Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

““I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”” - John 16:33

Daily Devotion:

New Year Resolutions

"It is God who works in you both to will and to act according to His good purpose" (Phil 2:13)

There is hardly anyone who has not made New Year or Birthday or Anniversary decisions anytime in his life. But almost everyone regrets that he has not been able to keep them up. In course of time we conclude that it is not worth making resolutions at all. Little do we realise that such a conclusion is to our disadvantage and it stunts spiritual growth.

"It is God who works in you both to will and to act according to His good pleasure" (Phil 2:13). Therefore in the strict sense none of the desires of God's children for making resolutions is self-generated. The guiding hand of the Father is there behind them. Good resolutions help positive growth. Resolutions are like goals. Decisions help us focus on the aim sharply and avoid distractions.

We are bothered by the fact that we are unable to keep up our resolutions. The accompanying guilt discourages us from attempting again. But we must remember that no failure is final for God's children. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord,... Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down" (Psa 37:23,24; Prov 24:16).

Resolutions must not be overambitious. They must be realistic. For example, if you had been by and large prayerless, don't straightaway decide that you would spend atleast two full hours each day in solid prayer. Rather, begin with fifteen or thirty minutes. After steadying up at that level, increase the duration step by step. Great things have small beginnings (Zech 4:10).

Don't make too many resolutions at a time either. Instead of taking twelve decisions at the beginning of a year, you can take one at the beginning of each month. Christian life is a walk, not a jump! It's true we can soar on wings like eagles when we wait on the Lord. But eagles don't reach lofty heights instantly (Isa 40:31). A good principle of growth in Christian life is that lengthening must be proportionate to strengthening (Isa 54:2).

Share your resolutions with your prayer partner or spouse. Such accountability is beneficial. But there's no need to make personal resolutions public. Resolutions are not vows. Tell God the desires of your heart and trust Him for His enablement (Psa 37:5). At the end of the year, review your performance and treat yourself with a good dinner or a new dress for your accomplishment (Eccl 9:7,8; 2 Tim 2:6).

Prayer:

By the Passion of Your Blessed Son

O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.

Word Of God:

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Daily Devotion:

"A" to "Z"

"Let us run...fixing our eyes on Jesus,the Author and Perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:1,2)


"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." This text occurs four times in the Bible. We will find out its significance.

Romans 4:3,10, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness... How then was it accounted?... While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised." This is comparable to salvation the initial experience of Christian life. This points out that salvation is not by good deeds but by faith alone.

James 2:21-23, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?... Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Abraham shows his faith through deeds. In obedience to God's command, he laid on the altar his beloved son for whom he had been waiting for so many years. This refers to our surrender to Christ and walking in holiness.

Galatians 3:6,8, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness... The Scripture...preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be blessed." The Great Commission given to us two thousand years ago was given to Abraham even several thousands of years earlier! Thus Abraham is the genesis of missionary work.

Genesis 15:4-6, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them... So shall your descendants be. And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." When Abraham did not have strength to bring forth a child, he took God at His Word. God gave life and strength to a man, who was as good as dead, and multiplied his descendants. This is a picture of resurrection.

Our text in Romans refers to Salvation; in James it refers to Sanctification; in Galatians it is the Great Commission; and in Genesis it portrays Resurrection. Which means, Christian life is one of faith from new birth to the new earth. It's faith from beginning to end!

Simply trusting every day, trusting thro' a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus, that is all! (E. Page)

Prayer:

Seeking Healing From God

O God, the source of all health: So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Word Of God:

"For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." Ephesians 2:10

Daily Devotion:

"A" to "Z"

"Let us run...fixing our eyes on Jesus,the Author and Perfecter of our faith" (Heb 12:1,2)


"Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." This text occurs four times in the Bible. We will find out its significance.

Romans 4:3,10, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness... How then was it accounted?... While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised." This is comparable to salvation the initial experience of Christian life. This points out that salvation is not by good deeds but by faith alone.

James 2:21-23, "Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?... Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness." Abraham shows his faith through deeds. In obedience to God's command, he laid on the altar his beloved son for whom he had been waiting for so many years. This refers to our surrender to Christ and walking in holiness.

Galatians 3:6,8, "Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness... The Scripture...preached the Gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, In you all the nations shall be blessed." The Great Commission given to us two thousand years ago was given to Abraham even several thousands of years earlier! Thus Abraham is the genesis of missionary work.

Genesis 15:4-6, "Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them... So shall your descendants be. And he believed in the Lord, and He accounted it to him for righteousness." When Abraham did not have strength to bring forth a child, he took God at His Word. God gave life and strength to a man, who was as good as dead, and multiplied his descendants. This is a picture of resurrection.

Our text in Romans refers to Salvation; in James it refers to Sanctification; in Galatians it is the Great Commission; and in Genesis it portrays Resurrection. Which means, Christian life is one of faith from new birth to the new earth. It's faith from beginning to end!

