Month: May 2014

Dear All,

‘Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up’ (Galatians 6:9)

Sowing in Tears & Reaping in Joy

Those who go out weeping, carrying seed to sow, will return with songs of joy, carrying sheaves with them.
Psalm 126:5

Sowing is not always a joyful experience. The Psalmist portrays a picture of a sower, bearing in his hand a bag of precious seed and walking along the land that he has painstakingly prepared. As he plods along wearily, he sows the seeds while weeping. The weeping could have been caused by the toil and labour of breaking the fallow ground. Or his tears might have been because of his failing health. It may even be that he was sowing the seed that was the very last meal for his family.

Sowing seeds accompanied with such tears through a broken spirit will not go unnoticed by God. Psalm 56:8 confirms how much God takes notice of such tears. David said, “You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”

Today some of us may be like the weeping sower, crying out to God while sowing all that is in hand. Today’s Word assures us that God will make us return with a song of joy because of the great breakthrough that He will bring forth without delay. How different will that time be when mourning will be changed to rejoicing! Surely this will be the reward for those who laboured to sow, despite obstacles, trouble, calamity and persecution. Such sowers will obtain in the end an ample return for all his labours.

Dear Lord,
I come to You in Jesus’ name. I acknowledge that You are a God of all grace, who rewards those who keep Your works unto the end. Though I have sown with tears I thank You for Your Word that promises me that I will reap with songs of joy. Amen

God bless you,
Theo & Manju

Dear All,
You have to sow before you can reap. You have to give before you get.

Robert Collier
Sowing & Reaping – Top of Form

But this I say: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.

2 Corinthians 9:6

Generous giving blesses both the recipient and the giver. King David gave extremely lavishly towards the building of the temple because he knew that the palatial structure was not for man, but for the Lord God (1 Chronicles 29).

His love for God was so great that he whole heartedly used all of his resources to provide for the building of the temple. This included the wood, stone and marble that was needed for the structure; and the most valuable materials such as the gold, onyx, and turquoise that were used for the exquisite art work.

For King David, giving to God’s work was a great opportunity that allowed him to express his love and devotion to God. He gave unreservedly and did not hold back any of his treasures. In 1 Chronicles 29:2, he says:
Besides, in my devotion to the temple of my God, I now give my personal treasures of gold and silver for the temple of my God, over and above everything I have provided for this holy temple: three thousand talents of gold (gold of Ophir) and seven thousand talents of refined silver.

God designed plants to produce seeds, that when sown, grow and produce even more seeds. The same is true for us. This is why Solomon says in Proverbs 11:24 “One person gives freely, yet gains even more; another withholds unduly, but comes to poverty.”

David’s generous sowing not only brought God’s blessings to abound in him, but was passed on to the next generation; with Solomon his son being the wisest and richest of his time.

God is our heavenly provider who is able to provide sufficiently in all things. What He has given us belongs to Him and He has blessed us with all our possessions so that we might do good works by our sowing, and He will bring a supernatural harvest.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for meeting every one of my needs and I acknowledge Your hand that has provided all my needs. I choose to sow bountifully and experience a bountiful reaping.

God bless you,
Theo & Manju

Dear All,

‘Give, and it will be given to you. Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For with the measure you use it will be measured back to you’ (Luke 6:38).

Sowing & Reaping – Sacrificial Giving

But the king said to Araunah, “No, but I will buy it from you for a price. I will not offer burnt offerings to the Lord my God that cost me nothing.” So David bought the threshing floor and the oxen for fifty shekels of silver.

2 Samuel 24:24

In the verse above, David wanted to purchase a piece of land to build an altar for God. When the owner of the land knew David’s intentions, he offered to give David oxen for a burnt sacrifice, as well as threshing implements and the yokes of the oxen for wood at no cost at all. David could have gladly accepted this as an act of generosity but it was never his intention to make a cheap and easy offering to God which cost him nothing. David’s heart was such that he always wanted to honour God with an offering of sacrificial giving.
We can sow into God’s Kingdom and His work through such sacrificial giving. Generous giving and sowing flows out of a Godly and generous heart.

