Peace inside you that cannot be shaken

The Lord says for this time: 

"No matter how turbulent the world around you may be, or what bad news you hear around you, let not your heart be troubled or afraid. Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. This peace inside you cannot be shaken. This peace inside you is My perfect peace. This peace inside you will overcome the chaos or storms outside you. This peace inside you is the peace that surpasses all understanding." 

You may ask: "What is 'the peace that surpasses all understanding'? What does this mean?" 

Philippians 4:7 (NKJV) says, 'And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.' 

There are many things in life that we don't know or understand. But one thing for sure is we know we can put our trust in the Lord, no matter what happens around us. Just by knowing that He is with us and in us, gives us such peace and assurance. Just like a child to a good father. The child feels secure just by knowing that the father is around. The same it is with us and our Heavenly Father. When the world look at us, it just boggles their mind how we can have this kind of peace and assurance inside of us. And that's why this peace surpasses all human understanding and minds. 

Let's look at the Amplified Version now. 'And the peace of God [that peace which reassures the heart, that peace] which transcends all understanding, [that peace which] stands guard over your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus [is yours].' 

This peace reassures your heart. This peace transcends all human understanding. This peace stands guard over your hearts and your minds. 

You see, at one time or another, we hear of bad news, disturbing news, or disheartening news; whether from friends, in the social media, or from the news channels. Or sometimes we face turbulence, storms, or chaotic situations in life. This can happen in the course of your work, in your career, in your business, in the ministry, or in other areas of life.

No matter what happens or what you hear, remember this, that the Lord loves you, and His peace He leaves with you and His peace He gives to you. 

Jesus says in John 14:27, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." 

I like the Amplified Version here. "Peace I leave with you; My [perfect] peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be afraid. [Let My perfect peace calm you in every circumstance and give you courage and strength for every challenge.]" 

See the words 'perfect peace' here? What is this 'perfect peace'? 

Let's cross-reference to the book of Isaiah now. Isaiah 26:3 (NKJV) says, 'You will keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on You, because he trusts in You.' 

So, trust in Him. Trust in Him for who He is. He is everlasting. He is our Rock and Salvation. He is the Lord who gives us perfect peace and assurance. And in Him, we have security, no matter what happens in the world around us.

The word 'perfect' here is 'shalem' in Hebrew. It can mean 'full, whole, complete'. This word 'shalem' comes from the word 'shalam', which means 'to be safe, to be complete'. 

How about the word 'peace' here? It is 'shalom' in Hebrew. Notice this word has a broad meaning. It can mean 'safety, wellness, wholeness, welfare, health, prosperity, favor'. By the way, this word 'shalom' also comes from the same word 'shalam', meaning 'to be safe, to be complete'. 

Therefore, 'perfect peace' in Hebrew is 'shalem shalom'. Both words come from the same word 'shalam'. Double shalam! So, as you put your trust in the Lord and let your mind stayed on the Lord, He will keep you in 'shalem shalom'. And you know what this means? Perfect peace inside of you and outside of you! Spiritually and physically!

Where's the proof? 

Look here at Mark 4:35-39. You know that Jesus is the Prince of Peace. He is peace of God manifested or demonstrated on this earth. And this peace inside of Him could even calm the storms outside of Him!  

'On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, "Let us cross over to the other side." Now when they had left the multitude, they took Him along in the boat as He was. And other little boats were also with Him. And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on the pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, "Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?" Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, "Peace, be still!" And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm.' 

You see here? Peace in the inside of Him emanated out to the outside, and it even calmed the physical storm and the physical waves! 

Beloved of God, this same peace of God in Jesus is now inside of you. So, be afraid not and be anxious not, no matter what you see or what you hear outside of you. The Lord is still in control, and the Lord is sovereign. Let Him take over. Let this peace of the Lord rule and reign in your heart and in your mind.

Maybe you have been facing some 'storms' recently. Maybe it's at your workplace. Maybe it's in the ministry. Whatever 'storm' you may be facing at the moment, let the Lord take over, and let the Lord fill you with His 'shalem shalom'. He will know how to turn things around for you. He will know how to make a way where there seems to be no way. 

Not just that. You also have this peace and assurance inside of you that He deeply loves you. You are His beloved. In other words, you are deeply loved by the Lord. And you know what? This perfect love of God inside of you casts out fear. That's in 1 John 4:18. 

We shall go to Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon) 2:1. The king says: I am the rose of Sharon, and the lily of the valleys. Song of Songs 2:4. The Shulamite woman says: He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love. 

Now, 'banqueting house' here means 'banquet hall', the place where you dine. And 'banner over me' here means 'surrounding me, and in this context, with His love'. 

Song of Songs, or Song of Solomon, another name for this book, is a beautiful book of love between a man and a woman, written by King Solomon himself. It is a 'picture' of God's love for you, His beloved. Jesus is the Lover of your soul. Jesus is the Lover of who you are. 

There's a reason why this book Song of Songs is included in the Scripture. 

There are three main entities in this book:

1. The King (speaks of God Himself). 

2. The bride, which is the Shulamite woman (speaks of you, His beloved). 

3. The chorus, which are the daughters of Jerusalem (speaks of 'the whole citizen of heaven'). 

So, that's a quick background to this book Song of Songs. 

But today, I want to point you to these expressions 'Rose of Sharon' and 'Lily of the valleys'. 

In our context here, the Lord says He is the Rose of Sharon and He is the Lily of the valleys. What do all these mean? This is what we are going to study today. 

Let's begin with Rose of Sharon. 

'Rose' speaks of 'sweetness, sweet-smelling, fragrance'. 

'Sharon' is condensed from this Hebrew word 'yashar'. See the part 'shar' here? Now, 'yashar' here means 'to make straight, to make a way, to make right, to make pleasant, to make prosperous'. 

So, Rose of Sharon speaks of Jesus is the Sweetness that makes straight your way, that makes right your way, that makes pleasant your way, that makes prosperous your way! And that's who the Lord is to you! 

Geographically speaking, the place Sharon is a land bountiful and beautiful; and the inhabitants of this land those days (the Sharonites) were worshippers of the Lord who 'make straight the way'. 

Let's look at Lily of the valleys now.

'Lily' here is 'shuwshan' in Hebrew. Like the flower, it means 'to be bright, to be cheerful, to be joyful'. This speaks of the brightness of the Lord's shining. This speaks of the joy of the Lord. And you know that the joy of the Lord is your strength. In other words, when you have the joy of the Lord in you, you have the strength to look ahead in your life, to move on in your life, and to move forward in your life. 

How about the word 'valleys' here? Notice the word 'valleys' here is plural. It means more than one valley. This speaks of 'depression, deep trouble'. Different kinds of troubles in this world. 

