Know Him By Name

Jehovah – Names of God

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Hope I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

We are a privileged people who serve a ‘Wonderful’ God! And we serve a PERSONAL God. We are not people who are vague in our minds as to who God is, because God has revealed Himself to us-each one of His children. We can KNOW Him; we can know Him by the testimony of God Himself; by names that He has declared as His character. He is a God whom we can relate to in our lives.

He is not a God who is distant and unapproachable; He is a God who is near and a God who cares for our needs. He has revealed Himself to His children in their distressing situations and changed it around just like that! In our day-to-day circumstances and in every trouble that we face, we can know Him by His name!

We have seen a few names of God last Sunday, when meditating on Psalm 103.

• Jehovah Rophe – God, our Healer

Exodus 15:26

And {God} said, “If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians; for I am the LORD who heals you.”

In the New Testament, we read in Matthew 10:1

And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits; to cast them out and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

This year we too would have experienced His healing in our own lives. As the Psalmist says, “He heals all our diseases”. Therefore, we can know Him as God, our Healer.

• Jehovah Jireh – God, our Provider

Genesis 22:14

And Abraham called the name of the place, The-LORD-Will-Provide; as it is said to this day, “In the mount of the LORD, it shall be provided”.

Philippians 4:19

And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.

He is a God who is concerned about us; about our well-being. He provides for us just at the right time and gives us just what we needed, according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. He meets us at the point of our need! For He is God-our-Provider.

• Jehovah Tsidkenu – God our Righteousness

Jeremiah 22:5, 6

Behold, the days are coming,” says the LORD, “that I will raise to David a Branch of Righteousness; A King shall reign and prosper, and execute judgment and righteousness in the earth. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell safely; now this is His name by which He will be called: THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS.”

1 Corinthians 1:30

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-and righteousness and sanctification and redemption

God made man and called Him to fellowship; but man fell away. God gave Law for man to keep and be righteous before Him; but man could not keep it. Therefore God who loved us, made a way for righteousness to be imputed to man-gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ.

Now this is the righteousness that we have before God in Christ-the righteousness of Jesus Himself; not our own righteousness, which are like filthy rags! But we have a righteousness that is by faith, and not by works or law! We need to come to Christ for our righteousness. There is simply no other way, to stand before God, clean.

• Jehovah M’kaddesh – God, who Sanctifies

Leviticus 20: 7, 8 “Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep my statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you.”

1 Thessalonians 5: 23, 24 Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

God is holy; and He calls us into holiness. He is the one who makes us holy. He sanctifies us through and through; our spirit, soul and body. In case you have doubt about your own sanctification in Christ Jesus, Paul continues in v24:

He who calls you is faithful, who also will do it.

This is our blessed assurance-our complete sanctification in Christ Jesus is preserved till the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. We need not fear, because now there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus (Rom. 8:1). Despite our present failures and future uncertainty, we know we can be blameless till His coming, for He is God-our Sanctifier.

• Jehovah Nissi – God our Banner

Exodus 17:15

And Moses built an altar and called its name The-LORD-Is-My-Banner;

Remember the situation there? Joshua was fighting a battle with His army; but Moses went up to a mountain to pray and intercede. The people of Israel saw a strange thing that day- whenever Moses’ hands were lifted up, they were winning the battle; and when his hands went down in weariness, they were losing the battle. Then two men went up and supported the hands of Moses so that it may remain lifted high and Israel wrought a great victory!

Our battles are won in the heavenly realm, as we lift our hands in prayer! For our God is Jehovah Nissi-the LORD our Banner. It is just a matter of time to see the victory in the physical realm. The secret to success is in seeking the Lord!

Romans 8:37

Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.

Through Him, who loved us, we are MORE than conquerors. Our victory is overwhelmingly in our favor because He is the LORD our Banner.

John, a mighty apostle-the only living apostle at that time, was subjected to many tortures; and many people tried even to kill him. History says that he was put in a cauldron of boiling oil; yet he came out alive. People not finding a way to put him to death, banished him to an island of Patmos, where he had the Revelation of Jesus Christ- a Book we have even today in the Bible. And John also wrote to believers, while he was old (nearly 95y) saying:

You are of God, little children and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4).

We can know this in our own lives even as little children-that we have been called to be Over-comers. This is the reason: He who is in the inside of us-Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, is greater than whoever is in the world. Come to Christ! In Him, we have victory, for He is God our Banner.

• Jehovah Shalom – God our Peace

Judges 6:23, 24

Then the LORD said to him, “Peace be with you; do not fear, you shall not die.” So Gideon built an altar to the LORD, and called it The-LORD-Is-Peace.

Gideon, a fearful and timid man, called out to be a leader, has an encounter with God Himself, and thought he was going to die. But God said, “Peace be with you”. Remember Jesus’ words in John 14:27? “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”

Jesus has bequeathed us His peace- a peace that passes human understanding. The world cannot give this peace; and the world cannot understand it. In every circumstance of life, God’s peace can rule our hearts; only do not let your heart be troubled, and do not fear!

2 Thessalonians 3:16

Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all.

God’s peace is our portion always and in every way! Allow God to speak peace to your stormy circumstances. Allow him to take control. We will not be consumed because of His great mercies. We will come through waters and through the fire without any harm. Do not be afraid!

The Jews, even today, have the habit of greeting one another with this word: Shalom. If you call a Jew over the phone, you can hear him greet “Shalom!” which means peace. They have understood that it is the most important thing in anybody’s life. You and I can have this peace, by receiving the gift and inheritance that is left to us by Jesus Himself; For He is our God of peace, who gives us peace.

• Jehovah Rohi – God our Shepherd

Psalm 23:1

The LORD is my Shepherd. I shall not want.

Psalm 23 is a source of inspiration to millions of people even today. Because we can know God personally according to the promise found here-God My Shepherd.

David himself was a shepherd boy, tending to the sheep of his father; guiding, guarding and providing to the needs of those sheep left in his care. He knew them all and if any one is lost, he would go and search out and bring back the lost one. One day, God gave David a revelation of Himself. Suddenly, David understood that God is Shepherd and we are the sheep of His hand.

It is the Shepherd’s (and not the sheep’s) responsibility to find green pastures; and to find still waters-for the sheep can’t drink from flowing waters! It is the Shepherd’s responsibility to guard the sheep. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. For You are with me. Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. My cup runs over! Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

You can know the Shepherd of this Psalm-personally. You can hear His voice and be His sheep. Come into the fold of One Shepherd and Overseer of your soul-Jesus Christ. For He says in John 10:11, 14

“I am the Good Shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep.”

