I have chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of My kingdom.

James 2:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 Listen, my dear brothers and sisters: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?

The gospel is good news for the poor. Jesus told us in Matthew 5 that blessed are the poor in spirit for theirs is the kingdom of God (Matthew 5:3). In today's Scripture, James is reminding us that God has chosen the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs to the glorious kingdom that He promised to all who loved Him.

May this promise give strength to the weak, hope to the hopeless and encouragement to every person who feels like they are not living 'on top of the food chain' in the system of the world. God is for the underdog. He has always been for the lowly heart because He Himself is lowly in heart.

The kingdom of God is a kingdom where the weak will be made strong, the poor will be made rich, and the foolish will be made wise (1 Corinthians 1:26-30). The more that we see that the gospel is about God doing for us what we could not do for ourselves, the more we will rejoice in His promise to make us rich in faith and heirs to His glorious kingdom.

For me, this really is good news! ...That means I qualify!

I do not show favoritism in My family.

Ephesians 6:9 New International Version (NIV)

9 And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him.

In today's Scripture verse, Paul the Apostle is giving instruction to the Church on how masters should treat their servants. He reminds them that they also have a Master in heaven who doesn't show favoritism so we should be careful not to mistreat those who are under our own supervision either.

Ephesians 6:9 in the New International Version Bible says it this way... And masters, treat your slaves in the same way. Do not threaten them, since you know that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no favoritism with him. (NIV)

God does not play favorites! Every son and daughter is equal at His table. Of course we are called to submit to every authority that God has instituted in heaven and on earth, but it is clear that God does not favor one of His kids over the other. The truth of the matter is that we are ALL His favorites!

There is only one speed in which our God and Father can love... and that is with ALL His heart. In John 17:23, Jesus while praying to His Father says... I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. (ESV)

The Father loves you and me with the same love that He loves Jesus! It is a wonderful thought to think that we are loved that much, but it is true. God does not show favoritism in His family. He loves ALL of us with ALL His heart. 

My gentleness will enlarge your life.

2 Samuel 22:36 New International Version (NIV)

36 You make your saving help my shield;
    your help has made[a] me great.

In today's Scripture verse, King David is making a declaration that God's gentleness has made him great. The Hebrew word for 'great' is pronounced 'rabah' and means to increase, excel, abundance, enlarge, etc. David acknowledged that it was the kindness and gentleness of God that was the reason for the expansion in his life which led to his greatness.

It is God's love for us that makes us great. Not our own ability to manage life. A friend of mine says that we can never be worthy enough for love, but it is love that makes us worthy. David knew that this was the secret to his own success. It wasn't his own ability that made him great, but the kindness of a God who loved to show him mercy.

The gentleness of our God makes us great too. Jesus told us that we would do greater things than He did because He was going to the Father (John 14:12). My prayer today is that faith would rise up in our hearts because of the kindness of our God and Father. It is the love that He has for us that will make us great. 

You can trust in Me, for I am your strength and your song.

Isaiah 12:2 New International Version (NIV)

2 Surely God is my salvation;
    I will trust and not be afraid.
The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense[a];
    he has become my salvation.”

God loves it when we trust Him. Trusting God is truly committing our lives into His care and not trying to manage life all on our own. In Proverbs 3:5-6, we are encouraged to trust in the Lord with all our heart and to not lean to our own understanding. God wants us to lean into His care today and not depend upon our own ability to manage life.

When we realize that our God and Father is indeed trustworthy, then we will not be afraid of anything that comes our way. We will know beyond the shadow of a doubt that the LORD is our strength and our song and our very salvation. However, before we can truly enjoy the benefits of living a fearless life filled with God's strength and His song, we need to deal with the trust issue.

God wants to restore childlike trust to each one of us. The trust that was broken when we were little children can be restored in our relationship with our Heavenly Dad because He is indeed trustworthy in every way. My prayer is that we would all would trust in our Abba more today than we did yesterday and that our ability to trust in God would increase every day for the rest of our lives.

God is our salvation. We will trust in His goodness and not be afraid. He is our strength and the song that we sing every day. Hallelujah for such a wonderful salvation!

I have chosen the poor to be rich in faith and heirs of My kingdom.

James 4:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded.

