Thanksgiving

"Jesus grew in wisdom, in stature, in divine grace  and in favour with men by leaps and bounds" (Lk 2:52) God Almighty is looking for boys and girls who can carry His blessings to this world. Will you come forward, dear? * Wanted youth who will obey their parents and be dutiful to them till death — like JESUS (Lk 2:51; Jn 19:25-27) * Wanted youth who will say no to sexual immorality and run away from the place and person of temptation — like JOSEPH (Gen 39:10-12)   * Wanted youth who will totally abstain from any form of evil — Like TIMOTHY (1 Tim 5:23)   * Wanted youth who will be wedded to the Bible — like JOSEPH and TIMOTHY (Psa 105:19; 2 Tim 3:15) *  Wanted youth who will work hard towards a balanced growth, physically, intellectually, spiritually and socially — like JESUS (Lk 2:52)   * Wanted youth who will cooperate sincerely with their godly parents to fulfil the plan and purposes of God — like ISAAC (Gen 22:6,9-14)   ...

"The eye is the lamp of the body.  If your eyes are good your entire body will be full of light" (Mt 6:22) Make this prayer today for your eyes— O God, open my eyes! Without Your touch I was blind. The god of this age had blinded my eyes (2 Cor 4:4). Now I need Your second touch (Mk 8:25). There are yet scales to fall off my eyes (Acts 9:18). Open my eyes that I may see wondrous things from Your Word (Psa 119:18). I want not pebbles but pearls. Help me find the treasures hidden to the natural eyes (Prov 2:4). Give me a telescopic vision to look beyond to understand Your prophecies for tomorrow. Give me a microscopic vision to search the depths of Your wisdom. Fit me with a wide angle lens to grasp Your whole counsel. Lord, open my eyes to see the angelic hosts who encamp all around me (Psa 34:7). Many times I so depend and trust on material things like the servant of Prophet Elisha that I become blind to the supernatural protection and ministry of Your angel...

"God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble" (Js 4:6) William Carey (1761-1834) who came to India as a missionary and translated the Bible into many Indian languages had earned much respect among the learned men and high officials of the City of Calcutta. He was quite influential too. Once he was invited by the Governor General of India for a dinner. One of the guests, referring to Carey, said to another, "Isn't this Carey a shoemaker?" Carey turned around and said to him, "No, Sir! I am just a cobbler!" Almost everyone desires he must be more eminent than others— more distinguished in stature — more important in leadership — more honourable in social status. Even the disciples of Jesus were not an exemption. Once they debated among themselves, "Who is the greatest?" (Lk 22:24). "The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the leader like the one who serves," said Jesus (v26). Wasn't His motto, ...

"Wait on the Lord; be of good courage;  He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord !" (Psa 27:14) This is the priceless statement of the Psalmist who walked through difficult and dreadful terrain. Discouragement is the most effective tool in the hands of the devil against the children of God. There's hardly any saint who has never been hit by the arrows of discouragement. The only way to live above fear, worry and depression is to wait on God. God alone is omnipotent. We all have weaknesses. God had blessed us with limitations and inabilities so we may walk humbly before Him and others. When we wait on Him, the spiritual powers overrule our natural abilities. "Those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not grow weary; they shall walk and not faint!" (Isa 40:31). Indian Cricketer Sachin Tendulkar's advertisement slogan—" Boost  is the Secret of my Energy!...

"He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet;  otherwise he is completely clean" (Jn 13:10) Jesus quoted this proverb while He was washing the feet of His disciples. He wanted to teach them the difference between bathing and washing. He said that there was no need for them to bathe again. What was necessary was just washing of the feet. In Christian life, this beautifully illustrates the difference between Justification and Sanctification. Justification is comparable to bathing. It's an instant cleansing by the Blood of Jesus. It's total. This cleansing by the Blood makes saints out of sinners instantly. "He who is bathed is completely clean!" There's no sin against him in God's record. The  depth  of God's love has thrown his sins into the bottom of the sea; its breadth  has removed them as far as the East is from the West; its  length  has thrown them behind God's back; its  height  has caused them disappear like clouds (Mic 7:19...

"Since my youth, O God, You have taught me;  I will declare Your marvellous deeds in all the days to come" (Psa 71:17) Mr. Caleb at 85, referring to an incident that happened fortyfive years before, testified, "I am as strong this day as I was on the day that Moses sent me; just as my strength was then, so now is my strength for war, both for going out and for coming in" (Josh 14:11). This confession he made exactly on his 85th birthday (v10c). For his birthday he desired not a sponge cake but a steep mountain (v12)! All this was because he refused to join the pessimistic majority (Num 13:30-33). Overcautiousness is typical of old age whereas young people are known for venturing and taking risks. Risking is a companion of faith. It is said, "We spend the first half of our lives trying to understand the older generation, and the second half trying to understand the younger generation!" In the early 1970s, during the formative years of the Blessing...

"Rejoice, in as much as you are partakers of Christ's sufferings"  (1 Pet 4:13) Sufferings in life normally develop grumbling in the lips and bitterness in the heart. Sometimes they seal the grieving sufferer's mouth in dead silence. But facing those sufferings courageously and embracing them cheerfully would transform suffering into worship (Acts 5:41). Accepting injustice and ill-treatment patiently and pleasantly is worship. Hear Peter in 1 Peter 4:14-16, "If any one suffers as a Christian, let him not be ashamed, but let him glorify God in this matter." If those who crucified Jesus would brag that they had murdered Him, Jesus would say that He had offered Himself "as a pleasant aromatic sacrifice to God." Yes, Jesus offered Himself at His own free will. It was a voluntary sacrifice! Every stone pelted at us can become a bowl of incense offered to God provided we do not retaliate or murmur (Acts 6:12,15). When Stephen died as a mar...