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Should I Not Be Concerned?

Should I not be concerned about that great city (Jonah 4:11z NIV)?

This question was originally addressed to Jonah. But God is asking you the same question today. You may ask why is God asking you this question. It is the same reason why God asked it to Jonah.

See, Jonah was concerned about a vine that grew up and gave him shade from the sun. But the next day, God provided a worm which destroyed the vine. The blazing sun made Jonah faint and he complained to God.

So God put this question to Jonah whether it was right for him to be concerned about something which he did not tend or make it grow.

So the question in modern terms is this: “What are you concerned about? The answer, if given honestly, would concern a lot of things that are of less importance in God’s eyes.

This Christian generation and many of its prophets are concerned about silly things–material things that have earthly value alone. God is asking whether they are concerned about people who are perishing? That is His topmost concern–The salvation of souls and their redemption from evil and destruction.

While people are dying everywhere around without knowledge of God, is it right for Christians to revel in their prosperity? Is it right to show no concern to the misery of others? Are we only to live as passers-by and not get involved in lending a helping hand to people?

If you are not concerned about God’s greatest concern, a time will surely come when God will not be concerned about your greatest concern. Therefore, start to look around you. People are dying all around without knowledge of the One true and living God and His Son Jesus Christ. Are you concerned?
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He Relents from Sending Calamity

He relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:13z NIV).

Are you fearful of God’s judgment falling on you? If yes, then there is still hope. God can relent from sending calamity. The word “relent” means agreeing to something finally after initially refusing.

It also means a softening of attitude. So, there is a possibility that God would accept your prayers and stop sending calamity on your life.

The prophet Joel speaks of some things that you should do so that God would relent from sending calamity. First of all, he points out that you should rend your heart and not your garments. People of those times tore their garments as a sign of their sorrow and grief over sin.

But as years passed by, it just degraded into an outward observance. Their hearts remained hard and unchanged. But God sees the heart. And He is not impressed with outward show. So, let your heart be broken before God.

The second thing to do is return to the Lord. You might have gone far away from Him. But God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He relents from sending calamity.

The prophet shows us God’s merciful attitude to you through these words. And because He is such a God you should return to Him.

And when you return thus to God, there is a greater possibility opening up. The prophet says that nobody can be sure about it; but it is still possible that instead of judgment on you, God might leave behind a blessing for you.

So return to Him with a broken heart, acknowledging His goodness and mercy. It will open up the possibility of God giving you a blessing instead of bringing calamity on you.

Think about it. Instead of calamity you are receiving a blessing. Yes, He relents from sending calamity!
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Let Us Press On to Acknowledge Him

Let us acknowledge the Lord; let us press on to acknowledge him. As surely as the sun rises, he will appear; he will come to us like the winter rains, like the spring rains that water the earth (Hosea 6:3 NIV).

PRESS ON. These two words hold in them the essence of effective Christian living. Those two words mean that you do not remain long in a place of ease and comfort and not stay at a distance from God. But pressing on.

It means moving forward. This move forward is focused and determined. It is also hurried. A speeding to its destination. These are what “press on” signifies.

A return to God should be a “pressing on.” It should not be a passive effort. Instead it should be a active seeking after God, which should involve your entire being and all your energy. There should be an urgency.

The effort should seek to set priorities right. It should avoid all that hinders your movement forward. It takes energy to do that. When other concerns are pressing you, then you should “press on” to acknowledge God.

That is interesting. When you return to God, He excepts nothing more than you acknowledge Him. It means that you need to acknowledge His presence, His love, His authority over your life, His purpose for your life, and His willingness to forgive, revive and restore you to His friendship again.

Just acknowledge Him. He seeks nothing more than that when you return. In simple terms, ignore Him no more!

When you acknowledge Him, He shall surely come to you. Like the sun that appears telling you of a new day and new beginning, and shining in glory, the Lord shall come to you.

Like the rains in due seasons, He shall descend to meet you, cool your burning heart and refresh your burdened spirit. For all this to happen, “Press on and acknowledge God.”
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Revive and Restore

After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will restore us, that we may live in his presence (Hosea 6:2 NIV).

When you return to the Lord, He welcomes you back in very special ways. There is a initial waiting period that marks this occasion. This is a kind of second honeymoon when silence is golden.

During this “two days” the Lord allows you to take in the joy of being back with Him again. No task is asked of you. You can rejoice in His love and admire His willingness to welcome and take you back again.

This tells us that the Lord has a time-plan that He puts into effect as soon as we return to the Lord. Isn’t that precious? He still has a plan for you even though you had gone away from Him.

And He has set a time to make it happen. So you can confidently rest in His love instead of worrying over how He is going to treat you.

Then He will revive you. That means you will be brought back to spiritual health and be made strong again. That means you will not be left alone to bear the shame of your sinful wanderings. That is not God’s purpose for you. He will revive you.

On then on the “third day” He will restore you. In real time, the day or month may vary; but when you’re revived to health and made strong, the Lord gets down to the business of restoring you. That is important.

For restoration involves putting you back into that place or position (of authority especially), which you had earlier enjoyed. Remember, it is the Lord who does it for you when you return to Him.

