Author: SanMan

Best Forever Gift

Christmas is the most joyous season of the year, filled with parties and gifts. Everyone joins in the joyful pursuit of the perfect gift, coolest toys, and awesome gadgets. However, the most exceptional gift bestowed upon anyone is Immanuel—God with us.

Matthew 1:23 (ESV): Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel (which means, God with us).

Best Deal Ever-Two in One!
In our shopping-savvy world, snagging the best deals is a thrill. Two-for-One deals are always an attention grabber. Jesus’ arrival, though, was the ultimate two-for-one special. As fully God, He brought unmatched power, and as a human, He connected with our feelings, joys, and sorrows—making Him the perfect empathetic companion for our needs.

In The Past – Immanuel – Miracles Galore
Social media is full of people who do things that capture our attention. Jesus performed healing miracles, raising-of-the-dead miracles and calming of the stormy seas miracles. Large crowds of people gathered around Him to experience His power. While these showed His miraculous power, they were all done because of his compassion towards mankind. No one who came to Jesus went back empty handed without a miracle.

In The Present -Immanuel – The Miracles Continue
In a world buzzing with claims of miracles, followers often find themselves wanting. Acts of the Apostles unveils the journey of Jesus’ disciples, carrying forward His miraculous legacy. Envision Peter at the temple gate, declaring, “In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” In a miraculous moment, the man, lame from birth, leaps to his feet and walks!

Jesus is still performing miracles in the lives of people. Jesus said:
John 14:12-14 (ESV)“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

The Future: Immanuel – You can count on Him!
Matthew who presents us that fact that Jesus is the Immanuel, closes his book with a statement of hope from Jesus himself.
Matthew 28:20: …And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
The author of Hebrews states:
Hebrews 13:5: … “For He has said: I will never leave you nor forsake you.”


Eternity – Us With God
The grand finale of this is that Jesus will one day come back to take us to Heaven. If you have trusted Him as your Lord and Savior in this earthly life, He will come back in the clouds to take us home so that we can be with Him – forever!

Life Application
What a great promise we have in Christ Jesus! He is not just a baby placed in a manger. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In Revelation, we see that He is the Alpha and Omega. He holds the keys of life and death! No power on earth can come against you, because you are safe in His hands.

So today as you face your battles, and your storms, your depressions, and your temptations, remember that He is still Immanuel – God with us!

Christmas Chaos and Clarity

Christmas is a time of celebration and festivities. However, we are all familiar with the chaos that happens at Christmas time. Everything from delayed flights, delayed gifts and children getting sick, we’ve all had our share of chaos in the most wonderful season of the year. Did you know that the very first Christmas was filled with chaos beyond measure?

Meet a small town young girl named Mary. She lived a low-key lifestyle, kept herself pure, and served God faithfully. One day as she was going about her day, doing the mundane day-to-day things, she got the biggest surprise of her life: a visit from angel Gabriel!


News that rocked her world
Mary received news that turned her life upside down, throwing her into confusion and chaos. She learned she was chosen to be the mother of the Savior of the world, but there was a big problem—she wasn’t married yet! To complicate matters more, she was engaged to a man named Joseph. This revelation meant she was about to become the town’s hot topic, the target of jokes, and the subject of ridicule from family, friends, and neighbors. She may even be stoned, given the cultural and societal rules of the day. Her iPad calendar kept reminding her of things she had to do that day but she was now stuck in a dilemma.

Mary’s right response
Luke 1:34-35 (ESV): And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”
It is important to note her response. She did not ask, “why?” She did not respond with: “why me”, “why now”, or “why not someone else.” Her response was apt and to the point: “How shall this be?” Mary’s response was the right answer God was waiting to hear. God knew that it came from a sincere heart that accepted the news but has a genuine question. Nothing like this has ever happened before (or ever after!)

Clarity in Chaos
Luke 1:35 (ESV): And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God.

Mary’s heartfelt painful question was answered with a soothing answer from God: you will be overshadowed by the Almighty! In other words, Mary you don’t have to do anything for this take place. Mary, you can trust the Almighty to take care of every step ahead for the fulfilment of this promise.

Results of surrender
Did everything go smoothly after she accepted the assignment? No. She still had to face an innkeeper with no room, find a manger to put her baby in, and move to another country because of King Herod. But she persevered, trusting God with His plans. The result of it all? Christ was born!

Life Application
1. Trust God: When faced with tough life-altering challenges we should accept the plan of God and ask Him, how we will He do what he has promised.

2. Talk to God: God doesn’t get angry when you ask sincere questions. He is there to answer every doubt you have.

3. Walk with God: Just allow the Lord to walk you through the process. Allow God to work out the details, allow Him to change the hearts that need to be changed, and let Him do what only He can do!

