“Then the disciples came to Jesus privately and said, “Why could we not cast it out?””
“तब चेलों ने एकान्त में यीशु के पास आकर कहा; हम इसे क्यों नहीं निकाल सके?”
- Matthew 17:19
When we fail others are keen to find the fault with us, but looking closely at how Jesus dealt with the failures of His disciples, we can see that our Lord Jesus not only helped them to know their core weakness but also showed them the way to overcome it. No wonder today we the disciples of Christ attempt many things for our Lord but fail miserably. While most of those failures can be categorized as endeavors that are not initiated or truly guided by the prompting of the Holy Spirit and that is why we Fail, but the rest of the other failures can be safely attributed to our lack of preparedness at times to undertake those spiritual assignments. In both cases, a self-introspection is needed, and self-examination will be an utter failure too if it is not done with the help of the Holy Spirit.
Here we can see a helpless father approaching Lord Jesus and sharing that His disciples were unable to help or heal his son (Matthew 17:16). Unlike many of us who may straightway engage in the blame game, Jesus preferred to heal the child first which was much more important than anything else at that moment. We sometimes lose the track of important things to be done for the kingdom of God by distracting ourselves in fault finding and other trivial things which are utterly unworthy to pursue. The failure of disciples is more tragic because Jesus had expressly given them power to work miracles and they had exercised this power successfully in the past (Matthew 10:1 and 8, and Luke 10:17). Jesus’s reply to their question “Why could we not cast it out?” was simple, there was lack of Faith (Matthew 17:20), “Because you have so little faith.”, there was lack of Prayer and apparently there was lack of Fasting too which is evident in His word “However, this kind does not go out except by prayer and fasting.” (Matthew 17:21, Mark 9:29). Faith, Prayer and Fasting are not just one-off or seldom Christian activities, but these are the very basic elements on which whole of our Christian life survives. Another thing to note here is that there is a possibility that the nine were perhaps jealous because they had not been called to go to the mountaintop with Jesus (Matthew 17:1-13) and during the Lord’s absence, they began to grow self-indulgent. They neglected Prayer; their Faith weakened and when the crisis came, they were unprepared. What are our reasons for not Praying today? What are we doing about our Lack of Faith? Faith, Prayer and Fasting will achieve victory even under the desperate conditions we all face today. Let us all endeavour hard to stay Spiritually Healthy today.
“Faith in a prayer-hearing God will make a prayer-loving Christian.” - Andrew Murray
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.”
“मुझ से प्रार्थना कर और मैं तेरी सुन कर तुझे बढ़ी-बड़ी और कठिन बातें बताऊंगा जिन्हें तू अभी नहीं समझता।”
- Jeremiah 33:3
“Calling out to God” or “Asking God” or “Praying to God” is something we all do when we are anxious (Philippians 4:6), when we are facing temptations (Luke 22:40), when we need to confess our sins and make ourselves right with our God (Psalm 32:5-6), when we are in trouble (James 5:13-16) or when we are in distress (Psalm 4:1). But here we see a very different but a very profound reason that God through prophet Jeremiah brings to us for “Calling unto Him (God)“. God tells Jeremiah that “Pray or Call” to Him, and He will answer him. He will tell him important secrets (great and hidden things) which Jeremiah has never heard or known before. Another important thing to understand here is that God spoke to Jeremiah when he was in prison (Jeremiah 33:1). Perhaps it is the times of extreme loneliness and rejection by others that the Spirit of God embarks into a mission of teaching us the great secret of God’s kingdom and about God Himself. Psalmist also concurs with that in Psalm 119:71 “It was good for me to ·suffer (be humbled) so I would learn your ·demands (statutes; ordinances; requirements).”
God’s prime lesson to us through prophet Jeremiah is that God’s people do not learn the hidden things of the Lord by “storming the gates” through their own strength but by seeking Him through believing prayer. Because Jeremiah required God to teach him and when we too ask God to teach us then God will show us “Hidden things” pertaining to our future as is needed for us to know. The things which are “unsearchable” for us are open for God. If we indeed ask Him, God will show us when will be the end of our miseries, His will for us in the current crisis, God’s desire for us at the end of this current season of life, God’s plan for our children and our loved ones and even the answer to our sickness or diseases that cripples us and our loved ones today. Do we dare or even care to ask God? Further, the scope of “unsearchable” things is not just outside us (our future, current crisis, loved ones etc.) but remarkably it also points to things inside us. Psalmist says, “They devise acts of injustice, saying, “We are ready with a well-conceived plan.”, for the inward thought and the heart of a man are deep (mysterious, unsearchable).” (Psalm 64:6). Sometimes we are too blindfolded or even unaware of own evil and ungodly thoughts which is considered as “unsearchable”. When God speaks, He also shows us our unsearchable sins and faults (which we are unaware of) and since these sins are not yet found by us these are still unrepented too till now (1 John 1:8-10). Do we really desire to search the unsearchable things today? Are we willing to Ask God to show us the things we do not know? Are you afraid to ask God because you are not sure if you will be able to Obey what God tells you to do? Remember His grace is sufficient for you, for His strength is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9)
“Our God has boundless resources. The only limit is in us. Our asking, our thinking, our praying is too small. Our expectations are too limited.” - A.B. Simpson
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; Renew our days as of old”
" हे यहोवा, हम को अपनी ओर फेर, तब हम फिर सुधर जाएंगे। प्राचीनकाल की नाईं हमारे दिन बदल कर ज्यों के त्यों कर दे!”
- Lamentations 5:21
Lamentations 5 is the final prayer for restoration. It is a laborious but inescapable journey for God’s people through the Road to Renewal (Lamentation 5:21). We can see the journey from “Sin to Suffering” (Lamentations 1:8), then from “Sorrow to Repentance” (Lamentations 1:20), then from “Prayer to Hope” (Lamentations 3:19-24), and Finally from “Faith to Restoration” (Lamentations 5:21). It was a realization that a manifestation of God’s discipline did not mean that His Love had ceased. It is true for us Children of God in today’s times as well that when we have wholeheartedly submitted to the discipline of God and when His discipline has accomplished its purpose in our lives then our circumstances will start to change too (Lamentations 3:25-33). Prophet’s words in this prayer such as “Forsake us for so long”, “utterly rejected” and “Angry with us” (Lamentations 5:20,22) shows the desperation in his prayer for this much-needed restoration.
How desperate are we when we Pray to God today? Many of us are way too comfortable and sometimes calling upon the Lord is routine monotonous work for us. Prayer is gasping for Hope and divine Strength spiritually just like we may gasp for oxygen when we do not get air to breathe. Psalmist says “I rise before dawn and cry in prayer for help; I wait for Your word (Psalm 119:147). We see in the lives of children of God that sometimes their faith was strong but oftentimes it is weak too. But at the heart of their Prayer in Lamentations 5 are the sincere Words “Turn us back to You, O Lord”. The Hebrew word for “Turn back” is used by the prophet in Jeremiah 3:1, 14, 15 where it is used in the context of Turn back from your sin (backsliding) to living God. Modern Christians are getting used to hearing the message on a distorted view of prosperity and often much dangerous idea of positive thinking which is not based on the Word of God at all. In the process we are becoming too self-complacent, taking our Faith lightly, losing the perspective of our eternity, and forgetting to Turn back to our God daily who is the true source of all our Blessings. Bible says, “The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.” (Proverbs 10:22). Without God’s presence and power, our lives can never be renewed, and we must all resolve daily that we will not go back to the old ways of sinning that have caused so much trouble. We should always remember that God delights in His people and longs to bless them, but if we sin, He will chasten us. If we repent and confess our sins, He will forgive us (1 John 1:9) and give us a new beginning. Are you ready for this new chapter of your renewed life with God again? Are you desperate in your prayer to God and seeking His help to help you Turn back to Him? Remember To enjoy the gifts but ignore the Giver is Idolatry.
“Think not that you shall turn to God when you will if you will not when you may.”
- Gervase Babington
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.””
“पर जैसा तुम्हारा बुलाने वाला पवित्र है, वैसे ही तुम भी अपने सारे चाल चलन में पवित्र बनो।
क्योंकि लिखा है, कि पवित्र बनो, क्योंकि मैं पवित्र हूं।”
- 1 Peter 1:15, 16
Holiness (Kadosh in Hebrew and Hagios in Greek) means pure, sacred, sanctified or “to set aside” and “to set apart”. God tells Moses “You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy.” (Leviticus 19:1-27) because Israel (we the children of God in New Testament) are Set apart for our Lord. That is why Paul reiterates this fact that Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord. The vessels used in sanctuary were Holy (1 Kings 8:4, Ezra 8:28) and that’s why when Belshazzar defiled these vessels to be used for unworthy purpose God’s anger aroused against him (Daniel 5). We all are chosen vessels for our God just like Paul whom God chose to carry His name before the Gentiles (Acts 9:15). We are Holy and set apart just like Barnabas and Saul for the work which God has called us (Acts 13:2).