The purpose of all this is to make you live in His presence as before: To live and not die; to live and not be ashamed; to be revived and to be restored!
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Come, Let Us Return to the Lord

Come, let us return to the Lord. He has torn us to pieces but he will heal us; he has injured us but he will bind up our wounds (Hosea 6:1 NIV).

There is always the welcome opportunity to return to the Lord. You should not wait any longer to go back to Him. His invitation has been given to you in many ways through the pages of the Bible. It still says, “Come!”

See, there can be no doubt as to whom you belong. You belong to the Lord. But you had moved away from Him because you allowed sin to come between you and the Lord.

But now is the opportunity to return. Remember, you can return to no other; because you can only return to Him to whom you belong.

The very wounds that God inflicted on you were made to get your attention. Otherwise you wouldn’t have listened at all. Those wounds were not intended to kill but to instruct.

If you’re thinking about your wounds today, think also about the One who caused it. They are tokens of love for you rather than the sword of judgment.

But He is the healer too. If surgeons can cut with their knives with the intention of healing, cannot God do much better than them? He has made provision to bind up your wounds and heal you.

It is not just a clinical procedure. There is love inside the bindings. That heals. But staying far does not bring you its benefits. You’ve to draw near to Him. Return. The rest is in His loving care for you.

What if there was no opportunity to return? Then your wounds would have remained for ever. Sorrow would have been your daily food. But the gracious Lord has given you an opportunity to return to Him.

How many times has this opportunity knocked at your very door? How many times have you refused? But even now it knocks. Therefore return to the Lord.
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This Is from the Lord

This is from the Lord (Genesis 24:50b NIV).

There is perhaps no other chapter in the Bible where God’s personal loving guidance is seen with greater clarity than in this chapter. When Laban and Bethuel had heard the story of how God had guided Abraham’s servant to Rebekah, they said: “This is from the Lord.”

Possibly we can say that times have changed. We can say that we need not have such guidance today because we can make decisions on our own. All these arguments are true.

But God has not changed. He still guides those who rely on His guidance in a very unique personal way. This is especially true with marriage. The thing we need to do to experience His guidance is to expect Him to do so and journey according to His directions.

One of the surest signs that God has worked in your life is when others (who may not have much personal knowledge of God) acknowledge to you the fact, “This is from the Lord.” For there is an unmistakable stamp and signature of God in His guidance.

This is not only evident in the final outcome but also in each step of the journey and the process that leads you to the person that God has kept for you. Everyone concerned will acknowledge that God has directed the whole matter.

Another point to be noted is the willingness of the girl Rebekah herself. When her family would have liked her to stay, she decided to go to Isaac immediately.

When God makes His child meet his match, there will be a willingness on her part to consent to the marriage without delay.

These are signs that accompany the approval: “This is from the Lord.”
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After All that Was Faithfully Done

After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done, Sennacherib king of Assyria came and invaded Judah (2 Chronicles 32:1a NIV).

After something done well, people are usually rewarded. This should be especially true when you do something faithfully. But contrary to expectations, Hezekiah finds himself in a difficult situation.

He might have wondered why God should allow the enemy to fight him when he had done everything faithfully. He had reopened the temple, cleansed it of idols, celebrated the passover and helped people come back to God. Yet the enemy came!

In Christian life, if you obey God faithfully, it is quite possible that trials would come in the place of rewards. This is because the forces of evil cannot stand still when God’s cause and glory is advanced through your faithfulness.

To discourage you and make you deviate from the path of duty they surround you to attack. God has recorded this incident in the Bible to help us understand this principle.

It is because many have not understood this principle that they are caught by surprise when things go wrong immediately after they have faithfully done something for God.

There is a great lesson in the way Hezekiah faced this problem. He did not waver. He encouraged His people to be strong and courageous. He pointed out that they had God on their side. And the people gained confidence from his words.

Let us remember that it is not because God has forgotten us that problems come immediately after what we have faithfully done. He is faithful. It was demonstrated when an angel of the Lord killed off the enemies and caused Sennacherib’s downfall.

The war was won without Hezekiah having to fight. That also happened “After all that Hezekiah had so faithfully done!’
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Surely the Lord Is in This Place

Surely the Lord is in this place, and I was not aware of it (Genesis 28:16b NIV).

The setting sun, sleep, a stone for a pillow and a strange place. These were the settings for Jacob’s encounter with God in a dream. It was quite different from modern stage-managed performances.

But God manifested His presence there. Even though Jacob was not deliberately seeking Him at that time the experience of God that night helped Jacob to understand that God was in that place.

The lesson for us is that ordinary situations of life–the kitchen, the workplace, traveling to work or eating out in a restaurant–can be places of God’s revelation to us. We should never look at the simple outward circumstances and reject the possibility of God being there.

If we reject the unattractive circumstances of life we might be closing our eyes to the possibility of God revealing Himself to us in the everyday situations. For instance, the mistake a majority made during the first Christmas was that they rejected the manger as a probable place of God’s revelation of Himself.

God often bypasses palaces and places of worship and chooses the unexpected and the ordinary as the places of encounter with Him. It is our privilege to understand this truth and always keep a welcoming attitude and an expectant heart in the ordinary circumstances of life. Then we will able to experience God.

