The Daily Bible Study

Blessed are the Merciful

By Warren Wiersbe

      Certainly it does not mean that we earn mercy because we extend mercy, for such an idea is foreign to Word of God. By its very definition, mercy cannot be earned any more than grace can be earned. The Beatitude is saying: "When you experience mercy, and share mercy, then your heart is in such a condition tha6t you can receive more mercy to share with others. . . Jesus is not asking us to be merciful occasionally; He is asking us to be constant channels of mercy. "Give, and it shall be given unto you" (Luke 6:38). By extending mercy, we open our hearts to receive mercy; and having received, we can share again and again.

      The Christian is surrounded by mercy. When he looks back, he can say, "Surely goodness, and mercy have followed me all the days of my life" (Psalm 23:6). When he looks ahead, he remembers the words of Jude 21--"Looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life." As he begins each new day, he can say; "It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:22-23).

      . . . God responds to us on the basis of the heart. "With the merciful thou wilt shew thyself merciful; with an upright man thou wilt shew thyself upright; with the pure thou wilt shew thyself pure; and with the froward thou wilt shew thyself froward" (Psalm 18:25-26). . . . When once we begin to cultivate one of the spiritual graces, God always provides more. When we show mercy, He gives mercy; and thus, we have more mercy to show.

      When a Christian shows mercy, he experiences liberation. He is set free from grudges that drain the strength and unsettle the mind. . . The most miserable prison in the world is the prison we make for ourselves when we refuse to show mercy. Our thoughts become shackled, our emotions are chained, the will is almost paralyzed. But when we show mercy, all of these bonds are broken, and we enter into a joyful liberty that frees us to share God's love with others. This blessing of freedom is one way that we receive mercy as we show mercy. It is a blessed by-product of obeying God.

      . . . How thrilling to go through life sharing God's mercy and not having to judge people to see if they are "worthy" of what we have to offer. We stop looking at the externals and begin to see people through the merciful eyes of Christ. Every Christian we meet is a person in whom Jesus lives; every lost soul we meet is a person for whom Jesus died. In both cases, we have candidates for God's mercy.

                                                                    Quotes from A.W.Tozer

“An infinite God can give all of Himself to each of His children. He does not distribute Himself that each may have a part, but to each one He gives all of Himself as fully as if there were no others.” 
― A.W. Tozer

God Bless.

Today's Word of Blessing

A CHANNEL OF BLESSINGSPaul Dhinakaran

I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing.    (Genesis 12:2)

Dearly beloved, when the Lord sets His hands on you and blesses you, your family will be blessed through you. The Bible says that when Jacob lived in his uncle Laban’s house, God blessed the latter and all his belongings immeasurably. One day, when Jacob prepared to leave Laban’s house for his native land, his uncle pleaded with him: "If I have found favor in your eyes, please stay. I have learned by divination that the LORD has blessed me because of you" (Genesis 30:27).

What Laban had before Jacob came to him, was little (Genesis 30:30). However, from the day Jacob set foot in his house, his blessings began abounding. Amazed at it, he went to the soothsayers and asked them what could be the secret of his bountiful blessings. They told him that it was all due to the presence of a newcomer called Jacob in his house.

You may be bemoaning saying, “Alas! Poverty is so rampant in my family. My father or mother is bed-ridden all the time!” Are you broken-hearted because of problems in the family? The Lord who blessed Laban through Jacob, will bless your family also through you. 

I came to the Lord in 1980. I was then 18 years old. Before that, I did not bother in the least about God! My parents used to shed tears for me. There was no peace at home. Everywhere people rose against us. Hence, my mother fasted one day in the week and prayed in tears for me, day and night. God touched me very soon. He filled me with His Holy Spirit. Our home, dull and dreary till then, became a haven of peace and joy. Since then the ministry began spreading. Countless miracles were witnessed in the Good News meetings and people were drawn to them in lakhs. My father had a promotion in his profession and his pre-eminence as a servant of God began to spread all over the world. In the ministry also, buildings and equipment increased in abundance. Both our family and the ministry began prospering. 

All because I accepted the Lord and gave Him room in my heart, our family was abundantly blessed by God. Today whether it be in the family or the ministry, I am consulted on all matters. If I am honoured so much, it is all because Lord Jesus is with me and prospers all my undertakings. Because the hand of the Lord is upon me, my family is blessed so much.

Perhaps you may be young in age but do not forget that you alone are responsible for the blessings in your family. When the Lord sets His hand upon you, He will cause abundant blessings to be poured into your family. There will be prosperity in your family. Your parents, relatives, brothers and sisters will love you and respect you. They will say about you with pride: “He/ she has come to Lord Jesus Christ and is channel of blessings to us.” The love of those around you, will surround you all through your lives. You will become a blessing to your family and the society at large.

