Today's Message: DELIGHT IN SPEAKING GOD’S WORD

Praise the Lord!!!

“ ... Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack ... you.” (Acts 18:9,10)

John Gibson Paton was a Scottish missionary who first settled in the island of Tanna in New Hebrides Islands off South Pacific, along with his wife Mary. The natives of this particular island were cannibals. But, the couple took up the Great Commission as their life-challenge. One night these hostile natives surrounded their house, with an ultimate aim of burning out the Patons and killing them, probably to eat them. Paton and his wife did not know what to do and they fervently prayed during that night that God would deliver them. When daylight came and they looked out, they were amazed to see their attackers leave. A year later, the chief of the tribe was converted to Christ. On that day, Paton asked the chief what had kept him from burning down the house and killing them one year back. The chief replied in surprise, "Who were all those men with you there?" Paton knew no other men were present with them on that day -- but the chief said he was afraid to attack because he had seen hundreds of big men in shining garments with drawn swords circling the mission station! O, that is how the Lord of hosts saves His children who is doing His mission work! He sends His angels to surround them and protect them from the evil attackers. Amen.

Dear friends, Paul was in the city of Corinth to do the Great Commission of the Lord. Of course there were many who opposed him. Paul was not afraid of the threatening. One day God spoke to Paul in a vision, “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, ...” (Acts 18:9) Paul was encouraged and continued to do the Gospel work there for more than one and a half years. Halleluiah! When we do His work, there may be many who would like to stop us. But, as the Lord was with Paton and Mary, and with Paul, He is also with us. He will protect us and will enable us to work for Him. In Corinth many believed and baptized. In New Hebrides many believed and baptized. Even now, wherever you and I are doing His ministry with His anointing, with His grace many will believe and be baptized.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, as you have called me, an unworthy servant, to proclaim the Gospel and fulfill my part in the Great commission, I request you to fill me with your Spirit. Help me to keep on speaking, fearing nothing, for you are with me to protect me. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

Today's Message: GOD DEMONSTRATES HIS LOVE FOR US IN THIS

Praise the Lord!

“... While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:8)

Pastor Clifford S. Stewart of Louisville, Kentucky, sent his parents a microwave oven as a Christmas gift. Here’s how he recalls the experience. They were excited that now they too could be a part of the “instant generation”. When Dad unpacked the microwave oven and plugged it in, literally within seconds, the microwave oven transformed both Dad and Mom into frowns! Even after reading the directions for use, they could not make it work. Two days later, my mother confessed to her friend her inability to get that microwave oven even to boil water. “To get this thing to work” she exclaimed, “I really don’t need better directions. I just needed my son to come along with the gift.” When God gave the gift of salvation to us, He did not send a booklet of complicated instructions for us to figure out, but He sent His very own Son! God could have sent an angel to this world to teach and preach about salvation. But He sent His own Son in human form. Jesus was born of flesh, lived as a Man in this world. He participated in sufferings and joys of humans and finally gave up His life to save us. Halleluiah.

I John 4:9 says, “This is how God showed His love among us: He sent His one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him.” Love originates in God’s character. Love always takes the initiative to give. God showed His love for us. Not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be an atoning sacrifice for our sins. This is genuine love. What is that love like? It is distinguished by two characters found in I John 4:9,10. Firstly it meets the spiritual need and secondly, it initiates rather than responds. By sending His Son Jesus to the world God the Father provided a way out for us to escape eternal condemnation and He did this out of His love for us even though we were sinners. So dear friends, let us accept Jesus and His gift of salvation as well.

PRAYER: Dear Father, thank you for your gift of salvation which you sent to me through your very own Son Jesus. Because you loved me so much and wanted me to be saved from eternal fire, you took the initiative. Let me not neglect this costly gift. Amen.

Today's Message: LET CHRIST BE OUR FOCUS, NOTHING ELSE!

Praise the Lord!