“I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.”

God knows us; He knows us by name; He calls us by name. He will give you direction and guidance, for it is His responsibility. You can rest in His protection and be secure. You can depend on His provision and not be afraid of the future-for only goodness and mercy will follow all the days of your life. We can follow Him hearing His voice (John 10:3, 4) for He is our God, who is our Shepherd.

• Jehovah Shammah – God Is There
• Immanuel (God With Us)

Ezekiel 48:35

“… and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE.”

This is the last verse in the book of Ezekiel. God gave this prophet the measurements of a city whose name would be “Jehovah Shammah”. How wonderful to know that the LORD Himself will be there with us. Jesus too promised the same in the last verse of the book of Matthew: “…and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.

God- With- Us; a privilege only we as followers of Christ can understand. When Jesus was born, they also called Him “Immanuel” meaning God-With- Us.

If you are alone and forsaken by all, yet you need not be lonely. For God is with you as Immanuel. Friends will fail you and relatives will let you down; but you can count on your God Immanuel who will be there till the end. Because He knows the end from the beginning, you can trust Him. If He is there with you, you can face the storm that may rock your boat; you can walk on the water and it will not drown you! If you know He is there, know also that God is in complete control.

The Psalmist writes: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. (Psalm 46: 11) Jacob, a schemer and someone who was weak and fearful-but He wrestled with God and found his stronghold (refuge). Despite our failures and weakness, we can come to Him-the God of Jacob and the LORD of hosts.

I pray today, that whatever be your circumstance, you will find Him to be the answer. For He is Jehovah Jireh- God our Provider; Jehovah Rophe- God our Healer; Jehovah Tsidkenu- God our Righteousness; Jehovah M’kaddesh- God our Sanctifier; Jehovah Nissi- God our Banner; Jehovah Shalom-God our peace; Jehovah Rohi- God our Shepherd; and Jehovah Shammah- God with us. Find Him. Amen.

Forget Not All HIS Benefits

(Message: Pastor Philip Joseph. Hope I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

The end of the year is a good time to pause, reflect, consider and take stock of the happenings in our lives throughout the year and see what the Lord has done. As the hymn-writer exclaims:

Count your blessings name them one-by-one;

Count your blessings, see what God has done.

Count your blessing; name them one-by-one

And it will surprise you, what the Lord has done!

As we near the end of another year (2010), I am reminded of a Psalm that says:

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits:

When we remember God’s goodness toward us, our hearts are filled with gratitude and praise. The Psalmist is reminding himself to-‘Bless the Lord’ {‘Praise the Lord’ | ‘Thank the Lord’}-for all of His benefits. He then goes on to list and describe five benefits that we have received from the Lord. Today, I want to share with you from this Psalm and the five benefits each one of us have received from the Lord.

1. He Forgives All Your Iniquities (Psalm 103: 3)

The Psalmist continues: He has not dealt with us according to our sins, nor punished us according to our iniquities. (Psalm 103: 10). As far as the east is from the west, so far has he removed our transgressions from us (Psalm 103:12).

It was our sins that had separated us from God, the Father. And He made a way for reconciliation- by separating our transgressions from us. If you stand up in the east, you cannot see the west-that’s how far God has removed our sins!

God is faithful. He forgives ALL our iniquities; even the ‘big’ sins along with ‘small’ sins. Proverbs 28:13 says: He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. 1 John 1:9 says: If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

We have a choice: to either conceal sins or to confess sins, before Him who judges righteously. When we confess our sins to Him, we can be sure of forgiveness and His cleansing-because the price has been paid by Jesus Christ, God’s only begotten Son. God is faithful to forgive; and just to justify us in Christ! Afterward, we do not depend on our feelings of guilt or shame, but walk in the newness of light. And if we walk in the light, as He is in the light…the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin. (1 John 1: 7).

God has made a way! The work-in of our salvation is finished and complete in Jesus Christ. Therefore our message is simple-there is no way you can ‘earn’ forgiveness from God; but you can certainly receive this free gift in Jesus. No amount of penance, pilgrimage and good works can earn you the salvation; it is simply received (a free gift) in believing in Jesus’ name and the cleansing in His blood!

2. He Heals ALL Your Diseases (Psalm 103: 3)

Matt. 10: 1: And when He had called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease.

He is our God who heals! Many of you would know this personally in your experiences this year. There is no sickness, no disease beyond God’s control. The disciples had power to heal all kinds of disease. Even if the doctor says, “No”, we still trust God and His word- His promise that He heals ALL our diseases. For all the promises of God in Him are Yes, and in Him Amen, to the glory of God through us. (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Amen. It shall be so. We can look up in faith, and reach out to Him-even today! For Jesus Christ is the same, yesterday, today and forever.

3. He Redeems Your Life from the Pit (Psalm 103: 4)

He is our God who delivers us! He redeems our life from destruction! God is mindful of man made out of dust! As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. (Psalm 103: 15, 16)

Fragile, transient, feeble and temporary-are some words that can describe this life here on earth! In essence, very short – maybe about 0.0000000001%, when compared to eternal life! Even in this short life, there are plenty of people wearied and bogged down with fear and dread. It need not be so!

Because life is meaningless only without God; but with Him, there is a whole new perspective as you see God’s point of view; there is purpose and meaning as you co-operate with God Himself.

Solomon learnt it the hard way that life is meaningless without God! That is why he started his writings in the book ‘Ecclesiastes’ that “All is vanity and grasping for the wind”. Solomon thought that wisdom will give meaning to his life; he set right many proverbs; his wisdom was such that people came from far to hear him-but he found vanity instead. He thought maybe riches will give him meaning; all his subjects were arrayed in fine apparels and his table was always full-but he found vanity. He thought that works will earn meaning-he built palaces and gardens with splendor-yet he found vanity. He thought worldly pleasures will give him meaning-and he indulged himself to satisfy his body with pleasure-but again he found vanity. Everything was futile, empty or just gas! Nothing gave him fulfillment. In bitterness, he concludes, “Fear God and keep His commandments. For this is man’s all.”

Get in touch with God! Otherwise life will not make sense. Peter knew this. He says in 1 Peter 1:18 “knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ…”

Frail children of dust, and feeble as frail;

In Thee do we trust, nor find Thee to fail;

Thy mercies how tender, how firm to the end,

Our Maker, Defender, Redeemer and Friend!

- (Hymn words by Robert Grant)

4. He crowns you with loving-kindness and tender mercies (Psalm 103: 4)

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy (Psalm 103:8). For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is His mercy toward those who fear Him; (Psalm 103: 11). We are covered in His mercy and that is why we are not consumed. The mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him… (Psalm 103: 17).

