My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today is from the book Ruth 1:18, “When she saw that she was determined to go with her, she stopped speaking to her.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, from the above verse we come to understand that Ruth was determined not to leave her mother in law alone. The above context shows the intimate relationship between Ruth and Her mother in law Naomi. For Naomi went with her husband and her two sons to Moab from Bethlehem for a better living. Suddenly her husband Elimelech died. Thereafter she gave her sons Mahlon, and Chilion in marriage to the Moabites women. One was Orpah and the other was Ruth. They had just begun to live a happy married life when all of a sudden both her sons died without begetting any children.
So the two young women became childless widows. It was a miserable and painful moment for Naomi. She was an elderly widow, and two young widows were around her. One was Orpah and the other was Ruth. Now at the same time in the same house, there were three windows. Naomi was broken hearted. She was pained to see her two childless daughters-in-law. We really don’t know what caused the death of her sons, nor do we know why the women were childless. We only see the glimmers of the women’s gentle words and the daughter in laws tears.
She tells her daughter in laws, “No my daughters, for it grieves me very much for your sakes that the hand of the Lord has gone out against me.” She felt that God had departed from her and therefore she had lost all her blessings. So she called her daughter in laws and asked them to return to their father’s house. Then they lifted up their voices and cried again. Orpah kissed her mother in law and went to her home. But Ruth refused to return to her father’s house. She held on to her mother-in-law firm and said, “Don’t urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God.” She held on to Naomi. She said, Where thou die, will I die, and there will I be buried. When Naomi saw that Ruth was determined to go with her, then she stopped speaking about it unto her. She did not compel her any further about returning to her father’s house.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, thus we see the intimate relationship between Naomi and Ruth. It is beyond expression. It is an experience from within the heart. Whatever Ruth’s circumstances may be, her clinging to her mother in law is a gift of grace, that Naomi couldn’t see in the beginning. Naomi seems to think the young widows will fare better by departing to their parent’s house and restarting their lives all over again. She had a good heart towards her daughter in laws. It is really painful that nowadays, we do not see such a sound relationship between mother in laws and daughter in laws. Let’s hope to see a better relationship between family members and siblings within the family. May this message enlighten the hearts of the readers to change their attitude.
God bless you and thus be like Ruth and Naomi in future.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, We thank You for this blessed day. Thank You, Lord, for showing to us the characters of Ruth and Naomi who cared for each other. Teach us to be like the Lord in our lives. Help us to be tenderhearted and loving to one another. May we share the love with one another and bear one another ’s burden. In Jesus Name we pray.
Amen.
My dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet and bless everyone in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The blessed word that God has given you for today is from the book of 1 Samuel 1:27, “For this child I prayed and the Lord has granted me my petition which I asked of him.”
Hannah was one of two wives of Elkanah. The other, Peninnah, had given birth to Elkanah’s children, but Hannah remained childless. So one day, Hannah went up to the temple, and prayed with great weeping. Eli the High Priest heard her weeping bitterly at the altar. Hannah was in bitterness of soul, and prayed to the Lord and wept in anguish. She made a vow saying, ‘’Lord if You will give me a male child, then I will give him to the Lord all the days of his life.” When Eli enquired the reason for her weeping she told him that she was a woman of sorrowful spirit, therefore she had poured out her heart to God. Eli said, “Go in peace, and the God of Israel will grant your petition.” Hannah conceived and bore a son. And called his name Samuel, God looked into her affliction and heard her cry and answered her prayers. God not only heard her prayer but answers everyone who cries out to him in truth and spirit.
I would like to share a testimony about a family in America. I went to Australia in July 2017. And a family came for prayers. When I ask them what I should pray for? They told me about their elder brother who was in America. They had been married for almost ten years but they had no children. So I prayed for them through the phone. I sent God’s word and believed that He will perform a miracle. I said to the Lord, “You are a God of miracles. You hear the cry of the needy. You are a God who does more than what we ask, think or pray. Therefore kindly bless my son with the gift of a child. You are a God at hand and a God afar off”. I sent the word through the phone hoping that God would perform a miracle. The word took a form within her womb, and she conceived three children in her womb. Praise be to God.
God saw her affliction and blessed her with three children. I again went to Australia in the month of July this year 2018, that family came again to meet me. I couldn’t recognize them. I asked them what I should pray for? Then they narrated the entire episode that took place in my previous visit. They said that God had blessed their elder brother, after I had prayed with two daughters and a son. They were filled with great joy. They said that they had come to thank me. God sent forth the word and performed a miracle. God will perform a miracle for you too if you wait upon Him.
God bless you.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord I thank you for answering the prayers of my children. When we call You in distress you hear our cry. Lord we praise You for Your kindness. Bless all those who are in need of a child and may they rejoice in You all the days of their lives. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
My dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given you for today is from the book of Proverbs: 3:24 , “When you lie down, you will not be afraid, Yes you will lie down and your sleep will be sweet.”
My dear Brothers and Sisters, from the above passage we come to understand that King Solomon told his son, to keep sound wisdom and discretion knowing that they give many benefits to men. When you lie down on your bed at night in order to take sleep then commit yourself into the hands of a faithful creator, and Covenant God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Redeemer and wisdom of God. Then you shall not be afraid, of thieves breaking in to hurt you, or rob you of the prosperity. You shall not be terrified with uneasy imaginations, anxious cares and distressing dreams while you are asleep. For He that keeps Israel, and every true born Israelite, neither slumbers nor sleeps. Since you have committed yourself and taken shelter under the shadow, of His wings.
