A NEW NAME

PART II

My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and you may be in good health -- 
as I know you are well in spirit. (3 John : 2)

Click here for the earlier part.

When God stretches His hands to bless you, your family too will attain His grace and be blessed through you.

As the Holy Bible says, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved- you and your family.” (Acts 16:31)

When Abraham believed in God’s covenant; his family too was blessed. 

Similarly, when Jacob was staying with his father-in-law, the Almighty God blessed Laban and all that he had in abundance.

When Jacob was ready to leave his house, Laban said to him, “Let me say this: I have learnt by divination that the Lord has blessed me because of you.” (Genesis 30:27)

Laban was amazed to see the miraculous prosperity he achieved through Jacob.

Are you lamenting? Is poverty rampant in your family? Are you in bed of tears due to sickness? Are you broken hearted?

Do not lose hope, the Lord who blessed Laban for the sake of Jacob, will surely bless your family for your sake.

Dear young children, always remember that you can be the source of your family’s prosperity. Do regularly ask the Lor d to place His hands upon you, and enjoy the bountiful blessings that will flow into you and submerge your family members too.

It is a noble act to receive blessings from your parents too; dear parents, make it a practice to lay your hands upon your children while blessing them; couples in the family too can lay their hands and bless one another. This small but dignified act will surround your family with the Supreme Love and unity of God and aid you to experience the peace of God. Almighty Lord will bless parents, to be proud of your children, while they learn to remain in love and loyalty to you.

As you experience the hand of God over you, His blessing will follow and reflect in your daily life. Be it the people around you or the workplace. Your superiors will be blessed, as God brings prosperity to your work.

Let us reach out to the Holy Bible where it mentions about a young man Joseph, whose brothers had plotted against him and had him thrown into a dry well to die. Joseph was pious and he loved God dearly and faithfully. The Lord in turn blessed him and he prospered in all that he did. God blessed the Egyptians for the sake of his servant Joseph.

As mentioned earlier, there was a stage in my life when I had to sacrifice my family, my home and everything I possessed in this life in the light of the Holy Gospel.

All those brothers and sisters, who helped me sincerely during those days, have been and still being blessed abundantly by Lord. Broken families were rejoined, sick with good health; those who were jobless were blessed with good jobs and are in high positions today. Peace and joy were showered immeasurably.

Dear devotees, I can assure you that the Lord who blessed those who sheltered God’s chosen daughter, will surely bless, sanctify and uphold your family.

God who blessed whole of Egypt through a slave, will surely bless your place of work and all your colleagues.

Almighty God who blessed Laban through Jacob, will surely prosper you and your family members.  

With the Divine Hands upon you, no curses will touch you. The fear of curses from your ancestors will vanish in his Precious Blood.

Once the Israelites camped in the plain Moab and Balak the King of Moab was terribly afraid of those people. He sent his people to Baalam the prophet to curse the Israelites. Balaam was confused and looked at the Lord. The Lord said Balaam “Do not go with these men and do not put a curse on the people of Israel, because they have my blessing” (Numbers 22:12)

Again the king took Balaam to another place to curse the Israelites once again Balaam looked at Lord and after receiving the command of God he said “I have been instructed to bless, and when God blesses I cannot call it back”. “I  forsee that Israel’s future will bring her no misfortune or trouble the Lord their God is with them”. (Numbers 23:20-21).

Yes if you are under the blessing of God and give due reverence, no curse or evil can afflict you and also your ancestors debts will also be cleared through your blessings.

Let us pray

Jesus, King of the family, sent your Holy Spirit upon each family of this world to bring peace and forgiveness among us to eradicate the brokenness and weakness of  our soul, mind and body, bondage of hereditary curses, debts and illness especially psychological disorders.  

Mother Mary Queen of the Family, send your holy legion that under your command and by your power, they may pursue the evil spirit, resist their bold attacks and drive them into the abyss of eternal home. Amen!