Doing so, you too can abide in the shadow of the Almighty (Psalm 91:1) and have clarity in your confusions.



Lean-In Tower

Every year about 5 million tourists visit Italy to see the leaning tower of Pisa. This magnificient structure has been leaning for about 830 years. However, this tower’s origin lies in the fact that there was an architectural design and engineering flaw. It is leaning because it was built on unstable soil, and the foundations basically gave up.

Jehovah Metsudhathi

The Bible tells us about another tower.
Proverbs 18:10 – The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run into it and are safe.
Psalms 18:2 – The LORD is my rock, and my fortress (Metsudah), and my deliverer; my God, my strength, in whom I will trust;

For King David who was a man of war, the strength and the position of the tower meant life and death. Defensive towers were used for shielding and offensive towers were used to rain down missiles on the enemies.

However David fought his battles differently. On one hand he did use the physical towers that were strategically built. But his strength came from the other tower – the name of the Lord.

Picture this classic moment in 2nd Samuel Chapter 5: David, newly anointed king over Israel, knew that the Philistines are on the hunt for him. What does he do? He heads straight to his stronghold (tower). Compare that to today’s “Situation Room” in the White House, where the President and military leaders plot strategic moves. But here’s the difference—David isn’t mapping out war plans in his tower.

2nd Samuel 5:17,19 (NIV): When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. 19 so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?” The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

David won this round of the battle. But when the Philistines came back again to attack him, David went back to the Lord for the next war strategy.

22 Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; 23 so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees.

Having received new set of directions, David marched ahead as instructed and won that battle as well.

Life Application
1. Begin Early: David did not learn the art of relying on God when he became king and found himself in trouble. Way back, when nobody was looking, and he was alone dealing with lions and bears while taking care of his father’s sheep, David learned to trust God in those battles. His testimony was “The Lord who saved me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear, He will save me from the hand of this Philistine” (1 Samuel 17:37). Cultivate a habit of reading God’s Word and listening to his counsel at a young age.

2. Be Submissive. The battle in 2nd Samuel Chapter 5 was not David’s first battle. Despite his experience, David consistently seeks counsel from the Lord. It’s a valuable lesson: let’s make a habit of turning to the Lord, even when it might not immediately make sense to us.

3. Be Flexible. Humans are creatures of habit. When one method works, we stick to it, and we are reluctant to change our ways. David knew the Philistines well. After all, his first victory was against Goliath the Philistine. But he was willing to listen to the advice of the Lord when new battle plans were given to him.


Achieving victory against the enemy’s attacks is within your reach. When faced with discouragement, negative thoughts, or the temptation to quit, you can emerge as a triumphant warrior by running into Jehovah Metsudhathi, the strongest tower ever! He is your Lean-In, Lean On, Live In Tower.


Raise Your Cup!

In America, raising a cup is a universal symbol of celebration. Whether it is a toast at a wedding or the victorious hoisting of the Stanley Cup in the NHL, these moments are etched into our collective memory. Cameras capture every angle, ensuring that whether you’re a fan at a Championship game or a joyous wedding guest, your smartphone is poised to help you treasure these memories forever.

Bible talks about raising another cup. It is called the Cup of Salvation.
Psalms 116 verses 13-14 (NIV)
13 I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord.
14 I will fulfill my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

The first 5 verses of this psalm says God has heard. The next 5 verses says God has helped.

Vows during distress
In the Old Testament times, when a Jewish person goes through distress, he would cry out to God and makes vows to the Lord. It was like saying, “God, if You help me through these hard days, I promise to do something special for You.” Jacob did this when he ran away from his house, fleeing from Esau.
Genesis 28:20 (NIV) Then Jacob made a vow, saying, “If God will be with me and will watch over me on this journey I am taking …. then the Lord will be my God …and of all that you give me I will give you a tenth.”

Celebration of gratitude
So when the difficult days are over, the one who made the vow to the Lord would go to the temple to offer up a sacrifice. It was called the peace offering. It is a way of saying thank you to God for all the good things He gives us. This was a costly sacrifice because it has to be an animal without blemish. In the New Testament Jesus became our sacrificial offering and thus gave us the Cup of Salvation that we can raise up to God with thanks.

Life Application
The last week of November is often called the Thanksgiving Week. We gather with friends and family, enjoy good food, and have a time of celebration. As our Instagram feeds turn into a mouthwatering feast for the eyes with a variety of turkey dishes and savory apple ciders, let’s not forget to lift our cups of gratitude.

