The sun no more thy light

The sun no more thy light

Scripture: The sun shall be no more thy light by day; neither for brightness shall the moon give light unto thee: but the LORD shall be unto thee an everlasting light, and thy God thy glory. Thy sun shall no more go down; neither shall thy moon withdraw itself: for the LORD shall be thine everlasting light, and the days of thy mourning shall be ended. Thy people also shall be all righteous: they shall inherit the land for ever, the branch of my planting, the work of my hands, that I may be glorified. A little one shall become a thousand, and a small one a strong nation: I the LORD will hasten it in his time. Isaiah 60:19-22

Observation:- In the wonderful book of Isaiah, prophecy is rich, spanning various times and places, peoples and purposes. In Isaiah 60, we see a picture of the very end, when God will come down and be with His people forever. It is the fairy tale ending come true, the marvelous end that all of us in Christ Jesus eagerly anticipate and hope for. 

In that time, Isaiah tells us, we will no longer need the sun and the moon to give us light for the Lord Himself will be unto us an everlasting light. The brightness of His glory shining forth will be all the light needed by the nations. He tells us of a time when all mourning and sadness will be ended, and the people shall be all righteous. There will be no evil or darkness or sadness at all in the city of our Great King.

As God’s people, we are described as the branch of God’s planting, the work of His hands. Our Lord Jesus Himself gave us this picture, of He Himself being the true vine, and we who follow Him as the branches. Our life comes from Jesus. He is the source of life for us. Our purpose is to glorify God, and that’s why He made us and led us to Him to be saved.

It is written that the righteous shall live by faith. We are righteous not by our own deeds but we are righteous because it is Jesus Christ who clothes us with His robes of righteousness. Our part is to have faith, and believe in God, and He will credit His righteousness unto us. The Scripture says that our own righteous acts are like filthy rags before God. Only when we put on the righteousness of Jesus Christ can we stand before God.

Today’s reading is interestingly concluded by reference to a little one becoming a thousand and a small one a strong nation. God is in the business of miracles, of taking a little mustard seed and making a great tree, in taking nobodies and making them His great servants. It does not matter how small we are in our own eyes. It is God who enables us, and can lift us up to incredible heights, all in His good time.

Application:- Spend some moments imagining the future when God is with you, when His marvelous light illumines the city night and day. Remember that we are the planting of the Lord, branches attached to Jesus. Do not look down upon ourselves, but wait for God’s timing to fulfill His purpose in our lives.

Prayer:- Lord, how marvelous it will be when You return and take Your place in all glory. How I look forward to that day O Lord! Lord Jesus, let me always remained joined to you. You are the vine, and I am a branch. Give me patience O Lord to wait for Your timing as You continue to work in me. Praise You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

The Spirit of the Covenant

The Spirit of the Covenant

Scripture:- As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the LORD; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed's seed, saith the LORD, from henceforth and for ever. Isaiah 59:21

Observation:- Looking at this Scripture from Isaiah, we get a picture of some of the wonderful characteristics of the new covenant. What is a covenant? A covenant is a contract, an agreement between two parties. Sometimes a covenant is one-sided, like when God made a covenant with Noah and all the creatures of the earth never to destroy the earth by water again after the great flood. After the Israelites came out of Egypt, God then made the old covenant through Moses. God gave them His ten commandments and his laws, and the Israelites would receive great blessing if they obeyed, but great curses if they did not. The old covenant was based on human effort to follow God’s standards, and ended in failure, because Israel kept turning away. However, when Jesus came, He set in place the new covenant in His blood, whereby we are no longer justified by the blood of animals, but by Jesus’ blood. And while the old covenant was based on human effort to keep the law, the new covenant is based on God’s power through the Holy Spirit which is given to every Believer, and enables them to know God’s ways and heart.

Today’s verse in Isaiah speaks of this aspect of the new covenant- the Holy Spirit being upon us and putting God’s Word in our mouths and our children’s mouths and the mouths of our grandchildren. Jeremiah talks about God writing His law in our hearts.

Application:- God’s Word is always true when we apply it in faith. Paul talks about living by the Spirit so that we do not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. First we must believe and remind ourselves that God’s Spirit is upon us. It is good to declare it. “God’s Spirit is upon me”. Second, we need to choose to be aware of the Holy Spirit in what we think and speak. Sometimes, when we are at a loss over what to say or do in a particular situation, it is good to say a quick prayer “Holy Spirit, teach me what to say/ what to do”. As we practice this, and also read more and more of God’s Word as He gives us the hunger, we will learn to live more and more by the Spirit each day.

