We live in a stressful world, therefore it is important to develop inner reserves to draw strength from when things go wrong. We can’t control the storms around us, but we can control our reactions to them. Remember the story of Jesus and His disciples in a boat. Suddenly a storm blew up, the winds howled, and the waves washed over the boat. Yet Jesus was asleep peacefully. They woke Him up. Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still”. The most important source of strength is the peace that Jesus Christ offers to those who love and trust Him. Storms in our lives may rage, but our hearts can be at peace. The reason to be at peace is that God is in control. The Bible talks about inner peace that comes from the Lord.

Jesus said, Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”                                             John 14: 27
                                                                                                           

God is not the author of confusion but of peace.                                            1. Corinthians 14, 33

The peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.                                                                                                       Philippians 4: 7

Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace, and the God of Love and peace shall be with you.                                                                                                          2 Corinthians 13: 11

Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord.
                                                                                                                Hebrews 12: 14

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.                                                                 Colossians 3: 15

 
                                                                                                                 Blessings,
                                                                                                                 Musarrat Nasir

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Jesus said, Peace, Be still! And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.

Please feel free to send these devotions to anyone you think would benefit from them. Weekly radio program and weekly devotions are on our website, www.thepowerofthecrossonline.org . Send your comments to musarrat@bellsouth.net .

Please help us with this ministry and send your gifts and donations to the Presbytery office for South Asian ministry. Thank you

The Presbytery of Tropical Florida, 440 E. Sample Road, Suite # 208 

Pompano Beach, Fl 33064                                                                                                                  

Duty towards the poor and needy:

Living in a society where government welfare programs are in place, it is easy for us to ignore the importance of helping the poor. There is no substitute, in God’s eyes, for our compassion for the needy people of the world. The Bible reminds us again and again that we owe love and kindness to our fellow man and love and reverence to God. When we show compassion towards the needy, we show our love for God.

He that has pity on the poor lends to the Lord.                                            Proverbs 19: 17

Jesus said to the rich man, “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, and follow Me”.

                                                                                                               Matthew 19: 21

Jesus said: When you make a dinner or a supper, call not your friends, nor your brethren, neither your kinsmen, nor your rich neighbors; lest they also invite you back, and  you be repaid. But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just”.                             
                                                                                                               Luke 14: 12-14

But who ever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up  his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him. My little children, let us not love in words or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.                                                                                      1 John 3: 17- 18

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world.

                                                                                                                James 1: 27 
                                                                                                                Blessings,
                                                                                                                Musarrat Nasir

Please feel free to send these devotions to anyone you think would benefit from them. Weekly devotions and weekly radio programs are on our website, www.thepoerofthecrossonline.org . You can send your comments to musarrat@bellsouth.net . On July 12, 2008 we celebrated our 6th anniversary on the radio. Thank God for this opportunity to share my faith with all of you. Thanks for listening the weekly radio program and helping us with your prayers and gifts. Please send your donations for the South Asian ministry, to the Presbytery of Tropical Florida at 440 E. Sample Road, Suite # 208 Pompano Beach, Fl 33063. 

HYPOCRISY, The Bible is consistently pro-honesty, so naturally it condemns hypocrisy, which is a form of lying. The Bible makes it clear that a hypocrite may be able to fool all the people all the time, but the all knowing God sees past the façade. He is not pleased when people wear his uniform while they do the work of the devil. Jesus spoke against religious hypocrites. Some religious people place too much emphasis on the visible side of faith while neglect the unseen part. Jesus condemns them because they are hypocrites.

JESUS SAID, How can you say to your brother, “Let me pull out the speck out of your eye” and, behold, a plank is in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take out the plank from your own eye, and then shall you see clearly to take out the speck from your brother’s eye.                  Matthew7:3-5

When you fast, be not, like hypocrites, with a sad face, for they disfigure their faces that men will know they are fasting. Truly I say to you, they have their reward. But when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that the fasting will not be known by men, but by your father in heaven who is in secret: and your Father, who sees in secret, shall reward you openly.              Matthew 7: 3-5

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you tithe mint and anise and cumin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law- judgment, mercy, and faith.

Woe to you, for you clean the outside of the cup and platter, but within they are full of greed and self-indulgence. First clean what is inside the cup and platter, so that the outside of them may be clean also.                                                                                                           Matthew 23: 23-25

They have a form of godliness, but deny its power; from such people turn away.          

                                                                                                                  2 Timothy 3: 5

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, submissive, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.                                                        James 3: 17

                                                                                                                  Blessings,
                                                                                                                  Musarrat Nasir

Please feel free to send these devotions to anyone you think would benefit from them and send your comments to musarrat@bellsouth.net  . Weekly devotions and weekly radio programs are on the web 24/7. Please log on to www.thepowerofthecrossonlne.org .Thanks for sending your donations for the South Asian ministry to the Presbytery of Tropical Florida, 440 E. Sample Road, Suite# 208 Pompano Beach, Fl 33064       

Freedom is the basic right of every human being. Some people think of freedom as having no strings, no boundaries, no rules and no laws. According to the word of God,

Freedom is to do the right thing, free to please God and be good citizens of the land we live in. We should love and respect one another regardless of our religious believes and

culture. We should be law abiding citizens. 

Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves, for rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same

Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy.                                                                                           Romans 13: 1-3 &13

Proclaim liberty throughout all the land to all the inhabitants thereof.                                                                                                      Leviticus 25:10

{This verse is inscribed on the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia.} 

You shall know the truth, and truth shall make you free.                                 John 8:36

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.                                              2 Corinthians 5:1

Brethren, you have been called to liberty: only use not liberty to indulge the sinful nature: rather, with love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.                                                                                                   Galatians 5: 13-14

Whoever looks into the perfect law of liberty, and persevere in it, being not a hearer who forgets but a doer who acts, this man shall be blessed in what he does.   
                                                                                                                 James 1: 25

THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK:

Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.                                 

                                                                                                                 Blessings,
                                                                                                                 Musarrat Nasir

Please feel free to send these devotions to anyone you think would benefit from them.