Thoughts for another day

July 31, 2008

Today's verse: 2 Cor. 11:30. If I must boast, I will boast of the things that show my weakness. (NIV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Human beings instinctively like to boast. In a meeting you will discover at least two persons, even among a group of ten, boasting about what great things they have done and what stupendous things they can do. Parents boast about their children and children about their parents even if the cumulative achievements of both cannot even fill a minute worth of words. But these are bandied about as the to be ‘geniuses’ or ‘already are geniuses’, but low profile!

What’s the intrinsic worth of boasting if you ask, then one might attempt to say it is the desperate action to fulfill unfulfilled desire, albeit rhetorically. But lest we stray towards behavioral traits, moving away from Spiritual nourishment, I’ll quickly mention that boasting isn’t from God per se, unless it’s about God; that too, in situations demanding boasting though, God knows whether He detests or doesn’t mind us boasting about Him. But boasting about our weaknesses is something that God would want in us because when I am weak then He is strong and His Grace flows ever so fully.

In today’s scripture, Paul brings up the subject, saying that if boasting is to be taken recourse to, it’s appropriate when done in God’s context specifically suggesting our nothingness, else it’s merely puffed wind. David says in Ps 34:2, ‘my soul will boast in the Lord’ and he gives the reason why: ‘the afflicted will listen and rejoice’. Boasting of my personal weakness while considering my strength lies in the Lord, can be appropriate for it springs hope in the heart of a sinner or one who is in deep trouble whereas, boasting in my strength and not God’s is hardly a comfort to anyone else!

We too, must take this to heart and learn not to boast of our strength because we have no strength without God. But if boast we must, then let the words that come out of our mouths talk about the wonderful works of our Father God, our Lord Jesus Christ and the magnificence of the Holy Spirit, while putting down self.

Thoughts for another day

July 30, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Pet. 4:13. But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ's sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

In the past few years that I’ve been in ever so small a Ministry, I have seen and observed many things; some to my delight and some, dismay (this of course pertains to me too). I always assign the things that dismay to our imperfections that turn us into unlikely Christians by which we degrade people or are vengeful or proud and what have you.

Most of us, and that again includes me, are ready to take up high and exalted positions in the Kingdom. Preach? Aha, well we all want to stand in front of people and thunder and stomp our feet and bring down God’s power upon the faithful gathered there! As for praying and laying on of hands, we would like to be known as God’s ambassadors and lay our hands upon as many people as possible and pray and expect God to answer our prayers; how else will people call us again, no?

But, there is one thing I haven’t observed and that is the willingness to walk the talk. At our convenience, we go to pray for people, but if there is an emergency, someone else can go because it is inconvenient to us. If some brother or sister is in a financial crunch, we don’t have even a few dollars to give them and we tell them, ‘Sister/brother, don’t worry, God will take care of you, eh?’ As to going out of the way to do something for people, oh, the oft repeated line, ‘I don’t have the time’ comes into play, no? As to fasting or self denial, well what can I say, we always have excuses not to do such things, after all, our Lord has suffered for us and undergone pain for us, so what need we have to suffer or undergo pain? What hypocrites we are, aren’t we?

Now look at our above verse, Peter says, ‘you share in the sufferings of Christ…’ not ‘may share’ or some other prerogative. Our point for reflection today would be, am I ready to suffer for Christ? Am I ready to stand up for Him, no matter what the cost? If we are, then there is a guarantee: when Christ’s glory will be revealed, we shall share and be glad in exceeding joy. My brother/sister remember, in the Kingdom of God, the adage works very well…no pain, no gain. And today, the Master is looking for those who are willing to take up the Cross and follow Him. Are we ready?

Thoughts for another day

July 29, 2008

Today's verse: Philp. 4:4. Rejoice in the Lord always: and again I say, Rejoice. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Circumstances we behold in today’s times are so gloomy and ominous that most of us feel dull and lack chirpiness. Wherever you turn, people only talk about the news and what’s happening with the economy; the rising costs and shrinking salaries, etc. Apart from this we contend with unruly children or some financial crunch or some disease or situation of discomfort. Now with all this around, out of the blues comes the above verse. Wonder what a person feels when asked this question right in the midst of despair all around.

Whatever the answer from the people of the world we, the believers in Christ have another take – we rejoice. And we do it because we know our God. We know who He is and what He is capable of. We know that He loves us tremendously and He is looking upon us each day to seek Him so He can work in our lives. Ever so powerfully that none dare lift even a hand to scare us.

