ROMÂNĂ

 

THE 1st OF FEBRUARY
WE “PUT OFF THE OLD MAN” WHEN WE RENOUNCE SINFUL HABITS, TO BECOME LIKE CHRIST

• But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him. - Colossians 3:8-10

When we ask Jesus to become the Lord of our lives, we are born-again, and we “put on the new man." This "new man" is in a continuous renewal process since the Holy Spirit touched us, convicted us of sin and we admitted that we were sinners in need of a Savior. The fact that Jesus came to dwell in our hearts through faith, was just the beginning of a long line of inner transformations that come from the renewing of the mind through the Word of God (Romans 12:2).

We are to “put off” all our bad habits, negative and temperamental ways of reacting to what we do not like or want, hating others, being malicious, demanding vengeance, using harsh words, foul language, cursing and insulting others. As "born-again" Christians, we are the followers of Christ, which means that we should follow the example of our Lord in all areas of our lives.

In my early Christian years, I heard a message called “What would Jesus do?” that helped me very much in my spiritual walk. When I was not sure how should I react or had a decision to make, I started to form the habit of asking myself: “What would Jesus do, if He was in my place?” That helped me clear my mind and allow the Holy Spirit to help me have the right response for my situation and also realize what should not be a part of my new life with Christ, anymore. As a result, it helped me pay more attention to my thoughts, emotions, words and actions, and additionally increased my desire for studying God’s Word, to know Jesus more and to seek God’s will.

Suggested prayer: Thank You from the bottom of my heart, My Lord, for Your written Word, where I get to know You more and more. Please help me be more and more like You, getting rid of all the bad reactions, attitudes and emotions that You do not like and to start putting on the ones You like. Please help me talk right so my words will please You and help build up those who hear me. All my attempts to change myself in my own strength have failed, so please Lord help me to truly change all that needs to be changed inside of me, so I may become more and more like Jesus. Thank You so very much, my Lord, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 2nd OF FEBRUARY
THROUGH JESUS WE ARE “ELECT, HOLY AND BELOVED”

• Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering; - Colossians 3:12

What does the word “saint” really mean? We may simply say that a saint is a person that is in right standing with God. The dictionary “HELPS Word Studies,” explains the original Greek word “hágios,” as “holy,” meaning “properly, different (unlike), other (otherness), holy; ‘set apart,’ distinct and for the believer, it means ‘likeness of nature with the Lord,’ because they are ‘different from the world.’”
 
In Colossians 1:2, Paul addressed the letter "to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ” who were in Colosse... The saints and brothers were the members of the local church and they had to be alive at that time, if Paul wrote the letter to them. Once we become Christians, we are “the elect of God, holy and beloved,” but not based on our own efforts or because we became sinless. Once we have truly repented and asked God to forgive our sins, we received “Jesus’ righteousness” and because of Him we are as Paul wrote in the above verse. Once we become Christians, we separate ourselves from the world seeking to please God and obeying Him (no longer obeying the carnal nature), making us different than those who live in sin.
 
Paul being led by the Holy Spirit, called those whom he addressed in the letter, saints, and then he advised them "... Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him…” (Colossians 3:9-10). This proves that the saints in Colosse, still had room for improvement, and for sure they were not holy because of their own works or because they had become sinless, but because God chose them, and they said yes. It is the same for us too. If we regret when we sin and sincerely repent, asking God to forgive us and then we do our best to live in obedience to the Lord, we are cleansed by Jesus’ blood and through His righteousness we are holy.
 
Suggested prayer: Glory and honor to Your Holy Name oh Lord, because in Your great love, You have chosen me, and made me holy so I can obey Your will. Thank You for Your unlimited grace and mercy that You pour over me every day. Please help me make the right decisions and be led by the Holy Spirit and not my carnal nature. Lord please help me allow the fruit of the Holy Spirit, who is indwelling in me, to manifest and overcome my old ways of reacting to what happens around me. Please help me to put on mercy, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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You may read more on the subject in the 3rd of February message.

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 3rd OF FEBRUARY
WE ARE SAVED AND HOLY THROUGH GRACE, BY FAITH

• And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight— if indeed you continue in the faith, grounded and steadfast, and are not moved away from the hope of the gospel which you heard, which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I, Paul, became a minister. - Colossians 1:21-23
  
  

What a powerful message! The one who’s thoughts and actions are wicked, is not in God’s camp. But once we came to God, Jesus reconciled us with the Father and because He cleansed us of our sins, we are considered “holy, and blameless, and above reproach in His sight,” as long as we remain “grounded and steadfast” in our faith in Jesus and His Gospel. In other words, we will be able to keep our holiness to be saved, only if we live in obedience to what God’s Word requires.

We are saved and made holy, by our faith, not by our works. Our good deeds are the result of changed hearts (Ephesians 2:8). It is not found anywhere in the Bible that we may become holy through our works and never rot when we die, as a proof of our holiness (as some believe). We need to study God’s Word, to know the truth. It is sad that sometimes, legends and human traditions are more easily believed and accepted by people, than the Word of God.

The whole Bible is written for all of us who come to Jesus. We are urged to put on mercy, kindness, meekness, longsuffering. All these godly characteristics are part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit that is already living in us, but He does not force ruler-ship over our carnal nature. We have to be willing to become merciful and forgiving instead of harsh; we are to choose to respond with kindness instead of meanness; to be humble and not prideful, meek and not aggressive and be long-suffering instead of being impatient. The more we are willing to submit to the Lord and choose His ways, the happier lives we will have.

We live in an “instant” age. We want everything right away, including spiritual maturity. But God’s kingdom functions according to completely different laws than this world. To belong to God, we have to obey His laws and “long-suffering” is part of them.

Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord Jesus for Your sacrifice, that has reconciled me with Father God. Your blood has cleansed me of all sins and made me holy so I can be in right-standing with God and be saved. Please give me the strength to forgive and love, to show kindness when others treat me wrong, to choose to show mercy instead of revenge, to keep my patience and calm instead of impatience and anger. I cannot do it in my own strength, please help me! I want to obey God’s Word and I thank You because I know You want me to succeed. Glory and praises to Your holy Name, amen!
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 4th OF FEBRUARY
THE PEACE OF CHRIST CAN RULE IN A FAITHFUL AND THANKFUL HEART

• And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. - Colossians 3:15

Peace is the key to unity and is the foundation of lasting relationships. True unity is between people that have inner peace. When we are disturbed, restless or worried, the condition of our hearts is reflected in our words and actions. If we do not take time to calm down and get our inner peace back, it will not be long before we hurt or offend someone.
 