So, if you combine 'lily' and 'valleys', 'Lily of the valleys', this speaks of Jesus is the Lord who brings joy in a time of sorrow, and He who turns your sorrow into joy. Not just that. He sets you free from your depression. He rescues you from whatever deep trouble that you have. He pulls you out from your pit. He sets you free from your bondage. He makes a way of escape for you. He makes a way where there seems to be no way. He is your Lily of the valleys! 

With this assurance of the Lord in the Scripture, there's nothing that you should be afraid of, knowing that this peace and this love of the Lord lives in you. This peace calms the storm, and this love casts out every fear!

Let us pray: 

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your words of assurance to us in a time like this. We receive Your perfect peace that calms every 'storm'. We receive Your perfect love that casts out every fear. Your Scripture says Your peace You leave with us, and Your peace You give to us. The peace that we cannot find anywhere else in the world. Your Scripture also says Your love casts out fear, and Your love for us fails not. We receive all these with gladness and thanksgiving in our hearts. Indeed, You are the Rose of Sharon and the Lily of the valleys in our lives. You yearn to fellowship with us and Your banner over us is love. We want to come into Your presence right now. In Your presence, we are filled with Your love and Your perfect peace. In Your presence, we are surrounded by Your love and Your perfect peace. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

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Never failing nor abandoning you!

What does your Abba Father want to tell you today? 

Men may fail you. Organizations may fail you. Politicians may fail you. Leaders on earth may fail you. But your Abba Father will never fail you nor abandon you! 

Genesis 28:1-2 (NKJV) says, 'Then Isaac called Jacob and blessed him, and charged him, and said to him: "You shall not take a wife from the daughters of Canaan. Arise, go to Padan Aram, to the house of Bethuel your mother's father and take yourself a wife from there of the daughters of Laban your mother's brother."' 

For the record, Abraham (Isaac's father) wished the same for Isaac. Now, Isaac wished the same for Jacob his son, that is, not to take a wife from the daughters of Canaan, but instead go to the parents' hometown. 

You may ask, "Why were they finding wives for their sons from among their relatives? Don't you think marrying relatives may present genetic risks?" 

Let's interpret these verses in the context of 'finding life partner of the same faith, not different faith'. In other words, not to be unequally yoked with people of other faiths and beliefs. That's how you can apply these verses as believers of Christ.

Genesis 28:11-13 (NKJV) says, 'So he (Jacob) came to a certain place and stayed there all night, because the sun had set. And he took one of the stones of that place and put it at his head, and he lay down in that place to sleep. Then he dreamed, and behold, a ladder was set up on the earth, and its top reached to heaven; and there the angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And behold, the Lord stood above it and said: "I am the Lord God of Abraham your father and the God of Isaac; the land on which you lie I will give to you and your descendants."' 

The Lord then spoke further in Genesis 28:14-15 (NKJV), "Also your descendants shall be as the dust of the earth; you shall spread abroad to the west and the east, to the north and the south; and in you and in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed. Behold, I am with you and will keep you wherever you go, and will bring you back to this land; for I will not leave you until I have done what I have spoken to you." 

The word 'leave' here is 'aw-zab' in Hebrew, meaning 'fail, leave, forsake'. In other words, the Lord was saying to Jacob that He will not fail him. As long as Jacob never leaves the Lord, the Lord will never leave him nor forsake him. And the Lord will never fail him nor abandon him. 

Beloved of God, it is the same with you and I. If we do not leave Him nor abandon Him, He will never ever leave us nor abandon us. He still remembers His plans and purposes for our lives. 

Let's now see what Moses said to all of Israel just before they began the conquest of the land the Lord had given to them. Deuteronomy 31:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'Then Moses went and spoke these words to all Israel, "I am one hundred and twenty years old today. I can no longer go out and come in. Also the Lord has said to me, 'You shall not cross over this Jordan.' The Lord your God Himself crosses over before you; He will destroy these nations from before you, and you shall dispossess them. Joshua himself crosses over before you, just as the Lord has said."' 

Deuteronomy 31:7-8 (NKJV) says, 'Then, Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, "Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the Lord has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it. And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed."' 

You see again, the Lord was saying He will be with His people, His beloved; and He will not leave them nor forsake them. In other words, He will not fail them nor abandon them!

The word 'leave' here is 'raw-faw' in Hebrew, meaning 'to slacken, to cease, to faint'. Indeed, He is the Lord who never slackens, never ceases, and never faints in your life. Very interestingly, the word 'forsake' here is the same word 'aw-zab' in Hebrew, exactly the same word for 'leave' in Genesis 28:15 that we've read just now. Over there, the Lord was speaking to Jacob that He would not leave Jacob. 

As you can see here, these words 'leave' and 'forsake' have been used interchangeably, and both can be translated as 'aw-zab', meaning 'fail, leave, forsake'. In fact, in King James Version, it is written this way: "And the Lord, he it is that doth go before thee; he will be with thee, he will not fail thee, neither forsake thee: fear not, neither be dismayed." 

The sentence above here is a 'double negative' statement. In other words, it puts a strong emphasis that the Lord 'will never ever, not by any means' fail you nor forsake you. 

So, take heart, beloved. No matter what situation you may be facing right now, the Lord is saying the same to you, that He 'will never ever, not by any means' fail you nor forsake you. Amen! 

Keep looking to the Lord. That's your part. Keep trusting the Lord. That's your part. 

Let's look now at Job. He was abandoned by his spouse, and he was abandoned by his pitiless friends. Job 2:7-9 (NLT) says, 'So Satan left the Lord's presence, and he struck Job with terrible boils from head to foot. Job scraped his skin with a piece of broken pottery as he sat among the ashes. His wife said to him, "Are you still trying to maintain your integrity? Curse God and die."' And in Job 16:20 (NLT), Job said, "My friends scorn me, but I pour out my tears to God." 

As a matter of fact, the Lord had never abandoned or left Job. It was the people around him who abandoned him. In fact, the Lord had already in view of Job being restored and being blessed. When Job began to let go of his own self-righteousness, and began acknowledging who the Lord God is, the Lord then restored Job and gave him twice as much as he had before. The Lord also blessed the latter days of Job more than in the beginning! 

Job 42:10 (NLT) says, 'When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!' Job 42:12 (NLT) says, 'So the Lord blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning'. Hallelujah! And you know what? Job then went on to live another one hundred and forty years, and saw his children and grandchildren for four generations! 

What a happy end to this Job story! The Lord remembered Job. Now, it is the same with you. The Lord remembers you, even in a time when you feel there's just no headway in your life. Be patient, beloved. Don't lose sight of Him. He loves you. He will never fail you. He will never leave you nor forsake you, as long as you keep looking to Him and keep trusting Him. 

At this juncture, I want to pray for the Lord's strength to be with you, and the Lord's power to be with you. You shall see many more good days ahead of you, in spite of whatever that had happened in your life! 