God’s cloak of warmth and contentment is over us and in every way; He assures, He is there when we need Him. He reveals His plan for our lives and we are to just trust Him to take care of our every need, no matter what the hurdle, even as we work out His plan in our lives, according to His will. And because we believe in Him who is so Awesome and so Magnificent, we can rejoice. When down in the dumps we rejoice, when at the zenith of success, we can smile and praise Him. When all things seem to be going wrong we can rejoice, even when death and destruction are around us, we can still smile and look up. For, Jesus never ditches nor fails us. Eventually, we must remember, we will come out victorious.

Thoughts for another day

July 28, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Cor. 16:13. Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. (NIV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Paul’s exhortation to readers of his letter to the Corinthians consists of four parts 1. Be on your guard, 2. Stand firm in the faith, 3. Be men of courage and 4. Be strong. Living daily life, requires that all the above are maintained, perhaps not in equal measure but each to suffice as the situation demands.

Our living here on earth is filled with the danger of fiery darts from the evil one. We do not know his strategy for us and he strikes at any time, just as these days in India, the place I live in, people do not know if they are safe in public places because of bomb blasts on consecutive days in different places. Hence, it’s necessary to be on our guard. Know that it’s the moment of gay abandon the evil one seeks to make you his slave. And he will do it for sure.

Paul’s next advice: Stand firm in the faith. God has given each one of us a measure of faith – it’s like the foundation on which we stand when the fiercest winds of the world blow, threatening to uproot us from our roots. Stronger the faith, stronger is the root. To be rooted in faith is a matter of fact and we need to develop this faith completely depending on God to make it grow as we clear each hurdle of faith in Him.

Paul then exhorts us to be people of courage. I have seen that fear is the crack, which the devil uses to wreck havoc with our lives. In every situation with God besides us, we are to be fearless for we are aware that the Rock is with us and He’ll never allow us to fall. Paul also urges us to be strong. Not in our own strength but strength that comes from the creator of the universe who makes the tallest mountains quiver at His breath.

With a mighty God with us and with all power at our disposal coming from the God of glory, sometimes I wonder, ‘how can I be so weak and so frightened?’ Then I remember that I am made of mud and my ‘all’ is only in Him as is the branch, which withers if it does not receive the sap from the vine! And in thus envisioning, I remain strong and courageous in Him, rooted in faith and guarding myself with His Grace at each juncture, lest I be yanked from my perch and made to scrounge for the devil.

Thoughts for another day

July 25, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Ch 17:13. I will be his father, and he shall be my son: and I will not take my mercy away from him, as I took it from him that was before thee: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Rhea, had just lost her father in a terrible accident. They had buried him that evening. Now at 11 pm only her younger brother and mother were there in the house. Her mother had stopped crying only a few mins. earlier and her brother being small, hardly knew what had happened. Although at age 14, Rhea really didn’t understand the extent of the loss, she still felt a terrible void. She had cried a bit seeing her dad lying still in the box and she really could not come to terms with his stillness. He was so lively and funny. She just could not imagine him lying motionless. Now it hit her hard even as she missed her father’s loving hand upon her as he used to put it around her and lull her to sleep each night telling her stories in that strange manner of his. Sorrow engulfed her and she sobbed very gently so as not to awaken her mother and brother.

She turned to God and asked Him in her innocent way, why it had happened. She knew God spoke to His people and she now lay silent waiting for His voice and gently drifted to sleep. In her dream she saw a beautiful sea of glass and on it someone wearing a dazzling garment coming toward her. In a trice she knew it was Jesus and then Jesus took her in His arms and held her. Her questions vanished. Jesus told her how much He loved her and that God Himself was her Father and from today, He had claimed her as His own and He would fulfils all her needs.

In the morning as she got up, she felt a calm she’d never before. She felt someone near her, leading her on. Her chores that she did so reluctantly in the morning were finished in no time at all. She turned to her mom and reassured her. This went on and Rhea discovered an inner strength she had never known. She now took her father’s place and somehow she always felt this presence in her life, guiding her and leading her forward. She instinctively knew it was her Heavenly Father who was keeping His promise. Years later one night, as she knelt to pray, she felt His hand upon her and really it was so beautiful. As the tears rolled down her eyes, she thanked Him, who had taken her father’s place walking with her as she grew to be a young lady, successful in all she did.

