“Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens;
your faithfulness reaches beyond the skies.” Psalms 36:5

You have a God-shaped hole inside you.

You can become whoever you want to become. There are plenty of opportunities out there. You can have a highly paid job. You can work hard and do a successful business. You may already have the best luxurious house and cars. You may have the most beautiful wife or handsome husband. You may have the best and smart children in this world. You may have millions and billions of bank balances. You may have servants around you waiting for your orders every day. You may have fame and reputation. However, with all these beautiful things in your life, I can tell you something about you without even meeting you personally. You have God-shaped hole in your heart if you have not experienced God’s love inside you. All your achievements become meaningless if you did not let God pour in His love inside you.

The most wise and luxurious king ever lived on the face of the earth had everything he wanted. Yet King Solomon wrote, “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.”
You may have heard this before you have a God-shaped hole inside you; only God can fill. No one could or would fill it. You see, your greatest need is unconditional love and unalterable faithfulness. You look for unconditional love and utmost faithfulness, and then you discover your closest one let you down — heartbreaking moments of life.

You know you have faults. However, you want to be loved unconditionally, sacrificially in spite of your shortcomings and failures, don’t you? You want continuous and consistent support and motivation by perfect and never-ending love and faithfulness, don’t you? You are wired for this type of love and faithfulness. The question is who would do it for you? When we fail to experience that kind of love, we feel betrayed and broken, and the God-shaped hole remains in our heart.

The sad truth is people always try to fill the God-shaped hole by something other than God. You want to get it from your boyfriend or girlfriend. Wives want to get it from husbands. Husbands want to get it from their wives. Parents wish to get it from children. Some foolishly imagine they can get it from sexual relationships or accumulating wealth. So they move from one relationship to another and from one scheme to the next and end up in discouragement and depression.

Our today’s Bible insight says, “Your unfailing love, O LORD, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the skies.” God’s love is called ‘unfailing love’. It will never fail you. It will never let you down. People, even your close ones, may fail you or let you down. It is unfailing. Secondly, God’s love is as ‘vast as the heavens.’ How vast are the heavens? I do not know. It is infinite in extent. Our verse also says God’s faithfulness reached beyond the skies. How vast is the sky? I do not know. I do not think no one measured the size of the sky. God’s loyal love sticks with you faithfully no matter what happens to you. He is not short of faithfulness.

Dearly beloved, do not try to fill the God-shaped hole inside you with material or fleshly things. The result would be remorse, regret, guilt and even depression. Many famous celebrities end up on depression and suicide because they try to substitute God’s love with other things. God says in the Bible in Jeremiah 31:3 that He loves you with an everlasting love and He want to draw you with His unfailing kindness. God is calling you today. God wants to get your attention and want to pour in His everlasting, unconditional and perfect love.

If you never experienced God’s love so far, may I invite you to come to His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, who is the epitome of God’s love? God sent Him to this earth, and he stood condemned in your place for all of your sins. God put all your sins and shortcoming on him, and he carried all of it to the cross of Calvary and died there in your place. He was pierced for your iniquities and transgressions. He paid the ransom for you by his divine and sinless blood. They put him inside a grave. On the third day, God raised Him from the dead. Go to Jerusalem and witness the open tomb of Jesus. The only tomb that remains open on the face of the earth is Jesus’s. Now God wants to accept His love. Bible says, “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

Beloved, God pours the infinite, endless, unconditional, sacrificial, unfailing love of God inside you when you come to His Son, Jesus Christ, the savior of the whole world. Repent about your sins and accept Him as your savior and Lord. Would you accept God’s invitation to receive His love in your heart now by coming to Jesus? Would you fill the God-shaped hole with God’s love today?

Come and pray after me now.

“Father in heaven, I want your unconditional, sacrificial, perfect, unfailing and never-ending love. Thank you for showing the fact that I can fill my heart with your love today when I repent of my sins and turn to Your Son, Jesus Christ. I believe Jesus died and rose again for all of my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. Thank you for saving me and filling me with your love. In Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.”

“Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”
says the LORD, who has compassion on you.” Isaiah 54:10

Max Lucado wrote in one of his books, “The question is not, will God keep His promises, but, will we build our lives upon them?”. God gave thousands and thousands of His divine promises in the pages of the Bible. God promises in the Bible for every problem we would ever face when we live on this planet earth. Besides, God also gave case studies of those who built their lives on His promises and finished the race the life’s race well. (Hebrews 11).
However, the sad truth is many people choose to doubt, fear and anxiety over hope and assurance in the great promises of God. What would you choose?