Finally, let's look now at the Parable of the prodigal son. The question here is, "Who abandoned who?" You can see that in Luke 15:11-32. In these verses, Jesus told of a parable where the younger son took the portions of goods given by his father, journeyed to a country far away, and there he wasted all his possessions with prodigal living (i.e. wasteful and wild living). But when he had lost everything and came back to his senses, he returned to his father, ready even to be made one of his father's hired servants. But when the father saw him from afar off, he had compassion for him, and he ran and embraced him. You see, the father could have turned this prodigal son away. But no! The father even said, "Bring the fatted calf here and kill it, and let us eat and be merry; for this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found." 

So beloved of God, whatever sin or mistake that you've committed in the past, let the past be past. Let the bygones be bygones. The Lord is saying to you right now that He loves you, He has forgiven you, and He remembers you. 

The 'father' in this prodigal son story speaks of 'our Abba Father in heaven', whereas the 'son' speaks of 'someone who had abandoned Him before', or 'someone who had failed Him before'. You see, we are all on the same boat. Imperfect as we are, there's no one on this earth that has never sinned or committed mistakes before. But you see, the moment the son returned to the father, the father was so glad that he celebrated his return with a banquet and with music and dancing! This is the Father's heart for you and I as well. 

Throughout the Scripture that you've read today, you can see the heart of your Abba Father in heaven. He will never abandon you, nor will He abandon His plans and purposes in your life. Will you take this time to receive His love and embrace afresh and anew today? 

He promised Jacob that He would never leave him, and that He would bless him. He also promised Joshua the same. And He's saying the same to you today. As you look forward in your life, I pray that you too will experience the power, the goodness, and the lovingkindness of your Abba Father. Amen!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, You are our Abba Father in heaven, our Daddy in heaven. You are the Lord who never fails us. You have spoken that You will never leave us nor forsake us, nor will You abandon Your plans and purposes for our lives. You have done it for Jacob. You have done it for Joshua. You have done it for Job. You have done it even for the prodigal son. You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. We take heart, and we can be assured today. As we look forward in our lives, we too shall see many good days ahead of us. We receive Your love. We receive Your hope. We receive Your assurance afresh and anew today. All this we pray, in Jesus' name. Amen!" 

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God's love for you conquers all!

Words from the Lord: 

"There is a plan by the enemy and the spirit of anti-Christ to try to cause My people to doubt and fall away. But stay firm in Me. Stay firm in My Word. Look to Me. My love for you conquers all. You are made more than conquerors through Me who loves you. Receive My love. The hatred, ridicule, or mockery that some people throw at you, pray for them and return with love. Let My love fill them. When they know My love, they will know Me." 

God is not just loving. God is love. To know God is to know His love. To experience God is to experience His love. 

1 John 4:7:9 says, 'Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son (Jesus) into the world that we might live through Him.' 

Beloved, if you are one of those whom the work of darkness has tried to cause you to doubt your faith or to doubt the Word of God, the Lord is here to fill you with His love. Receive from Him. Look to Him. Let your focus be fixed on the Lord. Let your eyes be fixed on His Word.

Romans 5:5 says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.' 

You see, the Holy Spirit has been given to us. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of love. Romans 5:5 says this love has been poured out into our hearts. And you know what? There will always be hope in your life when there is love of God in your life! 

We humans are created to receive God's love. That's innate in our lives. We are born and created to receive God's love. And you know what? To receive God's love is to receive Christ! Why? Because Christ is the manifestation of God's love. You have read in 1 John chapter 4 that God's love was manifested toward us. In other words, God's love was shown toward us. How? Through Jesus! He came down and walked among us! So, Christ is the manifestation of God's love. He is the epitome of God's love. He is the very personification of God's love. What is personification of God's love? It means God's love came on earth in the form of Jesus, the Person of Jesus! 

For each person whom God created, whatever their upbringing or background may be, there is something inside each person, innate in each person, that yearns for God's love.

1 Peter 3:8-9 says, 'Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be tenderhearted, be courteous; not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.'

We are to love and do good to others. Not just to our fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, but also to those who are against our faith or against our belief in Christ. Their spiritual eyes may not be enlightened yet, and they may say all kinds of untruth against our faith, but render not evil for evil. Render evil with good. Pray for them. Forgive them. Look at them with the eyes of God's love and compassion. I know it's easier said than done. But we can if we open our hearts to receive God's love and let God's love overflow in our lives. 

Let God's love fill our hearts right now. Let God's love fill our hearts to the overflow, so much so we can't help but to look at others with the eyes of God's love. Amen! 

In Matthew 5:10-12, Jesus says: "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."

So take heart, beloved. Let your eyes be fixed on Jesus. Always remember He is the personification of God's love. When you have Him, you have everything. When you have Him, you have His love overflowing. So, even if people mock at your faith, or accuse you and your Bible as being wrong in their eyes, you know what God says today? Pray for them. Do not return evil for evil. Pray for their spiritual eyes to be enlightened. Pray for God's love to visit them. Be patient. Do not react. Remember, you are not fighting flesh and blood. You are to love one another. You are to love others. You are to love even those who are against you, or those who attack your faith. The Bible says so.

In Matthew 5:43-47, Jesus says: "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?" 

You may be asking why the Scripture mentions about tax collectors. There are reasons why there's such a low view of tax collectors those days. These were Jews who worked for the Roman government those days. No one likes to pay money to the government that's oppressive, like the Roman Empire those days. And that's what happened in the first century. So, those who collected the taxes for the government were seen as traitors. Rather than fighting the Roman oppressors, these tax collectors were helping them. Not only that. They were enriching themselves at the expense of their fellow citizens. Also, it was a common knowledge that these tax collectors cheated the people they collected money from. They would collect more than required and keep the extra for themselves. In other words, they were dishonest.

Now, back to this statement 'love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven.' You see, you love not just in words, but you love in deeds and in action. So, whenever you have the opportunity, do good to others. Not just to others who are good to you, but even to others who hate you. Now, it doesn't seem logical here. At least not logical in the minds of this world. But you know what? Many times, God's Word and God's love is above human logic. This is a God who is above human minds and human logic. This is a God who is supernatural. And that's why many people in this world cannot understand who He is. Because they use their human logic to try to understand Him. 

Now look at Jesus when He was at the cross. Luke 23:32-35 says, 'There were also two others, criminals, led with Him (Jesus) to be put to death. And when they had come to the place called Calvary, there they crucified Him, and the criminals, one on the right hand and the other on the left.' You see, Jesus was put together with criminals. In other words, in the eyes of the world those days, He was seen as a criminal. He was punished on earth just like other criminals. But you know what did Jesus say? He said: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." Even when He was in pain, even when the nails were pegged on the palm of His hands, even when He was mocked and ridiculed, and even when He was being sneered at, He didn't react negatively. Instead, He said to His Father: "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do." I continue here. 'And they divided His garments and cast lots. And the people stood looking on. But even the rulers with them sneered, saying, "He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ, the chosen of God."' 

