Month: October 2014

Dear All,

Our heavenly Father understands our disappointment, suffering, pain, fear and doubt. He is always there to encourage our hearts and help us understand that He’s sufficient for all of our needs. When I accepted this as an absolute truth in my life, I found that my worrying stopped. Charles Stanley

Grumbling

The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin, traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?” But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbled against Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”
Exodus 17:1-3

The children of Israel were witnesses to the mighty hand of God throughout the plagues, their exodus from Egypt and the crossing of the Red Sea but that did not stop them from grumbling before the Lord.

 

Three days after crossing the Red Sea, they complained that the water at Marah was bitter and so Moses threw a tree into the waters to make it sweet. A couple of months later, they regretted leaving Egypt for want of meat and bread to fill their stomachs and so the Lord provided quail and manna for them from heaven. Now, as they camped at Rephidim, they complained again, accusing Moses of bringing them out of Egypt so that they would die of thirst. In all these circumstances, we see the manifest grace of God towards His children.

At Rephidim, the Lord did something significant when he asked Moses to take some of the elders to the rock at Horeb and to strike the rock with his rod. As Moses acted in faith and obedience, water poured forth from the rock and so, again, the Lord provided for the needs of His people.

 

The striking of the rock foretold the coming death of Jesus, our Rock and Saviour. As water came out of the rock to satisfy the people’s thirst, so would the living water from Jesus give eternal life through Him who was struck, beaten and nailed to the cross for our sins.
So be encouraged that even when we are wandering in the wilderness, feeling dry and thirsty, the Lord is with us. As we approach the Rock in faith and obedience, He will meet our every need; He is the source of the living water that gives life to our spirits.
Dear Lord,
I thank You for the patience and love that You show me every day. Thank You that You hear my cry, that You are my Rock, my Saviour who provides all that I need. Amen.

 

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

Every tomorrow has two handles. We can take hold of it with the handle of anxiety or the handle of faith. Henry Ward Beecher

Stand Firm

Moses answered the people, “Do not be afraid. Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today. The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.

Exodus 14:13-14

It would have taken a lot of courage for Moses to tell the people of Israel to “stand firm” when Pharaoh’s army was behind them and the waters of the Red Sea before them.
When God speaks to us, we need to declare His word in faith, believing that when we exercise this kind of faith, we will see the hand of God move in our lives.

When we speak with our mouth what the Lord has promised, faith is applied to the situation and we can be confident of the result. When an athlete applies anti-inflammatory cream to an inflamed muscle, he expects to be relieved of the pain. Similarly, when we apply God’s word to a difficult situation, His faith is activated in us so that we can expect to see the Lord win the battle for us.

 

As we stand firm on His promises, let us proclaim His goodness and declare His faithfulness, knowing that we shall see the salvation of the Lord.
Dear Lord,
I give You all my fears and stand firm in Your word. You are the rock of my salvation and the strength of my life. I believe and trust in You alone. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

Earthly wisdom is doing what comes naturally. Godly wisdom is doing what the Holy Spirit compels us to do. Charles Stanley

Stretch Out Your Hand

Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and all that night the Lord drove the sea back with a strong east wind and turned it into dry land. The waters were divided, and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with a wall of water on their right and on their left.
Exodus 14:21-22

Stretching requires physical effort in any person but when we stretch out our hand in expectation of seeing the power of God, we also need to exercise faith. Peter and John stretched out their hand to lift up the lame man, fully believing that he would receive God’s healing to start walking. When Moses stretched forth his hand over the sea, his faith was focused on the God of miracles to perform the miraculous.
When we stretch out our hand in faith, many significant things happen. Firstly, as the Lord parted the sea to open a door for His people, so will He show us the way we should go, the path that we should follow. Secondly, as the pillar of cloud moved to protect the children of Israel, so the Lord will be our Protector, shielding us from the attacks of the enemy. Finally, as Pharaoh’s army perished in the waters, so the Lord will fight for us, His children, giving us victory over our enemies.

Let us be challenged today to stretch forth our hand when He speaks to us, not trusting in our own ability but putting our faith in the Almighty God, and we will see the supernatural hand of God transforming our lives and others around us.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for this day. Increase my faith and open my ears that I may heed Your voice to stretch forth my hand and witness the power and might of the supernatural works of Your hand.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo and Manju

Every test, every trial, every heartache that’s been significant, I can turn it over and see how God has turned it into good no matter what. Charles Stanley

Lack Of Faith

As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up, and there were the Egyptians, marching after them. They were terrified and cried out to the Lord. They said to Moses, “Was it because there were no graves in Egypt that you brought us to the desert to die? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt?”
Exodus 14:10-11

The people of Israel had seen and experienced the supernatural power of God when He set them free from the oppression of Pharaoh. They saw how the Lord separated and protected them from the plagues which fell upon the Egyptians. But when they lifted their eyes and saw the Egyptian soldiers marching after them, they were terrified and blamed Moses for their predicament.

