Daily Bible Blessing-51

"If the God of my father, the God of Abraham and the Fear of Isaac, had not been with me, you would surely have sent me away empty-handed. But God has seen my hardship and the toil of my hands, and last night he rebuked you." (Genesis 31:42)

 Jacob had some harsh words to say to Laban, his  father-in-law and uncle, who pursued and caught up with him as he fled,......................"I have been with you for twenty years now. Your sheep and goats have not miscarried, nor have I eaten rams from your flocks. I did not bring you animals torn by wild beasts; I bore the loss myself. And you demanded payment from me for whatever was stolen by day or night. This was my situation: The heat consumed me in the daytime and the cold at night, and sleep fled from my eyes. It was like this for the twenty years I was in your household. I worked for you fourteen years for your two daughters and six years for your flocks, and you changed my wages ten times.(Genesis 31:38-41). But we also see his trust in God coming to the fore as he confronted Laban and that is what we read in the title verse above. He said that it was only God who had blessed him even though he was cheated by his uncle. We must remember that God is always "for us" even though people may forsake us....Let us trust in his love continually.

Daily Bible Blessing-50

The LORD will grant that the enemies who rise up against you will be defeated before you. They will come at you from one direction but flee from you in seven. (Deuteronomy 28:7)

This was one of the several promises that God gave his people while they traveled through the wilderness. They were not going to win wars by their own strength, but God would be fighting their battles. This promise came true as long as they obeyed God, but when they chose to disobey and rebel against him, a curse which God had told them while he uttered the blessings also came true....The LORD will cause you to be defeated before your enemies. You will come at them from one direction but flee from them in seven, and you will become a thing of horror to all the kingdoms on earth. (Deuteronomy 28:25). The Israelites experienced the curse many a time because of their disobedience and wayward ways. God is faithful in keeping his end of the promises that he gives each one of us. Let us also stay true to him till our last breath or till Rapture, which ever comes first.

Daily Bible Blessing- 49

The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature. (Luke 8:14)

Many believers fail to mature in their Christian walk because, as Jesus says, "they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures". The Apostle Paul, writing to the Colossians tells them of Ephaphras, who was wrestling for them in prayer, that they may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured. Spiritual maturity does not come in a day; it requires constant knowing and walking in the will of God. Perhaps we can all learn from the Apostle Paul regarding gaining spiritual maturity. He writes, "What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ (Philippians 3:8)" Let us pray this day that our spiritual lives may not be choked by thorns like worries, riches and pleasures and that we may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.

Daily Bible Blessing- 48

No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God. (1 John 3:9)

The Apostle Paul writing to the Philippians says, "Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed - not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence - continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, (Philippians 2:12)" There must be a conscious effort on our part to restrain ourselves from sinning. This is not easy, because, often the temptations are such. Yet one must cry out for God's strength and he will surely help. The Apostle John mentions the same matter in 1 John Ch.5, with a slight difference. He writes, "We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the one who was born of God keeps him safe, and the evil one cannot harm him. (1 John 5:18)"
Jesus is always willing to help if we cry out to him. He is an ever present help, even when temptations assails us.

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Daily Bible Blessing-47

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. (John 14:27)

Who can give peace but God alone! Countries of the world are striving for peace through so many means, but discord and strife are on the rise all the more. They seemed to have missed the point or are not aware of or are ignoring, the only source of true peace-God himself. In the verse above, Jesus wanted his disciples to have what all of us greatly desire-peace. Amidst the turbulent situations in life, we can always depend on him who is called The Prince Of Peace-Jesus Christ. Even today, he wants to give his peace to all who will accept it with child like faith; not temporary or false peace, but lasting, truly comforting peace. Be a recipient today, if you have not already done so.

Daily Bible Blessing-46

Trust in him at all times, O people; pour out your hearts to him, for God is our refuge. (Psalm 62:8)

Pouring out our hearts to God is the best way to rid ourselves of negative emotions. Bitterness, anger, jealousy and many other negative qualities can plague our spiritual lives and can spoil our fellowship with God. Many believers try to overcome these but often fail, though they know it is wrong to harbor such feelings. It's not that they do not want to be rid of these, but there's an intense battle between flesh and spirit and the spirit loses out to the flesh. Pouring out ones heart to God and crying out to him for mercy to overcome these emotions with the power of the Holy Spirit bring success and there is deliverance. Yes, we can trust in God at all times, as the Psalmist sings here, for he is our refuge and our deliverer.