Prayer:- Lord Jesus, I thank You for the new covenant in Your blood, which was shed for us for the forgiveness of our sins. I thank You for the Holy Spirit which You have given me, to be My Helper, My Counselor. Holy Spirit, give me wisdom and peace. Stay with me always, and teach me what to say, what to think, what to do. Bless You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

A contrite and humble spirit

A contrite and humble spirit

Scripture:- For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones Isaiah 57:15

Observation:- This Scripture in Isaiah gives us a very interesting picture. First there is God, high and lifted up, dwelling throughout all eternity. His name is holy. Yet, despite all God’s glory and majesty, it says that He also dwells with him who has a contrite and humble spirit. Great and mighty God, staying with lowly, humble men. It seems such a contradiction, but in it, we see the awesome grace and mercy of our loving, Heavenly Father.

There is no room for the proud in God’s kingdom. In his pride, the wicked does not seek God. In all his thoughts there is no room for God. The Pharisees and teachers of the law in Jesus’ day were guilty of this. Very typical was Jesus’ example of the Pharisee who hypocritically thanked God for how righteous and perfect he was and not like the general sinful public or even like the tax collector beside him. The tax collector on the other hand beat his chest before God and said “Have mercy on me, a sinner” and it was he, the contrite one, who went home justified before God.

Many other parts of Scripture show us that God favors the humble but His eyes are on the haughty to bring them low. David, despite his terrible sin, returned back into God’s favor because of his repentant and contrite heart. Even King Rehoboam and King Manasseh, in spite of their sins, found favor with God when they humbled themselves before Him. Pride is indeed one the most dangerous temptations in life that can bring down anyone.

At the same time, we need to be careful of false humility, the calculated, intentional debasement of one’s self to appear “humble” and “contrite” in the eyes of others. Man looks at the outward appearance but God looks at the heart. Only God knows whether we are truly humble and contrite before Him. Therefore we would do well not to think of ourselves more highly than we ought, but come honestly and humble before Him, and depend on Him to change us.

Application:- Regularly, we need to check our heart to see if we have become too proud or conceited in any particular area. Then, we need to come humbly and honestly before Jesus and ask Him to change us to become more like Him, the humble servant King, who gave Himself for us that we might be saved.

Prayer: Lord, forgive me for the pride I have within me, for the tendency to think too highly of myself or to look down on others. Help me become more and more like You, that I may humbly and honestly serve You and show Your love to many. In Jesus name, Amen

Sons of the stranger

Sons of the stranger

Scripture:- Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant; Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Isaiah 56:6-7

Observation:-

Who are the sons of the stranger? We are. And this Scripture in Isaiah speaks of God accepting us Gentiles, as His own people, His children. In Romans 11, the apostle Paul likens the process of us that “join ourselves to the Lord” as wild olive branches that have been granted into the main olive tree. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, we have been grafted in to become part of the same vine, the same tree. Jesus is the wine and we too are the branches. Our lives, our spiritual food and water flows from Him.

Why were we joined in? To serve Him, to love the name of the Lord! We are not saved by good works, but we are saved unto good works, and our service is done out of love for God. If we work as hard as we can but without love, it counts for nothing, as Paul has so eloquently explained. Hence, love and service are closely intertwined in our Christian lives, as service is the way we show God’s love to others, and our love to Him.

Now, the reference to the Sabbath does not mean that we are required by law to keep the Sabbath like the Jews. In Colossians 2:16-17, Paul explains:- Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days:  Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ. What were the main things the Lord did on the Sabbath when He came? He healed the sick, He did good and showed mercy to the poor. We are also called to do likewise in showing love to others.

In regard to taking hold of God’s covenant, we are under the new covenant, which is by faith in the blood of Jesus to purify us from our sins and make us righteous because of His death on the cross. We must believe this truth, and our faith in Jesus will save us and give us life to live each day according to His truth through the Holy Spirit.

And in verse 7, Isaiah gives us a wonderful picture of our destiny. God will brings us too to His Holy mountain and make us joyful in His house of prayer. We do not need to sacrifice burnt offerings anymore, but depend on the One all-sufficient perfect Sacrifice, our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who took all our sins upon Himself and is accepted by God in atonement for our sins forever.

In the end, God’s house will be called a house of prayer for all people. All the nations will have their representation in the house of God just as all the animals had their representation on Noah’s ark.

Application:- Thank God for joining us to His people, that we too might receive His salvation and blessing.  Remember that service and love must go together. Ask God to give us a loving heart, and to be able to serve out of love. Thank Jesus for His perfect sacrifice on the cross for us that has saved us. Declare praises and thanks to God with joy often.

Prayer:- Father God, we thank You that You provided a way for us to join in and be Your children, Your people and inherit Your salvation and blessing. Give us a heart of deep love and compassion that we might serve You with meaning and purpose. Lord Jesus, thank You for dying for us that we might have life! Let your kingdom come, and your house be filled with the praises of every tribe and tongue and people.