I love this promise from God in today's Scripture verse. God is waiting for you and I to come close to Him. Through the finished work of Jesus on the cross, He has made the first move and has come as close to us as possible. All we have to do is simply acknowledge His willingness to come close to us and take a step towards Him.

Just like the father in the Prodigal Son story in Luke 15, God is waiting and watching for us to turn to Him in order that He might take us up in His arms and embrace us for the rest of our lives. He is not expecting us to jump through all kinds of hoops to get to Him, He just wants us to turn our hearts toward Him today.

My prayer is that we will all realize the truth that God is waiting for us to come close. May each one of us have the courage just to take one baby step toward our Heavenly Dad and watch how He responds. When we come close to our Father, He is ready, willing and able to come close to us!

I will cover you all day long as you rest between My shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:12 New International Version (NIV)

12 About Benjamin he said:

“Let the beloved of the Lord rest secure in him,
    for he shields him all day long,
    and the one the Lord loves rests between his shoulders.”

Today's Scripture verse comes from Deuteronomy 33 where Moses is pronouncing a blessing on all of the tribes of Israel before he dies. The New International Version Bible says Deuteronomy 33:12 this way...  About Benjamin he said: “Let the beloved of the LORD rest secure in him, for he shields him all day long, and the one the LORD loves rests between his shoulders.” 

What an amazing picture of intimacy is painted between God and Benjamin. Moses calls Benjamin the beloved of the LORD who will enjoy the Lord's covering all day long as he rests between God's shoulders. I believe that every promise that God has made to the beloved of the LORD is a promise that we too can claim as our own because we too are God's loved ones.

Our God and Father invites us to rest between His shoulders today and live in a place of complete safety in Him. He is our covering and truly a place where we can 'let down our hair' and relax. My prayer today is that this promise would become real to each one of us so that we might truly be able to rest in the arms of our Heavenly Father. 

If you delight in My Word, you will be fruitful and prosperous.

Psalm 1

1 Blessed is the one
    who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
    or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
    which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
    whatever they do prospers.

Today's promise contains the first three verses of the first chapter in the book of Psalms. What a way to start this wonderful book. These precious verses tell us that we will live a blessed life when we choose not to take counsel from the world system but to delight in the Word of the living God.

We are told that if we delight in the Lord and in His Word, we will be like a tree planted by rivers of water, always bearing fruit in the appropriate season, all the while living a prosperous life. I don't know about you, but when I read Psalm 1:1-3, my heart cries out, I want to be that man! I want to live a life that is pleasing to my God and to delight, meditate and be a manifestation of His Word to every one around me.

Simply put, God loves us and He wants to bless us in every way. When we listen to Him, when we delight in what He delights in, we have His promise of being fruitful. My prayer today is that we would all say yes and amen to this promise and claim it as our very own. May each one of us love what our Father loves, and choose to live a life of delighting in His ways.

If you make your home in Me, then no evil will come your way.

Psalm 91:9-10 New International Version (NIV)

9 If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”
    and you make the Most High your dwelling,
10 no harm will overtake you,
    no disaster will come near your tent.

Psalm 91 is an amazing chapter for anyone who struggles with the fear of not being safe. It is a powerful picture of safety and security. It tells us that we are living in the secret place of the Most High. In today's promise we read that when we make our home in the Lord, no evil will come our way because we live in the fortress of the living God.

I am sure that many of us have watched movies or read stories of huge castles, surrounded by high walls, motes and scores of soldiers. Even that picture of safety and security pales to the sense of protection that we have when we abide under the shadow of our Papa's wing.

Jesus did tell us that in this world we will have trouble, but we can be encouraged because He has overcome the world. Living in the secret place does not mean that we are insulated from trouble but it does mean that when troubles come, He is the safe place where we can find safety and security.

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would feel the safety and security that comes from knowing that we have a refuge in the heart of our God and Father, where we can live all the days of our lives. I pray that fear would have no place in our lives as we make our habitation in the living God. 

I have made you a member of My own household.

Ephesians 2:19 New International Version (NIV)

19 Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household,

When I walk into a house where I have never been before, it takes some time to get used to the new surroundings. I am usually very careful not to knock anything over and to do my best not to do anything that would offend the house owner.

