Month: December 2014

Dear All,

“He who has not Christmas in his heart will never find it under a tree.”
– Roy L Smith

No room in the Inn

And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

Luke 2:7

There are only six days until Christmas, and many of us are busy shopping and wrapping gifts for friends and family. The shopping and the list of things to do gets ticked off, but is there a little room in our hearts for Jesus during this season?

It was a similar day in Bethlehem when Joseph and Mary were on their way to register themselves for the census. Everyone was busy, the inns were full, and there was no room for the baby to be born. When we crowd ourselves with lots things to do, we have very little room for Jesus and we may send Him away as well.

We too are very busy entertaining and buying gifts, but are we able to take time to receive the best gift that the Lord has prepared for us? It will be good for all of us to take time off and reflect on this beautiful gift so that we will remember the reason for the season.

Dear Lord,
Let not the busyness of the season rob me of the meaning of Your birth, and may there always be room in my heart for You. Amen.

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

From evildoers come evil deeds, so my hand will not touch you.
1 Samuel 24:13

The Mind of Christ

See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you.
1 Samuel 24:10-12

Saul had a sword in his hand and could have cut Saul to pieces, but David only cut a piece of his robe. This shows that David was not plotting or aspiring to take his place, but was waiting for the will of God.

We can also see that David had the mind of Christ even though he was crushed and pushed into a corner. On the other hand, Saul was not led by the power of the Holy Spirit and his anxieties led him to imagine that David was after his throne.
This can happen in our lives, we may perceive and work up our imagination to believe something which is false. This can affect our relationship with a friend or our family. We need to be careful to have the mind of Christ so that we will not react to false information.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day and let me not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of my mind; that I may prove what is good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. Amen.

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

Since God knows our future, our personalities, and our capacity to listen, He isn’t ever going to say more to us than we can deal with at the moment.
– Charles Stanley

Listen to His voice

Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’”

1 Samuel 24:8-10

Saul used his army, his time and all his strength to try and capture and kill David. He had advice from the top officials, but they failed to deliver David to Saul.

Compared to the might of Saul, David had a much smaller army of about four hundred men. Moreover these were the men who were shunned by the society; the ones in distress and  in debt. As these men gathered themselves with David who became a captain over them.

1 Samuel 22:2

Though David only had a handful of discontented and weak men in his army, the Lord used them to hand Saul over to him because he was willing to heed His voice. Often we take counsel from friends and those close to us, but they may not give us the right answer if it is not of God. It is important that we listen to God’s voice, as He will give us victory.
God’s counsel also comes without any charge, so we will not have to spend our resources like Saul did. Let us therefore seek Him for counsel today rather than depend on our resources and strength.

Dear Lord,
I thank You for this day. Make known to me Your ways, O Lord; teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation. Amen.

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

Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies.
Romans 8:33

God’s chosen servant

Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.
1 Samuel 24:5-7

David was a man who loved the Lord and knew Him. He feared the Lord for merely cutting Saul’s robe, because Saul was anointed by God to be king and master. Though David’s fear of the Lord seems exaggerated, it is not the case when the Word of God is studied closely.

 

The Word gives us revelation, as well as teachings from other people’s experiences. In the story of Moses, Aaron and Miriam talk against his Cushite wife, and the anger of the Lord burned against them.

When the cloud lifted from above the tent, Miriam’s skin was leprous it became as white as snow. Aaron turned toward her and saw that she had a defiling skin disease, and he said to Moses, “Please, my lord, I ask you not to hold against us the sin we have so foolishly committed. Do not let her be like a stillborn infant coming from its mother’s womb with its flesh half eaten away.

Numbers 12:9-12
The story of David shows that we need to trust that God has appointed people into positions for a reason, whether it is in our work or our church lives. Sometimes, we may be quick to condemn God’s servants, but we need to learn from David. Though Saul wanted to kill him, David did not lay a hand on him when given the opportunity to do so. Because Saul was appointed by God, David’s respect for him outweighed his desire to preserve his own life.

 

It can be difficult to submit to those who we feel are not worthy of the title or position. In those situations, we need to pray for a change in our hearts. We also need to pray for our leaders, that they will be led by God in their decisions. By submitting and praying in these situations, we can grow in our walks with God.