No weapon formed against me shall prosper

No weapon formed against me shall prosper

Scripture:- No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD. Isaiah 54:17

Observation:- What a great and wonderful verse! No weapon that is formed against us shall prosper! An image comes to mind of a superhero being met with hails of fire of all kinds, bullets, missiles, arrows, axes, darts, and just before they hit the hero, they all melt away against a kind of invisible force field! In the spiritual realm, there are many weapons that the demonic forces throw against us - darts of doubt, fear and confusion, nets of temptation, procrastination and pride. Our family life may be attacked, relationships at work, even our physical, mental and emotional health. Attacks may come from within or without. However, whatever plans and weapons are used against us, we have a wonderful promise in Isaiah 54:17 – It will not prosper! Let’s say it aloud “No weapon formed against us will prosper!” It is a great declaration.

The second part is equally important. Every tongue that rises against us in judgment, we shall condemn. Satan is called the accuser of the brethren, he points out our sins and our weaknesses day and night before God. However, we have a great defender in Christ Jesus, who made His righteousness come upon us through the divine exchange on the cross! Likewise, in life, there may be many who condemn us but their condemnation will not stand for it is written that we will refute every condemnation against us! Therefore, we accept no condemnation from others, just as it is written, therefore there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus!

A very important part of the verse is that these promises, this heritage, are true for those who are servants of the Lord. If we have accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts as our Lord and Savior, we are servants of the Lord. Perhaps, some of us do not feel that we are really serving Him because we do not serve in main church duties. However, even giving a glass of cold water to a child is service unto Jesus. Serving Jesus is not about great works and high positions in church, it is about being close to Jesus and learning to love God and love others more and more. As we begin to serve in small ways faithfully, God reveals more and more new ways that we can serve Him. The important thing is our heart and commitment to Jesus and willingness to let Him change us.

The final part speaks that our righteousness is of the Lord, not of ourselves. Our righteous acts done through our own efforts are like filthy rags before the Lord. However, when we put on the robes of righteousness that we receive from Jesus, we are accepted before God in Heaven. We need to start seeing ourselves wearing robes of righteousness, pure white linen, fine and clean.

Application:

Declare and think daily –

·      No weapon formed against me will prosper in Jesus name”.

·      There is no condemnation for me for I am in Christ Jesus” 

·      I am a servant of the Lord

·      I am wearing robes of righteousness

Prayer:- Lord, I thank you for your promise that no weapon formed against me will prosper. I thank you that there is no condemnation for me because I am in you! Let me be your faithful servant O Lord. Thank you for the robes of righteousness that are on me. Bless you, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen!

The redeemed of the Lord shall return

The redeemed of the Lord shall return

Scripture:- Therefore the redeemed of the LORD shall return, and come with singing unto Zion; and everlasting joy shall be upon their head: they shall obtain gladness and joy; and sorrow and mourning shall flee away. Isaiah 51:11

Observation:- This verse is indeed a joyful verse. It is a picture of singing and dancing and everlasting joy, of celebration and gladness. I still remember an old song based on this verse which was sung even in my childhood, and it is a wonderful song, resonating with joy.

Who are the redeemed of the Lord? Literally, it is the people of Israel. Spiritually, all of us who have accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior into our hearts are the redeemed. What does redeem mean? It gives the idea of buying back something that was lost or pawned or sold earlier. In the Garden of Eden, when Adam sinned, eternal life was lost to all mankind, and all men were doomed to death. However, when Jesus came, He redeemed back that which was lost. He made the way for man to come back to God, and to receive eternal life through Him. In the book of Hosea, there is a picture of Hosea as husband buying back his wayward wife that had sold herself into slavery. Imagine the joy of being set free, of being able to return home once again, forgiven.

Zion is first mentioned in 2 Samuel Chapter 5, the city which David won from the Jebusites and became known as the City of David. Zion is Jerusalem. At the end of days, the book of Revelation speaks of the New Jerusalem coming down from Heaven. Imagine what a beautiful and marvelous sight it will be! When this New Jerusalem comes, as spoken of it Revelation 21, the tabernacle of God will be with men, and He will dwell with them and wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain!

Application: There are times in our lives when we may exhausted and weary, depressed and fed up with life perhaps. In these times, we may be tempted to sink into deep gloom, and self-pity. It is in these times that we should read a verse like Isaiah 51:11, reminding ourselves that because of Jesus Christ, we are redeemed, and we have a bright and glorious future where there will be everlasting joy and a new dwelling place where there is no sorrow or mourning. As we meditate on our future, let the Holy Spirit turn our mourning into dancing, and our sorrow into joy!

