I open prison doors and set captives free.

Isaiah 61:1 New International Version (NIV)

The Year of the Lord’s Favor

61 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,[a]

Isaiah 61 was a prophetic declaration of the ministry that Jesus would usher in when He started His public ministry. God's heart has always been to proclaim good news for everyone who needs to hear it. He opens up every prison door and He sets every captive free! Hallelujah for a Savior who is so committed to our personal freedom!

His proclamation of freedom is as relevant today as it was the day that Isaiah penned these words. God wants us to be completely free because where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty! (2 Corinthians 3:17) My prayer today is that every prison door that still holds us captive would be consumed by the love of God so that we could live a really free life. It is for the very love of freedom that Jesus has set you and I free! (Galatians 5:1)

May each one of us experience a deeper level of God's freedom today than we have experienced before. May every weight be lifted off our shoulders and may the joy of the Lord be our strength. He never created us to be captive. We were created to be free! 

I know what you need before you even ask.

Matthew 6:8 New International Version (NIV)

8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

In Matthew 6, Jesus is instructing the listeners on how to pray to their heavenly Father. We don't have to stand on street corners shouting prayers out loud so everyone can hear us and we don't have to spend endless hours in repetitive babble thinking that somehow that will influence God. God is a good Father and He is simply looking for His kids to talk to Him.

Jesus tells us in this passage of Scripture that our God and Father is so attentive to our needs that He actually knows what we need before we even ask Him for it! We don't have to shout to get His attention! We don't have to spend hours in vain repetition to convince Him to listen! He is already listening... even before we pray a single word!

What an awesome Father we have! He is loving, He is good and He is kind. He knows what you need before you even ask! That doesn't mean we shouldn't ask though. He loves when we take time in our own prayer closet just to talk to Him. Anytime... night or day!

All My blessings will overtake those who obey Me.

Deuteronomy 28:2 New International Version (NIV)

2 All these blessings will come on you and accompany you if you obey the Lord your God:

Deuteronomy 28 is a chapter that starts with all of the promises of God to Israel if they simply listen to the voice of God and follow His ways. We read that there are a truckload of blessings that God wants to pour on all of us who simply say 'yes' to His plans and purposes. In today's promise, we read that these blessings will actually overtake us as we live our daily lives.

When I think of God's blessings overtaking us, I picture everyone running the race marked out for them that the writer of Hebrews mentions in chapter 12:1-2 and while we are running, God's blessings catch up to us and overwhelm us!

I know it wouldn't be fair to mention Deuteronomy 28 and all of the blessings that God desires to give without also acknowledging that this same chapter ends with all the curses that await those who disobey Him. I really don't want to dwell on the last half of this chapter because I know that it is our Father's heart to bless and not to curse.

The New Covenant is a covenant of blessings. We know from Galatians 3:13-14 that Christ became a curse for us so that the blessing that God blessed Abraham with would be ours in Christ. In Ephesians 1:3 we read that we have been blessed with every spiritual blessing in heavenly places because of Jesus. God's heart is that His blessings would overtake you in every area of your life today.

I will repay those who are kind to the poor.

Proverbs 19:17 New International Version (NIV)

17 Whoever is kind to the poor lends to the Lord,
    and he will reward them for what they have done.

In yesterday's promise, we talked about how God says He won't forget all the love you have shown Him by loving others. In today's promise, King Solomon writes in Proverbs 19:17 that God promises to repay us when we give to the poor. This Scripture actually says that when we give to those who are needy we are actually lending to the Lord. I can't think of a better person to have a business transaction with than our God and Father!

There is an old saying that says "We can never out give God". My prayer today is that each and every one of us would see the incredible blessing there is for us when we are merciful to others just like our Heavenly Father is merciful to us. The whole point is not to give to others to get from the Lord, but it is such a wonderful thought that God sees our gifts to the poor as investments in Him and He promises to repay all that we sow in this life.

May each one of us embrace the joy of giving to those less fortunate around us because we know that God loves a cheerful giver!  May His dividends to you far outweigh your generosity! As Paul the Apostle exhorts us in 2 Corinthians 9:7-8...

