Psalm 60:11

Give us help from trouble: for vain is the help of man. 

Today's Thought: Only the Lord Jesus Christ is trustworthy to help us.


The story of George Muller always fascinates Christians. He was a man of prayer, who always depended God for the provision and direction of the ministry God entrusted him. Muller emphasized the importance of presenting needs to the Lord instead to men. In asking others for prayers, he would usually tell them of the need without presenting the amount or the specific volume of needs.

Often times, if we are bombarded with troubles at all sides, we would put God the last option. As if God is the "court of last resort". But Psalm 60:11 reminds us today that while men can help us in times of trouble in the limited capacity they could, it is only the Lord who can provide us with an all-proof help in times of trouble.

Let us always endeavor to seek God and ask for His guidance on everything that we do as He is our very present help in the times of need.

Lamentations 3:39

Wherefore doth a living man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? 

Today's Thought: As much as we sinned against the Lord, let us be ready for the spanking.


The greatest problem of most Christians is the inability to know when God sends His trials and when He punishes us for our sins. Even if we are already rebuked by the Lord, we always say we are tested by God and we shall come forth as gold. It is a tragedy of self righteousness that God prolongs the punishment we are in.

When we are sinning against God, let us expect for the punishments of God as well. And when we are punished, the right response is to accept our shortcoming and ask God for mercy, rather than complain for what God has put us into because of our hardheadedness. It will not do us good, but only the acknowledgement of our sins and the forgiveness of God can put us through.

Even more, when we are punished and acknowledged our sins, let us remember that while God causes us pain in our punishment, the compassion and mercies of God are always enough.

Nehemiah 9:2

    And the seed of Israel separated themselves from all strangers, and stood and confessed their sins, and the iniquities of their fathers.

Today's Thought: Before confession, there should be a complete separation.



Reverend J.C. Ryle talked much about separation. He preached:

    No doubt you have had many a battle, and made many a false step. You have sometimes felt ready to faint, and been half disposed to go

 back to Egypt. But your Master has never entirely left you, and He will never suffer you to be tempted above that you are able to bear. Then

    persevere steadily in your separation from the world, and never be ashamed of standing alone. Settle it firmly in your mind that the most

    decided Christians are always the happiest, and remember that no one ever said at the end of his course that he had been too holy, and

    lived too near to God.

Confession is a vital element in forgiveness. There should be an acknowledgement of sins through confession for forgiveness to be effectual. Otherwise, forgiveness is a ready but rejected gift. Without separation, it is impossible to have a 180-degree turn away from sin making the confession process bogus, a sham, and a show.


If a gambler wants to confess his sins, he should stop associating with other gamblers. If a drunkard wants to stop drinking, he needs to stay away from bars. If we want to show the seriousness of our confession, let us begin with separation.

Psalm 44:20-21

    If we have forgotten the name of our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange god;

    Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the heart.

Today's Thought: God searches the heart when we forget the name of our God.



The story of the nation of Israel is filled with running away from God, worshiping other strange gods, and forgetting the goodness of the Lord. But it is also a story of the grace of God, of His everlasting love, and relentless pursuit of His chosen people.


Often times, backsliding away from God starts with the simple slipping away from the intangible and invisible aspects our Christian life especially prayer and communing with God. Then it progresses with the decline in interest of the Word of God, and even the fellowship with the brethren. The end of it is forgetting the name of our God and worshiping strange gods.


But let us not forget that God searches the heart. He knoweth the hearts of man. It is impossible to get away with God or even completely erase Him from memory because God searches and reins the heart of man.

Daniel 9:18

    O my God, incline thine ear, and hear; open thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by thy name: for we do no present our supplications before thee for our righteousness, but for thy great mercies.

Today's Thought: We pray not because of our own's sake, but because of God's nature.



Peter, as typical as he was, asked Jesus for him to walk on water like Jesus did. Just few steps away from the boat, Peter started sinking. But thank you for Jesus and Peter was saved.


Commonly, we would think that the call or prayer of Peter saved him from sinking. Others would even attribute the saving to the 'returning' faith of Peter. But only few would think that Peter was saved from sinking because of Jesus. The nature of God, His compassion and His mercy saves Peter and not his own self.


Daniel knew well about prayer. For certain, the credentials of Daniel would be easily equated with answered prayers. Yet, Daniel acknowledged in his prayer that it was not his righteousness, but for the great mercies of God that his prayers were answered.


Let us remember this as we present our supplications unto God. It is not because of us, but because of God's nature - His unfailing compassion and mercy.