In that one moment of fear, they forgot about the victory won over Pharaoh; they lost their faith in Moses and in the Lord who had protected them and freed them from bondage.

 

This is very typical of many of us who have experienced the love and power of God in many ways. We have witnessed the might of His supernatural hand but the moment when things do not work according to our plan or there is a delay, our faith goes out the window.

Today, let us ask the Lord to strengthen our faith by looking back at our past victories; let us give Him our praise and thanksgiving, knowing that He will not let us down but will always be faithful to deliver us from our enemies.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for all that You have done for me. I know that You are with me even when I go through the darkest valleys; I will fear no evil for You are always with me. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo & Manju

God is more interested in your future and your relationships than you are. Billy Graham

The Longer Route

When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country, though that was shorter. For God said, “If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt. So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. The Israelites went up out of Egypt ready for battle.
Exodus 13:17-18

 

The children of Israel had been living in bondage for many years, serving as slaves in the land of Egypt. When they were released, they experienced freedom for the first time, completely unaware and unprepared for what lay ahead of them.

The Lord, therefore, led them toward the Red Sea, away from the land of the Philistine enemies. Although this was a much longer and circuitous route to Canaan, He thought they might be tempted to return to Egypt if they faced the prospect of war soon after being set free.
When we are weak and vulnerable, it is easy for us to make wrong decisions. In such circumstances, it is wise to follow the path that the Lord chooses for us, even if it takes us longer to reach our destination. If we follow His pillar of cloud and fire, we may be assured of His protection and guidance at all times. Although the answers to our many prayers may be taking a long time in coming, the Lord is faithful and He will complete the work that He has begun in us.

 

So be encouraged today that the Lord knows us better than we know ourselves. Like a parent who cherishes their new born baby, He is devoted to our welfare, caring for us, providing for our every need. Although the route may sometimes seem long and arduous, He remains beside us along the entire way.
Dear Lord,
You are my hiding place; You preserve me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance. Amen.

God bless you.

Your obedient servants in Christ,

Theo and Manju

God, who foresaw your tribulation, has specially armed you to go through it, not without pain but without stain. CS Lewis

The Grace of God

Twelve months later, as the king was walking on the roof of the royal palace of Babylon, he said, “Is not this the great Babylon I have built as the royal residence, by my mighty power and for the glory of my majesty? Even as the words were on his lips, a voice came from heaven, “This is what is decreed for you, King Nebuchadnezzar: Your royal authority has been taken from you.
Daniel 4:29-31

Nebuchadnezzar was a very powerful and prominent king. Although he experienced and witnessed the power of God working through those whom he had taken captive from Judah, he did not give God the glory but instead, boasted of his own strength and power. He was warned in a dream to repent of his pride and arrogance but he did not heed the warning and had to learn the hard way.

The Lord caused him to become insane, behaving like an animal and eating grass like oxen. After Nebuchadnezzar was humbled, he understood the purposes of God, acknowledging Him as the supreme ruler over the entire universe, the One who was able to give and hold back all power on earth.

We, also, are sometimes warned by friends and spoken to by God but are we humble enough to change? If not, we may be faced with difficulties and uncomfortable circumstances until we learn our lesson and submit to His correction.

The Lord desires all men to come to repentance and is not slack concerning His promise. He is long suffering toward us. (2 Peter 3:9) After seven years, God restored Nebuchadnezzar as king, a king who had learnt valuable lessons about the sovereignty of God.

Just as the Lord is patient in His dealings with us, so He desires that we show the same grace to others.

Dear Lord,
Thank You for Your grace that has saved me. Please help me to extend the same grace to others, serving them in love and humility, because You first loved us. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo & Manju

There is only one secure foundation: a genuine, deep relationship with Jesus Christ, which will carry you through any and all turmoil. No matter what storms are raging all around, you’ll stand firm if you stand on His love. Charles Stanley

An All Powerful God

And the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them.

Daniel 3:27

 

When the enemy throws God’s children into the midst of a fiery trial, he likes to expect the worse and will wait around for the outcome. When Daniel’s three friends were thrown into the furnace, the king and other leaders crowded around, expecting to see a spectacle of three men being burnt alive.

 

God, however, had other plans, and the only people they saw being burnt were the ones who were throwing Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego into the fire. The three young men remained unharmed and it was only the cords with which they were tied that were burnt, allowing them to walk around freely in the furnace.

 

This is a great illustration of how the power of God can overcome any harm that the enemy tries to inflict on His children. If we remain steadfast in our faith and obedient to His Word, He is faithful to set us free from the enemy’s cords that bind us.