Merciful God-that’s who He is-abounding in mercy. Do you want to know how abundant? His mercy is as high as the heavens (v11)-unending in space; and is from everlasting to everlasting (v17)-unending in time.

As a father pities his children, so the LORD pities those who fear Him (Psalm 103: 13). The Lord is compassionate. He is our Father. Do you remember the parable of The Prodigal Son? Jesus recounted that the father was waiting eagerly for son’s return; and although the son had gone astray, went running to him, embraced him and gave him a new garment, a ring and prepared a feast!

As long as we have breath, and as long as the Lord tarries, we have hope of God’s mercy and compassion. Do not think you will receive it tomorrow; for now is the acceptable time and today is the day of salvation.

5. He satisfies your mouth with good things, so that your youth is renewed like the eagles (Psalm 103: 5)

God is good. And He gives good things to His children. He is God-Who-Provides. When Abraham went to offer up Isaac, God provided him with a ram for the offering. In the mount of the Lord, it will be provided.

God is able to meet all our needs. Paul writes to the Philippians: And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:19). He has provided for you and me, throughout this year; he has blessed the bread and water and we did not lack any good thing. ALL our need have been met, not according to our riches, but according to His riches.

When we consider these benefits, our hearts swell with gratitude; we come and bless the Lord. Every need of ours is answered in Christ Jesus, our Lord; for surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all (Isaiah 53).

God has revealed Himself by His name and given us these, His benefits.

• He is Jehovah M’keddesh – God, who sanctifies (Ex. 31: 13); who forgives all our iniquities, cleanses and justifies us by the blood of Jesus Christ.
• He is Jehovah Rophe – God, our Healer (Ex. 15:26); who heals all our diseases
• He is Jehovah Nissi – God, our Banner (Ex. 17:15); who redeems our life from destruction
• He is Jehovah Jireh – God, our Provider (Gen. 22:14); who satisfies our mouth with good things

Would you call on the name of the LORD? The Psalmist was left wondering about how to respond to all these of God’s benefits. And he finds the answer too! He writes in Psalm 116: 12, 13:

What shall I render to the LORD for all His benefits toward me? I will take up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

Whether you have already received these benefits or would like to receive them into your life, you can do one thing: Call upon the name of the LORD.

Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits. Amen.

Beauty For Ashes

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Hope I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

Isaiah 61:3

To console those who mourn in Zion, to give them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they may be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that He may be glorified.

Recently, there concluded the women of honor ‘Beauty for Ashes’ conference, where men and women of God shared the word and their experiences, which is a blessing to me and I believe to all those who attended. So for today, I thought to share with you, thoughts from this conference, that we may all share in the blessing from hearing the word of God; that you may know the purposes of God in your life to give ‘Beauty for Ashes’

Imagine something that is completely burnt by fire, no recognition of the former shape or substance, all hope completely lost of any restoration; if your life is like that at any point of time-hopeless, the good news is that there is hope in our God, who makes all things beautiful in its time-beauty for ashes! He knows us as we are. So you can leave all pretenses of self-will, strong-mind; come as you are and ask Him to fill your life with beauty!

Crisis, Choices and Conquest

Remember Ruth? She was a Moabite woman completely devastated with the death of her husband. You know that in those times, it was the man who was the bread-winner for the family. Ruth had her mother-in-law for company, who herself was a widow! They had nowhere to go; all hope seemed lost! This was a crisis…

But when Naomi, her mother-in-law decided to go back to her own country, Ruth made a choice that would change the course of her life! She said to Naomi “Your people shall be my people and your God, my God!” (Ruth 1:16). Moab to Israel was a long journey-there were no fast modes of transport as we know it now; she was going to a strange land; and a ‘strange’ people-a different culture; even her sister-in-law, Orpah, turned back to her own people in Moab; but Ruth was determined to cling to Naomi.

We never hear about her sister-in-law after that in the Bible. But do you know the history of Ruth? Ruth married Boaz and came into the lineage of Jesus Christ! She was the great grand-mother to King David. What a choice and what conquest for Ruth!

Barrenness to Fruitfulness

Heard of Hannah? She had many good things in her life, but lacked the one thing she desired and longed for-children; for she was barren! Remember that in those days, barrenness was considered as a shameful thing-a curse! But one day, she came to the temple and poured out her heart to God. The priest, Eli thought she was drunk! But Hannah answered and said, “No, my lord, I am a woman of sorrowful spirit. I have drunk neither wine nor intoxicating drink, but have poured out my soul before the LORD.” (1 Samuel 1:15). And God heard her prayer! She soon had a son-Prophet Samuel, who would judge Israel for many years. She had other children, and her life turned around from barrenness to fruitfulness. What a wonderful exchange!

If you are in spiritual barrenness, you can come before the Lord of heaven and earth, and pour out your soul before him, for all that you long for! He will hear your prayer and answer you speedily, and cause you to be fruitful. He is our God-who gives Beauty for Ashes.

Response to Troubles

There was a speaker at the conference, who was diagnosed with cancer. In this time of trial, and as she read God’s word day-by-day, she decided on three things to do:

• Agree with God’s word
• Declare God’s word
• Wait on God’s word

It proved to be an unbeatable combination-God said it, I believe it and that settles it! For soon she was made well! In times of trouble, God’s 'Rhema' word is all that we have, and it is all that we need! Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful. (Heb. 10: 23). Jesus has promised us victory in every tribulation; therefore we need not lose heart. “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” We agree; we confess and we will wait!

Forgiveness

In Matthew 18, Jesus told a parable to His disciples about the unforgiving servant. The servant owed His master much; yet his master forgave him his debts. But the same servant had trouble in forgiving his debtor, who owed him little; but caught hold of him and put him in prison. When the servant’s master heard of these deeds, he was angry and delivered him to the torturers! At the end of the parable, Jesus concluded with this warning: “So My heavenly Father also will do to you if each of you, from his heart, does not forgive his brother his trespasses.” (Matt. 18:35)

You see, forgiveness is important. It is SO important, that Jesus taught us to pray forgiveness in the Lord’s prayer: “And forgive us our sins, for we also forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” (Luke 11:4). Jesus concluded again with the same warning: “For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”

Forgiveness matters! Forgiveness is essential to receive forgiveness. Therefore,

• Do not nurse hurts
• Do not rehearse hurts
• But, reverse hurts

Paul writes to Ephesians: Let all bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, and evil speaking be put away from you, with all malice. And be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God in Christ forgave you. (Eph. 4: 31, 32). Remember, how MUCH God has forgiven you; so we too can forgive one another. Don’t let the sun go down in your anger. Freely you have received; freely forgive!

