A TWIN BLESSING

” Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield, your very great reward ” Genesis 15:1.
In the first day of this month, let us be strengthened by this wonderful promise. Lord Almighty remained to be Abraham’s shield and enabled him to defeat whoever came against him. Abraham believed God and his reward was exceedingly great. Why would Abraham be afraid? Perhaps, he feared revenge from the kings he had just defeated. God gave him two good reasons for courage: Firstly, He promised to defend Abraham ( I am your shield ) and secondly, He promised to be Abraham’s ” very great reward “. His descendants who were as innumerable stars, possessed the land of Canaan, a land flowing with milk and honey.When we fear what lies ahead, let us remember that God stay with us through difficult times and that He has promised us great blessings. We need not fear when we have to face satan, our enemy. The Omnipotent God is our Shield and it is impossible for satan to touch us. Moreover, when we feel disheartened and discouraged, our Heavenly Father assures us that He is our reward. Even if human beings fail to recognize us, He will surely give us reward which will be exceedingly great. Abraham was not promised wealth or fame, which he had already had. Instead, God promised descendants like the stars in the sky which is too numerous to imagine!
” Dear Lord, Your Blessings are beyond our imaginations. Lord, let Your Divine Presence go before me and bless me. In Jesus’Name I pray”.–Amen.

BE A CHEERFUL GIVER

” Everything comes from You and we have given You only what comes from Your hand ” 1Chronicles 29:14.
Kumar lived with his granny and studied in a school there. As there was no Church in their village, they had to walk to another village for Sunday service. One day, as his granny was sick, she gave him two five rupee coins and told him to use one coin for offertory and another one for his breakfast. On his way, Kumar had to cross a canal and while he was crossing the canal, somehow or other, one five rupee coin slipped. He put his hand in his pocket to go to a hotel. But he was shocked to see only one five rupee coin. Then without eating, he wished to give Lord ” The First Place ” and went to the Church. During the offertory time, he put the only five rupee coin happily. Then he went to the Sunday School. There cake and ice cream was served to celrbrate a little boy’s birthday. He ate that happily with a thankful heart. In Bible, we read Lord feeding five thousand. There, a little boy gave what little he had and it made all the difference. He sacrificed himself and gave all that he had to enable our Lord to accomplish one of the most spectacular miracles recorded in the Bible. If we offer nothing to God, He will have nothing to use. But, He will accept what little we give and turn it into something great. King David gave from his personal fortune for the temple and encouraged others to give willingly. Our attitude when we give, is more important than the amount we give. God gives us resources to use and invest for Him. He loves a cheerful giver.
” Dear Lord, let me give cheerfully for Your Work and encourage others to give willingly to expand Your Kingdom. In Jesus’Name I pray “.–Amen

NEVER DESPISE PRAYER

” But you ask,” How have we shown contempt for Your Name ?” Malachi1:6.
Simon a catechist in a village Church served the Lord with zeal. He used to go with his pastor to hospital ministry, jail ministry and other Gospel meetings with great enthusiasm. Once, he attended a wedding feast and before eating, he closed his eyes, thanked the Lord and started. This was noticed by his friend James, a traditional Christian, who laughed at him and said,” This old tradition of saying prayer before eating, doesnot suit the modern days “. But, Simon replied,” We need to thank our Lord all the time and in all the places “. His friend James ridiculed Simon and told him to pray well and to pray for him also. After a few days, Simon went with his prayer-group to visit a private hospital and there he saw James lying on a bed. On seeing Simon, James cried and said that he felt very sorry for mocking at him when he said prayer before eating. From that day onwards, he had severe pain in the stomach. He told Simon to forgive him and to pray for him. In Malachi 1:6, we see God charged the priests with failing to honour Him to the point of showing contempt for His Name. The Christians’ most powerful resource, is communion with God through prayer. Although God created everything, His greatest joy comes from our genuine worship and trust. When we pray, it is easy to lead a true Christian life. When we pray, it is easy to run away from sin and conquer our enemy satan, who prowls around like a roaring lion. With prayer, it is easy to lead a peaceful life in the midst of problems, as our Lord Jesus Christ gives us Peace that passeth all understanding. Indeed the Omnipresent God is watching us and is waiting for our prayer, as He told us to pray all the time.
” Dear Lord, prayer is the simplest form of speech and an intimate conversation with You at all time and in all places. Lord, I trust in You completely for Guidance day by day. In Jesus’Name I pray “.–Amen.

