I will bless your life and keep watch over you always.

Numbers 6:24 New International Version (NIV)

24 “‘“The Lord bless you
    and keep you;

God instructed Moses to pray a special prayer of blessing over the Israelites every day. It is an often quoted blessing and one of my most favorite ones in the Bible. Numbers 6:24-27...  24 ‘Yahweh bless you, and keep you. 25 Yahweh make his face to shine on you, and be gracious to you. 26 Yahweh lift up his face toward you, and give you peace.’ 27 “So they shall put my name on the children of Israel; and I will bless them.” (WEB)

In today's promise, we are focusing on the first line of this priestly blessing to God's people. The Amplified Bible says Numbers 6:24 this way... The Lord bless you and watch, guard, and keep you; (AMP) The New Living Translation Bible says it this way... ‘May the Lord bless you and protect you. (NLT)

Whatever version of the Bible you prefer, the message is the same. The Lord's heart is to bless you and watch over you in all your ways. Just like a mother hen broods over her chicks, our God watches over us with His mighty ferocious protective love. May each and every one of us be aware of His nearness today and His desire to bless us in all that we do.

My power will rest on you when you are weak.

2 Corinthians 12:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

Today's promise comes from an encounter that Paul the Apostle had with the Lord Jesus Himself. It would be helpful if you could read the entire text found in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10. In a nutshell, Paul has this incredible third heaven experience where he sees amazing things that he is not able to share with others. Afterwards he encounters a 'thorn in his flesh', a messenger of Satan sent to harass him.

Three times he asked the Lord to take away this 'thorn in his flesh' and Jesus' response to Paul in the first part of verse 9 was... He has said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” (WEB) After Paul heard these words from Jesus Himself, he received a new revelation of how the kingdom of God works.

In the last part of verse 9, Paul responds to Jesus by saying...  Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest on me. (WEB) The kingdom of God is opposite to the kingdom of this world. It is the poor in spirit that will inherit the kingdom. God has chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. The last shall be first and of course, the weak will be made strong.

My prayer today is that we would have eyes to see the kingdom of God and embrace it with all our hearts. When we are empty of our own ability to manage life, may we see that it is then that Christ's power rests on us. May we all be able to boast in our weaknesses so that the strength of our Elder Brother Jesus, might be perfected in us.

I will discipline you in love as a father who loves his children.

Proverbs 3:11-12 New International Version (NIV)

11 My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline,
    and do not resent his rebuke,
12 because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
    as a father the son he delights in.

When we think of being disciplined, we usually default to our own life experience of what that meant for us. If we were treated harshly as children, it would be understandable for us to fear the Lord's discipline because we might see His discipline through the same lens of our own parents. But the reality is, that God is not like any parent on earth. Matthew 5:48 says that He is the perfect father.

When our Heavenly Father disciplines us, His motivation is not anger or rejection, but complete love. Just like we would not want our little ones to be burned by putting their hands on a hot stove, neither does our Father want us to be hurt in any way. His heart for us is complete wholeness, so along the way, there will be times when He will need to correct us so that we can learn from our mistakes.

In Hebrews 12:4-12, the writer talks in more detail about the discipline of the Lord and how it is a sign that God is treating us as His sons. The end result is for our good and will lead to a harvest of righteousness. My prayer is that the Holy Spirit will dismantle any fear of our Father's discipline that is based on any human form of punishment that we have received.

May we all see that our Heavenly Dad trains us and corrects us for our own good because of His great love for us.

I will provide every good thing you need to do My will.

Hebrews 13:20-21 New International Version (NIV)

Benediction and Final Greetings

20 Now may the God of peace, who through the blood of the eternal covenant brought back from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shepherd of the sheep, 21 equip you with everything good for doing his will, and may he work in us what is pleasing to him, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Our God and Father is the source of all that we need to live a godly life. He will equip us with every good thing that we need to accomplish His plans and purposes. In John 3:27, John the Baptist is speaking to his disciples and he makes this statement...  John answered, “A man can receive nothing, unless it has been given him from heaven." (WEB)

All we have has been given to us from heaven. In James 1:17 the Bible says that every good and perfect gift comes from the Father of Lights.  Whatever you need, whenever you need it, will be given to you from your Heavenly Father through the life of His Son that abides in you. We can rest in this promise. We do not have to try and live this life on our own in our own strength and resources.