When we trust our Lord Jesus Christ we are brought into a position of eternal sanctification which is generally called as “Positional Holiness” (also referred as Justification) (Acts 26:18, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11, Hebrews 10:10, 14). We are made Holy by being “in Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:17). But at the same time, we all are becoming Holy in Practice which is called “Progressive Holiness”. God intends that our Positional Holiness in Christ must stimulate us to Practice Holiness in our daily lives. As Paul says, we are set apart as holy vessels for God’s purposes and for the Master’s use and always ready for every good work (2 Timothy 2:21). This Progressive Holiness also demands that we must not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers (2 Corinthians 6:14-17). Finally, we will achieve Perfect Holiness when we see our Saviour in Heaven (Ephesians 5:27, Colossians 1:22, 1 john 3:2, Jude 24). Bible says, “Be Holy in ‘All’ your conduct” and not just few. While many are trying to keep themselves Holy in few aspects, but they forget that it is our complete sanctification that God desires today. We cannot be holy in our own Merits, but we can only be Holy in our Lord Jesus Christ. We must remember to grow in Sanctification, we must read and study the Word of God with an intent to know our God more, Pray diligently daily about our personal sins that cripples us, have fellowship with other believers to get encouraged in our Faith and keep sharing the Word of God with others to have that Joy of participating in God’s work for the extension of His kingdom. Do you compromise your Holiness in any area? Do you realise your own efforts to make yourself Holy are futile? You need Jesus in your life and the anointing of Holy Spirit to be Holy and be useful for your God. Does your heart cry to be Holy today?
“A baptism of holiness, a demonstration of godly living is the crying need of our day.”
- Duncan Campbell
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.””
“यीशु ने उत्तर दिया, यदि तू परमेश्वर के वरदान को जानती, और यह भी जानती कि वह कौन है जो तुझ से कहता है; मुझे पानी पिला तो तू उस से मांगती, और वह तुझे जीवन का जल देता।”
- John 4:10
Ignorance means a lack of knowledge about something or someone. As someone said, “the most ignorant people are those who deny their ignorance.” The wise person is the one who examines himself daily and finds out what and about whom is he/she ignorant about. While ignorance about our own self may be critical to examine, but ignorance about Almighty God and eternity is something one cannot gamble with at all. God through Prophet Hosea says, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge” (Hosea 4:6) and Paul highlights this spiritual ignorance too in Ephesians 4:18 “They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart”. In this age of information and knowledge explosion, Ignorance about God, and the eternal life that God has to offer us through His son Jesus, is a matter of choice as most of us cannot claim that we never heard about God and His plan of redemption.
Jesus understood the sincere ignorance of the Samaritan Woman and was ready to offer her the gift of salvation. Jesus pointed out to her that she was ignorant of three important facts: who He was, what He had to offer, and how she could receive it. Here we see the eternal God speaking to her and offering her eternal life. The beauty of Jesus approaching the needy heart is evident in the fact that, to the learned Nicodemus, He spoke about the new birth, but to this woman, He spoke about living water. Just like Jesus we too must Pray and share the Gospel as is fitting or in a way that can be understood by the listener. After having a decent chat with Jesus and gladly receiving what He has to offer, we can see that this Samaritan woman left her water-pot when she hurried into the city? (John 4:28-30). Why? Because now she had the living water within her and was satisfied. When we receive Jesus in our lives, many of our life’s pursuits will become meaningless and we will suddenly realize what a fool we were to waste our time in seeking the earthly when seeking the heavenly would have been so satisfying and rewarding. Do we realize our ignorance about our Almighty God? Do you have this living water that Jesus has to offer? Let us ask God to remove our ignorance and help us to know Him and receive the gift of eternal salvation that He has to offer. Remember, only God can remove our ignorance and fill us with Godly wisdom, but we must ask Him (James 1:5, Proverbs 2:6)
“If thou art wise thou knowest thine own ignorance; and thou art ignorant if thou knowest not thyself.” - Martin Luther
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”
“इसलिये यदि तुम मनुष्य के अपराध क्षमा करोगे, तो तुम्हारा स्वर्गीय पिता भी तुम्हें क्षमा करेगा। और यदि तुम मनुष्यों के अपराध क्षमा न करोगे, तो तुम्हारा पिता भी तुम्हारे अपराध क्षमा न करेगा॥”
- Matthew 6:14,15
If anything has tested the Integrity, Faith and Love factor of any Christian till date (and even the worldly person) then it is when it comes to Forget the Offense and Forgiving the Offender. Bible is God’s story of His Love and His Forgiveness. No wonder why the Author of Bible (God) stresses so much on Loving and Forgiving others. Sadly, when it comes to receive an excuse or forgiveness for an offense or a mistake for ourselves then we are on the forefront and will argue with every tooth and nail for it. But when it comes to grant someone else this forgiveness or a sincere pardon, we will turn our deaf ears and blind eyes to those who offended us. As Frederick W. Robertson puts it “We win by tenderness. We conquer by forgiveness”, it’s not an understatement that we lose many prospective souls (including ours) for Heaven due to our inability to forgive someone. Many people have the notion that I am willing to forgive, but I cannot forget but sadly that is not forgiveness. Remember how God forgave us, “I, I am he who blots out your transgressions for my own sake, and I will not remember your sins.” (Isaiah 43:25). Can we afford God to remember our transgressions of the past, then how dare we try to remember other’s offenses to us?
Lord Jesus commands “…If you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses” (Matthew 6:15). Why we need to forgive others? because our Heavenly Father has forgiven us. The parable of the unforgiving servant (Matthew 18:21-35) is something Lord Jesus shared about the importance of forgiving others. Mark His words for the unforgiving servant “You wicked servant,” he said, “I cancelled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?”. We greatly jeopardize our own eternity when we are unable to forgive others (and forget their offenses). It is not easy for many of us but that is where the grace of God comes into picture which we need more and more always (2 Corinthians 12:9). If you remain humble before God always then His promise is “He gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). The one who is not willing to humble before God will always struggle to forgive others with all their hearts. Whom are you struggling to Forgive today? Do you think their offense is far greater than what God has forgiven for you? Did you really sought God’s help to forgive your offender and forget their offense?
“To be a Christian means to forgive the inexcusable, because God has forgiven the inexcusable in you.” - C.S. Lewis
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“You are my hiding place and my shield; I hope in Your word.”
“तू मेरी आड़ और ढ़ाल है; मेरी आशा तेरे वचन पर है।”
- Psalm 119:114
While a secret place may refer to some physical place or location but according to the Word of God the idea of a secret place originates with and in God. It most often express or state indirectly a state of a soul in its relationship with God. For instance, Psalm 27:5 says, “For in the day of trouble He will hide me in His shelter; In the secret place of His tent, He will hide me; He will lift me up on a rock”. We can see it is not an actual physical tabernacle or tent in which God will hide us from our physical enemies. It is the state of peace and confidence that our God gives us amid all our trials and attacks. God is our secret hiding place as we can see in “He that dwells in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalms 91:1). Please note that it is not just a place to visit but look at the word “dwell” means we have to live there, and it must become our permanent address always.
His secret place is where our God calms our hearts, help us examine our own relationship with Him. So, we must be always aware of the fact that coming into God’s secret chamber requires honesty and being transparent with Him always. No wonder since we are not willing to be honest with God many times, so just a like a parcel delivery boy we knock at the door of heaven and go back from the door itself without entering His secret place or state of rest many times. Psalmist knows that only in the Lord he could find all the help he needed. He knew that his shelter and shield was the Lord alone, and he trusted in Him. When we believe that its God who indeed is our hiding place, our shield and when we do take refuge in Him daily by hoping in His unfailing Word (promises) then we truly start to see our lives from an eternal perspective and gradually all our earthly frustrations will lose its significance. Are you ready to Pack up today and move into God’s secret place to dwell? Psalmist had his heart set on the Lord (Psalms 119:112), where is your heart today? Are you still undecided or uncommitted to the Lord? The key in moving to dwell in His secret place is a total surrender to the Holy Spirit and the will of God for our lives. Are you ready to obey and meet God in His secret place?
“Where does your security lie? Is God your refuge, your hiding place, your stronghold, your shepherd, your counsellor, your friend, your redeemer, your saviour, your guide? If He is, you do not need to search any further for security.” - Elisabeth Elliot
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“knowing that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.”
“कि तुम्हारे विश्वास के परखे जाने से धीरज उत्पन्न होता है।”
- James 1:3
Epistle of James is very practical and ethical that focuses mostly on emphasizing our Christian duties (in a more God approving sense) rather than mere doctrine. Instead of speculating or debating on religious theories, James directs his readers towards honest Godly living. When James mentioned “My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (James 1:2), he did not just want to sound mere philosophical or unreal but for a Christian, it is indeed a fact that more and more trails when endured with Joy will for sure increase our patience or endurance or perseverance. Perseverance is Persistent determination which sadly has both negative and positive implications. Many People are persistent in doing or behaving always in ungodly ways even though when they know the Truth while others have this Persistence developed slowly for achieving higher Godly living like perseverance in obeying God, remaining calm in midst of life’s struggles, growing in Faith and persevering in Christian maturity.
As someone said, Perseverance or patience is not a passive resignation to adverse circumstances (as many does when faced with life’s conflicts) but a positive steadfastness that bravely endures (often with Christian love for others). Testing always works for us (if we believe our God) and not against us and the Trails if rightly used, help us to get mature. Immature people are always impatient; mature people are patient and persistent. God wants to make us patient because that is the key to every other blessing. Endurance/Perseverance cannot be just attained by reading any good book (or this devotion), or listening to a good sermon, or even praying a prayer. God will build our patience and character when we go through the difficulties of life, Trust God, and Obey Him. When you know this secret, perhaps you and I can face our trials more joyfully. Do you think you have enough patience according to your age? Have you started to consider a joy aspect in every trial or is that trials still make your heart bitter for yourselves, others, and perhaps God? What character does God want to produce in your life today? Maybe it is Patience, Endurance, and the ability to keep going when things are tough.
