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Have you been in a season of life where you have felt you lost the joy in your life? Were you waiting for a change or a miracle to happen in some area of your life for a very long time? Here is Sarah, who waited more than a lifetime (75 years) to receive her miracle. Genesis 21, verse 6 says, "Sarah said, 'God has brought me joy and laughter; everyone who hears about it will laugh with me.'" Verse 3 says, Abraham named him Isaac. The name Isaac in Hebrew means "He laughs." Verse 8 says, "The child grew, and the day that he was weaned, Abraham gave a great feast." When the waiting was over at Abraham's house, it was simply being joyful in the Lord and laughing and feasting. God literally cared about them smiling. Hey friend, the wilderness may be long and tiring, making you to just living the life without joy and hope. But remember, we serve the God who is the God of Abraham and Sarah. He will never stop working in your life until he brings not just a smile but laughter in your life. Dear God, thank you for your love, thank you for your faithfulness in the life of our father Abraham. Thank you, Lord, for going to fill us with laughter like you made them laugh. We are surrendering ourselves to your unfailing love. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

In Genesis chapter 20, the Lord closed the womb of every woman in the house of Abimelech. Verse 18 says, "Abraham prayed for Abimelech, and God healed him. He also healed his wife and his slave-girls, so that they could have children." Abraham was waiting for God to bless him and Sarah with a child. But a situation arose where God expected him to pray for Abimelech and his wives to receive the healing necessary to have children. God answered his prayers and healed them. In chapter 21 of the Bible, it is simply said, "The Lord blessed Sarah, as he had promised, and she became pregnant." It also says, "The boy was born at the time God had said he would be born." Like Abraham, may we pray for people who need healing to receive the miracle. The Bible says the Lord healed Abimelech and his wives to enable them to give birth to children. But for Sarah and Abraham, it is said that God blessed them, and gave them the promised child at His time previously told by God himself. For some, it is the healing that comes through prayer, but for others (like Abraham), it is the timing of God. May we trust God and wait to see His timing and promises fulfilled in every area of our lives. Dear God, may we also trust you to bless us like Abraham. May we know that you are the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of generation after generation. May we and our generations, know and trust the Lord always, who never ever fails to fulfill all His promises. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Lot chose to live in a place that was good for his eyes. He faced numerous consequences as the result of his choice. When the Lord came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, He took them to his home. Men of Sodom and Gomorrah were evil and wanted to be with the guests of Lot (physically). They did not respect Lot and called him a foreigner. Lot thought he was responsible to save the strangers at his house and not his own daughters. He was foolishly willing to exchange his own daughters in the place of the strangers. The two men inside Lot's house took him inside the house and caused blindness to those who were outside. No new sin is happening in today's world. Men marrying men, women marrying women, and fighting all those who openly say it is evil. According to the Bible, God is Love. But not all that is named as Love is from God. Later, we can see Lot was disrespected by his sons-in-law when he warned them to move away from the city. They simply laughed at him. Where is our dwelling? Is it with godly people, or have we voluntarily built our tent amidst the wicked? Lot was definitely influenced by them. It can be revealed in his willingness to offer them his daughters. Genesis 19 verse 16 says, "The Lord, however, had pity on him." It is not because of him. Verse 29 says, when God destroyed the cities of the valley where Lot was living, he kept Abraham in mind and allowed Lot to escape to safety. Hey friend, how is our decision making? Is it just what is pleasing to us, or are we crucifying ourselves and taking the cross in decision making? Let us not be deceived by saying we should respect everybody's choices. We should love and respect every human being as we are all created in the image of God. But, there is absolutely no need to respect any sin or sinful choices that are against God's word. May God help us to discern and protect our family. Dear God, may we dwell in your presence. May your choice be ours in every decision. May we live in safety. Protect us, our family, and our generation, Lord, from every deceptive lie of Satan. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

I have two questions today: What does the Lord require to save a city, and with whom does the Lord not hide His plans? When the Lord came to destroy Sodom and Gomorrah, the twin cities, Abraham interceded with the Lord. Genesis 18 verse 32 says, "He said, 'I will not destroy it if there are ten.'" The Lord requires ten men who are righteous before His eyes to turn away the wrath that will destroy the city. May the Lord find us as one among the ten. Intercede with the Lord for your city, state, and country so that it will be saved. The Lord knew that Abraham would tell his children and his generation about the works of the Lord and the ways of the Lord. The Lord trusted Abraham with that and wanted to reveal His plans to Abraham. In verse 19 the Lord says, I have chosen him in order that he may command his sons and his descendants to obey me and to do what is right and just. If they do, I will do everything for him that I have promised." Can the Lord trust us with our children and our generation? Are we teaching our children the ways and works of the Lord? Do the children God has graciously given us know the Lord? Dear God, help us to intercede for our city, state, and nation. May we be responsible to pass on the name of the Lord to our children to be adorned and worshipped. May we be found as one among the ten righteous who will stop the door of destruction that is open towards our city. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Are we able to recognize the heavenly interventions while we carry out our everyday life? In Genesis chapter 18, Abraham welcomed three strangers. Verse 10 says, "One of them said, 'Nine months from now I will come back, and your wife Sarah will have a son.'" It is obvious that He is God. Abraham was able to recognize them and served them. Verse 8 says, "There under the tree he served them himself, and they ate." But on the other hand, we can see Sarah has no full understanding that someone beyond her little brain's understanding is in her midst. She was laughing at His (God's) words when He promised her a son. God saw her disbelief or her doubting God's words of promise to her. Her mind quickly calculated the practical side of the issue. She knows (based on human understanding of the body) that her physical body has no ability to respond anymore to childbirth. Are we like Abraham or like Sarah? Are we able to recognize the divine hand at work in our lives every day, or are we laughing at our situation thinking there is no hope? But to Sarah God answered directly in verse 14, "Then the Lord asked Abraham, 'Why did Sarah laugh and say, "Can I really have a child when I am old?" Is there anything too hard for the Lord? As I said, nine months from now I will return and Sarah will have a son.'" Though Abraham and Sarah are one family, they differed in their understanding when it comes to knowing who the Lord is. May we as a family never get satisfied with such progress. May we determine to grow in the Lord together. May we know Him. As a family, let us recognize God and put our trust in God. Dear God, thank you for being there in our everyday life. May we always recognize your divine works in our lives. We confess that nothing is hard for you. We confess that you will make the impossible possible in our lives. Thank you for your loving presence. May we serve you and commune with you like how Abraham did. Help us, Lord, to get closer to you in the midst of all practical issues we face. May we live by faith and not by sight. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