Prayer: Lord, I thank You that You have redeemed me and prepared for me a wonderful, beautiful future in Zion with You. Praise and glory be to Your name, O Lord, let Your joy and gladness always shine through me I pray. In Jesus name, Amen.

A Word in Season

A Word in Season

Scripture:- The Lord GOD hath given me the tongue of the learned, that I should know how to speak a word in season to him that is weary: he wakeneth morning by morning, he wakeneth mine ear to hear as the learned. Isaiah 50:4

Observation:- In this chapter, we see the prophet Isaiah giving glory to God for giving him the tongue of the learned, which is the wisdom to think and speak wisely. And what is the reason this wisdom is given? It is so that he can speak a word in season to him that is weary. It is not given to puff up one’s ego, or to have one become proud and lord his knowledge and wisdom over others. Instead, it is given to help, and to help those in need. The “weary” gives us the picture of those who have been beset by a problem for sometime and have become tired and perhaps are on the verge of giving up hope.

Many have head knowledge and know the Scriptures well on a general basis, but few are so wise and discerning to know the particular word in season that is needed for a particular situation for a particular person. This special Word of discernment can come only from revelation from the Mighty God. This word is called Rhema, referring to that specific word of God needed for the moment in contrast to the Logos, which is the whole word of God in the Bible.

How did Isaiah receive this tongue of the learned, this wisdom? We are given a clue in the next part of the verse which gives us a picture of God wakening him up morning after morning, wakening him to hear as the wise. There was once a girl who said the Lord woke her up early every morning so she could talk to Him. There was indeed a beautiful two way relationship between God and Isaiah, and the more time Isaiah spent with God, the wiser he became, and the more able he was to help others. Many of us have difficulty waking up early in the morning and prefer to do our quiet time at night. However, there is something really special about meeting God in the wee hours of the morning when the day first breaks, and God’s new mercies are seen together with the first morning light.

Application:- If anyone lacks wisdom, he should ask God who gives generously to all without finding fault but he who asks must believe and not doubt… writes James. Wisdom comes by seeking God, and the purpose of wisdom is to help others and be a blessing, not for our own selfish interests. We should try to make it a point to wake up early once or twice a week as a start to seek God. Sometimes if we wake up in the middle of the night, we can go to the window and look to God in Heaven, to pray and listen.

Prayer:- Father God in Heaven, all wisdom and power belongs to you. I humbly ask O Lord for Your wisdom to be poured out on me, that I may be a blessing and help to others. In Jesus name, Amen.

Look unto the cross

Look unto the cross

Scripture:- Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else. I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear. Isaiah 45:22-23

Observation:- In this gracious passage of Isaiah, we see God calling to all men to the ends of the earth, Look unto me, and be saved. The image that quickly comes to mind is Jesus declaring “As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man lifted up that whosoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:14. Wherever we see a cross in a church throughout the land, it is a symbol to all men, look at the cross which is source of salvation for all men. In this world, there are many things that call our attention away – the worries of life, the deceitfulness of wealth and the desires for other things as Jesus so clearly described in the parable of the seeds. We need to refocus our eyes constantly to come back to Jesus, to come back to the cross, which is the reason for our life, our existence.

God says that his word is gone out from His mouth in righteousness and shall not return. Where there is preaching for the Lord, wherever there is teaching of the Word, wherever there is any sharing led by the Holy Spirit, there is power released through God’s Word. Sometimes, a faithful servant of God may not see results after years of hard work, but we must continue to believe that God is with us, and He will bless our work all in His good time. Our calling is to be faithful. Eventually, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord!

Application:- Turn our eyes upon Jesus, look unto God and do not be distracted by the things of the world. The world and its desires will pass away but the man who does God’s will lives forever, as said in James! Teach, preach, share, believing that the Word of God in us goes forth in power.

Prayer:- Lord, we praise You for Your wonderful works. Indeed, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that You are Lord. Let our eyes always be upon you and let us always consider you in all that we do. Strengthen us that we may serve You and let Your Word speak through us to bless others. In Jesus name, Amen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             

A prayer of Hezekiah

A prayer of Hezekiah

Scripture:- And Hezekiah prayed unto the LORD, saying, O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth. Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them. Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only. Isaiah 37:15-20

Observation & Application:- The Scripture today is focused on the prayer of Hezekiah, one of the few godly kings of Judah, who in a time of great distress when surrounded by the great armies of Assyria cried out the Lord for help and was miraculously delivered. Studying Hezekiah’s prayer also gives us a pattern of prayer that we too can use to pray to our great Lord.

1. PRAISE

“O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth”

Hezekiah’s prayer starts with praise, It is always good to begin every prayer with praise, acknowledging God for the great and wonderful God He is. We need not pray lengthy and flamboyantly worded prayers, but it is the attitude of our heart that is important at the beginning, with a desire to praise God. “Praise you, Father, for You are so good to Me.” Or “Praise you, Lord, for the wonderful things You have made”. Just pray whatever praise you feel for God in your heart.

