HONEY DROPS

FOR EVERY SOUL

DECEMBER 2023

"... you shall call His name

Published by:
El-Shaddai Literature Ministries Trust.
Chennai - 600059, INDIA
 FROM THE EDITORS’ DESK
Dearly beloved,
Greetings to you all in the matchless name of our Lord and Savior Jesus
Christ. Wish you all a happy and Christ-centered Christmas.
The month of December is a special one for us, atleast for two reasons;
first, it is the month of jubilation. It is the month in which we celebrate the birth of
our Lord Jesus Christ - the Savior of the world. Second, it is a month of
thanksgiving. Since it is the last month of the year, it is the best time for us to
withdraw ourselves in solitude in God’s presence, ponder over all the things
God has done during the past one year and thank Him for His faithfulness. It is
also a time to take an inventory of our lives, examine ourselves in the light of
God’s Word and set right our lives before we enter into the New Year.
When the angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph, he said, “You shall
call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
Sometimes we miss the point of the Christmas story if we are not careful. We
become so involved in cards, Santa Claus, gifts, decorations, meeting friends
and families, fun and food, that amidst all these activities we forget One Person
- Jesus, whose birthday we are celebrating, or atleast we fail to give first place
to Him as He deserves. We can make all the plans we want to during this
Christmas season, but remember the best way to celebrate the birth of Baby
Jesus is to focus our thoughts, actions and motivations toward Him who was
born for us, grew up and died for us, resurrected, ascended into heaven, and is
coming again to take us with Him to heaven. So dear friends, the question for
us is this - Is our Christmas still only a superficial external celebration of the
Baby born in the manger some 2000 years ago, or is it a meaningful celebration
of the birth of Jesus who came to this world with a great purpose - to redeem the
world from its sin. It is only as we see the birth of Jesus in the light of His
crucifixion and resurrection that we will be able to grasp the full meaning of
Christ’s first coming. “The mission of the Cross is hidden in the message of the
cradle,” writes David McCasland. So this Christmas, with our eyes open wide,
let us respond to God’s love by committing our life to God who sent His only
Son as an indescribable Gift for us.
Once again wish you all a happy and Christ-centered Christmas.
God bless.
Yours in His service,
Samuel Premraj & Manjula Premraj
Friday, December 01 Read: Matthew 1: 18-24
IMMANUEL - GOD NEVER LEAVES NOR FORSAKES US
“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a Son, and they will call Him Immanuel,
which means God with us.” (Matthew 1: 23)
The name Immanuel has in it the great mystery of godliness
of the One who was revealed in the flesh (I Timothy 3:16), of the
Infinite becoming Finite, of the promised Messiah who is both
Divine and Human, fully God and fully Man, Majesty hidden in
Meekness. He is Immanuel, God with us, at every stage of our
spiritual life, for He has promised to never desert us or forsake us.
(Hebrew 13:5) Even in the Old Testament prior to the full revelation
of Immanuel in Matthew 1:23, we see that the heart of God is to be
with His people. And so the phrase, “I will be with you” occurs 9
times in the Old Testament. (Genesis 26:3, 31:3, Deuteronomy 31:23,
Joshua 1:5, 3:7, Judges 6:16, I Kings 11:38, Isaiah 43:2,5) For example,
in Isaiah 43:2, God gives a great promise of His presence to all His
children that “I will be with you, I will be Immanuel to you. When
you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When
you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned
up; the flames will not consume you.” Because we belong to Him,
Immanuel will preserve us in the midst of the trials by His presence
and power.
Dear friends, in our daily experience, do we know Jesus as
Immanuel, God with us? Many of us are like the children of Israel
asking, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:7) We need to
remind ourselves of the truth that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday
and today and forever. More than deliverance, we need in times
of trouble the sure knowledge that God is our Immanuel in the
midst of trouble. When danger threatens, or calamity strikes, when
we experience fearful thoughts, let us be assured of Immanuel’s
personal presence to comfort and calm us.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, what a tremendous assurance! You are with me always.
You are with me through Your Spirit, in Your Word, by Your providential care
and by Your divine presence. Let this truth be imbibed in me, not only during
this Christmas season but every day of my life. Amen.
Saturday, December 02 Read: Luke 19:1-10
ARE WE TRANSFORMED THOROUGHLY?
"... Look, Lord! Here and now I give half of my possessions to
the poor, ..." (Luke 19: 8)
Zacchaeus was short, he was very wealthy, he held a
high position in the society, and he was a chief tax collector.
This was the way the world looked at him. But Jesus looked
at him with a different perspective. He saw Zacchaeus'
childlike humble heart. Zacchaeus, in fact, had a very deep
desire to see Jesus. This desire intensified to such an extent
that he could not remain in his office or at home. He did not
even mind being ridiculed by the people, but he ran all the
way to see Jesus walking along the road of Jericho. He climbed
on a fig tree to have a better view of Him. And all his
painstaking efforts and the disgrace that he faced from the
crowd did not go waste. Jesus stopped underneath the tree,
looked up and called him by name! Zacchaeus could not
believe his ears. He came down at once and took Jesus home.
As a result of his encounter, a great transformation occurred
in his life. He made restitution for all that he had done and
earned in unlawful ways. He willingly offered to give half of
his possessions to the poor!
Dear friends, we may be Christians for generations. We
may be regular in attending church every Sunday, in giving
tithes and so on. It does not matter how long we are Christians,
but each of us needs to ask ourselves, “Has a real
transformation taken place in my soul during these years? Do
I have a deep desire to meet Jesus personally and to declare
His praises openly, or am I restricting myself for the fear of
being rejected by the society?" Let the life of Zacchaeus
motivate us today to seek Jesus earnestly and be transformed
thoroughly.
PRAYER: Lord, give me a strong desire to meet You personally and experience
the joy of salvation that You alone can give me. Let there be a total transformation
in my life in all areas including my very attitude. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Sunday, December 03 Read: Psalm 116
I CRY OUT TO YOU, MY LORD!
"Call on me in the day of trouble; I will deliver you, and you
will honor me" (Psalm 50: 15)
The Hebrew word for "call" means to "cry unto", "to call
out." The Greek word for "call" means "to invoke a person",
"to call a person by name." We need to call on or cry out the
name of the Lord for various reasons. First, it is only by Him
we can be saved. Romans 10:13 says, "Everyone who calls on
the name of the Lord will be saved." In Psalm 116 alone, calling
on the name of the Lord is mentioned four times. In verse 2,
the psalmist says: "I will call on Him as long as I live.” In
verse 4, he calls upon the Lord to be saved. In verse 13, he
calls on the name of the Lord and lifts up the cup of salvation,
and in verse 17, he calls on the name of the Lord to sacrifice a
thank offering. Secondly, we need to call upon the Lord to be
rescued from distress. In Psalm 18:6, David says, "In my
distress I called to the Lord; ... From His temple He heard my
voice." In Psalm 81:7, the Lord comforts the psalmist saying,
"In your distress you called and I rescued you, I answered you
out of a thundercloud." Thirdly, we need to call on the name
of the Lord to obtain His mercy. In Psalm 86:5, David writes,
"You, Lord, are forgiving and good, abounding in love to all
who call to you." Besides, Romans 10:12 says that the Lord
richly blesses all those who call on Him.
Dear friends, if we call a person by name, he or she is sure
to come to us or respond to our call. Similarly, whenever we
call upon the name of Jesus our Lord, He always comes to us
because He is real and He is living. He saves us, rescues us
from all our problems, and encourages us. In fact, He is
waiting for us to call and is eager to help us anytime, anywhere.