But you see, He chose to die for us. He died for our sins. He has carried away all our sins. Because He knows that we cannot save ourselves. All of us have sinned and have fallen short of the glory of God. He came to redeem us. Why? Because of His love for us! 

Romans 8:31-34 says, 'What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son (Jesus), but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.' 

Romans 8:35-37 says, 'Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: "For your sake we are killed all day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter." Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.'

Romans 8:38-39 says, 'For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.' 

Beloved, God's love for you is everlasting. God's love for you never fails. When everything else on this earth fails, God's love for you never fails. Let us always remember this. And we have read just now in Romans 8:37 that 'in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.' It means God's love for you conquers all! When you know how much God loves you, and when you know that you are a beloved of God, you become more than conquerors, whatever situation you may be facing on this earth, or whoever that comes against you. Amen!

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You are God's precious and beloved!

If you feel like you are not good enough or not successful enough in your life, you need to hear this. The Lord loves you and the Lord accepts you. You are not a failure in His eyes. You are the apple of His eyes. It means you are precious to Him and He has great love towards you. Don't let anyone or the devil talk you out of this. 

Remember this: The Lord loves you and the Lord accepts you. It's not about what you do or what's your 'performance' in your life, but it's about who you are in Him. You know why? Because the Lord doesn't measure success the way the world measures success. You see, the world measures success by these: fame, position, money. In other words, how much money you have, how famous you are, how many social media followers you have, what is your position in the society, what is your social status, how many big houses or big cars you have, etc. But you know what? The Lord sees inside of you. The Lord sees the heart. Just look at the twelve disciples that Jesus chose. He didn't choose His disciples using the criteria of fame, position, or money. If He did that, many of these disciples would have failed these criteria. 

Therefore beloved of God, be encouraged. You are precious in His eyes. God loves you. This is what the Lord wants to tell you at this time. And no matter what your age may be, and what situation you are in at the moment, look to the Lord. Remember this: You are not useless. You are precious in His eyes. You are His beloved. You are made righteous through your faith in Him. In fact, you have been forgiven of all your sins. You are cleansed and you are made holy through the blood of Jesus shed for you on the cross. 

Always give thanks to the Lord. You see, no one may understand what exactly you are going through, but He understands. He sees everything. He knows you inside out. 

So, open your heart, and lift up your hands before the Lord. Give yourself entirely to the Lord all over again. Yes, He can even use your hands, as you lift up your hands before Him. 

The Lord says: "Lift up your hands, for I am touching your hands. I am anointing your hands for My glory. I am releasing My power through your hands. Use your hands to bless! Use your hands as the extension of My hands!" 

Not only the Lord sees you as His precious, He's also inviting you to dedicate your hands to Him right now. Let your hands be cleansed and be washed by the Lord. Yes, the Lord wants to bless you - from top to toe; spirit, soul, body; mind, will, emotions. But today the Lord specifically says He wants to touch your hands. 

Psalm 134:2 says, 'Lift up your hands in the sanctuary, and bless the Lord.' It means to lift up your hands in His presence. Wherever you are now, He is here with you. You see, we can worship Him with our hands lifted, and not just in songs and singing. When you lift up your hands before Him, it is a sign of worship. And to worship is to surrender, to submit to Him, to yield to Him. As you lift up your hands, you are also blessing His holy name, just as what this psalmist wrote here. 

You see, the Lord created our hands not just for manual work, but as instruments of worship and channels of His blessing. Your hands are created as the extension of His ministry and His kingdom!

So, let's lift up our hands, and let us bless His holy name! Bless the Lord! Yes, the Lord is touching your hands right now. Let Him. Let Him release His anointing and His power upon you! 

1 Timothy 2:8, in the words of apostle Paul, "I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting." You see, again, you can use your hands to bless. In fact, the Scripture says 'holy hands'. It means your hands are made cleansed and made holy; not by your own works, not by your own strength; but by the blood of Jesus Christ.  

Job 11:13 says: "If you would prepare your heart, and stretch out your hands toward Him." It means you can stretch out your hands toward the Lord - in blessing His name, in prayer, in worship, in surrender. So, as you prepare your heart, and as you let go, forgive, and receive this gift of righteousness through Him, you can stretch out your hands and bless His holy name. You can stretch out your hands in prayer. You can stretch out your hands in fellowshipping with Him.

And there's some more! 

Mark 16:17-18, in the words of our Lord Jesus Christ, "And these signs will follow those who believe: In My name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents; and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them; they will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."

See the word 'hands' here? As you receive His anointing and His power, you can lay hands on the sick and let the Lord's healing flow through you and out of you. You are that channel of blessing! 

So remember this. Whatever your situation may be at the moment, or if you think your life is going nowhere, just look at your hands. Your hands are blessed hands. Yes, receive these words today. The Lord is releasing great things through your hands. Amen! 

Acts 5:12 says, 'And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people.' Acts 19:11 says, 'Now God worked unusual miracles by the hands of Paul.' 

Whether you are called into the apostolic ministry or not; whatever you are called for, whatever your situation may be, and wherever you are; the Lord can touch your hands, and the Lord can work miracles through your hands as well!

Acts 8:17 says, 'Then they laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit.' 

Your hands can even be the channel of the Holy Spirit filling other lives, the Holy Spirit baptism. And you know when you are so full of the Holy Spirit, you are blessed! Because the Holy Spirit in you will always lead you and guide you. You will never end up in any 'dead-end road', as long as you follow His leading and walk in His guidance, the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

And you know what? Your hands are not just for spiritual work, not just for healing, for signs and wonders and miracles, for the Holy Spirit baptism; but your hands can be used even in simple ways! Just a pat on the back of somebody can make his or her day! 

You see, the Lord can use your hands to encourage others when they are down. The Lord can use your hands to build others. And you know what? Those who encourage others will themselves be encouraged, and those who build others will themselves be built. Because what you sow is what you reap. If you sow encouragement to others, you yourself will reap encouragement. 

So that's why not only you are precious in His eyes, your hands are precious in His eyes too. Use it for His glory. Amen! 

Matthew 19:13-15 says, 'Then little children were brought to Jesus that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them, for of such is the kingdom of heaven." And He laid His hands on them and departed from there.' 

Indeed, as Jesus has shown as an example, your hands can also be used to bless and to impart to the new generation, the next generation. You can use your hands to bless, to impart good virtues, to impart grace and to impart wisdom upon children, the generation after yours, so that they will have a bright future. Hallelujah! 

See how much God can use you? And I'm just writing about your pair of hands today. I've not written about other areas yet. There are so many parts of our body and so many other areas of our life that I've not mentioned yet. But I'm just talking about your pair of hands today. And even then, the Scripture has so many verses on this!