Today let us follow David’s example and learn to give to God sacrificially. When we give God the best, we can expect the best in return. By sowing in faith, we place ourselves in a position of an increasingly great harvest.

Dear Lord,
I thank You that there is no shortage in Your supply to those who trust in You. Today I choose to give to You sacrificially. May every seed of giving bring fruitfulness and a bountiful harvest.

God bless you,
Theo & Manju

“The value of a life is always measured by how much of it is given away.” Andy Stanley

Let the River Flow

He said to me, “This water flows toward the eastern region and goes down into the Arabah where it enters the Dead Sea. When it empties into the sea, the salty water there becomes fresh. Swarms of living creatures will live wherever the river flows. There will be large numbers of fish, because this water flows there and makes the salt water fresh; so where the river flows everything will live.”
Ezekiel 47:8-9

The Dead Sea is the earth’s lowest point, it’s surface being about 1300 feet below sea level. Because there is no outlet, the water has a high concentration of minerals and therefore cannot sustain life.

In Ezekiel’s vision, the river flowed into the Dead Sea, bringing life to this barren region and transformed the salt water fresh  by its continuous flow. This can also happen in our lives. We can be at the lowest point of our lives but the river of God can bring restoration and new life to us.

In John 4:13-14, Jesus came to the Samaritan woman and said “Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Although the Samaritan woman was dead in sin, the moment she met Jesus, her life was transformed. The living water which filled her, trickled out into the village and became a fountain to touch others. The entire village came to know the Lord through the hope of eternal life.

Are we willing to be the life transforming influence in the ‘Dead Sea’ environment where God has placed us? As the living water of Christ flows from us, it will overcome every form of evil and wash away the impurities of the world that surround us.

In our Christian journey, we have to be led by the Spirit and cultivate Godly habits every day, trusting the Lord to direct our paths throughout our whole life. As we allow the Lord’s living waters to flow out from us each day, we will surely see our lives transformed into a mighty river that carries the ‘Healing Water’ wherever it goes.
Dear Lord, 

As I seek You and the things of Your Kingdom, I acknowledge that You are able to bring life, healing and restoration in me and through me. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo and Manju

Dear All,

‘The one who received the seed that fell among the thorns is the man who hears the word, but the worries of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth choke it, making it unfruitful’ (Matthew 13:22).

Sowing & Reaping – Break Up the Fallow Ground

Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you. You have ploughed iniquity; you have reaped injustice; you have eaten the fruit of lies. Because you have trusted in your own way and in the multitude of your warriors.

Hosea 10:12-13

The fallow ground is excellent land for cultivating thorns and thistle, and likewise, a fallow heart is excellent soil for cultivating sin. The best way to deal with weeds is by breaking up the fallow ground and removing all obnoxious weeds before they form deep roots and produce fruit that will further propagate its vicious seeds.

In the same way we need to deal with sin quickly when it is found. We should never sweep it under the carpet or procrastinate when dealing with sin, as this will lead to our hearts becoming calloused and insensitive to unrighteousness. Jesus said in Matthew 13:15 “For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them.’

Jesus does not want us to be lulled into a sleep of disobedience, but He looks for those who obey His Word through their behaviour. God wants us to break up the fallow ground of our spiritual life that has stemmed out of calloused and hardened hearts. Today, if we are quick to admit every sin and confess before Him and repent, we will be restored to our heavenly Father.
Dear Lord,
May Your Spirit deal with the areas of my heart that is like hard fallow ground. It is time to seek You with all my heart so that You may come and rain Your righteousness upon me. Amen.

God bless you,

Dear All,

Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap but by the seed that you plant.
– Robert Lois Stevenson

Sowing & Reaping

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Galatians 6:7-8

God established certain laws that govern the life that we live on earth. There are definite consequences to everything that we do. Paul says that we can live out our lives making a distinct choice between two things; we can either live sowing to our flesh, or we can live sowing to the Spirit.

