Dear all, Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians1: 3 Word: “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.” Joshua 1:9 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV)
Thought: Look up to Jesus When we look at the world around us it’s so discouraging. Wherever and whatever we see are filled with chaos and confusion. Today you might be facing a discouraging situation that is holding you up from moving on. Leave the situation in the hands of the Lord and cling to the promise the Lord gave to Joshua as your promise. We pray that you will be like the singing little bird sitting peacefully on top of the tree amidst the roaring storm. Look up to Jesus; He will give you the strength to overcome any raging storm you are facing. Through Christ Jesus we are overcomers.
Be strong in the Lord and His mighty power. Ephesians 6: 10
Word:Be dressed for service and keep your lamps burning – Luke 12: 35
Be – Personal call for you – God saved our forefathers through thousands of years, even in the middle of a flood, war, and natural calamities, and brought us into this World. God’s sovereign plan in Christ Jesus for you and me was well planned by God before the foundations of the earth (Ephesians 1).
Dressed: Zechariah 3: 1-10 and Ephesians 6 talk about the garment. It is referred to as the Salvation in Christ Jesus and the full armor of God. With these, we will be secured and saved by God from satanic attacks. Submit to God and resist the devil in Jesus’ name.
For service: What is the ultimate service for us on this Earth? The answer is simple – sharing the love of Christ Jesus to the people who need salvation. Our life should have a solid foundation in the Word of God. We need to have one desire, one passion, one goal and that is, to proclaim Jesus’ name by our words and actions everywhere (Matthew 7: 24).
Keep your lamps burning: Plug your mind into the power of prayer and be filled with the Holy Spirit, which results in a continuous victorious walk in Christ in all the areas of your life. In which area do you need a continuous victory? Let us ask God like Jacob and He is ready to bless us with a victorious life. In addition, God called us to be a light in the darkness (Matthew 5). An oil lamp needs a continuous supply of oil and if it is an electric lamp it needs a continuous electric supply. Here we can compare oil and electricity with God’s anointment of the Holy Spirit.
At the end of this year, let us spend some time in prayer and re-evaluate our walk with Christ.
Thought: The Sovereignty of God
God is sovereign, He is in charge. When your life seems chaotic, rest in this truth and rest in His arms. God is in control; Jesus is the LORD, and the Holy Spirit is with you as Jesus Promised.
Stand firm in Christ
To make ready a group of people to meet our LORD Jesus Christ.
Multiply – Disciples making disciples – Pass it on
Dear all, May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word. II Thes 2: 16 – 17
Word: For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have the divine power to demolish strongholds. (2 Corinthians 10:3-4)For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 1 Thes 4:7 (NIV)
Thought: When God is supplying all our weapons for the spiritual battle, no challenge is too big to win. While we are walking through a rocky road – Remember Jesus also walked on the same road. So He can give strength to overcome evil with good. Knowing God in a personal way through Christ Jesus and also his eternal purpose for us will help us to be victorious through difficult times.
Dear all, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13
Word: “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” Luke 10: 41 – 42.
Thought:
To live a practical and victorious Christian life we must keep our eyes on our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ without any distractions. Distractions diminish our devotion to Jesus. In contrast, our devotion to Jesus diminishes our distractions.
Dear all, May mercy and peace and love be multiplied to you [filling your heart with the spiritual well-being and serenity experienced by those who walk closely with God]. Jude 1: 2 (Amplified Bible)
Word:
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. Col 4: 5 – 6.
You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Mat 5:13
Thought:
God chooses people in many different ways. For example, He may choose a person either before the foundation of the earth or in his/her mother’s womb, or in the furnace of pain. Jesus said we are the light and salt to this earth. Look around, the entire world is filled with sin and it is like the times of Noah/Lot. We are the people responsible to share His love to our circle of nonbelievers. If not we, then who will?
Stand firm in Christ
To make ready a group of people to meet our Lord Jesus Christ.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. Ephesians1: 3
Word of God: As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it. Isaiah 55: 10 – 11 For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. Heb 4: 12 -13 Thought:
God is in the business through His people to accomplish seemingly impossible tasks. God often shapes people with personality characteristics, experiences, and training that prepare them for his purpose, and usually, the people have no idea what God has in store for them. Remembrance of the Word of God equips us to make the right choice, those choices have eternal consequences or benefits. Getting the big picture is a reminder, about how important this life is and eternity, is a result of our choices in it.
Dear all, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13 Word: I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect. Romans 12: 1-2 (ESV)Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 (ESV) Thought: Worship should be practiced consistently and it brings the presence of God. Submitting ourselves to the LORD is the key to proper worship. We are in the World, but we shouldn’t do as the world does! How is our day-to-day life? Are we practicing the presence of God and making wise decisions at every step? To live an effective and moral Christian life, we must keep our eyes on Christ Jesus. Run in such a way to get the prize and run with the purpose in every step. The essential disciplines of prayer, the Word of God through reading the Bible, worship, and living as a witness equip us to run with focus and with full strength.
Train your mind consistently in a Christ-Jesus-centered way – Spiritual progress depends upon it.
May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.
Word: For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6: 6
Thought:The way we treat others, act kindly towards others, and forgive those who have hurt us proves that we are growing in spiritual maturity. When our worship is sincere, it will always be manifested in our compassion for others. Memory verse: Ephesians 4: 27 – Do not give the devil a foothold!
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15: 13
Word: Gen 1: 27 says “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
Thought: What is God’s purpose on Earth?
We are God’s image bearers. We are the aroma of Christ Jesus wherever he leads us. When we hold God’s hand we might leave it, but if He holds our hand He will not leave. This is the successful history of our forefathers those who walked humbly with Him on this Earth.
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