God did not create us for stress and fear. We were created to live with the calm and inner peace resulting from having a sincere relationship with Jesus Christ. Many people today are very busy, insecure, fearful, worried, and always on the run. There is much news and information in mass media that panic and stress those who believe them. It is up to us to decide what we feed our minds with. Whenever our source is the Bible and we seek to spend as much time as possible with other sincere Christians, the peace of Jesus will reign in our hearts. If we are led by the peace of Christ, we can make the right decisions and even when there are reasons for panic or worry, we calm down faster. When we find ourselves in difficult situations, if we choose to be grateful to God, for all He has done for us, we can cool down easier and receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit to solve our situations. It is up to us to want to keep our peace, even if for a moment it may cost us. From previous experience, we know that it is worthwhile to pay the cost, to keep our peace and sleep peacefully.
 
Suggested prayer: Father God, please help me keep my peace in hard times, and choose to praise You no matter what. Help me stop being miserable because of how things go and know that You always have the best solutions for my problems. Thank You with all my heart for the peace that surpasses all understanding that helps me make the right decisions and do Your will. Please help me to always choose to thank You for what is good in my life, and not fall into the hopelessness pit, believing the lies of the enemy. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 5th OF FEBRUARY
HOW TO BE FILLED WITH GOD’S WORD

• Let the word [spoken by] Christ (the Messiah) have its home [in your hearts and minds] and dwell in you in [all its] richness, as you teach and admonish and train one another in all insight and intelligence and wisdom [in spiritual things, and as you sing] psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, making melody to God with [His] grace in your hearts. - Colossians 3:16 (AMP)

For God’s Word to permeate every aspect of our lives, we must read and meditate on it, asking the Holy Spirit to teach us how to apply it in our everyday lives.

Throughout our walk with Jesus, we are go through different stages. There are seasons when we are full of passion for studying God’s Word and to know our Lord more, so we use every possible chance we have for this purpose. But we can lose our fire for the Lord sometimes, when we go through a lot of problems and hard times or even when things go extremely well,.

It is important that as soon as we realize that we started lacking in our hunger for the Word of God, to start asking God to give us a fresh desire for being in His presence and to be back in His Word. In 1 John 5:14, the apostle John encourages us to pray, with "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us." We can learn what God’s will is, only by studying His Word.

In order to help those going through difficulties or who are not on the "right path" with Jesus, we need "the wisdom that is from above" (James 3:17) that we also receive through meditating on God’s Word. If we choose to have a constant attitude of gratitude and thanksgiving, and to continue to renew our minds through the Word of God, not only will we be happier, but we can help those around us more, too.
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Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please increase my hunger for Your Word and help me grow in knowing You. I know I cannot change myself, without Your help. I can become more and more like You, only by spending more time in Your presence. Please help me think of You in all I do, so I can hear when You speak to me through the Holy Spirit or the Scriptures. Thank You Father, for Your Word and for allowing me to enter into Your sweet presence, when I seek You with all my heart! Please increase my passion for You, more than anything else, amen.

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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 6th OF FEBRUARY
GOD HAS A SPECIAL CALLING FOR EVERYONE

• [For it is God] who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. - ​2 Timothy 1:9-10

Through Jesus Christ we have received much more than salvation! God the Father, has prepared for each of us, a "holy calling" through which He desires for us to live a pure and sinless life, different from the life of those in the world, and similar to the life Jesus lived on earth. In Jesus we have received amazing favor, which none of us could ever deserve and a life with a precise purpose.

Before of the foundation of the world, God decided that His Son would die for our sins and rise from the dead, destroying the power of death for all who would believe on Him and live according to His will, fulfilling the Gospel. Jesus is the true life, the only way to the Father and the only truth.

For each of us, there is at least one area that we feel attracted to. If you do not know the calling that God has prepared for your life, it is time to ask Him to show you. In all creation, there are not two identical people or two identical lives. That is why, even if many of us have received the same calling, there is always room in this world for every single one of us to excel at whatever it is, bringing glory to the Lord and helping expand His kingdom. God does everything perfect, and He knows why He has called each one of us to a certain job or ministry.

Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord God for creating me with a purpose and with a certain calling for my life. Please help me know what You want me to do with my life and give me the strength and all it takes to be able to fulfill Your plan. Please help me to be patient until it is Your time for me to start walking on the road You have prepared, because only You know when I am ready. Help me do it all in Your timing. Also, please confirm my calling through other mature Christians and please open the right doors so I will go in the right direction. Thank You and praise You, dear Lord, amen.

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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 7th OF FEBRUARY
GOD ASSIGNS EVEN BIRDS TO SERVE US IN TIMES OF NEED

• And Elijah the Tishbite, of the inhabitants of Gilead, said to Ahab, “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word.” Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “Get away from here and turn eastward, and hide by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. And it will be that you shall drink from the brook, and I have commanded the ravens to feed you there.” So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, - 1 Kings 17:1-5a

Elijah was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament. He never died a physical death, but was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot while his disciple Elisha was watching. From 1 Kings 16:33b, we find that Ahab had “done more evil than all the kings of Israel who were before him to anger the Lord God of Israel." The sins of Ahab reached their highest point and by the message spoken through Elijah, God gave him the chance to repent.

The drought that was announced to Ahab by Elijah, was caused by the sins of the king and the people. Only because God protected Elijah, was he able to leave the King’s palace still alive. Ahab not only sinned against God and worshiped other gods, but he also allowed his wife Jezebel to kill the Lord's prophets. Sometimes God sends us to places we consider dangerous. But we are safer wherever He sends us, than in any other place that we might consider secure. God protects and takes care of us, where He sends us. When we do not obey and do not do what He tells us to do, we step out of God’s protection and sometimes it costs us dearly.

Elijah had the courage to face Ahab because he knew that the Lord was with him. It is interesting that God did not tell him how He would take care of him during the drought, until after he obeyed and put his life in danger. Elijah had to go where God had prepared the supplies for him. God commanded the ravens to bring bread and meat to Elijah, twice a day, and he was to drink water from the brook. We do not know where the ravens received the food from for Elijah, but we do know they did their duty twice a day until the brook dried up. Then God prepared another place for Elijah to hide from Ahab's sight and another miraculous source of food.
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Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord that as long as I live for You in obedience, You protect and take care of me daily. Please help me do Your will, even if my mind is fearful, or if others are trying to discourage me. Please help me never forget that the safest place is the place where You want me to be. Even as during the drought You commanded the ravens to bring meat and bread to Elijah and You kept him hidden from the king’s servants that wanted to kill him, I know that because I love and obey Your Word, You will take care of me too, no matter how strange my circumstances might be at times. Please help me always be sensitive to Your still small voice and be ready to obey what You direct me to do. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen!