In Genesis chapter 16, God made a covenant with Abram and his generation (Isaac, who was not born then) through circumcision. Then, he changed his name to Abraham and his wife's name to Sarah. In his old age, Abraham obeyed God and submitted himself to Him. The cutting of the flesh is called circumcision, setting apart God's people as holy in the Old Testament. After receiving salvation from Jesus Christ, God expects us to have a circumcision of the heart, setting it apart for God from its sinful nature. Cutting the flesh here means shedding our sinful nature to become a new creation, children of God or God's own people – the spiritual Jews. "But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from people, but from God," says Romans 2:29. God has given us the power to resist sin. The Bible says, "Resist (fight against) the devil, and he will flee from you" (James 4:7). Be strong and believe that God has equipped you with His words, a sword that can slay any enemy. Do not be afraid but cut off the flesh and walk in the victory that Christ has earned for you. Dear God, may you find our hearts circumcised and ready to submit to Your will. May we live a life set apart for You. May we cut off the flesh and be renewed in our minds. We ask this all in the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

The birth of a child is very special in every family. When we consider Sarah's life, she had to wait a long time for Isaac to be born. In the meantime, she made a series of mistakes, such as giving Hagar to Abraham and treating Hagar very badly. Eventually, Hagar left. However, God remained faithful to His promise to Abraham. God told Abraham, "As for Ishmael, I have heard you; behold, I have blessed him and will make him fruitful and multiply him greatly. He shall father twelve princes, and I will make him into a great nation" (Genesis 17:20). God saw Hagar and gave her a promise to make the child a great nation. Sarah solely depended on her own understanding of the situation and took decisions. It was not a decision which came out of faith in God. Those were series of decision came from that which is exactly opposite to trusting n God. How are we reacting while waiting for God to fulfill the promises He gave us, be it regarding a job, a child, etc.? Let us learn from Sarai that we can only bring trouble by trying to plan something using our own knowledge to fulfill God's promises. Let us wait and let God work to fulfill His word. Dear God, strengthen our faith as we wait for You to fulfill Your promises to us. May we never follow our hearts and their ways, bringing unnecessary trouble. May we patiently wait for You. We confess that even though we wait long for You, You will fill us with joy by fulfilling Your promises, for You are a faithful God. In Jesus' name, we thank. Amen.

Abraham is called the father of us, believers. However, in many instances, we can see him asking questions. C.S. Lewis, in his book "Mere Christianity," talks about how God changes our "selves" into a new creature – not like a slow horse learning to perform well, but more like a normal horse changing into a winged horse. In the transformation process, Abram, like all of us, started slowly but submitted himself to become a new person. From asking questions to the father of the believers, in Genesis chapter 15 verse 8, Abram wonders, "How can I know that it will be mine?" God patiently makes a strong covenant with him, asking Abram to bring a cow, a goat, a ram, a dove, and a pigeon, cut them in half, and sacrifice them. By sunset, a smoking fire-pot and flaming torch suddenly appear and pass between the pieces of the animals, signifying that the Lord is committed to keeping his promise to Abram. The supernatural flame which is from God moving through the flesh that is cut half signifies that if the promise given by the promise giver is not fulfilled the same will be done to him. God slowly reveals his plan for Abraham's generation, including a blessing of a large land and a tough time of slavery in Egypt. When faced with unpleasant events, we should not get alarmed but understand that it is also God's plan with a purpose behind it. In times of questioning our growth in the Lord, we should recognize that we are in the process of becoming a new creature, a new winged horse, in C.S. Lewis's language. The growth might seem funny at times, but God is capable of blessing and transforming our lives, just as he did with people like Abram. Let us be patient with ourselves, remembering that the Promise Maker proved in Abraham's life that He is a faithful God who keeps his covenant with Abraham's generation.May we be ready to grow supernaturally, and may God work in us and in our generation, just as He worked in Abraham's. Dear God, thank you for blessing Abraham, making a covenant with him, giving promises, and fulfilling them. We pray for the transformation of our faith, that we may continue to mature into the new creation you intend us to become. Thank you for all the plans you have for us and our generations. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

The dictionary gives the meaning of "reward" as something earned for our good actions. What big rewards have you been presented with so far? A trophy, a substantial sum of money, a scholarship—what else? Can you imagine having been given something larger than life itself as a reward? In Genesis chapter 14, Abram chose not to receive anything from any man. After this, the Lord showed up again to Abram. This time, in Chapter 15, verse 1, the Lord said to Abram, "After these things, the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying: 'Do not be afraid, Abram. I am your shield🛡, your exceedingly great reward.' Can we find any shield better than the Lord himself? Can you imagine your enemy trying to touch God? It can never happen. For Abram, God was the shield. No one can imagine touching Abram. We live among powerful people, politicians who have escorts to protect them with their lives—they will always travel with him/her. In danger, they surround him/her like a shield. Here, God is Abram's shield. To my limited understanding, it means the enemy can never ever come near Abram. The other half of the verse is more challenging, where God says, "He is the reward for Abraham". God is someone who lacks nothing in Himself. Whatever we need is in Him—emotional, physical, or spiritual needs lie in Him, or He himself is what we need. No things of this world, no relationships, no feelings of ours could ever satisfy us but God. He is the one person who makes us full. May the God of Abram be our reward and shield, as He was to him. Poor Abram, when God spoke these powerful, matchless words to him, said he needs a child. God didn't reprimand his worries but addressed them by coming down to him and showing a practical example that he will have descendants like stars. Abram asked for a child, but in God (Abram's reward) lie the descendants of Abram who are like stars. Dear God, help us have a wide perspective. Help us understand your heart. Be our reward, Lord. As children, help us grow in faith in you. Let us not be troubled by the small view we have of our life. May we be assured that the God who is much bigger, greater, and more real than anything in this whole world is our reward. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Is it wise to receive everything from everyone? The Bible says it is better to give than to take. Acts 20:35 says, "I have shown you in all things that by working hard in this way, we must help the weak, remembering the words that the Lord Jesus himself said, ‘There is more happiness in giving than in receiving.’" We can see Abraham fulfilling the above verse. His men, whom he trained, went and saved Lot and his people. But when the king of Sodom said to Abram, "Keep the loot" (verse 21), Abraham said, "I solemnly swear before the Lord Most High God, maker of heaven and earth, that I will not keep anything of yours, not even a thread or a sandal strap." Then you can never say, "I am the one who made Abram rich." Abram was careful not to get anything from the king of Sodom, who is a mere human pretending to have given Abram all he owns. We can learn something crucial from Abram here.Abram left his place and followed God with his all when God told him that He would bless him. He humbled himself before God because he clearly knew it is only God who can lift anyone. No man can make anyone rich. Such words will come out of people who are simply proud at heart, as no one has anything that is eternally his to say that he can make another person rich. We can't even say we can give something to someone and be proud about it, as all belongs to God. Abram was careful to give glory only to God for all he had. At the same time, he made sure his workers received their share. As a leader, he was careful to give what is due to them for the work they have done. May God give us the wisdom to get the share we have earned by working. Also, let God take the glory for everything we have.Dear God, may we be wise like Abram to discern people when they are trying to give us something. May we receive anything only from Your hands. We praise You for all You have given us already. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Melchizedek is one of the persons in the Bible about whom we might have some vague ideas. It may be because he has not been introduced in the Bible with the genealogy by the author; this is to distinguish him and compare him with Messiah. However, he is a normal person. He has been compared with Messiah because he was the king as well as the Priest. He was the king of Salem (Jerusalem) who worshipped El, the one true creator God. Abraham gave him tithe as he worshipped the same created God who is referred to as Father God in the Bible. Biblical History has people like Job and Melchizedek who lived during Abraham's time and worshipped God as he worshipped Him. In Jesus, the Messiah, we have the priest, and the Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: ‘You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek’” (Psalm 110:4). In Revelation 19:16, we see on Christ's robe and his thigh a name which is King of kings and Lord of lords. The earthly priest will offer sacrifices after sacrifices and will die one day. However, Jesus himself is the sacrifice and the priest who is eternal. He stands in the presence of the Father to show mercy to the sons and daughters of God. He is an eternal king too who rules forever. In Him, we have forgiveness, love, protection, and everything. May we run to Him as every day we need His grace and His protection. Revelation 1:5-6 To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Thus, Christ has become king and priest, making us kings and priests. We are to intercede for our country to Christ. We have to live in authority with the power that is in our Christ for us. Dear God, we praise you for being our king and our priest. May we always find solace, peace, and security in your presence. May we never sit alone and cry in our desperation; may we know that you are always there for us to help us. Strengthen and equip us, Lord, to be kings and priests in your presence and live in grace and power. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

