Word for the day by Christian Education Forum

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Encounter With the Risen Lord
Psalm 40
Vs. 16 But may all who seek you rejoice and be glad in you; may those who love your salvation say continually, “Great is the Lord!”
 God delivers us from trouble. The wait may be difficult but we can be thankful for the outcome as we will be able to rejoice and testify to others. Some of the finest men and women of faith found in the Bible were victims of discouragement. David was one of them. Here in this Psalms we see David’s encounter with God and his cry for help. He praises God for His past kindness and help he got from God. David was able to see the goodness of God during the darkest times of his life. David waited patiently for God’s help and received four benefits.
1.Lifted him out of despair
2.Set his foot on a solid ground
3.Steadies him as he walked
4. Put a new song of praise in his mouth.
When David cried God reached down with His loving arms and lifted him from the mud and slimy pit and turned his tears t into joy and his cries into a new song. Blessings are not received unless we go through the trial of waiting. God wants us to be obedient and devoted to Him Our usual rituals as going to church ,paying tithes or participating in  the communion service etc are meaningless unless they are not with selfish motives. Israelite did the same rituals and more including animal sacrifices and David says they were not pleasing to God.  
Paul says to Romans that we are all sinners and that has to be acknowledged. Becoming a Christian or having a born again experiences do not make one clear of sin and temptations. All of us need to depend on Christ and His death on the cross for our salvation. We cannot earn salvation through our good behavior. If we are under the control of our sinful nature we will never be able to please God.
Once we encounter the risen Christ and experience his righteousness and faithfulness we will not be able to contain them to ourselves. We will be forced to testify to others of His love. God loved us in spite we being sinners and keeps all His promises he has made to us when we break our promises to Him.
As Saul encountered Jesus on his way to Damascus let us meet the risen Christ in our faith journey and transform ourselves to new being. Without God’s love. Holy Spirit, grace and mercy we cannot do ANYTHING AND WE WILL BE DEEPLY IMPRISONED IN THE PIT. If we are ready to meet Him personally He is ready to ease our pains, our difficulties, our struggles and problems and change our cries to a song of praise.
 PRAYER
Almighty Lord we thank you for the salvation you have given us through Jesus Christ. We ask today for the forgiveness of our sins and the assurance of the presence of Holy Spirit throughout all our lives. Teach us to obedient and wait for you patiently in our trials and temptations. As we cry today for your mercy lift us up from the deep pit we are and put us on a steady rock. In your precious name we pray Amen.
THOUGHT FOR THE DAY
 Preserving Faith in trial 
Dr. Thomas K. Jose, MTC Staten Island, NY
Christian Education Forum, Diocese of NAE of the Mar Thoma Church

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