Jacob was not expecting to meet God. But today, we expect God in certain places of worship alone. It is not so. He loves to meet with us in the ordinary and unexpected places. Let us realize His presence in such places.

The setting sun shall rise with a new meaning for us when it happens. Then we will know that we had been in Bethel, the house of God!
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This Food Should Be Held In Reserve

This food should be held in reserve for the country, to be used during the seven years of famine that will come upon Egypt, so that the country may not be ruined by the famine (Genesis 41:36 NIV).

God gave Joseph knowledge about the coming famine and the specific number of years it would last. He was also given wisdom to plan for the famine ahead.

On the other hand, we may not know when a famine in our lives would come. But from the life of Joseph, God has given us a lesson of practical wisdom.

The first lesson is to store away a part during seasons of plenty. Many people do not know how to manage plenty. They spend as much as they want and as often as they want.

There are times when such people are seen to waste their plenty and even end their lives in debt. So it is wisdom given to us to store away a small but significant portion for years of famine, should they come.

The second lesson is that what is stored away is to be held in reserve. Plan and live in such a way that this reserve is not touched during seasons of plenty.

If at all due to some unexpected situation the reserve is touched, at the first chance possible restore to the reserve what was taken. Never run on what is stored as reserve during years of plenty.

The third lesson is that there should be a suitable plan made to store away the reserve. Lack of planning can spoil the process of storing.

This process should be carefully monitored and kept track of. At any point of time, it should be easy for you to know what you have in reserve.

Finally, know that this reserve is to be used when the famine comes. During that time also planning and careful spending is required for its careful and full utilization.
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There Above It Stood the Lord

There above it stood the Lord …. (Genesis 28:13a NIV).

Jacob’s dream of a ladder or stairway is famous.

To kids, the ascending and descending angels on the ladder holds great fascination. Even when they grow old, the childhood memories are not forgotten. That is the reason why so many people remember the angels when they think about Jacob’s dream.

But the most important person in this dream is the Lord. He stood above the ladder. And He talked with Jacob and restated the original promises made to his father, Abraham and Isaac.

Many are fascinated with the great promises given here and easily forget the Lord who gave them.

The tendency today is to glorify visions and dreams. In that excitement, the Lord who gives them is forgotten.

But Jacob, even though he was a deceiver by nature, was not tempted to be excited too much by the angels or the ladder or even the promises. His initial reaction when he woke up from his sleep was one of terror.

He said that surely God was in that place and he did not know it. He termed the place Bethel, meaning house of God, and also said that it was the gate of heaven.

What a privilege it is to recognize God and His presence in the midst of excitement about dreams and visions! Every Christian should seek to recognize the Lord who stands above all angels.

It is to Him and from Him that angels go and come. The ladder reaches up to Him. Those who would love to climb it must look up to Him. And those who need to climb down should do so after meeting the Lord who stands above.

Otherwise such visions are in vain. They lose their meaning. But blessed is the man whose eyes behold the Lord who stands above!
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Lift Up Your Eyes from Where You Are

Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north, south, east and west. All the land you see I will give to you and your offspring forever (Genesis 13:14b, 15 NIV).

Lot, Abram’s nephew and traveling companion, had just parted company. He had chosen a well watered land. And Abram was now standing alone. What would have been his emotions and thoughts, we can only try to guess.

Possibly he might have been wondering what the next step was. But the God who initially called him and asked him to move out was watching.

And God said: “Lift up your eyes from where you are.” Moving ahead in life is as simple as that. You have to lift up your eyes from the situation you are in right now.

Possibly your vision must have been clouded by separation or loss. Possibly you might have lost your vision for your future. Possibly you might have forgotten that it was God who asked you to move in the first place. Now it is time to lift up your eyes.

And then look. Whatever you see is what you get. Get yourselves some powerful vision. The power to see what God has planned ahead for you is of absolute importance in Christian living. For if God has to give those things to you in the future, you need to have the ability to see the “land” today.

Don’t try to move ahead without this sight. That is why God asked Abram to lift up his eyes and look from “where he was” standing then. The command to move shall come once you are able to see what God has planned for you.

You needn’t worry how and when you are going to have this kind of vision. It is God who determines when to ask you to lift up your eyes and look. Possibly a parting will make you give God full attention. Then He may speak.
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Because Your Heart Was Responsive

Because your heart was responsive and you humbled yourself before the Lord when you heard that I have spoken against this place and its people … and because you tore your robes and wept in my presence, I have heard you, declares the Lord (2 Kings 22:19 NIV).

“Because your heart was responsive!” Can God say that of you today? To be responsive means to respond quickly and positively to something.

When God speaks against something in you that needs to corrected, are you able to respond like King Josiah? Responsiveness to God is the first step to ensure that God will hear you when you pray.

More than a response of the lips, it is a response of the heart.

Responsiveness leads quite naturally to the next step. That is the step of humbling yourself before God. This requires effort. On the other hand, neglect of God can happen easily and without any effort on your part. Then it leads to wrong thinking and practices.

Therefore responding to God demands a humbling of your self before God. This should happen as soon as you hear Him speak against something in you that needs correction.

And again the king tore his robes and wept in God’s presence. These are not “must things to do.” But they are kind of indicators of what the heart is going through. When these kind of displays are genuine and come from the outflow of grief in the heart, then God will hear. And He will respond favorably.