Let each man give according as he has determined in his heart; not grudgingly, or under compulsion; for God loves a cheerful giver. 8 And God is able to make all grace abound to you, that you, always having all sufficiency in everything, may abound to every good work. (WEB) 

I will not forget the love you have shown Me by serving others.

Hebrews 6:10 New International Version (NIV)

10 God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.

Today's promise simply says that God will not forget all the love you have shown to Him by serving others. The New International Version Bible translation of Hebrews 6:10 says... God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them. (NIV)

We are called to not grow weary in doing good, but to keep on running the unique race marked out for each one of us. Sometimes that is easier said than done though. I am sure at one time or another we have all been tired and even discouraged in the race that we have been called to run. Today's encouragement is simply... don't give up! God sees your heart and is touched by the way you have shown your love to Him by loving and serving others.

My prayer today is that each one of us will feel our Papa's smile from heaven over our lives, and that His affirmation would energize and encourage us to keep fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith so that we will not grow weary. (Hebrews 12:1-2) God loves you and does not forget the things that you have done to show your love to Him! Even if others forget what you've done, your Heavenly Father will never forget!

Announcement

Helping Hand Project
Date: May - July 2019
Theme: Help Rebuilt Palu, Indonesia
Details: Penang Corps Project - TBA

TSA Malaysia Youth Camp

Date: 5-8 June 2019
Theme: Upward Pursuit
Venue: Highlands Christian Centre, Cameron Highlands.
Age: 13-18 years old.

I will teach your children My ways and give them great peace.

Isaiah 54:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 All your children will be taught by the Lord,
    and great will be their peace.

In today's promise, we read how the Lord says that He will be faithful to teach our children His ways and give them great peace. For those of us who have children, this promise is very dear. God is a family man (so to speak). It was His idea to create a family structure where we would all be fruitful and multiply and have dominion throughout the earth. (Genesis 1:28)

His eyes are on our children and He promises to teach them His ways and to give them great peace. My wife and I have three adult children, one son-in-law and a little grand daughter. As any parent would, we desire for them to know the Lord's ways and live a peaceful life. When I read today's promise, my father (and grandfather's) heart cries out 'yes and amen!'

Whether your children are experiencing the fulfillment of this promise or not, don't give up. Keep praying for them and believing that our Father's heart is to bless our children more than we would want them to be blessed. May God give each one of us the grace to trust Him with the loving care of our kids. Our Father is indeed a family man and He will be faithful to watch over our children!

My goodness and mercy will chase after you all your life.

Psalm 23:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 Surely your goodness and love will follow me
    all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
    forever.

The Hebrew word for 'follow' in this Bible verse is pronounced 'radaph'. It means to run after, chase, hunt, or pursue. It is a very descriptive word that King David chose when he declared how goodness and mercy would follow him all the days of his life.

Just picture goodness and mercy relentlessly hunting you down all the days of your life. Never stopping, never ceasing in their pursuit of you. This is the blessing that is the inheritance for every son and daughter of the Father of Lights. His goodness and His mercy will run after us, chase us and pursue us... all the days of our life!

May the reality of our Father's love and the intensity in which He pursues us become more real today than it has ever been before. God loves you because He is love and He cannot help but love. His love for you is not conditional or based upon your performance. His love is pursuing you and my prayer is that it will overtake and overwhelm you today!

All that I have is yours because you belong to Jesus.

John 16:15 New International Version (NIV)

15 All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said the Spirit will receive from me what he will make known to you.”

Today's promise is at the very heart of the gospel message. All that belongs to the Father belongs to Jesus, and all that belongs to Jesus belongs to us because we are one with Him. The Amplified Bible says John 16:15 this way... Everything that the Father has is Mine. That is what I meant when I said that He [the Spirit] will take the things that are Mine and will reveal (declare, disclose, transmit) it to you. (AMP)

It is the Holy Spirit who now lives in us that reveals, declares, discloses and transmits all that the Father has given to Jesus...to us as well. The more that we meditate on this simple promise, the more it will transform our thought life and align us with our true destiny as beloved children of the living God. In His high priestly prayer of John 17, Jesus makes a profound statement when praying to His Heavenly Father... I in them, you in me. (NIV)

Colossians 1:27 says... Christ in you, the hope of glory. May this revelation become very real to us. Because of the finished work of the cross, we are now one with Christ and co-heirs of His glorious inheritance. (Romans 8:15-17) May faith rise up in our hearts today to simply believe that this is the gospel truth and the reason why Jesus died for us. 