When we were young and asked to share cake or chocolate with siblings, friends, or cousins, how did we choose? At least once, we measured the portions to get the biggest one. However, when our parents shared something with us, the outcome was different; they ensured we received the best. Here, Abraham and Lot decided to separate, and Lot, like an immature person, didn't want to give the best to Abraham. He didn't want him or his family to have less comfort at the cost of giving the best to his brother. Genesis chapter 13, verse 10 says, "Lot looked around and saw that the whole Jordan Valley, all the way to Zoar, had plenty of water, like the garden of the Lord. So Lot chose the whole Jordan Valley for himself and moved away towards the east." What a cunning fellow our dear Lot must be! Considering all that happened to Abraham and how Lot took the best, leaving the rest, God, with the heart of a father, comes to him directly and asks him to look in all directions. Just as Abraham gave Lot the freedom to choose, and Lot looked around, now God is giving Abraham the choice to look around in every direction and giving everything to him forever. God said he blessed Abraham to have countless descendants, like the number of dust on earth. Abraham definitely got moved when Lot moved away, but God started moving things in his favor. The next verse says, Abraham built an altar to God, worshiping Him for the mercy shown not only to him but to his generation. Hey friend, if you feel broken and betrayed by someone close, if you think they took the best portion, choose God as your portion, not any mere land or a house. God will immediately see your heart, bless you, and your generation. In Isaiah 44:3, God says, "I will pour... My blessing upon thine offspring." May God bless us all with the promise he has given in the above verse. Dear God, thank you for being our portion. All we need is you. Thank you for looking at our hearts when we felt betrayed. Thank you for taking our case into your hands, and thank you for going to bless us beyond our imagination. May your mercy be upon us and our generations forever. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

We have seen the heroes of faith listed in the Book of Hebrews. Most of the heroes there had their own flaws. Here, the man known for his faith(Abraham) in God is making a mistake from which we can learn a lot. Many times, we can see God commanding His people not to be afraid but to be strong. (This surely is an essential trait needed for anyone to stand against sin.) An example is the word of God to Joshua after Moses' death. Here too, Abraham is afraid of the harm people could do to him. The fear made him tell a lie, which he might have considered a white lie. But, in order to protect his life (selfish motive), he risked his wife's life. He made her stand before the enemy and hid behind her in disguise (which is not necessary). This is why the Lord not only asks us not to be afraid but commands us not to be. This is the trait the Lord expects from any leader. In Joshua 1:9 God says, "This is my command—be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” The nation was as bad as Abraham expected. When they saw a beautiful woman, they took her to their palace. We have nothing here to justify their culture. But, instead of hiding away from such culture, it would have been great if Abraham had stood against it boldly. There is no way to stop a sinful culture by bearing it. Nothing will change when it is not addressed. May God give us the wisdom to handle the cultural challenges we face in our day-to-day life. May we be bold and not afraid of anything when the enemy tries to instill fear in us to make us fall for it. Dear God, help us to be fearless. Let us not disguise ourselves behind anyone and sin against you. Guard us, Lord. Keep us bold and courageous always. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

We can see people around us saying God has called them, and soon they leave all they own to go after the Lord. Here is an example of one such thing: God said to Abraham in Genesis chapter 12, verses 1 and 2 as follows, "The Lord said to Abraham, 'Leave your country, your relatives, and your father's home, and go to a land that I am going to show you. I will give you many descendants, and they will become a great nation. I will bless you and make your name famous, so that you will be a blessing.' "People read a beautiful verse about the bride of Christ on the day of the wedding, asking the daughter to forget her family and go after the Lord. (As explained by a pastor in a wedding ceremony recently: This means that the wife should forget the sadness of being separated from parents when she sees the love she receives from her husband, nothing else!) Very similarly, God calls Abraham. He is a family man, yet God wanted him for Himself. God told him to leave all and go after the Lord to the place where He leads to stay blessed and beget children. God wanted him to untie everything that burdens him from following the Lord. The Lord emphasizes again and again that He Himself will bless Abraham. It is like how called the Levites( though not in every way!). He is their everything. We know how Abraham ended up as a blessing when he gave himself to obey the calling of the Lord. He was separated unto God and for His plans. Hey friend, how do we react when God calls usto leave some things and follow Him and His plans? Abraham was our father because of his unwavering faith. May God bless us, Abraham's children, to move where He leads with His strength. May we be a blessing like him to many. Dear God, thank you for calling us. Lead us in your ways. Equip us with strength and faith to follow you where you lead, even though we can't see what is ahead. We commit to trust and obey you fully. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen

The Bible talks about many talented people; none of us came into the world with anything that was our own. God sent us into the world with unique sets of gifts and abilities. Some became great at their talents with God's help. Nimrod is one such person known for his hunting skills (Genesis chapter 10, verse 9). By the Lord's help, he was a great hunter, and people say, "May the Lord make you as great a hunter as Nimrod." He built and ruled many cities, appearing as a man considered blessed and harmless. However, in the next chapter, we see the rise of the Tower of Babel, built to establish globalization. God's plan for human beings was to spread over the earth and multiply. Yet, here we see men joining together to make a name for themselves (verse 4). The Bible records many people's names, but there is no space for these men's names; it simply says the Lord made them babble and made fools of them. Though researchers say Nimrod was the mastermind behind building the Tower of Babel to create a great name for himself, comparing himself with Lucifer, who rebelled against God and His plans, the Bible doesn't credit anyone for building something with such intentions. When God lifts us up, let us not try to create a name for ourselves. Instead, strive to lift the name of Jesus, the name above all, in everything you do, and you will marvel at how God honors those who honor Him. Hey friend, stop a second and think about what we are building and why we are building. God sees our intentions. Dear God, thank you for every gift you have showered upon us. May we never be proud of anything in our lives, and may we never fail to lift your name always through everything we do. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

One of the most beautiful things in the Bible is the rainbow and the reason behind it. God made it appear so that it would be a sign of peace between men, living things, and God. In Genesis Chapter 8, verse 21, God says, "Never again will I put the earth under the curse because of what man does." God blessed Noah's family and The rainbow was a calming sign from God to all living beings. We are living in the end times where we can see men corrupt not only their thoughts but the meaning behind God's creation. Once the people of the world lost their salvation when they didn't listen to the words of Noah and drowned in the flood. Now, our generation has increased its tendency of mocking God by giving another name to the rainbow and making it stand for sin. (Good their symbol have one less color than the real rainbow, beware of the deception).Let us not be deceived by such deception. May we guard our families and generations by grounding them in God's words. Hosea 4:6 says, "My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children." The world is now like a small village connected by technology. Our generation is not safe from the corrupted ideas that come out of the corrupted thoughts of men who live in sin. May we be the guardians standing in the gap, so this will have no power over our families and generations. Let our children,youngsters, family members be filled with the knowledge of God. There is nothing about love in the sinful rainbow like symbol that the world has. May God help us to crush the deceitful thoughts with the power of His words. Dear God, thank you for your covenant with Noah. May that be the covenant you made with our families too. We commit this generation who is trying to corrupt the reason behind you bringing the rainbow. Let them (human beings) do not lose their chance of being saved this time. May they come to know Jesus and His ways. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Someone wise once said, "It is better to give than to receive." We must have received numerous blessings from God that are blessing us every day. In turn, what is our gift for Him? Genesis 8:20 says, "Noah built an altar to the Lord; he took one of each kind of ritually clean animal and bird and burnt them as a whole sacrifice for God." We must have heard that we should burn our anger, ego, selfishness, etc., at the altar. Those are unclean. But here God is pleased with what Noah gave. Noah gave something that was clean. Do we have anything in our lives that we can give unto God that is "clean"? It may be your musical talent. It may be a room in your house. Have we dedicated anything in our lives for God and God alone? Let us learn from Noah to give to God a clean sacrifice. Yes, you heard it right. It is a sacrifice. It will not come easily, but with dedication alone. If you have not had anything like that so far, dedicate one now. Not for the world but for God alone. 2 Timothy verse 20 says, "If anyone makes himself clean from all those evil things (evil and foolish talks, arguments, Verse 16; passions of youth, Verse 22), he will be used for special purposes because he is dedicated and useful to His Master." May we take care to be a useful vessel for the Master. Dear God, we love you, and we dedicate this (...) in our lives for your glory. May we be of good use for your work. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

The Lord God always has a good plan for those who respect and obey Him completely. In Genesis 7, verse 16 says, "Then the Lord shut the door behind Noah." Before that, He gave instructions to gather food for his family and for all the birds and animals that were with Him. When we are surrounded by rain, flood, and storm, the Lord keeps the doors shut. We, the Chennaiites and the Tutucorians, Tirunelvelian people, had a firsthand experience of facing the storm, and nothing felt safer than the closed doors with enough food without rain invading the home. The Lord God shuts the door sometimes to keep us safe. We pray for open doors, but when we look back, the doors that were shut by Him are for greater good. Genesis Chapter 8, verse 1 says, "God had not forgotten Noah and all the animals with him in the boat. He caused the wind to blow, and the waters started going down." After He shuts the door, He cares enough to work on your behalf, to make you come out and live. When He opens the door again(a new beginning), like Noah, let's build an altar and sacrifice that which pleases Him. Dear God, thank you for the doors you have shut to protect us. Thank you, Lord, for the open doors you have for us. In Jesus' name, we thank. Amen.

The world can never forget the Titanic, the unsinkable ship 🚢. It was built by experts of this world, yet it drowned and killed almost all, leaving only a few. Here is another story about the real unsinkable boat built by an amateur, but it was constructed as God had instructed—the master builder of the universe. It stood when the world drowned. We, the people of God, are living in the world, witnessing the majestic lives people create with their expertise. Surely, many successful experts in the world do not know or care about the Lord God. When we see the world, we often drift from setting ourselves apart for God. We find ourselves compromising God's way of living. However, Noah never compromised a single bit. He set himself apart for the Lord, obeying every syllable uttered by God while building the boat. He dared to be different, lacking expertise but constructing the boat exactly as instructed by God. Are we irritated when God's word gives us rules to follow to stay holy and keep ourselves in the altar of God? Or are we giving our hundred percent to God? Hey friend, build your boat as per His instructions to save yourself and your family. Verse 22 says, "Noah did everything that God commanded." Are we willing to follow Him with our everything? You may say your friend is a good man, yet he isn't fully following God's word. Dear believer, we ought to obey the greater calling to fulfill the greater purpose. Being good is not enough. Being holy, aligning your life with God's word, following Christ, and allowing yourself to be molded by God to become like Christ is the essence. By doing so, you will build an unsinkable boat that safely reaches its destination as destined by God. Be ready to be looked at as strange by the world, as we are not of this world. We are His people. Dear God, give us the courage, determination, and the fire to follow you like Noah followed you, obeyed you. May we obey every syllable that has been uttered by you. May we be set apart holy unto you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