Did you notice, there is an abrupt change in the mood and tone in chapter 54 when we compare to Isaiah 53? The man of sorrows, the servant of the Lord, the promised seed of the woman, the long waited for the seed promises of God to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through whom all the families of the world would be blessed, the son of man of Daniel and the son of God of Isaiah 9:6-10, Jesus Christ, was pierced for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities. The chastisement for our peace fell on Him. The LORD laid on Him the iniquities of us all. By His wounds, we are healed. Out of the triumphant victory of the servant of the Lord, the Messiah comes the unfailing love and the unshaken peace of God that surpasses all human understanding.

In the land of Israel, mountains and hills are plenty. God teaches an eternal lesson from the earth. The visible hills and mountains are less likely to be removed or replaced. However, even if they would be removed, God ’s unfailing love toward you would never be shaken or removed. “Hesed’ is used here for unfailing love. It pictures ever-lasting, enduring and never-ending lovingkindness of God. The LORD who has kindness/compassion on you promised it. God’s love is always mingled or mixed with His kindness. It is called loving kindness.

Beloved, the faith warriors of the old built their life on the solid rock of the promises of God. God ask you today to make your life with the pillar beams of His unshakable promises. You can read their short life accounts in Hebrews 11. They were all commended for their faith. They all ended their life here on this earth in different ways-some decently and some shamefully-because of their firm stand in God’s promises. However, none of them received the entire promises of God in their lifetime. Bible is God’s letter to us that is filled with divine promises and encouragements until we get to the sweet home in heaven with Him. They received partial promises as God promised in their lifetime. You will enjoy the entire promises of God along with them shortly when you close your eyes here in death or at the time of the rapture of Christ whichever comes first.

However now life is a race to be run in perseverance with our eye fixed on Jesus. He is the pioneer and the perfecter of our faith. The reason Jesus endured the shameful and painful cross was because of the Joy set before Him. My friend, the joy set before him, through all the indescribable mental and physical agony of the ridicule and cross was you. (Hebrew 12). The One who called everything into existence from nothing by His powerful Word stood there in front of Pontius Pilate, silent like a sheep in front of the shearers. He was rescuing you from the power of darkness and devil by His divine blood. He paid the ransom for your forgiveness and deliverance. Jesus sat down victoriously at the right hand of God the Father. It is a completed task.
Now with compassion and loving-kindness God is calling you to come and accept His Son, Jesus Christ, who finished the salvation work for you. God’s unfailing love and covenant of peace to you begins at the point of your acceptance of His offer. God promises eternal life in heaven with Him if you come to Jesus now.
“Though the mountains be shaken
and the hills be removed,
yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken
nor my covenant of peace be removed,”

Dearly beloved, Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I want to build my life on the unshakable and everlasting promises you made. Thank you promised your unfailing love and enduring covenant peace to me. Lord, I come to Jesus who died and rose again for all of my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. I claim and believe all your promises in the Bible. Bless me as I lean on your promises. In Christ’s name I pray. Amen.”

Part 2 of the Bible verse, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
2nd Timothy 2:16

Yesterday we learned God defines your identity. Do not let your family, friends or people around you determine it for you. Your history and identity are truthfully presented in the pages of the Bible. God faithfully, lovingly and mercifully describes it. Because you are His and you belong to Him, God laid down a divine, unique well-planned purpose for your life.

Timothy was a young man called by God to be an evangelist and minister in the Christian church in Ephesus in the first century. The responsibility on his shoulder was heavy mainly because of the false teachings creeping around him and his church. False teachings and doctrines always try to undermine the truth of God. Timothy knew God called him to be a minister of Jesus Christ and the word of truth. Paul, an aged man, who is in prison for the sake of Christ and His Gospel, writing to Timothy. 2nd Timothy is the last letter the great apostle wrote before his martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel.

Paul says to Timothy, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God.” Then Paul says as a minister of the Word of God (Bible) Timothy must be a workman, who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” The false teachers would eventually be ashamed because they perpetuate false doctrines. However, Timothy does not need to be ashamed if he accurately handles/divide the word of truth. Word of truth is the word of God- the Bible.

