The Final Day of the Year
I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star. … You crown the year with Your goodness, and Your paths drip with abundance.
Revelation 22:16-17; Psalm 65:11
Look back! See all the wonderful things the Lord has done. Add up all the blessings and you will be deeply awed. Of course problems, attacks and disappointments have occurred during the year. Of course there are areas where you have failed or where you have fallen. Welcome to humanity! But you live, breathe and, most of all, believe in Jesus. And He believes in you. Look ahead! Place the sins under the blood of Jesus. Place the disappointments there, too. Forgive everyone who has wronged you. Ask for forgiveness, and allow God to forgive and forget. Forgive yourself! Do not condemn yourself anymore, and remember that the Bible says chagrin rests in the bosom of fools (Swedish translation).
Stand up, come to the Lord and expect His goodness. A new year is waiting; it is a year of new grace and new possibilities. You will have new experiences, you will meet new people and you will see the Lord perform more miracles. You will be more sensitive and obedient to the guidance of the Spirit. Listen to Him now this final day of the year and you will hear what He is saying to the Church. You will hear the voice of the Spirit speaking to your inner man about new plans, new adventures and new possibilities for the expansion of God’s kingdom through you. During the upcoming year, you and the Lord, as covenant partners, will accomplish important, revolutionary and radical things that will be of great importance for people’s lives and salvation. Let God take you by the hand, and get started! A wonderful adventure with God is waiting for you.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, I am entering the new year with You. Thank You for the adventure that awaits. It will be wonderful to follow and serve You. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
s t e P s ~
- LCharmaine
- Damansara, Selangor, Malaysia
- "Before I formed you in the womb I knew" you, before you were born I set you apart; ..... ( Jeremiah 1:5 ) I'm just an ordinary girl bt is special in God's eyes!!
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Thursday, December 29, 2011
No shadow of Death
No Shadow of Death
Yea, 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.
Psalm 23:4
The Bible contains many accounts of trials endured by God’s people There are accounts of miraculous rescues, of blessing and protection. David does not refer to the valley of death but the valley of the shadow of death. When death casts its shadow, we easily become paralyzed. But the Lord is there with His staff, and it comforts us.
The staff represents guidance, authority and protection. The shepherd led his flock with his staff; it gave him authority. With his staff he resisted wolves and bears and protected the sheep. The Lord’s staff comforts us in difficult situations. His comfort enables us to pass through the valleys and carry on. We must go forward, beyond our present situation. Even if we feel the chill of the valley of the shadow of death, we must remember that a shadow is not reality.
Remember that you are on your way, and when the Lord leads you, He helps you out of the valley and keeps you moving forward. Focus on the future. Expect green pastures and fresh water ahead, and realize it is the Lord’s desire and His good will to lead you there. He leads you there, not only to satisfy you, but also so you can pass His life on to others. Everything He does for you, He wants you to pass on to others. When you do, you will be refreshed and blessed and you will receive all the help you need.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, that You are with me in every situation. The only thing that is certain is that everything changes. And with You, change is always for the better. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Yea, 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.
Psalm 23:4
The Bible contains many accounts of trials endured by God’s people There are accounts of miraculous rescues, of blessing and protection. David does not refer to the valley of death but the valley of the shadow of death. When death casts its shadow, we easily become paralyzed. But the Lord is there with His staff, and it comforts us.
The staff represents guidance, authority and protection. The shepherd led his flock with his staff; it gave him authority. With his staff he resisted wolves and bears and protected the sheep. The Lord’s staff comforts us in difficult situations. His comfort enables us to pass through the valleys and carry on. We must go forward, beyond our present situation. Even if we feel the chill of the valley of the shadow of death, we must remember that a shadow is not reality.
Remember that you are on your way, and when the Lord leads you, He helps you out of the valley and keeps you moving forward. Focus on the future. Expect green pastures and fresh water ahead, and realize it is the Lord’s desire and His good will to lead you there. He leads you there, not only to satisfy you, but also so you can pass His life on to others. Everything He does for you, He wants you to pass on to others. When you do, you will be refreshed and blessed and you will receive all the help you need.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, that You are with me in every situation. The only thing that is certain is that everything changes. And with You, change is always for the better. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
The Lord is my Shepherd
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.
Psalm 23:1-3
The year is coming to a close. It has been a good year, and the Lord crowns the year with His goodness. A new year is waiting. How will it be? It depends who is allowed to decide. If the Lord is allowed to be your shepherd, if He is allowed to lead you, you will have a wonderful year. You will lack nothing. The shepherd carefully watches over His sheep. He teaches them to listen to His voice. He calls them to Himself. He searches for them if they get lost. It is His responsibility to ensure the sheep lack nothing. Sheep require protection, rest, food and water. Sheep need refreshing and guidance. The Lord offers all these things to those who allow Him to be their shepherd.