Shouldn’t we be thankful that we do not have a hard-hearted God? Even though we do wrong and violate His commands many times, He hears us when we humble ourselves and weep in His presence. Be thankful that He notes our tears and says: “Because you wept . . . . ”
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The Lord’s Arrow of Victory Over Aram

The Lord’s arrow of victory, the arrow of victory over Aram! (2 Kings 13:17b NIV).

The first thing to note is that God has given the arrows of victory into your hands. You need to act with it now. They are meant to be used.

In this passage, Elisha the prophet asked the king of Israel to open the window and shoot the arrow. While he did so, Elisha told him that this was God’s arrow of victory over the enemy and that Israel would defeat their enemy Aram (enemy at war with Israel) at Aphek.

Similarly, use God’s provision of victory in your life. It will give you the initial victory swiftly like the arrow that flies.

But again Elisha asked the king to take the arrows and asked him to strike the ground with it. The king did so thrice and stopped. Elisha was angry and told the king that he should have struck the ground five or six times.

If he had done so he would have defeated Aram completely and destroyed it. Thus the king lost a big chance to destroy their enemy completely; he could destroy them only thrice.

These arrows teaches us that the initial victory that is given , symbolized by the arrow that was shot through the window, has to be maintained till the enemy (for e.g., sinful habit) is destroyed completely. That is what striking the ground with arrows is symbolic of.

Christians fail to strike the arrows of victory to the ground many times and therefore fail to walk in victory. They get complacent with a few victories and rest lazily.

During this time the enemy gathers together his defeated forces and strikes with some temptation of hurricane force. You then fall not because you did not have victory, but because you failed to maintain your victory. Therefore “strike the ground” many times!
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Where Are You?

But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?” (Genesis 3:9 NIV).

If this call never came! What would have happened? Think about it. Hope would die; killed instantaneously and without mercy.

“Where are you?” Most of us would dread such a call from God. It is true that He calls out to us because we are hiding. We are hiding because we have sinned. We are hiding because we fear His wrath. But in our innermost being we fear not being called thus by God.

Without such a call from Him, life loses its meaning. For we were created to have fellowship with Him. Remember, God was walking in the garden in the cool of the day when He first called thus.

In our modern terms, He came to spend an evening with Adam and Eve. But they were hiding.

In that sense, “Where are you?” is a call to renewal of fellowship. Of course, sin has to be dealt with first. Our methods are not enough.

We have to accept God’s method of dealing with sin. And then only will be able to continue to have fellowship with God.

We should be amazingly thankful to God for those three words He spoke: “Where are you?” It is a call that brings us back to our senses. It reminds us of the great wrong we have done. It reminds us of lost things in life which are eternal in nature.

But it also reminds us that He has provided a way to get back to Him. It reminds us of the great pain which we cause God when we sin. Therefore, the call, “Where are you?” is God’s cry of anguish over our sin and at the same time His invitation to us to get back to Him, today.

The absence of such a call means separation forever and spells D.E.A.T.H., but the hearing of it means L.I.F.E.
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He Brought Her to the Man

Then the Lord God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man (Genesis 2:22 NIV).

“He brought her to the man.” This is a simple truth to be remembered. It was God who brought the woman to man. There is a solemnity about it. There is a divine approval about it.

More than all this there is God’s loving care demonstrated here: He did not want man to be alone.

The most important thing about marriage is for a man to wait for the woman God will bring to his life. Blessed is the man who can say, “God brought her to my life.” On such a marriage God places His favor and approval and showers his blessings.

There is a certain mystery about marriage. Woman was taken out of man. Thus they became two. But in marriage they become one.

Therefore when God brings a girl into a man’s life in marriage, they should look for achieving a unity in body, mind and spirit. Each one should complement each other, help, encourage and sustain each other. For this God brings a woman to man.

And let no man despise the gift that God brings to him in the form of his wife. God has given her to him to love and cherish and protect.

When man longs for companionship, God’s answer is a woman. But God has His own terms and conditions laid out for such a companionship. But man has violated all of them in today’s world.

Man and man together (gay marriages), woman and woman together (lesbian marriages) is NOT God’s plan. And such relationships are sinful and condemned by God as unnatural and unholy. God will punish such relationships severely.

We should therefore remember that God’s plan has always been a man; ideally with a woman whom He brings to Him!
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Do Not Hold Against Us the Sins of the Fathers

Do not hold against us the sins of the fathers; may your mercy come quickly to meet us, for we are in desperate need (Psalm 79:8 NIV).

We need to think much about this. Especially when we find certain kinds of illnesses or afflictions of both body and mind continue to torment families from generation to generation.

Unknown to us there might have been wrongs done by our forefathers. The curse of those sins are easily passed down the generation ladder. But as time passes the original acts of sin are forgotten.

But the effects of the curse of such sin remains. We try to find solutions elsewhere. But we usually fail to think about the possibilities of the curse of former sins running in our families.

This verse reminds us that this is a prayer that we too can earnestly pray when we find ourselves plagued by innumerable and inexplicable afflictions. It need not always be because of former sins of our forefathers.

