Stand Still

                               Stand still, and consider the wondrous works of God - Job 37:14.  

             The Lord fought for the Israelites at the Red Sea and destroyed all the Egyptians. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace - Exodus 14:13,14. The Israelites stood still and saw the salvation of the Lord and His great works. So the Lord saved Israel that day out of the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Thus Israel saw the great work which the Lord had done in Egypt - Exodus 14: 30,31.

                    God promised Jehoshaphat that He will fight the battle and told them to just stand still and see the salvation of the Lord. You will not need to fight in this battle. Position yourselves, stand still and see the salvation of the Lord, who is with you, O Judah and Jerusalem!’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out against them, for the Lord is with you - 2 Chronicles 20:17.  Jehoshaphat fixed his eyes upon the Lord and praised God instead of fighting the battle. For we have no power against this great multitude that is coming against us; nor do we know what to do, but our eyes are upon You - 2 Chronicles 20:12. The Lord fought for them and he saw the salvation of the Lord in the battle.

                   Our God is a wonderworking God and a mighty warrior who fights for us. Let us stand still and see the great wondrous works of God in our life. Stand and see this great thing which the Lord will do before your eyes - 1 Samuel 12:17. Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth - Psalm 46:10. Let us not fear about anything but instead stand still and see the salvation of  the Lord with our eyes fixed on Him as He fights all our battles. I will lift up my eyes to the hills - From whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth - Psalm 121:1,2.                                                    

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us to stand still and see Your salvation and great works in our life. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

God's Likeness

 Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over  all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth” - Genesis 1:26.

                God created us in His own image. God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them - Genesis 1:27. We are fearfully and wonderfully made by God. For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works - Psalm 139: 13, 14.

                We cannot bless God as well as curse people made of God’s image. With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring?  My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olive, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water - James 3:9-12.

                 Proverbs 17:5 says, “He who mocks the poor reproaches his Maker. The Bible says that whatever we are doing to men, we are doing to God. ”Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you?’ - Matthew 25:37-40. Let us love and be kind to all the people created in God’s likeness.

                                                     

    

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for creating us in Your own image. Help us to be kind with all the people created in Your image. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Two Great Commandments

 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ - Matthew 22: 37-39.

                The first and great commandment for us is to love our Lord God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. We can love God by keeping His commandments. If you love Me, keep My commandments - John 14:15. And whatever we ask we receive from Him, because we keep His commandments and do those things that are pleasing in His sight - 1 John 3:22. But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him - 1 John 2:5.  

                God first loved us and demonstrated His love by giving His life for us. We love Him because He first loved us. If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also - 1 John 4:19-21.

             The second commandment is to love our neighbors as ourselves. We are the disciples of God if we love one another as Christ loved us. A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another - John 13:34,35. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you - Matthew 5:44.                                                     

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Let us love You with all our heart, mind and soul by keeping Your commandments. Help us to love our neighbors as ourselves. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.                                                         

Let Us Cross Over To The Other Side

 On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” -Mark 4L35.

             There was a great windstorm in the sea when Jesus and his disciples were crossing the other side of the sea. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?” - Mark 4:37, 38. Jesus rebuked the wind and said to the sea to be in peace and be still. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm - Mark 4:39. Immediately, the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

              The disciples were so fearful when they saw the great windstorm even though they are in the God’s plan of crossing over the other side. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” - Mark 4:40. For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind - 2 Timothy 1:7. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go - Joshua 1:9.

             There is no need to fear about anything as God is with us always. Be strong and of good courage, do not fear nor be afraid of them; for the Lord your God, He is the One who goes with you. He will not leave you nor forsake you - Deuteronomy 31:6. Let us face all situations boldly with faith as all things are possible with our Mighty God. And they feared exceedingly, and said to one another, “Who can this be, that even the wind and the sea obey Him!” - Mark 4:41. For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast - Psalm 33:9.                                                       

PRAYER: Dear Lord, Help us to overcome our fear by faith. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Turn Back To The Lord

     Let us search out and examine our ways, And turn back to the Lord. - Lamentations 3:40.