Dear Lord,
We thank You for this day. Please forgive me for having spoken against Your anointed servants. Help me to be like David so that I can have Your favour. Amen.

God bless you
Your obedient servants in Christ,

Theo and Manju

The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.
1 Samuel 24:4

Love your Enemies

But I say to you who hear, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either. Give to everyone who begs from you, and from one who takes away your goods do not demand them back. And as you wish that others would do to you, do so to them.
Luke 6:27-31

Saul took three thousand able young men and set out to look for David. This would have been an expensive exercise and an outlet for his angry and jealous heart.

On the contrary, when David was given the opportunity to kill his enemy, he did not go beyond cutting the corner of Saul’s robe. Though he was encouraged by his own men to take Saul’s life, David was full of the Spirit and was directed by the Lord. He had the nature of God and was able to love his enemy and respect Saul’s sovereignty.

This act of David was commendable and only possible if you are continuously filled with the Holy Spirit. We have to be connected to the reservoir and be open to receive from Him. Like a tap, the water can only run into the tub when it is turned open. The Holy Spirit is a river, we need to let the river flow into our hearts so that we may overflow in His nature

Dear Lord,
We thank You that You have given us the Holy Spirit. Help us to be conscious of Him so that our hearts will be filled to overflow with His nature. Amen.

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

God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

Psalm 46:1

He is my defence

Saul was going along one side of the mountain, and David and his men were on the other side, hurrying to get away from Saul. As Saul and his forces were closing in on David and his men to capture them, a messenger came to Saul, saying, “Come quickly! The Philistines are raiding the land. Then Saul broke off his pursuit of David and went to meet the Philistines.
1 Samuel 23:26-28

The Lord had made Saul the King of Israel and given him the responsibility to care for and lead his people. However his heart was not towards his own people but towards selfish gain, and his planning and plotting was to chase after David and kill him.

David was running to get away from Saul, but the men were closing in on him. At that time, Saul got a message to say that the Philistines were raiding the land, so he withdrew his chase and went to meet the Philistines

In Exodus, when the Egyptian army drew close, the pillar of cloud moved to the rear side of the Israelites to be their protection. Similarly in the case of David, the Lord made Saul withdraw in the nick of time.

Today we may be going through a struggle or a challenge, and we may wonder whether it is all over. God is by your side today and says to you that He is your defence and that He will make the enemy withdraw like He did for David

Dear Lord,
I thank You for the assurance that I have in You. Though I may go through the valley of shadow of death, I will fear no evil for You are with me. Amen.

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

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.”

– William Arthur Ward

Encourage others

While David was at Horesh in the Desert of Ziph, he learned that Saul had come out to take his life. And Saul’s son Jonathan went to David at Horesh and helped him find strength in God. “Don’t be afraid,” he said. “My father Saul will not lay a hand on you. You will be king over Israel, and I will be second to you. Even my father Saul knows this”.
1 Samuel 23:15-17

David was in the wilderness and heard that Saul had come to take his life. David was moving from place to place in the wilderness not knowing what the next day would hold for him, and to hear that Saul was after his life must have been devastating.

When David was crossing a valley, we see that his good friend Jonathan was there to encourage him. The first thing that he did was to help David to find strength in the Lord. Second, we see that he installed faith in David, encouraging him to remove the fear which was troubling his heart. How did he do that? He reminded David of God’s promise that he will be the king, and that he would assist him. All the promises of God are yes and amen in Him.

The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear? The Lord is the strength of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Psalm 27:1

In all this we see that Jonathan was positive towards David and was able to walk side by side with him. He was able to encourage him to persevere through rough times.

Are we able to walk side by side with a friend and encourage them the same way that Jonathan did? Ask the Lord to lead us to the discouraged so that we could be a tool in His hand.

Dear Lord,
I thank You Lord that You have always encouraged me and strengthened me. Help me to do the same for others. Amen.

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

Never become attached to anything that continues to hurt God. For you to be free of it, God must be allowed to hurt whatever it may be.

– Oswald Chambers

 

The Wilderness

 

David stayed in the wilderness strongholds and in the hills of the Desert of Ziph. Day after day Saul searched for him, but God did not give David into his hands.