Let us pray: "O Lord God, whatever our situation may be, we can look to You. Because in Your eyes, we are loved, we are Your precious, we are the apple of Your eyes. We worship You, and we surrender to You today. We receive Your touch today. Touch our hearts, touch our lives, and You have spoken today that You are touching our hands. We receive all this. In Jesus' name. Amen." 

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

How to meditate on God's love?

How to meditate on God's love? What are the ways you can meditate on God's love? We are going to tackle these questions today. It is not limited to just one way, but there are a number of ways how you can meditate on God's love. 

Why is it so important to meditate on God's love? When you have the revelation how much God loves you, you can be sure nothing in this world can affect you, no matter what happens around you or what circumstance you face in this world. You can be sure even when everything else in this world fails, God's love for you never fails. And He knows how to lead you, guide you, and make a way for you, even in the most tumultuous of times.

To begin with, Joshua 1:8 (NKJV) says, 'This Book of the Law (in our context, the Scripture, the Word of God) shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.' 

This word 'meditate' here is 'hagah' in Hebrew, and it can have many meanings. In other words, this word 'hagah' is quite wide in its scope. According to James Strong's Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, it can mean any of these: 'to ponder, to imagine, to mutter, to roar (i.e. to speak aloud, to declare), to speak, to study, to talk, to utter'. 

As you can see here, there are a number of ways to meditate on the Word of God. For example, there is a place to silently ponder or contemplate on a Bible verse that the Lord has spoken to you. Yet there is a place to speak it out aloud for your ears to hear.

Also, there is a place to mutter it, i.e. to speak under your breath. To mutter, according to Oxford Dictionary, can be defined as 'to speak or say something in a quiet voice that is difficult to hear (i.e. only you can hear, but people around you may not be able to hear). It can also be defined as 'words that you speak very quietly to yourself'. Therefore, to mutter is to speak to yourself and not for other people to hear.

Back to the word 'meditate' or 'hagah'. You can see there are eight main definitions of this word, i.e. to ponder, to imagine (these are silent), to mutter (i.e. to speak under your breath to yourself and not for other people to hear), to roar (i.e. to declare it out aloud), to speak, to talk, to utter, and of course, to study the Word of God. So, to meditate is also to study what God says about you. 

We can meditate on different aspects of God's characteristics. But for today, we will just focus on God's love. I will show you 12 points on God's love from the Bible as an example, using New King James Version as the basis, but personalized for you. You can ponder or contemplate on each of these Bible verses. Or you can mutter it or utter it, speaking it over and over again to yourself. 

1. I love God's name. God looks upon me and is merciful to me, and He will direct my steps with His Word (Psalm 119:132-133)  

2. I am precious in God's sight and He loves me and honors me (Isaiah 43:4)

3. Nothing in this world can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:35)

4. In all things, I am made more than conquerors through God who loves me (Romans 8:37)

5. I have the love of God, and God's love for me never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8) 

6. My Lord Jesus Christ and God my Father, who has loved me and given me everlasting consolation and good hope, comforts my heart and establishes me in every good word and work (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

7. I love Jesus and rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)

8. I have no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear. I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:18-19) 

9. God is love. I am born of God and I belong to God. I receive the love of God now and I can love one another (1 John 4:7-8)

10. God abides in me and His love has been perfected in me (1 John 4:12)

11. The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20)

12. I have hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me (Romans 5:5) 

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Receive the outpouring of God's love!

Season's greetings and happy holiday! Indeed this is a time to receive God's love and release God's love! This is a time for love in action! Amen!

Romans 5:5 says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.' 

So, this love of God, Jesus, came down! And He is love! And when this love is being poured out on you, you have every reason to hope! You know why? Because His love for you never fails, no matter what happens in this world or how 'hopeless' this world may be!

When His love is being poured out on you (and it's not just a trickle), not only you receive God's love, but you also release God's love to people around you! So, where there's God's love, there will be hope! 

In 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (NKJV), apostle Paul wrote, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.' What Paul meant here was love is greater than all these mentioned here. 

In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a (NKJV), Paul wrote further, 'Love suffers long and is kind, love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails...'  

And in 1 Corinthians 13:10 (NKJV), Paul also wrote, 'But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.' What is the 'perfect' here? God's perfect love! His love is prefect! It means when you receive God's perfect love in your life, whatever 'imperfection' in your life will just be a shadow, because you are so full of God's perfect love in your life! And this love never fails! That's why when you have this love, you have every reason to hope in your life!

In other words, God's perfect love is the solution to any problem, challenges, or situation in your life in this world! 

So, as you gather with your family and friends wherever you are, as you encourage one another with God's love, as you build and edify one another with God's love, as you worship God together, as you fellowship together, and even have foods and drinks together, let God's love be at the center of all your gatherings, that God's love be with you and fill you to the overflow!

As you've read just now in 1 Corinthians 13:4, notice that love's foremost fruits are patience and kindness. These are the first two characters in the list - 'patience or longsuffering towards one another', and 'kindness towards one another'! 

In Colossians 1:11-14 (NKJV), Paul wrote, '...strengthened with all might according to His glorious power for all patience and longsuffering with joy, giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.'

Let's look at the words 'patience' and 'longsuffering' here.

The word 'patience' here is 'hupomone' in Greek. It can mean 'cheerful (hopeful) endurance, constancy, patient continuance', and it comes from the word 'hupomeno' meaning 'to remain, to bear trials, to have fortitude, to persevere, to abide, or to endure (in spite of your circumstances around you).' 

There's a very thin line to draw between 'patience' and 'longsuffering', and that's why some teachers group these two as one same character.

The word 'longsuffering' here is 'makrothumia' in Greek. It can mean 'longanimity (not short-tempered), forbearance, fortitude, with long (enduring) temper, long spirited, long patience, patiently endure.' 

In short, if 'patience' is 'patience' per say, then 'longsuffering' is 'long patience or enduring patience'. That's basically the difference, a very slight difference actually.

You see, when you have God's love filling your life, whatever provocation against you or whatever that people try to 'trigger' you to react negatively, you will not buy that. Instead, you will respond with love, you will respond with patience and longsuffering, and you will respond with kindness. You will not render evil with evil, but you will return evil with good. And that's what happens when you are so full of God's love!

So, keep receiving God's love and keep releasing God's love! You can rely on His wisdom and the promptings (or the leading) of the Holy Spirit to lead you and guide you on how you can show His love to others. Just look out around you, let His love flow out of you, and you can be sure He will continue to fill you and overflow you with His love (and even His provision) super abundantly. Amen!

Prayer:

"O Lord God, we thank You for Your perfect love that never fails. We want to remember Your perfect love that never fails in our lives. We want to remember all that You have done for us on the cross some 2000 years ago. We want to continue to be the light that shine on others. As we receive more of Your love and Your light, this love will flow out to many around us, and this light will shine forth even in the darkest of places in this world. In the name of Jesus. Amen!"

Click here for the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

Lost your way and direction in life? There's hope for you!