“There is a difference between a fleshly stubbornness and godly perseverance. The former insists on getting one’s will done in heaven, and the latter determines to get God’s will done on earth.”
- William Thrasher
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“As one whom his mother comforts, So I will comfort you, And you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.”
“जिस प्रकार माता अपने पुत्र को शान्ति देती है, वैस ही मैं भी तुम्हें शान्ति दुंगा; तुम को यरूशलेम ही में शान्ति मिलेगी।”
- Isaiah 66:13
In this last chapter of Prophet Isaiah, we can see God clearing Zion of all its wrongdoings and vindicated Zion (Isaiah 66:5-13). It is a divine comfort to see that this vindication of Zion ends with a note of Comfort. But what can greatly surprise us God compares the comfort He gives with the comfort that a mother gives to her child. There are many human relations that are highlighted in both positive and negative ways through the scriptures but when it comes to the relationship of Mother, God (Being a Father) shows us that His Love, Care, and Comfort He provides to us His children surpass or is like how a mother takes care of her Child. Psalmist says we are fearfully and wonderfully made and knitted together by God in our Mother’s womb (Psalm 139:13,14). A godly mother is the one whose Children wake up every morning and calls her blessed and her husband praises her Wisdom and the teaching of Kindness that she imparts to her Family (Proverbs 31:26–29).
When God says “I will comfort you there like a mother comforting her child” it talks a lot about that Comfort. Men can try but in general, they still may not always reach the level of soothing Comfort and Love that mother gives to her Child, and that’s how God wants His children to understand the Comfort God wants to give them when He settles them. Isaiah’s message has been “Be comforted by the Lord!” (Isaiah 12:1; 40:1–2; 49:13; 51:3, 19; 52:9; 54:11; 57:18; 61:2; 66:13). God teaches us through His Holy spirit with Wisdom, kindness, and at times with the Patience and care of a mother but we must not abuse that the Love and Mercies of God for us. In the end, Jerusalem will experience joy, peace, and satisfaction (Isaiah 66:10–14). Like a nursing baby, she will find health and peace in the Arms of the Lord (only). As H. W. Beecher said, just like a mother, God also pardons like a mother, who kisses the offense into everlasting forgiveness. When Godly Mothers and Fathers together “Train up their children in the way they should go” (Proverbs 22:6) then one day for sure they will be having an inexpressible Joy when they see their children walking in the Truth (with their God) (3 John 1:4). Do you honor your mother (and Father) as God wants you to do? Do you appreciate the sacrifices of your Parents, their Love and hard work that has blessed you till now? Have you been disrespectful to your parents in the past? If yes, then it’s time to Repent and seek God’s Forgiveness and go Back and love them if they are still around.
“I don’t believe there are devils enough in hell to pull a boy out of the arms of a godly mother.” - Billy Sunday
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.”
“मैं ने लगाया, अपुल्लोस ने सींचा, परन्तु परमेश्वर ने बढ़ाया।”
- 1 Corinthians 3:6
The root cause of any divisions, strife, and envy in home, church, or society will always be our carnal nature that stands against the spiritual life that God gives. Paul kind of lambasts the Church that “You are still worldly and controlled by ordinary impulses, the sinful capacity. For as long as there is jealousy and strife and discord among you, are you not ‘unspiritual, and are you not walking like ordinary men’ (unchanged by faith)?” (1 Corinthians 3:3). Paul highlights a very subtle looking but one of the most cunning and dangerous weapons of the enemy called “Sectarianism” which the enemy uses to sow discord and disunity in churches today. What is more, enemy these days use our own Christian achievements to take us away from God. Here we see Paul explains that sadly there are two kinds of saved people: mature and immature (carnal). Paul is not talking about immaturity due to short Christian life, but he is talking to believers who have been saved for long enough but are still immature.
Many Christians in Church today is more interested in “showing off” their gifts, but they are least interested in serving one another and edifying the church. The church ministry or God’s work is all about Loving, feeding, and disciplining rightly and timely so that God’s Children can get mature in their individual Faith and in the process become more like Jesus. When we start comparing preachers and statistics and make People rather than our Lord Jesus and the Word of God as our benchmark then beware that we are already on the steep slope of spiritual fall. God is the source of all growth and dare not any man take credit of that belongs to God. Sadly, many in their ignorance in the Christian circle still wants to take Glory that belongs to God. When we tend to use phrases such as “I saved these many souls”, “I did this” and when you see greater use of “I” rather than its “God who did, or God enabled us to do” from others then it is time to examine ourselves seriously . Many times, we forget that no one man can do all the necessary work for the kingdom of God, it is always a teamwork. Paul says “I planted the seed of the teaching in you, and Apollos watered it. But God is the One who made the seed grow”. One of the marks of spiritual maturity is when we learn to Praise others (more than ourselves) and give wholehearted (not just to show others) credit of any achievements to God. When we serve in any ministry we must constantly be caring for the “soil” of the church which is the believers (more precisely their hearts). As Indira Gandhi says, “There are two kinds of people, those who do the work and those who take the credit. Try to be in the first group; there is less competition there”, let us all focus more on working hard for our Lord rather than just taking the credit. One day every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour” (1 Corinthians 3:8). Are you doing what you are supposed to do for the kingdom of God? Are you more interested in what men may think of your ministry? Are you more interested in “the praise of men” or long to hear a “Well Done” from our the Lord of the harvest one day?
“And when God comes to reckon with his workmen, the ploughman and the Sower shall have his penny, as well as the harvest-man and the reaper.” - William Gurnall
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Is anything too hard for the Lord? At the appointed time I will return to you, according to the time of life, and Sarah shall have a son.”
“क्या यहोवा के लिये कोई काम कठिन है? नियत समय में, अर्थात वसन्त ऋतु में, मैं तेरे पास फिर आऊंगा, और सारा के पुत्र उत्पन्न होगा।”
- Genesis 18:14
Every day and every moment of our lives we all face hard situations. We face situations that are sometimes impossible for us to handle and problems too hard for us to solve at times. We tend to wear out ourselves looking for a way out or for a solution to the crisis. We must realize that few things are way too hard for us to handle in our own human capacities, and we may eventually burn out spiritually, physically, and even emotionally trying to solve in our own strength. God told Prophet Jeremiah “I am the Lord. I am the God of every person on the earth. You know that nothing is impossible for me.” (Jeremiah 32:27). The problem with us Christians today is that we approach God after exhausting our all means in dealing with a situation instead of approaching Him first and giving everything in His mighty hands. It is good to remind ourselves occasionally that when helpless we must fall into the feet of God rather than trusting on the mercies of men.
Abraham was 100 years old and Sarah was 90 years old and humanly speaking, it was impossible for Sarah to bear a child at that age. Believe it or not, at first Abraham laughed at the idea (Genesis 17:17) and later Sarah also laughed (Genesis 18:12) in disbelief but God knew their humble hearts and the cry of their heart and that’s why He even ignored their initial response of disbelief and told them “At the appointed time when the season for her delivery comes around, I will return to you and Sarah shall have borne a son.” (Genesis 18:14). If we humbly trust God and if we really Believe in our hearts that our Promise of Deliverance, Blessing, or Healing is given by God Himself then we must remind ourselves one thing that no PROMISE of God is too hard for Him to fulfill today. God promised that Mary would bring forth a son, though she was a virgin. Now that was indeed a hard thing, isn’t it? But God did bring forth the Saviour and redeemer of mankind through her. Do you believe in God? Do you believe that it’s God who promised to Bless you and answer your Prayer? Is it too hard for you to believe it? If yes, then Pray to God to increase your faith today. Let us all uphold each other in prayer, so that God’s spirit may enable all of us to hold onto His promises when it is difficult for us to go ahead in life. We all need a new Strength, Hope, and renewed Grace from our God today to believe that indeed “There is nothing too hard for my God and purpose of God can be restrained or thwarted. (Job 42:2).
“Faith sees the invisible, believes the unbelievable, and receives the impossible.”
- Corrie Ten Boom
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Seek the Lord and His strength; Seek His face evermore!”
“यहोवा और उसकी सामर्थ की खोज करो; उसके दर्शन के लिए लगातार खोज करो।”
- 1 Chronicles 16:11
If there is anything that can rejuvenate or give new life to our already timid and tired hearts today then it’s a song of thanksgiving to our God. When the ark of the Lord was placed in the tabernacle, David’s heart was just overwhelmed with joy and filled with thanksgiving. When we will give God the right place in our hearts today then all our sorrows, griefs, and pain will give way to God’s abundant peace and His everlasting Joy. When we invite Jesus into our hearts and give Him the rightful ownership of our hearts then He takes the driver seat in our lives and drives us through life’s unexpected and unbearable storms making sure we reach our ultimate destination (which is Heaven). When David sang this song of thanksgiving, he made it all about Jesus. Have you seen Christians who just have time to talk about themselves only, their own problems, their own struggles, their own sorrows, and their own financial hardships when they talk to other Christians? We all need to learn a lesson or two from David on true thanksgiving.