Will you sincerely allow Him to be your shepherd during the upcoming year? Will you allow Him to determine the route, the pace, the content and the company for your journey? If you allow Him to do this, you will experience His compassion, love and care like never before. No one else can lead as He can. No one else can help as He can. No one else can refresh as He can. Allow the Lord to be your shepherd, not only for the year to come but also for your whole life. His guidance will help you avoid many crises in life. Allow Him to satisfy you with His goodness and you will be strengthened, happy and free. Allow the Lord to lead you on paths of truth and righteousness and His name will be glorified, and your life filled with purpose.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, be my shepherd, and lead me on paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Then everything else in my life will fall into place. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Psalm 23:1-3
The year is coming to a close. It has been a good year, and the Lord crowns the year with His goodness. A new year is waiting. How will it be? It depends who is allowed to decide. If the Lord is allowed to be your shepherd, if He is allowed to lead you, you will have a wonderful year. You will lack nothing. The shepherd carefully watches over His sheep. He teaches them to listen to His voice. He calls them to Himself. He searches for them if they get lost. It is His responsibility to ensure the sheep lack nothing. Sheep require protection, rest, food and water. Sheep need refreshing and guidance. The Lord offers all these things to those who allow Him to be their shepherd.
Will you sincerely allow Him to be your shepherd during the upcoming year? Will you allow Him to determine the route, the pace, the content and the company for your journey? If you allow Him to do this, you will experience His compassion, love and care like never before. No one else can lead as He can. No one else can help as He can. No one else can refresh as He can. Allow the Lord to be your shepherd, not only for the year to come but also for your whole life. His guidance will help you avoid many crises in life. Allow Him to satisfy you with His goodness and you will be strengthened, happy and free. Allow the Lord to lead you on paths of truth and righteousness and His name will be glorified, and your life filled with purpose.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, be my shepherd, and lead me on paths of righteousness for Your name’s sake. Then everything else in my life will fall into place. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
This Christmas - in the fullness of time
In the Fullness of Time
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son
Galatians 4:4-6
God has a time for everything. Consider a row of pots to be filled with water. When one pot is full, it is put aside and a new one is brought forth. When the time is ripe for God to intervene, the old is pushed aside to allow God’s carefully prepared plan to unfold. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son. Before the fullness of time, there was a long period of preparation. This period went all the way back to Adam and Eve, when God promised that the seed of Eve would trample the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).
This seed was Abraham’s seed, promised by God. This seed was also David’s son, from the tribe of Judah. The prophets spoke of Him. He’s both the glorious king who establishes the throne of David and the suffering servant of the Lord who would take our sins and sicknesses and die in our place. He would be born in Bethlehem. He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. He would be the Son of Man who would inherit an eternal kingdom where God cares for His people.
One prophet after another presents different aspects of the person, role and arrival of the Messiah. Isaiah says He would be born of a virgin. Hosea says He would flee to Egypt. Psalm 110 says He would be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Once the prophetic picture of the Old Testament is complete, the prophets are silent. For several hundred years there was a period of social, cultural and political preparation, completed at the time when Augustus was Caesar, Quirinius was governor over Syria, and Herod was king in Judea. Finally the long period of preparation was over, and God sent His Son. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, when You want to do something exceptional, You carefully prepare. Thank You that You do everything at the right time, and when You give, You give the absolute best. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons. And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son
Galatians 4:4-6
God has a time for everything. Consider a row of pots to be filled with water. When one pot is full, it is put aside and a new one is brought forth. When the time is ripe for God to intervene, the old is pushed aside to allow God’s carefully prepared plan to unfold. When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth His Son. Before the fullness of time, there was a long period of preparation. This period went all the way back to Adam and Eve, when God promised that the seed of Eve would trample the head of the serpent (Genesis 3:15).
This seed was Abraham’s seed, promised by God. This seed was also David’s son, from the tribe of Judah. The prophets spoke of Him. He’s both the glorious king who establishes the throne of David and the suffering servant of the Lord who would take our sins and sicknesses and die in our place. He would be born in Bethlehem. He would ride into Jerusalem on a donkey. He would be the Son of Man who would inherit an eternal kingdom where God cares for His people.
One prophet after another presents different aspects of the person, role and arrival of the Messiah. Isaiah says He would be born of a virgin. Hosea says He would flee to Egypt. Psalm 110 says He would be a high priest according to the order of Melchizedek. Once the prophetic picture of the Old Testament is complete, the prophets are silent. For several hundred years there was a period of social, cultural and political preparation, completed at the time when Augustus was Caesar, Quirinius was governor over Syria, and Herod was king in Judea. Finally the long period of preparation was over, and God sent His Son. The Word became flesh and dwelt among us.
PRAYER
Heavenly Father, when You want to do something exceptional, You carefully prepare. Thank You that You do everything at the right time, and when You give, You give the absolute best. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
To the ends of the earth
To the Ends of the Earth
Indeed He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6
When Paul preached the gospel for the Gentiles in Antioch, Pisidia, he quoted this verse from Isaiah. In Acts 13:47 he says, “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” The promise in Isaiah 49:6 not only assures that the Messiah will restore Israel, but it also ensures that the light of His glory will reach all the Gentiles, to the ends of the earth.