2. CAST YOUR CARES ON GOD – TALK TO GOD ABOUT THE SITUATION

“Incline thine ear, O LORD, and hear; open thine eyes, O LORD, and see: and hear all the words of Sennacherib, which hath sent to reproach the living God. Of a truth, LORD, the kings of Assyria have laid waste all the nations, and their countries, And have cast their gods into the fire: for they were no gods, but the work of men's hands, wood and stone: therefore they have destroyed them.”

Hezekiah continues, “Oh Lord, please listen to me, look at the problem I have here…..” Peter exhorts all believers “Cast your cares upon the Lord for He cares for you”. Some of us may think, “What is the point of telling God about my problem? He already knows everything” However, there is a release when we talk to God and He is pleased when we pour out our emotions to Him. That is how we cast our cares on Him, by telling God and letting it out. If we just keep everything bottled inside, it will only eat us on the inside. We may pray “Lord, look how my boss is treating me.” “Lord, I’m so frustrated with the children”. Prayer is about honesty, about releasing our feelings, our emotions, our thoughts to God. Sometimes, just by talking about a problem, we can suddenly receive a solution. We need to learn to talk to God more, to thrash out our thoughts and feelings with God. For some of us, writing our feelings down is a very effective way of release while for some, speaking it out finds more relief. The main principle is coming to God and just talking to Him about what is bothering us.

3. ASK GOD FOR HELP

“Now therefore, O LORD our God, save us from his hand…..”

After praising, after talking to God about the problem, Hezekiah asks God for help. As the Psalmist says “God is my refuge and my strength, an ever present help in times of trouble!” God is always there to help when we call out to Him. Sometimes He may not remove us from a problem, but He will give us strength and enable us to overcome all difficulties and come out stronger. God did not spare Joseph from being sold as a slave or thrown into prison, but was with Him all the time and gave him strength. Likewise, David too endured many difficult years but always found strength in the Lord. Indeed, God will save us, all in His good timing for He is mighty to save! Our part is to ask – ask and you shall receive, seek and you shall find, knock and the door will be opened unto you! Keep asking, keep seeking, keep knocking, the Lord will surely answer and save in His good time but we must never lose our hope in Him!

4 SEEK GOD’S GLORY

“that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that thou art the LORD, even thou only”

As we close our prayer, it is always good to seek God’s glory. In the Lord’s prayer, we end with “For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever and ever, Amen”. All things at the end of the day discover its true meaning in glorifying God so we too, as we walk with Him, should always remember that our purpose is to glorify Him and to pray that He be glorified always in our lives.

Prayer: Lord, praised be Your name forever and ever. We praise You for Your wonderful works, the beauty of Your creation, Your new mercies every morning! Lord, we thank You for watching over us, for understanding our troubles, for being compassionate on our difficulties. Help us O God and deliver us as we walk with You. In all things, May Your name be glorified in us we pray. In Jesus name, Amen.

He came to serve

He came to serve

Recently, I was privileged to hear a message by Pastor Lim on Jesus washing His disciple’s feet. Based on the text of John 13, we see an amazing scene where Jesus Christ, Lord and King, humbled Himself, got down and washed his disciples feet.

In those days, men walked around everywhere in sandals and the feet exposed to the dusty elements became very sandy and dirty. Before a meal, hence, it was common for the lowest servant to come and wash the feet of the guests. However, in this instance, no one had done so, and none of the disciples would have even contemplated doing such a menial and degrading task for the others. Hence, it was a great shock to them when their Master and Lord began doing this for them.

In the eyes of the world, power is seen as being able to lord over others and having the greatest number of people serving you. However, power in the eyes of God has a very different perspective. For us to understand, it is perhaps useful to look at the parent-child perspective. Comparing the parent to the child, the parent has all the power. The parent has more money, more physical strength, more intelligence than their children. They indeed have all the power, but how do they use this power? They use it to serve their children, to give them food to eat and clothes to wear, to provide for them education and entertainment and bring them joy.

It is important to look at the mind of the Lord before He did this act as an example for His disciples. It is first written in vs.1 “when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” Thus one of the reasons Jesus chose to serve His disciples in this way, was to show His great love to them while He still had the opportunity to do so in person. Secondly, it is written in vs.3 “Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God” When a person in a high position of leadership is insecure, he tends to view subordinates as threats, and quite often, finds ways to put them down so that he himself continues to look good. However, when the leader is secure in his own mind, knowing his own capability and position, he does not fear serving others. In this case, Jesus knew fully well His position and place in God’s eyes, and therefore it was no shame for Him to stoop down and serve like the lowliest servant. For us, too, if we place our confident and trust in God, and are secure in Him, we will not be afraid to stoop down and serve when we are required to.