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

I seek You with my whole heart. Let your hand be with me. Bless me in order that I may be a blessing to others. Lord, be with me and prosper all my undertakings. Make me a channel of blessings to my family. Let their love surround me all through my life. May our home become a haven of peace and joy. Help me to spread your divine fragrance everywhere I go.

In Your matchless name I pray.

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                                                  Bigger and Better

                                                                                                                  By Warren Wiersbe

                                                                                                                  Read Psalm 4:1-8

 
      Sometimes God's people can be so discouraging! In Psalm 4 we find David listening to people saying, "Who will show us any good?" (v. 6). David's own men were discouraged. They were going through a trial, and some were saying, "O David, this is the end. God is no longer going to help us." That's hard to take. It's rough when your associates or friends say to you, "Well, you've reached the end. Who will show us any good?"

      But David called on the Lord, and God enlarged him. "You have relieved (enlarged) me when I was in distress" (v. 1). Pressure on the outside should make us bigger on the inside. The trials of life will press against us and make us either midgets or giants--either smaller or bigger. But we have to start on the inside. "You have relieved me when I was in distress." How did this happen?

      David cried out to God, "You have put gladness in my heart" (v. 7). He started out with sadness and ended with gladness. He started with tears and ended with triumph. Once again he's sleeping beautifully. "I will both lie down in peace, and sleep; for You alone, O Lord, make me dwell in safety" (v. 8).

      David discovered that what was important was not the circumstance around him but the attitude within him. Let God enlarge you when you are going through distress. He can do it. You can't do it, and others can't do it for you. In fact, others may want to make things even tighter and narrower for you. But when you turn to the Lord and trust Him, He will enlarge you on the inside. You'll come out of your distresses a bigger person because you've trusted in the Lord.

      There is a relationship between our attitude inside and our circumstances outside. If we maintain the proper attitude, God will use our trials to enlarge us. Are you going through a trial today? Give your circumstances to the Lord and trust Him to enlarge you.

                                                                      Quotes from A.W.Tozer

                                                    “Perhaps it takes a purer faith to praise God for unrealized blessings than for those we once enjoyed or those we enjoy now.” 
                                                                                                                                                                ― A.W. Tozer

God Bless.

Today's Word of Blessing

REWARD FOR PATIENCEStella Dhinakaran

But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.    (1 Corinthians 15:57)

Lord Jesus assures us that He will make us more than conquerors in this world (Romans 8:37). All we have to do is just say, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ (I Corinthians 15:57). He says, “…In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

The Lord Himself walked through all kinds of afflictions, trials and temptations in this world just to grant us victory over them. “Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). He Himself carried all our sins, iniquities and afflictions on the cross in order to grant us a new life. Just for our sake, He went through the experience of utter helplessness and cried out, “My God, My God why have You forsaken Me” (Matthew 27:46).

Joseph was a young man who loved God with all his heart. On account of that, he had to suffer in the prison for 13 years. However, the Lord changed everything in his life and made him a blessing to many. He never forsook him. He was with him and delivered him (Genesis 39:2, 21 and 23). “Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time” (I Peter 5:6). As mentioned in the above Scripture verse, Joseph surrendered his life to God even in that difficult situation. He continued to lead a godly life. That is why God delivered him from all his troubles and made him a channel of blessing.

The Lord enabled Joseph to obtain grace in the eyes of Pharaoh. He gave Joseph the necessary wisdom and the power. At His appointed time the miracle happened. Finally, the Pharaoh himself acknowledged, “Can we find anyone like this man, one in whom is the Spirit of God?...There is no one so discerning and wise as you” (Genesis 41:38, 39).

Dearly beloved, we may be lamenting on account of our afflictions. According to James 5:11, the time has come for God to reward us for our patience. He will certainly remember all the afflictions we went through in the past and grant us deliverance. Therefore, let us seek the Lord with great faith and enjoy wonders and miracles in our lives.

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

I am going through the path of adversity. You suffered on the cross for my sake in order to give me a new life. You overcame the world. Lord, do not forsake me. Let your presence be with me as I walk this difficult path. Hold my hand and strengthen me. Grant me deliverance and elevate me in my life at the appointed time. I give all glory, honour and praise to You.

In Your matchless name I pray. 

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                                           Be Determined

                                                                                                           By Warren Wiersbe

      Are we the kind of leaders and followers God wants us to be? Like Nehemiah, do we have a burden in our hearts for the work God has called us to do? (Neh. 2:12). Are we willing to sacrifice to see His will accomplished? Are we patient in gathering facts and in planning our work? Do we enlist the help of others or try to do everything ourselves? Do we motivate people on the basis of the spiritual-what God is doing-or simply on the basis of the personal? Are they following us or the Lord as He leads us?

      As followers, do we listen to what our leaders say as they share their burdens? Do we cling to the past or desire to see God do something new? Are we cooperating in any way with the enemy and thus weakening the work? Have we found the job God wants us to complete?

