December 25, 2024

Those Who Fear Him

February 3, 2014 by

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Behold, the eye of the LORD is upon them that fear Him, upon them that hope in His mercy;
To deliver their soul from death, and to keep them alive in famine.
Psalms 33:18-19

While the eyes of the Lord are on all people (as in verses 14-15), they rest in a special way on those who fear Him.  (Also Psalm 34:15 “the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry…”)

‘God’s eye’ refers to God’s caring love and providential oversight of our lives—‘to deliver them from death and famine.’  This means that as long as we fear the Lord our hope in Him waits for Him and remains in His will. God will watch over and protect us so that we will not die unless it be according to His plan.

Recently I read a story that is just too good to keep to myself, so I’d like to share it with you this week.
“The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a little hut out of driftwood to protect himself from the elements, and to store his few possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, with smoke rolling up to the sky. He felt that the worst had happened and everything was lost. He was stunned with disbelief, grief, and anger. He cried out, ‘God! How could you do this to me?’
Early the next day, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island! It had come to rescue him!
‘How did you know I was here?’ asked the weary man of his rescuers. ‘We saw your smoke signal,’ they replied.”

Sometimes it’s hard to see God’s hand at work in your life.  He may seem hidden, far away, or totally out of reach, yet nothing could be farther from the truth!  Your tender Savior is always watching over you, and always at work behind the scenes.  As you pass through the waters and look back, you’ll see the way He worked on your behalf.  Remember, although you might not be able to see His hand, you can trust His heart.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

Our Father, we thank You for Your eyes that are watching over us as Your own chosen generation, a royal priesthood.  Make us a people of Your heart by increasing our faith and trust in You always.  Help us understand Your oracles and remain under Your wings forever. In Jesus’ name I pray.  Amen.

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Awesome Nature of God

January 27, 2014 by

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Your steadfast love, O Lord extends to the heavens
Your faithfulness to the clouds.
Your righteousness is like the mighty mountains,
Your judgements are like the great deep,
You save humans and animals alike, O LORD.
How precious is Your steadfast love, O GOD!
All people may take refuge in the shadow of Your wings.
They feast on the abundance of Your house
and You give them drink from the river of Your delights.
For with You is the fountain of life; in Your light, we see light.
Psalms 36:5-9

Awesome is one of those words that has been so over used and inappropriately used that it’s meaning has all but been lost. These verses from the heart of the 36th Psalm seem, at least to me, to provide a wonderful summary of the truly “awesome” Names of God. Gods steadfast love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgments, are what awesome is all about.

While our love is often too conditional and limited, God’s love for us knows no bounds. Our love can be shallow, self – serving and unpredictable. God’s love is steadfast. You can count on the consistency of God’s love revealed in the beauty of creation, in the gift of God’s love and preeminently in the life death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are no limits, no lines, no conditions. God loves us to the end…and beyond.

When we profess our faith as followers of Christ we promise to “turn from sin and renounce evil and its power in the world” yet sometimes in spite of our most earnest efforts we fall back into the same old patterns. Or like the would-be followers of Jesus in Luke’s gospel (Luke 9:59-62) we set conditions: “When I have completed this task,” OR when I have more money, OR when I have more time, OR if it won’t be too demanding.” God’s faithfulness to us is unwavering and sure. You can always rely on God.

God’s righteousness the psalmist tells us that it is like the mighty mountains – majestic, firm, immovable, eternal. God’s ways are just and true, his truth unchanged and unchanging. To say that God is righteous is to say that in God all things are as they should be so that God is the standard by which all things are measured – love, justice, peace, kindness, generosity….

God’s judgments, the psalmist tells us are like the great deep: unfathomable in their understanding and truth, neither shallow nor easily manipulated. Yet they are also tempered by mercy and filled with forgiveness.

And, finally, the psalmist assures that in spite of the vastness of God’s love, faithfulness, righteousness, and judgment, the truly awesome nature of God, He is never too big to care for us.

Let us Pray: Our dear heavenly Father, we come to Thy throne of grace because You are the great God who never fails and whose love is unconditional. Teach us to love as Your own children in Jesus name we pray, Amen!!