The psalmist says in 88:9, "I call to you, Lord, everyday." Let
us also call to Him as often as possible and enjoy His sweet
presence always.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, the thought that You, who has created the heavens and the
earth, come to me whenever I call upon You, encourages me and strengthens me.
I need not fear any adversary because You are my Saviour. Thank You Lord. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Monday, December 04 Read: Nehemiah 4: 16-20
WE SHARE THE VICTORY
"Not that I seek the gift, but I seek the fruit that abounds to your
account." (Philippians 4:17)
In today's lesson we read about a project where a rescue
team and a rebuilding team were working simultaneously.
Though they were engaged in different activities, they had only
one goal - the rebuilding of the broken walls of Jerusalem. One
group was actually involved in the act of building the wall
with bricks and mortar, while the other was busy in guarding
the team against the attack of the enemies. And the building
project was completed in just fifty two days! This was possible
only because of the coordinated efforts of both the teams. No
one can claim total credit for the success of any project.
Everyone involved equally share that success. Missionary
work is a team work. There are people who sponsor
missionaries with their finances; and many people pray for
them. Some others train them and guide them. And the
missionaries go to the mission field. All these people, as a team
win souls for Christ. Though the missionary is in the forefront,
he cannot function without the ardent prayer or financial
support. The success of such evangelistic efforts depends on
the entire team. William Carey wrote to those who sent him
to India as a missionary as follows: "We will go down into the
pit to bring people out - but you must hold the ropes." Paul,
while writing to the Philippians, meant the same thing when
he said: "Now you Philippians know also that in the beginning
of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church
shared with me concerning giving and receiving but you only...
I seek the fruit that abounds to your account." (Philippians
4:15,17)
Dear friends, people who are dying without knowing
Christ must be rescued from eternal destruction. It is the work
of a selected few. God wants us to team up with the front line
workers to support them with our prayers and finances.
PRAYER: Lord, help me to understand that evangelism is a team effort. And
that I am expected to be a part of that team - either by supporting with money or
with fervent prayers. Missionaries are working in the forefront. Help me to
support them from backstage. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, December 5 Read: Proverbs 4:1-27
DO YOU KNOW HOW IMPORTANT IS GOD'S WORD?
"Hold on to instruction, do not let it go; guard it well, for it is your
life." (Proverbs 4:13)
In Proverbs, King Solomon repeatedly writes about
keeping the Word of God. He uses various phrases like, "pay
attention,” “do not forsake,” “lay hold of,” “do not forget,”
“do not let it go,” “guard it," to drive into the minds of his
readers the significance and the importance of God's Word.
The Word of God is all powerful, unchanging, everlasting, true,
sharper than any double edged sword. It pierces through and
divides the soul and the spirit. Imagine a man climbing up a
steep mountain. He needs strong ropes attached to his body
to which he can cling. If by any chance, he leaves his hold on
the rope, there is literally no chance of his survival. He is sure
to die. The rope alone is his life line. Similarly, the Word of
God is our life line.
When we are confused of our future, it is the Word of
God that instructs us and leads us in the correct path. "I will
instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will
counsel you with my loving eye on you." (Psalm 32: 8) When
we are down in our spirit, troubled and distressed, it is the
Word of God that revives us and restores us. "He gives strength
to the weary and increases the power of the weak." (Isaiah 40:
29) When we are sick, it is the Lord's Word that heals us. "He
sent out His Word and healed them." (Psalm 107: 20)
Experiencing the power of the Word, the psalmist says in Psalm
119:24, "Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors."
Dear friends, Proverbs 4: 21 says, "Do not let them out of your
sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those
who find them and health to one's whole body." So let us be
careful not to neglect the Word of God - His instruction.
PRAYER: Almighty God, without realising the importance and precious value of
Your Word, I have often neglected it. Forgive me. I have understood today that
Your Word is my life. Help me to guard it and not to forsake it or ignore it on any
account. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Wednesday, December 06 Read:1 John 1:7 - 2:2
WHY DO WE NEED THE BLOOD OF CHRIST?
"The blood of Jesus, ... purifies us from all sin." (I John 1: 7)
To sustain our life on this earth, we need certain basic
things like oxygen, water, and food that contain certain
essential elements like protein, vitamins and minerals. It is
the same with our spiritual life. We need the blood of Jesus,
without which it is difficult to survive as a Christian in a world
that does not know Christ. All of us are sinful by birth, (Psalm
51: 5) and because of the sins we commit we are separated
from God. When we commit a sin, small or big, we sense a
great gulf between us and God. Because God is righteous, He
does not tolerate sin. At the same time, He is loving and
compassionate. He does not abandon us completely for our
sinful deeds, but wants us to return to Him in repentance. There
is only one thing in the entire universe that can take away our
sins, and that is the precious blood of Jesus. No amount of
prayer, or weeping, or rituals will help us in this regard, but
the blood of Jesus alone can cleanse us from all our sins.
Hebrews 9: 22 says that without shedding of blood there is no
forgiveness.
Dear friends, do you often fall into the trap of temptation
that Satan has spread before you? Do you want to escape from
it and enjoy the sweet fellowship of the Lord moment by
moment? Whenever any sin confronts you, to frustrate your
fellowship with God, confess and claim the Lord's precious
blood. You will be amazed to see His fellowship restored
immediately. Don't procrastinate. The blood of Jesus is
available for you every moment of every day. It not only
cleanses our past sins but also every sin that we could ever
commit. So let us draw near the Cross with a repentant heart
and be washed by Jesus' blood.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, everyday I make a commitment that I will not sin against
You, but quite often I fall a prey to Satan. Ultimately, I become frustrated and
lose Your sweet fellowship. I confess my weakness to You. Wash me by Your
blood and restore me back to You. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, December 07 Read: Ephesians 4: 20-24
SALVATION THRO' JESUS! INWARD CHANGE THRO' SPIRIT
"If anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has
gone, the new is here!" (II Corinthians 5: 17)
When Jesus Christ enters in a person's life, He changes
his very nature. A person leading a sinful life till then starts
disliking sin and develops a desire to live a holy life. This is
otherwise called the born again experience. Jesus emphasised
to Nicodemus, a learned man and the member of the Jewish
ruling council, the indispensable necessity of such a new birth.
In John 3: 5 He explained to Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth,
no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless He is born of water
and the Spirit. ... You MUST be born again."
This tremendous inward change that occurs as a result
of this new birth is the work of the Holy Spirit, and it is a
gradual process. The new birth is the birth "from above." To
be born again is to be born of the 'Spirit.' Let us, for example,
look at Jesus' disciples. When Jesus was on this earth, He urged
them several times to humble themselves like little children
and to love one another. But Simon Peter continued to remain
proud and self confident. John was defiant and quarrelsome.
Yet, when we read Peter's first letter we cannot fail to notice
his various references to humility. Similarly John's letters are
about love. What made the difference? Only the Holy Spirit.
John R. Stott writes, "Salvation is not merely a synonym for
forgiveness. God is much concerned with our present and
future as with our past. His plan is to first reconcile us to
Himself, and then progressively liberate us from our self-
centeredness. We owe our forgiveness and reconciliation
chiefly to the death of Christ, but it is by His Spirit that we can
be set free from ourselves." So, dear friends, let us be thankful
to our Lord for saving us and sealing us with the mark of His
Spirit.