My friend, with or without tragedy, God is always our Father. Just as close to us as Rhea felt. His promise still stands, ‘I will be your father, and you shall be my child: and I will not take my mercy away from you’. Lay hold of His hand O dearly beloved of God and let Him lead thee along the road, ever so gently that the whisper of the breeze speaks to you even as His dominion over you is complete.

Thoughts for another day

July 24, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Jn. 3:1. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

In the night just before sleeping yesterday, I turned on a channel, which is about God. In a min. or so, I felt a deep sense of being warm and quickly realised that my Father in Heaven was washing me with His love! He had pulled me into the shadow of His wings!

I was amazed as I normally am, whenever God shows that beautiful love of His. It just grips you and you feel, what shall I say, perhaps ‘cool’! I am sure you who are reading this would have at some time or the other in your life experienced, the Hand of God touching you gently and caressing you. My friend, whenever I feel this, I realise, God is kind of demonstrating His filial love over you and also in a way stamping His ownership of you, just as we do for our children, when we hold them close and caress their hair or their faces.

My experience yesterday, takes me back to the time when I didn’t know my Lord so well and sinned against Him so often. I never even knew He’d be hurt and pained by my stupid deeds. For that matter, I still pain Him but by His Grace and the knowledge of His Being that He’s put into me, I atleast try to go back and mend fences. To be honest, this too He enables me to do. Besides, I’ve noticed that on days, when I grossly offend Him, that day, He shows His love the most, not that I should offend Him more, but to tell me How much He loves me even though I sin…how great He is, no?

Our verse above asks us to behold, what manner of love He have for us that despite sinning, He still loves and cherishes us. The Bible calls us His inheritance. Really O God, what kind of love do You have for us that though we are but the scum of the earth, You held us in such esteem, as to be called Your Supreme Majesty’s children?

Thoughts for another day

July 23, 2008

Today's verse: Jn. 4:14. But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The Samaritan woman never understood the meaning of what Jesus meant when He said the above words. And so do most of us. Here is an explanation that could give much needed relief to your raised eyebrows whenever you come across this passage in the Word of God.

The Water Jesus refers to is the Holy Spirit. He is like the mighty roaring of many waters that can churn the earth. Just, as it is told us, in Genesis at the beginning. Jesus knows the power of the Holy Spirit as no one does except the Father. Jesus knows that when the Holy Spirit comes upon a person, his or her life is changed forever. He is welling up with the Spirit’s nature and is set about the task of the Lord. He is changed from the ‘old man’ to the ‘new man’ as Paul says. Everything about his life changes drastically; his outlook, his reactions to life’s happenings and his manners.

Why you might ask? Because in the coming of the Holy Spirit the first thing a man gets acquainted with is His love. See the prime property of God is love and the Holy Spirit awakens this within us human beings. He raises so much love in us that we find it impossible not to love others. Then, our lives are filled with power. Not destructive power but simple things like the power to forgive and be humble. Not the power perhaps to become kings but rather the power to influence people and bring about positive change. It’s an awesome power that sweeps across people and holds them in its wake. It’s a power, flowing unceasingly from within the person in whom has come to rest, the Holy Spirit. It’s power that glorifies God our Father, even in seeming defeat as Jesus did although He died the miserable death of a sinner on the cross, not for His own sins though, but for ours.

My friend, the best thing you could do today is to befriend the Holy Spirit in your desire to glorify Jesus and surely I tell you, He will fill your life with power to work the world out for Jesus. And also let me tell you, no matter what is putting you down today, He will break into bits and renew your life completely. Amen.

Thoughts for another day

July 22, 2008

Today's verse: Eph. 6:10. be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Ah, here it is, the joy of the Lord is my strength. It is the blessedness of the Lord our God, which should form the core of our life and from this, should emanate the fortitude to lead, lives. Paul has understood this well for in every situation of his life, he evinced the mighty hand of God. In all his life’s travails, he depended on Him who had given up His life for him. And Paul’s own life served as a testimony often reminding him about the fact that there is One on whom he must depend…The One who bore the shame of the cross for his wretched self.

So too today, we must be assured in the wounds of our Lord Jesus Christ. We must remember that Jesus may allow something we don’t like in our lives, but if we accept His Sovereignty, bearing in mind that He is strong enough to bear us up and lift us high, then His might will flow into our lives. He will lift us on His wings for though we have traversed through the fire, He notices that we have kept the faith in Him and now He knows is the time to manifest His awesome power and He does… ever so powerfully that the world is stunned to see our recovery, just as they would have, Job’s recovery.