We all have a tendency to feel sorry for many reasons. People feel sorry when their health fails or when they lose their wealth, and so on. But do you know when the Lord feels sorry? Genesis chapter 6, verse 5, says, "When the Lord saw how wicked everyone on earth was and how evil their thoughts were all the time, He was sorry that He had ever made them and put them on the earth." Micah 6:8 says, "He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justly, love mercy." The only thing the Lord requires from men is this, and it sounds so simple, yet so hard. Jesus, while he was living on earth, showed how to live and please God. His way of thinking and living was the standard set by God, which we think is unattainable. But when we cooperate with the Holy Spirit, He will lead us; it is us who are expected to make decisions with our free will.The following verse shows the power we have to make decisions and how to analyze before making the right choice: "You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is good for you. You say, ‘I am allowed to do anything’—but not everything is beneficial" (1 Corinthians 10:23). We can keep the above verse as a base upon which we can try to build the decision. Here is a wise leader taking a decision and setting a model for a whole nation (Israelites): "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:14-15). When we understand that we are responsible for our choices and the consequences that follow us on earth because of it, we will surely consider what is good for us and beneficial for everyone. As owners of our free will, we should be like Joshua in taking a firm decision. Dear God, help us to be a source of joy to you. May we not bring sorrow to your heart. May you strengthen us to make right decisions consistently in every choice we make every day. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

There is a Lamech mentioned in Genesis 5 who is the descendant of Seth, Adam's third son. He had a son and named him Noah. He had huge hopes about him. In Genesis 5, verse 28, he says, "From the very ground on which the Lord put a curse, this child will bring us relief from all hard work." It is amazing that the Bible captures important statements uttered by common people; here, it is from a normal parent. We humans have to put our hopes on God alone for the provision of everything. Like how God himself gave us children. He himself will provide for all our needs. Parents, when they beget children, should rely on God for every provision; Are we considering our children to be our saviour? Young men and women should rely not on each other's financial strength or properties but on God for a hopeful future. Though Lemech stated the above statement, his own son proved him otherwise. Noah became an example of trusting God's word and hoping in Him alone for everything. May we consider the Lord as our inheritance, as the Psalmist says, "Our God is our inheritance, our possession, our treasure, and also the portion of our cup for our enjoyment" (Psa. 16:5). May He be the source of your hope, joy, security, and enjoyment both when you are young and when you are old. Trust not in mere men. God is able to provide all your needs faithfully. He is the one who can satisfy any need of yours, not your parents, children, or anyone. May God help us to completely rely on Him. We should thank God for everyone who helps us. But they should not be our hope when we are in need. Dear God, you deserve all glory for everything we are now. We believe you are our provider, our secure future, our inheritance. You will provide all now and till the end. Thank you, dear Lord. In Jesus' name, we thank. Amen.

When we read the Bible, we used to ignore some minor characters just like that. Here is such a man (Lamech) from the family line of Cain. He had three gifted children. One is the father of music, Jubal, who was well praised in English literature. Lamech killed someone for striking him and boasted that he should never face consequences for his sin. He is boasting about his forefather and his sins too (Genesis 4:23,24). No man can be a role model except Jesus; keep none as your idol. The Bible in Matthew 26:52 says, "Then said Jesus unto him, Put up again thy sword into his place: for all they that take the sword shall perish with the sword." We can be anyone; for any of us, the sword can never be the choice to escape consequences. Hey friend, are we boasting in any such things? It is foolishness to boast about sin, about violence, thinking of it as bravery. It will eventually bring death (separation from God who is life). Let us be careful about what we boast. Psalm 19:12,13 says, "No one can see his own errors; deliver me, Lord, from hidden faults! Keep me safe, also from wilful sins; don't let them rule over me. Then I shall be perfect and free from the evil of sins." May that be our prayers too. May the Lord help us to keep our conscience clear. 1 Corinthians 1:8 says, "He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be faultless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ." As said, let the Lord fill us with his strength and keep us firm to stand for Him by shunning evil and sin in any form. Dear God, thank you for the will you have given us. May we always align it with yours. We claim the faultless life that you can give us. Keep us firm, Lord. May we boast about nothing but you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Cain and Abel, the brothers known for their conflict, the Lord accepted one's offering and rejected the other's offering(because of the attitude issue). This infuriated Cain, who took it personally, instead of correcting himself he killed his brother. When God asked, he said the iconic statement, 'Am I supposed to take care of my brother?' (Genesis 4:9). God did not say anything to Cain there. Abel's blood, on the other hand, is also furious; it also sought revenge as verse 10 says, 'Your brother's blood is calling out to me from the ground,' like a voice calling for revenge. We humans are civilized people, as christians we should commit ourselves to be led by the spirit. But ,the old self will seek revenge naturally when we find any injustice happening to us. However, the Lord is the king of all; He is the judge. He sees and He answers. Every relationship on earth is fragile; it can go rotten in a second, be it a brother or a sister. Give the case to God. Our anger, our revenge can do nothing but harm to ourselves. One of the most surprised thing about the story is that the parents are not even in this pictures when this happens. As parents, Are we aware of everything that our child or children go through? Are we willing to listen, or are we quick to judge? Are we one sided or we are seeking God's wisdom to solve the crisis. Are we able to see just the outside character or are we aware of their attitude? May God gives us knowledge to raise children who have the right selfless attitude. Let none suffer rejection when done the right thing. Dear God, we pray for the relationships we have with our brothers and sisters. May you be the king, father, and everything over those fragile relationships. Guard us and them from causing pain to each other. And whatever has caused pain in the past, let us not seek revenge, but leave the case to you. In Jesus' name, we pray.