With Love Filled Blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

A NEW NAME

PART I

My dear friend, I pray that everything may go well with you and you may be in good health -- as I know you are well in spirit. (3 John :2)

Let us find out what happens when God places His Mighty Hands on us. It is the will of Victorious God that His people be pleasant, healthy and prosperous in His strength throughout our life. 

When Abram was ninety nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am the Almighty God. Obey me and always do what is right. I will make my covenant with you and give you many descendants. Abram bowed down with his face touching the ground, and God said, “I make this covenant with you: I promise that you will be the ancestor of many nations. Your name will no longer be Abram, but Abraham, because I am making you the ancestor of many nations. I will give you many descendants, and some of them will be kings. You will have so many descendants that they will become nations.

……..God said to Abraham, “You must no longer call your wife Sarai; from now on her name is Sarah.  (Genesis 17: 1-6, 15-16)

The name in Hebrew means princess.

Here we can see that God is pleased with Abraham’s faith and gives him a new name; again we can see in the Genesis 32, a man named Jacob who loved God truly. On a lonely night, God appeared like an ordinary man, face to face with him. The whole night they wrestled and at daybreak when the man was about to leave, Jacob refused to let him go saying, “I won’t unless you bless me.” On asking his name, Jacob replies; and the man said, “Your name will no longer be Jacob. You have struggled with God and with men, and you have won; so your name will be Israel.”

His life was completely transformed. From Jacob-‘one who deceives’ he was rechristened to Israel-‘May God prevail’.

And God said to him, “I am Almighty God. Have many children. Nations will be descended from you, and you will be the ancestor of kings. I will give you the land which I gave to Abraham and to Isaac, and I will also give it your descendants after you. (Genesis 35:11-12)

God’s covenant stands true till day and Israel, the powerful nation among the nations originated from Jacob.

God will be pleased with you, when you place your trust in Him; and He shields from danger those who are loyal, humble and show reverence to Him; and rewards them generously.

Dear devotees of Christ, the God who blessed and gave a new name to Abraham, Sarah and Jacob is willing to give us a new name.

As the Holy Scriptures say, “Some however did receive Him and believed in Him, so He gave them the right to become God’s children.”

We have been tremendously blessed with the authority to bear His name and to reap the great joy and courage the Holy Name bestows us. A Divine Name so powerful name that can set the satanic force to tremble, and bring the entire earth and heavenly creatures to their knees. Glory to God in the Highest!

As He said to Jacob, so does God say to us, “You are a chosen race, the King’s priests, the Holy Nation, God’s own people……” (1 Peter2:9)

God Himself acknowledged that we are special for Him and promised us that, “If you ask for anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14)

Are you disturbed, frustrated and devoid of hope? Amidst your loved ones, yet rejected? Or afflicted by diseases and are lonely? Do you feel you have come to a crossroad in life, unable to take the right path? Or are you running away from yourself or trapped in the web of your foes?

If the answer to the above questions is positive, then trust in the Almighty God, who is eagerly waiting to bless you and give you a royal birth by transforming you as His daughter/ son.

“Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty can say to Him, ‘You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.’ (Psalms 91:1)             

                                                                                   

Let us pray

Lord Jesus, only Son of the Almighty God, sent your Holy Spirit upon me and on the earth. Spread your word of peace to every heart and the thirst to imitate You; and obtain Your promises.

Mother Mary abode of Peace, Intercede for us.

                                                                                                            (To be continued…..)

With Love Filled Blessings,

Your Sister in Christ

ADVENTURES OF A PROPHET

PART I

“How much more then should I have pity on Nineveh that great city.”  (Jonah 4 :11)

Two thousand years ago Lord Jesus taught His followers, “Love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you.”  (Matthew 5: 44) 

                                       

Almost everyone admires this command, yet the factual remains that it is one of the toughest lessons for a common man, and another section of mankind who find it hard to swallow the message.

The Book of Jonah acquaints us with the story of a prophet to whom God instructed to love his enemies in Nineveh.  He denied God’s command and refused to go to the people and instead runs away from the Lord.