Simply trusting every day, trusting thro' a stormy way;
Even when my faith is small, trusting Jesus, that is all! (E. Page)

Prayer:

Seeking Healing From God

O God, the source of all health: So fill my heart with faith in your love, that with calm expectancy I may make room for your power to possess me, and gracefully accept your healing; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

"A man's cheerful heart gives him strength when he is sick. You can't keep going if you have a broken spirit. Those whose hearts understand what is right get knowledge.The ears of those who are wise listen for it." - Proverbs 18:14-15

Daily Devotion:

Fourth and Final Year!

"What more could have been done to My vineyard that I have not done in it?" (Isa 5:4)

A fruitless Christian is a self-contradiction. Fruitfulness means reproduction. We are saved to save others, blessed to bless others. Jesus says, "I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit" (Jn 15:16). Let's not forget our basic calling which is to fish men for Christ (Mt 4:19). Fruitbearing is not an option but an obligation. Fruitlessness may be due to laziness, but it's actually called "wickedness" (Mt 25:26).

At that time of the year when Jesus approached the fig tree, edible figs were still about six weeks away, but the bland fruit must have been there (Mk 11:13). If leaves alone appeared, without the early figs, that tree would bear no figs that year. Jesus cursed the tree because of its pretence. Oftentimes we deceive ourselves by exaggerated or generalised statements about what we do for the extension of God's Kingdom. The day of reckoning is near. Like the five-talented and two-talented men, we must be able to submit a factual account of what we did with the spiritual, physical and material blessings the Lord has bestowed on us (Mt 25:20,22). "From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded" (Lk 12:48).

In this incident the Lord cursed the tree instantly. But in the parable of a fig tree He narrated elsewhere, a grace time of one year was given after three years of fruitlessness (Lk 13:6-9). May be this is your fourth and final year! Invest your time and talent for the winning of souls. Obey your missionary call without further delay. Give up your small ambitions of this life for eternal reasons.Involve yourself in personal soulwinning and neighbourhood evangelism. If you are still indifferent, the tree may be cut off or the vineyard given to prospective vinedressers (Mt 21:40,41).

The tens of thousands of people in Iran, when they went to bed on the 25th December 2003, would have never thought that they would leave this earth due to an earthquake before the dawn of the 26th, and would not enter 2004! Whoever thought that 17000 people would die and many thousands be badly affected due to a sudden leakage of poisonous gas in the Union Carbide factory of Bhopal in Central India on December 2-3 in 1984? Let's renew our commitment and make our consecration to God and His work more meaningful before we enter another year. If we abide in Christ, we cannot but be fruitful! (Jn 15:5).

Must I go — and empty-handed? Must I meet my Saviour so?

Not one soul with which to greet Him? Must I empty-handed go? - (C.C. Luther)


Prayer:

I am thankful before You,Living and Sustaining Ruler,Who returned my soul to me with mercy.Your faithfulness is great.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

“There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.” - Revelation 22:5

Daily Devotion:

Hail Joseph!

"You shall call His name Jesus:for He shall save His people from their sins" (Mt 1:21)

Engagement in Palestine was a legally binding contract, usually arranged by parents. Sexual relations were forbidden until after marriage. Joseph's character is shown by his decision to take private legal action to break the engagement instead of publicly humiliating Mary. His obedience to the Lord in taking Mary as his wife is the crown of his character. Matthew records, "Joseph did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife" (Mt 1:24). For a sexually immoral man it may not be shocking though surprising to find his fiancee already pregnant. But being "a just man" as Joseph was, with obviously a respectable standing in the society, it would have been a great embarrassment whatever be the explanation. But he didn't speak a word when the angel defended Mary's pregnancy and attributed it to the work of the Holy Spirit. He just obeyed the Lord though "the communication came only in a dream, least dramatically. Whatever be the mode of communication, once we have the inner conviction that God has spoken to us, we must not delay obedience in the guise of seeking further confirmation.

Joseph also teaches us that civil laws must be obeyed not as a matter of convenience but for the sake of conscience. Bethlehem was about 150 km from Nazareth. It was atleast a three day trip. In obedience to the decree of Augustus Caesar, to get their names registered, Joseph undertook this strenuous journey with Mary who was in her late pregnancy. Joseph had known that obeying the government meant obeying God (Lk 2:1-6; Rom 13:1-5).

God spoke to Joseph thrice in dreams after the birth of Jesus for the protection of the Baby from the hand of the enemies who sought to kill Him (Mt 2:13,20,22). From Bethlehem he fled to Egypt. Then when he came into the land of Israel, he had to turn aside into the region of Galilee. Such frequent shifts with a little child and the nursing mother would not have been pleasant. "Cannot God who so miraculously brought forth His Son into the world protect Him also miraculously in the world? Why should the angels be simply appearing to me to urge me flee from the enemies instead of encamping round about me and my family to deliver us from Herods? Is the Baby really the Son of God and the Saviour?" Such questions would have definitely haunted Joseph's mind. But being a habitually obedient man to God, he did not succumb to natural reasoning but walked by faith. Hail Joseph!

Prayer:

Prayer for Difficult Times -Psalms 119: 105-112

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.I have sworn, and have confirmed it, to observe Thy righteous ordinances.I am afflicted very much; quicken me, O HaShem, according unto Thy word.