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Do Not Harbor Sin

January 22, 2014 by

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If I had cherished sin in my heart the Lord would not have listened.
Psalm 66:18

Those who take pleasure in unrighteousness have no hope of answered prayer when they call on God. God wants us separated from sin, only then will he respond to us as a Father to a son.  2 Corinthians 6:14 says “Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness and wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with darkness?”

Sin comes to us in different forms. One way of sinning is by being disobedient to God. When we live in disobedience we become children of darkness; therefore there is no way the light of God can fellowship with the darkness.

Sin separates us from God and it is not the will of God that we should live sinful lives. God tried to make it simple by simply saying “If you confess your sins, I am faithful and just to forgive you.”  What is it that we do instead? We confess today yet we do again tomorrow and take advantage of His grace and mercy to us.

I have learnt in life that most of the prayers we pray are unanswered not because we don’t know how to pray or that it is not time yet but it is because we harbor sin and God cannot answer us. In Jeremiah 29: 12-13, God is saying “Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.”

Everything starts from the heart. And therefore we have to take care of what is in it. Remember in Proverbs it is written, “Above all things guard your heart for it the wellbeing of your life” (4:23) meaning out of it there are springs of life or death. As long as you are in the right standing with God your heart will spring forth life; if vice versa, then doom.

Therefore I beseech you, my sisters, that we should let God direct our path…letting Him be our light so that we see where we are going. He should be our Salvation and our Strength. Let us hide the Word of the Lord in our hearts so that we do not sin against God. God loves us and He wants us to fully obey him—so therefore, let us not harbor sin.

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Lord, I thank You and bless You for all who You are and what You have done in our lives. I pray, Lord, for Your continued grace for us all. May the Holy Spirit be with us and guide us as we meditate on this Word further. We thank You for Your goodness and mercy that is following us all the days of our lives. In Jesus’ name we have prayed. AMEN!

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Seek Him First

January 7, 2014 by

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Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me
and I will listen to you.
You will seek Me and find Me when you seek Me with all your heart.
Jeremiah 29:12-13

Strategic timing is often involved in the fulfilment of Gods promises. God fulfils His Word and His promises both in relation to the fullness of His redemptive purpose and in response to His faithful peoples’ earnest prayers.

Jeremiah prophesied that at the end of the seventy year captivity a new ‘fullness of time’ would occur. God would then move within a holy remnant so that they would seek Him in prayer with all their hearts. And there God would listen, answer from heaven, and fulfill His promises of restoration.

Note two principles:

  • When God desires to do great things for His people, He moves His people to great praying; and,
  • The timing of God’s answers to their prayers is often linked to God’s purposes for His people as a whole

 The lions may grow weak and hungry
but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

Psalm 34:10

Note that the promises in this psalm are conditional and reserved only for those who seek the Lord. God promises to deliver us from fear, save us from trouble, send angels to encamp around us, supply our needs, give us abundant life, hear our prayers, comfort us with His presence and redeem us – but only if we seek the Lord.

Ask and it will be given unto you,
seek and you will find
knock and the door will be opened.
Matthew 7:7

When we are seeking, it implies earnest petitioning along with obedience to God’s Will. See that doors and gates are opening for those that are seeking the Lord diligently. I therefore request you, my sisters, to seek the Lord at all times. For it also says, “Seek ye first the kingdom of God and its righteous and all the things shall be added unto you” (Matthew 6:33).  It is only when we seek the Lord that all things shall be added unto us. The doors to prosperity, to good health, to divine protection, etc. will be added unto us. All the prophetic messages we heard on New Years Day concerning 2014 will be fulfilled when we diligently seek the Lord.  Let us seek the Lord not in vain. Let us seek Him with all our hearts.

I did not speak in secret, in a land of darkness;
I did not say to the offspring of Jacob, ‘Seek me in vain.’
I the Lord speak the truth; I declare what is right.
Isaiah 45:19

   *   *   *   *   *  

Father, we come before You for we know there is no one who is like unto Thee and You alone we seek for we know we can’t go wrong and all these things will be added unto us. Create in us a steadfast spirit, Lord, in Jesus’ name we have prayed. Amen.

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Interested in joining us for our next Online Bible Study that starts on January 13, 2014?   Click HERE for more details!