David’s problems were not completely solved nor does his enemies ceased to exist but look at this attitude of thanksgiving in the song he gave to Asaph (1 Chronicles 16:8-36). Not even a single time he mentioned his own problems or struggles but the only thing he sang, “is about His Almighty God”. Starting with “give thanks to the Lord”, “make known His deeds”, “call upon His name”, “Talk of all His wondrous works”, “Glory to His name” etc., David brings a very important aspect or requirement to be in the mode of thanksgiving which is “depend on or search for the Lord and His strength; always go to him for help and seek His presence/face continually”. Seeking God’s face continuously is not to consider God as a genie who should be available to solve our problems always, but instead, we must seek God’s face continuously to say a heartfelt Thanks to our Father in heaven for every little and big blessing we are enjoying today irrespective of many things we may not have. What is more, this thanksgiving is not just a personal thing to do but is a public gesture. Instead of just thanking God in person and complaining more about your situations in public, if we Christians can slightly adjust our attitude and share our griefs more (with appropriate thanksgiving) in-person to God and share our “Thanksgiving to God more in public” then we will find tremendous joy in our hearts and even a mighty deliverance that it brings in our lives today. Are you ready to seek His strength and His face more today? What are you inclined to do more about God in public (in fellowships and in other social gatherings), is it complaining about your situations, presenting a sorry figure about yourself, or do you instead choose to Thank your God in front of others for every little blessing that God blessed you with?
“Thanksgiving is the language of heaven, and we had better start to learn it if we are not to be mere dumb aliens there.” - A.J. Gossip
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me.”
“तुम्हारा मन व्याकुल न हो, तुम परमेश्वर पर विश्वास रखते हो मुझ पर भी विश्वास रखो।”
- John 14:1
Uncertainty about our own lives and our future in areas such as family, children, careers, health always brings restlessness in our hearts and troubles us. It is hard to have a stable thought process or be serenely self-possessed or free from any agitation especially in times of stress when life moves us through unexpected turns or our beloved ones leave us, enemy tests our Christian testimony hard and especially brings all sorts of unseen challenges which cripples us emotionally and physically at times. Jesus understood the anxiety and doubts of His disciples, He understands your anxieties too today. Just a little before, Jesus Predicted His own death on the cross (John 12:27-36) and Jesus identifies His betrayer (John 13:18-30). Disciples even though may not be vocal about it much but still have questions, doubts, and even fears about their future as their leader and teacher was going away. We get most anxious when those whom we trust for our future and our survival, are going to leave us or are not with us anymore. But see how magnificently our Lord Jesus strengthened His disciples prior to His crucifixion, “Don’t let your hearts be troubled. Trust and Believe in God, and ·trust and believe in me
When our emotions are draining us out, our anxieties are just unbearable and many around us are exploiting us in some ways, then remember for such situations only Jesus asked us to believe in God and believe in Him more. We all really struggle to make it a practice though as it is not easy to think right in the spiritual direction when life is going all downhill for us. Psalmist says “…The helpless commits himself to You.” (Psalm 10:14) and “You have been my help; do not leave me nor forsake me, O God of my salvation” (Psalm 27:9). God is our redeemer and will help us when we really commit to Him. How do we commit ourselves to our God? First and foremost, we do it by simply putting our trust in God even though it is hard at times. God knows you are not perfect, you have your own failures, your struggles, your moral falls at times, and even your sins that you are still struggling to cope up with but in midst of all that you must Trust your God and believe that He will lead you through all your challenges, help you in your weaknesses and above everything else, help you come out victorious in your testing and trials. Are you troubled in your hearts today? Where is your faith placed today? Are you feeling helpless in some way? Believe it “Your help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth.” (Psalm 121:2)
“It is of no use to say to men, “Let not your heart be troubled,” unless you finish the verse and say, “Believe in God, believe also in Christ.” - Alexander MacLaren
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Then I arose in the night, I and a few men with me; I told no one what my God had put in my heart to do at Jerusalem; nor was there any animal with me, except the one on which I rode.”
“तब मैं थोड़े पुरुषों को ले कर रात को उठा; मैं ने किसी को नहीं बताया कि मेरे परमेश्वर ने यरूशलेम के हित के लिये मेरे मन में क्या उपजाया था। और अपनी सवारी के पशु को छोड़ कोई पशु मेरे संग न था।”
- Nehemiah 2:12
For roughly four months from the month of Chislev (Nehemiah 1:1) to the month of Nisan (Nehemiah 2:1), we see this man of God Nehemiah dedicatedly interceded to God because he was deeply burdened about the ruined city of Jerusalem (its broken walls and its burned gates). Nehemiah knew in his heart what needed to be done but was depending upon God’s complete guidance, wisdom and for the right time before venturing to do anything (even if he knew what he is going to do is in God’s will). Nehemiah decided to secretly survey the broken walls and burned gates of Jerusalem so that he can find out the best way to proceed with his plan of restoration. Many times, we need to carefully and meticulously Plan, Pray, and Proceed when it comes to rebuild and restore our broken lives, broken hearts, and spiritual relations with God. Not to mention that this goes in the same intensity for the contemporary leaders, servants, and stewards when we wish to do the same for our believers (church) and those whom God has entrusted to us.
The Godly wisdom of Nehemiah is evident in that he did not broadcast his mission but formulated a plan and shared it with only a few trusted men, who shared his faith in God. A wise leader knows when to plan when to speak, and when to work. Remember vision and mission can be different for different people but first and foremost when they share the same faith then God will align the efforts and purpose eventually for all the work that we wish to do for the kingdom of God. Having an aligned spiritual vision will be a bonus for sure in the work of God. It is better to work quietly for the kingdom of God rather than self-promoting or endorsing our efforts and in the end not doing what we proposed to do, which greatly diminishes our own Christian testimony and does not glorify our God either. A good leader and a wise Christian do not rush into his work but patiently gathers the facts firsthand and then plans his strategy (Proverbs 18:13). We all must have the same attitude on every spiritual challenge enemy brings in front of us, which is to Give it to God in prayer and ask God to give you the wisdom to address that issue. We all are tad failures in this aspect as we wish to fix the problem first assuming (in our pride) that it is already in God’s will. We are called to be chosen people, a royal priesthood, and God’s special possession of the New Testament (1 Peter 2:9) and so we must be awake when others are asleep, and we must be working when others are resting. Did you ask God before taking that decision in your life? How much do you prefer to depend on God’s wisdom and work with God today to rebuild your broken lives and hurting relationships?
“To place ourselves in range of God’s choicest gifts, we have to walk with God, work with God, lean on God, cling to God, come to have the sense and feel of God, refer all things to God.”
- Cornelius Plantinga
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works”
“और प्रेम, और भले कामों में उक्साने के लिये एक दूसरे की चिन्ता किया करें।”
- Hebrews 10:24
In Hebrews 10 we find one of the most direct exhortations to believers to Hold Fast to their confession (Hebrews 10:19-25). Paul says we must draw or come near God with pure hearts and confidence that comes from our faith in God (Hebrews 10:22). He further tells us to seize and hold tightly the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is reliable and trustworthy and faithful to His word (Hebrews 10:23). But after telling us to apply few things in our own lives, without missing a beat, he mentions that “We should think about each other to see how we can encourage each other to show love and do good works” (Hebrews 10:24). When we truly hold tight to our Faith in God, then it will always fill us with a desire and burden to strengthen others too. When we are on a faith-breaking rampage and trust demolishing run riot with others, then we must realize that we are speaking more about our own faith in Christ which is in totters.
To consider means to “Perceive or think about in a particular way” so that we can do something to help others grow in their love for Christ and in their Faith. And one of the unfailing ways we can do that is to encourage others to be part of the fellowship and not forsake meeting together as believers for worship and instruction (Hebrews 10:25). We Christians must be very careful that instead of stirring up strife in others, we must rather fan into flame the gifts of God in others (2 Timothy 1:6) and love that helps them cover all offenses (from others) (Proverbs 10:12). Fellowship with God must never become selfish. We must also fellowship with other Christians in the local assembly. Besides while many may complain about their fellowship or churches today but if you missed the point, what God through Paul emphasis here is not on what a believer gets from the assembly, but rather on what he can contribute to the assembly. Faithfulness in church attendance does encourages others and provokes them to Love and do good works. Are you a love promoter or a strife plugger in your Christian community? Are we Faith encouragers or Faith deterrents in our church? Do members of your congregation and others in your vicinity, really look up to you when they are broken and need some heartfelt encouragement in their life?
“Example is not the main thing in influencing others. It is the only thing.”
- Albert Schweitzer
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“So again in these days I am determined to do good, To Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. Do not fear.”