My prayer today is that we would all know that our God and Father promises to provide every good thing we need in order to do His will.

Announcement

1. Cell Group - Southwest
Details: Resume after Chinese New Year

2, World Day of Prayer
Date/Time: 1st March 2019
Theme: "Come - Everything is Ready"
Details: To be announce later

3, International Day of Prayer
Date/Time: 31st March 2019
Theme: "Dream Big - Pray Like a Child"
Details: To be announce later

I will take hold of your hand to keep you from falling.

Psalm 37:24 New International Version (NIV)

24 though he may stumble, he will not fall,
    for the Lord upholds him with his hand.

The fear of failing is a powerful motivator to keep us from doing things that require some form of risk. If we believe that we will be rejected by God if we stumble and fall, then we may not be willing to risk at all. I love today's promise because it clearly shows that it doesn't bother the Lord in the least when we stumble and fall. The truth is that He is always ready to take us by the hand to help us get back on our feet again.

When our children were toddlers, they all had to learn to walk. The first time they tried, they would fall down. And the second time, and third time, etc. With every step that they would take, my wife and I would cheer them on and be ready to catch them if and when they would fall down. The fact that they stumbled was of no surprise to us and it was of no consequence because we knew that they would get up and try again.

I think it is the same way with the Lord. From His perspective, we are just little boys and little girls learning to walk out this life. He knows us completely and His heart is full of compassion towards us. When we stumble and fall, He is right beside us, ready to take our hand and help us continue our journey.

I give My Spirit in unlimited measure.

John 3:34 New International Version (NIV)

34 For the one whom God has sent speaks the words of God, for God[a]gives the Spirit without limit.

In John 3:34, John the Baptist is referring to Jesus when He makes this statement... For he is sent by God. He speaks God’s words, for God gives him the Spirit without limit. (NIV)   If we are united with Christ and co-heirs with Him, then everything that belongs to Jesus belongs to us, right?

The Bible says that we are the temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). It also says that God has given us His own Spirit as a deposit to guarantee our inheritance (2 Corinthians 1:22). If we no longer live, but it is Christ living in us (Galatians 2:20), then I can only assume that if God gave His Spirit in unlimited measure to Jesus, then He has given His Spirit in unlimited measure to us too.

Jesus said that nothing would be impossible to those who believe (Matthew 17:20). With this in mind, may faith rise up in our hearts today so that we would know that the Spirit that lives in us is the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead (Romans 8:11).  There is no limit to what our God and Father will do in our own lives because He has given us His Spirit without measure!

I will give you rest in green pastures and lead you to still waters.

Psalm 23:2 New International Version (NIV)

2     He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters,

Psalm 23 is one of my most favorite psalms. In this one chapter, King David draws from his experience of being a shepherd boy to build an analogy of the Lord's shepherding heart towards us. In John 10:11, Jesus clearly makes the connection to Psalm 23 by telling us that He is the Great Shepherd who wholeheartedly gives His life for His sheep... I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. (WEB)

Everything that a shepherd does is for the benefit of the sheep. In today's promise, we read how David writes that the Lord makes him lie down in green pastures and He leads him beside still waters. In the hustle and bustle of life, we all need to find rest in green pastures. It is interesting to note that David says that the Lord makes him lie down in green pastures. Maybe there are times in our lives where the Lord will make us rest even if we don't think we need it?

May the Great Shepherd of the sheep give you the rest you need today in His rich green pastures and may He lead you to still waters to find refreshment so that you can continue your journey under His watchful care.

I am at work in your life through the desires of your heart.

Philippians 2:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.

I like how the Amplified Bible translates Philippians 2:13... [Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight. (AMP)

The Christian life is a life of learning how to live from our heart, not from our head. If Christ lives in us, then we have the Spirit of the living God living in us too. If Christ lives in us, we have a new heart and we can trust our new heart to guide us in all that we do. In today's promise, the Apostle Paul says that it is God Himself who is at work in us, giving us both the desire and the power to accomplish all that He has purposed for our lives.

It is amazing to think that God actually directs us by the godly heart's desires that He has already placed in our hearts. I believe the Christian life is a life where we learn to live from our hearts. May we all learn to trust the still small voice that resides within us. For it is God who is already at work in you and it gives Him great delight to see His kids living from their hearts.

My plan for your future is filled with hope.