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Ever Present Help

January 4, 2014 by

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God is our refuge and strength, an ever present help in trouble.
Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed
nd though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea.
Psalms 46:1-2

This psalm expresses the writer’s trust and confidence in God during a time of instability and insecurity. We all experience spiritual barrenness at times. This is not the norm for God desires to be near His people with help and comfort. The power and ability to face the uncertainties and adversities of life are found in God.

Refuge shows a picture of shelter from danger, indicating that God is our true security in the storms of life.

Then the Lord will create over all of Mount Zion and over those who assemble there
a cloud of smoke by day and a glow of flaming fire by night
over all the glory will be a canopy.
It will be as shelter and shade from the heat of the day
and a refuge and hiding place from the storm and rain.
Isaiah 4:5-6

Strength refers to His might when battling our foes (Exodus 15:13) and includes His energy that works powerfully in us.

To this end I labour, struggling with all His energy which so powerfully works in me
and enables us to overcome obstacles in life.
Colossians 1:29

God is an ever present help in times for trouble. God is available to His people and wants us to call on Him in any time of need.

Let us then approach the Throne of grace with confidence
so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need
Hebrews 4:16

He is sufficient for any situation and never leaves our side, thus we need not fear. Fear is for non-believers and if you do not believe you are sinning. For with our hearts we believe and with our mouths we confess. How can we confess a thing that we have no confidence in? Therefore it is good we confess what we know for it to be established.

*  *  *  *  *

Father, I thank You for You are our ever present Help. And Your promises to us are yay and amen. We come to Your Throne of grace for we know Whom we serve and we know Whom we are following. You have never failed us in our times of troubles. We call unto You even now as the mountains fall; we shall stand by the powers of Your hand and in Your heart of hearts we shall dwell. As the seas rage we know You shall calm them and there is going to be peace in our valleys, Lord. Help us realize that we serve You our miracle-working God Who is Omnipresent (present everywhere at the same time), Omniscient (all knowing) and Omnipotent (all powerful). In Jesus name we have prayed.  Amen!!!

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Joyful Mood

December 28, 2013 by

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For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given:
and the government shall be upon his shoulder:
and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller,
The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6

Hey sisters, you know what joys a baby brings to a family! How about a miracle Baby like Jesus, who came into being through so many prophecies, miraculously, for that matter. Think of Mary how much joy did she have in her heart when the angel visited her despite being worried of what people, and what they would say about her.

I tell you a child brings GREAT joy to a family. Think of Hanna…she was grieved to a point of great distress that Eli thought she was drunk. Really, she needed a child. She cried to the Lord for a child and God granted the desire of her heart. She had great joy!

Now a child is given to us, JESUS—He should be received with all the joy a child brings! Especially now that this Child we have been given will have the power to heal all our diseases, remove all our iniquities, at His name every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess His Lordship. A Child who will have the power to speak to the devil and the devil tremble. And this Child is given to us; don’t we think we are privileged to be given this type of a child? I feel like singing aloud for you to hear what am feeling inside. (Thank God for this revelation!) Oh, HALLELUJAH! Praise the Lord!!!

In this world, when we have a child, he/she goes to school and later starts a job and we enjoy the fruit of paying the school fees and the like.

NOW this Child, Jesus, is given to us. He grew up, He worked, and He died on the Cross. He later paid the bill for us…for our redemption. What else do we need apart from appreciating this Child we are given freely by our loving Father in heaven? The way we dance with joy and hug our child when he /she has done something good—that’s the very same joy we should feel about God’s Son, Jesus. We write messages telling our friends/relatives what our child has done.

Here Jesus is not a mere son, but THE Son! He has come to serve; let’s praise the Lord again and again. Let’s tell our friends and relatives of what this Son, Whom we were given, has done and is doing and shall continue to do. Let us embrace Him with our hearts full of joy.
Let this Christmas season be full of joy. Share the joy with others the same way we share when we receive a worldly child.

* * * * *

Father, we thank You for giving Your Son, Jesus, to this world. We appreciate Your goodness and Your loving kindness. May we realize what Jesus came to this world for and let us not take it for granted. Help us, Lord, to realize what He has in store for us! In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

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Peace Like a River

December 13, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent, our blogs will focus on a central theme which is associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is PEACE.  Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent.  Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with the peace and joy of His second Coming.