I hear your voice when you call to Me in the morning.

Psalm 5:3 New International Version (NIV)

3 In the morning, Lord, you hear my voice;
    in the morning I lay my requests before you
    and wait expectantly.

God is with us when we are awake and He is with us when we sleep. King David declared in Psalm 139 that there was no place that he could go to escape the presence of the Lord. In today's promise, King David writes that the Lord is listening to our prayers when we call out to Him in the morning.

Think about this for a minute. God watches over us when we are sleeping and He is right there ready to hear our prayers the moment that we wake up! It absolutely amazes me when I think of how attentive our Heavenly Father is to our needs. Jesus told us in Matthew 6:8 that our Heavenly Father knows what we need before we even ask.

So when you first open your eyes tomorrow morning, think of this promise. God is waiting to hear from you. His heart is longing for us to commune with Him morning, noon and night. He is always watching over us and He is listening for our voice when we rise in the morning. 

I will keep watch over you and guard you forever.

Psalm 12:7 New International Version (NIV)

7 You, Lord, will keep the needy safe
    and will protect us forever from the wicked,

In Psalm 12, King David talks about the wickedness that existed in his generation and how the poor were being abused by the ungodly of the day. In the midst of this seemingly depressing situation David declares that even though ungodliness and pain surrounded him, the Lord would be faithful to watch over all His loved ones.

The NIV Bible says the Lord will keep the needy safe and protect us forever. The NLT Bible says that the Lord will protect the oppressed. Which ever translation you prefer, the point in today's promise is that the Lord has promised to watch over us and guard us forever...even in the midst of an ungodly generation.

We all know that we are called to be in the world but not of the world. My prayer today is that each one of us would feel completely safe in our Father's hands, knowing that He has promised to watch over us and guard us forever...even in the midst of very trying circumstances.

I am a very present help for you in times of trouble.

Psalm 46[a]

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.

1 God is our refuge and strength,
    an ever-present help in trouble.

In today's promise, the psalmist makes the declaration that God is ready to help us at the first sign of trouble. He is always with us and is our refuge and strength when we need shelter from the storms that come our way. Reading from the English Standard Version Bible, I want to read Psalm 46:1-3...

1God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble.n2Therefore we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea, 3though its waters roar and foam, though the mountains tremble at its swelling. Selah (ESV)

When we read the first three verses of this psalm, we can fully appreciate the result of us embracing the promise that God is a very present help for us in times of trouble... We will not fear. Even if the earth itself gives way, we will not fear. If the mountains are thrown into the sea... We will not be afraid. Though the waters roar and the mountains tremble... We will be safe in the secret place of the Most High.

In a time when natural disasters are at an all time high and there are increasing wars and rumors of wars, we need to be convinced that God is who He says He is. He is our ever present help in our time of trouble and He promises to be our refuge and the very strength of our life. May the revelation of this promise bring peace to all of us that passes our understanding. 

Be courageous for I am with you and I will never fail you.

Deuteronomy 31:6 New International Version (NIV)

6 Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.”

These words were spoken by Moses at the very end of his life when he told the Israelites that he wasn't going to accompany them into the promised land. I can't imagine how the nation of Israel must have felt when their trusted leader of 40 years told them that his time of leadership was at an end. They must have been struggling with fear because Moses encouraged them not to be afraid.

Moses went on to repeat this word of encouragement face to face to his trusted assistant Joshua in verses 7-8. It was important for Joshua to get a grasp on this promise from God as well because he was to be their new leader and the champion of their conquest of the promised land. In the time that these words were spoken, Israel was about to face literal giants in the land of Canaan so they needed to know for certain that God had promised to be with them wherever they went.

While it is not likely that any of us will be facing literal giants in our daily life, we are all facing giants of discouragement, fear and despair in one way or another. My prayer is that this promise from God spoken thousands of years ago to Israel would bring comfort and strength to each one of us today.