      Anyone can go through life as a destroyer; God has called His people to be builders. What an example Nehemiah is to us! Trace his 'so' statements and see how God used him: 'So I prayed' (2:4); 'So I came to Jerusalem' (v. 11); 'So they strengthened their hands for this good work' (v. 18); 'So built we the wall' (4:6); 'So we labored in the work' (v. 21); 'So the wall was finished' (6:15).

      Were it not for the grit and determination that came from his faith in a great God, Nehemiah would never have finished the work.

      As Dr. V. Raymond Edman used to say, 'It is always too soon to quit.'

      Paul writes: "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58, niv).

                                                      Quotes from A.W.Tozer

“God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.” 

― A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                                           Be Determined

                                                                                                           By Warren Wiersbe

      Are we the kind of leaders and followers God wants us to be? Like Nehemiah, do we have a burden in our hearts for the work God has called us to do? (Neh. 2:12). Are we willing to sacrifice to see His will accomplished? Are we patient in gathering facts and in planning our work? Do we enlist the help of others or try to do everything ourselves? Do we motivate people on the basis of the spiritual-what God is doing-or simply on the basis of the personal? Are they following us or the Lord as He leads us?

      As followers, do we listen to what our leaders say as they share their burdens? Do we cling to the past or desire to see God do something new? Are we cooperating in any way with the enemy and thus weakening the work? Have we found the job God wants us to complete?

      Anyone can go through life as a destroyer; God has called His people to be builders. What an example Nehemiah is to us! Trace his 'so' statements and see how God used him: 'So I prayed' (2:4); 'So I came to Jerusalem' (v. 11); 'So they strengthened their hands for this good work' (v. 18); 'So built we the wall' (4:6); 'So we labored in the work' (v. 21); 'So the wall was finished' (6:15).

      Were it not for the grit and determination that came from his faith in a great God, Nehemiah would never have finished the work.

      As Dr. V. Raymond Edman used to say, 'It is always too soon to quit.'

      Paul writes: "Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain" (1 Cor. 15:58, niv).

                                                      Quotes from A.W.Tozer

“God never hurries. There are no deadlines against which he must work. Only to know this is to quiet our spirits and relax our nerves.” 

― A.W. Tozer, The Pursuit of God

Today's Word of Blessing

GOD FIGHTS OUR BATTLESEvangeline Paul Dhinakaran

Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.    (James 4:10)

Dearly beloved, the Lord will fight for us and grant us victory. He says, “They will fight against you but will not overcome you” (Jeremiah 1:19). How can we triumph over the people who rise up against us? When we walk patiently in the path laid by God for us, no affliction can overcome us. 

When the Lord led king David through the path of affliction, he was very patient. A man called Shimei rose up against him. When the former walked in the wilderness, the latter cursed him (II Samuel 16:7). He even pelted stones at him. Even then, David was very patient and allowed him to curse him. He went on to say, “Who can ask, ‘Why do you do this?’” (II Samuel 16:10).

Sometimes when our own family members rise up against us, we start speaking ill about them. We use unnecessary words to hurt them. On account of that, the situation becomes even more worse. But when we remain patient just like David, then those who rise up against us, cannot overcome us. The Lord will protect us even in that situation.

Our own people, relatives, neighbours and even friends may rise up against us. They may be people whom we trust so much. The Lord will surely fight our battles in this year. Nothing can overcome us. The Bible assures, “The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still” (Exodus 14:14).

The Lord says, “…Whoever attacks you will surrender to you” (Isaiah 54:15). This was what happened to David. When he became the king again, this same Shimei came in search of him, fell at his feet saying, “Sir, what I did was wrong. Please do forgive me.” David was appreciated by all.

When we go through afflictions, let us say, “The Lord is my light and my salvation and I will not be afraid of anyone.” When we say this with great faith, the Lord will certainly deliver us from all kinds of bondages and grant us victory. The Bible advises, “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up” (James 4:10). When we humble ourselves, the Lord will exalt us at the right time.

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

I am going through the path of affliction. You have overcome the world. I humble myself before You believing that You will lift me up at the right time. Give me the grace to remain patient amidst my ordeals. Please protect me and fight the battle for me. Let nothing overcome me. Exalt me in the very place where I was humiliated. Grant me victory.

In Your matchless name I pray. 

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                                               Are You Worthy?

                                                                                                                                                         By Warren Wiersbe

                                                                                                                                                       Read Psalm 15:1-5 

      Imagine what would happen if I walked up to the main gate at Buckingham Palace in London and said to one of the tall, hand-some, well-dressed guards, "Sir, I want to live with the royal family." He would look at me and say, "Begone, before I arrest you."

      Who is worthy to live with God? Only through Jesus Christ can we "dwell in God's holy hill." David always was a little bit envious of the priests. When we read the Psalms, we find David saying such things as, "Oh, those priests. They are able to walk in the temple of God. I can't do that. I can't go into the Holy Place." Spiritually he could, but physically he couldn't. Because we are in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can come boldly into the presence of God, not just to visit Him but to live with Him.