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Copyright  2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 8th OF FEBRUARY
THE LORD PROVIDES FOR US, AFTER WE DO WHAT HE TELLS US TO DO

• “Arise, go to Zarephath, which belongs to Sidon, and dwell there. See, I have commanded a widow there to provide for you.” - 1 Kings 17:9

God completely took care of Elijah during the drought. The Lord sent him first to the Brook Cherith, where he had drinking water, and the ravens came and fed him. After a while, the brook dried up, and God sent the prophet Elijah to a widow, whom he had commanded to feed him. Elijah obeyed again and went to where the Lord sent him.
 
The widow believed in God, and she probably prayed for food, even if she did not necessarily believe that her prayer would be answered. But God, in His great love, prepared the food for her and Elijah. When Elijah met her, the woman had enough flour and oil for a small bread for both she and her son, but when Elijah asked her to bake a small amount for him first, she accepted without commenting. We do not know what God said to the widow, but we know that the effect of it was that all three of them had sufficient food until the end of the drought, as the Lord spoke through Elijah.
 
The solutions that the Lord has for our problems go beyond all expectations! Many times, the Lord’s provision does not even come from our efforts, because the Lord uses others to fulfill our needs, as He wants to bless them too. By multiplying the widow’s resources, God provided food not only for Elijah (who did not have to do the baking) but also for the widow and her son. This miracle is amazing. Because Elijah and the widow responded correctly to the Lord, He met their needs in a way that was beyond normal thinking and to many would even seem absurd.
 
Suggested Prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me recognize Your voice! Your plans are different than our plans, so please help me know which come from You and to follow as You direct. My mind tends to doubt anything that contradicts human logic, so please help me resist any doubts, believe what comes from You and act in obedience. Thank You for always being with me and having the best solutions for my problems, amen!

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Copyright  2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 9th OF FEBRUARY
THE MIRACLE OF MULTIPLIED FOOD

• “For thus says the Lord God of Israel: ‘The bin of the flour shall not be used up, and the Lord sends rain on the earth.’” So she went back home and did according to the word of Elijah; and she and her household ate for many days. - 1 Kings 17:14-15

Elijah and his hostess believed what the Lord had said and they received what He had promised! How many times has it happened to us in crisis situations, to have a thought that surprised us, but was the right solution for us?

God speaks to us in our spirits, through the Holy Spirit. His thoughts are always according to the Bible and give us a state of peace and tranquility. Even when we are wrong, the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin, but does not condemn us. His purpose is that we recognize our sin, ask sincerely for forgiveness and change. On the other hand, the thoughts that the devil sneaks into our minds are meant to hurt us. They usually are half truth, half lie, so we may be tricked to believe them, but they cause us to fear, worry, despair, feel condemned and so on.

If we do not know the truth of God’s Word, we cannot identify the enemy as being the source of our thoughts and we can be misled.
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Suggested prayer: Father God, You have always performed such great miracles for Your children! Thank You for being the same yesterday, today and tomorrow and that You never stop doing miracles! Please multiply what I have, so I will always have more than enough, just as you did with the oil and the flour that the widow woman had. Please help me believe that You are willing and more than able to provide for me too. Please help me identify which thoughts are coming from You, to verify them with Your written Word and based on the specific verses to strengthen my faith that You will do for me what You promised. Lord, You are just and holy, and You keep Your promises. Glory and Honor to Your name forever and ever, amen!

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 10th OF FEBRUARY
WHEN WE SUFFER, IT IS HARDER TO RECOGNIZE THE ENEMY’S LIES AND FIGHT AGAINST THEM

• So she said to Elijah, “What have I to do with you, O man of God? Have you come to me to bring my sin to remembrance, and to kill my son?” - 1 Kings 17:18​

How fast do we forget the good that God did for us when we went through life’s tribulations! The widow from Zarephath is no exception. She had been ready to eat the last meal with her son and then starve to death, before God sent Elijah and miraculously provided for them. But once her son died, she forgot that if the Lord had not multiplied her flour and oil through Elijah, she would have been dead too, not only her son.

Because her pain was so great, the mother believed the lie of the devil, that her sin were the cause of her son’s death. She was convinced that God had taken her son, to punish her for a past sin. If it were the Lord's plan, He would not have provided food for them during the drought, and would have let both, mother and son, die. From the following verses we learn that "the Lord heard the voice of Elijah, and the child's soul returned to him and rose again" (1 Kings 17:22).
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The prophet Elijah chose to believe and fight for the resurrection of the child, instead of giving up in despair. What do we do when it seems that there is no way out? Do we have the mother’s attitude, or Elijah’s? Do we believe the lies of the evil one or do we pray in faith to the Lord to help us out?

Suggested prayer: Father God, please help me to never forget Your kindness and the wonderful way You answered my prayers since I am Your child. You have always done the best for me and those I have prayed for. Please help me trust more in Your love and in Your desire to help me and do the best for me, no matter what I am going through! In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 11th OF FEBRUARY
HOW MANY MIRACLES DO WE NEED TO RECOGNIZE GOD’S HAND AT WORK?

• Then the woman said to Elijah, “Now by this I know that you are a man of God, and that the word of the Lord in your mouth is the truth " - 1 Kings 17:24

It seems incredible that this widow needed more confirmation, although she used the unending flour daily for the dough and the continuous oil from the same pot, to bake the food for three people, without fail, over a long period. The Bible does not tell us the length of time, but it could have been more than two years, because from the first verse of chapter 18, we find out that three years of drought had passed since Elijah hid by the Brook Cherith. Only after Elijah returned the widow’s resurrected son to her, did she know in her heart too, not only in her head, that Elijah was a man of God and a real prophet that spoke God’s truth! She needed the second miracle to truly be transformed!