Peace like a river…joy like a fountain!  That’s what we need as believers.

Where do we get this peace? Is it from our loved ones? Is it from the books we read? Is it from the many music concerts we attend?  NO.  This peace comes from above.

We need to know who our Creator is…what qualities He possesses and who we are in the One Who made us.

Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you:
not as the world giveth, give I unto you.
Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
John 14:27

The verse above is clearly showing us what real peace will do once we get it.  Jesus said “I leave with you…” At this point Jesus was transferring the peace within Him to us to be with us, meaning this peace is within us.  If you leave something to someone it means total ownership belongs to the one it is given to.  Now it is up to him/her to use it.  Whether responsibly or carelessly or even not make use of it at all.

Jesus also said “My peace I give unto you…”  He has left His peace with us and unto us.  I pray ye therefore, my sisters in Christ, to know what was left inside you.  This peace that was left inside you will strengthen you.  We have obtained this peace in our spirit.  So with Jesus being The Spirit and us having this peace in our spirit…I can conclude that the Holy Spirit is in me and me in Christ and Christ in me!  Hallelujah!

Do not be troubled, my sisters, the Lord is with you…His peace is always with you!

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace at all times and in every way.
The Lord be with all of you.
2 Thessalonians 3:16

Isaiah 54:10 says “For the mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but My kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of My peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee.” And Romans 14:17-19 tells us “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit, because anyone who serves Christ in this way is pleasing to God and approved by men. Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification.”

Therefore finally I can say (as Isaiah did) and “…go out in joy and be led forth in peace, the mountains and hills that you are worried for (troubled with) will burst into song before you and all the trees of the field will clap their hands” (Isaiah 55:12).  All you need to do is accept Christ as your Lord and Savior—no more turning back. The Holy Spirit will dwell in us. He is our Peace. For the Father is in the Son and the Father is the Spirit; therefore the Son is in the Spirit and the Spirit is in them (John chapter 17).

Lord, I thank You for the peace imputed in us. Help us to realize just exactly what we have inside us. In Jesus name I pray. Amen.

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Unswerving Hope

December 2, 2013 by

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Each week during the season of Advent  our blogs will focus on a central theme associated with the coming of Christ—His Advent.  This week’s theme is HOPE.
Christians throughout the world celebrate Advent. Some light candles or sing songs; some give gifts or  hang wreaths.  All of these are simple joyous ways of extending the celebration of Jesus’s coming beyond a mere 24 hours on December 25. Our prayer is that these devotionals throughout this season of Advent would help you to celebrate His first Coming and anticipate with joy His second Coming.

*   – – – – – – – – – – – – –   *

Hebrew 10:23 NIV

Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess for he who promised is faithful.

Who is this Who is faithful that we should put all our hope on?  And what is hope?!?

Hebrew 11:1

Now faith is the substance of things (HOPED) for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hope comes when you are at zero (0) and you want to be at one (1).  How to get to one…you just don’t know how.  It is all dependent on an external force, an external factor to propel you to get to one (1).

In this world we hope for so many things and many of these depend on others.  As we have seen the scripture on Hebrew 11:1, faith is the substance of things hoped for, things that we would want to have!  Things we desire to own, but, as much as we desire things of this world and hope (believing) of owning them one day…let us also hope for an eternal life that is given by accepting Christ Jesus which is better and of much greater value.

When we hope for the better, rest assured that the Faithful One will make it a point we have it. God is the One who is Faithful.  He fulfils all His promises to us and therefore we “… hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for He is faithful that promised….)”

Psalm 119:74

They that fear thee will be glad when they see me; because I have hoped in thy word.

Testimonies follow when we hope in the Lord, and others will see His providing for us.

Psalm 130:5

I wait for the Lord, my soul doth wait, and in his word do I hope.

Let us acknowledge God as our own Father and approach him as a father;  you will never regret the way your hopes are being answered.  God is our hope. He is our everything and in all things we praise Him.

* * * * *

Father, we put our trust in You, and give our all to the glory of your Holy name.  AMEN!!!

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Praise Heart

November 28, 2013 by

We cannot praise God if we don’t know Him personally. It takes our relationship with Him for us to adore and admire His good works over our lives.