Nineveh was a large and important city in Assyria situated on the river Tigris.  God of Love, one day said to Jonah son of Amittai, “Go to Nineveh, the great city and speak against them.  I am aware how wicked its people are.” 

Jonah did not want to warn the Nineveh’s citizens that they were about to be destroyed.  He suspected that if they would repent; God would forgive them.  Then people would laugh and mock at him and his message.

The Book does not indicate why Jonah hates Assyrians.  But if you read the book of Nahum which is dedicated to Nineveh, it describes about the people over there. It says, “They are ruthless, blood thirsty, even the Assyrians themselves left due to cruelty. They torture and slaughter their enemies.” 

So Israelites had reason to hate and fear Nineveh.  But God loved Nineveh and wanted to save the city.  Jonah planned to disobey God and set out his journey to the opposite direction in order to run away from God. 

God send a strong wind on the sea and it was so violent, that the ship boarded by Jonah was in danger of sinking.  As the calamities went on to become worse, the sailors emptied the cargo by throwing all things and cried out to their own gods.  At last they drew lots to find who the cause of it was.

Finally, Jonah’s name was drawn and after he admitted to them that he was running away from God; he agreed that they have him thrown out to the sea. Crying pardon to God, they threw Jonah into the sea and at once the storm calm down.  Seeing this, the sailors began to believe in the True God of Jonah, who created the land and sea, offering sacrifices and promised to serve Him.

Meanwhile, the Lord commanded a large fish to swallow Jonah and he was inside it for three days and nights.

From deep inside the fish, Jonah called out in distress to the Lord to save him; In his prayer he describes his present situation:

‘……threw me to the bottom of the sea.

The water came over me and choked me;

the sea has covered me completely

And seaweed was

wrapped round my head…

fear of being thrown to the bottom…

and I felt life was slipping by…’

Then God ordered the fish to spew Jonah up on the beach, and it did.

The moment he was on land, Jonah heard God’s voice repeating His earlier command, “Jonah, go to Nineveh, the great city and proclaim to the people, the message I have given you.”

 So at last, Jonah obeys God by starting out to Nineveh and proclaiming the message.  “In forty days Nineveh, will be destroyed!”

The people there and the king of Nineveh believed God’s message.  As a sign of repentance, the king took of his robe, left his throne, put on sack cloth and sat down in the ashes.  He then ordered and sent out a declaration that everyone, including cattle and sheep must wear sack cloth and was forbidden to eat or drink.  Pray to God earnestly and give up all wicked behavior and actions, perhaps God will change His mind, perhaps He will stop His anger and we will not die.

The Holy Bible says that God saw what they did; He saw that they had given up their wicked behavior.  So He changed His mind and did not punish them as He had said He would.  (Jonah 3:10)   Halleluiah!

Our God is full of love and mercy.  How enormous may be your wickedness and cruelty be, if you truly repent like the Nineveh citizen’s, giving up all pleasures and luxuries, your perishable throne and its fame, move downwards praying earnestly for God’s pardon by fasting and doing sin offerings, acts of mercy like feeding and clothing the needy ones, can change God’s anger to love, because He is our Creator who do not desire to punish us. 

So don’t lose heart, because of the opinion that God cannot tolerate you. Everything and everybody in this creation will forsake us but His everlasting love will never forsake us.. 

Jonah was greatly displeased and sulked at the Lord’s compassion and love.  He murmured to the Lord, “I knew this will happen and that is why I quickly fled to Tarshish.  I knew that You are a Loving and Merciful God always patient, always kind and always ready to change Your mind and not to punish.  

The Lord answered, “What right have you to be angry?”  (Jonah 4:4)

 He walked out and made a shelter of the East of city and sat in the shade waiting to see what is happening to Nineveh.  The Compassionate Lord made a plant to grow up over Jonah to give him more comfort.  Jonah was extremely pleased with it.  But at dawn the next day at God’s command a worm attacked the plant and it died.  After the sun rise, hot eastern wind was sent by God and Jonah was about to faint.