This promise was not fulfilled until Jesus came. In the Scriptures Paul immediately saw that this was God’s heart for all people, not only for a single nation. Paul understood that this promise pertained to the Messiah, but he also understood that it concerned him, as well. “For so the Lord has commanded us.” Through us the Messiah will reach the ends of the earth. This means that we need to reach all people, in every nation, to the ends of the earth.
We cannot settle for less. Someone once said, “Why should we in this society hear the gospel twice when there are people who have not even heard it once?” Jesus came from heaven, sent as an ambassador, as a missionary, as an apostle, which means sent one, because He wanted to send us. Where does He want to send us? To no less than the entire world. He wants to send us to every culture, not just one. “It is too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob.” Too often we settle for less, but God has much more for us. The whole world belongs to us.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, that You came so the light could reach the whole world. Use me to spread the light to more people in more places than ever before. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Indeed He says, “It is too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel; I will also give You as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be my salvation to the ends of the earth.
Isaiah 49:6
When Paul preached the gospel for the Gentiles in Antioch, Pisidia, he quoted this verse from Isaiah. In Acts 13:47 he says, “For so the Lord has commanded us: ‘I have set you as a light to the Gentiles, that you should be for salvation to the ends of the earth.’ ” The promise in Isaiah 49:6 not only assures that the Messiah will restore Israel, but it also ensures that the light of His glory will reach all the Gentiles, to the ends of the earth.
This promise was not fulfilled until Jesus came. In the Scriptures Paul immediately saw that this was God’s heart for all people, not only for a single nation. Paul understood that this promise pertained to the Messiah, but he also understood that it concerned him, as well. “For so the Lord has commanded us.” Through us the Messiah will reach the ends of the earth. This means that we need to reach all people, in every nation, to the ends of the earth.
We cannot settle for less. Someone once said, “Why should we in this society hear the gospel twice when there are people who have not even heard it once?” Jesus came from heaven, sent as an ambassador, as a missionary, as an apostle, which means sent one, because He wanted to send us. Where does He want to send us? To no less than the entire world. He wants to send us to every culture, not just one. “It is too small a thing that You should be My servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob.” Too often we settle for less, but God has much more for us. The whole world belongs to us.
PRAYER
Thank You, Lord, that You came so the light could reach the whole world. Use me to spread the light to more people in more places than ever before. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
New Things waiting for me
New Things Waiting for You
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. … Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you no
Isaiah 42:9; 43:18-19
When the Lord speaks to us about the future, we can be sure that what He says will come to pass. His wonderful plans are greater than what we are capable of imagining. He continually leads us into new adventures. When something He has spoken is about to be fulfilled, He prepares for the next step. When we are in the middle of a task, it seems fresh and wonderful. But as the task nears its end, it can seem as though we have entered another season.
It is like the first day of fall after the summer. The day is clear and beautiful, but the wind is cooler. This does not mean failure or that we have missed God but just that a new season is coming. Something new is on its way. We do not always understand this, which is why the Lord asks, “Shall you not know it?” (43:19).
In these times of change and reversal, we need to be keenly sensitive to the Spirit so we are aware of what is happening. We often keep going without noticing the swing in the road. We often instinctively hold on to the old and familiar. This is why the Lord shows us new things. He makes us fix our thoughts, our enthusiasm and our commitment on that which He has revealed. His Word, revealed to us, is the new vision. It gives new life to our inner man, providing new fuel so we can run toward all the new things the Lord wants to accomplish in the future.
PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for everything You have done. Thank You for the new things that await me. Those things will be even greater. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
Behold, the former things have come to pass, and new things I declare; before they spring forth I tell you of them. … Do not remember the former things, nor consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing, now it shall spring forth; shall you no
Isaiah 42:9; 43:18-19
When the Lord speaks to us about the future, we can be sure that what He says will come to pass. His wonderful plans are greater than what we are capable of imagining. He continually leads us into new adventures. When something He has spoken is about to be fulfilled, He prepares for the next step. When we are in the middle of a task, it seems fresh and wonderful. But as the task nears its end, it can seem as though we have entered another season.
It is like the first day of fall after the summer. The day is clear and beautiful, but the wind is cooler. This does not mean failure or that we have missed God but just that a new season is coming. Something new is on its way. We do not always understand this, which is why the Lord asks, “Shall you not know it?” (43:19).
In these times of change and reversal, we need to be keenly sensitive to the Spirit so we are aware of what is happening. We often keep going without noticing the swing in the road. We often instinctively hold on to the old and familiar. This is why the Lord shows us new things. He makes us fix our thoughts, our enthusiasm and our commitment on that which He has revealed. His Word, revealed to us, is the new vision. It gives new life to our inner man, providing new fuel so we can run toward all the new things the Lord wants to accomplish in the future.
PRAYER
Thank you, Lord, for everything You have done. Thank You for the new things that await me. Those things will be even greater. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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