      David describes the kind of person who is able to live with God. He must have the right kind of feet ("walks uprightly") and hands ("works righteousness"), lips ("speaks the truth") and heart. What we say with our lips always has to come from our heart. Verse 3 also talks about the tongue: "He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend." This is the person God welcomes at His front door and says, "You come and live with Me." That person has clean feet, clean hands and a clean heart that produce clean words and clean motives, one in whose eyes a vile person is despised. His eyes look upon only what is right and good.

      Here is a beautiful picture of the kind of person God chooses to live with Him. And the beauty of it is this: Such a person will never get an eviction notice. "He who does these things shall never be moved" (v. 5). How can we be this kind of person? Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

      God welcomes those with clean feet, clean hands and a clean heart. Remember, your worth is founded in Jesus Christ. It is through faith in Him that you are acceptable in the sight of God. Are your feet, hands and heart clean?

                                                            Quotes from    ― A.W. Tozer                            

“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.” 
― A.W. Tozer

God Bless

The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                                               Are You Worthy?

                                                                                                                                                         By Warren Wiersbe

                                                                                                                                                       Read Psalm 15:1-5 

      Imagine what would happen if I walked up to the main gate at Buckingham Palace in London and said to one of the tall, hand-some, well-dressed guards, "Sir, I want to live with the royal family." He would look at me and say, "Begone, before I arrest you."

      Who is worthy to live with God? Only through Jesus Christ can we "dwell in God's holy hill." David always was a little bit envious of the priests. When we read the Psalms, we find David saying such things as, "Oh, those priests. They are able to walk in the temple of God. I can't do that. I can't go into the Holy Place." Spiritually he could, but physically he couldn't. Because we are in the Lord Jesus Christ, we can come boldly into the presence of God, not just to visit Him but to live with Him.

      David describes the kind of person who is able to live with God. He must have the right kind of feet ("walks uprightly") and hands ("works righteousness"), lips ("speaks the truth") and heart. What we say with our lips always has to come from our heart. Verse 3 also talks about the tongue: "He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend." This is the person God welcomes at His front door and says, "You come and live with Me." That person has clean feet, clean hands and a clean heart that produce clean words and clean motives, one in whose eyes a vile person is despised. His eyes look upon only what is right and good.

      Here is a beautiful picture of the kind of person God chooses to live with Him. And the beauty of it is this: Such a person will never get an eviction notice. "He who does these things shall never be moved" (v. 5). How can we be this kind of person? Through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

      God welcomes those with clean feet, clean hands and a clean heart. Remember, your worth is founded in Jesus Christ. It is through faith in Him that you are acceptable in the sight of God. Are your feet, hands and heart clean?

                                                            Quotes from    ― A.W. Tozer                            

“O God, I have tasted Thy goodness, and it has both satisfied me and made me thirsty for more. I am painfully conscious of my need for further grace. I am ashamed of my lack of desire. O God, the Triune God, I want to want Thee; I long to be filled with longing; I thirst to be made more thirsty still. Show me Thy glory, I pray Thee, so that I may know Thee indeed. Begin in mercy a new work of love within me. Say to my soul, ‘Rise up my love, my fair one, and come away.’ Then give me grace to rise and follow Thee up from this misty lowland where I have wandered so long.” 
― A.W. Tozer

God Bless

Today's Word of Blessing

GOD WILL RESTORE YOUPaul Dhinakaran

God who gives life to the dead and calls things that are not as though they were.    (Romans 4:17)

Dearly beloved, the Lord shall bless you in double measure. He will restore to you all that you have lost. When Job, the devout servant of God, was going through afflictions, he was deserted by all. But when the Lord changed his captivity, granted him good health, rebuilt his family life, restored all his wealth and made him great, all his relatives came in search of him. They ate with him and honoured him.

The Bible says, “All his (Job’s) brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the LORD had brought upon him, and each one gave him a piece of silver and a gold ring. The LORD blessed the latter part of Job's life more than the first…” (Job 42:11,12).

The Holy Spirit will do the same in your family also. He will make you a very honourable person in your family. He will do miracles for your family members as well as relatives for your sake. He shall make everyone of them to be of great support to you. He will do awesome things in your life also. The Lord who calls those things which do not exist as if they do exist, shall create new things for you and your children. He shall certainly do miracles for you. You shall rise up as a great army and fulfill the will of God.

The Lord shall bring prosperity to the ministry and the nation through you. But before doing that, He shall do miracles for you. If you are suffering without the gift of a child, He shall place a child in your womb today. If you do not have a house of your own, He shall not only give you the necessary finance but also provide a house for you. If you do not have a job, He shall provide a job for you. He shall remove all your sickness and grant you his health. Whatever you do not have, shall be given to you. Believe in it and praise God with all your heart. 

Lord Jesus tells, “Do not say that there is no God. I came into this world just to prove that I do exist and to fill you with My blessings. I call those things which do not exist as if they do exist. For your sake, I shall do miracles for your people and reveal My salvation to the whole world.”