But since there may not be possibilities of verifying the reality of sinful acts of the past, it would be good if we can pray this prayer earnestly. Let us ask pardon for sins that our forefathers might have committed and never repented of.

Therefore when we are really afflicted and in desperate need let us seek God’s mercy. In the Bible, we find Daniel seeking God’s mercy and forgiveness as he realizes that the reason for the destruction of Jerusalem and their captivity was their sins and the sins of their fathers (Daniel 9).

He sought God’s mercy.

Let us also do so. For He will show mercy! That practically means that He will take away the yoke of curse of former sins that burdened us away from us. He will also set us free from its guilt and shame.

That is the abundance of His mercy that comes quickly to meet us. He will not delay to answer such a prayer.
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They Took Their Stand in the Middle

But they took their stand in the middle of the field. They defended it and struck the Philistines down, and the Lord brought about a great victory (1 Chronicles 11:14 NIV).

Sometimes, it so happens, that all desert you when the enemies come. So it happened with David and Eleazer, one of David’s mighty men.

When the Philistines attacked they were left alone because the troops fled from the enemies. The place was a field full of barley.

There might come a time in your life such as this. And when you find yourself in such a situation the above verse tells you what to do.

First of all, they took a stand in the middle of the field. That was a very bold stand. For the battle is always thickest in the middle. The casualties there are the greatest. In fact, victories and defeats are determined there. 

These warriors did right in taking their stand in the middle of the field. Though they were surrounded and though their troops had fled they stood their ground.

So when it counts the most, when not many will be there to give you company, take your stand right in the middle of the field where the battle is fiercest.

Secondly, they struck down the Philistines. You have to remember that there is no moment for leisure in such battles. This is a real fight.

The enemies are strong. Moreover you are already outnumbered. So it is a time to fight with all your might. The faster you can strike your enemies down the better.

Finally, though it was these warriors who fought, it was the Lord who brought about a great victory. May you never forget this truth.

When you are hard-pressed in your battle against the devil and his troops, always remember that victory rests with the Lord. So you can be encouraged to fight even when everyone else has fled. The victory is yours for it is the Lord who gives it to you!
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Then the Lord Shut Him In

Then the Lord shut him in (Genesis 7:16b NIV).

This is the secret of survival when the floods arise. To be shut in inside the ark by God. How thoughtful of God to have shut the door of the ark!

We do see husbands who are thoughtful of their wives closing the doors of the cars out of love for them once they get in. Likewise, in shutting Noah and his family in inside the ark, God demonstrated a special care for him and his family.

On a larger scale, it means something deeper and more significant. There are times when God shuts us in. We are cut off from every activity. We are away from the company of crowds that we loved. We are alone.

There seems to be a flood of destruction going around us. It is destroying every known and familiar thing to us. And the floods instead of showing signs of abating continue to rise.

Don’t we usually panic? Yes, we do! But then think about it. Who shut you in? Was it not God? Was it not because this was the only option available that God did so? Did not He have your highest good in mind when He shut you in? Yes, to be shut in by God is a very special thing.

And all the time till the waters completely disappeared from the surface of the earth, Noah and his family were safe inside the ark.

Therefore, when God invites you to enter the ark He has made for you, do not hesitate. It is inside it that you will be kept safe.

The time to serve Him in greater ways will come yet again. Now is your time to be away from the spotlights.

Inside the comfort and safety of the cocoon you can slowly get ready to emerge a gracious and beautiful butterfly. He has shut you in for this purpose. You need only wait till the ground is dry!
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Going to Open Your Graves and Bring You Up

This is what the Sovereign Lord says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them (Ezekiel 37:12b NIV).

This is God’s response to those who say that their hope is gone. He is not going to be challenged by the fact that your bones are dried up. For He can still breathe life into you.

And He alone can do that. Note the fact that you are still His; though you are as good for nothing. Though you are as if you are already in the grave; He is going to bring you out of it.

He will do His part. But who dug your grave? Did you? Or did others dig it for you? If they did so, why did you step into it while alive? Why did you not resist the devil when he pushed you deeper and deeper into that dry and bottomless pit?

Answer these questions. You are bound to answer them. Even as you answer them; are you not shocked to realize that God never intended that you be in the grave you now find yourselves in. So, “Get up!”

Are you hearing His voice? His voice can bring life into your dead bones. The jaws of death shall tremble when it hears His voice. It will be forced open to release its grip on you. The grave shall open. You will come out. For He is the Lord of life.

He can step into any decay and bring wholeness. His resurrection power is mighty in its working in you. It shall pull you out of everything that binds you in your grave: The grave of your past mistakes, sins, failures, regrets, disappointments, sorrows and lost hopes.

Therefore, turn your eyes away from the icy cold stare of death. Look into the face of Life. He is calling to you in your grave. The grave cannot hold you in.

Neither now nor tomorrow. It has to yield to His will. And He, is bringing you up from your grave now! Once more, feel the breathing-wind of His power in your lungs and breathe free. Shout aloud a shout of praise for He is bringing you out of your grave!
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Blessed Are Those You Choose and Bring Near

Blessed are those you choose and bring near to live in your courts! We are filled with the good things of your house, of your holy temple (Psalm 65:4 NIV).

