The Secret of Success!

Bible Reading: 1 Samuel 4:1-11

Many have the habit of sleeping with their Bible under their pillow! They think the Bible is a lucky charm to ward off bad dreams and give sound sleep. Some carry the Bible with them everywhere they go, thinking it will bring them success. Now Israel went out to battle against the Philistines and encamped beside Ebenezer. The Philistines had encamped in Aphek. And Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand men that day. So, the people of Israel wanted to bring the Ark of the Covenant from Shiloh into the battlefield so that it may save them from the hands of their enemies!

They were beginning to look at the Ark of the Covenant as sort of a charm to get victory over the Philistines! The Ark was the r...

An Indescribable Gift

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 9:1-15

Gift-giving is a celebrated Christmas tradition; huge amounts are spent on buying gifts like books, art, clothing, toys, gadgets, cookware, and jewelry. We like to spread the Christmas joy by distributing gifts to those in need. But whatever we may buy, sooner or later they would be broken or lose their sheen. No earthly gift, no matter how priceless or thoughtful, will last forever. But the Bible talks about a priceless gift!

Paul was writing to the Corinthians about giving, and he ended that discussion by reminding them that God is the greatest giver. Jesus summarized its profound significance, saying, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believe...

Expectations!

Bible Reading: Matthew 5:13-15 

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Zeal for good works!

Bible Reading: Titus 2:1-15

Once, I saw a photograph of Ms. Mamata Banerjee lighting a candle to a picture of Mother Theresa.  The sari Ms. Banerjee wore looked exactly like Mother Theresa's sari!  The article said that the life of Mother Teresa inspired the Chief Minister of West Bengal, Ms. Mamata Banerjee!  Mother Teresa's life was one of simplicity, sacrifice, and service, and it motivated Ms. Banerjee to devote her life to the people of West Bengal.

What a testimony!

The believers in Crete lacked leadership and suffered as a result.  Paul was concerned with building up the Church in Crete.  A church can only get as strong as individual believers.  Paul said about the people of...

Taught by the Lord 

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 18: 1-16

When a baby is born, everyone quickly tries to see who the baby resembles: the father or the mother. As the child grows, we try to identify even traits and trace them to the parents or grandparents! We want our children to inherit our good qualities, not bad ones. I read a joke sometime back. It seems a teenager asked her mother what she had done as a teenager, and the mother could not answer that question! 

It is sad to see Isaac repeating the mistake of Abraham by calling Rebekah, his wife, his sister (Genesis 20:2; 26:7). We do not want our children to repeat the mistakes we have made in our lives! &nbs...

God who is near!

Bible Reading: Psalm 34:11-19

The heavenly vision that Isaiah received is very different from the vision received by Ezekiel.  We read about Isaiah's vision in Isaiah chapter 6 and about Ezekiel's vision in Ezekiel chapter 1.  

In the year King Uzziah died, Isaiah saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and the train of His robe filled the Temple!  In his vision, Ezekiel saw the Lord's glory on wheels.  This is very significant because until now, every vision of God's throne has been fixed in the Temple in Jerusalem!  

Ezekiel him...

The Warnings of God  

Bible Reading: 2 Kings 17:1-23

Elijah was a fearless prophet of the God of Israel sent by God to warn the people of Israel of their spiritual failure.  They had turned from the living God who had brought them out of Egypt into a land flowing with milk as inheritance and worshipped idols.  That is why they lost their inheritance!  

This did not happen suddenly without warning.  God sent many prophets to Israel for centuries, asking them to repent and return to the Lord.  But Israel would not listen and wilfully continued in their sin.  Finally, God allowed the Assyrians to crush the rebell...

Ask, Seek, and Knock

Bible Reading: Matthew 7:7-12

Jesus said, “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.  For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened” (Matthew 7:7-8).  Many have buil...

The Man used by God! 

Bible Reading: Proverbs 3:1-10 

Moses was a great leader. 

He led the Israelites in the wilderness for forty years! Now, after the death of Moses, we see God talking to Joshua. The difficult task of conquering the promised land and dividing it among the tribes lay ahead, and God made Joshua the leader! 

For many years, Joshua was content to be Moses' assistant. The Bible says, "…  his servant Joshua the son of Nun, a young man, did not depart from the tabernacle" (Exodus 33:11). The Bible calls Joshua the servant of Moses. Joshua did not...

Caleb

Caleb's story begins in Numbers 13.  After the Israelites have been delivered from slavery in Egypt and brought to the edge of Canaan, Moses chooses one person from each tribe to check out the land that God has promised them.  Among them is Caleb, from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua, from the tribe of Ephraim.  The Bible says, "But my servant Caleb, because he had another spirit with him, and hath followed me fully, him will I bring into the land where into he went, and his seed shall possess it" (Numbers 14:24).  If there was ever a Bible character that displayed a proper attitude toward God and His Word, it was Caleb.  When ten of the twelve spies brought an evil, negative report,...