Verse

“You will receive what he had promised” Heb 10:36b

Thought

What do we do when the promises of God is delayed? How do we react to delayed deliverance? During the wait period how should we conduct ourselves? Let us learn from the word how to wait for the fulfillment of God’s promises.

Draw Near: “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith” Heb 10:22a. When there is a delay in the fulfillment of promises, let us draw nearer to God with the full assurance in faith that our Lord who promised will fulfill. More the delay, run away from doubts and draw near to God. For the word says “Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful” Heb 10:23 Yes Lord who promised is faithful to fulfill.

Never Give Up: “So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded” Heb 10:35. There might be times when we feel delay is too long, let us not lose our confidence, remember at His time Lord will fulfill but if we lose our faith, the word says Lord will not be pleased with us “But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back I will not be pleased with him” Heb 10:38. Many times I have received the promises of God even when I lost hope, but in those times I disappointed my Lord. So let us have confidence in the Lord who promised will fulfill.

Prayer

Yes Lord you will fulfill every promise that you have made to me. None of your promises will be delayed but it will be fulfilled at your perfect timing. I am fully persuaded that one who promised is powerful enough to fulfill the promises. Amen.

I thank my God always when I remember you in my prayers, … 6 and I pray that the sharing of your faith may become effective … Phil v5,6

Paul wrote four prison epistles, every epistle Paul is telling how he has been praying for the people. How could he pray for others when he had lot of needs and suffering for himself? Not once he asked any church to pray for his release from prison. He did not once even write, any sort of suffering or pain he was going through. In chains with two people on both sides how did he even fervently pray.

No man is stronger than his prayer life. Jesus prayed whole night before choosing His disciples, before going to cross, Jesus found the greatest battle in Gethsemane praying. We pray only to give our laundry list of needs to God. When did we weep and cry for lost souls, satan has replaced joy of pray with entertainment. 3 hours we can see tv, but can’t pray for 3 minutes, and still expecting to go to heaven. Its been long time compromising on prayer that we do not know power of kneeling and prayer. Who fooled us that being God conscious in heart is prayer. Jesus slipped out of crowd, set aside, set apart time and place for prayer, how much more we need to pray. People knows the preachers, hell will shiver and know one who pray.

Elijah was a man like us but he earnestly prayer. Oh that we pray earnestly.

The seed that fell among thorns Luke 8:14

Story: Jesus spoke to people using lot a parables, one of the parables was the Sower and the seed. Jesus in private explained the parable to His disciples. There were four kinds of ground on which the seeds fell, one was on the thorny ground, Jesus explained the thorny ground like this; these are people who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life’s worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature.

Lesson: Seed, the word of God we also heard, are we worried about life, are we living some how to be rich and to enjoy the pleasures of the world. Did we grow in the relationship with God? Are we maturing in the word of God? What is our priority? What do we spend our time for; to think and solve the issues of life, or do we really spend talking to the Almighty. Jesus died on the cross that we have an intimate relationship with Almighty by the strength of Holy Spirit. Are you choked by life?

Prayer: Father Lord, change my heart that I will be a good soil, so that the word that I read and listen will bring forth hundred forth result. Amen.

“..they asked each other, Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” Mark 16:3

Story: Jesus rose from dead on the third day, all the loved ones were sitting and mourning and weeping. At that time, few ladies went to the grave to anoint the body of Jesus; they had a huge question in front of them, who will roll large stone in front of the grave. This obstruction did not stop them, we know they went, even before they reached angels rolled it away and Jesus came out of the grave.

Lesson: We might see some obstructions in our lives, which looks so large. By faith go forward the Lord will roll it away. Angels were waiting in the tomb with the good news of resurrection; to listen to the great news let us walk towards the obstruction. Who will do remove the stone is an irrelevant question (as our Lord will), right action is to keep going and do not quit.

Prayer: Father Lord, I will not quit, I know you will roll away all my obstructions. I will listen to the good news of the power of resurrection. Amen.

You are the salt of the earth. Mat 5:13

 Jesus said we are the salt of the earth. When we walk according to the word of God and as per the guidance of Holy Spirit, we will continue to have the saltiness

 Practice & Preach: whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. Mat 5:19 we have to read the word, obey and then teach others too. Jesus called those great in the kingdom of God.

 Thrown & Trampled: But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot Mat 5:13. When we live worldly we lose our saltiness, sin will make us useless, then Jesus said we are good only to be thrown and trampled.

 Prayer: Lord, let me not lose my saltiness. Lord, let me always practice and preach. Lord, let us bring back people who are thrown and trampled. Amen