PRAYER: Lord, thank You for teaching me today, through the atoning death of
Jesus my sins are forgiven and that through the indwelling Spirit the power of my
sins are broken. Help me to grow more in You each day. In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Friday, December 08 Read: II Samuel 5: 17-23
LORD, MAY I LISTEN TO YOUR COUNSEL
“... Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”
(II Samuel 5:19)
This was the first war that David fought against the
Philistines after he was anointed as the King of Israel. When
David heard that the Philistines had camped at the valley of
Rephaim (also called as Valley of giants), he enquired of the
Lord. He asked the Lord two questions - First, "Shall I go and
attack the Philistines?" and second, "Will you hand them over
to me?" The answer for these from the Lord was, "Yes." And
the Lord gave David a great victory. But, immediately after
this incident, once again the Philistines rallied and collected a
larger army than before and camped in the same valley of
Rephaim. And David again enquired of the Lord. Now the
answer from the Lord was, "Do not go straight up." The
strategy used by the Lord to defeat the enemies was entirely
different from the previous one. He instructed David to go
around behind the Philistines so that he could attack them from
behind the balsam trees. The Lord further commanded David
that even after getting behind the army of the Philistines, he
should not attack them until the very moment he heard sound
on the top of the balsam trees, which would be like the sound
of a mighty army. David did according to what the Lord
commanded him. When the Philistines heard this sound from
behind, they were confused because they knew from their
previous experience of fighting with David, that he always
used to attack only from the front. Utterly confused, they
thought that some other mighty army was appearing from
behind to help David's army and they fled away as fast as they
could, but David's men pursued behind and defeated them
easily.
Dear friends, is it not amazing to know the unique ways
in which the Lord protects His children from their enemies?
The only thing He expects from us is our absolute obedience
to His Word. When we put our trust in Him totally, He takes
control of our difficult situations and always gives us victory.
PRAYER: Our loving heavenly Father, help me to obey whatever you say even
though your plan might be difficult for me to comprehend. Help me to be sensitive
to the voice of the Holy Spirit, who instructs me every time I come to You for
counsel. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Saturday, December 09 Read: Jeremiah 1: 4-10, 17-19
ARISE, FEAR NOT, TALK ABOUT JESUS!
"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season cor-
rect, rebuke and encourage -- with great patience ..." (II Timothy 4: 2)
The prophets, the priests of Biblical times had
extraordinary boldness to admonish and correct even the kings
of the nations, not only of Israel and Judah, but also the
Egyptian and Assyrian Kings who were enemies of Israel. This
was because they were called, chosen and consecrated by the
Lord, who alone gave them such boldness. Moses was very
reluctant initially. When the Lord called him to lead the
Israelites from Egypt, he gave Him very many excuses, one of
them being, "O Lord, I have never been eloquent, ... I am slow
of speech and tongue. (Exodus 4:10) But the Lord did not put
away with Moses. He encouraged him saying, "Who gave man
his mouth? ... Is it not I, the Lord? Now go; I will help you
speak and will teach you what to say." (Vs. 12) We see that
Moses with much hesitation accepted the Lord's command,
but how gloriously he was used by the Lord later! He stood
before Pharaoh, the King of Egypt, with the confidence given
by the Lord and performed miracle after miracle, thus fulfilling
the Lord's purpose for him in his life.
Next, when the Lord told Jeremiah, "Before I formed
you in the womb I knew you, ... I appointed you as a prophet
to the nations,” (Jeremiah 1: 4) he answered, "Lord, I do not
know how to speak; I am too young.” (Vs: 6) Again, the Lord
did not abandon Jeremiah but said, "Do not be afraid of them,
for I am with you and will rescue you. ... Stand up and say
whatever I command you." Jeremiah at once yielded, and so
was used mightily by Him later. Dear friends, we live in a
sinful world. The Lord has graciously saved us from our sinful
ways and chosen us to be His children. He has commanded
us to go into the world and preach the good news of salvation
to the people dying in sin. Let us obey the Lord, teach, correct
and encourage them with boldness that our Lord has given
us.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I am afraid to open my mouth to point out the sinful ways
of people around me. I fail to tell them the gospel though at times I have the
opportunity to do so. Forgive me. Let me be bold and confident that you are with
me. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Sunday, December 10 Read: Ezekiel 3 16-19
LORD, CONVICT AND CORRECT THE FALSE PROPHETS
"You must speak My words to them, whether they listen or fail to
listen, for they are rebellious." (Ezekiel 2: 7)
When King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the
Lord was grieved and so he sent Nathan, the prophet to rebuke
David of his sin. Nathan was not afraid to go to the king and
speak the Lord's word. He did not say, "Lord, this is a very
delicate issue and I feel embarrassed to point it out to the king,"
nor was he afraid that David, being a great and powerful king,
would kill him for his daring act. But he straightaway
approached David, convicted him of his sin by casually telling
him an imaginary story of a rich man. Although he owned
many lambs, the rich man killed the one and only lamb
belonging to his neighbor in order to host a party for his guest.
Then Nathan boldly pointed to David and said, "You are the
man!" He then continued to pronounce the harsh judgement
of the Lord on David for his arrogant act. (II Samuel 12: 1-17)
When Uzziah, King of Judah was abundantly blessed by
the Lord, he became powerful and gave in to pride. He entered
the temple of the Lord to burn incense. On seeing this, Azariah,
the priest confronted him and said, "It is not right for you,
Uzziah, to burn incense to the Lord." Azariah did not hesitate
to rebuke the king of a nation for his sinful act. Dear friends,
we live in days where there are many false prophets, who
pronounce blessing after blessing upon people, which lack any
Biblical basis. They exploit ignorant people and deceive the
weak minded for monetary benefits. Let us have the discerning
mind to identify such wolves in sheep's skin. Let us pray with
great burden that the Lord should convict them of their guilt
and correct them. Let us pray that God should raise men who
are bold enough to warn people, leading them to Christ.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, Nathan, Azariah, Ezekiel and also many other prophets
living in the Biblical times were bold enough to warn even kings of their nation. But
today, how sad it is to see the so-called prophets "prophesying" to people for dishonest
gains. Save them Lord. Thank You. Amen.
Monday, December 11 Read: Psalm 118: 5-15
MY CONFIDENCE IS IN THE LORD!
"You have been my hope, Sovereign Lord, my confidence since
my youth." (Psalm 71: 5)
Confidence has been defined as the quality of assurance
that leads one to undertake something, the belief that one is
able and acceptable, the certainty that causes one to be bold.
One of the ways in which Satan brings destruction to a believer
is by damaging his confidence. He makes him believe that he
is incapable and that he cannot accomplish anything
worthwhile. The reason is simple - an individual without
confidence will never set out to do anything that edifies the
Kingdom of God and therefore will never fulfill the plan of
God in his life. Even if such a person makes an effort, his fear
of failure will result in his defeat because of the lack of
confidence that resides in him from the beginning. Joyce Meyer
calls this as "Failure Syndrome."
Dear friends, do you often feel that you have lost your
confidence? Remember that this is an idea put into your mind
by the devil. He wants you to feel bad about yourself. A believer
without confidence is like a large jumbo jet parked on the
runway with no fuel. It looks good on the outside, but has no
power inside. But with Jesus inside us, we have the power to
do whatever we would have never been able to do on our own.
When we put our trust in Him, He will give us the strength
and the ability. And we can say with Paul, "I can do everything
through Christ who gives me strength." The people of the world
talk of self confidence. But let our confidence be in the Lord
who is in us. When Paul instructs us to put no confidence in
the flesh, (Philippians 3: 3) he means, "Do not put your
confidence in yourself or in anything but on Jesus."