1 Samuel 23:14

 

Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, was led to the wilderness and He fasted for forty days. During this time, He was able to overcome the enemy. Moses was in the wilderness for forty years, and the Lord moulded him and called him to bring His people out of Egypt. David was also in the wilderness before he was made King.

 

There is something unique in all three, and it is that they knew their call. Jesus was God himself and He knew His Father’s will. Moses was protected and trained in the palace and knew his call, and David was anointed by Samuel.

 

Most of us know our call, but are we willing to go through the wilderness? The wilderness experience teaches us to depend on and be obedient to God’s call. If the children of Israel obeyed the Lord, they would have been out of the wilderness in eleven days. Are we willing to hear and heed His voice when we are in the wilderness?

 

Dear Lord,

I thank You Lord for this day. Help me to learn from David, so that I too will be willing to call and heed Your voice in the wilderness. Amen.

 

God bless you

Your obedient servants in Christ,

Theo and Manju

“Patience is more than endurance. A saint’s life is in the hands of God like a bow and arrow in the hands of an archer. God is aiming at something the saint cannot see, and He stretches and strains, and every now and again the saint says–‘I cannot stand anymore.’ God does not heed, He goes on stretching till His purpose is in sight, then He lets fly. Trust yourself in God’s hands. Maintain your relationship to Jesus Christ by the patience of faith. ‘Though He slay me, yet will I trust in Him’” – Oswald Chambers.

 

Led by the Lord

 

When Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, “God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.” And Saul called up all his forces for battle, to go down to Keilah to besiege David and his men. When David learned that Saul was plotting against him, he said to Abiathar the priest, “Bring the ephod. David said, “Lord, God of Israel, your servant has heard definitely that Saul plans to come to Keilah and destroy the town on account of me.

1 Samuel 23:7-10

 

David continues to be led by the Lord and he is given victory over the people of Keilah. David and his men may have thought Keilah was a safe place, where they could stay in comfort after moving about in the wilderness and living in caves.

 

We might reach a stage in our lives where the storms have ended and the Lord has given us victory. We may rest and that is when the enemy will attack us. His desire is to steal, kill, and pursue his end.

 

Our cords must always be tied to God, as the cord of a baby is attached to the mother before birth. David understood this; he kept seeking the Lord when he heard that Saul was after him and the Lord guided him out of Keilah. This is the Lord whom we trust, He will never leave us nor sake us. He will always answer us when we call on His name.

 

Dear Lord,

I thank You Lord for Your love, which is steadfast, and I know that I can come to You when the enemy pursues me. Amen.

 

God bless you

Your obedient servants in Christ,

Theo and Manju

“We tend to use prayer as a last resort, but God wants it to be our first line of defence. We pray when there’s nothing else we can do, but God wants us to pray before we do anything at all” – Oswald Chambers.

 

Led by the Lord

 

When David was told, “Look, the Philistines are fighting against Keilah and are looting the threshing floors, he inquired of the Lord, saying, “Shall I go and attack these Philistines? The Lord answered him, “Go, attack the Philistines and save Keilah. But David’s men said to him, “Here in Judah we are afraid. How much more, then, if we go to Keilah against the Philistine forces! Once again David inquired of the Lord, and the Lord answered him, “Go down to Keilah, for I am going to give the Philistines into your hand.

1 Samuel 23:1-4

 

Cars have indicators on the front panel which tell us how much fuel is remaining and other important information. Many of us drive our cars without bothering to check the indicators. Some may grind to a halt because the driver did not check if there was enough fuel for the journey first.

 

The same can be said of our lives. Like cars, we also have an indicator – the Holy Spirit who is in us. It is important to check that we are not running on past experience, as it is not an indicator. Indicators are for a special purpose.

 

When we read the above passage, it says that David did not inquire once, but twice to make sure that he was on track. This did not happen overnight, but over a period of time where he would spend time with the Lord, and He would lead him. David made sure that he was checking with the indicator.

 

David’s men were not very enthusiastic to go and fight. His army consisted of the distressed, the discontented, and people who were in debt. Though the men were afraid because of the Word of the Lord, David was able to gather the weak then confront and defeat the Philistines.

 

Dear Lord,

I thank You for this day and seek Your Holy Spirit to lead me. I depend on You for every step of my life. Amen.

 

God bless you

Your obedient servants in Christ,

Theo and Manju