" Christ Jesus , who gave Himself as a ransom f or all ...” (I Timothy 2:6)

In one of the books I studied recently, the incident that happened at the time of Cyrus, King of Persia was quoted. Cyrus after a famous victory, took prisoner a noble prince, along with his wife and children. When they were brought into Cyrus’ presence, he said to the prince, "What will you give me to set you at liberty?" The prince replied, "I will give you half that I possess." Cyrus exclaimed, "And what will you give me if I release your children?" The prince answered, "I will give you all that I possess." Cyrus questioned him still further, saying, "But what will you give me if I set your wife at liberty?" Now the wife of the prince was very good and beautiful, and her husband fondly loved her; and looking upon her, he replied, "If you will restore my wife to liberty I will lay down my life." Cyrus, won by the true nobility of the sacrifice offered by that devoted man, immediately set them at liberty without any recompense whatever. That evening, when the prince and his wife were rejoicing together over their freedom, he said, "Did you not think Cyrus a very handsome man?" His wife replied, "I did not notice him sufficiently well to tell." The prince exclaimed, "Why, where were your eyes?" She said, "I had eyes only for him who said he would lay down his life for me.”

Dear friends, we may marvel at the genuine and the uncompromising love the prince had for his dear wife, but greater is the love the Lord Jesus has for every one of us. He is the eternal Bridegroom of our soul. He laid down His life for us though we are unworthy. We had been unfaithful to Him in many ways, yet He did not abandon us. He has broken the chains of our sins and has delivered us from the prison of spiritual death. Are we faithful to Him? Are our eyes focused only on Him? Or do we get attracted by the world and its vanities and run behind them? Let us never be disloyal to our Beloved Lord who redeemed us by His precious blood.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, How great is your love for me! I am not worthy to receive your mercy and kindness, yet you gave your own life to redeem me. Let my eyes be always focused on you. Let me love you always. Let me not run behind worldly vanities, for you are my eternal Bridegroom. Amen.

              

Today's Message: DO YOU LOVE TO TELL THE GOSPEL?

Praise the Lord!

"Do not be ashamed to testify about our Lord, ..." (II Timothy 1:8)

Leighton Ford in his book “Good News is for sharing” writes of certain phrases said by those who were afraid of sharing the Gospel. He writes: “In preparing for this book, I have talked to a lot of people, and the fear issue comes up front again and again. What makes people hesitate to share their faith? Here are some of the fears that have been mentioned to me: - "I am afraid I might do more harm than good." - "I don't know what to say." "I may seem bigoted." - "I may invade someone's privacy." - "I am afraid I might fail." - "I am afraid I might be a hypocrite." Even today, if we ask ourselves or some of our other Christian friends, we may get such answers! Leighton further writes, “Perhaps the most common fear, however, is that of being rejected. A survey was given to those attending training sessions for the Billy Graham crusade in Detroit. One question asked, "What is your greatest hindrance to witnessing?" Nine percent said they were too busy to remember it. Twenty-eight percent felt the lack of real information to share. None said they didn't really care. Twelve percent said their own lives were not speaking as they should. But by far the largest group were the 51 percent whose biggest problem was the fear of how the other person would react!” None of us like to be rejected or ridiculed.

Paul the apostle was not afraid of telling the Gospel. Many of those who heard the Good News preached by him might not have accepted Jesus as their Savior, yet he did not stop doing it. In fact he just loved to tell it! In 2 Corinthians 12:15 he says, “So I will very gladly spend for you everything I have and expend myself as well.” So let us not worry about the result. If we truly love the Lord and if we have the burden for lost souls then we will not mind whether people reject us or they ridicule us or even persecute us. The love of Christ will compel us to keep proclaiming the Good News. So let us speak out for the Lord in the power of the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Dear Lord, because you loved me and saved me from going to hell , how can I keep quiet without proclaiming this Good News? Take away all fears from me. Empower me with your Holy Spirit so that I will testify your love to everyone whether they listen or not. Amen.

Today's Message: REJOICE WHEN YOU ARE PERSECUTED FOR THE FAITH!

Praise the Lord!!

"Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 5:10)

When a person admits his sin, cries out to God for mercy, he is pardoned by grace through the cross, and then goes on to live a life as a follower of Jesus Christ. But now he becomes an enemy of the world. He faces opposition. Jesus said that the result of His ministry would be contention and division. First, opposition comes from a person's own family. In Matthew 10:34-36, He said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword. For I have come to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law - a man's enemies will be members of his own household". Many families are divided and parents are separated from children because of their faith in Jesus. Why? Because the one who is filled with Holy Spirit manifests righteousness before his unrighteous family members. Secondly, opposition would come from the society. Sometimes there will be persecution even to the point of shedding blood. In I Peter 4:12- 13, Peter said, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ", and in verse 14, he said, "If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed". Rev. John Schmidt wrote, "When somebody is persecuted for Christ, they don't have halos around them. We don't look at them and say, "O how blessed they are!" When people are actually being persecuted they look desperate. But Jesus looks at them and says, "Congratulations, my beloved, because heaven belongs to you and you will have a reward".