Deutronomy 8:10-11 (NIV): “When you have eaten and are satisfied, praise the Lord your God for the good land he has given you. Be careful that you do not forget the Lord your God…”

Pause for a moment, flip through the pages of your calendar, and reminisce about the tough times—the stressful days, the weeks of sickness , and the periods of worry. Recall how, through it all, the Lord delivered you. Let your sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving be the secret ingredient that transforms your Thanksgiving Day into a truly unforgettable celebration in the eyes of the Lord.

Turning Marred Pots Into Marvels

A beautiful mural that stretches across the wall, that blends colors and shapes, a sculpture in the park, or a food display created by a world renown chef. All these things capture our attention. We are mesmerized by the beauty and skills of the artist. But have you wondered how these masterpieces were created?

There was once a famous master potter. Let’s call him Jim. He was the go-to guy for all pottery needs in his town. Jim’s pots were used in palaces, weddings, and national events. His team carefully took his pots, painted and decorated and packed them for their destinations.

But there was one pot that had a problem. It was marred, disfigured and destined to be ignored.

Jeremiah 18:4 (NIV): But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands;

In our hustle-and-bustle world, fixing what’s broken often takes a backseat. In a factory, anything out of line usually ends up in the trash. For an artist, a mistake might mean reaching for a fresh canvas. A worn-out pencil? Easily replaced with a shiny new one. And when it comes to vehicles, the old ones make way for newer, sleeker models.

But this pot wasn’t in our hands (thankfully!). It was in the hand of someone better than Jim – God! He was patient with it. He had invested considerable amount of time finding the soil in the mountain area, carefully removing the rocks, and adding just enough water to make the clay. He wasn’t going to give up on this pot. The next part of that same verse says:

So the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

Clay Pot repair

The pot now has hope! It has a new chance at life. It shall no longer be called ugly, outcast, or useless. The Master has a new plan for the pot. We are not told why the pot was marred in the first place but what matters is that the Master saw the plight of the pot. He knew that this pot still had potential. So he created a new masterpiece out of the marred vessel.

Today I want to remind you that you too have hope! Paul, Peter, Jacob, and Moses are some examples of marred pots that were turned into shiny new pots.

So be encouraged as you remain in the Master’s hands. He has a plan for you! Commit your brokenness, limitations, and failures to Him. He can transform them into something beyond your dreams.

Adventure to Divine Destiny

In just a few weeks, the holiday travel rush will be in full swing. It’s no surprise that delayed flights and vacations rescheduled for later have sadly become part of the norm these days. If we could gauge the combined sighs and groans of travelers these days, it would be more than the sounds at a music festival. In the Book of Ruth, we are introduced to a woman whose plans were changed.But it wasn’t her long awaited vacation plans to Hawaii. Ruth’s whole life journey was turned upside down in just a few years. She was a Moabite woman, whose journey started when she got married to a man named Mahlon. A Moabite was forbidden, by God, unto the tenth generation to enter into the presence of God, for their failure to help the children of Israel. Naomi’s life in Moab Life in Moab was a real rollercoaster for Naomi. Initially, her husband Elimelech passed away, and shortly after, her two sons, Mahlon and Chilion, also departed from this world. All her dreams of having a big, happy family and enjoying a peaceful retirement flew out the window. All that remained were her two daughters-in-law, Orpah and Ruth. Fork in the Road In the midst of a long dusty road, we find three widows walking and making their way back to Bethlehem. Naomi urges them to not continue with her on the thirty mile journey. Orpah calls it quits and decides to go back to Moab. Your God, My God It is at this crucial moment, that Ruth utters the most poetic expression of love that has ever been penned. Though we hear this in wedding ceremonies, depicting the love of the bride and groom, these statements were uttered in the midst of a painful choice that Ruth had to make. Ruth 1:16 -“But Ruth said, entreat me not to leave you, or to turn back from following you, for wherever you go, I will go. Wherever you lodge, I will lodge. Your people shall be my people, your God, my God. And where you die, I will die. And there I will be buried. The Lord do so to me– Yahweh do so to me and more, if anything but death parts you and me” What is remarkable is her commitment to Yahweh God, whom she has known only with her relationship with Naomi’s family. Ruth is making an everlasting commitment to the God that she had only recently heard of. Life changed forever! And with that, she changed the trajectory of her life. Her destiny was changed. Those generational curses? Wiped out! Banished from God’s presence? Not anymore! Her descendants considered as outcasts? Never again! Her future has been totally transformed! Despite being a Moabitess who, wouldn’t have had the chance to experience God’s presence, she ended up blessed beyond measure with just one heartfelt statement. She even became the great-grandmother of King David and her name is in the genealogy of Christ (Matthew 1:5)! Life Application Are we, as second or third-generation Christians in a land of abundance, still committed to serving the God of the Bible? Has reading God’s Word now become a chore? Is prayer now just a memory of what our grandparents used to do? And do we find Sunday sermons “boring” unless they come with props? If so, it might be time for a U-turn back to God and a renewed commitment. Your destiny too can be changed for ever!