                 God wants us to return to Him as we have stumbled because of iniquity. Return, O Israel, to the Lord your God, for you have stumbled because of your iniquity - Hosea 14:1. Let us examine our heart and return to Him. Examine me, O Lord, and prove me; Try my mind and my heart - Psalm 26:2. Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me, And lead me in the way everlasting - Psalm 139:23,24. Therefore, return to your God, Observe kindness and justice, And wait for your God continually - Hosea 12:6.

                Let us return to the Lord who is gracious, merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness with our whole heart. So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the Lord your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness; And He relents from doing harm - Joel 2:13. I will give them a heart to know Me, for I am the Lord; and they will be My people, and I will be their God, for they will return to Me with their whole heart - Jeremiah 24:7. If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored - Job 22:23.

                 God will return to us as we return to Him. Therefore say to them, ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts: “Return to Me,” says the Lord of hosts, “and I will return to you,” says the Lord of hosts - Zechariah 1:3. Let us turn back to God and draw near to Him. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded - James 4:8. God will hear us as we return to Him. if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land - 2 Chronicles 7:14.

                                                        

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We return back to You. Search our ways and cleanse us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Praise Is The Powerful Weapon

 And my tongue shall speak of Your righteousness And of Your praise all the day long - Psalm 35:28.

               Praise is the powerful weapon which we can use all the day long. I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth - Psalm 34:1. Praise Him for His mighty acts; Praise Him according to His excellent greatness! – Psalm 150:2.

           Praises makes the enemies to flee. Jehoshaphat appointed people to sing praises to the Lord when the enemies came against them. Now when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushes against the people of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, who had come against Judah; and they were defeated - 2 Chronicles 20:22. The Lord fought the battle for them and the enemies were defeated.

               Praise is the key for breakthroughs to happen. Let us offer praises to God continually. Let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise - the fruit of lips that openly profess his name - Hebrews 13:15. Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you. I will praise you as long as I live and, in your name, I will lift up my hands - Psalm 63:3,4.

                                                  

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We praise You for Your great love and faithfulness. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

The Battle Is The Lord's

                For the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands - 1 Samuel 17:47.

               Our Lord is a Mighty Warrior. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, The Lord mighty in battle - Psalm 24:8. David said to the Philistine with faith that he comes to him in the name of the Lord and went to fight with him with no sword in his hand. Then David said to the Philistine, “You come to me with a sword, with a spear, and with a javelin. But I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied - 1 Samuel 17:45. The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe - Proverbs 18:10.

           David faced Goliath with no fear as the battle is the Lord’s. Then all this assembly shall know that the Lord does not save with sword and spear; for the battle is the Lord’s, and He will give you into our hands - 1 Samuel 17:47. The Lord is a man of war; The Lord is His name - Exodus 15:3. Do not be afraid nor dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours, but God’s - 2 chronicles 20:15. No weapon formed against you shall prosper - Isaiah 54:17. David killed Goliath with a slihg and a stone as the Lord fought for him. So David prevailed over the Philistine with a sling and a stone, and struck the Philistine and killed him. But there was no sword in the hand of David - 1 Samuel 17:50.

                 Let us face this new year with no fear like David as the battle is the Lord’s.  The Lord will fight for us and give us victory. Like the Israelites let us stand still and see the salvation of the Lord in our life. Do not be afraid. Stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which He will accomplish for you today. For the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall see again no more forever. The Lord will fight for you, and you shall hold your peace - Exodus 14: 13,14. You shall seek them and not find them - Those who contended with you. Those who war against you shall be as nothing, as a nonexistent thing - Isaiah 42:12.                                              

PRAYER: Dear Lord, We thank You for this new year. We believe You and trust Your promises as the battle is Yours. Lead us and guide us. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.