Godly Parenting

Parents have this at the back of their minds: what should I do to disciple my child? When should I discipline? And how should I discipline? Is what I do sufficient to bring up my child in Godly ways? How far is too far?

Proverbs 22:6 says: Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.

The couple who shared about Godly parenting, shared from their own life experiences of bringing up children. They listed out 10 KEYS to Godly parenting:

1. Discipline must match the offense: Do not be too harsh, or too soft. Children must understand that they reap just what they sow. Not anything more, not anything less!
2. Never discipline out of anger: This is for all stressed out parents, who spend too little time managing the kids-and the children should not suffer for the state of our minds!
3. Be consistent: You cannot ignore a child’s wrong-doing one time, and suddenly start punishing the next time. Be consistent-in principles and in practice.
4. Discern whether to spank or take away privileges: The Bible clearly warns us that he who spares his rod hates his son, but he who loves him disciplines him promptly. (Prov. 13:24). Therefore, we require discernment in this matter!
5. Make them realize that bad behavior leads to painful consequences: What a man sows, the same he shall reap. Children must be made to realize this truth, as early as possible!
6. Never use public humiliation: Do not mete out punishments in public. Children need correction, not humiliation.
7. Focus on the moment: Even while wrong, children would like to be heard. Therefore, whenever kids speak to us, focus on what they are saying. See their point of view and justification if any, before proceeding to discipline.
8. Reset the boundaries as they grow: Parenting is not ‘one size fits all’ kind of discipline! Children grow up-and grown up children have different set of privileges. Be sensitive to their growth and potential, and reset the boundaries of freedom and independence to the children as they grow up.
9. Love should be the foundation of all discipline: This is the way the Father deals with us: “My son, do not despise the chastening of the LORD, nor be discouraged when you are rebuked by Him; for whom the LORD loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives.” (Heb. 12: 5, 6).
10. Discipline, not punish: Children must be made to understand, that their good behavior is the intent, and discipline is in order.

In the conference, we also heard about Sarah-who followed her husband into the journey of faith; not questioning, not disputing, but calling Abraham ‘Lord’!

And Nehemiah, who lifted the spirits of the complacent Jews and encourage them to build the walls of Jerusalem-all in just 52 days!

We must learn to walk away from the ‘surviving mentality’ to come to the ‘subduing mentality’. Faith to rebuild and path to restoration is found when we know the promises of God, to Adam and in Christ to us! Fill the earth and subdue it! We have one life to fulfill God’s purpose! Each one of us are here for a purpose. It is God’s will for you and I to stand up and be counted! And when you are involved in God’s work, do not be surprised if there is opposition-in fact, you ought to be surprised if there is NO opposition! Remember the opposition faced by Nehemiah when they started to build the walls! There may be a storm all around you, and all about you-when you are in the centre of God’s will! But know that He who is in us, is greater than he that is in the world.

Therefore, in a crisis, there will be no questions for us; only choices and trust. God will open up a door that no man can shut, and God will shut so that no man can open. Life’s easy in Jesus; He is my answer! He has given me beauty for ashes, and oil of joy for my mourning. Therefore will I praise Him; and walk the narrow way! God bless you. Amen.

God Our Help

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph. Hope I haven’t missed much. Happy reading!)

Isaiah 41:10

Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.

God’s promise to His people is the same today. We have His assurance of strength, help and protection. The people of Israel, in those days, were a privileged people, having this hope and assurance. Yet, at times, they felt weak, inadequate, insecure and insignificant – almost like a worm. God assures them again in Is. 41:13, 14; “For I, the LORD you God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, Fear not, I will help you. Fear not, you worm Jacob, you men of Israel! I will help you,” says the LORD and your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel.

Today, you and I are God’s special people; let me ask you, how are you feeling today? If you are feeling weak and helpless, I want to remind you of God’s assurance in these verses above. God is concerned about you-you are always in His visibility radar! He is ready to help you, uphold you and strengthen you. Do not be afraid.

A year is at end. You may have started this year 2010 with hope and expectation of good things from the Lord. Is there a unfulfilled need in your life now? Is there any lack in your life today? I tell you, that time is in His hands, and before this year ends, He is able to give you the help needed. As the author of Hebrews says in Hebrews 13:6 – So we may boldly say: “The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” The context of this verse is in the case of material lack… You can boldly, confidently say, ‘The Lord WILL help. I need not fear!’

There are different kinds of people in this world when we rate confidence; there are those who are self-confident-they who trust their own abilities, skill and acumen; then there those who are cowardly-who have no confidence in themselves or in others; but there is a third category of people who are God-confident – they do not trust in their own abilities, but trust in God who gave them those abilities; surely you will understand that we are called to be in this third category of people-people who are God-confident!

Do you know Him enough to trust Him? The author in Hebrews quoted from one of the Psalms. If you look at Psalm 118: 8, 9, it continues: It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the LORD than to put confidence in princes.

Who do you look for in moment of need-people and friends, relatives or neighbors; or maybe some influential people (princes) you may know? They will all fail-sooner than later. There is someone better to put your confidence-the LORD Himself! Trust Him to do the needful in your life, at the right moment. Man may fail, but God never fails! Influential people will let you down, but God will never let you down! Some trust in chariots, and some in horses; But we will remember the name of the LORD our God. (Psalm 20: 7). Remember Him? Remember to trust Him.

Hope in God

The Psalmist had the habit of talking to His own soul. Maybe your distress is unseen and unimaginable to others. Talk to yourself. “Why are you cast down, O my soul? And why are you disquieted within me? Hope in God, for I shall yet praise Him for the help of His countenance.” (Psalm 42:5). Hope in God and look forward to the praise… look ahead to the shout of joy in the morning!

Hope in God! Jesus promised ‘Lo, I am with you always’. His presence is with us. Yes, earlier there was a time when we lived as unbelievers-without hope; but now we have come to the fold of believers and under One Shepherd-Jesus the Lord. If He is with us, do we need someone (or something) else?

‘My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesus blood and righteousness;

 I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name!’

If we read Exodus 33, Moses was given the option of being led by a mighty Angel to the Promised Land. God told Moses that He Himself will not go with him. But Moses was not satisfied; he pleads with God “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here…” (v15). God’s promise to Moses and to us remains the same: “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” (v14).

Our God is the LORD of Lords; and God among ‘gods’; the One Living God – able to hear us when we speak; and able to answer us. We do not serve deaf and dumb idols-that can neither hear nor speak. When God has promised His Presence, you can be sure it will suffice all your perceived and unperceived needs!