Lord Jesus Christ is alive even today. He shall remove all your wants and fill you with His blessings. He shall reveal His resurrection power through you. He shall do mighty miracles for you and through that, He shall establish your family life. Believe in the Lord and offer your praises to Him. He is the Almighty God and there is nothing impossible for Him. So He will do awesome miracles in your personal life, family life and in your ministry. The Lord Himself shall do these things and make you rejoice.

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

You are the living God. I offer You my praises. Nothing is impossible for You. Please look upon my affliction. Deliver me and restore to me all that I have lost. Exalt me among my family, friends and relatives. Perform awesome miracles in my life. Make me a channel of blessing to them. Reveal your salvation to them. I believe in my heart that You will grant me all the blessings.

In Your matchless name I pray. 

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

                                                                                             Are You Sleeping Well?

                                                                                               By Warren Wiersbe

                                                                                                Read Psalm 3:1-8 

      How well we sleep sometimes indicates how much we really trust the Lord. David said, "I lay down and slept; I awoke, for the Lord sustained me" (v. 5). We may think we can do that anytime. But what if we had been where David was? He was fleeing from his son Absalom, who had turned against him and had driven him from Jerusalem. Now David was in the wilderness with his army. It would be difficult to lie down and sleep knowing that you are in a dangerous wilderness and that your own son is against you. Oh, it wasn't the physical danger that kept David awake. He knew God would protect him. It was the inner spiritual and emotional agony of having his own flesh and blood trying to seize the kingdom from him.

      But David said, in effect, "Lord, You are able to give me peace in my heart, the protection I need, the perspective I need. You are able to help me in the midst of this difficult situation." The heart of every problem is really the problem in the heart. David knew that it was not the army on the outside that would keep him awake but the agony on the inside.

      This psalm starts with David's cry, "Many are they who rise up against me" (v. 1). He's pleading for help. The psalm ends with David's singing a song of praise (v. 8). Your day might begin by your pleading for help. But if you are trusting the Lord, it could end by your praising Him for the help He has given you.

      Difficult circumstances often rob us of our peace and our perspective. When you find yourself in adverse circumstances or in the face of frightening consequences, admit your trouble and affirm your trust in Him. Then be encouraged that God protects you and gives you peace in the midst of the storm.

                                                                              A QUOTE FROM      A.W.TOZER

“The hearts fierce effort to protect itself from every slight, to shield its touchy honour from the bad opinion of friend and enemy, will never let the mind have rest…Such a burden as this is not necessary to bear. Jesus calls us to His rest, and meekness is His method. The meek man cares not at all who is greater than he, for he has long ago decided that the esteem of the world is not worth the effort. He develops toward himself a kindly sense of humour and learns to say, ‘Oh, so you have been overlooked? They have placed someone else before you? They have whispered that you are pretty small stuff after all? And now you feel hurt because the world is saying about you the very things you have been saying about yourself? Only yesterday you were telling God that you were nothing, a mere worm of the dust. Where is your consistency? Come on, humble yourself, and cease to care what men think.”

God Bless and Wish you a happy Pongal festive season.

Today's Word of Blessing

RENEWED IN STRENGTHStella Dhinakaran

I can do everything through him who gives me strength.    (Philippians 4:13)

Dearly beloved, God is the source of strength. That is why Apostle says, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:13). 

Luke 2:36-38 talks about a woman called Anna. She was a young and brokenhearted widow. When the entire world forgot her, she clung on to the feet of God. She never left the temple but worshipped Him night and day, fasting and praying. 

The Lord who remembered all her sacrifices, granted her His divine gifts, specially the gift of prophecy and made her a prophetess. The God of all comfort comforted and consoled her, and enabled her to become a vessel of consolation to others (II Corinthians 1:3,4).

Even in my life, I lost my only precious daughter and loving husband who were everything to me. It was in that bitter and broken condition the Lord remembered me. He completely transformed my life. He poured His love into me in a greater measure. He gave me a new strength and made me zealous for Him in the ministry. He gave me the confidence and wisdom to do His ministry boldly. Above all, He has filled me with His Holy Spirit in an abundant measure and He is using me in a greater magnitude in the ministry. His deeds are wonderful and miraculous.

The Psalmist laments, “I am forgotten by them as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery” (Psalm 31:12).

Even Lord Jesus had to walk through the valley of death in order to fulfill the will of His Father. Nevertheless, He gladly surrendered Himself for that. He asked, “Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” But His Father never forgot Him. He resurrected Him from death and exalted Him. Above all, He gave Him the greatest privilege of sitting at His right hand in heaven.

Dear friend, stop lamenting saying, “I am a broken vessel and my life is full of bitterness.” Instead cling on to God firmly. Then He will resurrect you and guide you in His ways. Even the world may forget you but He will never forget you.