How many times have we been just like this widow? It is sad that it is more natural to us, to doubt and lack in faith, than trust that God loves us and wants the best for us, no matter how bad our situation is.
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Suggested prayer: Oh Lord, I need Your help with every step, to be able to be led by Your Spirit and not my doubtful flesh, and when doubt tries to settle in, to fight against it! Please help me never forget Your love, mercy and kindness that lasts forever! You promised me to never leave me nor forsake me! In Jesus I have all I need to have strong faith, be confident in who You created me to be and live according to Your will! Thank You from the bottom of my heart, amen!
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 12th OF FEBRUARY
THE HABIT OF BLAMING OTHERS STARTED WITH ADAM AND EVE

• Then it happened, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said to him, “Is that you, O troubler of Israel?” And he answered, “I have not troubled Israel, but you and your father’s house have, in that you have forsaken the commandments of the Lord and have followed the Baals...” - 1 Kings 18:17-18

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It's easy to blame others for our problems. From the first sin in the Garden of Eden, Adam blamed Eve and God for giving her to him, and Eve blamed the serpent (Genesis 3:12-13) as they tried to find excuses for their disobedience to God. This habit of apologizing and blaming others became part of our human nature, that we all inherited from Adam which came from the Fall.

When we become Christians and are born-again, we become temples of the Holy Spirit and our spirits are completely renewed, but our minds must also be renewed. We must learn to replace our old carnal ways with God’s ways, according to His Word.

For Ahab, it was more convenient to blame Elijah for the drought that punished the whole nation, than to admit his own sins and idolatry. Elijah knew that Ahab was seeking to kill him, but he did not comment when God said to him, “‘Go, present yourself to Ahab, and I will send rain on the earth.’ And Elijah went to appear before Ahab. There was great famine in Samaria” (1 Kings 18:1-2).

Elijah already knew that God would not let Ahab take his life and obeyed the Lord's command. We often go through similar situations when it is challenging and hard to be obedient to the Lord, but we need to always remember that the cost of disobedience is much greater in this life and in the eternal life, if we do not sincerely ask God to forgive our rebellion!

Suggested prayer: Father God, please help me to always fear You and not people. Please strengthen me every time that I have to pay a price for my faith in You, so I will be obedient and choose to please You and not people. Please remind me if I ever forget to confess any sin and help me to truly repent for all I have done wrong. Please help me be responsible for my actions and not to look for excuses or blame others. Thank You for all Your help and care You have always had and have for me, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 13th OF FEBRUARY
THE LORD GOD IS THE TRUE GOD, THE CREATOR OF THE WHOLE UNIVERSE

• Then with the stones he built an altar in the name of the Lord; and he made a trench around the altar large enough to hold two seahs of seed... 36 And it came to pass, at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near and said, “Lord God of Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, let it be known this day that You are God in Israel and I am Your servant, and that I have done all these things at Your word. 37 Hear me, O Lord, hear me, that this people may know that You are the Lord God, and that You have turned their hearts back to You again.” Then the fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt sacrifice, and the wood and the stones and the dust, and it licked up the water that was in the trench. - 1 Kings 18:32, 36-38

Because he knew that God was with him, the prophet Elijah had the courage to ask the king to gather the people of Israel, the 450 prophets of Baal, and the 400 prophets of Asherah on Mount Carmel. We do not know why there is not more information about Asherah's prophets, but we do know that Baal's prophets did everything in their power to persuade their god to bring down fire from heaven, to burn their sacrifice, and of course, they received nothing.

The prophet Elijah honored God, restored the altar of the Lord that was broken down and with 12 stones he built an altar for the sacrifice. Elijah laid the wood and the animal for the sacrifice and then asked the people to pour water over the sacrifice, wood and altar, three times. They poured water until it completely filled the ditch around the altar. Then Elijah prayed to God to bring down fire from heaven so that the people could see that He was the only true God, and the Lord heard Elijah’s prayer. “The fire of the Lord fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood, and even the stones and the dust; it also licked up the water in the trench” (1 Kings 18:38), proving unequivocally that only God could send such a fire. Then in verse 39 we read that: "when all the people saw it, they fell face down; and they said, 'The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!'”

The people of Israel had been so blinded by worshiping the pagan gods that they forgot the miracles that God had done for their nation. They needed a new miracle to see the truth and be willing to repent and give up on their idols. It is amazing how much patience God has! He loves us so much that He continues to give us grace and opportunities to come to Him. But the sooner we do it, the better it is for us and for those around us. On the other hand, let us not forget that whenever one refuses the voice of the Holy Spirit over and over, their heart becomes hardened and they can get to where they can no longer hear His call to repentance and end up in eternal damnation.

Suggested prayer: Dear heavenly Father, please help me to have a soft heart and to allow You to change it. To be sensitive to every correction You have for me and act accordingly. Please help me to never forget the miracles You have done for me and to have a thankful and grateful heart towards You. You deserve all the worship, all the honor and adoration, now and forever more, amen!
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 14th OF FEBRUARY
LOVE IS THE BOND OF PERFECTION

• Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. - Colossians 3:13-14

We all want others to be patient and kind with us when we make mistakes or break something. If we manage to treat those who do us wrong or offend us, as we would love to be treated, life will be more beautiful for us and those around us.

The above verses urge us to forgive, not only when it was not much, but also when we have real reasons to be angry. Jesus has forgiven us of all our sins and iniquities. He suffered extreme torment in death by crucifixion, paying for each of our sins. No one can have ever caused another, more suffering than we have caused the Lord Jesus. There are extreme situations where the consequences of an other's actions are very serious, but with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can overcome them, and in the end, the Lord will bring out something good from all the evil.

Love is the essence of Christian life, but if we do not believe that the Lord loves us and we do not spend time in His presence to be filled with His love, we cannot be perfect. God is love, and only from Him we can receive true altruistic, disinterested and unconditional love. This is the "agape" love we read about in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

As I have already mentioned, love helps us to forgive, to be more tolerant and patient with those around us. When we behave in this manner, we become more like Jesus. It is God’s love that unites us and harmoniously binds us in the "body of Christ," His church.

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, how can I ever thank You for all You did for me and for all You have forgiving me of? Please help me understand more how great and amazing Your love is for me. Father God, please help me spend more time in Your presence and to receive Your love so that I can love those who hurt me and to become more and more of whom You created me to be. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 15th OF FEBRUARY
HAVING FAITH THAT GOD ALWAYS KEEPS HIS WORD

• Then Elijah said to Ahab, “Go up, eat and drink; for there is the sound of abundance of rain.” So Ahab went up to eat and drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; then he bowed down on the ground, and put his face between his knees, and said to his servant, “Go up now, look toward the sea.” So he went up and looked, and said, “There is nothing.” And seven times he said, “Go again.” Then it came to pass the seventh time, that he said, “There is a cloud, as small as a man’s hand, rising out of the sea!” So he said, “Go up, say to Ahab, ‘Prepare your chariot, and go down before the rain stops you.’” Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. - 1 Kings 18:41-45a

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Elijah knew that once God told him to go to Ahab, the rain was not far away, and the drought was about to be over, but there was still a long way to go. By faith he had told the king that there was the sound of rain, and then “he bowed down on the ground,” before the Lord (and most likely praying, even if the verse is not clearly saying it) and he sent his servant seven times to look towards the sea, from where they usually saw the first signs of rain. We can see that the miracle did not take place instantly, and a firm faith was needed until the servant said that he saw the hand sized cloud.