Later, Jesus explained to His disciples that they should also likewise wash one another’s feet, just as He washed their feet. The symbolic act was to crystallize in the disciples’ minds that their main roles were as servants, serving each other, and not for self-glorification and gain.

John Maxwell, the great author of leadership gave an illustration of a leader pushing others down compared to a leader lifting others up. The one pushing down would automatically drop lower and lower, while the one lifting up would go higher and higher.

In conclusion, Jesus washing His disciple’s feet has basically a two-fold purpose. The first purpose is to show the extent of His love to them and to us. In dying on the cross for us, He degraded Himself to the maximum extent, so that we might have eternal life in Him. The second purpose was to set an example for us, to serve others, with no service deemed as too lowly for us.

Thank You, Lord, that You loved us and gave yourself for us that we might have life. You endured our shame that we might share in your glory. You were rejected that we might be accepted. O bless You Lord. Teach me to love and serve others as you have loved me and sacrificed yourself for me. In Jesus name, Amen.

Grace, waiting and salvation

Grace, waiting and salvation

Scripture:- O LORD, be gracious unto us; we have waited for thee: be thou their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble. Isaiah 33:2

Observation:- In this verse in Isaiah, we see a cry to the Lord from His people. The first thing they ask for is grace. They know they do not deserve the blessing or help of the Lord, because of their sin. We too do not deserve anything from the Lord. As the Psalmist says, there is no one who does good, not even one, all have turned away and have become altogether worthless.

Yet grace is precisely what God gave us. In Amazing Grace, God sacrificed His own perfect, unblemished son that a rebellious people might be redeemed, saved from death to be His own. Many times, we may be tempted to find some security in our works, thinking that we are earning some favor with God. However, God’s grace goes beyond all that, it is poured out on us lavishly, the undeserving. Nothing we could ever do could ever cause us to be worthy of the grace that God has given us. It is His totally unmerited, undeserved favor that He gives us because He is merciful.

Just as we are called to show love because God first loved us, we too are called to show grace because God has been gracious to us. We show grace by forgiving, by being gentle, even with people who do not deserve it from us.

Secondly, the people waited for God. We too sometimes need to wait for God. The waiting is not idle or unproductive. It is a reverent, humble waiting, to seek God’s face, to really seek His favor and His presence. Often the waiting is accompanied by fasting. It is an expectant yet patient waiting, being still and knowing that the Lord is God.

Thirdly, referring to Israel, Isaiah called God to be “their arm every morning”. The arm is the symbol of strength. All parts of the body are important but the arm is most associated with might and power, the main part used to wield the weapon to fight against the enemy. And God is completely faithful every day, every morning. As the Psalmist says “His mercies are new every morning”. As we imagine the sun rising each morning, we must realize it is a symbol of God’s love, God’s mercy on us whom we created. He is indeed our strength and our Helper every morning for all who come humbly to Him and seek His face.

As Isaiah says, He is our salvation in times of trouble. Whenever we face problems, God is the first one that we turn to for help. God is our refuge and our strength, and ever present help in times of trouble.

Application:- Accept thankfully and humbly the amazing grace of God, wait patiently for Him and always depend on Him for our salvation from trouble.

Prayer: Lord, we thank You for Your grace so lavishly poured forth on us who are undeserving. We wait patiently for You. Our eyes are ever upon You to deliver us and save us from trouble. Always be with us, we will depend on You forever. In Jesus name, Amen.

In returning and rest, in quietness and confidence

In returning and rest, in quietness and confidence

Scripture:- For thus saith the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel; In returning and rest shall ye be saved; in quietness and in confidence shall be your strength: and ye would not Isaiah 30:15

Observation: In this Scripture, there are four things that God exhorts each one of us to do.

The first is returning. The picture then was Israel rebelling against God, doing this their own way and going astray. Yet God remained faithful, and when they turned back, when they returned to Him, He restored them. For us too, there may be times and periods in our lives when we may have wavered and gone down a different path than what God had intended for us. Like the prodigal son, who realized his error and returned to his father, we too must recognize our error and return to our Lord. Jesus said, no one who comes to me will I turn away. While we have breath yet in our mouth, there is still hope. The time of turning back, of returning to God is today, not tomorrow, for who knows what tomorrow may bring?

The second is rest. In life, many of us strive, trying to achieve this and that, but stress has come in, and we have no real peace. God is saying to us, take time, stop and find rest in Me. No matter how busy Jesus was, he always made time to go and be alone with His Father where He found rest and peace. Jesus also asks us to come to Him and find rest. He says “Come unto me, all you who are weary and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 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. My yoke is easy and my burden is light”. Somehow, in serving Jesus, we find a divine peace, and divine rest.