Jeremiah 29:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future

When you think of your own future, how do you feel? Are you excited to think of what is ahead or does the thought of the future cause you to be anxious? With an uncertain economy, wars and rumors of wars, etc., it is easy to feel anxious and uncertain about what lies ahead. Yet in today's promise, God says that your future is filled with hope.

My favorite Bible translation of this verse comes from the NIV Bible... For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

I find it very reassuring to know that God has a plan for my future that is filled with hope. I don't have to dread what's coming because my Heavenly Dad already has a plan for me. And of course we know that the ultimate hope is living in the light of God's love forever!

May the reality of today's promise fill you with peace. May you know that while the future may be uncertain to you, it is not to God. He has a father's heart toward you and has determined to fill your future with hope. Does this mean that there will be no bumps in the road? Certainly not.

But we do know that all things will ultimately work together for our good as Paul declared in Romans 8:28... We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to his purpose. (WEB)

I have given you a new heart and put My own Spirit in you.

Ezekiel 36:26-27 New International Version (NIV)

26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

This passage of Scripture is pointing to the day when people would no longer have to live a life separate from God. They would no longer have to try and figure out what the Lord desired from a distance because God promised to give them a new heart and put His own Spirit within them.

Of course this promise was fulfilled when Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, came into the world and made a way for each one of us to receive the free gift of salvation. Because of Jesus' death, burial and resurrection, we no longer have to live with a cold heart of stone because He has given us a new heart. Because of the New Covenant, we no longer are separated from God because He has given us the most precious gift He could give...the gift of Himself.

God has given each one of us a new heart and He has put His own Spirit within us as a deposit to guarantee our inheritance. There is no greater gift that He could give. May we be aware of the abiding presence of God that lives in us today and have a heart of thanksgiving to God for giving us the precious gift of a new heart and His own Spirit!

Since you are in Christ, I have made you an heir of all My promises.

Galatians 3:29 New International Version (NIV)

29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirsaccording to the promise.

Every one of the promises that God made to Abraham now belongs to us because we belong to Jesus Christ and are now heirs according to the promise. Just think of that for a moment. You are an heir of God and a joint heir with Jesus (Romans 8:17). Every promise that God made to Abraham is part of your own spiritual inheritance!

When God said to Abraham that He would be the father of many nations, and a blessing to many (Genesis 12), you were part of that promise.  The New Living Translation says Galatians 3:29 this way... And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God’s promise to Abraham belongs to you. (NLT)

May our God and Father give each one of us a revelation today about what it means to be an heir in His amazing kingdom. ...An heir of God and a co-heir with our Elder Brother, Jesus Christ. There is no higher call, there is no greater destiny, than to be part of the eternal family of the living God.

Be encouraged by the words found in Galatians 4:7 - So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (WEB)

2019 - Jan Bro Freddy and Sister Alice 45th Wedding Anniversary

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I sent the Spirit of My Son into your heart so you could call Me Father.

Galatians 4:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,[a] Father.”

The greatest gift that the Father could give us was the Spirit of His Son, the Spirit of Sonship. Each one who is born again, carries within their being the very life and nature of Jesus Christ Himself. Galatians 4:7 goes on to say... So you are no longer a bondservant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ. (WEB)

The Spirit of the Son that lives within us continually calls out 'Abba Father!'. Abba is an Aramaic word for 'father' that little children would call out to their dads in New Testament times. It would be like us saying 'papa' or 'daddy' in the English language. Because we carry within our very being the Spirit of the Son, our spirit man continually cries out 'Papa' to God, whether we are aware of this cry in our heart or not.

I believe it delights our Heavenly Father when we cry out 'Abba!' to Him, for that is the very reason why God has given us the Spirit of His Son... so that He could be a Father to us (2 Corinthians 6:18). My prayer today is that we would all be aware of the cry that resonates deep in our heart today as we join with the Spirit of the Son that lives within us that calls out 'Abba Father!'.

I have given you eternal life because you have believed in Jesus Christ.

John 3:16 New International Version (NIV)

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16 is one of the most quoted, most loved Bible verses in the New Testament. This Scripture has been used by evangelists over the years to invite many people to come to Christ. The foundation of this much loved verse is and always will be, the love of the Father. For God (the Father) so loved the world...