The Bible positively states, “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you” (Romans 8:11). According to the above mentioned Scripture verse, the Lord will resurrect your body, soul and spirit and enable you to arise and shine for Him in these last days; and you will never be forgotten by Him.

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

I know that I am very precious to You and that You care for me. I cling onto your feet for your divine assistance. Remember me in my broken state. Pour your love into me in a greater measure. Restore my strength through your divine comfort. Enable me to rise and shine for You. Transform me into a vessel of consolation.

In Your matchless name I pray. 

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

Are You Situated by the Waters?

By Warren Wiersbe

      Read Psalm 1:3-6 
      A tree is a blessing. It holds soil, provides shade and produces fruit. The godly are like trees, with root systems that go deep into the spiritual resources of God's grace (v. 3). But sadly, many professing Christians are not like trees but are like artificial plants or cut flowers with no roots. They may be beautiful for a while, but soon they die.

      A tree needs light, water and roots to live. We all have resources upon which we draw life. The question we need to ask ourselves is, Where are our roots? The person God can bless is planted by the rivers of water. We must be careful not to be like Christians who are dry and withered and depend upon their own resources. They are like tumbleweeds, blown about by any wind of doctrine.

      To have the blessings of verse 3, we need to meet the conditions of verses 1 and 2. That is, we must first be separated from the world and saturated with the Word to be situated by the waters.

      God desires to bless us, but we need to meet certain conditions to receive His blessings. We bear fruit only when we have roots, and we must draw upon spiritual resources to bring forth fruit in due season. To bear the fruit of the Spirit, we must allow the Spirit to work in us and through us.

      In contrast to the believer, the ungodly are not like trees but are like chaff. They have no roots, produce no fruit and are blown about. The ungodly reject the Word of God and will perish without hope (v. 6). As Christians we must not reject the ungodly but try to reach them. God blesses us so that we might be a blessing to others. His Spirit helps us bear fruit that can help win the lost.

      Are you like a tree or like chaff?

      We need God's resources to bear fruit. But where we place our roots is paramount. Only as we grow them deeply into the spiritual resources of God's grace will we produce fruit. Make the Bible your spiritual resource. Delight in it and feed your soul with its truth. God can use you to help win the lost.

THE OLD CROSS AND THE NEW A.W.TOZER ALL UNANNOUNCED AND MOSTLY UNDETECTED there has come in modern times a new cross into popular evangelical circles. It is like the old cross, but different: the likenesses are superficial; the differences, fundamental. From this new cross has sprung a new philosophy of the Christian life, and from that new philosophy has come a new evangelical technique—a new type of meeting and a new kind of preaching. This new evangelism employs the same language as the old, but its content is not the same and its emphasis not as before. The old cross would have no truck with the world. For Adam's proud flesh it meant the end of the journey. It carried into effect the sentence imposed by the law of Sinai. The new cross is not opposed to the human race; rather, it is a friendly pal and, if understood aright, it is the source of oceans of good clean fun and innocent enjoyment. It lets Adam live without interference. His life motivation is unchanged; he still lives for his own pleasure, only now he takes delight in singing choruses and watching religious movies instead of singing bawdy songs and drinking hard liquor. The accent is still on enjoyment, though the fun is now on a higher plane morally if not intellectually. The new cross encourages a new and entirely different evangelistic approach. The evangelist does not demand abnegation of the old life before a new life can be received. He preaches not contrasts but similarities. He seeks to key into public interest by showing that Christianity makes no unpleasant demands; rather, it offers the same thing the world does, only on a higher level. Whatever the sin-mad world happens to be clamoring after at the moment is cleverly shown to be the very thing the gospel offers, only the religious product is better. The new cross does not slay the sinner, it redirects him. It gears him into a cleaner and jollier way of living and saves his self-respect. To the self-assertive it says, "Come and assert yourself for Christ." To the egotist it says, "Come and do your boasting in the Lord." To the thrillseeker it says, "Come and enjoy the thrill of Christian fellowship." The Christian message is slanted in the direction of the current vogue in order to make it acceptable to the public. The philosophy back of this kind of thing may be sincere but its sincerity does not save it from being false. It is false because it is blind. It misses completely the whole meaning of the cross. The old cross is a symbol of death. It stands for the abrupt, violent end of a human being. The man in Roman times who took up his cross and started down the road had already said good-by to his friends, He was not coming back. He was going out to have it ended. The cross made no compromise, modified nothing, spared nothing; it slew all of the man, completely and for good. It did not try to keep on good terms with its victim. It struck cruel and hard, and when it had finished its work, the man was no more. The race of Adam is under death sentence. There is no commutation and no escape. God cannot approve any of the fruits of sin, however innocent they may appear or beautiful to the eyes of men. God salvages the individual by liquidating him and then raising him again to newness of life. That evangelism which draws friendly parallels between the ways of God and the ways of men is false to the Bible and cruel to the souls of its hearers. The faith of Christ does not parallel the world, it intersects it. In coming to Christ we do not bring our old life up onto a higher plane; we leave it at the cross. The corn of wheat must fall into the ground and die. We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. God offers life, but not an improved old life. The life He offers is life out of death. It stands always on the far side of the cross. Whoever would possess it must pass under the rod. He must repudiate himself and concur in God's just sentence against him. What does this mean to the individual, the condemned man who would find life in Christ Jesus? How can this theology be translated into life? Simply, he must repent and believe. He must forsake his sins and then go on to forsake himself. Let him cover nothing, defend nothing, excuse nothing. Let him not seek to make terms with God, but let him bow his head before the stroke of God's stern displeasure and acknowledge himself worthy to die. Having done this let him gaze with simple trust upon the risen Saviour, and from Him will come life and rebirth and cleansing and power. The cross that ended the earthly life of Jesus now puts an end to the sinner; and the power that raised Christ from the dead now raises him to a new life along with Christ. To any who may object to this or count it merely a narrow and private view of truth, let me say God has set His hallmark of approval upon this message from Paul's day to the present. Whether stated in these exact words or not, this has been the content of all preaching that has brought life and power to the world through the centuries. The mystics, the reformers, the revivalists have put their emphasis here, and signs and wonders and mighty operations of the Holy Ghost gave witness to God's approval. Dare we, the heirs of such a legacy of power, tamper with the truth? Dare we with our stubby pencils erase the lines of the blueprint or alter the pattern shown us in the Mount? May God forbid. Let us preach the old cross and we will know the old power. God Bless.

