You are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity...!

Acts 8:21-23 NKJV

You have neither part nor portion in this matter, for your heart is not right in the sight of God. Repent therefore of this your wickedness, and pray God if perhaps the thought of your heart may be forgiven you. For I see that you are poisoned by bitterness and bound by iniquity.”

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Shalom! Day #341. Do you know that the scariest part of being a believer of Christ is not having a right heart attitude before God? Let's pray. Father, give us a clean hands, give us a pure heart, let us lift our hearts not to another but to You alone. Mold in us a right heart attitude towards You and one another. Forgive us for not having a right heart attitude before You. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

I want to stress this matter as a believer and a servant of Christ to every believers.  Outwardly every believers seems to be growing spiritually and having a good life, but deep in their heart they are nurturing hatred, bitterness, bound with iniquity and feeling rejected by the community. Am I speaking to anyone today! And because of this we neither have a part nor a portion of whatever God has for us. If we neglect this things, it will later kill us. We will experience spiritual death, and eternal death. Bitterness, rejection, iniquity are like the cancerous cell. It is dangerous and not good for your spiritual living. Though we may be serving God, yet deep inside we having bitterness against one person or may be few. Rejection is another form of bitterness. Rejection is the beginning of bitterness and hatred. The feel of being rejected by certain group of people in the church, for example,  when you try to join the worship team and they rejected you because lack of experience and so on. It can grow to bitterness,  and at the end of the day we leave the church,  and go to another church and at that place we experience the same thing. No matter how many church you jump, if you never deal with it, you will always have the seed of rejection in you. Everybody wants to be accepted in one way or another.  The world may reject you, but Jesus accepts you! Be strong and deal with it. A right heart attitude begins when you deal with this things.

A right heart attitude, how to cultivate it?

1. Repent
⊙ repentance is the beginning of everything for our lives

-=> repentance is the beginning of restoration and healing. If today you are nurturing bitterness, hatred and bound by it, it's time for you and I to REPENT! This is to allow God to bring healing into our lives. Nobody wants to be rejected, and we do not choose for it, but when it happens the feeling of being rejected becomes bitterness and hatred.  And with that attitude we continue to serve God without dealing it. And there is always a feeling of not satisfied with the ministry and so on. Because they never deal with it.

2. Love.
⊙ many say, "I can forgive, but cannot forget."

-=> if you wholeheartedly forgive the people who caused the bitterness in your heart, then you should be able to forget what they have done. Because love covers a multitude of sins. Forgiving is not complete, if there in no LOVE involved in it. Let love bind us together, Colossians 3:14. Then you would be able to forget what they did.

Love is the basics of Jesus's teaching. Without love there is nothing. Having a right heart attitude as we serve the Lord,  enable us to have a portion of the things that the Lord has for us. So, how about you?

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

Doing it according to His ways...!

Acts 5:38-39 NKJV

And now I say to you, keep away from these men and let them alone; for if this plan or this work is of men, it will come to nothing; but if it is of God, you cannot overthrow it—lest you even be found to fight against God.”

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Shalom! Day #340. Do you know that if you are doing God's plan, no man will be able to withstand you and if it's your own plan, it will fail? Let's pray. Father, help us daily to do Your will and to execute Your plans for us as well as gor this world. Lord, we pray lest we be found pursuing our own plans. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

When you are pursuing you own plans, you will come to a place of disappointment but when you pursue God's plan, everything will be according to His appointment,  a success. Do it the God style,  God's ways. In this verse, the Pharisees are against the works that Peter is doing. He was preaching, teaching, praying for healings in the name Jesus. And this group of religious leaders are so troubled and disturbed by this. So they caught Peter and John and questioned them. Then one of them said let them alone for if this works they do is ot their own, it will not last long, but if it's from God,  then better do not interfere it. Ambitious people always have great plans and ideas of doing things their ways. But people of God, who fully and totally relying upon God's plans and ideas will see greater success and significance.

A couple of things I would like to share here today.

1. In  Proverbs 19:21 NKJV it's written that,  There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord ’s counsel—that will stand.
⊙ we can have many plans, but if our plans are not according to His plans and purposes, it will not prosper.

- God's ways of doing things are always higher than our plans and ways. Every little things about our lives are filled with the plans of God. If we try to do things on our own accord, according to our ways, it will always fail eventually. Why? Simply because we aren't inline with His ways. Well then how to know His plans? Well, commit all your ways and plans to Him, and God will give you the best. There are many plans in a man's heart, but without the Lord's approval, advice, correction, nothing will come to past. When you seek His kingdom and righteousness,  God will make known to you His plans for you. And when God is involve in the plans He gave you... no devil can stop you!