Dear friends, let us not become weary when people insult us, persecute us and falsely say all kinds of evil against us because of our faith in Christ. But, by the power of the Holy Spirit let us endure all sufferings patiently.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, give me the strength to face the insults, ridicule and persecutions boldly. Let me never renounce my faith in you nor deny Jesus when I face opposition, but let me rejoice that I will receive a great welcome in heaven by you and all the angels. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Today's Message: LET US BE PEACEMAKERS

Praise the Lord!!

"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God." (Matthew 5:9)

Peacemaking is not running away from the problem. It is not pretending that the problem doesn't exist. It is not passivity. It does not mean that we should give up our identity. It is not appeasement - always giving in and letting the other people have their own way. It is taking all efforts to bring peace and harmony among people. Jesus said in Matthew 5:9, "Happy are the peacemakers". (WNT) He did not say, "Happy are the peace lovers" because everyone loves peace or "Happy are the peaceable" - those who never get disturbed by anything. He said, "Happy are those who make peace - who actively seek to resolve conflict". We have to be peacemakers because firstly, unresolved conflicts block our fellowship with God. We cannot have a close fellowship with God and hate others at the same time. Rick Warren writes, "When you are out of fellowship with people - horizontal - you are out of fellowship vertically". Secondly, if we harbor enmity in our hearts, God will not answer our prayers. Matthew 5 says reconciliation is a prerequisite for worship. When we go to the altar of God to present our offering and remember somebody has something against us, we should first go, make peace with that person, and then go back to the Lord's presence. Jesus said that it is only we, who should take the initiative. It doesn't matter if we are the offended or the offender, it is always our move first. Let kind and gracious words come from our mouth. Let us not condemn the other person or criticize them. Instead let us say things that build them up, not put them down. "Be a bridge builder- not a bridge tearer", writes Rick Warren. The hallmark of a Christian ought to be our ability to get along with other people. Romans 12:18 says, "If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone".

Dear friends, God has given us the ministry of reconciliation of peacemaking. Let us do it and make it known to the world that we are the children of the living God.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let me seek to resolve conflicts between two persons. But before that let me be at peace with others and with you. Let me forgive everyone and not hold grudges against anyone. Let me reveal to the world that I am the child of the Lord of Peace. In Jesus name. Amen.

     

BE BLESSED

Praise the Lord!!

"Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled." (Matthew 5:6)

                                                                                                                                                    

Happiness is not found when one searches for it. An author writes, "One of the chief sources of unhappiness is the pursuit of happiness". We rearrange our schedules to go somewhere we like. We change our behavior to impress someone we love. We do what we can to obtain something we long for. But in all these we will never find true happiness. Jesus tells us the way to happiness. In Matthew 5:6 He said that happy are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. The world hungers for many things. Some people have an appetite to make bundles of money. They want to earn "good money" to buy villas, luxurious cars and live happily "ever after". Some have an appetite for security. They put their trust in people and jobs. Some are driven by sexual appetites. Some have appetite for intellectual acceptance. But sadly, many of these appetites end in unhappiness and emptiness. Jesus wants us to hunger for righteousness. The Greek word for righteousness here describes the character as being right with God. So, to be hungry for righteousness is to be hungry for God and to conform to His will in our lives. Our real hunger should be for a relationship with God. We should have a strong desire to be right with God; a strong desire to be rid of sin which separates us from God; a strong desire to be holy. We should have a longing to have the fruit of the Spirit in our every action. We should have a passion to be like Lord Jesus Himself. Note that Jesus did not say, "Blessed are the religious"- not those who just go to church and read the Bible. The Pharisees were religious, but Jesus condemned them because their hunger was to be right and not righteous.