“उसी प्रकार मैं ने इन दिनों में यरूशलेम की और यहूदा के घराने की भलाई करने को ठाना है; इसलिये तुम मत डरो।”
- Zechariah 8:15
There are very few places in Bible when God through His Prophet has emphasized so clearly and so frequently about His declaration about His people. In Zechariah 8, the phrase “Thus says the Lord of hosts” roughly occurs (11 Times) where God spoke and declared about the future hope for the City of Jerusalem, The Holy City. In these trying times, hearing the word of God is a great privilege indeed, and who knows what God is speaking to us today has a profound impact on what God is going to do in our lives ahead. The overall promises concerning Israel in Zechariah 8, primarily focus on the city of Jerusalem that will be rebuilt (Zechariah 8:1-6), the people of Israel will be gathered (Zechariah 8:7), the relationship between God and Israel will be restored (Zechariah 8:8), Israel will be refreshed (Zechariah 8:9-13), the covenant will be renewed (Zechariah 8:14-19) and finally the gentiles too will be redeemed (Zechariah 8:20-23). Now imagine how much we all long our broken lives to be rebuilt, our families are together in Lord, our relationship with God to be restored fully, our lives be refreshed today with His Word and His Holy Spirit, and our broken covenants be renewed and re-established again in the Lord. We need God to speak His word to us for this to happen.
One thing we the New Testament covenant holders and children of God must realize is that God’s standards of dealing with His people in the Old Testament or New Testament have not changed. The most crucial commandment (a way of life for us) which is “Be holy, for I am holy” is based on the Old Testament law given for us the New Testament Christians as well (Leviticus 11:44; 1 Peter 1:15–16). The God of Love hates sin (Proverbs 6:16-19). God’s dispensations may change, and He can work in different ways at different times, but His character and standards never change. God reminded His people of their obligations to speak the truth, to practice justice in the courts, to honor His name by not swearing falsely, and to love their neighbours. Jesus paraphrased the Torah, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Our standards today whether leaders or believers, young or adult, and rich or poor are severely lacking in areas of God’s expected Holiness, Being Honest and being Just always in our lives. God’s love for Jerusalem was the reason why He punished it so severely. God’s love for us is the reason why He chastises us and disciplines us often. God’s promise to do good rests on the condition upon which it is to be fulfilled which is Zechariah 8:16, 17. Do you want God to do good to you? Are you willing to Be Holy, Speak Truth, Pursue Justice, and Peace with others? Are you ready to hate what our Lord hates and to love that in which He delights?
“Be dogmatically true, obstinately holy, immovably honest, desperately kind, fixed upright.”
- Charles Spurgeon
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Before they call, I will answer; and while they are still speaking, I will hear.”
“उनके पुकारने से पहले ही मैं उनको उत्तर दूँगा, और उनके माँगते ही मैं उनकी सुन लूँगा।”
- Isaiah 65:24
No Old Testament book, with the possible exception of the Psalms, speaks more powerfully and appropriately to the modern-day church than the book of Isaiah. Prophet Isaiah speaks as powerfully to our day as he did to the society of his day. We can see God is responding to Isaiah’s sermon prayer (Isaiah 63:7-64:12), in which God explains His decisions (Isaiah 65:1-10), His affirmation of coming judgment (Isaiah 65:11,12), and then God contrasts His way of dealing with His faithful servants with His dealing of idolatrous sinners (Isaiah 65:13-16). In the glorious New Creation, God’s promise is that God will provide for His faithful servant’s, needs (answer) before they ask or call, and God will ·help them or hear them while they are still asking for help or speaking. Sometimes, the beauty of this new (born again) Christian life is much evident when God’s Holy Spirit indwells in such a way that it helps us in our weaknesses and when we do not know what to pray, the Holy Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groaning too deep for words (Romans 8:26). Isaiah 65:17—66:24 talks or hints about the millennial kingdom, where people will work, and God will bless their labours, and people will pray, and God will answer (Isaiah 65:24).
God is always “more ready to hear than we at times are ready to pray”. In the “New Jerusalem” God will be prompt to answer His people’s prayers almost before they are even uttered. It may sound like a mystery, but it is simple to comprehend as this happens when our will (which we ask in our prayers mostly) will be in perfect harmony with the will of God and therefore our prayers become acceptable prayers and are almost without delay answered. Now though this will be the ideal state of saints in New Jerusalem, today as well if we ask anything that we are sure if it is in “the Will of God for us”, then we can notice that there is less turnaround time for the answers we receive from God. Having said that this is just a general notion and not a principle and we Children of God should leave the answers to our prayers in the hands of sovereign God always rather than speculating when and how it will be answered. Among many admonishments, God gives His people through prophet Isaiah one of those is that “If you take away from your midst the yoke of oppression, the finger pointed in scorn toward the oppressed or the godly, and every form of wicked sinful, unjust speech, then if we will cry for help, and He will say, ‘Here I am’ (Isaiah 58:9). Have we identified what are the hindrances to the answers for our prayers? Do we consider ourselves holier than others and have we realized that our pride can be a potential obstacle in the answers to our prayers? (Isaiah 65:5).
“Real prayer is communion with God so that there will be common thoughts between His mind and ours. What is needed is for Him to fill our hearts with His thoughts, and then His desires will become our desires flowing back to Him.” - A.W. Pink
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Turn Yourself to me, and have mercy on me, For I am lonely and afflicted.”
“हे यहोवा मेरी ओर फिरकर मुझ पर अनुग्रह कर; क्योंकि मैं अकेला और दीन हूं।”
- Psalm 25:16
David’s plea for forgiveness and deliverance is the theme of this Psalms as we can see at the beginning of Psalm 25:1-3 and in its ending Psalm 25:18-22. David knew very well that God’s forgiveness to us opens the way for God’s deliverance from adversity too (Psalm 25:5). David the great leader and servant of God, who is heartbroken for many reasons primarily due to his own sins (Psalm 25:7, 8, 11) declares his desperate need for God and is now longing for God to teach him the way to righteousness, integrity, and uprightness (Psalm 25:21) something which all contemporary leaders, shepherds, and the Christian flock must understand timely.
The only hope in midst of the turbulence of life is God’s unending mercies which can uphold us when we are lonely and afflicted. Howsoever hard it is to believe, we all go through these times of loneliness even if we are surrounded by many around us including our spouse, children, friends, and relatives. They may not see the deep struggles you may go through today in yourself and in your spirit. David was a king and there was no lack of people around him including his own family, but his heart is still crying “for I am lonely and afflicted”. Those who have never had to lead and make difficult decisions involving other people sometimes overlook the loneliness of leadership in the family, in church, and in society. As we obey the Lord, we sometimes see friends and even family members turn against us, and this can be painful. But David knew that the Lord saw his heart and approved of his character and that’s why he can so confidently every time Pray “I wait on you Lord” means “I still have hope on you”. Do we still have hope in our God? Do you feel lonely and afflicted today, have you surrendered yourself to God? God can heal your broken heart if you give Him all the pieces and let Him have His way in your life today.
“Enlarged trouble will either make us or break us, turn us into giants, or crush us into pygmies.” - W. Wiersbe
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Pilate said to them, “What then shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?””
“पीलातुस ने उन से पूछा; फिर यीशु को जो मसीह कहलाता है, क्या करूं?”
- Matthew 27:22
Even after multiple failed attempts to accuse our Lord Jesus Christ the High priests, the crowd still insisted on killing Jesus. The tragedy of this great injustice towards our Christ was that the chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they could not find any. For many were giving false testimony against him, and the testimonies did not agree. (Mark 14:55-56). All the three crimes that Jewish leaders brought against Jesus which were misleading the nation, opposing paying taxes to Caesar, and saying He is the Messiah, a king, were all nothing but well-prepared fabricated lies as various accounts of the Bible itself record. Even Pilate who was examining Jesus’ case found Jesus to be innocent and told the Jewish leaders as well. No doubt Jesus was hated for the message that He preached. Jesus told them to repent of their sins and today He tells us as well to repent of our sins, why? Because the Kingdom of God is near (Matthew 4:17). The sad choice that Jewish leaders made on that day, many of this world today still make. When Pilate asked, “Who is it you want me to release for you — Barabbas, a notorious prisoner, or Jesus who is called Christ?” (Matthew 27:16, 17). They wanted “Barabbas” released and at this point, Pilate asked them “Then what should I do with Jesus, who is called Christ?”. We know the answer, they all said to him, “Crucify him!”.
Well, we can put that as part of God’s great plan of salvation for the whole of mankind but today the same question is asked of us in many contexts and mostly in our deep conscience “What should you do with Jesus, whom you know that He indeed is the Saviour and your messiah and your Christ”? Just like Pilate sometimes we too want to get along with the world around us, we act politically correct but fail spiritually to stand for the Truth. Just like Jewish leaders wanted Barabbas released, the world around us is willing to endorse and accept robbers, murderers, and criminals but still not ready to accept their messiah, Jesus Christ. Many of us want to avoid conflicts and just like Pilate who wanted to avoid a riot, we too tend to go along with the flow and outright reject the Truth. If God asks the same question today “What are you going to do with Jesus Christ today?”, what will be our answer. Jesus said, “If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me”. Is this cross too hard for you to carry? What price are you willing to pay to follow your Christ today?. Jesus said “If you really love Me, you will keep (obey) My commands.” (John 14:15). What do you with Jesus when it comes to obeying His commandments? Do we Deny Him, or do we prepare to even Die for Him? John the Baptist said “He must increase and I must decrease” (John 3:30), when it comes to humble ourselves, what do we do with Jesus? Do we willingly allow Him to become more important, while we become less important?
“Thanks be to God, there is hope today; this very hour you can choose Him and serve Him.” - D.L. Moody
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done, And on the labor in which I had toiled, And indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.”