- for example,  I'm speaking to the youth group. If you are looking for a life partner, then you better listen to this!  Many boys and girls are looking for the outward appearance and they fell for it, yet in the end of the day they got disappointed. Why? Simply because they did not take time to pray and ask God. For every male and female came to this earth,  they came by pair. God created male and female. God did not just create one kind. Well, you go to seek God 1st, earnestly then He will reveal to you your life partner. Your life partner is hidden in God, safe and secured!

2. Lest you even be found to fight against God.
⊙ yes... it's a serious matter.  If you are doing things your way, well you are rebelling against God.

- you go against God when you don't submit to His will and plans. Israel rebelled against God and they wandered for 40 years in the desert. Because they can't see the plans of God for them. God has promised a land of milk and honey, yet they kept on murmuring and grumbling, and doing things their way. God was angry. Are you doing your own things without God involve in it? Commit your ways to God and He will prosper your works.

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

What do you have...?

Acts 3:6-8 NKJV

Then Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God.

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Shalom! Day #339. Do you know that as a believer, we all have that one greatest and valuable possession? Let's pray. Father, thank You for giving us one most valuable possession.  More precious than silver or gold. More valuable than the riches the world can offer us. Thank You for giving us the name of Jesus. Whereby in His name every knees shall bow and every tongues confess that He is the Lord. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. What do you have? You may be the richest person in the world, having trillions of money, yet if you don't have Jesus, you are still an empty vessel. A human being without life in it. Even the poorest man lives happily because he has Jesus in him. I'm not a rich person but I have Jesus in me. You might be thinking what Jesus can do. Hey let me tell you something as ordinary believer and as a servant of God. Jesus gives me peace, joy, good health. Jesus gives me power to bind and loose, to heal the sick, to set the demon possessed free. Jesus gives me the Holy Spirit.  Jesus gives me the power of the Holy Spirit. No I'm not a superman or superhuman.  I'm just an ordinary man created to do extraordinary work in the name of Jesus!

With Jesus in you, together with Him you are able to do great and mighty things. In this verse we read about Peter and the lame man.

1. What do you have?
⊙ the gifting God gave us isn't for us only, but to use it to serve others.

- Peter said silver and gold he do not have and not able to offer it to the lame man. But he said I have Jesus. He shared Jesus to that lame man. Are we bringing Jesus into the lives of people? Are we sharing Christ to them who is in need? People needs the Lord and we who have known the Lord and have the Lord,  are to share Him to them.

2. He took him by the right hand and lifted him up.
⊙ being a believer is not just about sharing Jesus,  but it's more than meets the eye.

- Many touch and go believers and servants of God have this habit.  They come, they share,  they go. They forget about following up with that person. They forget about discipleship. Peter not only shared Jesus,  but he went the extra mile in helping the lame man to stand up. And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. We must encourage them, build them, teach them to grow in faith as well as spiritually.

3. So he leaping up, stood and walked.
⊙ the amount of time you invest into a person life will not go in vain.

- Our ministry towards people, the amount of time we invest in teaching them discipling them will never go in vain. We have to disciple them, teach them to the point where that person is able to stand on his own and begin to serve God and others. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. The joy that you get when you see the person you discipled is to serve God.  The lame man went to the temple and praise God. 

So are you sharing Jesus into the lives of people? Well then, do it excellently. When it's harvest time, you will reap bountiful with songs of joy and praises! Jesus is our greatest possession,  share Him not sell Him!

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

The need for repentance...do you?

Acts 2:38-39 NKJV

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”

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Shalom! Day #338.  Do you know that the promise salvation and the gift of the Holy Spirit is for you and to your children? Let's pray.  Father, with repentance we draw near to You. Let the works of Your salvation be made complete in our lives and let Your Holy Spirit to come upon us right now as we humble ourselves in repentance and seek Your face. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Nowadays we don't hear this much. We are litening to grace teachings, prosperity teachings, but we seldom hear this. Jesus is once again reminding us today,  to draw near to Him in repentance and in humbleness and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. I'm saying this not because I am too holy, but its every believers and non-believers struggle. Jesus came to this world to search and rescue the lost, and the lost that was saved not be lost again but to go and search and rescue the lost. He saved you with a purpose for a purpose. Only one person is capable to destroy the purposes of God,  which is our oneself. 