 

Therefore let us not fear, though the earth give way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea, though its waters roar and foam and the mountains quake with their surging, let us trust Him. (Psalm 46:2-3)

 

Dear Lord,

No weapon fashioned against me will stand and You will refute every tongue that accuses me;this is the heritage of the Lord. Thank You that I can live by these promises. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo & Manju

Each generation faces different issues and challenges, but our standard must always be measured by God’s word. Billy Graham

Fiery Furnace

If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to deliver us from it, and He will deliver us from Your Majesty’s hand. But even if He does not, we want you to know, Your Majesty, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up.

Daniel 3:17-18

 

Daniel’s friends were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace as punishment for not bowing down before King Nebuchadnezzar’s golden idol. In the natural, that would have been a very fearful experience but these three men considered their obedience to God to be of much greater importance than their own existence.

 

The King, on the other hand, was very angry and did not believe in their God; he considered this as a great insult and blow to his pride and therefore commanded that the furnace be heated seven times greater than normal. Were the young men fearful?

 

Faith and trust in the Lord has the power to overcome our fear of the things of the world. Although the three men were cast into the fiery furnace, the fire had no power over them because the power of God was greater. Furthermore, the Son of God, Himself, appeared beside them, walking with them in the midst of the fire.

 

So let us be encouraged to walk in obedience to the King of kings, not submitting to the power of the world that would have us bow down to its idols. Even if our obedience to God requires us to walk through fiery trials, we can be confident that He will be with us, walking beside us and setting us free from the cords that bind us.

 

Dear Lord,

Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who is my Teacher, my Guide and my Comforter. Please grant me the faith to walk in obedience to Your Word, that Your Name may be glorified. Amen.

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo & Manju

Since If the Lord says to give more than you think you are able to give, know that He will provide for you. Whether things are sailing smoothly or the bottom has dropped out, He is always trustworthy. You can count on Almighty God to keep His everlasting Word.Charles Stanley

 

Excuses

 Moses said to the Lord, “Pardon your servant, Lord. I have never been eloquent, neither in the past nor since You have spoken to your servant. I am slow of speech and tongue.

Exodus 4:10

 

We will all have, at some time in our lives,asked to be excused from certain events or occasions. Some excuses may be quite valid but others are given because we are fearful of the situation.

 

We need to recognize that fear is a common tactic used by the enemy to prevent God’s children from accomplishing the perfect will of God.

 

In Moses’ situation,he used his lack of eloquence as an excuse, hoping that the Lord would choose someone else for the task of setting His people free. God, however, in His infinite grace and wisdom, reminded Moses that it was He who had made his mouth, and promised to give Him the words that he should say.

 

We need to remember that our calling is dependent on God’s grace and not our own ability. He calls us to do what He will enable us to do. If we persist in making excuses, we will lose out on discovering God’s perfect will for our lives.

 

God wants us to cast away our fears and anxieties, to be totally reliant on Him. As we walk in His faith, we will experience the joy of living a life that fulfils, not just the good and acceptable, but also ultimately, the perfect will of the Lord.

 

Dear Lord,

Thank You for this day. Please forgive me for making excuses because I have been fearful and reliant on my own strength. Help me to be obedient to Your call so that I may walk in the perfect will of the Father. Amen.

 

God bless you.
Your obedient servants in Christ,
Theo & Manju

Dear All,

The bottom line in the Christian life is obedience and most people don’t even like the word. Charles Stanley

A Rod

Then the Lord said to him, “What is that in your hand?” “A staff,” he replied.
Exodus 4:2

Moses had nothing but a simple shepherd’s rod in his hand, but the Lord was able to use that rod to demonstrate His power and authority over the Egyptians. God, our Creator, can give life to the lifeless and power to the powerless, using whatever little we possess.

We can see a similar example in the case of the widow of Zarephath. A handful of flour and a little oil in a jar provided sufficient food for both Elijah and her household for many days until the drought ended.

There are similarities in both these stories. Moses had to throw down his rod which was very significant for a shepherd because he uses his rod at all times to lead, guide and correct his sheep. Similarly, the widow had to give the last of what she had to the prophet, trusting that he would be true to his word.

When Moses and the widow obeyed, they were able to witness the manifested power of God. By surrendering what was vital to their needs, they demonstrated a heart faith that was active and alive to believe that God would be their Provider.

So today, let us be mindful of obeying the voice of God, being prepared to lay down what is close to our hearts, knowing that we can trust Him to supply our every need.

Dear Lord,
The widow, who only had two little copper coins, gave freely of all that she had. Help me, Lord, to surrender all that I have to You, so my faith may grow as I see Your immeasurable love for me. Amen.

God bless you,
Theo & Manju