PRAYER: Loving Lord, whenever I am faced with challenging situations, I feel
afraid and I lose my confidence. Thank You for assuring me today through Your
Word, that when I put my trust in You, I can do everything with Your strength.
In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, December 12 Read: II Kings 18: 19-32
WITH GOD I AM A HERO
"... How then can the Lord deliver Jerusalem from my hand?"
(II Kings 18: 35)
During the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah’s reign, when
everything was going fine, Sennacherib, king of Assyria plotted
to attack Jerusalem, Hezekiah’s kingdom. He sent his supreme
commander, his chief officer and his field commander with a
large army, who came upto Jerusalem and stopped at a particular
place. In today's text we read how the field commander
threatened Hezekiah's men by using foul language. He
discouraged not only the dignitaries of the palace, but also the
general public who had gathered there in large number to witness
the scene. First of all, he lied to them arrogantly by saying, "The
Lord Himself told me to march against this country and destroy
it." (Verse 25) How daring he was. Secondly, he tried to divert
the people's faith in the Lord saying, "Do not let Hezekiah persuade
you to trust in the Lord when he says, "The Lord will surely deliver
us." (Verse 30) What an arrogance he had! Thirdly, he tried to
lure the people by presenting them a picture of fertile lands - land
of olive trees, fig trees and vineyards. He made false promise to
them that he would provide them grain, new wine and honey!
(Verse 31,32) How cunningly he acted! Above all, he arrogantly
blasphemed and ridiculed the living God by comparing Him to
worthless idols of wood and stone! (II Kings 18: 33, 19: 12)
Dear friends, when we are committed to the Lord and follow
Him wholeheartedly, the devil vehemently tries to attack us in
some way or other, by sending sicknesses or financial losses or
rift in relationships. He cunningly distracts us, diverts our
attention from the Lord and lures us by showing false ways which
the worldly people adopt to get rid of their problems. But, let us
not fall victims to him, but be steadfast in our faith in the Lord.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, when the devil tries to dampen my spirit, when he tries to
distract me from following you, let me not in any way be sidetracked or discouraged.
Give me your grace to persevere and to move forward. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Wednesday, December 13 Read: II Chronicles 32: 20-23
PRAYER BRINGS VICTORY
"... The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."
(James 5: 16)
Yesterday, we meditated' on how Sennacherib's
commander threatened Hezekiah's men, and how with much
arrogance and pride he ridiculed the living God. Today, we
shall see how Hezekiah responded to this distressing and
disgraceful situation. First of all, Hezekiah tore his clothes,
put on sack cloth and went with humility into the temple of
the Lord to seek Him. Secondly, he sought the prayer support
of Isaiah the prophet. Thirdly, he spread the threatening letter
received from Sennacherib before the Lord, and prayed a
sincere and earnest prayer. II Kings chapter 19, verses 15-19
reveal to us the intensity and fervor of his prayer. He cried,
"Give ear, Lord, and hear; Open Your eyes, Lord, and see; listen
to the words Sennacherib has sent to ridicule the living God."
The Lord heard the heartfelt cry of King Hezekiah. His anger
was aroused to see His own children mistreated and abused.
He answered revengefully against the Assyrians, saying, "Who
is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have
you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against
the Holy One of Israel! Because you rage against me and
because your insolence has reached my ears, I will put my hook
in your nose ... and will make you return by the way you came."
And to His people He promised, "Once more a remnant of the
kingdom of Judah will take root below and bear fruit above. ...
The zeal of the Lord Almighty will accomplish this." On the
same night the Lord sent His angel who put to death a hundred
and eighty five thousand men in the Assyrian camp.
Dear friends, are you troubled by the atrocity of your
enemies? Share your burden with your prayer partner and
pray fervently to the Lord with a humble heart. He is a zealous
God and He will deliver you miraculously from your enemies.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, what a zealous God You are! You punish those who
contend against You and Your children, but protect those who call upon You with
sincere heart. I humble myself before You and praise you. In Jesus' name I pray.
Amen.
Thursday, December 14 Read: Luke 6: 27-36
PRAY FOR YOUR ENEMIES
"Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."
(Romans: 12: 14)
Quite often we have the desire to forgive those who have
hurt us, but we are unable to do so due to some reason or the
other. But, we will be surprised to see our relationship being
restored beautifully when we pray for those who have
mistreated us. Two things happen when we pray for our
offenders. Firstly, the Lord works in the hearts of those who
have hurt us and makes them realise the harm that they have
caused. Secondly, the Lord changes our minds and we are
able to not only accept, but also love them.
Besides prayer, the words that we speak also have a
profound role in restoring broken relationships. "If we want
to get better, we cannot be bitter," writes one author. The
bitterness in us shows up in our conversation in the tone of
our voice and the choice of our words. The more we talk ill of
a person, the more we begin to hate him/her. Our mind
influences our mouth and our mouth influences our mind, and
a chain reaction is triggered off. So, dear friends, instead of
constantly discussing with others about the people who have
hurt us, let us resolve to shut our mouth and not speak about
the matter anymore. It may take some time to discipline our
tongue completely. But let us obey the promptings of the Holy
Spirit who convicts us when we start accusing others.
Proverbs 25: 21 says, that we should bless those who ridicule
us, abuse us, and exploit us by giving them food when they
are hungry and water when they are thirsty. Sounds
impossible? But, we are sure to receive our reward from our
Lord, if we obey His Word.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I pray that You will bless the person who keeps
provoking me. Give me your grace to love and forgive him/her. Let me not talk
about the injustice they have done to me, but help me to place everything at Your
feet, so that You will deal with the matter. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Friday, December 15 Read: James 1: 2-3, 12-15
GIRD UP YOUR LOINS
"Blessed is the one who perseveres under trial ..."
(James 1: 12)
Temptation is a fact of life for every Christian. None of
us is exempt. At every turn, we are confronted with some
assault on our commitment and obedience. We yield to
temptations because of our fallen nature, our physical
limitations and because of our negligence towards God's work,
prayer and His fellowship. But this does not mean that such
weaknesses are excuses which give us permission to go on
sinning, because God has provided means whereby we can
come out of those weaknesses.
Dear friends, perhaps you have been defeated in the
spiritual battle so often that you want to quit and accept defeat.
But, before you make such a decision, think about this - If you
accept defeat, it means that you are yielding to Satan and his
temptation, and this will eventually destroy your very own
life and your hope for future. God's plan for you is to become
increasingly like Him. He does not want you to fall prey to
Satan's cunning ways. I Corinthians 10: 13 says, "No
temptation has seized you except what is common to man.
And God is faithful. He will not let you be tempted beyond
what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will provide
a way out so that you can stand up under it.” So, take courage.
The first thing we need to do in the hour of temptation is to
hold on to the promises of God. He has said that He would
never leave us and has promised help in temptation. So,
prepare your minds for action. (I Peter 1: 13) Gird up your
loins. Girding up our loins means to take courage, to prepare
ourselves and to rise up for the occasion. So, get ready and
fight the battle against Satan, with Jesus as your Captain. No
doubt, the victory will be yours through Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Amen.
PRAYER: Loving Lord, I confess that I do not have perfect control over my will,
and I quite often get frustrated and feel like quitting my race. But now I
understand that I need to persevere, girding up my loin, as You are always my
Captain. Thank you. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Saturday, December 16 Read: Matthew 25: 1-13
LET US BE READY TO MEET THE LORD!
Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your
Lord will come." (Matthew 24: 42)
In this modern age, where science and technology are
in full bloom, people refuse to believe about rapture - the secret
coming of the Lord Jesus, and also His second coming. Let us
not be deceived. In Matthew 24, Jesus Himself has explained
to us about signs that would take place during the end of the
age. Before His coming, Jesus said that the gospel will be
preached to the whole world as a testimony to all nations.
Accordingly, we see that the preaching of the gospel is taking
place at the fastest pace. These days even people living in
remote places have the privilege of hearing the good news
through the media. Many of the tribes living in the unreached
areas are reached through the gospel by the untiring efforts of
various missionary organizations.
Dear friends, let us be alert and watchful. Let us prepare
ourselves to meet the Lord when He comes. Let us be like the
five wise virgins who took oil in jars along with their lamps
when they set out to meet the bridegroom. So, even though it
took a long time for the bridegroom to arrive, they were able
to receive Him joyfully with their glowing lamps. Let us also
be always ready for His coming, our lives glowing as lamps,
filled with the Holy Spirit. Let us not be influenced by the world
and its temptations. Let us not allow our sinful nature to
overpower us and drift us away from our heavenward vision.
The Lord wants us to live every single day of our lives as if it
were the last, expecting the return of our Savior any time. The
great preacher of the Word, Dr. G. Campbell Morgan writes,
"I never lay my head on my pillow without thinking that may
be before the morning breaks, the final morning may have
dawned. I never begin my work without thinking that perhaps
He may interrupt my work and begin His own." May the Lord
give us His grace to persevere constantly.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we see that all the events foretold by You regarding
Your second coming are getting fulfilled. Help me not to be idle and lethargic, but
help me to wait for You expectantly and patiently. In Jesus' precious name I pray.
Amen.
Sunday, December 17 Read: John 21: 15-17
THE MASTER'S TOUCH!
"... All who touched Him were healed" (Mark: 6: 56)
A man was auctioning an old guitar. When he started
the auction with one rupee, he did not have any response from
the audience, and with great discouragement he put it back
on the table and sat down. Suddenly an old man from the
crowd got up and went forward to the stage. He took the
guitar, tuned it and brought out a harmonious music out of
the rusted guitar. After playing for a few minutes, he kept it
on the table, got back to his seat and sat quietly. Then, the
auctioneer once again took the guitar and said, "one rupee."
Immediately, the crowd started responding one after another.
Finally, to the auctioneer's surprise, it was sold for one
thousand rupees! On seeing this amazing event, a man from
the audience said to his friend, "What happened to the guitar?
It was not even worth one rupee a few minutes back, but now
it is worth one thousand rupees!" The friend answered, "The
one who went forward and tuned the guitar was the maker
of the guitar. It was the touch of the master that made the
difference!"
Dear friends, do you feel that you are insignificant and
inconspicuous? Be assured today that you need the Master's
touch. Place yourself in His arms and allow Him to control
every area of your life. He is concerned for you and longs to
mould you as a useful instrument, active in His service. So,
draw near to Him and confess all your discouragements and
defeats to Him. Peter was discouraged after he denied the
Lord thrice. He thought that he could never be used by the
Lord after his shameful act. But the Lord did not condemn
Peter. He met him once again at the sea of Tiberias and
restored him to His fellowship. On the day of the Pentecost,
the 'defeated Peter' became the 'dynamic Peter,' by whose one
single message, thousands were turned towards Christ. So,
cheer up! and experience the healing touch of the Lord in your
life.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, like that old and rusted guitar which was claimed
by none, even I feel useless and condemned. But, I am sure that when You take
me in Your arms and mould me, I will be of great worth in the sight of the
world. Thank You for Your love towards me. Amen.
Monday, December 18 Read: Daniel 1:3-20
MAINTAIN YOUR PURITY!
"Do not let anyone look down on you ... but set an example .. in
speech, in conduct, in love, in faith and in purity." (I Timothy 4: 12)
When Daniel and his three friends were taken to
Babylon, the king ordered that they should be trained for three
years before entering the king's service, and till such time they
should be given royal food and wine. But, Daniel purposed
in his heart that he would not defile himself with the king's
food. (Daniel 1: 8) He stood firm in his decision, even though
he knew that it would endanger his life. He wanted to
maintain his purity, holiness and public testimony at any cost.
As a result, we read that the Lord rewarded him multifold.
The Lord honoured his zeal for Him and blessed him in many
ways.
First, the Lord blessed him physically. Daniel
consumed only vegetables and water for ten days. But
amazingly, at the end of those ten days, Daniel looked
healthier and better nourished than any of the young men
who ate royal food. Second, the Lord blessed Daniel mentally
also. In Daniel 1: 17, we read that God gave him knowledge
and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning.
Third, the Lord gave Daniel a special gift - the interpretation
of dreams. He could understand visions and dreams of all
kinds. (verse 17) Fourth, the Lord blessed his intelligence. In
every matter of wisdom and understanding when the king
questioned him, he found Daniel ten times better than all the
magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom. (verse: 20)
Fifth, Daniel was blessed with a great prophetic mission of
the Lord in the kingdom of Babylon, for seventy full years
under the leadership of various kings. What a great privilege!
Dear friends, are we ready to take the risk for the Lord? Do
we desire keenly to have a right relationship with Him casting
away those things that would defile our fellowship with Him?
If we are zealous for our Lord, He will definitely reward us
for our commitment. Amen.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not be defiled or corrupted in this sinful world.
Give me Your grace to stand firm in my commitment towards You, even if it
costs me something. I know that You will certainly honor me as you honored
Daniel. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Tuesday, December 19 Read: Romans 5: 11-19
SIN DESTROYS! SON RESTORES!
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the
right to the tree of life ..." (Revelation 22:14)
When in the beginning God created earth and all that in
it, He also created a beautiful garden exclusively for Adam,
the man whom He created in His image. He did not create
Adam to be a robot who would act and react without freedom,
but gave him a free will so that he could enjoy life. In the garden
that He created, He deliberately kept two trees - the tree of
knowledge and the tree of life. God's intention was that man
should make a right choice on his own. But, the devil cunningly
enticed Adam to make the wrong choice. This sin of
disobedience led him to lose the privilege of eating from the
tree of life. (Genesis 2:9,17; 3:24) Sin destroyed the privilege of
access to the tree of life! Thank God that the story never ended
there! The Bible is a Book that reveals the wonderful plan of
restoration of lost privileges. Genesis tells us that God blocked
the way to the tree of life for the sinful man. But the Lord,
being merciful and compassionate, wanted to make man sinless
and restore back the privilege. For this, He sent His Son, Jesus!
Sin destroyed the privilege! The Son restored back the privilege!
Halleluiah! Paul writes in his letter to the Romans this great
story of redemption and restoration. In Revelation we read
that the only way to claim this lost privilege is to 'repent' and
regain the lost fellowship with the Creator - which can become
possible only through the Son's sacrifice on the Cross.
Dear friends, let us remember that we all are by birth
sinners. We have no direct access to the tree of life. But, the
good news is that we have Jesus Christ, through whom we can
have access once again. Let us rejoice for this wonderful hope.
PRAYER: Father, I am thankful for Jesus, my Redeemer and my Restorer. Thank
You for the promises for eternal life that I have in Him. Let this Christmas season
draw me nearer to the Son, so that my sins be washed away and I may have the
right to the tree of life. Thank You. Amen.