Many choose to sow to the flesh as they fail to see how their actions have power to impact the future. They are deceived by the world to think that there are no consequences to their actions, when in reality, the consequences are just delayed. Paul warns the Galatians that God will not be mocked by their carnal life that leads to ruin and destruction, when instead they could be producing good fruit.

We have the choice to sow in the Spirit; choosing to be led by God on a daily basis so that we bear fruit through Him. As we sow into God’s kingdom each day, living a life of faith in Christ, we will surely reap life everlasting.

Today, if anyone has made choices to sow in the flesh without considering the consequences, it may be time to take a pause. Ask God to give spiritual wisdom and insight through His Word on the matter. If we decide to guard our hearts against every sinful nature and persevere after Him, a great reward is promised. In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God assures that “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

As God’s children, His kingdom is our heritage.  It is our choice to live a life of faith, placing the highest priority on pleasing God in all our ways and reap a great harvest of His blessings.

Dear Lord,
May I be filled with Your gentle Spirit to sow seeds of righteousness and reap the fruit of unfailing love. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo & Manju

If you feel besieged by life today, lean on the God of peace – the God of hope and the future. The same God who has a plan for Israel has a plan for you. Trust that He will direct your path.”
David Jeremiah

The Lord Will Do Wonders for You

And Joshua said to the people, “Sanctify yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” Then Joshua spoke to the priests, saying, “Take up the ark of the covenant and cross over before the people.” So they took up the ark of the covenant and went before the people.

Joshua 3:5-6

The people of Israel were now under a new leader, Joshua, and it was time for them to cross the river Jordan even though it was the season when all its banks were overflowing.

The Lord asked Joshua to follow a few clear instructions. Firstly, the ark of the covenant had to be carried in front of the people of Israel, signifying the fact that God was going ahead of them. Secondly, they were asked to sanctify themselves before the day of crossing. Thirdly, they were asked to stand still in order to see the power of God. Most importantly, the Levites carrying the ark needed faith to step into the water despite the banks being flooded.

The ark of the covenant and its contents all have important significance. The two tablets of stone with the Ten Commandments represent our need for obedience while the mercy seat represents His immense grace. Aaron’s rod indicates the past favours of God and the manna represents His provision.

Overall, the ark of God pointed to the fact that the people of Israel, as they set out to cross the river Jordan, should not depend on their own strength but on God’s, for it was God Himself who was going before them as their source of victory.

It is always a great challenge when our situations are at a flooding stage. It can cause us to live by sight, attempting to deal with the situation with our own strength and wisdom. As the ark of the covenant was with the Israelites, so the Spirit of God is with us and is able to fully lead and guide us through the floods.

When we stand still and exercise faith, the hand of God will cause the flooded waters to stop, giving us dry ground to walk to the other side.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. Today I choose to live by faith and though I walk through the shadow of death I will fear no evil because You are with me. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo and Manju

“There is an appropriate way to use your story, not as an excuse but as a testimony to God’s ability to free you from the past.” Andy Stanley

God Chose the Weak

“But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.”

1 Corinthians 1:27

Peter, the lead disciple of Jesus, denied and disowned Jesus three times. Thomas, another one of the twelve, doubted Jesus’ resurrection when he announced, “Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” In the Old Testament, Jonah disobeyed God’s command and thought he could run away from the Lord but ended up, first in the belly of a fish, and then in Nineveh, preaching the good news to the people whom he hated.

All three of the men mentioned above suffered a major set back in their faith but the Lord did not disown them; He was willing to use them by coming alongside them.

Jesus forgave Peter by restoring him in love which led Peter to become so zealous for the Lord that he asked to be crucified upside-down, for he felt he was not worthy to die in the same manner as Christ.

Jesus was willing to show Thomas His wound, and let him feel it. This led Thomas to dedicating his life whole heartedly to Christ. We know that he was martyred in India for the sake of the gospel.
God also showed much patience with Jonah and as a result, the entire city was saved.