My friend, there will be times in your life when you will be forced to eat dirt for no fault of yours. But accept it in the Lord, keeping the faith that He will rescue in His time. And the one thing we need to be completely confident about is the power of our God. For when He chooses to take cudgels on our behalf, then no storm can stop Him nor earthquake deter His plan. In the midst of the raging fire, will He form ever so cool a space for you, even as you see the targets of His wrath destroyed around you while the blazing flames hardly singe you.

Thoughts for another day

July 21, 2008

Today's verse: Judges 10:17. And they put away the strange gods from among them, and served the LORD: and his soul was grieved for the misery of Israel. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

When I think about my sin and the harm I do to the Lord, I can’t help but turn my face in grief thinking about what one might say ‘the shallowness of my relationship’ with Him. How, for momentary pleasure or gratification, I wantonly disobey Him or shame Him. If you ask how it grieves Him, it’s simply like this; there is always a struggle the evil one, the accuser of our souls has with the Father of lights. It is as if the evil one is mocking God about His creation. In a way, giving Him no option but to allow the devil to throw his dirt on our lives because of which we suffer.

When we sin, God is hurt because although He loves us so much and has done so much for us, we still hurt Him for such small things. Don’t we also get hurt when our children or parents hurt us slightly? Yet very different are God’s ways for when we repent of our wrong doings, He turns His face to us and like the Father of the prodigal son, embraces us with His best embrace. In the Old Testament, we see this part of God, which is so tender. Look if you will carefully on the text of our verse today. It says that when the Israelites put away their idols and repented and served God, He was sorry for them. This, after, they had hurt Him so bad.

Today too, the Lord is the same as yesterday. No matter how much we have hurt Him, He is still gracious to forgive us. Yes, He is hurt a lot. It pains Him so much because He has loved us so much and still does. Yet because of His love, He puts up with us and turns back to us the moment we repent and call on His Name. How beautiful is the Lord, you will agree just as the adulterous woman did, when she met Him face to face. All she saw in those eyes was warmth and a love that yearned for her and didst not seek to destroy her, but restore the relationship she had with Him. Blessed are you if you understand this.

Thoughts for another day

July 16, 2008

Today's verse: Lk. 7:47. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The wisdom of the Son of Man in defending us miserable sinners is amazing. No man can stand before it nor challenge it. In fact, just when we think we have an extremely plausible response, God dares us to refute the logic in what He has done. When Job stuck to his innocence and expressed regrets about his birth and the way God had been unfair, God tells him, ‘Who is this that darkens counsel by words without knowledge?’ and then smacks him with such tremendous knowledge that Job is forced to shut up and accept his littleness. We see the same even with Abraham, when he tries to negotiate the non-destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah rather than just plead for Lot’s life.

In our verse for today, we see Jesus sitting at the learned Pharisee’s home for a meal and how this sinful woman does her oblations with the perfumed ointment. When the Pharisee mulls about the impropriety of Jesus accepting the woman who was sinful, Jesus from his own mouth brings about the reason as to why He accepts the woman. Truly, the reason is so touching and He sums it up with the Words of today’s verse.

When we try to apply that saying of Jesus in our lives, we can actually feel Him pick us up from the muck we are in. You know my friend, when He bends down to pick us up with our dirt and our warts, satan finds fault and accuses us, questioning Him or rather telling Jesus how he has conquered our lives. Yet the Son of Man refutes Him saying, I have shed My blood for him and My blood has washed him clean. With that He shuts satan’s mouth.

He is so precious and beloved, The One who has shed His blood and died for us. Yes, many will be the occasions, when we pierce His heart with our fallacies. But my friend, those many times will He bend down and look into our eyes and say, ‘I love you My child, even as you are…’

Thoughts for another day

July 15, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Cor. 2:4. And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The Gospel of the Son of Man is given unto men that they may proclaim it among the nations and also live it. People, finding God in a festival of blessing or a retreat or other means, hear and are convinced that they must preach. So we have a number of novice preachers, raring to go and spread the Name of Jesus among the nations.

Considering themselves firebrands and equaling themselves to the greats of yesteryears, their overt objective is to impress people and hope to bring them to the Lord. But, beneath this lies the personal objective, viz. to ensure that they are recognised, known and respected. The desire to bring people to God actually takes a back seat and all that helps ‘self’ goes afore. This may not be the case with all but is, with most. Preaching involves intelligent sentence making and a pouring forth of Biblical verses, as to leave everyone impressed. Wisdom is displayed in plenty and people respond saying, ‘what preaching…so powerful no?’ But as soon as the program is over, gone is everything that was said. Not even a shred of change is there.