Wednesday, December 20 Read: Luke 1: 5-17
WAIT FOR GOD’S PERFECT TIMING
“There is a time for everything, and a reason for every
activity under the heavens.” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1)
Zechariah and Elizabeth were quite old and past the
normal age to have children. They had been praying for many
years but nothing had happened. But when Zechariah least
expected, the answer came for his prayer. One day while he
was ministering to the Lord in His Holy Temple, an angel of
the Lord appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid,
Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth
will bear you a son.” (Luke 1:13)
One of the hardest things to do when we pray is to wait
for God’s answer. God answers prayer according to His
timing, and His delays are not the same thing as His denials.
God often waits until things are humanly impossible, and then
He does what He has planned to do. We are intrigued by
God’s sense of timing - Luke 1 verse 5 says, “In the time of
Herod”, verse 10 says, “And when the time for the burning of
incense came”, verse 23 says, “When his time of service was
completed”, verse 24 says, “After this his wife Elizabeth
became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion.”
Zechariah and Elizabeth did not know, but God had been
planning the birth of John from the beginning. What seems
like unexplainable silence was really God working to prepare
them to be part of His plan to offer salvation to the world.
Brian Bill writes, “When we pray a prayer that is not right,
God will say “No.” When we pray a prayer and we are not
right spiritually, God will say, “Grow.” When we pray a
prayer and the timing is not right, God will say, “Slow.” But
when we pray a prayer and all is right, God will say “Go.”
Dear friends, let us allow God to do His perfect work in His
perfect time, and stop trying to push Him to fit our imperfect
schedule.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not become impatient or frustrated and stop praying
when I do not get an answer for my prayer. Let me understand that You have a
great plan and that You will do it in Your perfect timing. Let me cooperate with
You and yield to Your sovereign will. Amen.
Thursday, December 21 Read: Luke 1: 26-38
FEAR NOT, FOR I AM WITH YOU
“The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found
favor with God.” (Luke 1: 30)
Fear has been a part of the human existence since the
fall of man in Genesis 3:8-10. Everyone, regardless of how
brave they seem, is afraid of something - disease, financial
setbacks, rejection, etc. Even in the Bible, we read that
Abraham lied about Sarah out of fear. (Genesis 12:11-13)
Jacob was fearful of Esau. (Genesis 32: 6-8) Moses feared
Pharaoh, and rejection by his own people. (Exodus 2:14, 4:1)
The disciples were afraid of the storm. (Matthew 8:24-26) But
there is an encouraging news before us today and that is, we
have a Caring Father and a Word from Him is enough to expel
our fears and eliminate our worries.
God sent angelic messengers three times to the earth to
three people with messages connected to the birth of His Son
- first to Mary, then to Joseph and then to the shepherds. All
the three times, when the angel came, there was a reaction
based in fear. And each time, the angel spoke the words, “Fear
not” to those who were fearful. Dear friends, when our lives
do not go as we have planned as it was in the case of Mary
and Joseph, it is easy for us to fear. Often God allows things
to happen in our life that are hard to bear and understand.
Yet the Lord sends them our way. The secret of surviving the
dreadful times is to learn to trust completely in the Lord. Mary
and Joseph willingly took the assignment offered to them by
God inspite of the ridicule and the humiliation. It was never
a question of “what if” with them. This is an example we all
need to emulate. Things may look bad in the beginning but in
the end God will be glorified and we will be blessed. (Romans
8: 28)
PRAYER: Dear Lord, when things do not go as planned in my life, when I do not
understand the present, and fearful of the future, let me trust You and Your
Words, “Do not fear.” Let me prioritize Your will and submit to Your purpose,
which is always for my good. Amen.
Friday, December 22 Read: Matthew 1: 1-17
GOD’S GRACE RICHLY DISPLAYED IN JESUS’ GENEALOGY
“Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made
holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them
brothers.” (Hebrews 2: 11)
In the genealogy of our Lord, we find the names of three
women who were each notorious for sin - Tamar, Rahab and
Bathsheba. Tamar was a Gentile, an incest, immoral and a
prostitute; Rahab was a Canaanite, a harlot and a liar;
Bathsheba was an adulteress. This is to let us know that Jesus
had a background that had black spots. It was not clean family
tree! To the Pharisees and the religious leaders, who expressed
their disgust, Jesus replied, “I did not come to call the
righteous, but sinners.” (Matthew 9:13) By this He meant that
Pharisees who thought themselves superior also very much
needed a Savior as the tax collectors and the prostitutes did.
Dear friends, you may think, “But I am not as sinful as a
prostitute or a tax collector. I am not such a vile sinner!” Be
cautioned. That was the mistake the Pharisees made. Their
self-righteousness caused them to reject the Savior whom God
sent. So in the first place, we need to recognize that we have
sinned against the Holy God, and that all our good deeds will
not atone for our sins. We need a Savior, and Jesus is that
Savior. No matter what your past looks like, or your present
feels like, no matter what you have done, Jesus can save you.
He can give you a fresh start. If a prostitute can be saved, if a
murderer can be transformed, if an incestuous person can
become clean, then there is hope for you. As strange as it
may seem, the worse you are, the better candidate you are for
the grace of God. He came to do for you what you could not
do for yourself. He came to save you from sins. The same
grace that the notorious people experienced is now available
to you. Come to Jesus. Do not postpone. Today is the day of
salvation.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me not hide my sins from You. I confess that I have
sinned against You. There is nothing that can cleanse me from my sin except the
blood of Jesus. Forgive me Lord. Have mercy on me. Create in me a clean heart
and renew a right spirit within me. Amen.
Saturday, December 23 Read: I Peter 1: 17-23
THIS WORLD IS NOT MY HOME. I AM JUST PASSING THROUGH
“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. ...”
(John 1: 14)
The word “dwelt” is from the root word “Skenos.” It
means to dwell literally in a tent, to take up one’s residence,
to encamp. Jesus, who is fully God and fully Man, who is the
eternal Word, Logos made His dwelling place among men.
Is it not amazing? In the Bible three kinds of people lived in
tents - shepherds, sojourners and soldiers. They lived in tents
because they never stayed in one place very long. Jesus lived
in the “tent” of His humanity for 33 years on the earth because
He too was a Shepherd, a Sojourner and a Soldier. He came
to be a Good Shepherd, He came down from heaven to save
souls, He came as the Captain of our salvation to defeat the
devil once and for all. Jesus came on a mission from God.
When His mission was over He went back to heaven.
A tent is an apt metaphor for the human body, which is
a temporary home for the eternal soul. The temporary tent in
which a Christian lives now will be replaced one day in
heaven with an eternal imperishable body. (I Corinthians 15:
42) We are aliens and strangers in God’s sight, as were all
our forefathers. (I Chronicles 29:15, Psalm 119: 19) In other
words, Christian is a sojourner in this world. Life for him is
lived in the shadow of eternity. He thinks all the time where
he is going - to God who is his Father and also a Judge. Life in
this world becomes of tremendous importance because it is
leading to life beyond. So let us live as foreigners and exiles,
and abstain from sinful desires which wage war against our
soul. Let us live in reverence, because it cost so much. It is of
surpassing value; it cannot be wasted or thrown away.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, You came to this world and lived as a Sojourner. You
went to the Father in heaven after fulfilling Your mission. Let me also desire to
live a life of reverence, as a foreigner in this temporary world and thereafter
reach Your eternal kingdom. Amen.
Sunday, December 24 Read: Isaiah 9: 6-7
JESUS, HOW WONDERFUL YOU ARE!
“... His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The
mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of peace.”