Now, why there is a need for repentance? Through repentance,  we are restored to God. Through repentance we are revived. Through repentance we inherit the promises of God for our lives. Through repentance we inherit the gift of the Holy Spirit. There is a need for you and I to repent and be made whole once again. Humble ourselves and come to God in repentance.

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

Do you love Jesus more than anything else...?

John 21:15-17 NKJV

So when they had eaten breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Feed My lambs.” He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Feed My sheep.

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Shalom!  Day #337. Do you know that there is no turning back for everyone who serves the Lord? Let's pray. Father, we pray that we may not waver, falter or even turning back in serving You. Jesus, no matter how hard and tough it may be, continue to strengthen us as we serve You. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

Jesus asked Peter, "do you love Me more than these?" "These" Jesus is referring to the 153 fish Peter caught ealier. Peter, decided to go back to his previous profession as a fisherman. Because, he might have thought that Jesus is no longer in earth, their hopes are shattered, so he choose to go back. Even in that situation, Jesus did not scold him or rebuke him at first. All He said was to cast the net on the right side of the boat. Even Jesus prepared fire coal and some fish were laid on it and bread for their breakfast. As I was reading this verse, this conversation between Jesus and Peter grabbed my attention. I was like what are you trying to say Lord?

As I was reading it again and again,  I realized that Jesus kept asking Peter the same question for 3 times. And I was wondering, why 3 times? And it came to my mind that this same Peter,  denied Jesus 3 times. For every denial,  there is a price to be paid! Peter had to pay the price. This is what the Holy Spirit taught me. So let's open up our hearts to receive from God.

1. Do you love me more than these....feed My lambs.
⊙ do you love Jesus more than anything else?

-> this is the question of the day! Do you love God more than anything else? More than you spouse, your family, your statuses, your riches, your piled up pHds? Do you love God more than the blessings and miracles you received? Or you love God because of the blessings and miracles you received? Some people just love God because of the blessings and miracles they receive from Him. Then Jesus go on saying, FEED MY LAMBS. Lambs is young sheeps. In this verse,  if you love Me then feed the young believers,  disciples, feed them spiritually and make sure they grow.

2. Do you love me..... tend My sheeps..
⊙ now this is the second time Jesus is asking Peter. The question is again, why?

-> Well, let me tell you something as a servantor God. Jesus already knew what Peter is going to answer. If the same question Jesus ask us today, oh He very well knows whether are we confessing it with all our hearts or just a lip service. The 1st question is to see how far the willingness we have to doing our service for God. Now the second question is to test how faithful we are in taking care or looking after the things, the ministry, the souls, the church, the works which He has entrusted to us. Are we doing it with all diligence? Are we doing it excellently? The word "tend" in Greek word is POIMAINO, means to attend to, to look after. Basically it means to take care, to nurture, to nurse. Are we taking good care of the things He has entrusted towards us?

3. Do you love Me..... feed My sheeps...
⊙ by now I believe Peter could have felt annoyed. I'm just guessing.

-> at this point, I believe Peter confessed it wholeheartedly, with all his life that he loves the Lord more than anything else. Anyways,  again here we can see that Jesus is stressing on feeding His sheeps. Previously was, feed My lambs. Now feed My sheeps. Sheeps are actually grown-up lambs.  Continue feeding the grown-up lambs. Continue to care for My sheeps till I come again. Continue to lead them. Continue to nurture them. Continue build their faith. Continue to do what you have been doing for Me , in My name. No matter how hard it can be, no matter who complains against you, no matter who's trying to pull you down, no matter how tough it can be, continue to stand strong and take care of my sheeps till I come.

Well,  I believe that I have delivered to you what the Holy Spirit has to say to every individuals who reading this simple yet powerful devotion. Do you love Jesus more than anything else?

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

No doubt, just believe...!

John 20:27, 29, 31 NKJV

Then He said to Thomas, “Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing.” Jesus said to him, “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name.

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Shalom! Day #336. Do you know that you are called blessed because you believed in Jesus yet you haven't seen Him? Let's pray. Father, we are privileged that You have saved us, chosen us to be the partakers of Your kingdom. As it is written,  the just shall live by faith, therefore teach us daily to live by faith for the things which You have planned for us. Jesus, we pray this prayer, help us in our unbelieve, take away our doubts,  desolve our fear. I want to be a person of trust, a man and woman that would stand in faith and not doubt. In Jesus name we ask and prayer, amen!

