More on the hymn:
Read more posts in Living Streams… Read the rest
God Who Watches Over You
“I, the Lord, watch over it” — Isaiah 27:3
Have you ever wondered if God watches over you? Let us look at Isaiah 27:2–6 to find the answer. Here God is calling Israel, his people, a fruitful vineyard. Earlier he was disappointed with it (see Isaiah 5:1–7). But now God is saying that he watches … Read the rest
Men in Uniform
Have you seen men in uniform? For example, take the case of a group of soldiers. What a lovely sight it is to see them march to the tune of the army band! There is beauty, order, rhythm and harmony in their march. They follow the Commander wherever he leads. And they obey him without … Read the rest
You’re a God
… Read the restYou’re a God who knows the way I take,
No path can be hidden from your eyes:
Though I do remain in the dark often;
Still, O God, you are my guiding light!You’re a God who sends your angel
To touch the lone discouraged man;
Lifting him up, giving him hope,
Bidding him walk
The River of Life
… Read the restThere flows a river;
A river, a river of life.
Of its abundance
I drink deeply
Till from within my heart
Its streams, living, overflows!Clear as a crystal
Flowing from God’s throne
And of the Lamb.
It’s a river, a river, a river
Of life-giving power
As its peaceful torrents flow.On the banks
Still I Am His Child
… Read the restWhen the pain of sin
Clouds my broken heart
And shuts heaven’s light–
Amid this grave’s darkness
A pearl does shine:
“Still I am His child!”When that beautiful vase
Slips from my hands ‘n falls,
Cracks ‘n breaks and scattered lies–
From its broken pieces
I see emerge a grand design:
“Still I am
Someone was Waiting
… Read the restSomeone was waiting for me;
Though from His loving care
And all that was good ‘n dear
I had walked away one day
Through the open gate across the lawn
With not a backward look.Someone was waiting for me;
While I in youthful pleasures
Swam to my heart’s content,
Spent all at wayside inns
Even Our Failures
The good news account in Matthew’s gospel begins with a long list of names.
In this list of names there are many who failed God at some crossroad in their lives. There are blemishes in the lives of many of the people mentioned here. Even a prostitute who turned to God in faith finds mention … Read the rest
Our Burden-bearer
There are roads each one of us has to travel alone. In those moments, someone walks along with us. Often we are unaware of his presence.
But at some point in the journey our eyes are opened to see the stranger who accompanies us. There is something about him that is more than a mere … Read the rest
Is God Your Hiding Place?
We all hide when we do wrong; don’t we? That is our first instinct. We love to move away from the light and hide in the dark.
But if we confess our sin and turn to God with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) we have a hiding place in God.
So let us … Read the rest
Seek God: Return to Your First Love!
Where have we failed?
God has his moments of disappointment with each one of us. Often we think that it is limited to times when we sin. Sadly, that is not true. There are many more occasions when we bring pain to the heart of God.
First and foremost we need to understand God seeks … Read the rest
God Will Show Mercy on You
When everything fails and you have no one to hold on to, seek God’s mercy.
If you have wondered whether God can stretch his mercy a little bit more; yes he can and he will; for you!
He is holy; and God is a God of justice. Yet he listens to the cry of a … Read the rest
Can I Earn My Forgiveness?
So many people suffer from guilt. It need not be a great crime like murder that troubles, but it can be the little wrongs they have done.
Their past haunts them.
They suffer silently as their minds torture them.
They feel someone accusing them all the time.
Unable to open up to anyone they carry … Read the rest
The Miracle on the Road to Emmaus Is Not What You Thought It Is!
It was a journey from Jerusalem to Emmaus, a village 7 miles away. Two men walked and talked. Their hearts were sad.
A stranger joined them. They did not recognize him. He asked them, “What are you talking about?”
They stood still; unable to assess how this person missed the momentous event that all had … Read the rest
Lesson 35: Let Us Draw Near to God
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
Intimacy with God
Jesus spoke hard-to-digest language when he spoke about having intimacy or close communion with him. He told: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53).”