When we know what the Lord has promised us, and we also have the Bible verses that support what we have heard from the Lord, we can stand against any doubt and strengthen our faith in that we will truly receive according to the promise. The general promises in the Bible are true for all of us, and we know that they are God’s will for us. Therefore, if there are two or three verses that are in context referring to what we ask from the Lord, we may apply the verse from 1 John 5:14, which says: "Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us."

The prophet Elijah was firmly convinced that he could rely on the Word of God and continued to prophesy the following events. It was enough to hear that there was a small cloud above the sea, that Elijah urged Ahab to leave before the rain came. They did not have covered chariots or paved roads to prevent getting bogged down in the mud when it rained. Elijah knew it was going to rain heavy and so it did! The faith of the prophet allowed his miracle to came to pass! This rain ended the three and a half years of drought.

Suggested prayer: How wonderful are the promises from Your Word, dear God! How comforting is the thought that we may know Your will in all the areas of life, if we study our Bibles. And when You speak to us, we can know that what we hear is coming from You, once it is verified by two or three sections of Scriptures. How wonderful are Your ways and how close is Your presence. Please help me to grow in faith in You and Your promises. Please give me the strength to not give up in believing for what I am praying for, when it seems that I am failing, but on the contrary, help me to keep believing until I receive Your answer. Thank You for the example of Elijah and all the other people of faith that we find in the Bible. Glory and honor to You Father God, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 16th OF FEBRUARY
THE POWER THAT COMES FROM THE ANOINTING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

• Now it happened in the meantime that the sky became black with clouds and wind, and there was a heavy rain. So Ahab rode away and went to Jezreel. Then the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah; and he girded up his loins and ran ahead of Ahab to the entrance of Jezreel - 1 Kings 18:45-46

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God worked through Elijah in such an extraordinary way. If we stop and analyze everything he did in that one single day, it is overwhelming, especially since he could not have been very young to be sent on such a mission before a tyrant king like Ahab.
 
The Word says that "the hand of the Lord came upon Elijah." What amazing power we can have when the anointing of the Lord comes upon us! It empowers us to do impossible things, and we have the courage to face dreadful situations. Joseph, David, the apostle Paul, and many other great men and women of God, experienced the power given by the anointing of the Holy Spirit upon them when they were in dire circumstances.
 
We all have been through extreme situations where the hand of the Lord saved us, or the presence of the Holy Spirit gave us the power to get out of situations that seemed to have no way out. If you are in such a situation now, do not despair! The Holy Spirit who lives in our hearts, is always ready to help and strengthen us. He is waiting for us to ask for His help, so He can intervene. With His help, we can conquer our doubts and strengthen our faith that God will see us through, and it will truly be alright.
 
Suggested prayer: Thank You with all my heart, dear God, that You always want my best and You never forsake me. Please help me to truly allow You to be the Lord over my life and to follow Your lead. Thank You for never leaving me alone, not even for a second, and for giving me the strength and the will to fulfill the calling you have upon my life. Thank You Lord for the Holy Spirit, because with His help I can do all things! Amen.

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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 17th OF FEBRUARY
WE ARE EASIER INTIMIDATED WHEN WE ARE EXHAUSTED

• And Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, also how he had executed all the prophets with the sword. Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So let the gods do to me, and more also, if I do not make your life as the life of one of them by tomorrow about this time. And when he saw that, he arose and ran for his life, and went to Beersheba, which belongs to Judah, and left his servant there. - 1 Kings 19:1-3.

The man who confronted the idolatrous king, killed hundreds of evil prophets, confronted the whole nation, defended the honor of God, and with the power of the Lord, outran a two-horse chariot for almost 60 km, now was so scared of the queen that he would run away? If we read carefully, we see that if Jezebel would have had the real courage to kill him, she would have sent some soldiers and not just a messenger to tell him that he would be dead in 24 hours! It seems that Jezebel got what she wanted, as Elijah left the city. The darkness in Jezebel could not bear the light in Elijah. Even when all the people were gathered on Mount Carmel, the queen remained in the city because she hated God and could not stand Elijah. It was she who had all the prophets of the Lord put to death. Jezebel had fed and cared for the 850 Baal and Asherah prophets, that Elijah overcame. She knew that God’s power was in Elijah and that if he remained in the city, her own life would be in danger.
 
There are situations in life when it does not matter how much God has done through us, or how amazing we think we are, because once we believe the lies of the evil one, we get to where “going on to heaven” seems to be the best solution. The same thing happened to Elijah. Just the day before, he was used by God with such power, only for next day to fall into exhaustion and discouragement.
 
Humility, physical rest and refilling of our inner "tank" with the Holy Spirit are essential to avoid what Elijah experienced. Let us pray, praise the Lord with songs whose words glorify the truth about God, and express our gratitude for all He has done for us, so we may enter into His presence and be refilled with the Holy Spirit. If we do our best to be constantly in right-standing with God and spend time in His presence, we will have much more peace, joy, and hope.
 
Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, please forgive me for all my pride and help me have a humble and grateful heart towards You, to never consider myself better than I really am or that I accomplished something through my own strength. You deserve all the glory, honor and gratitude for all my accomplishments my dear Lord, and without Your help I could not even breathe. Father God, please teach me how to praise You and refill me with Your Holy Spirit, so I can obey Your will and live to please You, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 18th OF FEBRUARY
THE EFFECTS OF BEING DISCOURAGED

• But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness, and came and sat down under a broom tree. And he prayed that he might die, and said, “It is enough! Now, Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers!” - 1 Kings 19:4

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It seems that the fear of death gave Elijah enough power to walk the distance that someone well rested and in good shape could walk for one day. After all the effort, he got to where he wanted to die. But did he not run away from Jezebel to stay alive? He could have spared himself the exhaustion of the long walk and let Jezebel kill him, if that was what he truly wanted.

All the success’ euphoria and physical effort, exhausted Elijah. When we are tired and sad, we are not doing well spiritually, either. When we do not spend enough time in the presence of the Holy Spirit, we are weakened and it makes it easier for the evil one to ensnare us.

