I have learned that forgiveness is always best. The thing about being denied and humiliated is you find your strength in your weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:10 - For when I am weak then I am strong.
The enemy will always find a new way to attack. Rejection is nothing but our faith on trial.
In life we often, place limitations on ourselves, thus hindering God’s best for us. What could it be that limits us from experiencing the best that God has for us?
Could it be fear of our past experiences? Remember God condemns no one.
Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come!”
“Arise” beyond any kind of limitation and begin to achieve God’s best today.
Jesus says “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. John 10:10
Rise up by faith, to achieve what you think you lost.
Isaiah 60:1 “Arise, shine; for your light has come!”
“Arise” beyond any kind of limitation and begin to achieve God’s best today.
Jesus says “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly”. John 10:10
Rise up by faith, to achieve what you think you lost.
Noah: A time span which is connected to Noah and his building the ark is 120 years.
Genesis 6:13-21, "Then God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me; . . . Make for yourself an ark . . . everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you."
Genesis 6:13-21, "Then God said to Noah, 'The end of all flesh has come before Me; . . . Make for yourself an ark . . . everything that is on the earth shall perish. But I will establish My covenant with you; and you shall enter the ark--you and your sons and your wife, and your sons' wives with you."
God told Noah, that He was going to destroy all living things with a flood. As guided, Noah began to build the ark to escape from a flood, because he believed that there will be a flood. Noah believed in both the warning and the promise and he was obedient.
Now think about this, he was perseverant, he was obedient. He did not concern himself with what people said. He relied on what God said. And most important of all, it took him 120 years of building in patience with obedience and faith to what God told him.
Most important lesson for us, PATIENCE!
Things, God wanted people to do to reach the Promised land:
Abraham was told, ‘It’s already yours but you have to start a journey away from the known and toward the new and unknown.’
Ask yourself, what do you need to do?
Moses , ‘It’s already yours but you have to step up to leadership.’
Joshua , ‘It’s already yours but you have to fight for it.’
How many of us give up when confronted with challenges?
People upon entering the Promised Land were told to follow in patience with trust and wholehearted obedience. What must it take for us to willingly follow someone we can’t see, touch or feel?
To the people after they took possession It’s already yours, but you must believe and act upon the truth to keep it.
We must believe that God is the provider and our deliverer. God gives. God’s ready. Are you?
The book of JOB opens where Satan comes to accuse Job before God. Satan insists Job only serves God because God protects him and seeks God’s permission to test Job’s faith and loyalty. God grants permission, but he is not allowed to physically harm Job.
Job was an extremely rich and successful man. Job had a large family; seven sons and three daughters and he owned extensive flocks of livestock. He was ‘blameless’.
In just one day, Job learns that all of his livestock, servants, and ten children had died due to invaders and natural disasters. Job tears his clothes and shaves his head in mourning, but still he honours and blesses God in his prayers.
Job is afflicted with skin sores all over his body. Job struggles to accept his difficulties.
Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come to comfort him in his tragedies. They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Job, remains devoted to God and contends that his life has not been one of sin. Job says, God is unseen and God’s ways are beyond human understanding.
A fourth friend of Job’s; named Elihu, tells Job to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life. He explains that only through physical suffering, humans can experience God’s love and forgiveness.
Finally, God demands Job to be brave. Overwhelmed and humbled by the encounter with God, Job acknowledges God’s unlimited power and admits that our human knowledge is very limited. God is pleased with Job’s response, but upset with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for their poor advice. Job asks God for forgiveness for them. God restores Job to good health, gives him twice as much property as before and he is blessed with children and a very long life.
Everyone goes through a time of difficulties. In our darkest hour, God is our Deliverer. If God is for us, who can be against?
Psalm 91 reflects on: He shall be delivered out of the deepest waters—he shall be rescued out of troubles—in famine he shall be fed—in pestilence he shall go unscathed—amidst calamity he shall walk firm and strong—in war he shall be always shielded—and in the day of battle he shall lift up his head and hold it up before God’s eyes and plead it with the spell of unfaltering reliance!
Do you believe that nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can befall the one who believes? I DO Believe!
"When the Son of Man returns, will He find any faith on earth?"