I stand in awe of Him because I personally know who He is to me and what He has done. He is so great, and so worthy to be praised. It is only when I realized this when I will truly worship, praise and admire and appreciate His works over my life.

For You are awesome God of Nations,
Lion of Judah, Rock of Ages, Alpha, Omega
You are worthy of all praise
More that these hands I’ll raise
I’ll live a life of praise!

from Life of Praise ~ Casting Crowns

When I say, “You are awesome!” it means I have run short of words— He is so wonderful! When I say, “Lion of Judah” it means I know He is reigning over every situation. Think of a lion the way it roars and what do other animals do when the lion is near? They flee for life. How about this Lion of Judah? At His name every knee will bow.

Lets just look at what He has done?  Read through this praise-filled psalm, Psalm 103.  He has done great and mighty things; looking from the time we were born to now; and the greatest thing of sending Christ to die on our behalf for us to have eternal life…don’t I have to jump with praise and live a life of praise?

What else do I want when I know He is worth it. He created me to praise Him again and again…He is mighty, awesome, excellent, great in battle!

There is a song I have composed (of course, have not taken to the studios yet!)…part of the lyrics says:

Adonai, I worship You today
El Shaddai, I worship You today
You are worthy of the praise
You are worthy of the glory
Adonai, I worship You today

And when I sing this song I feel His presence near me. Remember when our praises go up high to Him, His glory comes down and this song gets me closer to His throne.

It is the same with you, praise can be done anytime as long as you know Who you are praising, what He has done, and things He is yet to do—for they are awesome. Nothing compares to Him; hence He is the Alpha and Omega (He’s the beginning AND the end.)
He is our Rock of ages—solid rock. All other grounds are sinking sand hence us praising Him for He is the solid one never shaken even when the storm rages and it is because He is in me and I am in Him I don’t fear no storms and I am covered under this Rock. The Rock Who is Christ Jesus and this means if devil wants to attack he should start with the shelter (who is Christ) then come to me otherwise I am under maximum protection—hence my praise.

Father, I praise You and worship You for You are the great I AM!  In Jesus’ name, I pray. AMEN!!!

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Praise Looks Good on You

November 20, 2013 by

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Oh that men would praise the Lord for His goodness,
and for His wonderful works to the children of men!
And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving,
and declare His works with rejoicing.
Psalms 107:21 and 22

This psalm is relevant today for all believers who in misery and affliction cry out to the Lord; it builds up our faith and encourages us during those times when we need God to intervene specifically in our lives.

However we are to praise God in good times and in bad times, for His goodness and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Let us go back to the children of Israel and see how God took care of them. He made sure they had food, their clothes did not tear, their shoes did not wear out—all were His wonderful works. The children of Israel did not grasp the concept of praising God at this point; rather, they felt Moses took them into the wilderness to perish.
We are to praise God in all circumstances for He alone knows what is best for us. He created us in His own image and likeness. That is a reason enough to thank Him endlessly, for it gives us an assurance that we will not lack anything! We are the apple of His eye; we will inherit and eat the fruit of the land all because we are His likeness. This means God cannot allow us to suffer it is like He is suffering with us for we are His very own.

One time I was listening to Dr. David Jeremiah, Senior Pastor of Shadow Mountain Church in San Diego, California. In his message he said, “Praise is not a choice but rather is a mandate and that is what we were created for.” He said, “Praise looks good on us and makes our faces shine in the eyes of our Lord. We come to the Lord with praises and His glory comes down.”

This is so true! When our praises go up…His glory comes down and takes care of our anxieties. Even if we cannot pray, but just give thanks and praises to the Father, He delights in the praises of His people.

As we are praising God it is like a sweet aroma going to heaven. It is as if He smells it, checks out where it is coming from, and He realizes that it is you and me…Wow!! And He asks the angels to rush with blessings that were in stock and an immediate supply to us.
When we are praising the Lord we have to do it with gratitude and rejoicing for what He has done and what He is yet to do. He is Omnipresent; hence His instant blessings.

* * * * *

God our Father, we thank You for Your goodness and Your wonderful works. We give You all the glory and honor for Your lovingkindness. We declare with our mouths that indeed You are our God and Your works are marvelous. In Jesus’ name I have prayed. AMEN!

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