The third is quietness. Closely connected to rest, it is an important discipline to learn to be still and quiet before God, to wait upon Him and listen to what He may say to us. Even when no words are spoken, it is precious just to be still and know that the Lord is God, and there is no other.

Finally, the fourth is confidence. Some trust in chariots and some trust in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God! The Psalmist exclaims. When we are confident in God, we will not be shaken, no matter what the circumstance. He is our mighty fortress, our deliverer. Not even the great armies of the earth can prevail against our great and living God!

Application:- We need to learn to return to God, to find rest in Him, to be quiet before Him and to always base our confidence and trust in His strength. Jesus is our rock, and if He is for us, who can be against us?

Prayer:- Lord, when my heart strays, draw me back that I may return to you! May I ever find rest in your presence Lord Jesus. Teach me to be quiet before You, and let my confidence, my trust always be in You that You will always be with me to the very end of the age.

The potter and the clay

The potter and the clay

Scripture: Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter's clay: for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding? Isaiah 29:16

Observation: Isaiah 29 speaks further of a time where God will come and cause a great and powerful shaking on the earth. It is a time of earthquakes, storm and tempest, devouring fire. And there will also be a loss of wisdom among the people, with the wisdom of the wise men perishing and the understanding of prudent men being hid. In the midst of these upheavals, many will question why this is happening.

In life too, when things go wrong, when we are not happy with ourselves, perhaps not happy with our parents, our husbands, our children, many may begin to question God. Why did you place me in this family? Why did you make me look this way? Why do I have these defects? Why did you allow me to take this job? Why is my life upside down?

It is here that Isaiah 29:16 gives us perspective. God made us. He placed us where we are. He is our maker. Who are we to question him? Can the clay say to the potter “Why did you make me this way?” Or the toy to the toymaker “Why did you make me this way?” It is the prerogative of the Lord to put us where He wants according to His purposes. If He brings trials and hardships, it is His prerogative.

Job, after being stricken by numerous disasters exclaimed “Naked I came from my mother’s womb and naked I shall depart. The Lord gave and the Lord has taken away. May the Lord be praised!”

The main principle here is that we should not question the circumstance we are in or delve into self-sympathy and regret. Instead, we should look forward to the bright future that we have in Jesus Christ. All testing and trials and hardships should instead be accepted as training to make us better and more mature as James writes “My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.”

Scripture talks of an “evil day”, referring to a time when trouble and hardship comes. Yet, even an “evil day” can be used by God for good. The evil done to Joseph was turned into the salvation of Jacob’s whole family. The calamity endured by Ruth and Naomi was turned into the blessing of being included into the family of Boaz. The day meant for the extermination of the Jews during the time of Queen Esther was turned into a day of feasting and celebration that they celebrate to this day.

Application:-  As Jesus turned water to wine, He can in an instant turned our unsavory situation into something precious all in His good time. Hence, we do best not to question Him but the pray for strength and endurance, and use that circumstance to help us draw closer to God.

Prayer:- Lord, I do not understand why some things happen, when turbulence and upheaval comes into my life. However, I choose to trust You, Lord, that You know the best for me, and I submit myself to You. Give me strength and endurance and patience I pray.  Bless You, Lord. In Jesus name, Amen.

In Perfect Peace

In Perfect Peace

Scripture:- Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in thee. Trust ye in the LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength: Isaiah 26:3-4

Observation: The Scripture today gives us the picture of a man in perfect peace. What can we observe about this man? His mind is stayed on God. He is always aware of God, always conscious of God’s presence with him, wherever he goes. He trusts God, and in the Lord Jehovah is everlasting strength.

In today’s world of extreme busyness, with so many things vying for our attention, work, entertainment, investments, children, relationships. It is indeed quite easy to forget God in the midst of all our hectic hurrying. Even in church, with numerous programs and responsibilities, one can also forget the most important part of all our service, which is our Lord Himself.

Isaiah tells us that we can have perfect peace. Even in the midst of a storm, deadlines, and the impatience of bosses and superiors, we can have perfect peace. And a lot of that peace is trust, trusting in God no matter what, that He will make everything work together for the good of those who love Him.

Joseph, in his difficult years, continued to trust God, as a slave, as a prisoner, and even later as Prime Minister. His trust in God never wavered through thick or thin, and looking back, he calmly told his brothers that what they had meant for evil had been used by God to instead provide salvation for the whole family.

The antidote for stress and worry is trust in God. Cast your cares on the Lord for He cares for you and He will never let the righteous fall. The righteous will live by faith, so we need to continue to believe and trust in God in every situation.