Elijah was right, he never was better than his parents and this is true for us all. His words were suggesting that until then, he considered himself better and he seemed to have good reasons for that. He had a successful life for years, and as a result, pride began to rise up in his heart. But because pride goes before the fall, he had forgotten that God was the source of his strength and everything he did, he did with the help of the Lord and as a result, fear filled Elijah’s heart! Being physically exhausted, fearful and desperate, he had begun to realize that he was by far, not as great as he had thought he was. He was only a step away from wishing he was dead.
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Suggested prayer: Dear Lord Jesus, please forgive all that I sinned against You and please wash me clean in Your holy blood. Thank You for Your precious blood that has the same power to cleanse our sins, as when You shed it on the cross. Lord please help me keep a humble heart and see things from Your perspective. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 19th OF FEBRUARY
GOD DOES MIRACLES FOR US WHEN WE HUMBLE OURSELVES

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• Then as he lay and slept under a broom tree, suddenly an angel touched him, and said to him, “Arise and eat.” Then he looked, and there by his head was a cake baked on coals, and a jar of water. So he ate and drank, and lay down again. And the angel of the Lord came back the second time, and touched him, and said, “Arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” - 1 Kings 19:5-7

After Elijah humbled himself, acknowledging that God had done all the miracles through him and that he had done nothing in his own strength, the Lord sent the angel to feed and encourage him, and also to give him a new purpose. Though he had failed regrettably, running for his life from Jezebel’s threats, God showed him His loving and understanding Father’s heart. Elijah had stepped out of the Lord's plan. He was to stay and help the people to strengthen their faith after they realized that God is the only true God, but fled instead.

We can only imagine how many other miracles the Lord might have done through Elijah if he would have remained in the city and continued to lead the nation back to God.

Could the Lord have strengthened Elijah without getting sleep? For God there is nothing too hard or impossible. Nevertheless, this time, God chose to let Elijah sleep for his body to be restored. For the physical exhaustion of Elijah, as well as of any of us, God has made us to be restored through sleep and food. A strong body is one that is rested, well-fed and hydrated. And then, when we are full of the Holy Spirit, we can do anything that the Lord asks us to do.
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Suggested prayer: Lord God, You are such a loving and wonderful Father! You deserve all my praise, glory and honor! Thank You for making me Your child and for loving me so much! Please help me not get exhausted by doing the works that You do not want me to do, and to find time to relax and rest, so I can be truly efficient in fulfilling Your call over my life. You do not expect me to necessarily become very famous or do amazing works, what You really care for is that I keep a pure heart, obey You and become more like Jesus, so please help me to choose my priorities right and follow Your direction, step by step. Thank You with all my heart, amen!
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 20th OF FEBRUARY
THE STRENGTH THAT COMES FROM THE LORD

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• So he (Elijah) arose, and ate and drank; and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God. - 1 Kings 19:8

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God had chosen to let Elijah sleep and sent an angel to give him fresh bread and water. How tired he must have been if he managed to fall asleep after seeing that an angel prepared him food, spoke to him, and served him! This was not an ordinary experience, on the contrary! And yet Elijah fell asleep again. The angel confirmed Elijah’s exhaustion, by telling him “arise and eat, because the journey is too great for you.” That food provided supernatural strength for Elijah and because of it, he was able to travel walking non-stop for forty days and nights.

We have such a good and wonderful Father who knows us better than we know ourselves and who knows what we need. He knows better what we need at any time, and if we take the time to ask for His advice and then put it into practice, we will spare ourselves of much suffering and many headaches. Not everything we think the Lord wants us to do, is so. God is the best Father and does not want us exhausted, not even if we work for the prevailing of His kingdom. We may think that the more we get done for God, the happier He will be with us. But for God, what really matters is the condition of our hearts and to become more and more like Him. How much more had God prepared for Elijah to accomplish, if he had not retreated? And what does the Lord still have for each of us yet to achieve?

Suggested prayer: Dear Lord, You always have the best plan! You know what I need and what is best for me. So please help me to not make any decisions without asking You and to not do what seems right to me, when the Holy Spirit warns me that it is not what You want me to do. Please help me to seek Your presence daily, feeding my spirit so I will not become discouraged and exhausted. The lasting joy and strength come only from Your Holy Spirit, who lives in me. Thank You Lord for the Holy Spirit that helps me accomplish all that You want me to do. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 21st OF FEBRUARY
THE FRUSTRATION THAT COMES FROM DISCOURAGEMENT

• And there he went into a cave, and spent the night in that place; and behold, the word of the Lord came to him, and He said to him, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” So he said, “I have been very zealous for the Lord God of hosts; for the children of Israel have forsaken Your covenant, torn down Your altars, and killed Your prophets with the sword. I alone am left; and they seek to take my life.” - 1 Kings 19:9-10

It is interesting that Elijah thought he had to inform God about what the children of Israel had done and about all he was going through. Let us remember that it was precisely for these deeds that God sent him to Ahab with the judgment through the drought. It seems that Elijah had also forgotten what Obadiah told him, how he had saved a hundred prophets from death. Elijah should have known that he was not the only prophet alive. Was Elijah a liar? Certainly not, but it is well known that when we are disappointed and have serious problems, we do not remember the good things, because the bad ones become giants for us and we see the situation distorted, through the “eyes of pain.”
 
God spoke to Elijah while he was still in the “cave of despair.” Did the Lord not know the answer? The question was rhetorical and was meant to make Elijah hear himself speaking out his frustration, to realize that it was not the truth, and it was time to change his attitude. How many times has it happened to us that when we were telling someone else about our problems, we realized that they were not so bad after all and began to feel ridiculous. Because of that, sometimes we are tempted to exaggerate, to make our problems seem bigger. All these are the product of our fallen, human nature and is why Jesus tells us to “deny ourselves and take up our cross daily...” (Luke 9:23b) so we can truly follow Him. This means to crucify our carnal nature on a daily basis, seeking to follow the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Because our flesh does not completely die until we leave this carnal body, we must fight daily against its lusts and moods.
 
When God asks the same question twice, it is clear that the answer is not the right one! In His love, the Lord understood what Elijah was going through and did not punish him for the error of his answer. In the same way God has proven His love, mercy, and kindness, many times to us also.
 
Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord for the love, grace, mercy and kindness You pour over me everyday. You know me better than I know myself, there is nothing hidden from You, and You understand my reactions better than I do. Thank You for Your forgiveness, grace and also for helping me change for the better, when I seek You. Please help me not to fall into despair when things go wrong and remind me to lift the eyes of my heart towards You. Dear Lord, You are my only hope! True help comes only from You and You alone. Glory and honor to Your Holy Name! Amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 22nd OF FEBRUARY
IN GOD'S PRESENCE

• Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice. - 1 Kings 19:11-12

The prophet Elijah experienced great times of glory and also of despair in his ministry for the Lord. We are tempted to believe that it would be wonderful to be able to just be "on the mountain top" with the Lord without ever descending into the valleys. But without the experience of the valleys of everyday life, we would not climb the mountains because we would trust in ourselves and forget God.

The Lord did not correct Elijah's answer, but instead He offered to manifest His presence more than ever. When Moses, the friend of God, asked to see the Lord (Exodus 34:2), God allowed Moses to only see Him from behind. But because Elijah was so discouraged, the Lord gave him the chance without even asking for it.

But God cannot pass unnoticed. The first time God manifested His power, at the mountain (before His presence), through wind, fire and earthquake, was when Moses and the children of Israel were in the wilderness (Exodus 19:16-18). For both, they and Elijah (many years later) these manifestations were incredible, but they did not experience God’s presence yet. Elijah did not come out of the cave until he recognized the gentle and loving presence of the heavenly Father, in "a still small voice." It requires sincere attention, dedication and strong desire to enter the presence of the Lord. Elijah's despair was so deep that even in the wonderful presence of the Lord, he did not change his answer. I believe that the Lord manifested His presence to Elijah, because He knew how much he suffered and how much he needed to be strengthen by Him.

No one understands us better than the Lord and how wonderful are His comforts. He prepares the right measure of anointing for us, so that we can overcome the hard times that lay ahead of us.

Suggested prayer: Thank You dear Lord, for You never forsake me, no matter how hard my life is at certain times. In Your kindness, You do not treat me according to what I deserve, but according to Your perfect nature, that never changes. You were, are and will always be, love. Your kindness and faithfulness towards me are endless and You renew them every morning. Please help me enter Your presence more often and as I spend more time with You, to become more like You. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.​
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​

 

THE 23rd OF FEBRUARY 
THE LORD MEETS US WHERE WE ARE AT

• Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria. Also you shall anoint Jehu the son of Nimshi as king over Israel. And Elisha the son of Shaphat of Abel Meholah you shall anoint as prophet in your place.” - 1 Kings 19:15-16

God sent Elijah back on his way. In other words, God told Elijah that he would continue to be His prophet, but not for a long time. Elijah received three very important tasks. By “the anointing of the two Kings” the fate of not only their nations rested, but of the whole region. And the third task was personal for Elijah.

If Elijah would have done all that the Lord had asked him to do, the history of the children of Israel would have been different. God’s plan for those two men to become kings, still came to pass, even if Elijah did not obey, but the delay cost their nations much suffering.

Our obedience or disobedience has implications and consequences, not only for ourselves, but also for those around us. Because we are created with free will, we can choose right and produce beneficial effects in our lives and in the lives of others or we can choose wrong and the consequences will follow accordingly.
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Suggested prayer: Heavenly Father, please help me to be obedient and fulfill all that You ask me to, for my sake and so that my life will have a positive impact in the lives of those around me and not cause pain and suffering. I hate to suffer and I know that by every disobedience, I give the enemy the right to hurt me. Please help me to choose right and not make any decisions against Your Word. Please help me to come to You in prayer and hear what You want me to do, when in Your Word there is no specific answer for my problem. Thank You for all your help and love, amen!

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 24th OF FEBRUARY
THE LORD KNOWS THE PAINS AND DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS AND INTERVENES WHEN THE TIME IS RIGHT

• So he departed from there, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he was with the twelfth. Then Elijah passed by him and threw his mantle on him. - 1 Kings 19:19

Previously, God gave Elijah, three tasks to do, with the last one being, appointing Elisha to take his place. ​Why did Elijah choose to fulfill the last task that the Lord gave him and ignore the others? Let us remember that the discouragement that overwhelmed Elijah after Jezebel promised to kill him, caused him to ask the Lord to take his life. Probably when God told him to anoint Elisha, as a prophet in his place, he forgot about the other two tasks and went straight ahead to find Elisha, hoping that God would then put an end to his unhappiness.

It took a few years until Elijah was taken from the earth, and in the meantime, he continued his work as the prophet of the Lord and he trained Elisha. It is encouraging to see that the Lord knew exactly what was in the heart of Elijah. Therefore, no other task could have made Elijah happier, than the fact that God had found him a replacement and his job was coming to an end.

The Lord knows how much things hurt us and what our desires are. God sees all things from the right perspective and takes care that all will work together and blend harmoniously for our best, but He will not work in our lives unless we want and allow Him to do so. There are extreme situations when God intervenes to save our lives or to stop bad attacks against us and most of the time He does it without us even realizing it, but God never forces us to do His will, if we do not want to do it.

Suggested prayer: Thank You Lord, because You care about my desires and my suffering. Only You oversee the whole picture of my life and know what is best for me, so please give me the wisdom to be obedient and fulfill all You ask me to do. Please help me to never fall into the trap of hopelessness, to not hear You and do only what I prefer, from all the tasks You set before me. I surely do not want to cause pain to others or myself. Thank You for never forsaking me and for helping me in times of need, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 25th OF FEBRUARY
JESUS IS THE LIGHT OF THE WORLD

• Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” - John 8:12

Jesus is the Light of the world! He is the incarnate Word that dwelt among us (John 1:14), providing for us everything we need to be saved. Jesus is the perfect example to follow. He lived a life without sin and in full obedience to His Father.
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The light removes the darkness, exposes the lies and evil plans of the devil. The presence of Jesus in our hearts helps us see what we have to renounce, and what we have to change. The more of ourselves that we give to Jesus, the less power the devil will have in our lives. Jesus defeated Satan at the cross, and His victory became our victory only after we asked Him to be our Lord and started to live for Him. Any committed sin which we do not ask forgiveness for, empowers the enemy to hurt us again. We need to spend more time in our Lord's presence, so that we can be filled and strengthened by the Holy Spirit in everything we do and wherever we go! The character of whomever we spend the most our time with, will influence ours. The length of time we spend in fellowship with Jesus, will determine how much we will become more like Him in the way we think, talk and act. The more we become like Jesus, the less we will be tempted to sin.