All of us like words like winning, success, overpowering, and overcoming. But the story of humanity starts with the fall, and surely it didn't end up in that way. Flip a few pages in the Bible; you can see the fall. The first family on earth, the family of Adam and Eve, have lots to teach. When they were shunned away from the Garden, in chapter 4 Eve says, 'By the Lord's help, I have acquired the son.' The Lord loved them so much that He didn't leave them alone to suffer on earth. In the midst of the suffering and pain, and even through the curse (the painful childbirth), the Lord was with them; He helped Eve. How unconditional His love was! Surely, Eve must have felt bad for hurting God, the one who can love her so much, regardless of her failing Him in every way. How great are His mercies towards us. Hey friend, are you away from God? Do you feel like you have been shunned away from His presence? The Lord can never shun you away. He will surely help you in your mess. He never fails as He is not mere human. Even in your falling state, run back to Him; never hesitate to look up in prayer. Even if your heart says you can never be forgiven, compel yourself to talk to God. God can turn your darkness into light. ('The LORD, my God, lights up my darkness.' Psalm 18:28) This is never the end. Rise up! Dear God, thank you for every word in the Bible. Thank you for helping us in our mess. Thank you for lighting our darkness. May nothing from darkness ever separate us from your love. May you cover us and keep us close to your heart. Strengthen us and help us, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

The Lord God created everything. When He created Adam and Eve, they were not born in sin. However, when the Snake was introduced, it was described as the most cunning of all animals. Was Eve merely deceived by an animal known for its cunning? When God cursed the snake in Genesis 3 verse 14, He said, "Her offspring will crush your head." Paul, in the Book of Romans, also mentions, "The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (16:20). Eve saw the snake and conversed with it as if it were just another animal, but Paul clearly states that we, as sons and daughters of God, will crush Satan, not just a snake. The prophecy about the snake refers to Christ crushing its head. As children of God, are we aware of who we are? Or do we unknowingly engage with the devil, mistaking it for just a snake? We are supposed not to not talk, chat, look, or think about anything that separates us from God, we are to crush its head. It cost God His own son to redeem us from its (sin's) clutches. Let's be vigilant about anything in disguise around us. It's not just another animal; it's sin, it's Satan. Dear God, grant us the wisdom to identify anything that tempts us. Be it in any disguise, let us not succumb to it. Help us live a glorious life on earth, not hurting the Holy Spirit within us or trading Him for anything. Protect us, Lord; surround us with a circle of fire. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

God and the first family God is the one who formed the idea of family. God created the universe, then created Adam, and after that, he made everything he would need from a place to live (Eden Gardens), food to eat (fruits of the trees), and a job to keep (Garden keeper). Finally, and most importantly, a companion for life. In God's perfect plan for any family, the provision is there even before the need started. God took utmost care to provide for their needs. This same God also gave them the challenge of not eating the fruit of knowledge in the middle of all blessings; this was the only restriction. Similarly, God in His faithfulness is good and able to provide all our needs as He is our creator. Are we aware of the tree of knowledge in our lives? Do we have clarity on what we should avoid as a family? Is our family having any restrictions to keep the presence of God in our lives? In those days of Adam and Eve, it was only the forbidden tree and its fruits. These days, we face a lot more challenges in our society that can keep us away from God. May God give us strength and knowledge to identify every challenging element in society and keep us closer to Him. Let us not allow anything to steal His presence away from us. Dear God, thank you for your amazing plans for our families. Help us to stay aware of everything in our family. Let nothing forbidden by you be in it. Let your abundant presence fill our families. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Children are a blessing from the Lord. Some children in the Bible were anointed by God before they were even born. The Holy Spirit, God, is the one who helps us live a spirit-filled life. On our own power, it is not possible to please God, but when we are filled with the Spirit, we will be fruitful. How are we praying for our children? We may be waiting for them to be born, or they are already here as children, adolescents, youth, or even adults. Yes, we want them to be successful; we must have prayed for the blessings. But see how God blesses the children of His chosen people, His servants. Isaiah 44:3 says, 'I will pour my Spirit on your children, and my blessing on your descendants.' God will not withhold His blessings, but, most importantly, He wants them to be filled with the Spirit. May this be our prayers too: Let our children be filled with the Spirit; only then will our descendants be blessed. The spirit-filled life brings blessings along with it. May we thirst after it, as God is the God who gives water to the thirsty land. Dear God, may the children whom you are going to bless or have blessed us with be filled with your Spirit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

"When the Lord is with you, He will do powerful things through you. In Isaiah 41, God says He is the one who determines the course of history (verse 4). He determines who should conquer the kings and the nations. When God determines to help a man to conquer, He strikes his enemy like dust with His arrow, scattering the enemy like straw before the wind. He makes him follow the pursuit and march safely (verse 3). None can stop him from moving forward. God cannot be controlled by time; He Himself is at the beginning and the end.This God Himself chooses us to be His people and says, 'Do not be afraid, I am with you! I am your God—let nothing terrify you' (verse 10). This God, who helps the conqueror (Israel, us), says He knows that He is. He will strengthen us, help us, protect us, save us, and shame those who are angry at us with defeat (verse 11). He makes them as nothing, making His chosen one like a threshing board with sharp and new spikes. He now says we will thrash mountains and destroy them as dust. Verse 16 says, 'You will be happy because I am your God. You will praise me, the Holy God of Israel.' God will answer our prayers when we are in need.May the Lord our God fulfill all the above in our lives in this new year. Dear God, thank you for your powerful presence in our lives. Thank you for going to make us strong and sharp. Let us not be afraid of the unknown. May we know the One who is the beginning and the end is with us, to protect, save, strengthen, and make us victorious as conquerors. Thank you for answering our prayers. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

"What could be more rewarding than hearing from God, calling us His beloved sons and daughters? When Jesus got baptized, he received the words found in Luke 3:22, which say, 'You are my dear son. I am pleased with you.' Once, in a meeting, a pastor was preaching about forgiveness. He is now pastoring the biggest church in India, which was featured in a news report by CBN. In his early stages, a man constantly spread ill news about him, doing everything to damage his reputation. However, God told this man of God to send gifts and forgive him. The man of God found it very difficult to forgive. He knew nothing would change if he forgave. He asked God, 'God, why should I forgive him?' God answered, 'If you forgive him, you will be my beloved son.' The man of God said nothing but simply obeyed God. Yes, forgiveness is hard; at times, we find it meaningless. We have all sorts of reasons for not doing it. But if you love God and want to be His favorite, don't question it—just do it, as He deserves all your love. Dear God, thank you for your love. Fill us with a love like yours. May we be your favorite sons and daughters. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