I was praying the other day and the Lord released these words:

"For many of My people, the enemy has been trying to cause them to lose their way and lose their direction in life. But I am telling you this is a lie of the enemy. I am still your Good Shepherd and I am still your Guiding Light in times of need. I hold the keys to your doors and I hold the keys to your breakthroughs. Look to Me, hear My voice and follow Me, and I will show you the way to your open doors and breakthroughs."

This is going to be a very pastoral message, a message that's going to minister to some of you, especially if you have lost your way in life, lost your purpose in life, or even lost your direction in life during this prolonged time of pandemic. 

Luke 15:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'Then all the tax collectors and the sinners drew near to Him to hear Him. And the Pharisees and scribes complained, saying, "This Man receives sinners and eats with them." So He spoke this parable to them, saying: "What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he loses one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness, and go after the one which is lost until he finds it?"'

Here, Jesus was explaining to the Pharisees and scribes why He chose to associate with "sinners and tax collectors". So, He told them this parable of the lost sheep where He identified Himself as a 'shepherd', and the people as 'a flock of sheep'. The 'ninety-nine sheep' here represent 'the righteous', whereas the single 'lost sheep' (in the context here, a lost sheep of Israel) represents 'the secularized and godless among the people' those days. 

Even though the main context of Luke 15:1-4 is about the 'lost sheep of Israel', this parable can apply to all of us too. Maybe you aren't lost in sins, but you feel lost in life, in your purpose in life, or even in your direction in life. In fact for some of you, you don't even know who you are anymore! I know of some people, especially during this time of prolonged pandemic (or prolonged lockdown in some places) who are actually feeling this way. 

Beloved, if you are one of these, take heart and be encouraged. The Lord your God hasn't forgotten you nor forsaken you. He is still the same yesterday, today, and forever. And He is still your Good Shepherd (John 10:14) and your Guiding Light (John 8:12).

In John 10:11-14 (NKJV), Jesus says, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives His life for the sheep. But a hireling, he who is not the shepherd, one who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees; and the wolf catches the sheep and scatters them. The hireling flees because he is a hireling and does not care about the sheep. I am the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own."

Before that, in John 10:1-4 (NKJV), Jesus says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber. But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice."

Do you see that? He calls you by name! The truth is He is a personal God, and in every situation (or any unique situation) you are going through, He cares for you. No one may fully understand what you are going through at the moment, but He understands. 

You see, the world may dump you or sideline you when you are deemed to be useless. Your employer may retrench you when you are not as useful anymore. Your customers may dump you when they find another better source. This is unfortunate, but this is a fact we all face in this fallen world. 

But Jesus your Good Shepherd will never dump you or sideline you. Why? Because He loves you and cares for you like none other, like no one else on earth. He is not a hireling. When danger comes, the hireling will flee and run away. But He the Good Shepherd will never flee or run away. He is still with you and He is still for you, even in times like these. And know this: He doesn't treat you like an impersonal robot or machine to be dumped when you become useless or incapable. No way!

Not only is He your Good Shepherd, He is also your Guiding Light. 

In John 8:12 (NKJV). Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."

His light expresses His great love for you. His light, "the light of the world", guides you from the gloom of sin, and makes a way out for you. And whatever the gloominess may be in this world at the moment, be assured He knows how to make a way out for you. 

Therefore, look to Him and walk in His light no matter what happens around you, and you'll be sure to find the bright path to your open doors and breakthroughs. In Jesus' name. Amen.

Click here for the full message in TiC YouTube Channel

A 3-fold anointing is being released from heaven!

I have received three distinct parts of God's words to be released to you this week. Three very distinct parts, yet these are inter-connected. You need all three in this end-time! 

So, today is an apostolic and prophetic release, and not so much about teaching or pastoral message.

Words from the Lord - Part 1

"My perfect love for you casts out fear! Let Me take all your fears away, be it fear of sickness, fear of future, fear of lack, or any kind of fear that the enemy wants you to fall into. For many of you, this is the time to hang on there, even where there seems to be no headway in your situation. Look to Me and seek Me with all your hearts, and I will show you the way. I have not forsaken nor forgotten you. My love for you never fails, even when the world around you seems to fail."

1 John 4:17-18 (NKJV) says, 'Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.'

The word 'perfect' here is 'teleioo' in Greek, and it can mean 'completeness, fullness, perfectness, accomplished'. But do you know that John didn't just use the word 'teleioo'? John used 'teleioo teleioo'. It's a double 'teleioo', and it speaks of love that is "perfectly perfected" or "completely completed"! You know what this means? It's a double affirmation of God's perfect love for you, and that's why His love for you never fails! Receive His love being poured out for you today!

Words from the Lord - Part 2

"Stay innocent in Me and don’t be carried away or taken in by the wickedness and trickeries of this world. I will give you the needed wisdom if you ask of Me. I will give you the needed discernment if you ask of Me. Ask and you will receive. And whatever that is conjured up by the ‘serpent’ against you, you will be able to handle and overcome it."

In Matthew 10:16 (NKJV), Jesus says, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves."

Here, Jesus is not telling you to be a 'serpent'. But what He meant is whatever the 'serpent' (symbolizing the devil or his cohorts) throws at you or tries to deceive you, you will be able to handle it and overcome it.

Living in this perilous world, indeed God's love and God's wisdom need to go hand in hand. You walk in God's love, but you also need to walk in God's wisdom, because in times like these, many deceivers and scammers will surface.

Words from the Lord - Part 3

"There is a healing and wholeness taking place. My healing anointing has been released! I have arisen for My people, and I have begun to shoot My arrows against the power of the enemy. The dark clouds of the enemy is being pierced through My arrows. The dark clouds is beginning to scatter and disappear. Therefore, fear not! Start spreading this hope that I am giving to you, and stop spreading the fear that comes from the enemy! My people will begin to triumph and My people will begin to emerge stronger than ever before! I have opened the way for those who look to Me and seek Me."

Psalm 45:5-6 (NKJV) says, 'Your (God's) arrows are sharp in the heart of the King’s enemies... Your throne, O God, is forever and ever; A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.'

The word 'arrows' here is 'khayts' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'a piercer, a thunderbolt (i.e. a flash of lightning with a simultaneous crash of thunder)'; from the word 'khawtsats' meaning 'to sever or to cut off (in this context, the power of the enemy)'.

People of God, the healing anointing that's likened to 'thunderbolts' has been released to you from heaven! Receive by faith right now for your situation! God has begun to shoot His arrows against the power of the enemy that comes against you, and the 'dark clouds' of the enemy is being pierced through and scattered! Hallelujah!

In conclusion, this 3-fold anointing, i.e. power, love, and sound mind (wisdom and discernment) - has been released to God's people right now!

2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) says, 'For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.'