Too many people leave the faith. Most people experience a lapse in faith because, they were never taught what it is to believe. These days, in one home there are two religions being practised, who does the child follow? A little of this and a little of that? A divided faith, a divided home.
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down
And the floods came up
And the wise man's house stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man's house went "splat!"
So, build your house on the (ROCK-that is our) Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
1 of the TEN COMMANDMENTS: I am the LORD your God: you shall have no other Gods before me.
Ask yourself, what do you need to do?
Moses , ‘It’s already yours but you have to step up to leadership.’
Joshua , ‘It’s already yours but you have to fight for it.’
How many of us give up when confronted with challenges?
People upon entering the Promised Land were told to follow in patience with trust and wholehearted obedience. What must it take for us to willingly follow someone we can’t see, touch or feel?
To the people after they took possession It’s already yours, but you must believe and act upon the truth to keep it.
We must believe that God is the provider and our deliverer. God gives. God’s ready. Are you?
The book of JOB opens where Satan comes to accuse Job before God. Satan insists Job only serves God because God protects him and seeks God’s permission to test Job’s faith and loyalty. God grants permission, but he is not allowed to physically harm Job.
Job was an extremely rich and successful man. Job had a large family; seven sons and three daughters and he owned extensive flocks of livestock. He was ‘blameless’.
In just one day, Job learns that all of his livestock, servants, and ten children had died due to invaders and natural disasters. Job tears his clothes and shaves his head in mourning, but still he honours and blesses God in his prayers.
Job is afflicted with skin sores all over his body. Job struggles to accept his difficulties.
Job's three friends Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar come to comfort him in his tragedies. They insist his suffering is punishment for sin in his life. Job, remains devoted to God and contends that his life has not been one of sin. Job says, God is unseen and God’s ways are beyond human understanding.
A fourth friend of Job’s; named Elihu, tells Job to humble himself and submit to God's use of trials to purify his life. He explains that only through physical suffering, humans can experience God’s love and forgiveness.
Finally, God demands Job to be brave. Overwhelmed and humbled by the encounter with God, Job acknowledges God’s unlimited power and admits that our human knowledge is very limited. God is pleased with Job’s response, but upset with Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar for their poor advice. Job asks God for forgiveness for them. God restores Job to good health, gives him twice as much property as before and he is blessed with children and a very long life.
Everyone goes through a time of difficulties. In our darkest hour, God is our Deliverer. If God is for us, who can be against?
Psalm 91 reflects on: He shall be delivered out of the deepest waters—he shall be rescued out of troubles—in famine he shall be fed—in pestilence he shall go unscathed—amidst calamity he shall walk firm and strong—in war he shall be always shielded—and in the day of battle he shall lift up his head and hold it up before God’s eyes and plead it with the spell of unfaltering reliance!
Do you believe that nothing, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING can befall the one who believes? I DO Believe!
"When the Son of Man returns, will He find any faith on earth?"
Too many people leave the faith. Most people experience a lapse in faith because, they were never taught what it is to believe. These days, in one home there are two religions being practised, who does the child follow? A little of this and a little of that? A divided faith, a divided home.
The wise man built his house upon the rock
And the rain came tumbling down
And the floods came up
And the wise man's house stood firm.
The foolish man built his house upon the sand
And the rain came tumbling down
And the floods came up
And the foolish man's house went "splat!"
So, build your house on the (ROCK-that is our) Lord Jesus Christ
And the blessings will come down
Perfect faith- Daniel / Abraham
Resilient faith- Peter / Paul
Faith like Moses and
Patient faith like Noah / Job
Faith that wrestles with God to the end, ever strengthening the grip and refusing to let go no matter what-like Jacob's
Faith is the utmost confidence in God's deliverance even though everyone in the world says we are wrong to have this confidence.
Faith like Moses and
Patient faith like Noah / Job
Faith that wrestles with God to the end, ever strengthening the grip and refusing to let go no matter what-like Jacob's
Faith is the utmost confidence in God's deliverance even though everyone in the world says we are wrong to have this confidence.
Genesis 12, the LORD spoke to Abram (he was called):
“Leave your country, your people and your father’s household and go to the land I will show you. I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse, and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.” Genesis 12:1-3
He was 75 when God called him to leave his home and 100 when his son Isaac was born through his wife Sarah. Genesis 12-21
Have you ever been in a position where you felt that God wanted you to do something outside of your comfort zone? Yet, despite any doubts or questions Abram may have had, he obeyed the LORD and left with his family.