We are not without help-we have God’s help. Jesus in John 14 promised a Helper-the Holy Spirit saying “I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” (John 14:18). The Helper- the Holy Spirit will teach us all things (John 14:26). Like in the court of law, even if you know the language of the proceedings, you will need someone to help you in choosing, using and understanding legal terms; In a similar manner, we need the Holy Spirit’s help in our need. And God-the Holy Spirit will help us.

Recognize Your Need

We have a small part to play in having God’s help. Firstly, we must recognize we need help! In the best-ever-sermon-ever-preached, Jesus started with “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt. 5:3). Now, coming away from routine needs of the body and soul, let us come to the important need-spiritual need. Have you recognized that you are ‘poor’ in spirit? If you know you are poor, you are blessed-because yours is the kingdom of heaven! There is nothing to boast in our spirit-it is really poor / destitute and ‘below-the-poverty-line’-always in need of His Spirit. If you recognize this, you are on your way to blessedness!

Come to Him

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

Whatever is your need, go to the right place-to the throne of grace. ‘Don’t run to the phone, run to the throne’! Do not think of who to call, where to run; first think of the heavenly throne. God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in times of trouble. He is there-ever present; available always and just a call away! If you do not know what to pray, He is there again. Our God the Holy Spirit-our Helper in times of prayer need, to help us pray! Rom. 8:26 says, Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

In some difficult situations, what do we pray for? Take away this situation or give me grace to go through this-we really do not know what to pray. But we can learn from Jesus: Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from this hour? But for this purpose I came to this hour. “Father, glorify Your name.” (John 12: 27, 28). Father glorify Your name!

Wait for strength

When we run to Him, and pray, we must also learn to wait in His presence! This, I feel, is one of the difficult tasks for many of us in this century. We want immediate results! But those who wait on the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31)

You see, in waiting there is a wonderful exchange-new for old, strength for weakness, cheerfulness for weariness. We must wait for that to happen in us, just as the eagle waits and grows new feathers… One word from God-will heal us, will strengthen us, cleanse us, make us know the truth, and will empower us! As the seed of God’s word grows up with strength, we mount up and fly and are never weary, nor tired.

You are not alone-no, never alone. God cares for you and for me…do you care that God cares? Because if you do, you can come to Him, and wait on Him! He will give grace; He will give strength and will navigate you through the difficult paths till you find rest and you will never be the same again. Amen.

Build God’s house

(Message by Pastor Joseph, Founder NLMI)

It’s a privilege to be in God’s house, once more! During the time of singing, there was a picture representation of the whole world covered by two hands. Many years back, we used to sing a song that goes “He’s got the whole world in His hands; He’s got the whole wide world in His hands…” The question arises, “Now where are God’s hands that hold the entire world?” Beloved, you and I are God’s hands in this world… if you read john 17, we read and know that God in Jesus, has picked us out of the world, gave us His word of truth, sanctified us, made us one with Him in the spirit and put us here on earth for a purpose. And that purpose is to hold the world in His hands… not to go after roti, kapda and makhaan (food, clothing and shelter); providing us the basic necessities is His responsibility; proving His love to the world speaking that God indeed sent Jesus is our responsibility.

I know when I speak of 53 years of service in the Lord – it is small compared to eternity; what we speak in Jesus’ name is of eternal consequence. Peter declares, that there is no other name given among men, but the name of Jesus, by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12). Jesus said… “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14: 6). Yes, nobody else-but Jesus, and nothing-but the finished work of Jesus on the cross, can take you to God, the Father – no religion, no denomination, no culture, no ritual can take you there!

There is a world out there waiting to hear this good news from you-in Vashi and in Navi Mumbai. As long as you keep this good news to yourself, no one else will be benefited. Our responsibility is to share the good news of salvation in Jesus’ name; but the work of conviction, correction and conversion belongs to the Holy Spirit. Therefore, let your light shine; let your salt be with taste-for you are the visible (light) and invisible (salt) influences on this earth! As someone said, ‘The tragedy of life is not death in itself; but, rather what we let die inside of us while still alive’.

God Will Build Your House

Today, I would like to tell you this: If you build God’s house, God will build your house. If you leave houses for the sake of Jesus or the gospel, you will receive a hundred-fold in this age, and in the age to come-eternal life (Mark 10:29). This I can testify from my own life, that I have houses open for me in many places; because of the gospel that I carry.

If I ask you, “Are you born-again?” many of you will respond “Yes”; but if I ask, why are you still here on earth? Many do not have an answer! But my beloved brothers, the important question is: “Born again…yes; Now what?” Are you satisfied with God’s love, joy, peace for yourself alone? You see, after you are born again-born of God, you must seek after God and His kingdom of righteousness, peace and joy! If we live the right way, there is righteousness; we have peace and joy bubbles out from inside of us. This is the witness we share when we say ‘Jesus loves you’. A fanatic for Jesus (as the YWAM founder put it) – that’s who we are when we love Jesus more than any thing! This is what happens to me as I hand out salvation tracts in traffic signals, and keep a stock of New Testament in different languages to give away.

As you mature, grow in the knowledge of Him who loved us, God answers our prayers in ways we could never have imagined… Galatians 4:1 says this: Now I say that the heir, as long as he is a child, does not differ at all from a slave, though he is master of all… Maturity and growth is essential in the Christian life, else you would be no better than a slave! But when we grow, all things will be ours; and we are Christ’s and Christ is of God.

Psalm 127:1, 2 read: Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is vain for you to rise up early, to sit up late, to eat the bread of sorrows; for so He gives His beloved sleep.

God makes us rich and adds no sorrow with it. There is a version which says ‘God gives even while you sleep’ (v2). This verse hit me one night as we were winding up a gospel meeting, where we had shared a burden of having a bus for the ministry-for social work. I had it all in my mind how the bus would look like-white color with a blue border (somewhat as Mother Teresa). After the final meeting, I was due to leave the next morning out of that country to another place. Nobody came forward with any kind of offer for the bus I had imagined. A young couple (with four children) met me after the meeting, talked with me and left. That night, I went to bed a little early skipping dinner, when God spoke to me this verse. I told Him, “How can it be? I’m leaving tomorrow early in the morning.” But around 10:30 pm there was a telephone call from that young couple, who said that they had gone home and talked over it and God had impressed an amount for them to give. I told them, I was about to leave the next day, and whether it will be possible for them to meet me before 7:30 a.m. They said they would, and as I slept the whole night, God worked through them and they came and met me at 7:00 a.m, and handed over the amount sufficient to buy the bus! I know I can trust Him.