There is a dwelling place of God. We have not seen it yet. But we have little sanctuaries built here on earth where we meet together to worship Him.

Many attend such kind of worship simply because their parents and forefathers had been worshipping in that particular Church for generations.

This verse here is not talking about such people. But it talks about those God has chosen to come near Him. In particular, it talks about those who have had their sins and transgressions forgiven by God.

It is such who are brought near by God to live in His courts. They are called blessed. And they are called to be near God!

Because of this nearness to God, the time we spend in His presence within His courts is indeed a blessing. Quite often we miss the blessings of our time in God’s temple because we do not think about the blessing associated with being called to be near God.

The Psalmist had realized this unique blessedness. In His presence we are under His watchful eye. We are known by Him.

We have a special relationship with Him. We know that we are forgiven and loved. And as we think of it more and more when we come to His temple, we come to realize more and more of its blessedness.

The Psalmist also notes the benefits that the house of God gives us. He does not enumerate them probably because they are too numerous to count. He only says about its effect. That is, “we are filled.” There is full satisfaction.

There is no place for emptiness. And we are not just filled with anything, but with “good things.” No other place on earth can fill us with good things in this fashion.

For the temple of God is holy. And the good things that we receive from there will build us up in holiness. Thus we are blessed!

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When I Act, Who Can Reverse It?

When I act, who can reverse it (Isaiah 43:13b NIV)?

We need to be sure about Who is on our side? Let us for a moment forget about our wins and losses. Let us set them all aside. Let us also forget those on our side and those against us.

Let us bring the equation to the simplest level. You are there. And then who else? Yes, with you is God. You plus God. That is right. Do you need anyone more to complete the equation.

The rest of the equation may or may not be. But are you sure about the “you plus God” part of it. Then, that is more than enough.

Why? For you have a God who acts. He acts on your behalf. The odds may be against you. The odds may be in your favor. It doesn’t matter in the final analysis. The fact that He acts is enough.

When, where, how etc. are questions you usually worry about. But for a moment keep those questions aside. Just consider the fact that He acts. So if He acts, then why not let Him act when He wants to. Only lay your hands aside from the time table. Let Him act when to Him the time is right.

If you are ready to accept this, then you can still move one step further: He hasn’t let you know when He is going to act. But He has given you the final result in advance. Are you surprised? He says that no one can reverse it when He acts. Isn’t that knowledge enough?

Now you can answer another question? Are you sure that God is acting on your behalf? If yes, then do not keep worrying yourself sick over the result of His acting. See, no one can reverse what God has done on your behalf.

Even after God acts, you will find other forces trying their luck to reverse His action. It is then that you start worrying. Do not fret over those who try to reverse what God has done for you. It is simply impossible.

If you will believe what God says, then you will see the glory of God as He completes what He started to do for you; for no one can reverse it when God acts!
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Showers of Blessing In Season

I will send down showers in season; there will be showers of blessing (Ezekiel 34:26b NIV).

There is a season for showers. We think more about them when they are delayed. We are much concerned when it does not come in its scheduled time. Then we long for it. Every little cloud in the sky makes us wait in hope.

Some of these clouds pass by. We grow tired of watching and waiting as time passes by. We look keenly at the weather forecasts. We try to keep our hopes alive. All this is good and nice.

But who sends the showers? Isn’t it amazing that we think that the water cycle is what causes the rain to come down. That is true. But who made the water cycle to function that way? And who makes it rain in its season? Think about it. It doesn’t happen by chance. It is God who sends down showers in its season.

So when the dust of the dry and parched seasons of your life cloud your vision; think of God who forgets not to send the showers in its season. And with every individual God deals differently. Therefore the seasons differ with every individual.

Do not think that God has forgotten you when you see someone else having the showers and you are not blessed with it. God has a season for you. It may seem delayed but it will come.

For He will definitely send the showers in its season. That simply means at the appropriate time you will have a shower of blessing in your life.

The point is that God is interested in keeping His seasons. And His season for you is filled with blessing. As the showers come down from the skies, so shall the blessings shower on you from heaven.

God says, “I will.” He therefore will send showers of blessing. The season may just be round the corner. So wait in expectation. Can you see the clouds gather? Can you hear the showers fall? It is showers of blessing in its season!
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Send Some Men to Explore the Land

Send some men to explore the land of Canaan, which I am giving to the Israelites. From each ancestral tribe send one of its leaders (Numbers 13:2 NIV).

God sends us to explore only those things that He has already given to us. That means that even though it is not in our hands now, He has already decided to give it to you. It becomes a reality when we obey Him.

Only disobedience and unbelief can prevent us from inheriting what God has already decided to give to us. Let us always remember this principle found in His Word.

Then the question arises about exploration. Why do we need to explore if God has already decided to give. This is because we are limited in our vision. We are not often ready to take in the big things God has planned for us.

We need to have our eyes opened to the wonder of God’s planning for us. We need to see before we can often believe. It is because our faith is so weak at times. So God sends us exploring.

We are given a preview or foretaste of what is coming. It helps us be excited about the great things ahead. It also helps us to prepare ourselves for meeting challenges ahead.

But exploration is a task with a responsibility. That is why God chose the leaders to do it. It is a task of not just sight-seeing. It is a great responsibility of claiming the land given to you by God in faith. You see the land first.