We don't have to be afraid. God is with us and He will never leave us. May this truth go deep into our hearts so that we will have the strength we need when we face our own giants. God will not fail us!

Announcement

Southwest Cell Group
Date: 24th May 2019, Friday
Time: 8pm
Venue: Bro John Lee and Sis Shirley's Home

Helping Hand Project
Date: May - July 2019
Theme: Help Rebuilt Palu, Indonesia
Details: Penang Corps Project - TBA

TSA Malaysia Youth Camp

Date: 5-8 June 2019
Theme: Upward Pursuit
Venue: Highlands Christian Centre, Cameron Highlands.
Age: 12-18 years old.

You can do all things through Jesus Christ who gives you strength.

Philippians 4:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 I can do all this through him who gives me strength.

In yesterday's promise, we talked about the kingdom principle of weakness. In today's promise, we talk about the kingdom principle of strength. The reality is that they are one in the same. In Philippians 4:13, the Apostle Paul makes the bold declaration that he can do all things through Jesus Christ who strengthens him.

The reason that Paul could say that nothing is impossible is because he had learned the secret that his own strength was made perfect in his weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:1-10) If we are leaning on our own abilities, then we can only do what we have the personal strength to do. If we realize the secret of our strength comes from us being empty of our own self-effort, then we will realize that there are no boundaries, barriers or limitations because Jesus knows no boundaries, barriers or limitations.

No matter what life throws at us, we are more than conquerors through Him who has loved us. (Romans 8:37) If we embrace the humility of a childlike heart and understand that true strength does not originate with us but with Christ that lives in us, then we will believe that we can truly live an impossible life.

May each one of us see the incredible power and strength that is available because we can do all things through our Elder Brother Jesus, who gives us His power and strength to overcome in every situation.

My Spirit will help you in your weakness.

Romans 8:26 New International Version (NIV)

26 In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for usthrough wordless groans.

The KJV Bible says that the Spirit helps us in our infirmities when we don't know what to pray for. The NIV Bibles says that the Spirit helps us in our weakness. Today's promise brings good news to everyone who has every felt weak and uncertain of what to pray for. I find it very comforting to know that the Holy Spirit that lives inside of me, is ready, willing and able to help me in my greatest moments of weakness.

But what about the times when I feel strong? What is the role of the Spirit of the living God when I am walking in my own strength? Is He helping me then or is He just waiting for me to be reminded once again that apart from Jesus I can do nothing? (John 15:5) I believe that one of the greatest principles of the kingdom is the principle of weakness. As the Apostle Paul discovered in 2 Corinthians 12:1-10, when he was weak, then he was strong because God's grace was made perfect in his weakness.

If you are feeling weak today, be encouraged! The Spirit of the living God that lives in you will help you in your greatest times of weakness and will even pray through you the words that need to be spoken to the Father when you don't have the words to pray. May each one of us receive a deeper revelation of the glorious Kingdom principle of weakness today. 

My Son took upon Himself all your sicknesses and diseases.

Matthew 8:16-17 New International Version (NIV)

16 When evening came, many who were demon-possessed were brought to him, and he drove out the spirits with a word and healed all the sick.17 This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet Isaiah:

“He took up our infirmities
    and bore our diseases.”[a]

Jesus took upon Himself every sickness and every disease that mankind has ever experienced so that we could be healed. I cannot imagine the unfathomable price that Jesus paid for today's promise to become a reality for us in our generation.

In the Garden of Gethsemane as Jesus was sweating great drops of blood, He cried out to His Abba (Father) for the strength to drink from the cup that would pave the way to our redemption. It was at this crucial time in history that Jesus took upon Himself ALL our sin and exchanged ALL our brokeness for ALL of His life.

I believe that only the Holy Spirit can bring revelation to us so that we can grasp in part the incredible sacrifice that Jesus paid so that we could become heirs of His glorious inheritance.

May God give all of us the grace today to comprehend the fact that Jesus took upon Himself all of our sickness so that we could be healed. May faith rise in our hearts today so that each one of us could appropriate the finished work of the cross in every area of our body and our soul that still needs to be healed.