Dear friends, do we hunger and thirst for righteousness or do we hunger or thirst only for a tremendous religious experience? We need to get ourselves out of the way and make righteousness our goal. Then surely we will be filled and saturated by God's righteousness.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, let me not run searching for happiness. Let me instead hunger for righteousness, to have right relationship with you and to hate sin. Let me have the desire to become more like Jesus. As I seek you fill me with your righteousness till I am saturated by it. Amen.

Today's Message: MEEKNESS IS NOT SPINELESSNESS

Praise the Lord!!

Today's Message which i read...

"Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” (Matthew 5:5)

Meek means gentle, mild, soft, not weakness but power under control. Barnes writes, "Meekness produces peace. It is proof of true greatness of soul. It comes from a heart too great to be moved by little insults". But the term meekness, nowadays carries with it an idea of spinelessness. It paints the picture of a submissive and ineffective creature. But originally the word meek in Greek "praus" is one of the great Greek ethical words. Moses was the greatest leader and the greatest law giver the world has ever seen. Numbers 12:3 says, "Now Moses was very meek, more than all men that were on the face of the earth". But Moses was not a spineless creature. He could be blazingly angry but he was a man whose anger was on the leash, only to be released at the right time. This is what meekness is -"A man who gives himself into the complete control of God gains meekness", writes Barclay. Meekness is patience. It is neither meanness nor a surrender of rights nor cowardice. In Biblical times, everyone assumed when the Messiah came, He would be strong, forceful and powerful. The Pharisees probably expected a leader with supernatural power. The Sadducees probably expected an eloquent politician, one who can bring a great deliverance to the Jews. So when Jesus came as meek, lowly and humble, they could not accept Him. In their minds, they refused to consider Him as the Messiah. They hardly believed that Jesus would deliver the Jews from the powerful Romans especially after His crucifixion because their Scriptures had taught them that anyone who hung on a tree was cursed by God. (Deut. 21:23) They were of the opinion that great causes were fought by the proud and not the humble. How ignorant they were! Jesus was the very model of meekness. He bore everything patiently. No man endured more patiently than He.

Dear friends, let us be meek. Then we will not only gladly enter the kingdom of heaven, but also inherit the land, the heavenly Canaan. May the Lord help us to gain meekness.

PRAYER:  Almighty God, when people insult me, talk ill of me, let me not become impatient and quarrelsome or press my rights. But let me be meek, patient and gentle. Let me not harbor malice but let me remind myself of Romans 12:19, that you will repay my opponents. Amen

Today's Message: GODLY SORROW IS GOOD

Praise the Lord!!

One of my favourite message about god which i read....

"Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted." (Matthew 5:4)

Mourning is not a pleasant thing. It is usually associated with pain, loss, discomfort or disappointment. People mourn for various reasons - lost opportunity to earn money or to get something, loss of physical possessions, lost youth, vitality, loss of loved ones and so on. Mourning definitely is not desired by anyone. But in Matthew 5:4 Jesus says, "Happy are those who mourn". Isn't there a contradiction in this statement? Mourning is negative whereas happy is positive. It doesn't even sound right; it doesn't make sense! But there is a meaning in what Jesus said. He did not mean everyone who mourns about everything are happy. In other words, He did not talk of people who mourned about their physical condition or material loss. He meant those people who mourn over their sins and feel sorry for their sins, not those who just became sorrowful over being caught while making mistakes, but truly feeling sorrow over their sin. In II Corinthians 7:10, we read of this sorrow - "Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldy sorrow brings death". Sin hurts us because of its deadly nature. It hurts our relationships with other people and with God. So we need to be genuinely sorry for our sins. Andy Warren says, "Sin is lethal and needs to be marked with skull and crossbones. It poisons people and it destroys relationships".

Dear friends, sin is never something to be taken lightly. Jesus said in Matthew 4:17,"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near". We have to renounce our old sinful ways and take a new turn in our life. We should turn our backs to sin and walk in the path that leads to the cross of Jesus. The blood of Jesus cleanses us from all our iniquities. So let us confess all our sins to Jesus and plead for His mercy to be forgiven. This godly sorrow thus truly brings us salvation and comfort. We cannot receive definitely God's blessings - the joy and peace until we mourn for our sins. Amen.

PRAYER:  Dear Lord, I lament and mourn when I face loss of material things. But more than these, let me truly feel sad when I sin against you. Let me confess my sins to you and experience the joy of salvation and your comfort which no one else can give me. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.