So, what happened you may think. I’d say it was human endeavor and wisdom at its best with the Spirit of God, kept outside. How do you know, you may ask. I know because I was like that! He stopped me from preaching. Today, God has shown me what’s required as His messenger. The first and foremost is humility and waiting upon Him for the message and pleading that the Holy Spirit comes upon His people. For nothing can be achieved without the Spirit of God. Moreover, God enforces discipline in our prayer lives, which is really good, as we all know that prayer can achieve much. We tend to pray for God’s purposes and also that God may be, all in all.

Paul today, exemplifies this in His own life when He says it wasn’t with human wisdom that He spoke; rather He spoke with the empowering of the Holy Spirit. Through this flows Power: That Power, which can change man and bring about good, which is of God. Only in this kind of preaching is God’s perfect will attained and He is pleased to grant the desires of our hearts.

Thoughts for another day

July 14, 2008

Today's verse: 2 Tim. 1:7. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Paul says, Christians are endowed with power. Yet situations and time, make us susceptible to fears, defeats and frustrations. These are the devil’s tools to destroy us because in our fight with principalities and powers of the air, the devil wants us to lose. The first step is to instill fear in our minds. Having done that, he just needs to step back and see us sink to be finally defeated. He can then smirk at God saying how easy it is to destroy the creature He loves. In reflection, I can say, I really don’t understand how we can be fearful when God Himself asks us not to be!

As soon as we became Christians in the real sense of the word, the Grace of God became available to us. This Grace has endowed us with His awesomeness to the degree needed and in the period of trial to the extent the trial puts us down by. God’s Grace is completely in control of the situation and available to the extent we need, just as Christ told Paul, ‘My Grace is sufficient for you’.

Should we forget the above that God tells us in His Word? No, you might say, and then quickly forget, right? It’s easy to be confident in God when the sea is calm, but when things go wrong, when it’s bleak everywhere; we have to remember God’s promises and tell Him we’re ready to stand on them whatever happens. Only then can we sit back and witness his power work in our lives. Difficult things seem easy and that which seemed impossible now looks possible. See, God sharpens the edges of our abilities, so that we are sharp enough to handle situations of challenge.

With the spirit of Power, God also gives us the spirit of love and a sound mind for God knows that all need to work together. If we do not have a sound mind and love, then any power is wasteful, therefore, we need to accept these gifts of God and exercise them collectively. In the area of love, we may not be able to love most people, but we can at the least not hate them. Absence of hate, we will discover, will enable us to love. Only then we will be far removed from the defeat the devil has in store for us.

Thoughts for another day

July 11, 2008

Today's verse: 1 Tim. 1:8. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

I’ll give you an instance of what happened when I once traveled by train. I had the Bible with me in a bag and my mind was telling me to get it out and read. In my hand I had the newspaper and the other part of my mind was telling me to continue reading it and solving the puzzle I had finished half way. I continued with the puzzle. Then again my mind told me to remove the Bible and read it and I used the same argument, continuing as before. I realised I didn’t want to remove the Bible because the people around would then identify me as a Christian – mind you, this was peacetime and there was really speaking no danger for expressing the fact that I was a Christian. Yet, I didn’t want to identify with Christ!

Eventually, my action and thinking shamed me to the point that I removed the Bible and started reading and I’m sure it was by the mercy of the Spirit of God that I did it; not my own compulsion.

Today’s verse is to lead me into introspection about how precious is the relationship I have with Jesus. Is it deep and meaningful? Am I ready to lay my life on the line for His sake or is what I say just a lot of wind? I have always told myself that I am ready to be martyred for His sake, but when I look at my experience above, I ask myself, ‘Am I really ready to die for Him?’ Questions, for which answers will come only in time.

At the moment let me say that I hardly bother about my Lord. Many of those to whom I minister and teach may be surprised and say, ‘what a fraud’. Yes, my friend I am one. But I trust in His mercy. The same mercy which exalted Peter is the one I am leaning on, so that on the day when the cross beckons me amidst the cacophony of chants demanding my blood and when I see those murderous eyes eating into me, I too may like Stephen turn my face to heaven and pray, ‘Father, forgive…And in this bring Glory to Your Name.’