“तब मैं ने फिर से अपने हाथों के सब कामों को, और अपने सब परिश्रम को देखा, तो क्या देखा कि सब कुछ व्यर्थ और वायु को पकड़ना है, और संसार में कोई लाभ नहीं॥”
- Ecclesiastes 2:11
If anyone has explained the vanity of pleasure in a more practical and thought-provoking way then it’s King Solomon. “Vanity of vanities” lamented Solomon, “all is vanity!”, Vanity is a word that King Solomon used thirty-eight times in Ecclesiastes as he explored the length and breadth of human life “under the sun.”. There was no king wiser to ever live, one who built the temple, who was a soulful poet and a mighty ruler but at the end of his life he kind of penned these words which should open the eyes of any person who thinks he has gained anything (fame, money, or pleasure) in this world. We can make our works great, build great monuments, houses, have everything for our pleasure, may even with our worldly wisdom secure our financial investments too (Ecclesiastes 2:4-8) in some way but in the end, we must agree it is all vanity when it comes to our any achievements in this earthly life. Many of us even go ahead and think of leaving a great legacy for others but we forget what this wise man has said in Ecclesiastes 2:21 “For there is a man who has labored with wisdom and knowledge and skill yet gives his legacy to one who has not labored for it. This too is vanity and a great evil.”
Regarding Treasure, Our Lord Jesus said, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-21). Are we working hard to gather treasures and richness on earth? Regarding Honor Bible says, “A man’s pride will bring him low, But the humble in spirit will retain honor.” (Proverbs 29:23). God is the source of our true Honor and Glory. The honor given by men is just transient and will soon perish or change with our circumstances. Regarding True Pleasure, For the child of God, it is only in the presence of God do they find the fullness of joy, and at His right hand, they find pleasures forevermore (Psalm 16:11). What is more, the one who learns to walks daily with God in this earthly life, spiritually graduates even to take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake (2 Corinthians 12:10). You see the time of sorrows as well in some respect bring them pleasure. It may be a mystery too hard to comprehend for a worldly person but for a Godly person, it is the way of life. Life and words of Solomon tell us that our work alone cannot satisfy our human heart, no matter how successful that work may be (Isaiah 55:2). We can see all around us that many achievers are unhappy people. Where do we find our pleasure today? Are you unable to find meaning in your life? It’s Christ who gives meaning to our lives, and when He appears, we will also appear with Him in glory. Let us not be controlled by our body but rather kill every earthly desire that stands between us and our eternal glory (Colossians 3:4-6).
“Man may think human intellect and reasoning are almighty, that the brain is able to comprehend all truths of the world; but the verdict of God’s Word is, “vanity of vanities.”” - Watchman Nee
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“For there is hope for a tree, If it is cut down, that it will sprout again, And that its tender shoots will not cease.”
“वृक्ष की तो आशा रहती है, कि चाहे वह काट डाला भी जाए, तौभी फिर पनपेगा और उस से नर्म नर्म डालियां निकलती ही रहेंगी।”
- Job 14:7
When Job speaks of Life’s woes then he precisely brings forth the greatest truth that mankind deliberately wishes to ignore which is “Man that is born of a woman is of few days, and full of trouble. He comes up like a flower and withers away, flees like a shadow, doesn’t last.” (Job 14:1, 2). It is not uncommon to lose one’s hope and getting tired from everyday life battles. Most of us generally find it hard to hold on to hope when we go through significant loss or a rough patch in our relationships. Maybe it is uncertainty at the workplace, questions about your and the health of your loved ones that cripples you to the point that you surrender to your battles and lose hope. No other man (in my opinion) has lost and suffered more than Job owing to the sudden calamities and catastrophes that struck his life. There is no one more qualified to teach us that yes there is still hope even at the darkest moment of our life.
A tree cut down, yes cut down to even trunk, no branches, no shoots, no Leaves and apparently No life either as seen by others but at the ·smell or scent of water it will bud again and put out new shoots and boughs like a young plant. For others you may have lost hope, you are dry, you are useless, and you may have perished in your hopelessness but for God, you are still his beautiful creation and through His Holy Spirit He can revive you again today. For Job, the tree has hope, but man has no hope because he may not have the revelation of a future life as we now have in our Christ (2 Timothy 1:10). The good news for God’s people is that we can always find love and strength from our Almighty God and support from our loved ones to help us keep growing, keep fighting life’s battles and stand again. Have you lost your hope in life? Did you try coming to Jesus today? Is your Christianity a mere religion to you or is it a living healthy relationship with your Father in heaven? Bible promises us that after we have suffered for a little while, the God of all grace, the one who called us into His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will himself restore, empower, strengthen, and establish all of us (1 Peter 5:10). Do you believe this? Let this promise be your scent of water today to bring life back to you.
“Do not look to your hope, but to Christ, the source of your hope.” - Charles Spurgeon
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Do not cast me off in the time of old age; Do not forsake me when my strength fails.”
" बुढ़ापे के समय मेरा त्याग न कर; जब मेरा बल घटे तब मुझ को छोड़ न दे।”
- Psalms 71:9
Someone said age is just a number but the fact of life is that this number brings a sense of anxiety in many. Believe it or not, everyone wants to be young forever but forget that time is a cycle that they cannot stop. Every passing day is a day closer to see our God in Heaven. As Beverley LaHaye said, “It is possible to be happy without having perfect health. Thank goodness my happiness doesn’t come from my joints but from my heart.”, Finding joy and happiness as we grow older is not a matter of health alone but it’s a matter of our hearts, a heart that is always longing for God and finding its rest in God. Hope we all realize that God who has upheld us from our birth till now, will also take care of us as we grow older. Growing old with God is a privilege that many does not have today. Many of us are burdened with the woes of old age but lets like the psalmist, we can Pray to God that we all end well in Christ. We must always remind ourselves that our Hope does not end with our retirement but rather it should get more affirmed as we grow in the Lord. God promised that even when we are old, we will still bear fruit and we will always remain healthy and fresh (Psalm 92:14).
There are few tokens of joy that one can only get when they grow old and one of those joys is being grandparents. And as someone said we get older, but we get wiser is fully verified and tested when super-smart grandparents must answer their super-smart grandchildren questions like “How come God is not married?” or “Why do cats and dogs hate each other?”. AS Elisabeth Elliott puts it “A grandmother’s special calling is to pray and to be a fellow worker in the battle in which her children or her grandchildren are engaged.”. Genuine prayer warriors are born in the school of life and as we grow older, we graduate to become God’s chosen prayer warriors. Today maybe our bodies are growing old, but we must thrive hard to keep our spirits young in the presence of God. The God who has seen you before the foundation of this world has promised you that, “Until your old age, I am he, and until you have gray hair, I will hold you up. I made you, and I will lift you up. I will hold you up, and I will rescue you.” (Isaiah 46:4). Are you feeling anxious because of your growing age, health issues, or fear of the unseen future? Remember God is with you always and He who began a good work in you will surely perfect it until the day of Jesus Christ (Philippians 1:6)
“Beautiful young people are accidents of nature, but beautiful old people are works of art.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“And the Lord will deliver me from every evil work and preserve me for His heavenly kingdom. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen!”
“और प्रभु मुझे हर एक बुरे काम से छुड़ाएगा, और अपने स्वर्गीय राज्य में उद्धार कर के पहुंचाएगा: उसी की महिमा युगानुयुग होती रहे। आमीन॥”
- 2 Timothy 4:18
For those who serve the Lord or those who have left everything for the Lord, the pain of being deserted by others or being forsaken by others is not easy to bear at times. We can see even Paul struggles as a servant of God when he says Demas has fallen in love with the present world and has deserted me and has gone to Thessalonica (2 Timothy 4:10) and later we see Paul referring to Alexander the metalworker who did him a great deal of harm but still instead of confronting him Paul gives him in the hands of the Lord to render to him according to his works. While there can be many around us who may be discouraging us but believe it or not even those are placed around you for a reason by God. Apostle Peter encourages us to “Calm our outrage” when we are faced with the opposition of any kind (1 Peter 3:14). A Christian who is always outraged is not a pleasant sight for others to view. It is true we get disappointed many times by constant correction, the pointing of issues, and lack of encouragement but we Christians are told to respond with Grace and Love, and not with Anger and Hate. Remember the words “Outrage” and “Courage” both have the word “rage” in them but they’re totally different attitudes with completely different impacts on others.
Apostle Paul forgave those who made his situation difficult and even though his own days were numbered (as these are his last words, 2 Timothy 4:6-8), Paul thought of others. There were more than seventeen people referred in this last chapter and not everyone was against Paul, he found some very good friends cum fellow workers in Luke and Mark and many others who have been extremely useful to Paul in his ministry. Even though many of Paul’s own friends forsake him and he prays that God may forgive them, when his enemies accuse him, he is looking for an opportunity to share the gospel with them and somehow save them for the Lord. This is the difference that is clearly seen in the lives of God’s children when the Holy Spirit controls their lives. Jesus said, “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake” (Matthew 5:11). Do we find it easy to forgive those who offend us and Love those who hate us for no reason?. Do you believe that God will always guard the path of justice and preserve the way of His saints (Proverbs 2:8)? If yes, then we must allow the anger to give way to grace today and hate to give way to God’s Love today. Do not fear, God was your refuge in the past, God is your refuge today and God will be your refuge in days ahead.