Application: Make it a point to desire to constantly have God in our awareness, through every part of the day and night. It doesn’t mean, we are always praying or reading the Bible or reciting verses but that we always have that calm consciousness of God with us, Emmanuel. In trouble or distress, choose to continue to trust God.

Prayer:- Lord, let my mind always be focused on You, through every waking moment and even whilst I sleep. Strengthen my trust in You always, even in the darkest valleys of life, let me never fail to trust You. In Jesus name, Amen.

Where, O death is your victory?

Where, O death is your victory?

Scripture:- He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it Isaiah 25:8

Observation:- In this prophetic verse, the prophet Isaiah actually prophesies of the coming Messiah Jesus Christ who has swallowed up death in victory so that whose who follow Him may say “Where O Death is your victory, where O Death is your sting?

From ages old until now, from the time of Adam during the great fall, death has ruled supreme. The Book of Genesis begins with Creation and ends with Death. Death is said to be the great equalizer. Rich or poor, famous or unknown, royalty or commoner, good or evil – death has no respect for the status of a man. When the times comes to go, then it is time, and we cannot take any possessions with us as we decay in the dust.

Yet when Jesus came and died on the cross and was raised on the third day, He did away with Death. “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies, and he who lives and believes in Me will never die.” By this Jesus was referring to the second life. The Book of Revelation records how when Jesus comes in the skies, all those in Him who have died together with those in Him who are still alive will be caught up in the air to join with Him together forever.

In fact, in the Book of Revelation, God was warning His people to expect persecution and even death but not to fear it. Revelation 12 speaks of the people of God who overcame the dragon by the word of their testimony and the blood of the lamb and did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death. The death of His saints is precious in the eyes of the Lord. To die for Jesus is a great privilege indeed. However, it is not our call but the Lord. If anyone is to go into captivity, into captivity he will go and if anyone is to be killed by the sword, by the sword he will be killed. We should be like the apostle Paul, who said to live is Christ and to die is gain.

The picture of God wiping away the tears from the faces of His people is again seen in Revelation “For the Lamb at the centre of the throne will be their shepherd and he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes”. Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted. God is a loving and compassionate God and He feels for us even in our times of sorrow and despair.

Application:- Do not fear death, but live life to our best ability to know Jesus and serve Him, trusting God to determine the number of our days and our life’s length. Know that God cares for us and loves to comfort us.

Prayer: Lord, I entrust my life to you for you know best. Help me live the number of days you have given me to the fullest, in honor of You. Thank You for Your great love and comfort. In Jesus name, I pray. Amen.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

For them that dwell before the Lord

For them that dwell before the Lord

Scripture:- And her merchandise and her hire shall be holiness to the LORD: it shall not be treasured nor laid up; for her merchandise shall be for them that dwell before the LORD, to eat sufficiently, and for durable clothing. Isaiah 23:18

Observation:- Isaiah 23 speaks of a prophecy against the great maritime city of Tyre, that was exceedingly successful in business and trade. However, the knowledge of God was not present in this place, but instead, its god was materialism and commercialism. In her pride and selfishness, Isaiah prophesied of Tyre’s downfall, and in the final verse, we see that the treasure that Tyre hoarded up for itself would instead go to them that dwell before the Lord, for their food and clothing.

This brings to mind Jesus’ Words when He walked the earth such as “Blessed are the meek for they will inherit the earth” and “But many who are first will be last and many who are last will be first”. Jesus was always concerned about the poor of the land, and often spent time among the poor, the widows, the outcasts. Even in Old Testament times, we see how God prepared special provisions for the poor to be looked after in His law.

Yet at the same time, it is not wrong to be rich in itself. Being rich enables us to participate with God in blessing the poor, in making a difference in life and society. Still there are many who has made wealth their god and they hoard up for themselves like the people of Tyre, boasting in their riches, and competing with one another to see who could be more luxurious.

To be exceedingly rich is not for everyone, as wealth can come as a curse for those who know not how to wield it. Yet God is raising a generation of philanthropists who take pleasure in giving and making the world a better place, even among the super rich elite of the world.

Ultimately, we should be content with whatever God gives us – to eat sufficiently and own durable clothing is blessing enough for us.

Application:- Focus not so much on storing up treasures for ourselves, but look for opportunities to give to bless others on a regular basis. Source out worthy causes for our giving that will change the world in areas where we are passionate in. It could be helping poor Orang Asli children gain a better life by giving them more education, or provide clean water supply for a village in Africa, or help drug addicts redeem lost lives.

Be content with what we have, and give according to how God has blessed us.

Prayer:- Lord, I thank You for all that You give me, especially the food that I eat, the clothes that I wear, and the roof over my head. Help me content in all that you give me, and where you have blessed me with much, help me bless others likewise. In Jesus name, Amen.