Daily Bible Blessing-45

Praise be to the Lord, to God our Savior, who daily bears our burdens. (Psalm 68:19)

It's easy to praise and thank God for the great things he has done and is doing for us, but can we praise and thank him for the unanswered prayers? the negatives in our lives? the problems that wont go away? Well, who in his/her right mind would want to do that? But we are called to give thanks for all things, so no harm in doing it. And it may have some glorious effects on our spiritual lives. Bitterness and dejection can be washed away with this kind of unusual praise. Not many may venture to do it, for it does not make sense to thank God for the negatives, but those who have tried it, know that it makes a difference and often miracles happen. Unanswered prayers may suddenly be answered and closed doors can open, so why not try it today. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Daily Bible Blessing-44

I have not departed from the commands of his lips; I have treasured the words of his mouth more than my daily bread. (Job 23:12)

Do we really treasure the words that we read in the Bible? It is God himself who is speaking to us, making known his love and requirements among other things. At the end of any given day, it's easy to know whether we have treasured his words by remembering what we had pondered upon in the Word, in the morning. Alas, many fail to remember because their reading of the Word was just another daily chore to escape guilt. In the verse above, we read of Job's attitude, though, in his times, probably there was not much to meditate upon as written Word. Yet, what he heard from the Almighty was a treasure to him. He treasured it more than his daily bread. We can learn from this great man, who lived very close to the Lord; suffering much, yet hoping and trusting in his Redeemer, who rewarded him bountifully in the end.

Daily Bible Blessing-43

And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. (John 14:3)

Jesus will come back; that's for sure, whether anyone believes it or not. He wants us to be with him continually, so he will come back and take us. The following promise has not yet been fulfilled, but will be in God's good time. "For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. (1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17)"Are you looking forward to that day? If yes, then, you must be ready at all times, because the trumpet call can sound any moment.

Daily Bible Blessing-42

Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. (Mark 11:24)

If you believe that you have received, that which you have asked for in prayer, then praying ends and praising begins before you actually receive it. Thanking and praising God that he has given that which you asked for, is a sign of faith and it will be rewarded. Jesus rewarded simple acts of faith with mighty miracles. For instance, there was this woman with a 12 year bleeding issue and she planned to touch and did touch the hem of Jesus' garment without disturbing anyone. Jesus honored her faith and she received a wonderful healing. So it is with you and me. Let's thank him with faith for what we have asked for and he will surely honor our faith.

Daily Bible Blessing-41

For the Lord your God moves about in your camp to protect you and to deliver your enemies to you. Your camp must be holy, so that he will not see among you anything indecent and turn away from you. (Deuteronomy 23:14)

What a glorious promise; but one with a condition-holiness. Not many believers and preachers give emphasis for this, these days, though this is of utmost importance in God's sight. God moves in our midst too, to protect and deliver us, so he asks and demands holiness, for he is a holy God. "Be holy for I am holy", was what he repeatedly told the Israelites. Holiness requires humbling of oneself, a daily cleansing, an utter dependence on God's mercy and willful co-operation with the Holy Spirit. God in his great love for you and me, wants to protect and deliver us from the hands of the evil one and so let us have no two thoughts about God's requirement of holiness.

Daily Bible Blessing-40

Listen to my prayer, O God, do not ignore my plea......... (Psalm 55:1)

What if the Lord ignored our pleas? or ignored us totally? That would definitely be disastrous. One Psalmist exclaimed, "Do not hide your face from me or I will be like those who go down to the pit. (Psalm 143:7)"But the Lord is merciful and has compassion on his children, so we have hope. Especially, when we are in dire straits, he is the one who stays closest to us, hearing even our groans. Thus, we can surely sing along with the Psalmist, " God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble." (Psalm 46:1) A merciful and compassionate God is he, so let us trust in him all the more, as we see our redemption drawing near.

Daily Bible Blessing-39

So the Lord brought us out of Egypt with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm, with great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders. (Deuteronomy 26:8)

God is able to save and deliver like no one can. After being under Egyptian bondage for around 430 years, the Israelites could hardly believe that God was going to deliver them from Pharaoh and his armies, though they had been crying out for deliverance for a long long time. But the unbelievable happened, just as God had promised them. With great terror and with miraculous signs and wonders, God made the impossible possible. As the Lord delivered the Israelites, he is able to do, in your lives too. His mighty hand and outstretched arm still works wonders. So call out to him. Your deliverance is near.

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Daily Bible Blessing-38

Show the wonder of your great love, you who save by your right hand those who take refuge in you from their foes. (Psalm 17:7)

Why does the Psalmist use the term "wonder" regarding God's love? Only because, he could not really measure the greatness of it. Paul, the apostle writes, "And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge - that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. (Ephesians 3:17-19)
God's love surpasses knowledge and is wondrous. His love for you is amazing and no one else can love you more than he does. So be strengthened this day, child of God.