All ministers of the Bible are God’s workmen. They work for God because He called them with a heavenly calling for His ministry. How do they do this without shame? It says the secret -by accurately handling or dividing the word of truth-the Bible.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.” As a minister, if you accurately handle the word of truth, you would be approved by God and would not be ashamed. Other translations include ‘make haste,’ ‘be eager and zealous,’ ‘study’ to present yourself to be approved by God. When God evaluates a minister’s work, he would have no shame, if he handles/divides the Bible accurately. Accurately handling the word of truth means ‘cut it straight or correct’ or ‘make a straight course or path.’ It is a skill a minister should acquire at a very high cost. Correct and accurate Bible teaching is a spiritual and intellectual endeavor. Ministers should be diligent in it with the help of the Holy Spirit indwelling in him and the intellect God granted him. Without the presence and assistance of the Holy Spirit, the study of the Bible make no sense to people.

Apostle Paul was a tent maker who knew the importance of right cutting. For designs and patterns, every piece would have to be cut diligently to fit together correctly. If one doesn’t cut the pieces right, the whole won’t put together correctly. The same principle should be applied to studying the Bible. If one doesn’t interpret the different parts accurately, the whole message won’t come thru accurate. A minister should cut it straight and correct. It is like cutting a straight road through the jungles so that the traveler can go to their destinations. Road making and tent making and construction workers need diligence. The same is true with the word of God. A minister should be precise, correct and accurate in handling the word of God. This is how a minister can present himself approved to God and he does not need to be ashamed as His workman.

Being a minister of the word of God is a high calling. The God who calls you for ministering His Word kindle fresh gifts inside you and (2nd Timothy 1:6) and opportunities outside you. The gifts and opportunities are from Him. However, a high responsibility to accurately handle/divide the word of God because of the presence of false teachers everywhere is on your shoulders. A faithful minister who handles the word of God accurately would not be ashamed, while the false teachers would eventually be ashamed.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I know as a minister of your Word, I must be diligent to present myself approved to you as your workman by correctly and accurately handling your Word. If I do so, I would not be ashamed. Lord, I surrender my life to you and please equip me with the help of the Holy Spirit divide the Bible truthfully. What an awesome responsibility you give me on my shoulder and may I do it fearfully, faithfully and honorably for your name’s sake. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

“Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:32.

The way to become more gracious and gentle.

Listen to what Paul wrote. “But we proved to be gentle among you, as a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children. Having so fond an affection for you, we were well-pleased to impart to you not only the gospel of God but also our own lives, because you had become very dear to us. For you recall, brethren, our labor and hardship, how working night and day so as not to be a burden to any of you, we proclaimed to you the gospel of God. You are witnesses, and so is God, how devoutly and uprightly and blamelessly we behaved toward you believers; just as you know how we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children.” 1 Thessalonians 2:7-11.

This is taken from the 1st letter Apostle Paul wrote to his friends in Thessalonica who accepted Jesus as their savior in his missionary journey. Take note of some words and phrases- gentle, like a nursing mother tenderly cares for her own children, fond of affection for them, well pleased to give not only Gospel but also his life, very dear, worked day and night and preached the gospel of Jesus Christ, exhorting, encouraging and imploring like a father would do to his children. Here is a picture of true graciousness in the words and mindset of Paul. Gentle, mother, tender care, affection, and father.

Paul’s name was Saul before he came to Jesus Christ. Saul was a well learned and high ranked man in the Jewish society. He used to be very proud of his social status and advanced education in his early days. Because he was so zealous for the Jewish religion, he hated Jesus movement and persecuted Christians and Christian churches. He said this about himself in Philippians 3, “I am a pure-blooded citizen of Israel and a member of the tribe of Benjamin—a real Hebrew if there ever was one! I was a member of the Pharisees, who demand the strictest obedience to the Jewish law. I was so zealous that I harshly persecuted the church. And as for righteousness, I obeyed the law without fault.”

Then after his encounter with Jesus Christ, he said this, “I once thought these things were valuable, but now I consider them worthless because of what Christ has done. Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake, I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ and become one with him.”

Yes, indeed he discarded all his accomplishments and status. He counted it all as just garbage. His life’s passion became to know the person of Jesus Christ and to be with Him.