Thoughts for another day

July 10, 2008

Today's verse: James 2:1. My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Some years ago I went to a church down south India. I noticed benches/pews only at the rear of the church and a large amount of vacant space between them and the altar. I asked why the space was vacant and was told that the church’s membership consisted of sharply divided social backgrounds. On the one hand were the poor and illiterate and on the other hand, were the well-heeled ones. No prizes of course for guessing who sat on the floor in the vacant space and who, on the benches.

I found it odd. Probing further I was told that those who sat on the floor had no objection; instead they were very comfortable (in any case, they hardly sat on chairs/or even had chairs in their homes). So the priests had decided for the sake of the congregation’s ‘comfort’, to have this manner of sitting! What problem do I have, you may ask, if no one else seems to have a problem?

But I ask you, a Christian brother or sister, don’t you find this stupid. In our walk with the Lord as our Brother, we the church being His body, and I mean all of us, aren’t we equal in His sight. The Bible also suggests that those who are big should support the lesser ones. In the above practice, or even those we see in our churches and other places where we congregate for worship, we see favoritism or extra muscle being given to the rich. The Pastor, who has no time for you, when you go to meet him, has all the time for the man in the swank car who just drops by to seek a favor. He is all ears for him and even tells you how good the gentleman is to the church as he regularly funds the kitchen (where the meals come for this Pastor).

Maybe we can’t do much about the favoritism or partiality we see. But, there’s some thing we can do. That is, stop being unfair ourselves. Would it be possible for us to see all in the same light? It’s difficult, but possible. Just a wee bit of practice needed. When you stop expecting anything from those well endowed or others in authority, you can wear this nature. It’s God after all, who gives us everything and man is only His conduit. So our trust has to be in God, not man. This will ensure that you treat everybody equally, thus glorifying God, not man.

Thoughts for another day

July 9, 2008

Today's verse: Job 10:9. Remember, I beseech thee, that thou hast made me as the clay; and wilt thou bring me into dust again? (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Vessels of clay are we all and unto the mud someday we will go. But under the heavens, we sometimes seem bloated with imagined permanency of self, behaving as if we are the lords and masters of the universe and as if it is within our power to do all and sundry with the money we possess and the power that comes with the money. God watches it all in silence and someday, He just shuts our breath and we are gone, never more to rise.

To be honest, although we think big of ourselves, and try to do things by which we may be remembered and honored, no one remembers or bothers about us as soon as we die. As the years go by, people hardly remember and even if they do, its only when a small connection happens or on an anniversary or important date (which of course ceases to be important as time whisks past). Gradually, the connection too vanishes and our memories remain, but staring faces on a piece of paper, which someday will be cast out to be burnt as waste.

Yet to think of it, we behave as if the sun revolves because of us. Besides, there are those who feel that the world runs because of them. Then there are others who believe that they can control the destinies of men and women, only to perish as the sun peeps into another day.

If we remember how weak and temporal we are, as dew that falls on the ground in the morning and vanishes as the sun comes up, as Job does in the above Words, only then can we expect God’s Grace to shine down upon us; because only upon the humble soul will God’s countenance shine and only the lowly will He turn to exalt; if not in this world, then surely in the next.

Thoughts for another day

July 8, 2008

Today's verse: Gen. 4:7. If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Here is an important statement of God regarding sin and that too right at the time it had just begun after that great sin of Adam, which doomed all men. What is interesting is that God is not saying that sin isn’t there; rather God is telling that it is there but that man can become its master.

From the time Adam fell, sin crept in through the back door as it were. Its impact and presence in the world gradually increased. Sin is a great warrior of stealth; it maneuvers gently into your life, easing itself gradually and taking root firmly inside of you. Whether it be as simple as lying or bragging, you slowly tend to disregard the fact that it’s sin and accept it as a way of life. As you move on, its speed increases while it ruins you within like cancerous cells, eating away at human tissues with their malignancy; spreading rapidly and destroying the whole body in no time.

My friend, fight with sin. The tempter may either seduce you with the plum ness of the sin or move you to such anger that you do not care what the consequences are. At times he clouds your mind so deftly that you hardly are aware of what you are doing. And then you fall. At times it is even difficult to rise from such a fall. I have heard of people having fallen doing what prima facie seems so silly and we exclaim, ‘how could he do it, is he such a fool?’ Despite it strive to fight sin.