2 Timothy 1:7 (Expanded Bible) says, '[For] God did not give us a spirit [or the Spirit] that makes us afraid [timid], but a spirit [or the Spirit] of power and love and self-control [self-discipline; or good judgment].'

Timotiyos II 1:7 (Orthodox Jewish Bible) puts it this way, 'For Hashem (the name of God) did not bestow upon us a ruach (spirit) of pachad (terror), but of gevurah (miraculous power) and of ahavah (love) and of sound havchanah (judgment).'

You see? 'Gevurah' (i.e. miraculous power of God), 'ahavah' (i.e. perfect love of God), and sound 'havchanah' (i.e. sound judgment/wisdom/discernment for you to make sound decisions in life)!

You need all three! Receive all three! And you'll see yourself triumphing and overcoming all the works of the enemy that come against you in times like these! Amen!

Click here to watch the full teaching in TiC YouTube Channel

How to walk in God's perfect love?

The Lord spoke these words to His people:

"My people, My people, My people, don’t be carried away by hatred and unforgiveness in this world. Don’t be carried away by envy and bitterness in this world. Receive My love instead, and learn to love with compassion and pity."

And the Lord spoke further:

"Let there be a flow of My love like a river in you and through you! For My love has been poured out upon you through the Holy Spirit. When everything else in this world fails, My love for you never fails. So, receive My love from heaven and let it flow, and yes, you’ll even be able to love your enemies, just as I have spoken to you before in the Word!"

Romans 5:5 (NKJV) says, 'Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us'.

Romans 5:5 (Expanded Bible) puts it this way, 'And this hope will never disappoint us [let us down; or put us to shame; dishonor us], because God has poured out His love to fill our hearts [or flooded our hearts with His love]. He gave us His love through the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to us'.

There is too much hatred, unforgiveness, envy and bitterness happening in the world right now. As the beloved of God, it is important that we do not get distracted and get carried away by all these. Instead, the Lord wants you to look to Him and receive His love, just as Romans 5:5 says. 

This love doesn't come like a trickle, but this love has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. As you receive His love and choose to love, this love is going to flow like a river in you and through you.

1 John 4:7-9 (NKJV) says, 'Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him'.

The word 'love' here is 'agape' in Greek, and it means 'love, or benevolence (i.e. an act of kindness or the inclination to be kind)'. 

You see, not only do we love in word or in tongue, but we also love in deed and in truth (1 John 3:16-19), because 'agape' can also mean 'an act of kindness or the inclination to be kind'.

In fact, here's what the Lord Jesus Himself said in Matthew 5:43-47, "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.' But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?"

So, who are your enemies?

Generally speaking, enemies are those who are against you or oppose you because you are doing what God says for you to do. Yet Jesus Himself says 'love your enemies'. It means you are to forgive and not return evil with evil. Instead, return evil with good (Romans 12:21). Jesus Himself prayed this when He was crucified, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do." (Luke 23:34)

Sometimes an enemy is an enemy only for a time. God is great, and He can change an enemy in His perfect timing and perfect way. Therefore, don't hate them. Instead, pray for them. Ask God to give you the patience in times of persecution against you. And ask God to give you the grace to see these enemies from the eyes of God's love and compassion.

But... Who are your real enemies?

Matthew 5:43-47 must be read together with Ephesians 6:12 that says, 'For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places'.

Reading the Bible verses above, you can therefore deduce there are actually 2 types of enemies:

1. Invisible (demonic forces) - these are the real enemies.

2. Visible (human beings) - these are not real enemies.

The real enemies are the demonic forces (Ephesians 6:12) that work against God and against you (for doing what God says).

Therefore, Jesus' command to 'love your enemies' (Matthew 5:43-47) only applies to the 2nd group, i.e. fellow human beings (flesh and blood). For this 2nd group, don't hate them, but pray for them and have compassion and pity for them. God will know how to turn things around for you, in due time.

Principles in 'dealing with enemies':

1. Your real enemies are in the spirit, and not flesh and blood.

2. Your real battles are in the spirit, and not against flesh and blood.

3. You can take authority and bind these demonic forces, in Jesus' name.

4. In the end, all these enemies will die off because God has the ultimate victory (over satan and his cohorts).

5. As long as you see 'flesh and blood' as the enemies, you will not be able to have compassion or pity for them. That is why Jesus commanded to 'love your enemies'.

6. These 'flesh and blood' are only being used by the devil to fulfill his purposes, and their eyes have been blinded or darkened by the devil (or the spirits of this world).

7. But you can pray, "In Jesus' name, I command you devil (or foul spirit) to stop your work behind this person."

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When times are tough, what do you do?

When times are tough, what do you do? This is a question many people ask, especially in times like these. But the answer from the Lord may surprise many.

Here's the answer, and here's what the Lord says, "Keep loving. Keep sowing seeds of love and care. Help anyone who needs genuine help. Look out for one another and look after one another."

There's no denying the fact that the world (I mean, the people of the world) has become 'colder' and 'colder', even though the earth is getting warmer and warmer (due to climate change). People are getting more and more selfish (lovers of their own selves without considering others or to the detriment of others), and more and more inward-looking.

2 Timothy 3:1-4 (NKJV) says, 'But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come: For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God'.

But how about you who are the disciples of Jesus?

In Matthew 5:15-16, Jesus says, "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven."

In tough times like these, the Lord's answer for us is all the more let our light shine brighter and brighter, even as the world gets darker and darker! 

But how do you shine your light? 

Through acts of love and kindness from a genuine and sincere heart!

1 John 3:18 (NKJV) says, 'My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth'.

1 John 4:8 (NKJV) says, 'He who does not love does not know God, for God is love'.

1 John 4:12 (NKJV) says, 'No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us'.

In Matthew 25:34-40, Jesus says, "Then the King will say to those on His right hand, 'Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.' "Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?' And the King will answer and say to them, 'Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.'"

You see, as you scatter seeds of love and kindness wherever you are, as you help those who are helpless, and care for those who are uncared for, the Lord will know how to reward you and honor you, even in ways that no man can! The Lord sees it even when man never sees or recognizes it!

Galatians 6:9 (NKJV) says, 'And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart'.

In Luke 6:38, Jesus says, "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you."

It doesn't necessarily have to be giving in the form of money. It can be using your spiritual gifts, your talents, your time, your energy, or in any way that you can be a blessing others! It goes a long way in bringing hope to many, and you'd never know how much this means to some who are in dire situations at the moment!

So, beloved of God, go ahead and love others! Make a difference in this world! Not just in words, but also in deeds! Your 'light' will shine ever brighter in the spiritual realm! And you will reap the good that you sow! Amen!

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Begin the year with LOVE!

As I was seeking the Lord for my first sermon in the year 2019, He simply said these words: "Begin the year with LOVE!"

He then gave an assurance through Psalm 71 (a psalm written by David, the beloved of God) for all of us to meditate upon. 