Doubt is the killer and destroyer for a believer. Even in any relationships, either husband and wife, friends, family, if doubt is present, then it is the beginning of the destruction of that relationship if it is not dealt with. Many of us do doubt. There is no one person without doubt. Thomas, did not believe when the disciples said that they have seen the Lord. And because of doubt in his heart, Thomas said, unless I see and touch His wounds, then I will believe. At that very moment, Jesus encountered Thomas and dealt with the doubt in Thomas's heart. We need this kind of encounter by the Holy Spirit to convict us of our doubt filled heart. Doubt is the sin God hates most.

The bible has the keys to break the power of doubting upon our lives.

1. The just shall live by faith (Hebrew 10:38)
⊙ Apostle Paul, is one amongst the man of the bible who lived by faith. I admire his faith in Christ Jesus. And I hope that I can have such faith.

-> in 2 Corinthians 4:13 Paul said, "I believe therefore I have spoken." In this passage, let me paraphrase it. Paul is telling that though I haven't seen my miracle, yet because I believe in Jesus therefore I confess it into the spiritual realm and believe that I have receive it. I believe, therefore I have spoken. Speak into the spiritual realm the things unseen, and see it happen anf created into the natural.  

2. Because you have seen me, you have believed.
⊙ most of us, we believe in God when we have seen our prayers being answered.

-> the bible says in Mark 11:24, therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them and you will have them. In this word, Jesus is rebuking us indirectly for our unbelieve.  When you pray 1st you must believe and second you must receive it by faith. Faith is not build on miracles. Faith is not founded on miracles. Many Christian pray for miracle to happen, but they aren't willing to believe or to trust in God.  For them when the miracle happens, then they would choose to believe! Folks, again I say here, faith is not build on miracles! Faith build on your willingness to trust God! God expect us to trust in Him wholeheartedly and with all our hearts, but it is impossible to please God if there is no faith in us!

3. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
⊙ God is not looking for some great powerful religious organizations. He is looking for individuals, He is looking for man and woman of God who have been through the flood, who have been through the fire, who have been tested and come through with faith, tested as gold, tried in the fire!

-> you are blessed because you have served faithfully, believed with all your heart and with all your life. Because you choose to believe in Him without seeing! God is able to deliver you! You are a testimony in the making. Daniel was thrown into the lion's den. He did not believed after he saw the miracle but even before he saw his deliverance, he believed! God did not deliver Daniel out of the lion's den, but He delivered him in the lion's den! In that lion's den, Daniel saw his miracle after he believed in God!

Are you so doubtful of God's ability to deliver you? This is still the question of the day, "Is your God is able to deliver you? Is your God able to sustain you in hard times?" Why are you so fearful and not believe in God? Don't doubt God even in your difficult times! People are looking at your faith! People are watching you how deep are you willing to trust God. People are waiting to see what kind of testimony will you become! No doubt, just believe!

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.

You aren't of this world...!

John 17:15-19 NKJV

I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.  They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.  Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.  As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.  And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be sanctified by the truth.

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Shalom!  Day #335. Do you know that Jesus is still interceding for us? Let's pray. Father, we come to you with the confidence in our hearts that You are still interceding for us. Sanctify us constantly with Your truth, for Your word alone is the truth we hold on to. In Jesus name we ask and pray, amen!

God sent us to this world not to take us back before our time, but to stay in this world and to defeat the world. Although we are staying in the world but we do not belong to the world. We belong to the Kingdom of God sent to this world to do His will and to accomplish His purpose. Jesus came to set in order everything that's not in order. He came that we through His truth, His word be sanctified.

It is written that Jesus did not pray that God would take us out of this world, but He prays for us to be sanctified, to be strengthened,  to be empowered,  to stand strong as we walk in this world, as we fight the battle of faith, as we do the works of God. Jesus called us and selected us and send us into the world. He sent us as sheep's amongst the foxes. He is still praying for us so that we may not falter but stand strong. Therefore do not be afraid to face the world,  but always remember Jesus has overcome the world. Jesus was in great agony as he prepared to face death. Although Jesus cried out to God, asking to be delivered, he was prepared to suffer humiliation, separation from his Father, and death in order to do God's will. At times we will undergo trials, not because we want to suffer, but because we want to obey God. Let Jesus' obedience sustain and encourage you in times of trial. You will be able to face anything if you know that Jesus Christ is with you.

Let this day be the day of the Lord!

*** if you have any prayer request or any comments, or in anyway that I can serve today, please do let me know, I am at the Lord's service.

Please leave a comment. It would be a blessing for me to hear from you.