Daily Bible Blessing- 37

You will increase my honor and comfort me once again. (Psalm 71:21)

One of the wonderful things that we have when we are "in Christ" is "hope". The Psalmist expresses his hope and confidence here by saying, "You will increase my honor and comfort me once again." Dishonor and discomfort may trouble us for a while, but the Lord is compassionate and is able to change our adverse circumstances around. The Apostle Peter writes, "And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast. (1 Peter 5:10)"
The Lord will maintain his faithfulness and of this we can be sure.

Daily Bible Blessing-36

I will praise you forever for what you have done; in your name I will hope, for your name is good. I will praise you in the presence of your saints. (Psalm 52:9)

Praising God is an integral part of every believers spiritual life and the reason is simple as the Psalmist states here....for what he has done....and with regard to all believers, the chief thing being.....he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves.... (Colossians 1:13) 
What a privilege it is to be called the "children of God."
We can hope in God's name like the psalmist says, because his name stands for all good, to them who put their trust in him and commit themselves to live for him. They have, like God spoke of Caleb, the Old Testament warrior, "a different spirit". 
And such are the ones who will see God's promises fulfilled in their lives. Praise God.

Daily Bible Blessing-35

Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:17)

Jesus' ardent desire was that his disciples be sanctified by truth. The Bible speaks in great detail about sanctification for those who choose to follow God's call. God desires that each of us be sanctified by his Word. The Apostle Paul, writing to the Thessalonians says, "May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thessalonians 5:23)" If we submit ourselves totally into God's hands, he will do a wonderful work in us and keep us sanctified and blameless, so that we will be ready to enter his rest when the time comes. 

Daily Bible Blessing-34

You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in his distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat........(Isaiah 25:4)

Shelter, refuge, shade.........for you and me in our distresses, is Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Sometimes it's difficult to believe that, especially when the storms are bearing down upon us. So was the state of the disciples when the storm hit them. They cried out, "Lord, save us! We're going to drown!" (Matthew 8:25)
But he just got up and and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm. (Matthew 8:26)
Jesus is able to bring complete calm to the turbulent circumstance that you are facing this day. Cry out to him and he will save you.

Daily Bible Blessing-33

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." (John 20:29)

Thomas, one of Jesus' disciples had doubts about what the others said regarding meeting Jesus after his resurrection. He said, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it." (John 20:25)" Jesus, though he was not bodily present at that time with them heard it and after a week, when he met his disciples once again he had this to say to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe." (John 20:27) I guess he says that to many of us when we seek proof that he is doing the miracle that we have prayed for........."Stop doubting and believe"....Truly, "Blessed are they who have not yet seen and yet have believed. 

Daily Bible Blessing-32

Why did I ever come out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow and to end my days in shame? (Jeremiah 20:18)

Sometimes circumstances in our lives make us think and speak like Jeremiah the prophet. Called at a young age to the prophetic ministry, all he did was obey the Lord and tirelessly proclaim God's counsel to the Israelites. He was often depressed that people did not care about the judgemental warnings that he gave. They hurt him with their words and also harmed him physically. He cried out to God when dejected, but remained faithful to him. God was with him and comforted him in his distresses. We must remember that "God who has called us into fellowship with him through his son Jesus Christ, is faithful and will never leave us nor forsake us. Blessed be his glorious name.

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Daily Bible Blessing- 31

If we claim to have fellowship with him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by the truth. (1 John 1:6)

Do you say you are in fellowship with the Creator? If yes, you must check how much you indulge in the pleasures of this world to know whether that fellowship is intact. Temptations come in different ways to all believers; no one is exempt. But the thing that we must remember is that there is a way out of every temptation that assails us. Jesus said, "I am the way." He is not only the way to heaven and eternal life, but also the way out of every temptation and sin we fall prey to. Crying out to him will surely bring deliverance sooner or later. Let us walk in the light of the Word of God then and live lives pleasing to God at all times.

Daily Bible Blessing- 30

At my first defense, no one came to my support, but everyone deserted me. May it not be held against them. But the Lord stood at my side and gave me strength, so that through me the message might be fully proclaimed and all the Gentiles might hear it. And I was delivered from the lion's mouth.(2 Timothy 4:16,17)

The lion here was probably Emperor Nero. Even when Jesus was arrested by the Roman soldiers, his disciples left him and ran away. Sometimes even people nearest us fail to help us when we are in dire straits, but we must remember that God is always there by our side and he will strengthen us in whichever way we need support at that time. Paul, here, also prays that God may not hold anything against those who deserted him when he was in danger. Bitterness in us towards such people can only worsen the problem, so we must let go off such feelings and be free in our spirit and soul. May the Holy Spirit help us in this.