However, when I walk into my own house, where our family has lived for many years, I am very comfortable with my surroundings. My wife and I travel quite a bit and there is no feeling like coming in the front door of our home after a lengthy trip and seeing familiar surroundings. The first thing I do is kick off my shoes and relax!

In today's promise, we read that we are no longer strangers and foreigners, but we are fellow citizens with God's people and we are members of His own household. Not only do we have full access to God's house, it is our house too! It is a safe place where He wants us to be comfortable and relaxed. It is a place where we can feel like we truly belong!

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would know that there is a special place in our Father's house (heart) for us. We are not strangers looking through a window on the outside, but we are joint heirs with Jesus, having full run of God's house.

Remember the words that Jesus spoke to us in John 14:1-3...
1 “Don’t let your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. 2 In my Father’s house are many homes. If it weren’t so, I would have told you. I am going to prepare a place for you. 3 If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and will receive you to myself; that where I am, you may be there also. (WEB)

I will always build you up, not pull you down.

Jeremiah 24:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 My eyes will watch over them for their good, and I will bring them backto this land. I will build them up and not tear them down; I will plantthem and not uproot them.

One of the ways an insecure person builds themselves up is by pulling other people down. By making somebody else look inferior, the person doing the 'pulling down' might feel superior, at least temporarily. While this is a very unhealthy way to go about life, many people think that God is waiting to do the same thing to us. He is just watching for an opportunity to criticize us and point out all shortcomings.

The truth is that the exact opposite is true. God is not waiting to find fault in us, He is looking for every opportunity to pull us up! In today's promise, we read of God's heart for His people and His desire for only good things for them. He promises to only do good things for us, to build us up and to plant us in solid ground.

Our God and Father is the most secure, loving, kind and compassionate father in the universe! He is always looking for new opportunities to encourage us so that we might fulfill our destiny as His beloved children. My prayer today is that we would simply believe that this is true. God is FOR us in every way!

Announcement

Commissioning & Ordination Service of The Messenger of Compassion
Date: 27th April 2019 (Sat)
Time: 7:00pm
Venue: Singapore Central Corps
Details: Live Streaming - TBA

Southwest Cell Group
Date: 26th April 2019 (Fri)
Time: 8:00pm
Venue: Bro John Lee & Sis Shirley's House

2019 April 21, Easter Service & Birthday Celebration

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I will restore and refresh your weary soul.

Psalm 23:3 New International Version (NIV)

3     he refreshes my soul.
He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.

God created us to be restored and refreshed on a regular basis. The daily cycle of life demonstrates this as we are intended to rest (sleep) for a good 8 hours every day. Science is showing us more and more how important it is for our physical and emotional well being to be able to rest.

In today's promise, King David declares that it is God who is the restorer of His soul. The New Living Translation says... He renews my strength. The Amplified Bible says...  He refreshes and restores my life (my self)  The Message Bible says... you let me catch my breath. 

I am not an expert in such things, but I understand from articles that I have read that up to 70-80% of physical illnesses are stress related. What that tells me is that the human body was not created to sustain a chronic amount of stress day in and day out. We all need to be refreshed. We all need our soul restored.

My prayer today is that each one of us would find the rest that we need in the midst of the hustle and bustle of our busy lives. May the Lord renew our strength, may He refresh and restore us, and as The Message Bible says... may we be able to catch our breath.

The good things that I have planned for you are too many to count.

Psalm 40:5 New International Version (NIV)

5 Many, Lord my God,
    are the wonders you have done,
    the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
    were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
    they would be too many to declare.

King David wrote Psalm 40 and in it he declares to God how wonderful His works are! David goes on to talk about the many good things that God has planned for us. Let's read Psalm 40:5 from the New Living Translation...

O Lord my God, you have performed many wonders for us. Your plans for us are too numerous to list. You have no equal. If I tried to recite all your wonderful deeds, I would never come to the end of them.

The goodness of God has no end. It goes on forever and ever. Many times throughout the Bible, the phrase... The Lord is good and His mercy endures forever is declared. The strategy of the enemy is for us to question the goodness of God. His plan started in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve and it continues today. If he can get us to question God's goodness, then he can get us to not trust our Heavenly Father.

David had it right when he declared that the good things that God has planned for us are too many to count. The truth is that God is for us... not against us. He loves us with all His heart and He only wants the absolute best for our lives.