ASK AND RECEIVE

” Ask and you will receive and your joy will be complete “John16:24.
Binny, a poor carpenter was very much devoted to God. As there was no lectern ( reading desk in a Church ), he wished to make one. One day, after the Sunday service was over, many things were kept for auction in front of the Church. Binny was happy to see a big teak wood plank there and he planned to take that and make a beautiful lectern within two days. He had Rs,2000 in his hand. When that wooden plank came for auction, he began to bid. Finally when the bidding came to a close, he said Rs.2000, the highest bid. On seeing the poor carpenter bidding Rs.2000, his neighbour a rich man grew jealous. It was a question of prestige and so, he raised the bid to Rs.3000 and he became the owner of that teak wood plank. Binny returned home empty handed with much sorrow and disappointment. That rich man put that wooden plank in a cart which halted in front of his neighbour’s house. Looking sadly at that wooden plank, Binny was thinking ” Lord, I bid that only for YOU; then why…why didn’t I get that?”. When the servants carried that to his neighbour’s house, they could not take that inside his house as the door was small and they could not put it outside also. His neighbour’s prestige didnot allow him to sell that to Binny and so he gave it to him freely. At that moment, the Church bell struck 3 followed by the recorded Verse,” I WILL DO WHATEVER YOU ASK IN MY NAME “. With a grateful heart, tears of joy rolled down Binny’s cheeks and as he wished, he made a lectern and placed that in the Church. When Jesus says we can ask for anything, we must remember that our asking must be in His Name, that is according to God’s character and His Will. Hannah prayed fervently to fulfill His Will and she received Samuel. So also, God will grant our wish and satisfy us.
” Dear Lord, let me give You first place in every area of my life and submit my wish in Your Name. Lord, grant my wish and satisfy my heart. In Jesus’Name I pray “.–Amen.

BIBLE QUIZ ( 176 )

QUESTIONS:

1. Who is mentioned first in the Bible as being very hairy?
2. What murderer was exiled to the land of Nod?
3. What king disguised himself in order to consult with the sorceress?
4. According to Proverbs, what substance affects man like the bite of a snake?
5. Who had a nephew that informed the Roman soldiers of a plot to kill a prisoner?
6. What army commander was anointed by a prophet and told that he was to stamp out Ahab’s dynasty?
7. Who was the commander of David’s army?
8. Which prophet accused the Israelites of selling the poor people for a pair of shoes?
9. What meat was eaten at the Passover meal?
10.What righteous man started the practice of herding sheep?

ANSWERS:
1. Esau ( Genesis 27:11-23 )
2. Cain ( Genesis 4:13-16 )
3. Saul ( 1Samuel 28:8 )
4. Wine ( Proverbs 23:32 )
5. Paul ( Acts 23:16-22 )
6. Jehu ( 2Kings 9:1-11 )
7. Joab ( 2Samuel 8:16 )
8. Amos ( 2:6 )
9. Lamb ( Exodus 12:1-20 )
10.Abel ( Genesis 4:2 ).

UZZIAH

” Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty two years ” ( 2Chronicles 26:3 ).
Uzziah , the young king pleased God during his early years as king. He was remarkably a successful king, a successful warrior and city builder. He was also successful in planning and execution, in building and planting.His achievements brought him fame and it spread far and wide. For much of his life, Uzziah did what was right in the eyes of the Lord.After God gave Uzziah great prosperity and power, he became proud and corrupt. It is true that pride goes before a fall. Uzziah overestimated his own importance in bringing about the great achievements he experienced. When people have power, they often think they can live above the Law. But even rulers are subject to God. No matter what our position in society, God expects us to honour, worship and obey Him. But, Uzziah turned away from God and he was struck with leprosy and remained leprous until his death. In trying to act like a priest, he took on a role that God did not mean for him to have. He forgot that God had certain roles for others that he needed to respect. Uzziah’s pride was rooted in his lack of thankfulness. Uzziah is remembered more for his arrogant behaviour and subsequent punishment than for his great reforms. God requires life-long obedience and consistent faith in Him. Let us check our attitudes and remember to give God the credit for what we have.
” Dear Lord, let me be thankful to You for what You have given me and use my gifts that please You. In Jesus’Name I pray “.–Amen.

BLAZING EYES OF THE LORD

” And His eyes were like blazing fire ” Revelation 1:14.
When Jesus was moving about on the earth, His eyes were full of compassion for the sick and the needy. When He went near the grave of Lazarus, He wept. As He approached Jerusalem and saw the city, He wept over it. During the days of His life on earth, He offered up prayers with loud cries and tears (Hebrews5:7). When Peter denied Jesus the third time and the rooster crowed, the Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. That look broke Peter’s heart and made him weep bitterly. His eyes neither slumber nor sleep and His eyes range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to Him. In John’s vision, he saw His eyes were like blazing fire, which symbolize Judgement of all evil. He reveals deep hidden things that lie in darkness and light dwells with Him. At night, when the hunters go for hunting, they tie bright torch over their forehead. In that bright light, rabbits, deers and other animals cannot move further and stay there. Before the bright blazing eyes of our Lord, nothing can be hidden from His sight. ” Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account “(Hebrews4:13). He knows about everyone and everything about us, is wide open to His all-seeing eyes. God sees all we do and knows all we think. Even when we are unaware of His Presence, He is there. When we try to hide from Him, He sees us. We can have no secrets from God. It is comforting to realize that although God knows us intimately, He still loves us.

