04/01/11

Because of His mercies we have hope

Lamentation 3:19-22
19 Remembering mine affliction and my misery, the wormwood and the gall.
20 My soul hath them still in remembrance, and is humbled in me.
21 This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope.
22 It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.


This year started on a very good note. The end of the year on the 26th the Lord blessed me with a fantastic birthday gift through the Truth Rally which we had in Mumbai. At the rally we took a grand procession through the most important parts of the city in decorated large trailers having live bands, vehicles, mascots etc. But the most important part of the rally was a tempo loaded which was following this procession loaded with tracks. Through the 12kms we managed to distribute about 12-13 thousand Gospel of John booklets and about 3 thousand Gideon's Bibles. We stopped at many places and preached the Good News of Hope in Jesus Christ. At Juhu Beach, a very busy place even thought we had resistance from the traffic police we managed to not only pass through but stopped there and share the Word for nearly 20mins and gave Bibles to almost every 4th person!

On the first day of the year a fellow worker in the Lord's Kingdom lost his father. Even in the lost the glory of God was experienced. He was suffering since many years of a back problem, could not use one of his hands and was not able to move well so needed support to walk or do any personal work.

The family was very poor but in the Lord and for many years I would share the Word weekly at their house. He was taken to the hospital on the 26th due to chest congestion. On the 30th evening while I was having bath I felt the Lord leading me strongly to pray for him. This was the first time I really prayed in the bathroom. When I called the next day I came to know at the same time he became serious. Everyone was praying for him and he was struggling through this period. On the 1st his son got a message to stop praying for it was time for him to go. So he and his two sisters joined hands near his bed and prayed that, if the Lord gives him back to them, he should be fully healed or else only if the Lord assures them he will be with Him then to take him away. The Lord even have the son a message not to look at the arched body and his wrenched hand but to be joyful of the glorious new body which the Lord will give him. After this prayer in less than 10mins he breathes his last and gave away his spirit.

The person who died even in his many years of suffering did not lose an opportunity to smile or to crack a joke. He use to keep professing scriptures regularly but also used to be gloomy when he would look at his problems. But of late before he expired I was told there was only one scripture on his mouth 'Praise the Lord for He is good His mercy endures for ever'.

His funeral was very beautiful, none of his family members really cried for all were aware of what was assured to him and what was going to happen to him.

We all live in the hope of what is assured to us in Christ. We walk in faith to receive this hope. We trust in the mercies we receive in Jesus for we know and have experienced our God as a merciful God.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord, we thank You for the mercies You shower on us even though we are not worthy of it. We thank You for the grace in Jesus Christ and that which was not possible is not made available for us through His sacrifice. We know if we keep our trust in You till our last breathe we will receive our inheritance in You...

We declare this in Jesus' Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
Acts 2:25-28
25 For David saith concerning him, I beheld the Lord always before my face; For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved:
26 Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; Moreover my flesh also shall dwell in hope:
27 Because thou wilt not leave my soul unto Hades, Neither wilt thou give thy Holy One to see corruption.
28 Thou madest known unto me the ways of life; Thou shalt make me full of gladness with thy countenance.

Romans 4:16-22
16 For this cause it is of faith, that it may be according to grace; to the end that the promise may be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all
17 (as it is written, A father of many nations have I made thee) before him whom he believed, even God, who giveth life to the dead, and calleth the things that are not, as though they were.
18 Who in hope believed against hope, to the end that he might become a father of many nations, according to that which had been spoken, So shall thy seed be.
19 And without being weakened in faith he considered his own body now as good as dead (he being about a hundred years old), and the deadness of Sarah's womb;
20 yet, looking unto the promise of God, he wavered not through unbelief, but waxed strong through faith, giving glory to God,
21 and being fully assured that what he had promised, he was able also to perform.
22 Wherefore also it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.

Romans 5:1-4
1 Being therefore justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ;
2 through whom also we have had our access by faith into this grace wherein we stand; and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we also rejoice in our tribulations: knowing that tribulation worketh stedfastness;
4 and stedfastness, approvedness; and approvedness, hope:
5 and hope putteth not to shame; because the love of God hath been shed abroad in our hearts through the Holy Spirit which was given unto us.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)