We, too, are dear in His eyes as we are His very own children. Though we fail, He is willing to restore us through His grace and make us strong in Him. There is, therefore, no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus because we are acceptable and will always have access to Him. Therefore, do not condemn yourself but be strong and know that He is preparing to use you.

Dear Lord,
I acknowledge that I am weak but I trust in You to make me strong as I empty myself in You. My testimony is the new life that I have in You. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo and Manju

“Direction, not intention determines your destination.”  Andy Stanley

Let Go Of The Handle

“And when the man went out to the east with the line in his hand, he measured one thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the water came up to my ankles. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through the waters; the water came up to my knees. Again he measured one thousand and brought me through; the water came up to my waist. Again he measured one thousand, and it was a river that I could not cross; for the water was too deep, water in which one must swim, a river that could not be crossed.”

Ezekiel 47:3-5

It is always a challenge to let go of the handle because the handle is what gives us control. When driving a car, we have to hold on to the steering wheel otherwise the vehicle will go off track. The driver steers the car in the direction that he wishes to go. Similarly, in our walk of life, we need to place our confidence in the Almighty God who guides us with His loving hand. We need to take our hands off the steering wheel and trust Him to lead us in the right direction.

In the passage above, we read that at the first stage, the water was just ankle deep. This is when we are still dependent on ourselves even though we have experienced the Holy Spirit. The next level is the knee deep stage, where we experience the ‘Living Water’ in our increased time of prayer and fellowship with Christ, when we are kneeling before Him, leaning and depending more on Him.

As the waters increase, we reach the final stage when we are totally surrendered to Him. This happens when we are filled with the Holy Spirit and experience a great increase of His empowerment and guidance which fully surrounds us and leads us.

What begins as a trickle of water can progress from small beginnings to be transformed to an immensely large river. The end result will be an abundance of faith, hope and love that will flow out of our lives, giving life to all those we come in contact with, so that their lives will also bring glory to the Lord.

God wants all His children to experience this, to swim in the river of living water that has the power to renew, restore and resurrect life, but we must first let go of our own agendas, take our hands off the steering wheel and let God be the driver.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. I give You full control to take me and use me in any way that You desire, that Your Name may be glorified. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo and Manju

“From time immemorial, men have quenched their thirst with water without knowing anything about its chemical constituents. In like manner, we do not need to be instructed in all the mysteries of doctrine, but we do need to receive the Living Water which Jesus Christ will give us and which alone can satisfy our souls.”
Sadhu Sundar Singh

Streams of Living Water

The man brought me back to the entrance to the temple, and I saw water coming out from under the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was coming down from under the south side of the temple, south of the altar. He then brought me out through the north gate and led me around the outside to the outer gate facing east, and the water was trickling from the south side.

Ezekiel 47:1-2
In the above verses, God gave Ezekiel this prophecy when the invading Babylonian army had captured and sent the Jews into exile. Ezekiel was given this vision when the people were distressed and in deep sorrow while the temple in Jerusalem was already reduced to ruins.

What do we do when we are facing situations that are beyond our control that is similar to the Israelites’ shattered hope and ruined temple? When we are struggling with disappointment, grief and great discouragement, our hopeless situation can make us feel as if everything is lost.

Christ is the only answer and He alone has the power to transform the lives of those who have reached a point of despair and hopelessness. To those who recognise Him as the Lord, Christ is the Temple and He is the Door. When we cling to Him, living waters will flow from Him into our dead situations.

God is working through those situations and moulding us and He is not finished with us. He will come through in our lives as He came through for Ezekiel, giving him an amazing vision.

As we take refuge in His temple, in prayer and intercession, His supernatural river will begin to flow and bring healing, fruitfulness and life. As promised in Isaiah 35:1 “The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom.“

Dear Lord,

I come to You in Jesus’ name. I thank You for Christ Jesus who is the fountain of living water. Thank You for His sufferings and grace that has cleansed me and made my life a tree of fruitfulness. Amen.