(Isaiah 9: 6)
Adrian Rogers writes, “I heard of a preacher who was
on a train and he noticed a man looking out of a window.
And as they went past a beautiful landscape, the man kept
saying, Wonderful! Wonderful!” He would pause and look
for a while, wipe the tears from his eyes and would say again,
“Wonderful!” The preacher’s curiosity was aroused and he
asked the man, “I have never seen someone enjoying a train
ride quite so much. Can you tell me why it is so wonderful?”
The man said, “I’ve just had surgery. I’ve been without sight
for years and years, and now I am seeing things that I had
long forgotten; I can see the blue sky, the green grass, the
bright flowers,” and he exclaimed, “How wonderful it is!”
In his messianic prophecy, Isaiah refers to Jesus Christ
as “Wonderful.” (Isaiah 9: 6) How worthy Jesus was of His
name - “Wonderful.” Everything about Him is wonderful -
His birth is wonderful, His life is wonderful, His works are
wonderful, His words are wonderful. He was wonderful in
teaching which has never been surpassed by the world’s
greatest scholars. His death is wonderful, His resurrection is
wonderful, His ascension is wonderful, His second coming is
wonderful. Dear friends, do we stand in awe of the name of
Jesus Christ? Or have we become cold and apathetic? Are
we excited when we think of the name of Jesus? If Jesus is
not wonderful to us, then our souls are calloused and our
spiritual eyes are blinded; we need something to be done to
our spiritual eyes. When we come to know Jesus as our Savior,
every fiber of our being and every event of our daily existence
will be filled with wonder, for He is wonderful.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, let me constantly think of Your birth, life, teachings, death,
resurrection and Your second coming. Let my soul be set on fire, and let me
stand in awe in Your presence exclaiming, “Lord, how wonderful You are to
me!” and worship You with all my being. Amen.
Monday, December 25 Read: Luke 1: 46-55
THE WONDER OF CHRISTMAS
“For He has been mindful of the humble state of His
servant. ...” (Luke 1: 48)
We wish you all a very happy and Christ-centered Christmas.
The song of Mary called the Magnificat is of great
significance. Here, Mary praises God because He had chosen
her to bear the Messiah, despite her lowly estate. She was
astounded that God would choose her of all people to bear the
Messiah. “Why me, O Lord, when You could have had one of
the wealthy and highly educated girls from Jerusalem?” She was
just a poor girl - one among thousands. If God had wanted Jesus
to be born in the lap of luxury, or to the one who had elite
schooling, good education or any of the other things people
usually associate with success, God would have done it. But
God did not have to do it that way. That is the wonder of
Christmas. It is the sovereign grace of God. There was nothing
about Mary that recommended her to God. Yes, she was
obviously godly but so were many girls of her age. She realized
her humble state and praised God for the favor He showed on
her. This is what astounded Mary. She was not the last chance
after everyone said “no”. Mary was God’s first choice. In other
words, Mary was God’s only choice!
How gracious is the Lord to choose the most unlikely girl
for the greatest privilege any woman would ever know! No
wonder, Mary said, “From now on all generations will call me
blessed.” She did not know how true the statement was. After
2000 years, we are still talking about Mary, her obedience,
submission, humility and trust in God. Dear friends, if Christmas
teaches us anything, it is that God is always on the side of the
lowly, the hurting, the poor, the feeble, the forgotten. God does
the unexpected, and moves against the values of world. So let us
be encouraged and rejoice for God is mindful, even of us, the
insignificant people.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I thank You for Your grace and mercy shown on
insignificant, weak, poor and lowly people. You lift the helpless and the
downtrodden up and make them sit with people of honor. Let this wonder of
Christmas cheer me up and help me to love You more. Amen..
Tuesday, December 26 Read: Mark 9: 30-37
THE WAY TO GREATNESS IS HUMILITY
“If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last and the
servant of all.” (Mark 9: 30)
Benjamin Franklin, the American statesman, made a
test of character qualities that he wanted to develop in his
own life. When he mastered one virtue he went on to the next.
He did well until he came to humility. Every time he thought
he was making significant progress, he would be so pleased
with himself that he became proud! Humility is an elusive
virtue. Even the disciples of Jesus struggled with it. In Mark
9: 30-32 Jesus had just spoken to them about His humiliation
and His cruel death. But all they could think was their
exaltation. When they were in Capernaum Jesus asked His
disciples “What were you arguing about on the road?”, they
became silent because they were ashamed for they were arguing
with one another about who was the greatest. It is noteworthy
that Jesus did not scold the disciples for their materialistic
ambition. Instead He gently pointed out to them the way to
true greatness. To be great is to be humble and serve self-
sacrificially. Being great in God’s kingdom is about giving
oneself for the sake of God’s glory and for the benefit of others.
Jesus consistently talked about having a humble servant
attitude, being willing to reach out to the lowest of people so
that we might show them the love of Christ. Such simple act
will be greatly rewarded.
Dear friends, rather than to strive to be the greatest in
this world, let us simply trust in Jesus and serve others, thereby
serving Him. Positions of power are meant to be positions of
service. Rather than exerting power over others, let us humbly
use any influence or resources we have to serve others. The
greatest in the kingdom of God are those who have the humility
of a child and meekness of Jesus.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to show my love for You by what I do and how I
live. Let me not live for self for it brings only a limited reward. Let me care for
others’ needs, be humble and serve self-sacrificially. Give me Your grace moment
by moment to live like You. Amen.
Wednesday, December 27 Read: Habakkuk 1: 6-11, 3: 17-19
YES, LORD! YOUR WAYS ARE ALWAYS THE BEST!
"As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55: 9)
Sometimes we find that the answers to our prayers are
not always the answers our hearts desire. They may be totally
contrary to our expectations. Hugh Price Hughes was a man
with scholar's mind. When, as a young man, he asked God
for directions concerning his career, the Lord said, "I want
you to be a preacher of the gospel." Hughes was quite startled
for he had not expected that. He realised at once what the
call to the ministry meant - a lower income, the abandonment
of the delights of scholarly research, and so on. It took him
sometime to receive the divine call and adjust to it, but once
he had, he became a mighty preacher and a choice servant of
God. Mrs. Hugh Price Hughes was once asked what was the
greatest sacrifice her husband had ever made, and she replied,
"He could have been a scholar, but he chose under God to be a
simple preacher of the gospel."
This is not an uncommon experience in the Christian
life - getting an answer we do not expect. In today's text we
read about Habakkuk who wanted the Lord to chastise Israel
and send revival. Of course he had his prayer answered, but
not as he expected. When the Lord announced that He was
about to use the evil and the cruel Chaldeans, a tribe from
southern Babylonia to punish His people, Habakkuk was
astounded. Finally, in Chapter 3, we see him accepting God's
ways. In verse 2 he says, "I stand in awe of your deeds, Lord,"
and in verses 17 and 18 he says, "Though the fig tree does not
bud and there are no grapes on the vines, ... yet I will rejoice
in the Lord." (NIV) Dear friends, it may be at times extremely
difficult to understand God's ways, but since His ways always
are good, let us accept them as they are. Amen.
PRAYER: Loving Father, though the answers that I receive from You are sometimes
contrary to what I expect, I leave the choice to You because You always give me the
best. Help me to accept Your ways joyfully as Habakkuk did, and say with him,
"...yet I will rejoice in the Lord." In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Thursday, December 28 Read: Psalm 51:1-19
RELEASE ME FROM THE BONDAGE OF SIN, O LORD
"If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened."