God tests us and our faith is tested. But do you know you can test God? Would you trust him at any cost? ‘Count the cost, pay the price and follow me’ is what God is telling you. In Malachi, God says “Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be food in My house, and try Me now in this,” says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it.” (Mal. 3:10)

Also, I will ask you to read the book of Haggai, in your homes. The children of Judah is returning from captivity-there is jubilation and a sense of expectation in the air. Zerubbabel, literally takes his harp down from the willow tree… there is singing and rejoicing. There is freedom, and they see the destroyed temple of God; will they build God’s house? Yes, but it was not an easy thing to advocate building God’s house! People seem to be giving these reasons then- that there are others to do the work and that they themselves have no time; and that they are busy with their own work and earnings.

Even now people give the same reasons, for not building God’s house: “But Pastor, I don’t have any time!” They think that preaching the gospel is for Pastors and evangelists alone. But Acts 1:8 says differently-that we will be witnesses in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria and utter most parts of the earth, because we will be endued with power from on high (Luke 24:49). Beloved, God is watching over your priorities… if you are too busy for God, you are too busy!

Consider Your Ways

Haggai 1:4 says: “Is it time for you yourselves to dwell in your paneled houses, and this temple to lie in ruins?” Now therefore, thus says the LORD of hosts: “Consider your ways!”

Haggai reminds the people of their priorities (Haggai 1:6) that were wrong. They had time to build and dwell in their paneled houses; but no time for building God’s house. The result was there for all to see: They had

1. Unproductive labor: You have sown much, and bring in little;
2. Unsatisfied livelihood: You eat, but do not have enough; you drink, but you are not filled with drink; you clothe yourselves, but no one is warm
3. Unpredictable losses: And he who earns wages, earns wages to put into a bag with holes.
4. Unprofitable lives (v10): the heavens above you withhold the dew, and the earth withholds its fruit.

“Consider your ways!”- this is what I would like to tell you, too. The results that you see in your life are not because of the quality of effort, and quantity of time that you put in your work or businesses-but it is because of your priorities! Who is to blame? It’s easy to blame others; it’s easier to blame the devil. But God says: “…and when you brought it home, I blew it away.” (v9) and in v11 “For I called for a drought on the land and the mountains, on the grain and the new wine and the oil, on whatever the ground brings forth, on men and livestock, and on all the labor of your hands.”

What God gives you may become your blessing or a curse, depending on your priorities. Do you have time for every plan of yours, but no time for God? Or maybe you say, now is not the time for God… maybe you are thinking about retirement life to serve Him in any capacity! And when the time comes, there is sufficient time to call the strong men to carry you in the box to the grave!

Go Up the Mountains, Bring Wood and Build the Temple

Do you want to know what the right priority is? Go up the mountains and bring wood and build the temple… (v8). Mt. Moriah, where Abraham went up with his only son, Isaac to sacrifice… Mt. Sinai, where the commandments were given to Moses… Mt. Calvary where Jesus died for you and me… Mt. Zion of the glorious praise… Which mountain are you going to climb today? And bring wood; wood mean the people from even uttermost parts of the earth. Bring them all together to God who will build them. That they may be built up and God will be glorified. (Haggai 1:8).

The people in Haggai’s time responded when the Lord stirred up the spirit of Zerubbabel-Two things happened: (i) they obeyed the voice of God and (ii) they feared the presence of the Lord. (Haggai 1:12).

Unfailing Presence:  People, who are far away from obedience, fear the presence of God. Not so with Isaiah, Joshua and Moses. God says to Isaiah, “Fear not, for I am with you”; to Joshua “Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” (Joshua 1:9); and to Moses “My presence will go with you” (Exodus 33:14) and the promise of Jesus “Rejoice! ... Do not be afraid…Lo, I am with you always” (Matt. 28: 10, 20). Therefore we can know the unfailing presence of the Lord. Remember, God has not promised money. But if the Lord be with us, do you want anything else?

Unlimited Power:  Haggai recounts that the people were moved into obeying God’s voice. As they came near in obedience, God promised “…My Spirit remains among you; do not fear!” (Haggai 2:5).

God’s Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is with us; Unlimited Power is among us as we spring to action in obedience.

Unfading Glory:  Haggai 2:7 read: and I will shake all nations, and they shall come to the Desire of All Nations, and I will fill this temple with glory, says the Lord of hosts.

Moses as he went up to the mountain to receive the commandments from God, returned with glory on his face; he covered his face with a veil as he came to the children of Israel. But the glory on his face faded with time. But God’s glory is forever unchanging! Unfading glory!

Unending wealth:  Do you know why God promised His presence; and not money? Haggai 2:8 read: The silver is Mine, and the gold is Mine, says the LORD of hosts.

Inexhaustible riches are our portion, as we do God’s work; and when God is with us. You see, today’s money is based on printed paper; but the Lord’s wealth is inexhaustible silver and gold. In all my 53 years of ministry, I can testify to God’s faithfulness – we never went without food. Renew your mind; His word is truth. Heaven and earth will pass away, but God’s word will remain.

Undisturbed peace:  The glory of this latter temple shall be greater than the former, says the LORD of hosts. And in this place I will give peace, says the LORD of hosts. (Haggai 2: 9)

A peace that passes understanding; this is our portion in obedience to build God’s house. The world croons about peace… and peace of mind {or soul}- of emotions, intellect and will. But God’s peace is in our spirit. A peace that no one can take away-Undisturbed peace!

What the book of Haggai talks about is the zeal to build God’s house. Haggai-the prophet, Joshua-the priest, and Zerubbabel-the king (governor of Judah); all the three people instrumental in building God’s temple, are found in One person – Jesus Christ, the Prophet, Priest and King. "And on this rock, I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." He is the builder of God’s house; the chief cornerstone.

And as you obey, God’s promise remains the same today; “…from this day I will bless you” (Haggai 2: 19). “I will take you…and will make you like a signet ring; for I have chosen you”

Consider that! God will take you; God will make you; God has chosen you. Jesus said “You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you” (John 15:16).

O Lord, enrich me and give Your word. I will not let you go unless You bless Me. Take me and make me and help me bear fruit-In Jesus’ name. Amen.

What is Your Prayer?

 (Message by Pastor Philip Joseph)

2 Thessalonians 1: 11

Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power.

The Apostles found new believers in the gospel of Jesus Christ as they traveled from one place to another, establishing and strengthening the brethren. But even as they went, they were caring enough and careful to ‘keep in touch’ with the people and events of their previous visits to a particular place.