No matter how insufficient, however humiliated, one may feel God can use anyone. And when God chooses to use you, make sure you are ready to obey. God will be with you when you follow Him. And just like with Abraham, God is with us even when we get off track.
Abraham laughed at God and so did his wife Sarah…and God heard them.
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?” Genesis 17:17
After the retreat. This is the number I had seen from where I was standing at the Andheri station on the 16th of July 2017. The time read 17:17:17 (777)
(Genesis 17:17; 18:10-12). Their laughter at God’s plan showed their disbelief that He could do what He said He would do.
“Then the LORD said to Abraham, ‘Why did Sarah laugh and say, ‘Will I really have a child, now that I am old?’ Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return to you at the appointed time next year and Sarah will have a son.’ Sarah was afraid, so she lied and said, ‘I did not laugh.’ But he said, ‘Yes, you did laugh.’” Genesis 18:13-15
The LORD promised Abraham a son through his wife Sarah, and despite their disbelief, God did not break His promise.
Abraham trusted God when many of us wouldn’t have.
God said to Abraham, “Take your son, your only son, Isaac, whom you love, and go to the region of Moriah. Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains I will tell you about.” Genesis 22:2
Abraham was over a hundred years old, he waited a very long time for God’s promise to be fulfilled in his only son through his wife Sarah, and now after God promised to make a great nation through his son He’s asking him to make a sacrifice of his son? Abraham then was faced with having to personally put him to death in a horrible way. Remember, everything must come second, God being our first choice.
Abraham "trusted God" and it was reckoned to him for righteousness. Genesis 15:6.
But he believed and God worked it out in a way Abraham could never have anticipated.
Abraham in all obedience got up and went out just like the first time, when he left from home. He obeyed God, willing to carry out the sacrifice until the Angel of the LORD stopped him.
But he believed and God worked it out in a way Abraham could never have anticipated.
Abraham in all obedience got up and went out just like the first time, when he left from home. He obeyed God, willing to carry out the sacrifice until the Angel of the LORD stopped him.
Abraham’s journey was long and challenging. Most of the time, he couldn’t see the path ahead, but he held strong to the promise in his heart. God would continue to fulfill that promise over a thousand years after Abraham’s death until its completion in His Son Jesus Christ.
God always keeps His promise. No matter how crazy life seems, no matter how humiliating it can get, trust in God always and in and through every twist and turn without hesitation because His promise has not only been kept…it has been fulfilled!
God always keeps His promise. No matter how crazy life seems, no matter how humiliating it can get, trust in God always and in and through every twist and turn without hesitation because His promise has not only been kept…it has been fulfilled!
The more impossible the test, the greater the need for the believer to let go of everything except God. Nothing is impossible for GOD. We have to be careful not to focus on our own understanding of the situation.
Daniel “God is my judge”: The Babylonians had attacked Jerusalem and carried off many Jewish captives. One of them was a young man named Daniel.
Daniel is loyal to God. He interprets visions and dreams and he becomes a living testimony to his God in a strange land. Daniel has symbolic visions about the future of Israel and some of God’s long-term plan for the world.
Daniel 2:21-“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.” God did mighty miracles through Daniel. Daniel was one of the wise men of the court and he was recognized in Babylon for his devotion to the one God Yahweh. Daniel offered to give king Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of his dream and the King was so impressed that he worshipped the Jewish God and he allowed Daniel to rise to a place of great prominence in Babylon. When Babylon was taken over by the Persians, Daniel was quickly recognized as a very special man and he had favour with the king of Persia. This caused many in authority to look for flaws in Daniel’s character. Daniel’s peers out of jealousy trick the king into making prayer to God illegal. Daniel does not stop praying. Daniel obeys God rather than men. So they developed a plot which forced the King to have Daniel thrown in the lion's den. The King recognizing their treachery hoped for Daniel's deliverance. God delivers Daniel, he survives the night with the fiercest lions. And when the Lord saved Daniel from the mouth of the lions Darius ordered his own leaders to be thrown into the lion's den and they were torn in pieces immediately.