Suggested prayer: Praises and glory to You Lord Jesus! You are the Light that gave me life and rescued me from the power of darkness! Because You are my Lord, the devil has no more ownership over me and in Your holy Name I have the authority to resist him, steadfast in faith. Thank You for loving me more than I can ever imagine and please reveal more and more to me, the secrets of Your love and the wonderful plan You have for my life, helping me to fulfill it step by step. Thank You and praise You forever, amen.
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 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 26th OF FEBRUARY
GOD’S WORD ILLUMINates OUR STEPS

• Your Word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. - Psalms 119:105

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The Word of God is the standard that we should follow in everything we think, say and do. It shows us the right way of handling everything. No matter how much progress there is in science, knowledge, and technology, the basic problems that all people have faced throughout history, are about the same. We all need food, love, education, sources of income, and also rest. But more than anything, every human being is in search of something bigger and stronger than himself to trust in.

God created us to have fellowship with Him, and after Adam and Eve sinned, all of their descendants were born with a whole in their heart, which only God can truly fill. Anything else that fills it, only seems to, because the real problem, is spiritual death. Only Jesus brings us back to life, only through Him our spirits can be born-again, making us true temples of the Holy Spirit. From the beginning, God created all that mankind needs until the end of the world. Through Jesus, we return to the "Father-son" relationship with God, and by studying the Word we learn how to live right and benefit from all that the Lord has prepared for us.

By studying the Bible, with the revelation of the Holy Spirit, we find all the light and wisdom we need to live purely for the Lord, and in the end, we’ll spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Suggested prayer: Lord God, You have true wisdom. You have never ignored anything and have found solutions for everything. Thank You for allowing me to come to You with every problem I have and You help me to work them all out. Thank You for Your Word and for the guidance of the Holy Spirit, Who reveals it to me and helps me to apply it in my daily walk with You. Thank You that the more I study the Scripture, the more I understand what Your will is and I can follow it in the decisions I have to make. You want me to seek Your face and desire to please You. Please help me to never desire anything that is against Your will and to walk daily on the path that Your Word enlightens. In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.​

 Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​

 

THE 27th OF FEBRUARY
GOD IS WITH US TO STRENGTHEN, HELP AND PROTECT US

• “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” - Isaiah 41:10

These promises are true for all who trust in the Lord and seek to do His will. God is omnipresent, there is no place where He is not and He knows everything. But how aware are we that God is here right now, His Holy Spirit is in us, and all He is waiting for, is for us to ask Him to manifest His presence and fill us?

The more we trust God’s Word that the Lord is with us and for us, the less we worry and fear. He strengthens us when we are weak, raises us up when we fall and helps us, whenever the enemy tries to destroy us.

We wish that the Lord would completely remove all tribulation, trouble, pain and everything we do not like. We can have peace knowing that even when the Lord does not remove these things, He has a reason and will use them for our long term good. The Lord is with us here and now and we are never alone. The truth is that God works in our lives at all times, even if we do not see what He is doing! We benefit from the final results when we remain faithful to the Lord.
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Suggested prayer: How great and wonderful are Your ways, dear Lord! You are the most wonderful Father! You love me with the most unselfish and perfect love and there is nothing I can do for You to love me more. But, the more I love and obey You, the more I will benefit of the effects of Your love and I will be happier. Your mighty hand, that wins any battle is there to strengthen, protect and help me through every challenge in life. Thank You for never forsaking me and for the assurance that You are with me no matter what! Glory and praises to Your holy Name, amen!

Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​​

 

THE 28th OF FEBRUARY
WE SHOULD HAVE NO FEAR, BECAUSE GOD IS WITH US

• “For I, the Lord your God, will hold your right hand, saying to you, ‘Fear not, I will help you.’” - Isaiah 41:13

What a wonderful promise! The Lord God is telling us that He will hold our right hand and we should not to be afraid of anything, because no matter what problems we go through, He is there to help us.

No matter how strong the attack of the evil one is, no matter how desperate our situation seems to be, our hand is in the Lord's hand. Often, as a child, while my Dad was holding my hand, I was not afraid of anything! I knew no one could hurt me, because my father would protect me. Back then I had absolute trust in my father's protection. As I grew older I realized that my earthly father was not almighty. But now, we know that we have the Father who is truly Almighty and Who tells us that we have no reason to fear!

Jesus said in Luke 12:4-5 “And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!”

Suggested prayer: Thank You heavenly Father, for holding me by my right hand! You protect and help me to make it through this hard time in my life, and You rejoice with me when all goes right. Because I know that You are with me, I can have peace and there is nothing I have to fear. I have no reason to fear people, because even if they would kill my body, I would just make it sooner to heaven. Because you are my Lord, I may say as Paul did “ to live is Christ and to die is gain!” In the Name of Jesus I pray, amen.

Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​​

 

The 29th of FEBRUARY
THE PRAYER OF A HUMBLE HEART THAT IS READY TO UNDERSTAND THE WILL OF GOD, WILL BE HEARD

• Daniel 10:12 Then said he unto me, “Fear not, Daniel: for from the first day that you did set your heart to understand, and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come because of your words.”

 
The prophet Daniel had a pure and sincere heart before the Lord. He loved his people and was a man of prayer for his nation, even while in captivity. Once, when he was seeking the Lord fasting and praying, it took 21 days until he received a response from the Lord through the visit of Archangel Gabriel, who told him that he had been heard from day one. How encouraging!
 
To some prayers we receive an answer right away, for others it may take a while, but we can be sure that when we want to understand God’s will, with all our heart and we are humble and sincere, the Lord hears our prayers from the first day. The reasons why the response we are expecting is delayed, may differ from case to case, but if we know we have been heard, we can wait more patiently, without losing our faith that we will get what we asked for. It is desirable to keep our hearts sincere and allow the Holy Spirit to mold us. The more sensitive we are to the gentle voice of the Holy Spirit, accepting His corrections and acting accordingly, the more effective our prayers will be. The Lord's wants us to pray effectively and He teaches us how to do it, if we have a malleable heart. Hallelujah!
 
Suggested Prayer: Dear Lord, please help me to keep an obedient heart, like a soft clay in Your hand. To hear when You correct me and to live and pray to please You. Please help me to not have selfish prayers, without effect, and help me to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit more clearly so that I may become what You want me to be. I want to understand Your will and to have a humble heart, full of Your love, so that I can pray effectively and powerfully, to the glory of Your Name, amen.

Copyright 2019 Carmen Pușcaș. May be used for personal study or instruction but shall not be copied and/or distributed in whole or part without permission or for financial profit.​​​​

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