“Yes, give thanks for “all things” for, as it has been well said “Our disappointments are but His appointments.” - A.W. Pink
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“And do not lead us into temptation, But deliver us from the evil one. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.”
“और हमें परीक्षा में न ला, परन्तु बुराई से बचा; क्योंकि राज्य और पराक्रम और महिमा सदा तेरे ही हैं।” आमीन।”
- Matthew 6:13
When talking about temptations in Christian life, most of us either ignore the problem of temptations all together or even if we do consider them as a formidable challenge of our lives, we do not address it properly or prepare for it with the right spiritual attitude at times. Apostle James said, “No one who is tested should say, “God is tempting me!” This is because God is not tempted by any form of evil, nor does he tempt anyone.” (James 1:13). This fact must be firmly established in our minds that God does not tempts us. Imagine if God will tempt us then in a way, He will be acting differently to what He is and His character. He is Holy and wants all of us to be Holy (1 Peter 1:16). God’s Word always encourages us to flee from sin in every form, for instance, flee from youthful passions (2 Timothy 2:22), Flee from idolatry (1 Corinthians 10:14) and abstain from every form of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). So, it’s not God who wants us to be tempted or drive us to temptations. Here comes the importance and significance of Jesus’s words in His Model prayer that He taught His disciples which is “Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil”.
The prayer of Jesus is much deeper in the sense; from the disciple’s perspective, it is like Praying to God “Please do not allow us or permit us” to be tempted by the Enemy. It shows the sovereignty of our Heavenly Father on the Enemy. If we call upon the name of the Lord with a sincere heart and call him in every small and big situation, we face then God will indeed save us or show us an escape route from the temptations that the tempter wants to trap us in. God is faithful, He won’t allow us to be tempted beyond our abilities. Instead, with the temptation, God will also supply a way out so that we will be able to endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13). When we Pray to God, lead us not into temptation and deliver us from the evil one, it shows our inmost desire to be in the will of God and not get involved in any situations inciting or involving temptations from the Enemy. This prayer not being part of our daily petitions is sometimes a direct invitation to the Enemy to come and lure us into various temptations (in words, deeds, in our social, personal, family, and in our professional lives too) and eventually falling into those temptations and defiling our testimony in the Lord. Do you Pray daily “Lord save us from temptations” or do you have a false sense of confidence in yourself that you are too Holy and you won’t be facing any temptations the moment you step out of your Home? When Jesus was tempted (Matthew 4:1-11) He came out a victor, He desires that when we are tempted, we must also be a Victor and not the victim in our temptations.
“Temptation usually comes in through a door that has deliberately been left open.”
- Arnold Glasow
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.”
“क्योंकि उस में ईश्वरत्व की सारी परिपूर्णता सदेह वास करती है।”
- Colossians 2:9
While many just want to hear human philosophies, Paul was more keener to talk about Christ. Today also many instead of trying to really understand Godhead truly are mere scratching on the surface and getting distracted by all man-made philosophies. We at times dare to think that with our little wisdom we can fully comprehend our eternal God. But the good news is that if not comprehensively but still meaningfully we all can understand our God, and His mystery has been somewhat unpackaged in Christ. Paul says, for in Him the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form and thus giving complete expression of the divine nature. Bible says as you have received Christ so walk in Him, firmly rooted, built up in Him, and established in the Faith. Paul strongly insists that see to it that no one takes us captive through philosophy and empty deception or pseudo-intellectual babble, according to the tradition and musings of mere men, following the elementary principles of this world, rather than following the truth - the teachings of Christ (Colossians 2:8). When Jesus said, “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30) the Jews took stones to stone Him. Today when we iterate what Jesus said, many of the contemporary World religions or sects find it hard to believe and stand against us.
Jesus is declared to be “Emmanuel, God with us” (Matthew 1:23). Jesus Christ is the fullness of God, and that fullness dwells continually and permanently in Him bodily. The remarkable thing is that every believer shares that fullness! “And we are complete in Him” (Colossians 2:10). When a person is born again into the family of God, He is born complete in Christ. Those who are not truly born again will always struggle with the notion of Godhead and will easily be deceived too. The Word of God proclaims that there is One God (Deuteronomy 6:4, Isaiah 43:10, 11) but He is revealed to mankind in three persons: God, The Father, God, The Son, and God, The Holy Spirit. Scriptures reveal each person of the Godhead as God. The Father is referred to as God (Romans 15:6), Jesus is referred to as God (Colossians 2:9) and Holy Spirit is referred to as God (Acts 5:3, 4). Why is it so hard for some to believe the scripture that all these three persons will bear witness in heaven one day, The Father, the Word, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are One (1 John 5:7). The more we know Him the better we love Him, and the better we love Him the more we become like Him — “conformed to the image of His Son” (Romans 8:29). Just like Jesus asked His disciples “But who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:13-18), If our Lord Jesus asks us the same question, what will be our reply?
“He is not humanity deified. He is not Godhead humanized. He is God. He is the man. He is all that God is, and all that man is as God created Him.” - Charles Spurgeon
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“For we know that if our earthly house, this tent, is destroyed, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.”
“क्यों कि हम जानते हैं, कि जब हमारा पृथ्वी पर का डेरा सरीखा घर गिराया जाएगा तो हमें परमेश्वर की ओर से स्वर्ग पर एक ऐसा भवन मिलेगा, जो हाथों से बना हुआ घर नहीं परन्तु चिरस्थाई है।”
- 2 Corinthians 5:1
In many places in Epistles Paul has highlighted and discussed the subject of death, our eternal hope, and resurrection with much authority. For instance, Paul says “If it is only for this life that we have put our hope in the Messiah, we are more pitiable than anyone” (1 Corinthians 15:12-19) where Paul hypothetically assumes the false premise of “No resurrection” to prove and show its readers that how much Christianity depends on the real physical resurrection of the dead body of Christ, otherwise the whole Christianity is nothing but a lie. In our passage today, Paul is using an example of an earthly tent to describe our present earthly body which is like a fragile and temporary tent that is subjected to all sorts of wear and tear due to the storms of life. But then he continues and contrasts it with our future body of Glory which is permanent and which he refers to as a building that is permanent and eternal. Our earthly bodies are nothing, but a temporary dwelling place, and it is not built to last forever.
The resurrected body will not be subject to death again. It will be beautiful, perfect and it will be without blemish. Further, it will have unlimited capabilities which are yet unknown to the present age as it will be adapted for life in the spiritual realm. Paul says our present body is sown in dishonor and humiliation, but it is raised in honor and glory. It is sown in infirmity and weakness, but it is resurrected in strength and endued with power. It is sown a natural (physical) body, but it is raised a supernatural (a spiritual) body. (1 Corinthians 15:42-44). Paul says if we Believe in our Lord Jesus Christ then we all have an assurance of the resurrection. Apostle Paul saw the human body as an earthen vessel (2 Corinthians 4:7) and a temporary tent; but he knew that believers would one day receive a wonderful, glorified body, suited to the glorious environment of heaven. Jesus said to Martha, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26). Where is our hope today? Do you believe in Jesus and if you believe in Him then do you also believe that you will never die? Paul says, “We know” (2 Corinthians 5:1) and how exactly do we know? We know Because we trust the Word of God. God has told us all that we need to know in the pages of His Word
“Because I live, you will live also” - Jesus Christ (John 14:19)
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”
“इसलिये जो समझता है, कि मैं स्थिर हूं, वह चौकस रहे; कि कहीं गिर न पड़े।”
- 1 Corinthians 10:12
Apostle Paul while giving some powerful examples from the Old Testament (1 Corinthians 10:1-13) shares the most important warning to all Christians and is that “Christian liberty has its limits” and if left ignored it will make us flirt with idolatry and result in our fall gradually. Whenever God’s people have been involved in self-indulgence forgetting God, they have indeed paid the price for it. But God in His never-ending love always made way for the redemption of God’s children but sadly many continued to sin and were ultimately destroyed (1 Corinthians 10:5-10). Believe it or not, all these lessons still apply to us the modern-day Christians and we can’t afford to ignore these examples from History (1 Corinthians 10:11-13).
We can see how Apostle Paul gives a solemn warning against our independent self-confidence especially when it is concerning our moral security (1 Corinthians 10:12). Honestly speaking who in these days thinks that He/she is wrong. We are the most right and most Holy person in our own eyes. Isn’t it? Lamentably we all at times are engulfed by our own Moral standards so much that we forget to humble ourselves timely and wisely under the hands of God. In our self-righteousness and self-confidence on our own morality we many times miss one of the critical messages of the Bible that God opposes the proud but shows His favour to only the humble (James 4:6). Our overconfidence in our own selves is the prime reason why many of us often fail in our daily and regular temptations the enemy challenges us with. Jesus while talking about the Law, the prophets, and the Kingdom, we see that Pharisees derided Jesus. So, He said to them, “You are the ones who declare yourselves just and upright in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, your thoughts, your desires, your secrets; for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable and worthless in the sight of God”. (Luke 16:15). Remember who constantly justify themselves on their own scales of morality and righteousness are in grave danger of losing their standing with God very soon. Sin in the church today is far more serious because we have Israel’s example to learn from, and we are living “at the end of the ages”. To sin against the law is one thing; to sin against grace is quite something else. Do you think you are standing strong in God and there is nothing that can shake your faith today? Beware, humble yourself before God and Pray before you fall.