Those were the days-2000 years before, without social networking, e-mails or even telephones that could establish instant communication; which meant that it required a great deal of pain and perseverance, as letters were being written and sent by hand and in person by messengers from either side-the Apostles or the church. These instances of letters to churches too, were few and far in-between. At other times, the apostles committed everything to the Lord in prayer. Yes, they simply prayed for the believers.

What does your prayer sound like? Do you go to God with a wish-list of things to have or to do? We can measure our prayers, by comparing the requests made by these apostles, during those difficult times. And if we match up our own prayers with what the apostles prayed for, we can come to really know the standard of our own prayers!

You see, your prayer tells a lot about you. Alone with God, what is that sincere prayer from your heart? What are the ‘real’ issues in your life-gripe, gossip, 'more' and 'if only' prayers? We may speak of so many nice things to others; we may even testify to God’s goodness once in a while; but what is your prayer, really?

The church at Thessaloniki was confused about the second coming of Jesus; many had quit their jobs and simply waited for Jesus to return. Paul hears about this and this is his prayer: God would count them worthy of His calling- a calling so high and holy; that God would fulfill every good purpose and every good act prompted by their faith (2 Thess. 1:11).

From the apostles’ prayers, we understand God’s will; we understand what are the main issues in life-to fulfill the high and holy calling; we learn that we ought to pray for other believers too and not just for our own selves! And that we ought to take steps of faith in good acts to fulfill God’s purpose. Is this your prayer, too?

2 Cor. 13: 7, 9

Now I pray to God that you do no evil, not that we should appear approved, but that you should do what is honourable, though we may seem disqualified.

For we are glad when we are weak and you are strong. And this also we pray, that you may be made complete.

The Corinthian church had the problem of apostasy; there were false teachers and false apostles misleading the believers and going to the extent of claiming that Paul was a false apostle and they themselves were telling the truth! Paul’s prayer reveals his heart condition- ‘do no wrong {evil}’. Paul’s prayer is that they will find discernment to recognize evil from good, and do what is honourable; that they may know ‘true’ from ‘false’. And that they may be made complete. Paul mentions this because they were to give to needy saints in Jerusalem. He encourages them to give; for it is by giving you are made complete. So now, what is your prayer?

Ephesians 1: 17

…making mention of your prayers: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power…

The church at Ephesus had the privilege of being ministered by Paul himself in the initial few years and were grounded in wisdom and understanding of God and His word. They showed a remarkably high standard of Christian living, which is reflected by the letters of Paul to Ephesians. The short book summarizes the Christian life of rest (sitting in the heavenlies), exercise (walk in love) and warfare (stand against the devil).

With this excellence in Christian walk, Paul’s prayer for the church assumes significance: they needed spiritual wisdom and revelation- of His calling, of His inheritance and of His power. Someone told me that they had read the Bible several times – more than 400 times. And some other told me that he knew a person who had memorized the entire New Testament. Praise God! But the question is: then what happened? You see, you could read the Bible religiously or as a routine-which, is a good practice from childhood. But what we need is a revelation of who God is and who God says He is-to grasp the unimaginable possibilities! And to have that revelation, you require a prayer and a heart God can work with! Then we SEE with our eyes, the enormous power of heaven backing us on our way. What is your prayer?

Philippians 1: 9, 10

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, being filled with fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ…

The church at Philippe were filled with emotionally bonded Christians; for they cared for Paul so much that they sent a person from among them-Epaphroditus, to seek out and see Paul-who was a prisoner in Rome, with a gift of love from the church, and to minister to Paul’s needs. A loving and a giving church, to say the least!

Paul’s prayer is that their love would increase even more! And that they would discern and distinguish between the ‘good’ and the ‘excellent’, and that they may choose sincerity over show-off, and patience without pretense! As a new believer, you may be trained to discern the good from the bad. But as we mature in Christ, we are called to discern between good, acceptable and the perfect will of God in every area of life. Romans 12: 2 says, “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

For example, in marriage, you can distinguish between the good will of God – which is to marry a believer in Christ (as marrying an unbeliever is against God’s will); the acceptable will of God – by waiting on the Lord in prayer and then make a decision; the perfect will of God – as you wait for God’s time and God’s answer for that single person in the whole world, who He has created just for you. In a similar manner, in the place where to live you can find the good will of God – any place that you like; the acceptable will of God – the place that God has placed you to be in; the perfect will of God – the place where God has asked you to go! What is your prayer?

Colossians 1: 9, 10

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossian church was founded by Epaphras and Paul never did have an opportunity to meet with this church in person. But he writes this letter hearing the problems faced by this church. He reiterates in Col. 4: 12 “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bond-servant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

The Colossian church had factions and divisions of people who were misguiding the believers. There were a few who advocated a life based on the (super-natural) visions that they had received; there were others who were into legalism with restrictions on what to eat and what not to eat, clean and unclean things. Another few, proposed a life of ascetic simplicity-treating the body harshly, of being aloof and alone to come closer to God. All this were rubbished by Paul. Paul’s prayer is that they will have spiritual understanding and stand perfect and complete in ALL the will of God. What is your prayer?

Let me close with a prayer of the Apostle John for Gaius. It is found in 3 John 1: 2

Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

Prosper in material things; be in good health; prosper in your soul {intellect, will and emotions}. This is a balanced prayer. Many a time, we are in communication with God with a lop-sided prayer – make me prosper in all things; give me good health (food); and then stop. We need to ask, seek and find that prosperity of the soul. We need to start making a balanced prayer. That is why Jesus taught us in prayer: “Give us this day our daily bread” but also “Hallowed be Your name, our Father; Your kingdom come and Your will be done”

So, what is your prayer today?

Pray that you will be found worthy of His calling; that you be complete in giving; that you have a spirit of revelation and understanding; that your love may increase more and more so that you may discern and choose excellence; that you may be filled with knowledge of God’s will; and that you may prosper and be in good health, just as your soul prospers. Amen.

Give Thanks

(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph; hoping I haven't missed much. Happy reading!)

Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His {mercy | love | loving-kindness} endures forever. – 1 Chronicles 16:34

In the Old Testament, David introduces this concept of thanking God for who He is; for His loving-kindness. It caught on the imaginations of a generation hungry for God’s revelation and it became a sort of catch-phrase; during

·         Worship: Solomon during the dedication of the temple of God that was built by him (2 Chr. 7:3 onwards) and the glory of the LORD filled the temple

·         Warfare: Jehoshaphat during his battle against Moabites and Ammonites (2 Chr. 20: 21, 22) and the LORD set ambushes when they began to sing.