Psalm 71:1-3 (NKJV) says, 'In You, O Lord, I put my trust; Let me never be put to shame. Deliver me in Your righteousness, and cause me to escape; Incline Your ear to me, and save me. Be my strong refuge, to which I may resort continually; You have given the commandment to save me, for You are my rock and my fortress'. 

I believe this commandment the Lord has given us is first and foremost the commandment of LOVE. You can see that in Deuteronomy 6:5-6 that says, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts'. See the words 'are to be on your hearts' here? People of God, let His love so fill you, and be established in you, as you begin your journey in this year 2019!

Psalm 71:21-24a (NKJV) says, 'You shall increase my greatness, and comfort me on every side.

Also with the lute (string instrument) I will praise You— And Your faithfulness, O my God! To You I will sing with the harp, O Holy One of Israel. My lips shall greatly rejoice when I sing to You; And my soul, which You have redeemed. My tongue also shall talk of Your righteousness all the day long...'

The word 'talk' here is 'hagah' in Hebrew, and it can mean 'to utter, to speak, to declare, to meditate'. Interestingly, this word 'hagah' is the same word as in Joshua 1:8 that says 'This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate ('hagah') in it day and night...'

Here's a compilation of some Bible verses on God's love for you to meditate ('hagah') upon in the year 2019. So, by all means, utter it, speak it, and declare it to yourself, so your ears will also hear! As you can see here, to meditate ('hagah') is not merely to read it silently, but as shown above, it is for you to utter it, speak it, and declare it with your mouth; and of course, into being! 

Bible verses on God's love (personalized for you)

1. I love God's name. God looks upon me and is merciful to me, and He will direct my steps with His Word (Psalm 119:132-133)

2. I am precious in God's sight and He loves me and honors me (Isaiah 43:4)

3. Nothing in this world can separate me from the love of God (Romans 8:35)

4. In all things, I am made more than conquerors through God who loves me (Romans 8:37)

5. I have the love of God, and God's love for me never fails (1 Corinthians 13:8)

6. My Lord Jesus Christ and God my Father, who has loved me and given me everlasting consolation and good hope, comforts my heart and establishes me in every good word and work (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)

7. I love Jesus and rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of glory (1 Peter 1:8)

8. I have no fear in love, because perfect love casts out fear. I love Him because He first loved me (1 John 4:18-19)

9. God is love. I am born of God and I belong to God. I receive the love of God now and I can love one another (1 John 4:7-8)

10. God abides in me and His love has been established in me (1 John 4:12)

11. The life which I now live, I live by faith in the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20)

12. I have hope, and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in my heart by the Holy Spirit who was given to me (Romans 5:5)

Receive the outpouring of God's love

Romans 5:5 (NKJV): Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

Notice the expression 'the love of God has been poured out' here? Yes, this is the time to declare that God has started His good work in your life! And His love has been poured out in your hearts, and the outworking of His love has begun! Philippians 1:6 says, 'The good work God has begun in you, He will also bring it to full completion'!

I heard and released these words from the Lord recently:

"I am pouring out My Spirit and My power upon you! Even My miraculous power! You have asked, you have prayed, and now I have given! Only believe and receive! And do not doubt! The enemy may be trying to sow seeds of doubt and accusation against you, but My grace is enough for you to overcome and you shall see your victory!"

I then heard and released further:

"When My Spirit is poured out, My LOVE is also poured out! Because the first fruit of My Spirit is LOVE!"

Indeed, where there is outpouring of His Spirit, there'll also be outpouring of His LOVE! Because His Spirit is first and foremost the Spirit of LOVE! Galatians 5:22-23 says, 'But the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control...' You see, it is not something you try to muster or conjure up. It is imparted to you by the Holy Spirit. When God's LOVE is being poured out on you, you'll know it, because there's a warmth and embrace in your spirit, a deep assurance inside you that no words can describe. Your part is simply to allow Him.

When you know how much God loves you, you'll also know how much God wants to heal you and give you victory in your life! And when you have this revelation how much God loves you, your life will begin to change to the better! From pride to humility, sickness to health, poverty to prosperity, sorrow to joy, and weakness to strength!

You don't have to look too far to see an example! Just look at Paul's life, and how God changed him from glory to glory! (2 Corinthians 3:18) From a proud, bigoted Pharisee, a persecutor of the church, and a murderer of Christians, one 'great light experience' (Acts 9:1-9) started a process of change in his life, and he was never the same again!

Amazingly, look now at the progression from pride to humility in his life, even in the way he described himself in his writings!

In 1 Corinthians 15:9-10, he wrote, 'For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God, I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain...' 

About five years later, in Ephesians 3:8, he wrote, 'To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ'.

And finally, towards the end of his life, in 1 Timothy 1:15, he wrote, 'This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief'.

From the least of the apostles, to the least of all the saints, and finally, the least of all the sinners! People of God, if God could change Paul by His LOVE and grace, we all have hope! And as Romans 5:5 says, this hope does not disappoint! Why? Because God's LOVE that is being poured out will not fail you! (1 Corinthians 13:8) Just a few lines after Romans 5:5, Paul himself wrote in Romans 5:8, 'But God demonstrates His own LOVE toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us'. You know what this means? Because God so loved us, He gave us grace (i.e. Christ Jesus)! And it is by the grace of God (i.e. the ability of God) that we are being changed!

Paul had a deep revelation of God's LOVE, and how LOVE is the greatest in the spiritual realm. In Colossians 3:12-14, he wrote, 'Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on LOVE, which is the bond of perfection'. The word 'bond' here in Greek is 'sundesmos', meaning 'joint to' (like ligament joining two bones). 'Joint to' what? Joint to 'perfection'! And what is this 'perfection'?

In 1 Corinthians 13:8-11, Paul wrote, 'LOVE never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things'.

Notice 'when that which is perfect has come', and see the word 'perfect' here? This 'perfect' is none other than God's LOVE! By the way, the words 'love', 'loved' or 'loving' appear in New King James Version (NKJV) Bible about 500 times! Interestingly, the number '500' in Hebrew speaks of 'the fullness of God'. 'To be perfect' is therefore 'to be filled with the fullness of God's LOVE'! 

The 'childish things' here can be anything that isn't LOVE. You can see that in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8 which Paul wrote, 'Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not LOVE, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not LOVE, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not LOVE, it profits me nothing. LOVE suffers long and is kind, LOVE does not envy; LOVE does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endure all things. LOVE never fails...'

In 1 Corinthians 13:12-13, Paul continued, 'For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is LOVE'. 

Right after that, Paul put everything else into perspective, and showed us LOVE is foremost. In 1 Corinthians 14:1-2, he wrote, '(Therefore) Pursue LOVE, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries'. You see, without LOVE, ministering with spiritual gifts will be empty. But with LOVE, ministering with spiritual gifts brings forth a whole new meaning to ministry!

Beloved of God, receive the impartation of God's LOVE in your life today! And your life will never be the same again. Amen!