“Men fall in private long before they fall in public.” - J.C. Ryle
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, And He adds no sorrow with it.”
“धन यहोवा की आशीष ही से मिलता है, और वह उसके साथ दु:ख नहीं मिलाता।”
- Proverbs 10:22
One of the critical go-to attitudes the Bible endorses is “Do not weary yourself with the overwhelming desire to gain wealth but rather Cease from your own wisdom” (Proverbs 23:4). Don’t misunderstand the concept, it is not a sin to be rich, but loving money is a sin. Paul tells young Pastor Timothy that the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have been led astray and have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves through with many acute mental pangs (1 Timothy 6:10). God is the source of all blessings and good things in our lives and if God blesses us with material and monetary blessings then we need to make sure that we don’t set our hearts on them and dare not to use these blessings to compare ourselves with others or consider these in any way as a sign of our own righteousness or good works.
God can take away our riches as quickly as HE gives them to us. The beauty of God’s blessing is that it’s for us to enjoy as God will not add any sorrows with it. When Joseph was blessed and became a wealthy and mighty ruler, He used His wealth to bless others. He chose to return good instead of evil to his brothers when he was blessed. Many of us deep in our hearts have that secret evil desire to belittle someone somewhere if they become rich or are blessed. Unfortunately, such an intent will only delay our true blessings from our God. Bible says, “Honor the Lord with your possessions” (Proverbs 3:9) and never forget where our treasure is there will also be our hearts too (Matthew 6:21). More important than being Rich or Poor in this world is to understand that our Riches will provide no security in any day of wrath and judgment, but it’s our right standing with God that is what is going to deliver us from our eternal death. (Proverbs 11:4). Besides, the best thumb-rule for us children of God when it comes to Pray about wealth or being prosperous, should be as King Agur prayed “Give me neither poverty nor riches, feed me with the food allotted to me; lest I be full and deny You, and say, “Who is the Lord?” Or lest I be poor and steal and profane the name of my God.” (Proverbs 30:7-9). Are you praying with the right intentions when it comes to material blessings? Which master are we serving today? Money or God? (Matthew 6:24).
“Material wealth is either a window through which we see God or a mirror in which we see ourselves.” - Warren Wiersbe
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Now, therefore, fear the Lord, serve Him in sincerity and in truth, and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the River and in Egypt. Serve the Lord!”
“इसलिये अब यहोवा का भय मानकर उसकी सेवा खराई और सच्चाई से करो; और जिन देवताओं की सेवा तुम्हारे पुरखा महानद के उस पार और मिस्र में करते थे, उन्हें दूर करके यहोवा की सेवा करो।”
- Joshua 24:14
After Joshua gave a farewell address to Israel, He gathered all the tribes of Israel to Shechem and spoke to them prophetically (being the mouthpiece of God) and encouraged Israel to renew their covenant with God to follow and serve God. Joshua told them to fear the Lord and serve Him in sincerity and in truth and remove all false Gods which their Fathers and ancestors worshiped. The word “Serve” is roughly used seven times in two verses Joshua 24:14,15 and it ends with a great declaration by this man of God which is “But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15). The word “Serve” basically means giving our wholehearted and dedicated allegiance exclusively to God. It was not supposed to be a mere emotional decision but was a fully intellectual and wholehearted decision.
Jesus said “Those who serve me must follow me. My servants will be with me wherever I will be.” (John 12:26). Obeying Jesus leads to Follow Him and following Him leads to serving Him with sincerity. Without true obedience to God’s Word and unconditional love for our God, our serving Him will always be lacking and struggling miserably. There could be no neutrality in serving and following the Lord. But if we need to serve the Lord, then we must get rid of all our false gods and idols today, that some of us are still secretly worshiping even years after being saved in Christ. For those who are not yet saved, there is still a long way to go and but very little time to contemplate and make a decision for the Lord. It is easy sometimes for us to promise obedience to the Lord, but it is quite something else for us to actually do it. Israel too promised “All that the Lord has spoken we will do” (Exodus 19:8) but a few weeks later they were worshiping the golden calf!. Did you promise to Obey your God? Are you keeping your promise to God? Just like Joshua are you willing to promise God that “You and your household will serve the Lord”?
“God is not greater if you reverence Him, but you are greater if you serve Him.”
- Augustine
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.”
“और सत्य को जानोगे, और सत्य तुम्हें स्वतंत्र करेगा।”
- John 8:32
The world around us craving to know the truth and enjoy the freedom and believe it or not from a very young age the hearts of people are set and driven in that direction. There is confusion, lack of wisdom, struggles with unfulfilled hearts desires, lost ambitions, and even uncertainty with relationships. Everyone wants to get rid of these fears, isn’t it? As John MacArthur puts it for seeking this truth they go to every library, university, school, classroom, and every possible avenue where they will get some answers to their fears and mystery of life and death. They want to get rid of this bondage of ignorance in some way but they are never willing to come to the Truth Himself which is Jesus.
Jesus told the Jews who believed Him, “You shall know the truth and that Truth shall make you free”. The truth Jesus mentioned was about Salvation and something that will define their eternity and spiritual destination. It was very convenient to say, “I know the truth” but it was bold of Him to say “You shall know the Truth” which means it is telling them whatever they knew till now is not the Truth or not the complete Truth. Paul says If in fact you have really heard Him and have been taught by Him, just as truth is in Jesus (revealed in His life and personified in Him). Did you notice “Truth is in Jesus” (Ephesians 4:21)? Jesus Christ is the Truth (John 14:6) and the Holy Spirit is the source of this Truth (John 16:13, 14). You go to the philosophy department in any university and offer them you want to lecture on the truth as you know the truth. You will see how you are treated the moment you start speaking about “Jesus Christ and the truth, the Gospel, sin, judgment, about righteousness and Heaven”. You will not be welcome because it is the nature of fallen men to suppress the truth. Only the Children of God who are born of Him, can hear and believe this truth. The sad truth is many of us are still in horrendous bondages today, but we won’t admit it and our need for a saviour. Do we consider ourselves as true disciples of Christ? Are we really willing to know the real Truth? Do we really want to be free from all our bondages? If yes, don’t ever stop looking at Jesus, don’t ever stop crying to God, and resolve to obey God wholeheartedly always.
“The gospel is not speculation but fact. It is true, because it is the record of a Person who is the Truth.” - Alexander MacLaren
Have a Blessed day with God !!
“Then many warned him to be quiet; but he cried out all the more, “Son of David, have mercy on me!””
“बहुतों ने उसे डांटा कि चुप रहे, पर वह और भी पुकारने लगा, कि हे दाऊद की सन्तान, मुझ पर दया कर।”
- Mark 10:48
Somewhere in the blind Bartimaeus, we can see our own self if we carefully observe him. Firstly, this blind man may be physically blind but looks like he is not spiritually that blind as he has a good enough revelation about his Jesus, his messiah. We too have good or decent knowledge about our Christ many times. Bartimaeus did acknowledge the Messiahship of Jesus in the use of the title “Son of David”. We too accept and acknowledge the Messiahship of Jesus. He was blind, dependent upon others for his daily needs, and was an outcast and at mercy of others. We too are not different in the sense that we are spiritually broken many times and crippled emotionally and mentally due to our spiritual infirmities. The burden of daily sins, continuous disobedience, and failing to Love our Lord consistently keeps us under the heavy burden of guilt and shame which the enemy puts on us. Just like Bartimaeus was discouraged and warned to be quiet, many of us are also directly and many times indirectly discouraged, stopped, and even looked with contempt for our Faith in Christ. But there were two things this blind Bartimaeus did which if we can do then perhaps our deliverance is closer than what we may think.
Firstly, the blind Bartimaeus would let nothing stand in his way of getting to Jesus. The more he was discouraged the more he persisted to call upon the name of Lord Jesus and made sure that his cries made the creator of this universe standstill and noticed him. Jesus noticed him and called for him. What is our response when we are discouraged from or faith today? Secondly, when Jesus called for him, it is written “He threw off his coat, jumped up, and came to Jesus” (Mark 10:50). He was ready to leave the burden that may hinder his approach to his deliverer. We too need to throw away the burden of guilt, shame, confusion, and self-pity away if we really need to reach out to our redeemer without delay. When he heard that Jesus of Nazareth, the healer, was passing by; he did his best to get His attention so that he might receive His merciful help and be healed. As you go in the presence of God today, you must realize that your healer is available there to give you healing from every physical and spiritual infirmity and give you strength and peace and grace to love your loved ones again. How much are you willing to cry unto God? Bartimaeus threw off his garment so it would not trip him, and he hastened to the Master. Did you leave the burdens that stop you from reaching your master? The good news is He will take all your burdens away too and replace them with the new garments of Joy and Peace. Jesus asked, “What do you want Me to do for you?” or rather it can be put like What did Bartimaeus really believe Jesus could do for him? What do you believe that Jesus can do for you today? Bartimaeus called Jesus “Lord,”, he used the title Rabboni, meaning “my Master”. His faith leads to his sight. Are you willing to make Jesus your Lord Today? If yes, then you too are going to receive your much-needed spiritual sight today.
“Faith is the sight of the inward eye.” - Alexander MacLaren
Have a Blessed day with God !!