Have you been to Jesus? Your spiritual life starts when you meet Jesus Christ. You become more kind, tenderhearted, forgiving, gracious and merciful. What happens is this – Jesus is full of grace. Out of His fullness, you are going to get grace on top of grace. You will grow in grace-your life, words and style become gracious. Bible says in 2nd Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”

What happened to the once blasphemer, violent accuser and criminal Saul is beyond comparison. The encounter with Jesus Christ changed him inside out. He became a channel for the free flow of grace, gentleness, tender care, forgiveness and kindness.

Do you want to experience such a transformation in your life? You cannot buy it with your money, and richness. It is a gift God gives you when you come to His Son, Jesus Christ. Paul got such a heart from Jesus. He was with Jesus. He accepted Jesus as His Lord and Savior. That made all the significant differences.

God in Christ forgave you of all your sins. God put all your sins on the body of Jesus. He carried it willingly and voluntarily and died in your place to pay for your sins. Therefore, you can turn around and forgive others. You can be gentle and tenderhearted because you experienced these from God.

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I understand you forgave all my sins in the person and work of your Son, Jesus Christ, the savior of the whole world. Please help me to be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving to others. I believe Jesus died and rose again and paid for my sins. I invite Jesus Christ to come into my life. Please save me and transform me so that I can become a channel of the free flow of your grace to others. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

“When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.” Luke 2:17-18.

When God is up to do something unique in your lives, it is going to be unfamiliar and unusual to you. The result could very well be a troubled heart and resultant fear. The three main people in the first Christmas experienced the same trouble and fear and they were Joseph, Mary, and the shepherds.

Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!”
Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus.” “Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.”

A young teenager Jewish girl totally confused and disturbed when the God of the universe expressed through His angel His plan for Mary.

As Joseph was puzzled because his fiancee was found with a child and pondered over this never heard incident, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. “Joseph, son of David,” the angel said, “do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife. For the child within her was conceived by the Holy Spirit.

A young groom who was ready to get married was confused, disturbed and worried when God expressed His will for Joseph’s life. Never heard off the event-virgin carry a son. However, Joseph fulfilled God’s plan for his life.

Thirdly, the shepherds were terrified. It says in Luke 2:8-10, “That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you the good news that will bring great joy to all people.”

The terrified shepherds were given the direction to go to Bethlehem and see the baby wrapped in stripes of clothes in the manger. They did obey and fulfilled God’s plan in their lives. How? “After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child.” Did they spread the news of this wonder to their family only? No, they told everyone! It appears the first human gospel outreach was by poor shepherds. They simply spread the word told by the angels to everyone they saw and all the people were amazed. Be not afraid – step out in faith to spread the good news God asked you to share.

May this Christmas be a day that God directs your steps for a unique mission He planned for your life. Did you ever think what is the divine mission in your life? God has a unique plan and purpose for your life.

Remember when God try to do amazing things in your life, confusion, trouble, and fear comes along with it as the first Christmas teach us. However, this was biggest of all events God had done for humanity. He fulfilled it in the midst of confusion, trouble and people’s fear. He said to Mary, Joseph, and the poor Shepherds- do not be afraid. He says to you do not be afraid. Fulfill His plan for your life.

The birth of Jesus Christ into this earth, the Son of God,  was foretold almost eight hundred years ago in Holy Scripture. Jesus did not begin in Bethlehem. He was God all through the eternity and He became one among us in flesh and blood to rescue us and grant us eternal life. He was on a rescue mission. The purpose of His coming into this world is fully accomplished on the cross of Calvary when he paid with His divine and sinless blood the penalty for our sins. Jesus was the Immanuel – God with us- wrapped in flesh and blood. God has dropped only one lifeline – Jesus, His Son- to save us from our sins. All those who accept Jesus as the savior, God gave them the right to become the children of God. You can become the child of God and inherit all God has in heavenly places by a simple prayer now.

“Father in heaven, I believe Jesus Christ, your Son, was born into this world on that first Christmas day to die and pay for all of my sins. I accept Him as my savior and Lord. Jesus, the savior, please save me now. I surrender my life for the fulfillment of your divine plan. Please guide my steps so that I will fulfill your purpose. In the midst of my confusion, trouble and fear, I lean on you for your divine guidance. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray.” Amen

“Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” Deuteronomy 31:6

The Lord God knows our frame. He knows people get afraid and this is the reason why God repeatedly reminds us in the Bible do not be afraid. Christmas time is a joyful season of the year. Even in the midst of the joy of the Christmas, fear, and worry are gripping in the hearts and minds of many people around the globe. Like darkness does not like light, the fear/worry is opposite to pure joy and gladness.
We know even in this Christmas season; many are afraid of health condition and loneliness. Many lost their dear ones and frightened to face another joyful occasion without their dear ones.