 Again Jonah got angry and said, “I am better off dead than alive.” 

God again taught a lesson to him and asked, “What right have you got to be angry about the plant?” 

He continued arguing with God….. With great patience the Lord explained to him, “You didn't do anything for that plant and you didn't make it grow—yet you feel sorry for it! How much more, then, should I have pity on Nineveh, that great city having more than 1,20,000 innocent children in it as well as their many animals!”

Dear ones in Christ, the Book of Jonah is a heart touching story of miraculous change of Nineveh citizens. It showcases Sovereign God’s Supremacy over all His creatures like the sea, earth etc; yet His gentleness and patience in bringing the disobedient and rigid Jonah to the fulfillment of His Saving Plan for Nineveh. Every time he runs off, from the call of God, he finds himself in trouble; yet the moment he is saved; his repentance lasts only till his self-respect is in question. Forgetting that he was saved by the same God whom he disobeyed, we find him arguing and questing when God would not carry out His threat on the repentant people.

 It is worth to meditate the message it conveys to us; do we run away from God’s Plan like Jonah or are we like the citizens of Nineveh who repented and accepted the message of Salvation.

(To be continued)

With love filled blessings

Your Sister in Christ

PSALMS 130

A PRAYER FOR HELP

From the depths of my despair, I call to you my Lord,

Hear, my cry, O Lord;

Listen to my call for help!

If you kept a reward of our sins,

who could escape being condemned?

But you forgive us,

so that we should stand in awe of you.

I wait eagerly for the Lord’s help,

And in His word I trust

I wait for the Lord

more eagerly than watchmen wait for the dawn.

Israel, trust in the Lord,

because His love is constant

and He is always willing to save.

He will save His people Israel

from all their sins.

THE BOOK OF ESTHER

ESTHER’S PRAYER

Queen Esther, in deep agony, turned to the Lord.  She took off her splendid robes and put on garments of mourning and grief.  Instead of her rich perfume she put ashes and dung on her head.  She did all she could to destroy any dignity in her appearance.  She let her tangled and uncombed hair hang down over her body that she had always taken such care to beautify.  She prayed to the Lord God of Israel, “My Lord and King, only you are God.  I am all alone, and I have no one to turn to but You.  Help me! I am about to risk myself.  O Lord, as long as I can remember, my family has told me how You chose Israel from all the nations and how in ancient times you singled out our ancestors to be Your people for ever.  You have kept all your promises to them.”

“But we sinned against You.  You handed us over to our enemies, because we worshipped their gods.  We deserved your punishment, O Lord.  But our enemies are no longer satisfied just to see us in slavery.  They have made a solemn promise to their idols not only to destroy the people, who praise You, but to do away with Your Law and to remove forever the glory of Your house and Altar.  They want the whole world to praise worthless idols and stand in awe of mortal kings forever. “

“Lord, these gods are nothing, do not surrender Your power to them or give our enemies the chance to laugh at our downfall.  Instead, turn their evil plans against them and make an example of that man who first planned our destruction. “

“Remember us, O Lord. Come to us in this time of trouble.  Give me courage, King of all gods and rulers over all earthly powers.  Give me the right words to say, when I go in to face Xerxes, that savage lion.  Change his heart so that he will turn against Haman our enemy, and destroy him and his gang.  Come, to our rescue O Lord.  Help me I am all alone, and I have no one to turn to but You.”

“You know everything, Lord.  You know that I hate the honour I receive from these Gentiles.  I detest the thought of having sex with any of these uncircumcised heathen.  But you know that I have no choice.  I hate the crown I have to wear as queen on official occasions.  I never wear it unless I have to.  It is as disgusting as last month’s rag.  I refuse to eat at Haman’s table or honor the king by attending his parties, and I have never drunk any of the wine dedicated to his gods.  Since I came here, the only thing that has brought me joy is my worship of you, Lord God of Abraham.

“Almighty God, listen to the prayer of your people.  Rescue us from these evil men, and take away my fear.”

This is the Word of the Lord

Thanks be to God