Gifts to the King

“And on going into the house, they saw the Child with Mary His mother, and they fell down and worshiped Him. Then opening their treasure bags, they
presented to Him gifts — gold and frankincense and myrrh” – Matthew 2:11

Can you imagine what it must have been like for the Wise Men when they saw Jesus? He was just a child in a stable surrounded by animals, but these
Wise Men recognized that He was the King of kings and the Lord of lords; the Savior of the world. Immediately, they fell on their faces to worship
Him, but notice what they did next — they presented Him gifts as part of their worship. And they didn’t just give any old thing they had; they gave
Him their absolute best — costly gold, frankincense and myrrh.

When we give Jesus our absolute best — our time, talent and resources, it is truly an act of worship. We are saying with our actions, “God, You mean
more to me than anything. Because You are so awesome, I want to give You everything that I am.” It pleases Him when we come to Him with this
attitude. When we draw near to Him with an open and humble heart, He draws near to us. Remember, when you give Him your best, He gives you His best in
return.

Savior is Born

“Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people. For there is born to you this day in the city of David a savior, who is Christ the Lord” – Luke 2: 10 -11.

The message was conveyed by an angel from heaven to the shepherds who were tending their sheep by night. The message was after the birth of Jesus. When the shepherds saw the angel, they were startled, and knowing not what it was.

The message was for everyone “which will be to all people”. The context of the message was that the news was given to the shepherds who were considered of low profile in those days and used to be away from their homes for a number of days together. The shepherds were chosen to indicate that in the kingdom of God there is no discrimination if rich and poor; educated or uneducated etc. The important criteria were availability and responsiveness.

After receiving the message, the shepherds left to see the miracle that had happened leaving aside their flock, it might be a sign of irresponsibility, but what mattered important to them was the priority to have a glimpse of the born savior.

The same message that was received by the shepherds has been communicated to us as well, what is our reaction…

Season of Faith

“Rejoice, highly favored one, the Lord is with you; blessed are you among women!”…”Do not be afraid Mary, for you have found favor with God. And behold you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name Jesus”.- Luke 1:28 – 31.

This was the message brought by the angel Gabriel to Mary which was from God. When Mary got the message she responded saying “Let it be to me according to your word”.

In our life we come across many such occasions where there are crucial decisions to be taken, in such occasions it depends whether we depend on our knowledge or on the faith in God. Decisions taken by knowledge may benefit the immediate consequences, but decisions taken by faith have a longer impact.

Mary was aware of the consequences, if she had to go on a trail because of her decision, she would be stoned to death as per the law that was applicable at that time. However she chose to go by faith in God which was stronger and because of her faith, the fate of mankind has been changed forever.

In this season, let’s think about such opportunities that come our way and make the decisions by faith rather than considering the consequences.

Increase your Faith

“Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God”

Did you know that your faith in God can grow and increase every single day? Notice today’s scripture doesn’t say, “Faith comes because you have heard the Word of God one time.” No, it says that “faith comes by hearing”–in the present tense.

Sure, God’s Word can transform us in an instant; but most of the time, we need to hear God’s principles over and over again before they become active in our lives. God’s truth sets us free and puts His plan for our lives into motion. As you study the Word of God, it chisels away at the doubt and unbelief that’s been built up over the years. And, just as a seed needs water to grow daily; your spirit needs the Word of God daily. The more you hear God’s promises, the more you know Him, and the more confidence you will have to believe His word.

I encourage you to choose a few verses to meditate on daily. Write them down and carry them in your purse or wallet. The more you hear the Word of God, the more your faith will grow, and you will move forward in the freedom and victory He has for you.

Living in the Rains

“Just as the rain and snow descend from the skies and don’t go back until they’ve watered the earth, making things grow and blossom…so will the words that come out My mouth not come back empty-handed. They’ll do the work I sent them to do” – Isaiah 55:10-11.

Rain is symbolic of God’s blessing, favor, and refreshing. His Word is like rain that causes us to flourish and blossom in every area of life. The scripture says we should live like a well-watered garden, vibrant and growing. We should live under God’s cloud of blessing. How do we do that? In the natural, a cloud is formed when moisture vapors rise up from the earth into the atmosphere. Eventually, the moisture is so abundant that the rain begins to fall. In the same way, your praise is like the invisible vapors that rise up to heaven and form a cloud. Eventually, your praise will activate an outpouring of God’s blessing, favor, and provision in your life.

Do you feel like you are in a dry season? Begin to praise and thank God that He is bringing you through to a place of refreshing. Magnify and bless Him for His goodness in your life. As you turn up your praise, God will turn up the rain and you will experience His abundant outpouring. You’ll experience His blessing and provision and live as an over comer in every area of your life.