But at the same time faith-filled explorers make that territory their own in their hearts long before they actually possess that land. This is because they surely believe the assurance that only what God has given He sends them exploring.

And this response is what pleases God. But if they distrust Him, then they perish. Therefore an errand of exploration is a serious responsibility.
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Our Secret Sins

You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence (Psalm 90:8 NIV).

With God there is forgiveness. There need be no doubt about it. But for that a person needs to seek God’s forgiveness.

Before doing that he needs to be made conscious of sin in his life and then he has to turn to God in true humility and tears. Then there is forgiveness.

Though we talk much about forgiveness we rarely talk about God who knows what we are up to. This verse from the prayer of Moses reminds us of our Holy God. There is no escaping the light of His presence.

We need to remember always that whatever we do is laid bare open before Him. It cannot be hidden. Whatever we have thought in secret, whatever we have done in secret, lies open before God.

How awesome is this thought! How much it should persuade us to live a life that is pleasing to God. For what we do in secret, our “secret sins” are kept in the light of His presence.

It is like a billion spotlights suddenly lighting up our hiding place in a pitch-black dark tunnel. And we would be like mice caught before the mighty lion.

Yes, God is to be feared. He is an awesome and mighty God. We talk too much of God’s forgiveness. We talk much less about His holiness.

We make God’s forgiveness too cheap at times. It cost God the life and blood of His dear Son to gift us with forgiveness.

Therefore let us strive to set things right. Let us not think that “secret sins” can be enjoyed and later forgiveness obtained. With God there is wrath. Let us not find ourselves caught in it by surprise.
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God, Who Shields My Head in the Day of Battle

O Sovereign Lord, my strong deliverer, who shields my head in the day of battle(Psalm 140:7 NIV).

“Is the Bible really relevant to our times?” This is a question that rises in the minds of any sincere Christian at some point of his life. Entertaining such a question in your mind does not mean that you have only less faith.

It is a part of your growth as a Christian that you have such questions. Instead of being alarmed about such questions you need to trust God to give you the answers.

For example let us look at the question whether the Bible can speak to our needs with the above verse in mind. At first look, this verse might just seem a portion of the prayer of David, the warrior-king who lived around 1000 B.C.

It would also appear quite natural for such a person to be thankful to God for shielding his head in battle. Yes, that is the primary meaning of the text. Then what is its relevance to us? For we might neither be warriors nor part of any battle!

Before you dismiss this verse as irrelevant to our times, THINK AGAIN! Is not your head the greatest battleground today?

Are not advertisements directed to your hearts and thought? Are not the different political ideologies of the world trying to influence your thinking? Does not some corner of the World Wide Web (www) hold you in its evil grip?

If so, what part of your body is it trying to control? No need to think again! It has a vice-like grip on your mind, thought and emotions. And now, don’t you agree that your head needs to be shielded and protected. And don’t you know very well that you can’t do it on your own.

But take heart, the God of David, is the same then and now. The protection that David experienced for his head can be yours too.

Only realize that the greatest battlefield is your mind. And the best way to remain victorious in this battle is to prevent the enemy from entering in.

Pray along with David. For God is the One who alone can shield your head in the battle for your mind!
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For You Do Not Know Which Will Succeed

Sow your seed in the morning, and at evening let not your hands be idle, for you do not know which will succeed, whether this or that, or whether both will do equally well (Ecclesiastes 11:6 NIV).

There are sure laws of success. One of them is listed here. This law calls for effort on our part. We have to sow. Without this simple initial step there is no beginning at all.

It means we have to start. The earlier the better. For morning brings the freshness of a new day. It can easily mark a new beginning. Moreover hope is at its best early morning. There is anticipation of the day’s work and also enthusiasm in abundance.

Once the morning’s work is done, the usual tendency is to sit back and relax. It is good to think about the work that we were able to complete in the morning.

Yet the law of success revealed here tells us that it is not enough. The time to relax has not yet come. Something more needs to be done. A little extra work.

It might seem not necessary. We might be tired; yet one more step needs to be taken–one more phone call, one more letter, one more word of encouragement or maybe one more whisper of prayer!

The seed sown in the morning might do its work. Yet the law of success revealed here says that we should not totally rely on that alone. There is no surety whether the morning’s work will succeed or not.

We can think that it will work. But what if it does not work out at the time we need it ? What if there is a delay? So let us not be idle. Let us move every stone to sow our seed. Let us knock every door open and get our work done.

The law of success gives us no clue as to which will succeed; whether the morning’s work or the work of the evening.

But it does teach us that it is absolutely necessary for us to make use of every available resource to sow our seed. And then trust God in the hope that both the morning’s work and the work of the evening will do equally well.
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Do Not Be So Distressed

But God said to him, “Do not be so distressed about the boy and your maidservant. Listen to whatever Sarah tells you, because it is through Isaac that your offspring will be reckoned” (Genesis 21:12 NIV).

Do not be so distressed. What was born out of your human decision has to be got rid of. It is because it never had divine approval in the first place. But God allowed it to happen.

That does not mean that God’s hand was in it. He only allowed things to happen according to your plans. And that again does not mean that it was the best that could have happened to you.