Thank you Jesus for saying 'yes' to your Father and drinking the terrible cup of the brokenness of humanity so that we might be made whole...spirit, soul & body. Hallelujah, what a Savior!

My Word will brighten your steps and light your path.

Psalm 119:105 New International Version (NIV)

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet,
    a light on my path.

Have you ever walked on a path in the forest in the middle of the night without a flashlight? If you have and there wasn't a full moon shining, it is a pretty difficult thing to find your way around. Without a light to guide the way, you will inevitably go off the path and at the very least, bump into a tree.

I believe the psalmist in today's promise is saying the same thing about the importance of God's Word for you and me. In the grand scheme of things, we are only little boys and little girls who need all the help we can get. We do not have the navigational tools to manage our own life. We need both the written Word of God and the timely spoken Word of God to guide us through this life.

It is comforting to know that our God and Father equips us with all we need to live a godly life including lighting our path as we take one step at a time. Notice that the psalmist doesn't say that God's Word lights the path miles in front of us. He says that God's Word is a lamp unto our feet.

May each one of us rejoice in the fact that God has committed the resources of heaven to guide us on our life's journey. He has not left us in the dark to try to fend for ourselves, but has focused His Word like a huge beam of light at our feet to guide every step we take. 

My face will shine upon you all the days of your life.

Numbers 6:25 New International Version (NIV)

25 the Lord make his face shine on you
    and be gracious to you;

We live in an area in Canada where it is very cloudy in the winter months. Sometimes we can go weeks without ever seeing the sun. When the sun does eventually come out, the feeling of exhilaration is almost indescribable. The gloomy feeling of gray skies day after day can really take its toll on a person's emotional well being.

Today's promise is taken from the priestly blessing in Numbers 6 that the Lord told Moses to pray over Israel on a daily basis. In this blessing from the Lord, Moses tells the people that the face of the Lord will shine upon them all the days of their life.  Can you imagine living every day of your life being aware of the brightness and warmth of our God and Father's countenance?

Even though clouds do come our way, we can rise above the clouds (just like we can in an airplane) and still see His face shining on us. My prayer today is that each and every one of us would feel the warmth of His love and the brightness of His face shining upon us. We are not called to walk this life alone. Our Father is watching over us every step of the way. 

I am delighted to give you My kingdom.

Luke 12:32 New International Version (NIV)

32 “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.

Jesus makes this promise to His disciples just after He tells them not to take any thought for their life, because they have a Heavenly Father that has promised to provide for them. In this intimate conversation with His friends, Jesus encourages them to 'seek first His Father's kingdom' and all of their practical needs will be met as well.

Then Jesus wraps up His conversation by declaring today's Scripture verse... "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (ESV)  Isn't it wonderful that we don't have to be worried? Isn't it reassuring to know that we don't have to live in fear because God is absolutely delighted to give us His kingdom?

As Jesus says in today's text, we are His little flock. Little lambs can't protect themselves, they can't provide for themselves, they can't manage the cares of daily life. All they can do is live a life close to their shepherd. It is so comforting to know that Jesus is our Great Shepherd and we have no need under His watchful eye.

May each one of us be encouraged today and hear the voice of Jesus speaking deep in our hearts the words that He spoke to His disciples... "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. (ESV) 

I gently formed you in your mother's womb.

Psalm 139:13 New International Version (NIV)

13 For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb.

The New International Version Bible says Psalm 139:13 this way... For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. The New Living Translation says... You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother’s womb.  No matter what translation you prefer, this is a gentle picture of God's loving creation process.

You were not blasted into creation, but gently formed in your mother's womb by a loving God who took the time to delicately knit all your inward parts together. May the revelation of your creation bring a sense of well being to your soul. You were not a mistake. God planned you before the foundation of the world and He determined the exact time of your birth.

One of the greatest tragedies in this world today is the feeling that our lives were a mistake. Some people were even told that by their parents. The truth is that no life was ever a mistake. Each person ever created, was created with intention by the One who is love itself.

God gently formed you in your mother's womb and He is the One who brought you forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6) There is absolutely no doubt about it!