Daniel 2:21-“It is He who changes the times and the epochs; He removes kings and establishes kings; He gives wisdom to wise men and knowledge to men of understanding.” God did mighty miracles through Daniel. Daniel was one of the wise men of the court and he was recognized in Babylon for his devotion to the one God Yahweh. Daniel offered to give king Nebuchadnezzar the interpretation of his dream and the King was so impressed that he worshipped the Jewish God and he allowed Daniel to rise to a place of great prominence in Babylon. When Babylon was taken over by the Persians, Daniel was quickly recognized as a very special man and he had favour with the king of Persia. This caused many in authority to look for flaws in Daniel’s character. Daniel’s peers out of jealousy trick the king into making prayer to God illegal. Daniel does not stop praying. Daniel obeys God rather than men. So they developed a plot which forced the King to have Daniel thrown in the lion's den. The King recognizing their treachery hoped for Daniel's deliverance. God delivers Daniel, he survives the night with the fiercest lions. And when the Lord saved Daniel from the mouth of the lions Darius ordered his own leaders to be thrown into the lion's den and they were torn in pieces immediately.
The book of Daniel shows God's everlasting faithfulness through one of Israel’s greatest prophets. Daniel was brought to Babylon to give counsel. As a trustworthy prophet, he interprets people’s dreams.
God of Israel is consistently called the Most High God in the book of Daniel.
God of Israel is consistently called the Most High God in the book of Daniel.
Daniel’s visions show God’s faithfulness to His people.
The fiery furnace involves Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The three friends defy King Nebuchadnezzar’s command to worship a golden image, and the king hurls them into a blazing furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it normally was. The fire had no power over the bodies of these men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their mantles were not harmed. In the fiery furnace they were accompanied by a fourth member and together they praised God. They come out of the furnace with everything in them intact. They came out with no burns and no smell of fire. Imagine that! Do we and can we ever have faith like this?
We won't be tested past the breaking point. Exodus 14 a reference to the Israelites on the edge of the Red Sea. Situation IMPOSSIBLE! Bearing down on them from behind is the most fearsome Egyptian army with the Pharaoh. In front of them is a wide and impassable sea. But Moses trusted that God would create ‘the way out’. With a Moses-like faith, The Red Sea parted. "And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” God did give them a way out, and He did destroy their enemies utterly. God turned the situation in an instant, and at the last possible minute.
The fiery furnace involves Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. The three friends defy King Nebuchadnezzar’s command to worship a golden image, and the king hurls them into a blazing furnace. King Nebuchadnezzar ordered the furnace heated seven times more than it normally was. The fire had no power over the bodies of these men; the hair of their heads was not singed, their mantles were not harmed. In the fiery furnace they were accompanied by a fourth member and together they praised God. They come out of the furnace with everything in them intact. They came out with no burns and no smell of fire. Imagine that! Do we and can we ever have faith like this?
We won't be tested past the breaking point. Exodus 14 a reference to the Israelites on the edge of the Red Sea. Situation IMPOSSIBLE! Bearing down on them from behind is the most fearsome Egyptian army with the Pharaoh. In front of them is a wide and impassable sea. But Moses trusted that God would create ‘the way out’. With a Moses-like faith, The Red Sea parted. "And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.” God did give them a way out, and He did destroy their enemies utterly. God turned the situation in an instant, and at the last possible minute.
God may very well choose to allow us to be thrown into the fiery furnace. If He does, we have to have the same attitude that Daniel's three friends (Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) had:
If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace; and he will deliver us out of your hand, O king. But if not, be it known to you, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the golden image which you have set up.” Daniel 3:17-18
God's grace is God’s unprecedented favour. His grace is sufficient for any trial or suffering we shall ever encounter. Often we wonder why God allows something and we question or doubt God's goodness.
DON'T!
Abba Father gave His only Son as a Sacrifice for us, so that we may have eternal life. Jesus had to die for us. John 15:13 - Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
So yes, things for a while may get tough. But that is God's tough love. He permits the rough weather. The change will bring out the good for us and in us, BE OPEN!
Ask God and be ready to receive. But will you choose to believe that no good thing does he withhold from those whose walk is blameless. Psalm 84:11
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