This does not mean that we will be insulated from trials and hardships along the way, but even in the midst of our struggles, there is nothing in all creation that will ever separate us from His amazing love. (Romans 8:35-39)

My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit will dismantle any misconceptions that you might have of God that are not true. He is not an angry distant earthly father or an abusive religious leader. He is the perfect Father and the things that He has planned for you are too many to count!

2019 - April 19, Good Friday Service

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I have raised you up with Christ to sit in heavenly places.

Ephesians 2:5-6 New International Version (NIV)

5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christand seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus,

Once we were dead, now we are alive in Christ. Once we lived by the laws of the flesh, now we are are led by the Spirit of God. What a contrast! Death to life. Darkness to light. Earthly to heavenly. Because of the grace (unmerited favor) of God, He has raised us to resurrection life in His Son, so that we would be seated together with Jesus in heaven!

When we read today's Scripture passage, many of us think that this is our destiny when we die and go to heaven, but Paul the Apostle is talking about a present reality, not just a 'when we all get to heaven' kind of reality.

Ephesians 2:6 in the Amplified Bible describes what Paul says this way... And He raised us up together with Him and made us sit down together [giving us joint seating with Him] in the heavenly sphere [by virtue of our being] in Christ Jesus (the Messiah, the Anointed One). (AMP)

The spiritual reality of salvation has catapulted us into heaven right now! This is our spiritual position in Christ as we live out the balance of our Christian life here on earth. I love how the Amplified Bible tells us that God the Father has given us joint seating with Christ in the heavenly realms. We actually share the same seat as our Elder Brother because we are IN Him!

My prayer today is that the Holy Spirit would give each one of us power to grasp the eternal implications of us being seated in heavenly places right now. No matter how dismal or depressing your life might be on earth, the spiritual reality is that your spirit is joined with Jesus in heaven right now.

I have cancelled all your sin and you alive in Jesus Christ.

Colossians 2:13-14 New International Version (NIV)

13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made you[a] alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins,14 having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

Paul the Apostle tells us in Colossians 2:13-14 in no uncertain terms that God the Father has cancelled all our sin, forgiven all our trespasses, and has even blotted out any charges against us! Because of the cross of Jesus Christ, every sin, every failure, every mistake that we have ever made has been taken away and nailed to the cross!

Not just our past sins, but our present sins and our future sins. The finished work of Christ has dealt a death blow to sin and death in our lives. We are now new creatures in Christ. The old has passed away and all things have become new! If you struggle with sins of the past, be encouraged! Hebrews 8:12 tells us that God chooses to remember our sins no more!

The once and for all sacrifice of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ will cleanse us from our guilty conscience. Because of the price that Jesus paid, all of our sin has been cancelled and we have now been made alive in Him. My prayer today is that each one of us would simply believe this to be true.

I pray that we would not listen to condemning thoughts that would cause us to live in the past. May we with boldness agree with the words that Paul the Apostle proclaimed in Romans 8:1 which says... There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (ESV)

I have chosen you to be like My Son so you could be part of My family.

Romans 8:29 New International Version (NIV)

29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

In today's promise from Romans 8:29, we read in the Amplified Bible the following... For those whom He foreknew [of whom He was aware and loved beforehand], He also destined from the beginning [foreordaining them] to be molded into the image of His Son [and share inwardly His likeness], that He might become the firstborn among many brethren. 

What an amazing promise! God knew us and loved us and destined us to be part of His amazing family before the creation of the world! It was because of His incredible love, that He determined to mold us into the image of His beloved Son so that we could be part of His wonderful family.

Jesus is the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. He is the ultimate big brother to each one of us and His Father has become our Father (John 20:17) because of the finished work of the cross. Hallelujah for such a salvation! We are being conformed day by day into the likeness of our Elder Brother and Savior, Jesus Christ.

The more that we understand that the Christian life is all about family, the more we will experience the family love that is ours with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. We are not orphans, but joint heirs with Jesus! (Romans 8:17)

My prayer today is that each and every one of us would know that God chose us before the foundation of the world to become part of His everlasting family. May the reality of this promise transform how we see ourselves, our brothers and sisters, and our Elder Brother Jesus!