Accept, I beseech Thee, the freewill-offerings of my mouth, O HaShem, and teach me Thine ordinances.My soul is continually in my hand; yet have I not forgotten Thy law.The wicked have laid a snare for me; yet went I not astray from Thy precepts.

Thy testimonies have I taken as a heritage for ever; for they are the rejoicing of my heart.I have inclined my heart to perform Thy statutes, for ever, at every step.

Grow in God's Love Each Morning!

Word Of God:

““I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep.” - John 10:14-15

Daily Devotion:

The more you Share...

"He who believes in Me,out of his heart shall flow rivers of living water" (Jn 7:38)

God wants us to share the faith in us with others. Sharing increases and improves our faith. "He who waters others will himself be watered" (Prov 11:25). Let us meet in the Bible a few folks who shared their faith with others.

Barnabas

"Barnabas was a good man, full of the Holy Spirit and strong in faith. And large numbers of people were brought to the Lord" (Acts 11:24). The faithful sharing of the Gospel by an individual was responsible for an explosive Church growth. Do we see regular additions to our congregations? If not, our lethargy is to be blamed.

Paul

Oratory skill is not a must to share our faith with others. All we need to do is to present the Gospel in simple language. Eventhough Paul was a learned man, he never depended on his knowledge and skill. He trusted in the power of God's Word. That was the secret of his successful ministry (2 Cor 2:1-5). The Gospel itself is the power of God to save anyone who believes (Rom 1:16).

Four Friends

"Four men arrived carrying a paralysed man on a mat...Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralysed man, My son, your sins are forgiven" (Mk 2:3-5). There's no greater service we can do to our friends than to bring them to Jesus. They cannot make it themselves. They have given up on themselves. No case is too difficult for Jesus. He will be pleased with our faith and concern for others. He will honour our humble efforts. Our faith will be further strengthened and rewarded.

Mummy & Granny

"I know that you sincerely trust the Lord, for you have the faith of your mother, Eunice, and your grandmother, Lois" (2 Tim 1:5). These are the words of Paul to Timothy. Ladies should be encouraged here. Even if you are not able to go out as much as you desire, there are ample opportunities for you right at home. When you share your faith with your family folks and neighbours, wonderful things will happen. It may not be done in limelight, but your name will be in God's Book of World Records as Eunice and Lois. Church growth in a strong non-Christian Community in and around Sivakasi, a South Indian town known worldwide for making crackers, has been mainly due to women- folk sharing the Gospel with others on one-to-one basis.


Prayer:

Prayer of Praise

Blessed be He who spoke and the world came into being; blessed be He.
Blessed be He who maintains the creation.
Blessed be He who speaks and performs.
Blessed be He who decrees and fulfils.
Blessed be He who has mercy upon the earth.
Blessed be He who has mercy on his creatures.
Blessed be He who pays a good reward to those who fear Him.
Blessed be He who lives for ever, and endures to eternity.
Blessed be He who redeems and saves; blessed be His Name...

Word Of God:

“[God’s Final Word: His Son] In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.” - Hebrews 1:1-2

Daily Devotion:

Dear Enemies!

"Love your enemies... do good to those who hate you" (Mt 5:44)


"How can I love my enemies?" Every other Christian is bothered by this question. Enemies for a Christian are essentially those who are the enemies of the Cross and those who oppose the preaching of the Gospel. Occasionally there could also be some who, because of their differing tastes and temperaments, would hate you. Sometimes it becomes really impossible to get along with such folks. That’s why the Bible admonishes, "If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men" (Rom 12:18). Here are some guidelines to help you improve your relationship with those who oppose or hate you—

First, meditate on God’s love to them too! "He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust" (Mt 5:45). Each person is precious to God. Christ died for every man and woman, good or bad, so called.

Secondly, remind yourself of how patient God is towards you! He has not given up on us though we have failed or disappointed Him so many times. He, who is abundant in mercies, expects us to forgive others — not less than seven times seventy! Young Joseph pardoned his perfidious brothers who threw him in a waterless pit in the desert. How much our God loves this attitude!

Thirdly, pray for your enemies (Mt 5:44). Love grows in the soil of prayer. It always becomes easy to love or forgive someone who hates us when we start praying for that individual. Confess to God your inability to love and He will pour out His love into your heart through His Spirit and enable you to do what otherwise you cannot.

God does not allow us to curse even the devil (Jude 9). Guard your tongue lest you abuse someone. Let not bitterness ever take root in your heart. It defiles you and others as well (Heb 12:14,15). Vengeance is the Lord’s. Don’t take that rod in your hand. You will perish in that process (Mt 26:52). Look for opportunities to do some good to the one who has hurt you. Victory is yours! (Rom 12:19-21). "When a man’s ways please the Lord, He makes even his enemies to be at peace with him" (Prov 16:7).

Doing bad for good is devilish;
Doing bad for bad is human;
Doing good for bad is Divine!

Prayer:

Comfort in Christ

Christ is shepherd over you,
Enfolding you on every side.
Christ will not forsake you, hand or foot,
Nor let evil come near you.