It was the great love of our Heavenly Father that caused Him to give up His most treasured possession, the life of His Son, so that we too could share in Jesus' eternal life. What a glorious promise! We were loved so much by God, that He gave up all that He loved in order to gain our love!

May we never take the wonder of John 3:16 for granted, but may we continue to revel in the amazing love our God and Father has for us every day in our lives. Thank you Father for loving us so much, that you sent your only begotten Son to the world in order to purchase our redemption!

I delivered you from darkness into the kingdom of My beloved Son.

Colossians 1:12-13 New International Version (NIV)

12 and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you[a] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light. 13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves,

Each one of us were once held captive by the power of darkness before we were set free by the power of Christ and brought into His kingdom. For all who have said 'yes' to Jesus, our old life is now in the past tense and our new life in Christ is our present reality... Whether we feel like it is or not.

May the Holy Spirit give us revelation today to know that we have already been translated into the kingdom of our Elder Brother. The power of darkness has no more hold on us because of our royal position in Christ. We now live in an upside down kingdom, where the last will be first, the weak will be strong, and the poor will inherit the riches of our Father's kingdom.

I pray that every believer will echo the prayer that Paul prayed in Ephesians that our God and Father would give us the spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Him better. May the eyes of our hearts would be opened so that we could really see the hope of His calling and our glorious inheritance in the saints!

Ephesians 1:15-23...
15 For this cause I also, having heard of the faith in the Lord Jesus which is among you, and the love which you have toward all the saints, 16 don’t cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him; 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope of his calling, and what are the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the exceeding greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to that working of the strength of his might 20 which he worked in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and made him to sit at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule, and authority, and power, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age, but also in that which is to come. 22 He put all things in subjection under his feet, and gave him to be head over all things for the assembly, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all. (WEB)

I chose you to be adopted into My family before creation.

Ephesians 1:4-5 New International Version (NIV)

4 For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love 5 he[a] predestined us for adoption to sonship[b] through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will

It pleased the Father to choose us before the foundation of the world. In love, He saw the day when we would say yes to the free gift of His Son's life for our life and become born into His amazing family. Before He even spoke the world into existence, He saw us!

And our adoption is not like any human adoption, for God has given us His own Spirit as a deposit to guarantee our inheritance. We are not servants in His house, but actual sons and daughters, joint heirs with our Elder Brother Jesus, seated in Christ in heavenly places.

What an amazing promise! Every other promise and precept rests on God's eternal plan to make us part of His family. As Ephesians 1:4 says, we are holy and without blame before Him in love all because of the finished work of Jesus Christ. What Jesus did on our behalf has secured our place forever as God's kids! 

1 John 3:1 
Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn’t know us, because it didn’t know him. (WEB)

I created you in My own image with My special blessing.

Genesis 1:27-28 New International Version (NIV)

27 So God created mankind in his own image,
    in the image of God he created them;
    male and female he created them.

28 God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.”

God created us in His own image. Think about that for a moment. We were created to reflect the image of God Himself! I wonder what the angels thought when they first saw Adam and Eve? What a glorious privilege to be made in the image of the One who knit us together in our mother's womb!

May we never take this blessing for granted. May we always be in awe of the fact that we were created to look just like God. When Jesus came to the earth 2,000 years ago, He sealed the deal by making a way for us to be conformed into His image (Romans 8:29) inside and out so that He could be the firstborn of many brothers and sisters.

My prayer today is that we would live in the light of our Father's original blessing to be fruitful, to multiply and to have dominion throughout the whole earth with the knowledge that we were created to look just like our Heavenly Dad.

The intentions of My heart will remain steadfast forever.

Psalm 33:11 New International Version (NIV)

11 But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever,
    the purposes of his heart through all generations.

In today's promise, we are reminded that God is steadfast in what He has purposed. The New Living Translation Bible says Psalm 33:11 this way... But the Lord’s plans stand firm forever; his intentions can never be shaken. (NLT)

When God determines to do something, His plans will stand firm forever. He is not fickle or temperamental and He will not be swayed by public opinion or the winds of change. He has fixed His eyes upon us and has purposed in His heart to love us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3). ...And He won't change His mind!

What our Heavenly Father started in the Garden of Eden in Genesis 1, He will see to completion at the end of the book of Revelation. No force in heaven or on earth will be able to prevent His purposes from being fulfilled. We can rest in God's plan for our lives for the intentions of His heart will remain steadfast forever!