Now the time of confrontation has come. God has now brought His plan to come to pass in your life. In other words His time for doing some great things in your life has come.

And what was born out of your decision and what was born out of God’s promise (Isaac) are bound to be in conflict with each other. You will not be able to bear that burden. Therefore God says to get rid of what was born out of your decision (Ishmael).

But the matter can distress you. Here God is very realistic. He is concerned about your concern about your pet project. He says that He will look after the consequences of your decision to obey His word.

Will you dare to abandon your pet project? It cannot give you peace of mind for what God had purposed for your life has now come to pass. Your future lies in nurturing what God has given you now. Take special care of it.

In fact by allowing you to part with what had happened without divine approval in your life; God is showing you grace to live in spite of your mistake. He is setting things right now. Therefore do not be so distressed.
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Do Not Bury Me in Egypt

Do not bury me in Egypt, but when I rest with my fathers, carry me out of Egypt and bury me where they are buried (Genesis 47:29z, 30a NIV).

Jacob has given us a great example in his dying moments. He is looking ahead in expectation. Though now in circumstances not of his choosing, he is not ready to rest in them.

It should be said that Jacob’s circumstances at this time of life was very good. Yet he wanted to be in Canaan, where his fathers were buried.

This was no emotional decision; though certainly the memory of his fathers would have stirred the emotions. Jacob was definitely an emotional man.

Yet the force of his deathbed desire was a strong sense of faith. It was faith that God would keep the promise that He had made to his fathers. Therefore, he was affirming his faith that he believed in what God had promised.

This proclamation or demand of Jacob teaches us that we are to keep our eye constantly on the promises of God. It does not matter whether our present circumstances seem good enough. What matters is whether we are directing our lives according to what God has promised.

Jacob was also transferring the legacy of faith like a burning torch to his children when he made them promise to bury him in Canaan. Later we find that Joseph too, in his deathbed, made the Israelites promise that they would carry up his bones from Egypt to Canaan.

What if Jacob never made his children make this promise? Then the children of Israel would have found comfort in Egypt. They might never had thought about returning to the promised land.

In other words, the God of their fathers, would have become a memory of the past. But Jacob, through his insistence, made sure that the people of God would remain true to the God who had called out their fathers and blessed them.

This statement of Jacob challenges us today to think beyond our good circumstances to the God who called us!
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Valley of Achor, a Door of Hope

There I will give her back her vineyards, and will make the Valley of Achor a door of hope (Hosea 2:15a NIV).

There need be no doubt in your heart: God can create good out of the trouble you are passing through now. For Achor means trouble.

The valley referred to here is the place where Achan, a man who brought trouble on Israel by sinning against the Lord was stoned to death. And God shall put sin to death in your life. Thus shall He prepare the Valley of Achor to become a door of hope.

God does it by removing the root causes of sin in your life. Here a great deal of obedience to God is required from your part. For, you would have already identified that root that is causing trouble in your life. It is that one sin that is so much interwoven into your life!

God commands today to root it out for ever. And let its bitter memories be buried so that it be out of sight for ever. Then shall the Valley of Achor become a door of hope.

Thus the valley of humiliation, of trouble and defeat, shall become the initial point of your journey through the door of hope. And this hope does not disappoint because it is appointed by God Himself.

It opens up for you new opportunities; even those that were lost shall be restored to you. It shall cause a song to rise in your heart. Therefore prepare to leave the Valley of Achor behind and pass through the door of hope, now!

This is a sign of God’s tender mercy towards you. Now let this promise bring consolation to your heart. Let the past with all its sin and defeat be locked behind; never to be reopened again.

Leave the Valley of Achor behind. Let your eyes look ahead. Walk through the door of hope that God has opened for you!
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The Knowledge of the Glory of the Lord

For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord, as the waters cover the sea (Habakkuk 2:14 NIV).

There is nothing on earth that can be compared with the glory of the Lord. Yet without realizing this, the nations of the world, try to glory in what they have schemed to bring to pass.

Yet the glory of man’s greatest achievements will fade with the passing of time. The objects of his glory will fall into ruins or be discarded by succeeding generations. But the glory of the Lord endures for ever and ever.

This thought has to grip our hearts and minds. For we live in such a time when even the silliest of human achievements are crowned with glory. All this is because people do not have a knowledge of the glory of the Lord.

It is a glory of unfading beauty. It is a glory of unspeakable majesty. Let us strive to have a sure knowledge of this glory of the Lord. It shall keep our hearts focussed on eternal realities and not on the short-lived triumphs of human achievements.

Another fact of importance is that the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall fill the earth in its appointed time. It is compared to the waters covering the sea.

That means that this spread of the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall be full and complete. There will not be any land where it shall not be known. In other words, no one can escape it for it shall totally encompass every area of this earth.

East or West, North or South, wherever you turn; you will be confronted with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord.

In anticipation of that glorious day will you seek the knowledge of the glory of the Lord today? Will you desire that it will fully permeate your hearts and minds? Will you ask for it to totally engulf you as the waters cover the sea?

Without saying, it is the greatest privilege on earth given to man: To know God. Yes, you cannot imagine the vastness of the ocean but it can engulf you. That is knowing God!
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