The Children of Israel were gripped with fear when they thought about the task in front of them. The need to walk in faith and conquer the promised land of Canaan. They failed once before in walking to the promised land in faith. (Numbers 13). Now God is giving another opportunity to walk in faith to cross over to the promised land. However, there is a difference this time. The tower charismatic, the spiritual giant of faith – Moses – is not going to be with them to help them cross over. Are we going to fail again?

They may have felt inadequate for the task ahead of them. The work ahead and the absence of the strong leader could weigh them down. However, the truth is this – the mission is not theirs when you think about it. It is God’s. He is the Lord who called them out of Egypt to go to the promised land and gave them wonderful promises. He is capable of handling all issues in front of them. This is the background of today’s Bible insight. It says, “Be strong. Take courage. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t give them a second thought because God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.” (MSG).

Beloved, You do not give them a second thought. Why? God, your God, is striding ahead of you. He is right there with you. Then the beautiful promises emerge. “He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you.”

People around you would let you down and leave you. But not your loving Lord. He will not let you down; He won’t leave you. He is not the one who walks away from you when worries, fear, and sorrow grip your hearts.

The promise is repeated Lord verse 38. “God is striding ahead of you. He’s right there with you. He won’t let you down; he won’t leave you. Don’t be intimidated. Don’t worry.” (MSG).

You can bank on the promises of God. He said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” (Matthew 24:35).

Beloved, God a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I believe in your promise that you would not let me down and leave me. All may leave me, but you will not. I believe in your promises. One day I will even face death. Even there you will be with me. You will charge your angels to carry me to your presence because Jesus paid for all of my sins. I believe Jesus died in my place for all of my sins. I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord. In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

“We have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” 1 John 2:2

The people who never heard of or familiar with the word ‘propitiation’ are not uncommon. Propitiation brings in the idea of satisfaction or appeasement toward God. In other words, propitiation basically means appeasing or satisfying the wrath of an offended party. God was the offended party because people disobeyed His commandments. By living an unholy, immoral, unethical life, unthankful, disobedient, rebellious and stubborn lives, all of Adam’s posterity offended God. People live on His earth which was created by God and dishonor Him. They breathe the free air God gives and raise their fist against God. They live in the flesh that God formed and question God and His moral laws. In addition, there is no thankfulness or gratitude toward God after enjoying His favor each and everyday moment of our life- the air, sunshine, rain, food and countless other things.
When God looks from heaven, the Bible says, He does not see even one person who does good on a continuous basis. “There is none righteous, not even one; There is none who does good,
There is not even one.” Romans 3:10-12.
God is truly offended by human being’s actions, behaviors, and ingratitude. How can a mortal man appease or satisfy God, who is fully holy and eternal?
In the end, the satisfaction or appeasement factors are not to be determined by the offender but by the offendee. God has provided the only one way His wrath toward the offenders (people) can be satisfied or appeased. By this one way God instituted, the offender or sinner can be reconciled back to Him. This is the idea of propitiation or satisfaction. Our today’s Bible insight says, “we have an Advocate with the Father God, Jesus Christ the righteous; He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world.” Jesus himself is the satisfaction or appeasement for all our sins and wrongdoings. Not just for us called Christians. Jesus Christ is the only satisfaction for the sins of the whole world, period!
Due to the fact that all God’s wrath toward our sins and wrongdoings fell on Jesus on that cruel cross, and Jesus willingly and voluntarily carried all in His body, you and I can escape from God’s anger or wrath. God has done what you could never do for yourself. You and I did not deserve it. However, He did it for us.
Bible says, “But to all who believed him and accepted him (Jesus), he (God) gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.” John 1:12-13. By believing and accepting Jesus as your savior and Lord, you are passed from death to life; from the fear of God’s wrath to His choices blessings – here and forever through the eternity.
No need to fear God, because God had placed all His wrath on His Son to rescue you. God loves to save you and to make you His own child. Do not be afraid, come to Him and he will crown with His divine love and tender mercies.
Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I believe You placed all my sins and wrongdoings on Your Son, Jesus Christ. I know you put all your wrath on Jesus to save me. I love you, Lord. I believe Jesus died and rose again in my place and paid for my sins. I accept Christ as my savior and Lord. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”