Who doesn't like to be powerful? We can see children going after superheroes and adults after movie heroes. Why should we go after them when we've been given power over everything by God? If you are a prayerful person, you are a powerful person too. Because, God Himself joins you if you pray together with someone. Do you have friends who pray with you? Pray to God for such friends, brothers, or sisters. Jesus says in Matthew 18 verses 18 and 29 as follows: 'And so I tell all of you: What you prohibit on earth will be prohibited in heaven, and what you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. And I tell you more: whenever two of you on earth agree about anything you pray for, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three come together in my name, I am there with them. 'Hey friend, we are at the end of the year 2023. Are you tired of anything that overpowers you and takes away your peace? Bind it in Jesus' name and release yourself from its grip. Join a friend, pray together, and may the Holy Spirit fill you with oneness, permitting what you ask for in His name. Dear God, grant us the desire to pray together as friends. Help us take charge of our prayer lives. We bind all thoughts and spirits that work against us and our peace. We release the joy of heaven into our lives. May nothing hinder this prayer as we pray in Your name. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Many different kinds of people can be seen in just one single chapter in Acts. In Acts 14, we encounter Paul and Barnabas, who were speaking about God to the Gentiles. Following them, there were Jews who opposed Paul, and later, the Lord, who performed miracles and wonders. Finally, there was also a group who mistook Paul and Barnabas for Zeus and Hermes, the Greek mythology gods, and offered them sacrifices. When Paul began preaching the Gospel to them, it was the Lord who performed miracles to authenticate their message about Him. However, in the end, we see that the people could not comprehend the Lord God and instead worshipped mythological characters like Zeus and Hermes. How pathetic! We require God's power when proclaiming about Him. We need the Lord's miracles and wonders to validate it. Moreover, our most fervent prayers should be for people to open their hearts and minds, understanding that only the Lord God performs miracles and comprehending the Gospel. Nothing should be in vain but to save souls from any mythology that distances them from the Lord. When they didn't believe the non believing Jews turned their hearts against Paul and Barnabas. Verse 19 says, they won the crowd over to their side, stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town. Evil is ready to take its place in the people's heart when the hearts are deceived by lies. Dear God, thank you for saving us, leading us every day, guiding us on the right path, granting us peace, grace, and your mercy. May everyone come to know you and be blessed. May your mighty protection be over ever one who shares your words to others. Dear Lord, when you perform miracles and wonders, may their eyes be opened to see you. Let their hearts burn for you. May everyone who hears the Gospel understand it. Let nothing hinder them from knowing you in this life, Lord. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

The Lord God is the eternal being, whereas we are mere mortals. He sees the past, present, and the future. In Him lies all time—past, present, and future. In Ezekiel, the Lord predicted a famine in the land of Israel. Instead of repenting and seeking His grace, people began to repeat a proverb. Ezekiel chapter 12, verse 22 says, 'Time goes by and the predictions come to nothing.' The Lord said to them in verse 23, 'Time has come, and the predictions are coming true.' In verse 25, He says, 'I would do what I have warned you I would do.' We are living in the end times. The Bible contains many predictions about the time we're in. Are we, like the Israelites, saying Proverbs such as 'Time goes by and predictions come to nothing'? We're in a position where we can never utter such a proverb, witnessing predictions coming alive before our eyes. May we learn from the Bible that this is the hour to pray for our nation. Let us stand in the gap for ourselves and our people, the beloved Indians. Let us fast and pray for our nations, seeking the mercy of the Lord. May we never show carelessness about the times we're living in. Dear God, fill us with Your spirit to pray and stand in the gap for our nation. May we see Your mercy upon us. Protect us under Your mighty wings, dear Lord. May we live lives filled with prayer, fearing the Lord, shunning evil, and doing good as a nation. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

God, through His prophets, revealed His plans to mankind. His plans are for us to get saved from darkness. Salvation is definitely not a gift that we can take lightly; it is the most expensive, valuable gift any human can receive. We are living in a fallen world, where pitfalls and destructive paths that can make us stumble can be found everywhere. When Simeon saw child Jesus, he said the following: "In Luke chapter 2 verses 30 to 32," he says, "with my own eyes I have seen your salvation, which you have prepared in the presence of all peoples: A light to reveal your will to the Gentiles." Do we have this light in us, the light(God's word) that expels darkness? Jesus said, "The eyes are the lamp for the whole body; if our eyes are dark, our whole body will be dark. Yes, it is possible for us to have darkness in some places which like parasite that spreads across the whole body. In order to cut the darkness. We should drench ourselves fully with the word of God. Are we able to see salvation, or are we seeing the acts of darkness in us? In this Christmas season, let us choose light over darkness. Let our eyes see salvation (Jesus) like how the eyes of Simeon saw. Dear God, may with our eyes let us always see light and keep it fixed on your salvation. May your light fill our whole being. Let it bring glory to you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Those who are born in Christ are citizens of heaven. But, we live on earth until the Lord allows us to. The word 'time' has been stressed in many places in the Bible. Luke 1, verse 2, says, 'At that time, Emperor Augustus ordered a census throughout the Roman Empire.' Verse 5 says, 'Joseph went (to Bethlehem in Judaea) to register with Mary.' This incident illustrates that when the time came, he obeyed the law that should be followed at that time. He and his family went to Bethlehem to obey the Roman Emperor's order, fulfilling the prophecy about Jesus the Messiah being born in Bethlehem. Another incident about time and obedience is seen in verse 22, stating, 'The time came for Mary and Joseph to perform the ceremony of purification, as the law of Moses commanded, so they took the child to present Him to the Lord.' Here, they obeyed God's word in due time. God expects us to obey both earthly government and heavenly rule in due time to fulfill His will for us. Friends, are we, as families, living and leading our families as Joseph and Mary did? Are we dedicated to fulfilling our duties to our country and to our God? In Matthew 12:17, Jesus says, 'Render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.' May God grant our families the wisdom and guidance to fulfill the words spoken by Jesus. May we give our hearts to Him. When we give the government the taxes we owe, it's expected to take care of its people. Similarly, when we give God our hearts, He will care for them eternally, as His kingdom is eternal. Let's commit our hearts to our heavenly King and never hesitate to submit them to anything of the world or evil. May our hearts always love and serve their King, God Almighty. Dear God, help us to be good citizens of our country. We offer our hearts completely to you, surrendering them so that you can reign over its wishes, emotions, and feelings. May Your will be done as we submit. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

We are joyful when people appreciate us, encourage us, talk greatly about us, and when they bless us. How will we behave when someone criticizes, hurls words of hatred at us, discourages us, and curses us? Those words and experiences will remain in our minds and stay as wounds. But in Luke chapter 1, verses 34 and 35, it says, 'Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, His mother, "This child is chosen by God for the destruction and salvation of many in Israel. He will be a sign from God which many will speak against and so reveal their secret thoughts."' This is the prophecy about Jesus Christ. Simeon, a man filled with the Holy Spirit, revealed these words about Jesus Christ. He was chosen to be against many. He was chosen to be spoken against by many. He is chosen to reveal people's secret thoughts. All of this was fulfilled in the life of Jesus when He was walking in flesh among the Israelites; He was spoken against by many. His ministry journey was not at all easy. But Jesus fulfilled everything He had to finish on earth amidst that. Till date, we can see people speaking against Jesus, His church, and His people. Hey friend, if you are going through the same, you are walking where Jesus walked through. Christian life is not only about receiving praise and rewards; it is also about enduring the tough words and overcoming them as Jesus did. Jesus was calm and, at the same time, so powerful. He heard people's words, and He also knew their thoughts. He was not troubled, afraid, or depressed by their words. May He equip us with the same attitude and make us fight a good fight. Dear God, thank you for every person who spoke against us, everyone who tries to discourage us. Strengthen us with Your Spirit, Lord. May we, as Your children and Your body, rise above everything and fulfill everything that You have appointed for us to do. Reveal Your secrets to us, Lord. May we know the hidden schemes and motivations of the enemy and triumph over them. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen."