Do not say … Read the rest
Lesson 27: The Risen Christ Meets with Peter on the Shore of the Sea of Galilee
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
A discouraged Peter goes out to fish and he was able to persuade six other disciples to go with him. That night they caught nothing. Soon, Jesus standing on the shore tells them to cast their net on the right side of the boat. Then … Read the rest
Lesson 24: The Spirit of Holiness
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
Look at how Paul describes the power of the Holy Spirit when Jesus was raised from the dead—“and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans … Read the rest
Lesson 20: I Will Not Leave You as Orphans
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
Jesus was comforting his disciples because to be orphaned is a sad state to be. He told them: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18).”
Jesus was talking about his constant presence with each one of them and … Read the rest
Lesson 15: “I Am the Good Shepherd.”
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
John 10:11
A Leader
“ ‘Shepherd’ was the name he [God] gave then to those to whom he had entrusted the political, moral, and spiritual leadership of his people. In Ezekiel 34, God rejects the shepherds who had failed and he himself promised to come … Read the rest
Lesson 10: The Last Night–Jesus Takes Centre Stage
This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series.
Let us look at the last night of Jesus on earth. John devotes Chapters 13 to 19 to the last twenty-four hours of Jesus on earth.
I Am He!
We find Jesus predicting his betrayal to the Twelve. Then he makes this statement:
… Read the rest“I am
When God Is Offering You Mercy, Do Not Refuse It!
When God is offering you something, do not dare to refuse it. Especially when he is offering mercy to you. Not that you deserve it. No. Not at all. God sees you are faithless. Yet he is offering mercy to you today.
What is your faithlessness? It is showing your back to your relationship with … Read the rest
About God’s Will and Right Sexual Conduct
So many youngsters are worried about finding God’s will. In today’s world they are more in confusion about right sexual conduct.
The Bible speaks about this in very clear terms.
Flee.
That means run away from sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18, 2 Tim 2:22). So do not stay in a place, situation or in front … Read the rest
Are You Struggling with Masturbation?
You have hope. You are not a failure in God’s eyes because you are struggling with the habit of masturbation!
You’re probably reading this article because you are longing to find victory over this sinful habit. You have struggled to overcome this habit for so many years; but have failed. Each time you failed, you … Read the rest
Battling Depression
The word depression immediately brings thoughts of darkness. Yes, depression can be described as absence of light. It can also be absence of joy.
When all the world seems happy and asks us to be like them we simply can’t. The sadness is increased when nobody understands what we are passing through.
They come out … Read the rest
Being Honest with God
We act all the time everyday; not in movies but in our interaction with others. We put on masks. We wear one at home, put on another at the workplace and yet another at the Church.
And the most difficult part comes when at times the masks are accidentally removed at the wrong places to … Read the rest
Though Yours Sins Are like Scarlet
“Come now, let us reason together,” says the Lord. “Though yours sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool” (Isaiah 1:18 NIV).
Have you all your life been in search of assurance of forgiveness of your sins? If yes, your search … Read the rest
My Advocate Is on High
Even now my witness is in heaven; my advocate is on high . . . on behalf of a man he pleads with God as a man pleads for his friend (Job 16:19, 21 NIV).
Job longed for someone to plead his cause with God (Job 9:33). Like him we too might come to a … Read the rest
Why Do You Say Nothing About Bringing the King Back?
So why do you say nothing about bringing the king back? (2 Samuel 19:10b NIV).
Where is your king? Have you sent him away and anointed someone else to be your king?
Look at history. King David had to flee because the people of Israel had made his son Absalom king. But Absalom died in … Read the rest
The King’s Friend
Hushai the Arkite was the king’s friend (1 Chronicles 27:33b NIV).
It would surprise you to note this. In this section in this book it is the names of people who were the officials of David that has been recorded. All of them were included because of their position.
But this one man’s name was … Read the rest
Building Temple, Only Blocks Dressed at the Quarry Used
In building the temple, only blocks dressed at the quarry were used, and no hammer, chisel or any other iron tool was heard at the temple site while it was being built (1 Kings 6:7 NIV).
God does the shaping work on your life early. He does not wait for the time for actual building … Read the rest