Our struggle with sin intensifies the closer we move to God. I don’t know about you but as for me, I believe that no matter how much I fall, if I look up to whence my help comes, His Grace is sure to flow into the situation and elevate me into His presence. Till someday, sin has no power over me for I know that my Lord has conquered sin and death and that His Word will remain…If He has said I can become its master, so will I, even if I am broken and can hardly rise.

Thoughts for another day

July 7, 2008

Today's verse: Mt. 15:13. But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Without the consent of God, there can hardly be anything that can be; not even a grain of sand can move when faced with the strongest tornado or the mightiest wave. Beloved, such is the awesome might of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob.

He walks upon the circle of the earth and summons the winds and they are at attention. The mountains quiver with awe at His bidding and He holds the lightning and sends it in the direction, He has carved for it. The broad folds of the clouds, He sews up to hold the rain, and when He ‘unsews’ them, the rain erupts in a spray, its path guided by His dictat. Huge trees pay obeisance to Him as they sway in the swarming breeze for they know who their ‘Master’ is. All earth knows the awesomeness of the God of Israel, whose hand spans the universe and by whose tremendous brilliance is sustained the lives of trillions of organisms that He creates or destroys by His own will.

Lest you forget, He is the same God who is our Father. He is the One Whom we worship and hold close in our hearts. He is the One who charts the course our lives and He is the One who controls the strands of time that constitute our lives in this world. All things we do have to be guided by His awesome power and without His permission, nothing can be, that can be.

It’s important that we accommodate God in all that we plan because without God our plans cannot materialize and we may plant but unless he wills, our plants will be uprooted and thrown away. I pray that we appropriate the awesomeness of God in our lives, even as we make plans for ourselves with His blessings, so that whatever we do will gain permanency and our edifice will withstand the rigors of the evil one.

Thoughts for another day

July 4, 2008

Today's verse: Is. 53:3. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. (RSV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

When I think of the awesome sacrifice of Jesus, I can’t bear but be grieved in my soul. For the great work He did for us. Though God, He became puny man. He spans the earth and the heavens in girth and therefore to fit into the finite body of a man was a great thing indeed; akin to fitting the waters of the sea into a tea cup!

Then again, He who is more glorious than the sun was countenanced with as much glow a mere man has. He shed His glory for us, lest just looking at Him we die. Besides, with the appearance He took and the position He assumed in Jewish society of that time, even the least of men were able to approach Him with confidence, without fear. The suffering He endured was, to say the least appalling. What Isaiah prophesied long before, happened in the life of our beloved Lord. He was hated of men and we know how they bayed for His blood, screaming, ‘crucify Him, crucify Him.’ When I say ‘they’, it could very well mean us, for we too would do the same, were we there.

On that day along the road from Gethsemane to the temple precincts and the Chief Priest’s house, the abode of Pilate and to Calvary, He was led in chains and ropes like a notorious criminal, all the people saw on His face was sorrow. None understood it as sorrow for the human race and not for Himself. His face was marred by the whipping He got at the pillar. His eyes were engorged as if ready to fall out of His socket. The sweat all over His body, mixed with dirt formed lines of stains across His robes and His hands and face. Pieces of flesh had been yanked out of His back and His legs like that of a corpse pecked upon by the fowls of the air. Yes, He looked very much the curse that He took upon Himself!

Never a man looking, could recognise Him as the One who, in seeming royal visage sat in the temple yard giving in authoritative tones, directions to live, as could be only of God! In the scorching heat of the morn as He hung between heaven and earth, the only refrain He gave comprised His seven sayings, which though caught in simple words, mean the world to a fallen race. Here my friend is One who suffered severely for us worthless humans, because He loved us. He kept His pact with the Father for He knew the Father loved us dearly and wanted us saved. He Himself who could bear no sin, became sin on our behalf. Oh the love of my Jesus… Had I eternity to myself and paper unlimited, I’d still not find it enough to write of His love. So great it is and so unconditional, that only on the infinite canvas of eternity can it be embellished.

Thoughts for another day

July 3, 2008

Today's verse: Prov. 28:1. The wicked flee when no man pursueth: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

I was perusing the Book of Job yesterday and what I read in Ch. 21 perplexed me a little. It was Job’s reply to Zophar where he envies the wicked saying, though wicked, they prosper; and although they scorn God, they up their status! You know, when taken out of context, this can seem pretty sacrilegious. But Job’s state of mind in that particular situation was rather awry and to stupidity belonged his perseverance in trying to prove he was right and God was wrong in bringing him so low, which though a fact, was not for him to decide what the Mighty One should do. Job was provoked by his friends to answer thus as they failed to see how a righteous man could be so dumped by God.