The psalmist says, For You alone O Lord make me dwell in safety. For the Bible says, the sleep of a labouring man is sweet, whether he eats little or much. When we walk according to the ways of God and not allow the words of Christ to depart from us. Then your life and all that belongs to you shall be under the protection of His grace. Yes, you shall lie down. And you need not to sit up to keep guard, instead you shall sleep and not keep awake due to fear. Yes, Your sleep shall be sweet. Refreshing to thee and not being disturbed by any alarms.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, For the Lord shall be your confidence and shall keep your foot from falling. Hallelujah! Some of you are suffering from sorrowful sleep. Due to sorrowful sleep you dampen your bed with tears. You must be weeping all the time in the night hours due to the problems you face in your daily life. Hereafter God will give you sweet sleep. He will deliver you from all your problems. No evil spirit can take hold of you if you surrender your life to God. He knows all your problems even before you could tell them. God will give you peace and rest to your eyes if Gods presence abides with you. When you commit your ways unto the Lord then you will sleep in peace and live in safety.
God bless you.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Lord thank You for assuring us with sound and sweet sleep. Help us not to be afraid or be worried over the things that trouble us during the day. May we trust in the Lord who neither sleeps nor slumbers and who remains as our confidence. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
My dear Brothers and sisters in Christ, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given you for today is from the book of Psalms 119:67, “Before I was afflicted I went astray.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, The above verse explains that however, God has dealt, with us, He has dealt with us better than we deserve, and all in love. And for our good. Many have the knowledge, but have little understanding of the snares of Satan. And therefore fail to protect themselves from its attack. Therefore some tend to deviate themselves from God when life is all comfortable in the world. We should always, leave our concerns to the disposal of God. Seeing we know not what is good for us.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, we need to accept and say, “Lord thou art our bountiful benefactor, incline our hearts to faith and obedience.”Thus the Psalmist goes on in his duty with constancy and resolution. The proud are full of worldly things. God visits his people with an affliction that they may learn his statutes. That is why the Psalmist says, It is good for me to have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes.
God visits His people with affliction, that they may learn his statutes. Not only God’s promises but even his law, his precepts, though hard to understand for the ungodly men they are desirable and profitable because they lead us with safety and delight unto eternal life.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, thus we see that unless and until we face problems or trials in our life we keep ourselves away from God. We don’t make an effort to seek Him too. We focus on the pleasures of this world. But once when we fall in the hands of God through some severe problems that cannot be rectified except by Him then we begin to look up to God, then we cry to Him, then we search for Him. This is the plan of God to draw you close to Him. He is concerned about you. He cares for you. He loves you. So he died for you that you might live with Him forever. Therefore submit yourselves unto God.
God bless you.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Thank you for helping us to understand the need to go through troubles and trials. Make us understand that only through trials we can draw more close to God. Thank you for shaping and making us as instruments according to your plan. Teach us to overcome trials through Your Strength. In Jesus name we pray.
Amen.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, I greet and bless everyone in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. The blessed word that God has given for you today is from the book of Hebrews 12:6, “ For Whom the Lord Loves He Chastens.”
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, the above verse means, that the Lord disciplines the one He loves. The Psalmist says, “It is Good for me that I was afflicted. God disciplines us so that we will grow spiritually. The Lord God seeks to develop our intimate walk with Him, encourage us to be more Christ-like and to have victory over the power of sin in our daily life. God sends trials and hardships designed to strengthen our faith in Him.
Dear Brothers and Sisters, the Bible says, My son do not, regard lightly the discipline of the Lord. Nor faint when you are reproved by Him. For those whom the Lord loves, He disciplines. And He scourges every son, whom he receives. God deals with you as with sons, for what son is there whom his Father does not discipline. No one enjoys, persecutions but Jesus patiently endured it and set the perfect example for all his believers. He suffered the shame of the cross to accomplish our redemptions. When we go through affliction we should believe that God is treating us as his children. And the person who is not disciplined is not considered as His child.
My Dear Brothers and Sisters, King Solomon, says, in His proverbs, “He who withholds his rod, hates his son, But He who loves him disciplines him diligently. If your parents had not disciplined you while you were a child, then you would be the most arrogant, selfish and self-centered, out of control person. And those brought up in such an atmosphere find genuine difficulty in understanding the discipline of God. Even Jesus, Gods unique son, learned obedience by the things which he suffered. My Dear Brothers and Sisters, A true child of God do not experience God’s condemnation. If you share the sufferings of Christ keep on rejoicing. For you are reviled for the name of Christ you are blessed because the spirit of glory and of God rests on you. There should be no Godless person, like Esau, who sold his own birthright for a single meal. For later, when he desired to inherit, the blessing he was rejected, for he found no place for repentance though he sought for it, with tears.
Hence, when you go through affliction, do not think, you will never receive blessings. Remember God is mindful of you. He will bless you.
Prayer:
Our loving heavenly Father, we thank You for this blessed day. Thank you, Lord, for making us understand that you send us trials for our own benefit. We praise you for drawing us close to you. Help us to accept our trials and afflictions cheerfully. In Jesus name we pray,
Amen.