Not many incidents about the young Jesus were recorded in the Bible. But, the Bible carefully recorded an incident in Luke 2, verses 41 to 51. Jesus was then twelve years old. He went to the Jerusalem church for the Passover festival along with his parents, but he stayed there. Without knowing, his parents continued their journey back home. At church, when they found him, he was sitting with the Jewish teachers, listening to them and asking questions. Everybody around him was amazed at His answers. Two things we can learn from here are that 1. He preferred to stay at the Lord's house. 2. He was able to answer and talk with the teachers at church when he was young. We are raising a generation for God. Are we raising them in a way they love to stay at church? Are they in the midst of people who listen and talk about God's word? What is their preference? May they rise and shine for God from a very young age. May they be taught of the Lord. Another remarkable thing about this passage is that Mary was one day far from Jesus but found him at church after three days. This is like how He would be separated from her after he died on the cross for three days. Also, all these happen around the Passover festival when they sacrifice lambs for God. This incident symbolizes that Jesus is the lamb of God who will sacrifice His life to save many he will die and will not be found for three days. But will come back in the third day. Dear God, help us to raise our generation for you from their young age. May they be filled with God's word. May they be a generation who thirsts for the presence of God. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

There are many prophets and prophetesses in the Holy Bible. Many of the prophecies in the Bible have come true. Still, there are many others yet to come true, like the ones that have already come to pass. One of the greatest prophecies that came to life is the birth of Jesus. And very few prophets were able to see that come true. One such prophetess is the very old Anna. She lived just seven years with her husband. After he died, she fasted, prayed, and worshipped God.All of us find it easy to worship and sing unto God when life is going well, but Anna worshipped, prayed, and fasted when she lost everything. She was alone, but she never let her circumstances swallow her; instead, she chose to walk with the lion of Judah. God Himself came and revealed Himself to this prophetess. The Bible does not show a weak picture of this woman, but a most powerful one. Yes, she was a prophetess who not only prophesied but saw it getting fulfilled.We are still waiting for prophecies about the secret coming and the second coming to be fulfilled. Be it loss, tears, poverty, depression, or anything else, may we choose to live like Anna the prophetess. Let's pray, fast, and worship while we wait, and may God give us grace to see prophecies coming alive before us. Let's praise like Anna when we see it happening before our eyes. Let's not allow anything to sink us in sadness.Dear God, give us strength and courage to pray, worship, fast, and praise You while waiting for Your second coming. Thank You for every prophecy You have written in the Bible. Bless us and fill us with praise and thanksgiving when we see Your prophecies coming alive in our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

Waiting is one of the things that everyone has faced in our lives, especially in India, a densely populated nation. It is very common. The Bible, from the beginning, talked about God's promise to send a redeemer to save people from sin, which consequence is death. Many laid to rest without seeing the promised Messiah. But the Bible talks about very special people who recognized their redeemer when he was born. One such person was a widow who chose to stay and pray in the temple of God after she lost her husband.Many people were there in Israel, Jerusalem, and in the temple of God, but God chose to reveal himself to this wonderful woman of God. The Bible says in Luke 2:37, 'She never left the temple; day and night she worshiped God, fasting and praying.' When she saw the child, she was filled with praise and thanksgiving. Psalm 68:5 says, 'Father of the fatherless, a defender of widows, is God in His holy habitation.' So while Anna was in God's holy place, He was always watching over her as her defender. One of the easy targets in our present society is the widows. People believe that there is no protection over them as they are living without their husbands and easily hurt their emotions. But God is watching over them as he was watching over Anna as her defender and even chose to reveal His son to this woman. He honored her; the Bible doesn't record any young married women or any women from a royal family seeing the child. It was Anna who was special to God. Dear God, help us to see the widows in our society as you see them. Before we look at them, may we see you standing with them as their defenders. May we always consider them as special, just as you consider them. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

God knows everything that happened in our past, is happening in our present, and will happen in the future. He knows when we will be born and also when we will return to Him. It is God who determines our days and protects us from every harm. In Matthew 2, verse 19 says, 'After Herod died, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt and said, "Get up, take the child and his mother, and go back to the land of Israel because those who tried to kill the child are dead."' Jesus submitted himself to God's will at Gethsemane and chose the cross, dying. A Roman official, Pilate, who was not completely against Jesus, washed his hands in the bowl and left him to be killed on the cross.On the other hand, when Jesus was young, he was highly protected by an angel to keep him away from King Herod, who tried to kill him. The enemy who wanted to take his life couldn't succeed. When we walk in the will of God, He protects us and keeps us away from every intentional harm. He has started the journey of faith in us, and He will finish it.Hey friend, are you afraid of any Herod in your life, be it a disease or anything or anyone that is trying to destroy your life, your career, or your good name? The Lord knows, He protects. Make sure to listen to what God is telling you. Sharpen your ears and walk in His guidance. Dear God, fill us with courage and take away any kind of fear that grips us. Thank you for every angel You have appointed for us. May we cherish to walk and fulfill Your will in the days that have been given to us on this earth. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

One of my favorite carols for Christmas is 'Joy to the world, the Lord has come.' Indeed, it is joyful news but not for everyone. How could that be? How can anyone be sad when the king has come to redeem them from the enemy? It was particularly sad for a person who wants to be the king and not just anyone. It was King Herod. Matthew chapter 2 verse 3 says, when King Herod heard about this (about the birth of Christ), he was very upset. Are we happy about Jesus being the king over our lives, or do we want to reign over ourselves or our family? Are we able to submit ourselves and call Him the king of our lives? Living under His rule might mean that we have to put our own desires on the cross and follow Him with sacrifice. The path of following this king will cost anything that comes from our own selves, like self-desires, selfish ambitions, and self-righteousness. May, in this Christmas season and forever, the Lord reign over us. Dear God, be our king, be our head. May we always submit to your kingship. May we love you dearly. Thanks for being our compassionate king. Help us to serve you with all we have got. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.