OUR SOURCE OF STRENGTH

” He gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak ” Isaiah 41:29.
When Sadhu Sundersingh accepted Lord Jesus Christ as his personal Saviour, his father warned him that if he became a Christian, he should forget his father’s house. Anyway, he left his home and did God’s ministry in the Himalayan areas. One day, when he returned from his ministry, he was hungry and felt very tired. His feet were bleeding owing to extreme cold. With great pain he sat on a stone and shed tears thinking about his family, his extreme hunger and his bleeding feet.He felt all of his life crushing him and could not go another step. At that moment,an old man came and sat on a rock just opposite to him and smiled at him. He could feel love, peace, corgiveness and happiness in that smile. He asked Sadhu,” Son, are you weary? Don’t worry. I am with you always “. So saying, that old man vanished. Sadhu sundersingh came to know that He was Jesus Christ. He was revived in his spirit and toiled for the Lord, till his death. Elijah also experienced the depths of fatigue and discouragement. To lead him out of depression, God first let Elijah rest and eat. Then God confronted him with the need to return to his mission to speak God’s Words in Israel. Elijah’s battles were not over; there was still work for him to do. When we also feel let down after a great spiritual experience, let us remember that God’s purpose for our life is not yet over. Even the strongest people get tired at times,but God’s power and strength never diminish. He is never too tired or too busy to help and listen to us.
” Dear Lord, Your Strength is my source of strength , which helps me to rise above life’s distractions and difficulties. Lord, restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me. In Jesus’Name I pray “.–Amen.

HEAVENLY CITIZENSHIP

” Jesus said, ” My Kingdom is not of this world ” John 18:36.
Once, a long-time friend of a British military officer went to see him in Africa. He was astonished to see his friend in the tent, dressed neatly and was ready to eat, sitting near a table. On the table, there were china-clay plates, silver spoons and the cutlery as in British houses.His friend asked him how was that, he set the table as such, in that remote forest. The officer replied that he used to eat like that. He liked to remind himself that he was the citizen of England. Though people around him followed different cultures, he liked to follow and be in his own culture. In the same way, every Christian should live up to Christ’s model of servanthood and self sacrifice as our citizenship is in heaven. As Christ’s Kingdom is not of this world, we, Christians will one day experience all the special privileges of our heavenly citizenship because we belong to Christ. Let us not be tied to this life because, we would be sorry to see Christ return. Let us take every opportunity to serve and to become the best person we can be. We are called to ” conform any longer to the pattern of this world “, with its behaviour and customs that are usually selfish and often corruptive. Let us use the Bible to discover God’s guidelines and then follow them. In every perplexing situation, let us ask ourselves, ” What would Jesus want me to do?”. When the Holy spirit points out what is right, let us do it eagerly.
” Dear Lord, let me not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the Holy Spirit. In Jesus’Name I pray “..Amen.

DIVINE PROVIDENCE

” You gave me life and showed me kindness and in Your Providence watched over my spirit ” Job 10:12.
Zach Mandakeyu was afflicted by cancer and he was admitted in the cancer centre for treatment.During his treatment, there was another type of ailment in his body and so they had to stop cancer treatment. He became very weak and was nearing death-bed. At that time, our Lord miraculously healed him and gave him new life. As he grew healthy, he was discharged from the hospital. He gave his witness in a local church. He said that he lost all his hope and suffered severely. At that time, he began to read Psalm 139. He could not proceed after the 16th Verse,” Your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in Your Book before one of them came to be “. Before we were born, our days were marked in His Book and the Omnipotent Lord knows everything about us as He is our Creator. Zach’s belief that ” His life is in God’s Hands “, gave him new assurance and new life and regained his strength. Indeed our wonder working Lord is all-seeing, all-knowing, all-powerful and present everywhere. God already knows everything about us, even the number of hairs on our heads. He is with us through every situation, in every trial – protecting. loving and guiding. He knows and loves us completely. During Paul’s missionary journeys, he faced many trials. He realised that he could do nothing to help himself,but relied completely on God. Depending on God, is a realisation of our own powerlessness without Him and our need for His Constant Touch in our lives.
” Dear Lord, You are my source of power and I rreceive Your Help by keeping in touch with You, Let Your Word revive my soul and heal my heart. In Jesus’Name I pray ” .–Amen.