(Psalm 66:18)
"Sin is like a millstone, it will always hold us down. And
if we yield to it, we will crave it again. To feed desire is to fan
it into flame that can never be quenched," writes Oswald Smith.
We are living in an age where sin is extending its ugly tentacles
and invading every nook and corner of the lives of people. It
is really a great challenge for us, as children of the most Holy
God, to escape from the clutches of sin. Unless we are
completely under the cover of the precious blood of Jesuas, we
may also get entangled in Satan's net. (Hebrews 12: 2) So let
us not try to compromise even in the slightest way to the
standards of this world, yield to sin and perversions. The Bible
very clearly warns us that the Lord will not even listen to what
we say if we harbor sin in our hearts, and hence our prayers
will go unanswered.
Let us not deceive ourselves by saying, "O, it's just a small
lie,” or "It's just a casual look" or "it's just an insignificant gossip."
No sin is small. Anything that is against God's commandment
is sin, and God says that we must give it up. Isaiah 59: 2 says,
"But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your
sins have hidden his face from you.” II Timothy 2: 19 says,
“Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away
from wickedness." That is God's command and so we have to
forsake every sin that is known to us if we are to be approved
of Him. Dear friends, "The only real sorrow that can ever come
into the life of a Christian is the torture and anguish of the
heart that harbors sin," writes Oswald Smith. So let us not
allow our souls to be corrupted by sin. Let us cast it out of our
lives, for we will never make progress in our Christian life until
we break with sin. It ruins us unless we give it up. Let us draw
near to our Lord Jesus who alone can snap every chain of
bondage.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, I live in a sinful world and surrounded by sinful people all
around. It is indeed a great challenge for me to live a holy, uncompromising life.
Fill me with your Holy Spirit so that I will have the power to resist the devil. In
Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
Friday, December 29 Read: II Corinthians 3: 4-18
HOLY SPIRIT - THE GIVER OF LIFE!
"Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is,
there is freedom." (II Corinthians 3: 17)
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God - He is the third person
of the Holy Trinity. The Holy Spirit's power was at work even
at the time of creation. He was the One who gave form and
order to creation. He brought order out of the initial chaos.
The Bible says that there are four specific ways by which the
Holy Spirit moves in the hearts of people. Firstly, He convicts
the world of sin - the sin of rejecting or not accepting Christ
and His salvation. Secondly, He convinces the world of
Christ's righteousness. Thirdly, He forewarns the world of the
judgment. (John 16: 8,9) Fourthly, He testifies about Jesus and
glorifies Him. (John 15:26) It is the Holy Spirit who regenerates
the sinner. He gives him new life through Jesus Christ. After
this initial step of salvation which is instantaneous, comes the
next process - sanctification. Sanctification is a lifelong process
and this predominantly involves spiritual warfare. In this
spiritual warfare, first of all, a Christian who is saved by the
blood of Jesus has to resist and fight against his own sinful
nature - his flesh. Secondly, he has to face and fight with the
worldly standards, which are quite opposite to that of God's
righteous standards. Thirdly, a born again Christian also has
to fight against Satan and his evil hosts. And it is only by the
power and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, he can fight this
threefold battle.
So dear friends, unless we maintain a right relationship
with the Holy Spirit, we will not be able to grow in holiness
and in the likeness of Jesus. And that is the reason why Paul
advises us to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), not to
quench the Spirit (I Thessalonians 5: 19), to be led by the Spirit
(Romans 8: 14) and so on. How can we remain filled with the
Spirit? Only by daily Bible reading and meditation, constant
prayer and fellowship with the saints.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, help me to keep my spiritual fire constantly burning by the
anointing of the Holy Spirit so that I will always win the spiritual warfare against
Satan and sin. Let me be sanctified day by day by your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’
name I pray. Amen.
Saturday, December 30 Read: Romans 1: 18-23
PRIDE AND THANKSGIVING
"Consider this, you who forget God, ... Those who sacrifice thank
offerings honor (Him). (Psalm 50: 22,23)
"The giving of thanks is a regular upbeat in the rhythm
of a healthy Christian life," said Neil Platinga. David in his
life as a shepherd boy, as the warrior in Saul's army and as the
king of Israel remembered that Jehovah was His God and His
Lord. He was thankful that all his victories were made possible
only by Him. He was also thankful during times of distress,
confusion and defeat. And hence only we can sense his heart
of thanksgiving through his songs in the entire book of Psalms.
Since God always is a Giver, He always supplies over and
above we ask or imagine - it is only natural and fitting to give
thanks to God with gratitude. Sometimes we fail to give thanks
because most gifts of God come in subtle disguise. For example,
the air we breathe, the light and heat that we enjoy come free.
And we seldom realise their value. There are many more things
that we take for granted because they do not come in gift
packs. Yet, they are real gifts. When an elderly lady was
advised by the doctors to be on oxygen almost for two thirds
of a day, she said, "I never realised that to breathe at no cost
was so precious until such time I was told to buy an oxygen
cylinder that cost me thousand rupees a week. I praised God
for the free oxygen He had been supplying me from the day I
was born."
Dear friends, our Lord provides all that we need and
we seldom realise that. In today's text we find Paul
admonishing the people - who failed to thank and glorify God
for His great provisions. He attributes this to their pride. Pride
and thanksgiving never go together. So let us be thankful to
our Lord, and humble ourselves before Him and praise Him
every moment.
PRAYER: Dear Lord, sorry that I have seldom realised that the basic needs of my
life are met by You with Your wonderful gifts that are filled in the nature created
by You. I thank You Lord, with a heart full of gratitude. Let pride have no room
in my life, lest I may fail to praise You. Amen.
Sunday, December 31 Read: Luke 13: 6-8
SPARED AGAIN!!
"... that I may accomplish my course, and the ministry which I
received from the Lord Jesus, ... “ (Acts 20:24)
We have come to the last day of 2023. For some of us it
might have been an exciting year - completed tasks, great
holidays, high achievements. For some others it must have been
- just another uneventful year. But, for some this would have
been a disastrous year - pain, sickness, loss and broken
relationships. How the year had been is one thing, and how we
have been during the year is another thing. How was our
relationship with God? How were our interactions in the
family, Church and society? God is interested in our attitude
and our behavior. Today's text tells us that God counts and
recounts every year carefully. He wants to see fruits in our life.
God has been so good to us that He had in the past filled us
with His goodness. He does not bless us expecting anything
from us. But, in return He wants us to live a witnessing life
that proves our allegiance to Him. At the same time, we must
also have a hope and purpose for the future. Paul said: "I do
not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if
only I may accomplish my course and the ministry which I
received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace
of God." He was thankful for the blessings, and also thankful
for the sufferings. He was always hopeful of the future - hoping
that God was keeping him alive year after year to carry on the
ministry - the gospel of Christ with His grace and power.
Dear friends, as we stand at the end of this year, it is
good to have a review of the past, but it is relevant to look
forward to another year with great hope. Let us be assured
that God will continue to be good in the coming year too. Let us
remind ourselves to live for Christ and His gospel, and prove
our usefulness to God.
PRAYER: Lord, in this last day of 2023, I look back and thank You for this year
through which You have kept me alive, and shown Your goodness. I look forward
to the new year with great hope to live for Christ and His gospel, and be useful in
Your service. In Jesus' name I pray. Amen.
 INTERCESSORY PRAYER - DECEMBER 2023

This month intercession will be on 21.12.2023

please send us your prayer requests before

20.12.2023

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CHRISTMAS SPECIAL PROGRAMS

DATE : 08.12.2023 (FRIDAY)

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