                                            

Today's Word of Blessing

EVERLASTING LOVEEvangeline Paul Dhinakaran

You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you.    (Isaiah 26:3)

Dearly beloved, the Lord says, “…I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness” (Jeremiah 31:3). The Lord loved the Israelites. He says, "When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son” (Hosea 11:1). When they cried out to Him, He came down and saved them. He loves us also with the same love.

When the Israelites were under bondage in Egypt, they denied the Lord many times. They even rose up against Him. They were not faithful to Him. Sometimes, they even ignored Him completely. But still He loved them with an everlasting love. As promised by Him, He took them safely to the land of Canaan. The Bible states, “If we are faithless, he will remain faithful…” (II Timothy 2:13).

He says, “It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them” (Hosea 11:3). Nevertheless, “He led them with cords of human kindness and with ties of love” (Hosea 11:4). He who promised is faithful. He continually showers His love upon us. When we go through afflictions, we ignore His love. Nonetheless, He continues to love us with an everlasting love.

A sister wrote to me in the following manner. She got married and was living in her husband’s house. It was a joint family. Her husband did not have any job. Hence, she had to earn and take care of the entire family. Added to that, she had to do all the household work also. Inspite of all her difficulties, she did everything cheerfully. Yet, no one in that family loved her. 

It was then she wrote to me saying, “I am doing all the work at home. I also go to office, earn money and feed all the members of my family. But still they hate me. Please pray for God to change this situation.” I felt very sad on reading her letter. She was also pregnant. Hence, I cried out to God for her. What a wonder! Within a few days, I received another letter from her. She wrote, “I am sure you would have prayed for me. Now my husband and all the family members have began loving me. I am very happy now.”

The Scripture counsels, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved- -you and your household" (Acts 16:31). According to the above mentioned Scripture verse, the Lord will save our family members and bless them just because we seek Him faithfully. The Lord who promised the Israelites that He would show them His wonders (Micah 7:15), is assuring us today that He will do the same for us also. He will perfect everything concerning our body, soul and spirit. He is the Lord who heals us.

In the following verses, the Bible declares, “The LORD has taken away your punishment, he has turned back your enemy. The LORD, the King of Israel, is with you; never again will you fear any harm” (Zephaniah 3:15). “You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you” (Isaiah 26:3). The love God has for us and His loving kindness are great indeed. He loves us with an everlasting love. 

Prayer:

Loving Lord Jesus,

Your love for me never changes. It is everlasting. You gave yourself for me. You are faithful and your promises never fail. Hear the cry of my voice. Come down from your dwelling place and save me. Continue to shower your love upon me and bless me. Save my entire family and show your wonders among them. Fulfill your promise You have made to your servant.

In Your matchless name I pray. 

Amen.
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The Daily Bible Study

A Song of Deliverance

By Warren Wiersbe

      Read Psalm 18:1-6 
      Psalm 18 celebrates David's victory over his enemies. Notice the inscription at the beginning. This is the song David sang "on the day that the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul." David did not classify Saul as one of his enemies. Isn't that interesting? David was an enemy to Saul, but Saul was not an enemy to him.

      We may not be able to prevent other people from being our enemies, but we can prevent ourselves from being enemies toward others. Our job is not to create problems and make enemies. Our job is to pray, to live for the Lord and to represent Him in all we do.

