Home   |   Contact Us   
Intro cum Testimony Preamble Gallery Rehoboth Prayer House - Gallery New Year Message Christmas message SPECIAL CHRISTMAS MESSAGE IN TELUGU Bible Study of the Book of Deuteronomy Reformation Series REHOBOTH PRAYER MEETINGS- LENTEN MEETINGS 2024.. Alert and Awake Ministries Video Messages Christmas-English Video Messages Alert and Awake- Introduction to The Bible Study Alert and Awake Bible Studies- Book of Genesis Biblical lessons from Recent News Items Audio Recording Of Seminar On Jan 26th, 2023 Brief exhortations Message for the fortnight Poem for the Month PPS for the Month Daily Devotion Social Issues Bible Study of
The Book of Deuteronomy
The Bible Study of the Book of Revelation
at ZPM, Borabanda, Hyderabad
Thesis Catchy Sayings Basics Of Basileia-1 Basics Of Basileia-2 Workings of the Holy Spirit - Video Workings of the Holy Spirit - PPT Message on Angels Brief Audio Messages Brief Audio Messages - Turning of the Tables Audio Messages for Sunrise Prayer Fellowship WHY BIBLE STUDY? WHY BIBLE STUDY? - Telugu Ananth Raj Album Songs Bro.Solomon Raj Album Songs Bible Study on Numbers A journey through the Book of Revelation Revelation Bible Study - Salem Church Kalyan Nagar, Hyderabad Telephonic Messages during National Lockdown During National Lockdown Video Messages -Telugu
March 2020 to November 2020
During National Lockdown Video Messages - English
March 2020 to November 2020
Bible Study of the Book of Revelation during National Lock down!!!" - English Study of Revelation in Telugu Indian Elections Special Sage Speak White as snow Of Tamper and Hamper Vedic Witness Telugu Sermons Telugu Sermons - Rehoboth Prayer House Lenten Meetings 2023 - Rehoboth Prayer House REHOBOTH PRAYER HOUSE -
Thursday Meetings
Messages of
Mrs Sheba Rani Suresh

Telugu Sermons
Mrs Sheba Rani Suresh
Archives Video Sermons
The Desert Experience English Sermons W.H.I.T.E CFC Souvenir Genesis Presentation Jewish Festivals Of Beast and the Best Good Friday Message Easter Message World Cup Special - Cricket 2019 World Cup Special Football - 2014 World Cup Special Football - 2018 Rapture Message Archives Video Sermons Archives Archives-Daily Devotions Praise Items Prayer Requests Maps of Old Testament era Maps of New Testament era Schedule Church Retreat Audio Message CFC Youth Dance Progm. Welcome to the past Revelation Poem Revelation Presentation Revelation Seminars Contact Us Home
 
For accessing rich treasures in His Word and for edification
 
 
DAILY DEVOTIONS
 

  In more than three decades of my Christian life, I have been blest by 2 types of Daily devos' (matter not exceeding 500 words) in universal Christian literature. Not only those Devos' which have a different theme everyday but also the ones which revolve around a certain theme over a period of time, say a fortnight, have richly edified me. In fact, both styles have their own inherent advantages. If the former style caters to the varying spiritual needs of a christian from day-to-day, the latter aims 'to ground' a child of God in a certain subject in order he derives the full benefits of the deep insightful study of a certain topic, spread over a fixed span of time.

In my Daily devo page, I have consciously tried to go in for 'a blend of both the styles' whereby within a constant theme, I would be aiming to focus on different facets of it which admittedly is a closer imitation of the 'Constant theme' style than the 'Varying topics' one.

As the month of December coincides with the Christmas season, in this month I intend to dwell exclusively on all the topics revolving around Christmas using the visit of the Wise man described in Matthew 2 as the base.

Let me wish you a happy and an edifying read… oh yes-MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL OF US!

Suresh Manoharan




December 2nd

The long journey and ‘the perseverance factor’



After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem - Matt 2:1
 
  Keeping the reconciliation of an apparent contrast in two Gospels in suspense (refer yesterday’s meditation), just for a little while, I now intend to look at the visit of the Wise men, verse by verse right from the beginning in Matthew’s Gospel before coming to the unraveling of the stated ‘mystery’ in a logical sequence.

The Magi were ‘foreigners from the east’ in the Land of Israel. So from where could they have come? Biblical scholars believe that, in all probability that they may have come from the historical Babylon, which lay to the east of Israel ( refer Map XVII of the OT Maps section of this site). They base their conclusions on the fact that Prophet Daniel residing in Babylon during the Exile (refer Map XXIII of the OT Maps section of this site) as a prominent personality in the affairs of the Said State had foretold the ‘arrival of the Anointed one, the Ruler’ in his book (Daniel 9:24-25) and his Book even after his death had always been accessible to the Babylonian scholars-the deep thinking, philosophers’ cum astrologers (Wisemen). Quite likely then that on the basis of the prophecies recorded therein, the Wisemen were eagerly awaiting the arrival of ‘the Anointed one, the Ruler’. No wonder, on seeing a special ‘Star’ two years prior to their visit to Israel (Matt 2:16 NLV), they excitedly set sail in their ‘desert ships’ (camels) to the place of his birth to worship him (Matt 2:2). Did they start immediately, on seeing the Star? NO! For it doesn’t take 2 years even on camel backs to travel the distance, from Babylon to Israel, though, they are separated by hundreds of miles. Again Biblical Scholars state that their journey may have begun only after they had held several parleys amongst themselves on matters such as the logistical requirements of their trip, the gifts (Matt 2:9) to be taken to the ‘new born King’, security from desert pirates, the weather conditions etc.

Having made all the necessary arrangements, that these Wise men from the East (Babylon) eventually traveled hundreds of weary miles in their camel backs (Note:no access to modern means of transport, in those days) to see and worship the Christ-child, speaks volumes about their ‘perseverance’ to worship the ‘the Anointed one, the Ruler’.

Doesn’t it hold a lesson for us? How often, a simple drizzle’ puts us off from a Church service? This Christmas season, let’s resolve to exhibit the perseverance, the Wise men exhibited when it comes to ‘worshipping and serving Him…The Kings of Kings and Lord of Lords’.

Prayer:

Father, we confess our slackness many a time in many areas’ of our spiritual life. Enable us to seek Thy will and follow it diligently in our lives, at all times. In Jesus’ name. Amen
  Back                                                                                                                       Next......