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Daily Bible Blessing- 29

He is my loving God and my fortress, my stronghold and my deliverer, my shield, in whom I take refuge, who subdues peoples under me. (Psalm 144:2)

The phrase "God is love" is not an exaggeration, for that, in fact, is his nature. King David, a man after God's own heart experienced the rich love of God in several trying situations in his life and many of the psalms that he sang were an account of what the Lord did in his life. Here he elaborates on what all God is to him...fortress, stronghold, deliverer, shield and refuge. Though many of us may not acknowledge poetically what God is to us, like the Psalmist does, we too know that he is the One who makes all the difference in our lives. Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

Daily Bible Blessing- 28

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe... (Hebrews 12:28)

The world that we live in now is being shaken so very often that one wonders how long it would last, but the writer of Hebrews speaks of an unshakable kingdom which believers in Jesus Christ will receive; an eternal rest for them. And since we are receiving it, he exhorts us to thank and worship God. Yes, we should definitely worship God; the only omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient One. He is worthy of honor, praise, worship and reverence. Let us lift up holy hands then and bless his holy name this day.

Daily Bible Blessing- 27

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

A simple advice from Apostle Peter, which if taken to heart by the believer and practised could bring great blessings from God. When the prophet Daniel fasted for 3 weeks, the angel of the Lord told him this..."Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them. (Daniel 10:12)"God hears our prayers when we humble ourselves in his presence. We must learn from Jesus how to humble ourselves. He says, "Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)"Shall we then do his bidding?

Daily Bible Blessing-26

Shouts of joy and victory resound in the tents of the righteous: "The Lord's right hand has done mighty things!" (Psalm 118:15)

Victory is always sweet and shouts of joy accompany it usually. But the fact remains, that it is the Lord who brings us the victory. In a crisis like situation, where Moses and the Israelites were trapped with the Red Sea in front and Pharaoh and the Egyptian army behind, Moses cried out to the Lord for deliverance and the Lord wrought a great deliverance, something unimaginable to the human mind. Our God is a God of miracles and impossible with man is possible with him. So let's hope and trust him to do the impossible for us whenever the situation arises; even today.

Daily Bible Blessing-25

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.(Philippians 4:6)

Anxiety is a common thing, even among believers. The problems of day to day life are so varied that tensions creep in without notice. But Paul the Apostle has some excellent advice regarding conquering such disturbing thoughts. Prayer, petition and thanksgiving is his prescription to overcome anxiety. Come to think of it, we must remember that God is in control of every aspect of our lives as believers in Jesus Christ. "He will never leave us nor forsake us", is what he says, and he never goes back on his word. So let us accept this advice from the Bible and be recipients of the peace that passes all understanding that only Jesus can give.

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Daily Bible Blessing-24

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He was a teacher well versed in the Law of Moses, which the Lord, the God of Israel, had given. The king had granted him everything he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was on him. (Ezra 7:6)

Several times in the book of Ezra, we read that the hand of the Lord was upon him. He had the favor of the Lord. In the verse above, we read that the king granted him everything he asked because the Lord's favor was upon him. Three things that are mentioned in Chapter 7 of Ezra give us a clue as to why God was so favorable to him.....For Ezra had devoted himself to the study and observance of the Law of the Lord, and to teaching its decrees and laws in Israel.(Ezra 7:10)....He devoted himself to the study of the laws, observance of the laws and teaching of the laws. Something that God expects from every believer in Jesus Christ. Studying the Word of God, observing it and teaching others the same. Are we fulfilling it is a question we should ask ourselves. If yes, the favor of God rests upon us too, as it was in Ezra's life.

Daily Bible Blessing-23

Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. (1 Peter 2:10)

What an incredible honor! Believers in Jesus Christ often forget the fact that they are "the people of God". Folks around may not acknowledge this truth, but this is what the Bible calls those who have believed in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross and are living a life pleasing to God. Not only are they "people of God", but..."a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God". No worldly title or honor can match this wonderful blessing bestowed upon them who have put their trust in God by accepting his son Jesus as Savior. Praise God.

Daily Bible Blessing-22

When Moses came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands, he was not aware that his face was radiant because he had spoken with the Lord. When Aaron and all the Israelites saw Moses, his face was radiant, and they were afraid to come near him. (Exodus 34:29, 30) 

 The fact is, the more time we spend in the presence of the Lord, the more of his radiance we receive. Here we read about Moses, who was in the presence of the Lord for 40 days. His face was radiant, though he did not realize it. But when Aaron and the Israelites saw him, they saw the radiance emanating from his face and were afraid that it might harm them. Moses put a veil over his face, so that no harm would come to them. We, as believers in Jesus Christ, can do many things that may qualify as being called "spiritual", but the best of these is spending quality time with the Lord in prayer and being overshadowed by his glorious presence.