      The Lord delivered David from all his enemies. The Hebrew language contains 23 different words for deliverance. The Jewish people knew something about deliverance. Throughout their history God had delivered them.

      Who delivered David? God did. When did He do it? When David called upon Him. "I will love You, O Lord, my strength" (v. 1). As we look at verses 1-6, we find nine different titles for God: my God, my Rock, my Fortress, my Deliverer, my Strength, my Shield, the Horn of my Salvation, my Stronghold, the Lord. Don't let that little word my upset you. You must lay hold of God personally and say, "He is my God. He is my Deliverer. He is my Salvation." Who delivers you? The Lord. When will He deliver you? When you call upon Him. "I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; so shall I be saved from my enemies" (v. 3).

      David learned how to trust God for deliverance. Although his circumstances were often difficult, God was his Stronghold, and David called on Him for help. Do you need deliverance? Is God your Deliverer? If so, you may call on Him for help.

God Bless.

THAT INCREDIBLE CHRISTIAN The current effort of so many religious leaders to harmonize Christianity with science, philosophy and every natural and reasonable thing is, I believe, the result of failure to understand Christianity and, judging from what I have heard and read, failure to understand science and philosophy as well. At the heart of the Christian system lies the cross of Christ with its divine paradox. The power of Christianity appears in its antipathy toward, never in its agreement with, the ways of fallen men. The truth of the cross is revealed in its contradictions. The witness of the church is most effective when she declares rather than explains, for the gospel is addressed not to reason but to faith. What can be proved requires no faith to accept. Faith rests upon the character of God, not upon the demonstrations of laboratory or logic. The cross stands in bold opposition to the natural man. Its philosophy runs contrary to the processes of the unregenerate mind, so that Paul could say bluntly that the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness. To try to find a common ground between the message of the cross and man's fallen reason is to try the impossible, and if persisted in must result in an impaired reason, a meaningless cross and a powerless Christianity. But let us bring the whole matter down from the uplands of theory and simply observe the true Christian as he puts into practice the teachings of Christ and His apostles. Note the contradictions: The Christian believes that in Christ he has died, yet he is more alive than before and he fully expects to live forever. He walks on earth while seated in heaven and though born on earth he finds that after his conversion he is not at home here. Like the nighthawk, which in the air is the essence of grace and beauty but on the ground is awkward and ugly, so the Christian appears at his best in the heavenly places but does not fit well into the ways of the very society into which he was born. The Christian soon learns that if he would be victorious as a son of heaven among men on earth he must not follow the common pattern of mankind, but rather the contrary. That he may be safe he puts himself in jeopardy; he loses his life to save it and is in danger of losing it if he attempts to preserve it. He goes down to get up. If he refuses to go down he is already down, but when he starts down he is on his way up. He is strongest when he is weakest and weakest when he is strong. Though poor he has the power to make others rich, but when he becomes rich his ability to enrich others vanishes. He has most, after he has given most away and has least when he possesses most. He may be and often is highest when he feels lowest and most sinless when he is most conscious of sin. He is wisest when he knows that he knows not and knows least when he has acquired the greatest amount of knowledge. He sometimes does most by doing nothing and goes furthest when standing still. In heaviness he manages to rejoice and keeps his heart glad even in sorrow. The paradoxical character of the Christian is revealed constantly. For instance, he believes that he is saved now, nevertheless he expects to be saved later and looks forward joyfully to future salvation. He fears God but is not afraid of Him. In God's presence he feels overwhelmed and undone, yet there is nowhere he would rather be than in that presence. He knows that he has been cleansed from his sin, yet he is painfully conscious that in his flesh dwells no good thing. He loves supremely One whom he has never seen, and though himself poor and lowly he talks familiarly with One who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords, and is aware of no incongruity in so doing. He feels that he is in his own right altogether less than nothing, yet he believes without question that he is the apple of God's eye and that for him the Eternal Son became flesh and died on the cross of shame. The Christian is a citizen of heaven and to that sacred citizenship he acknowledges first allegiance; yet he may love his earthly country with that intensity of devotion that caused John Knox to pray "O God, give me Scotland or I die." He cheerfully expects before long to enter that bright world above, but he is in no hurry to leave this world and is quite willing to await the summons of his Heavenly Father. And he is unable to understand why the critical unbeliever should condemn him for this; it all seems so natural and right in the circumstances that he sees nothing inconsistent about it. The cross-carrying Christian, furthermore, is both a confirmed pessimist and an optimist the like of which is to be found nowhere else on earth. When he looks at the cross he is a pessimist, for he knows that the same judgment that fell on the Lord of glory condemns in that one act all nature and all the world of men. He rejects every human hope out of Christ because he knows that man's noblest effort is only dust building on dust. Yet he is calmly, restfully optimistic. If the cross condemns the world the resurrection of Christ guarantees the ultimate triumph of good throughout the universe. Through Christ all will be well at last and the Christian waits the consummation. Incredible Christian! A.W.TOZER