. Song of Solomon 6:3
* I belong to my lover, and his desire is for me. Song of Solomon 7:10

No doubt the couple depicted in Song of Solomon is head over heels in love with one another; repeatedly they reassure their love for each other.

Hopefully, it is the same with our love for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

When was the last time we told Him we are His and He is ours?

When was the last time we heard Him speak in His slow still voice?

Are we sure of our love?

Then why aren't we spending time with Him whenever possible?

His love remains constant; it is we who waver from time to time. Let us see what we can do to rekindle our love for our Lord today. At least once tell Him how much you love Him today; it won't be long before you hear Him say the same and more to you.

Let's enjoy His loving presence for the rest of the day. Never doubt God's love for you.

We live by faith, not by sight. 2 Corinthians 5:7

"Give thanks to Him... Who remembered us in our low estate: for his mercy endureth for ever" Psalm: 136:23

I am sure we all have experienced lows in our lives sometime or other. It could have been a health condition or unhappiness or joblessness or something else that we can all relate to.

Those were the days when help wasn't near; we were not sure whom to turn to, what to do, how to manage. Our faith was being tested to a great extent. Friends were rare and we were at the lowest of our lows.

But God remembered us! Our faith was restored & our joy was renewed.

Now, let us go back in time to see how God remembered us in our low estate - just scanning it all in our minds - and thank Him for that. Let us share our stories/testimonies of how God led us through certain hardships, with our friends, family and especially our children. Let us also be kind to those who might be in dire situations like we once were and help the best way we can...

For some of us, may be these are the lowly days... Our Lord remembers you as we speak - He has not forgotten you! What more proof we need than looking back in our own lives and see how His grace has been sufficient for us in the past?! Same grace is still available.