Thankful in the Painful

As we transition from the candy-filled frenzy of October to November, a sense of gratitude is in the air. For many Americans, November is synonymous with Thanksgiving, a time when we reflect on the things we’re thankful for. Social media feeds fill up with gratitude posts, and some even embark on a daily thankfulness journey throughout the month. But have you ever wondered if it’s possible to be thankful when life deals you a tough hand? Can you find gratitude in the midst of pain and disappointment? The answer lies in the extraordinary story of Leah.

Leah’s Unexpected Life Journey

Leah’s life didn’t unfold as she’d imagined it in her youth. She likely dreamed of finding love, getting married, and living happily ever after. However, her reality was quite different.

In Genesis 29:17, we learn that Leah was described as having “delicate” eyes, while her sister Rachel was renowned for her beauty. The exact meaning of “delicate” is unclear, but the verse suggests that she was not considered as attractive as her younger sister. Leah, despite being the older sister, lived in Rachel’s shadow. Rachel was everything Leah aspired to be, and it seemed that Leah couldn’t measure up.

Enter Jacob, the man of her dreams, or so she thought. Unfortunately, Jacob’s heart was set on Rachel, not Leah. Jacob worked seven long years to marry Rachel, only to be deceived by their father, Laban, who substituted Leah for Rachel on their wedding day. Imagine the heartbreak and disappointment Leah must have felt.

Leah’s life continued in the shadow of her sister’s beauty and love. However, there was one who saw the pain she endured. In Genesis 29:31, we’re told, “When the Lord saw that Leah was unloved, He opened her womb, but Rachel was barren.” This theme of God’s special care for those facing life’s challenges is a recurring theme throughout the Bible.

Choosing Gratitude Through Pain

In our world, recognition often goes to those who possess beauty, popularity, wealth, humor, talent, or power. However, God’s focus lies in close proximity to those with shattered hearts, offering salvation to those whose spirits are crushed.

While the story of Leah is quite familiar to many, what’s notable is that as she gave birth to her first three children, she named them with a focus on her sense of despair, hoping that her husband would finally love her:

  • Reuben: “The LORD has surely looked on my affliction. Now therefore, my husband will love me.”
  • Simeon: “Because the LORD has heard that I am unloved, He has therefore given me this son also.”
  • Levi: “Now this time my husband will become attached to me because I have borne him three sons.”

The birth of her first three sons reflected her desperate hope for Jacob’s love, but things took a turn when she had her fourth child. Her perspective shifted, and she decided to praise God. She called him Judah (pronounced yaw-dah).

In Hebrew, “praise” is “yāḏâ” (yaw-daw’), and she declared, “Now I will YADA my God.” Regardless of her circumstances, Leah chose to focus on God and praise Him. This transformation was a turning point in her life.

A Legacy of Praise

This decision to praise the Lord resulted in the birth of a son whose lineage would lead to the Messiah. Leah’s act of praise, despite her emotional pain, had a lasting impact for generations to come. Her great-great-great-grandson was David, the renowned psalmist. Leah’s choice to worship in the face of adversity had a profound effect on her descendants.

A Beautiful Ending
In the end, Leah’s faithfulness and praise were honored in a way that surpassed her sister’s beauty. Genesis 49:31 says that when she died, she was buried alongside the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, alongside their wives.

Leah’s final resting place is a remarkable testament to her faith and the contrast between her and her sister, Rachel. She was interred in the same sepulcher as the patriarchs Abraham and Isaac, alongside their wives. In stark contrast, Rachel, who clung to her father’s idols as they departed Laban’s household, passed away on their journey and was buried in an unmarked location.

Leah’s choice to praise God, having witnessed His remarkable ability to transform seemingly insurmountable challenges into miracles, stands in stark contrast to Rachel’s disposition. Rachel’s heart remained tethered to worldly idols, ultimately leading to her passing during their journey.

Though Jacob’s chosen companion in life was Rachel, it was God’s decree that Leah, the unloved and seemingly unfortunate figure, would share her final resting place with Jacob, forever intertwining their destinies in death.

Her commitment to praising God, even in the darkest times, was a testament to her enduring faith.

As we celebrate Thanksgiving and reflect on our own lives, let Leah’s story inspire us. Even in the most challenging circumstances, we can choose to praise, find strength, and leave a legacy of gratitude that transcends our lifetime.

So, as you navigate the ups and downs of life this year, remember Leah’s example. Whether you’re facing financial struggles, relationship issues, or any other challenge, resolve to give thanks and spend time with the Lord. Through it all, praise can be your anchor.

Let Leah’s story remind you that gratitude can be your strength, no matter what life brings your way.