Of course, Job later on castigates the wicked (Ch. 27:13 ff) and I am sure that although Job’s passion ran quite high because of his friends’ accusations, he never felt in his heart of being or doing wicked to prosper for we learn from his character that he was well honed in these ways.

What we need to learn and know is what we read in today’s verse and that is, retribution to the wicked is certain. The Word says, though none chase, the wicked flee. What a statement! You see my friend; never even think that those who do wrong can expect things to go right for them in the long run. We see before our eyes the future the wicked face. For a while it may seem to us that the wicked prosper or live happily but that’s just a façade, a mirage. The righteous may suffer, but that suffering taken to God is in itself manna for the soul and creates eligibility for a great Grace outpouring.

Know then that even envying the wicked is unseemly before God and He doesn’t tolerate us being wicked or aiming to be like them. The righteousness of God has no room for such and He will provide retribution in time, which will blot their names from the earth.

Thoughts for another day

July 2, 2008

Today's verse: Neh. 4:4. Hear, O our God; for we are despised: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Sometimes we find people despising us without any reason. They slander and malign and spread tales about us tarnishing our names, reputation and character. Others take note of what’s said and they too begin talking ill about us, so much so that we feel depressed and defeated. Some of us are so driven to desperation that they even contemplate suicide, just to wash the taint of shame shoveled upon them by these heroes of modesty and chastity. It reminds me of the lady allegedly caught in the act of adultery whom the scribes and Pharisees bring to Jesus. It’s only when Jesus asks the one without sin to cast the first stone that they vanish.

What does a believer do at such times? Exactly as Nehemiah and his band did when they faced opposition in the work of God. Pray to Him and tell Him about it. In doing that, we open the door for Grace to flow into our lives and also remove the blocks preventing God’s retribution upon these peddlers of grief.

I once heard about a young widow, with a small infant, who was tormented by her neighbors with allegations of being immodest. Her only fault was that a male colleague used to often drop in at her place to help her out with little chores, which did not go well with her neighbor, an elderly lady who started a sordid tale to malign this lady. Though completely innocent, this widow had to go through a horrible experience thrust upon her. She believed God and left it to Him, without as much as fighting with the neighbors even while she knew who was maligning her. Emboldened, this neighbor influenced the others so much with her own tales of what an ‘out of character’ the young woman was, that the neighbors now looked upon the lady as an outcast. The experience was so humiliating that the widow suddenly vanished one day.

Time passed and then the wrath of God hit this neighbor. She was paralysed, unable to even move herself. Her family members then put her bed outside and there was such a stink near her. Eventually, she died a miserable death with even her family boycotting her funeral! I don’t say that we should rejoice in such things. All I am saying is that when someone wrongs you; do not go about seeking revenge, for revenge only belongs to God. Just fall on your knees and appeal to the just Owner of the universe. He will redress your situation.

Thoughts for another day

July 1, 2008

Today's verse: Ps. 81:7. Thou calledst in trouble, and I delivered thee; I answered thee in the secret place of thunder: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

God the Sovereign king talks with His people who are the work of His hands in the most tenderest and gentlest ways. He tells of His great love for us – a love which amazes even the most believing person, because of its heights and depths and its ability to permeate any corner we are in. At the same time, He showers His ever-fresh mercy without measure, despite the most insulting situation we created for Him. So vast are God’s ways toward us that, comprehend we might with the comprehension we have been given, yet, it escapes us in understanding Him.

God’s ways cannot be gauged and His filial manners with us just cannot be fathomed. Men with tears in their eyes have asked, ‘What am I Lord that you have decided to honor me; nay, look at me a miserable wretch not worthy of even the faintest thought in your mind…Yet you know the whole about me, to the extent that when a hair of my head falls, you are aware!’ Even when flat on the ground, in complete and absolute surrender, it’s just impossible to be complete in our gratitude toward and awe for Him, because He is just so great!!!

And my friend, this wondrous God calls out to us through the thunder when we are in trouble. His voice is that voice of reassurance that melts the fear in our hearts and soothes our frazzled nerves. On our faces, He casts the rays of His countenance, which make pale even the most brilliant ray of the sun, for who can be more radiant, the sun or the One who created the sun. Beloved, from the depths of my heart I implore you to go to Him the Eternal Creator to get the joy into your lives that none can give nor anyone can take. And surely, He will seize you into Himself and give you heaven as your inheritance.