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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  Deliverance and a new future Bible Reading:  Jeremiah 30: 1 - 10 Jeremiah 30: 3 The days are coming,’ declares the Lord, ‘when I will bring my people Israel and Judah back from captivity and restore them to the land, I gave their ancestors to possess,’ says the Lord.” DEVOTION Are we currently in a plateau of life? Tired and not sure what is next. No light ahead in the tunnel. No hopeful voice to be heard. Everything seems monotonous with no change in sight. Most, if not all, of us have been through this valley and it is not pleasant. We pray, fast, keep positive thoughts but nothing seems to make a difference. Perhaps sin has carried us too far. Maybe there is a place that is beyond God’s reach and an end to His grace. Anxious thoughts… Disturbing thoughts grip all of us.  Israel might have had similar thoughts. A group of people who had been chosen by God… Who witnessed God’s extraordinary providence through the ten plagues, parting of the red sea, heavenly rain of ma...
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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  Hope of renewal in hardships Bible Reading:   Psalms 126 Psalms 126:5 - Those who sow in tears will reap with songs of joy. DEVOTION Tears can represent a wide range of emotions and experiences like sadness, grief, joy, relief, and compassion. In spiritual context tears can be seen as a manifestation of God’s grace, allowing individuals to connect with the divine God and find solace in difficult times. In our personal life, tears are often associated with prayer, repentance, deliverance and spiritual growth.  Psalm 126 is one of the 15 songs of Ascend (Psalms 120-134). The Israelites sang as they ascended to Jerusalem annually for three festivals: the festival of Unleavened Bread, the Festival of Harvest and the Festival of Shelters (Deut.16:16). They were captive under the Babylonian rule for 70 years (Jeremiah 25:11). Psalm 126 reflects upon the past, present and future of the Israelites when they returned from the bondage of slavery and sin due to disobedience a...
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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  Light that Clears out Darkness for GOODNESS Bible Reading: Isaiah 42:5-10 6. “I, the Lord, have chosen you to do what is right. . . You will put into effect my covenant with the people of Israel.     And you will be a light for the Gentiles. 7. You will open eyes that can’t see.     You will set prisoners free.     Those who sit in darkness will come out of their cells. DEVOTION The difference between a dark, cloudy day and a sunny day, the difference between a dark and a well-lit room is clear. The function of light is to give clarity and transparency. This is an overarching theme of scripture, where darkness is seen as a sad, lonely, and generally separate state of being that is contrary to GOD’S desire for HIS people to be fascinated in, indeed, this separation is ultimately death eternal, from which no one can be rescued. Now the function of our eyes is, in itself, a complex camera; in the darkness the eyes are limited. For someone like me, compl...
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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  JESUS CHRIST WHO GRANTS FULLNESS OF HUMANITY Bible Reading:  1 Peter 1:18-25 Vs 18:knowing that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you are redeemed from your vain  manner of life handed down from your fathers, but with precious blood as of a lamb without blemish and without spot, the blood of Christ: DEVOTION  This passage encourages believers  to recognize the  significance of Christ's sacrifIce and the importance of living  their faith through love and adherence to God's word. Integrating the topic of Jesus Christ as the one who grants the fullness of humanity , can be approached by understanding the themes of redemption, identity, and transformative power of Christ's  sacrifice.  We can try to study under four themes. 1 .REDEMPTIVE SACRIFICE :    In the passage we study,  about being redeemed not with perishable things, but with the precious blood of Christ. This idea can be linked to the fa...
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Word for the day by Christian Education O

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  FULLNESS OF HUMANITY IN CHRIST Bible Reading:  Luke  13:10-17 Vs12 :And Jesus,seeing her,called her to Him and said to her, woman, you are released from your infirmity DEVOTION   This passage narrates the story of Jesus healing a woman who was crippled for eighteen years. This portion gives us a deep insight into the concept of compassion and mercy – the nature of true rest -  a rest  that is more restorative and deeper. It also depicts the conflict between religious law and the human need, and the divine character of Jesus the son of God. Let us consider an overview of  salient points: 1 .COMPASSION AND HEALING:    Jesus was teaching in a synagogue on a sabbath day. During the sermon, he noticed  a woman bent over and unable to stand straight. Jesus called her forward, demonstrated his compassion and willingness to address her bondage.  This is in contrary to the normal picture where a sufferer comes to Jesus asking for a deliver...
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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  Source of Joy and salvation for humanity  Bible Reading:  Isaiah 66:12-15 Vs14:And when ye see this your hearts shall rejoice.... DEVOTION In Isaiah 66 we see a God who is kind, compassionate and generous to those who are faithful to Him; while those who defy Him encounter a God who is furious and punishes without mercy. We also see God drawing comparison of His love for his servants to the love of a mother. The mother provides nourishment, love and care  and the baby enjoys love, joy and peace when he is with his mother. Our father in Heaven is just like a mother to us and when we live with Him, He provides for our every need and His word nourishes us.  God’s love for us is so great that He sacrificed His only Son for us and that is a love that is limitless. He is our source of joy and our salvation. Isaiah 66:12-14 specifically talks of God’s love, generosity and peace that his servants experience in their walk with the Lord and the resultant joy and prosper...
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Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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  New Birth Through Christ Bible Reading:  Galatians  6:11-17 "May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world." - Galatians 6:14 DEVOTION   In the final verses of Galatians Paul exposes the true motives of false Christians(Judaizers). Paul begins by telling the Christians in Galatia that the reason these Jewish Christian agitators are telling them to be circumcised was to avoid persecution themselves from the Jews and maintain a good reputation by making converts adhere to the law. Their focus was on outward appearances and Paul emphasizes that true faith is not about outward religious acts but about inner transformation through Christ. This brings Paul to his declaration : “May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.”. The cross in those days was a symbol of shame, suffering, and death. Yet for Paul, it became his only source of identity and glory because throug...
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