It seems to me that till that time, it had never occurred to the people of Israel, or its leaders, to thank the LORD for His mercy and goodness. During the times of Moses and Joshua, worship was solemn and mostly silent, as the priests carried out the dutiful sacrifices.

But David found a revelation of God’s goodness and mercy and begins to thank the LORD with joyful music. People began to experience the presence of God as never before. Worship to God was never the same again! Musical instruments, dance and singing became part and parcel of worship, along with the catch-phrase “Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His loving-kindness is everlasting”.

In our lives too, we need a revelation of God’s goodness, love and mercy, to be filled with His presence. The phrase has three parts:

1. Give thanks to the LORD
2. He is good
3. His loving-kindness is everlasting

Give thanks to the LORD

When was the last time you thanked the Lord for his love? The Bible encourages us to ‘enter his gates with thanksgiving’ and ‘into his courts with praise’ (Psalm 100:4). And as we begin to thank the Lord, we enter in to His holy presence.

Cultivate the habit of thanking the Lord at all times, for everything. An author has compiled 1000 (yes, thousand!) reasons to thank the Lord (all from God’s word with references). Another has compiled 1400 (yes, fourteen hundred) reasons on why we must thank the Lord! As is obvious, if you look at the word, there is no dearth of reasons to thank the Lord. So what or where is the problem?

Psalm 50:23 “Whoever offers praise glorifies Me; and to him who orders his conduct aright I will show the salvation of God.”

If you are having problems thanking the Lord, check out if you have truly experienced His {salvation | redemption}. Begin to thank Him for what He has done and who He is to you, and God will show up with His deliverance; to set you free from every bondage, every reversal and every pain. This was the case with Jehoshaphat-in deep trouble, surrounded by enemies. He appoints a choir, to sing and praise the beauty of holiness of the LORD, while going into the battle (!). What happened? 2 Chr. 20: 22 says, “Now when they began to sing and to praise, the LORD set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated.”

God shows up in the midst of praise. God showed up when Paul and Silas, who were thrown into the dungeons of the prison-cell, began singing and praising the Lord. (Acts 16: 25-26). Imagine Paul and Silas, in deep discomfort-having received many stripes on their back and their feet locked up in stock! And they-instead of complaining, committed themselves to give thanks to the Lord, singing hymns.

We are called to continually offer the sacrifices of thanksgiving-the fruit of our lips (Heb. 13:15). In the Old Covenant, there were many sacrifices-of grain, sheep and oxen; but in the New Covenant-just praise offerings! Anytime and anywhere-continually, it is possible that we can offer sacrifices of thanksgiving-for what He has done, for what He is doing and also for what He will do for us. Yes! Thank Him in advance, seeing with eyes of faith: let your requests be made known, with thanksgiving (Phi. 4:6).

He is good

God is good. Even in our church, we are quick to respond to ‘God is good’ with ‘All the time’-this has become a catch-phrase for us; and why not? God is good. His glory is His goodness! Moses wished to see God’s glory. And the LORD said to Moses, “I will make all My goodness pass before you…” (Exo. 33:19). And the LORD passed before him and proclaimed, “The LORD, the LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abounding in goodness and truth…” (Exo. 34: 6).

Jesus has taught us this: that God alone is good. For so He responded to a man who called Him “Good Teacher!” Jesus says in Matthew 7:11: “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will you Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” Think about this verse… humanly speaking, we do desire the welfare of our children-as parents would; we do give them gifts-as loving parents would; all this in spite of being EVIL. Now HOW MUCH MORE, God who is PERFECTLY GOOD, will give good things if you ask Him!

God is good. And he does good to all who love His name. Romans 8:28 that we are familiar with says: And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. He did it in the life of Joseph-born in the house of promise, loved by his father (and loved by his Father who gave him dreams), but hated by his siblings, sold as a slave, framed as a sinner, lived as a prisoner; yet God raised him up, and how. When Joseph’s brothers came to Egypt and finally recognized him, this is what Joseph says: “But as for you, you meant evil against me; but God meant it for good, in order to bring it about as it is this day, to save many people alive.” (Gen. 50: 20).

And do you think you are in a “bad” situation? Maybe a difficult boss or some uncooperative colleagues: “Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! His loving-kindness is everlasting”. God is both loving and kind; the single Hebrew word for this is variously translated as mercy, love and loving-kindness in English translations.

Do not lose hope! In the midst of weeping and lamentations, Jeremiah found this quality of God that shone through all the ‘dark’ happenings surrounding him-the people of Israel were led away captives to Babylon; Jerusalem was in ruins and the temple of Solomon was destroyed. Yet, he found comfort in God to say: Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is Your faithfulness. (Lam. 3: 22, 23). Yes; the steadfast love of the LORD never ceases; His mercies never come to an end. They are new every morning!

Sorrows will not continue; weeping may endure for just a night; but there is a shout of joy in the morning, because His mercies are new. Today is a new day; all failures, short-comings, misgivings of yesterday are gone! Welcome the new mercies of God into your heart. The ruins will be rebuilt; the streets will be restored for a dwelling; in His presence broken hearts are made new!

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; and His love endures forever!”

His loving-kindness is everlasting

Everlasting-just think about big is that! Deut. 7: 9 says: Therefore know that the LORD your God, He is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those who love Him and keep His commandments;

You ask “you mean a thousand generations?” - Yes. A THOUSAND generations. We all know that we are indeed fortunate if we see the second generation – our children’s children. A few may see the third generation – our great grand-children. But a THOUSAND generations! You see, God saw us in Abraham and kept His covenant and mercy in us through Jesus Christ-many generations later. And His promise is for us even today! Now go and get a grip on God’s forever faithfulness; everlasting kindness; never-ending love; uncompromising goodness and dew-new mercies!

Psalm 103: 15-17 says: As for man, his days are like grass; as a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the LORD is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, …

David compares the life of man, the length of which, is in total contrast to the extent of God’s mercy. On the one hand, our life is like that of a grass-little in duration; on the other hand, the LORD’s mercy is from everlasting to everlasting. How GREAT is God's mercy!

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; and His mercy endures forever!”

That is why it is written, “Do all things without complaining and disputing…” (Phi. 2: 14); “in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes. 5:18). God is good and 100% good; there is no variation in God's goodness. The sun’s light may wax in noon-time and wane in the evening- but every good and perfect gift we receive is from the Father of lights in whom there is no variation or shadow of turning! His mercies are never-ceasing. Therefore we have hope in God. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

“Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; and His love endures forever!” Amen.