Thoughts for another day

July 30, 2010

Today's verse: Ps. 135:14. For the Lord defends His people, shows mercy to His servants. (NAB – copyright acknowledged)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

When was the last time you had a problem and you yelled out to the Lord in your anguish asking Him to defend you? Gather your thoughts and you’ll discover that at the point of pain, we hardly look upwards, leave alone yelling out! That’s the way we are and that’s how we continue in life. This despite, God repeatedly saying, ‘Come to Me.’

Many Christian lives are really, lives of tragedy; because we don’t trust Him enough to remind Him at all times of what we’re going through. I’ve said before that when we face a situation of difficulty, we immediately turn to a human being; why not to God? Well, you’ll say, because we see human beings. Yes, I agree with you there but tell me: don’t you depend on the oxygen you breathe but do you see it? You see the oxygen cylinders, particularly in hospitals, but do we order oxygen cylinders to breathe because we see them? Ah, now you’ll say, when there’s abundant oxygen in the air, why order oxygen cylinders? Similarly, the earth is filled with His glory; He is so abundantly manifest in the earth through His creation before us, why then do we still not believe that He is and consequently yell to Him first when we land into difficulty?

And importantly as Scripture says, He defends His people. He absolves us of all wrongdoing when we turn and seek pardon; and Scripture also says, He shows His mercy to His people. Are we His people? Are we then not eligible for His mercy and if you think we’re not, look at the Cross. Don’t you see the tear filled eyes of Jesus beckoning and looking at you with much compassion? Now if His mercy is to us, then won’t His power be seen in our lives? It has to my friend for it is in His nature to be merciful and to give us what we seek. Only, will He find us with such faith and will He be sure that we will be glad that He worked the miracle in our lives and glorify His Name?

Thoughts for another day

July 29, 2010

Today's verse: 1 Pet. 2:4. As you come to him, the living Stone--rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him… (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Just who is Jesus Christ? Sometimes this question comes to me and each succeeding time it does, it comes with even greater intensity to know and discover Him. Not that I don’t know my Savior, but the intention to know Him is deeper than when I began in Him. And with each depth, the joy of knowing Him is immense. I realise that the more I know Him, the more I want to know Him. I’m taken back to the time that Philip tells Him, ‘Master, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.’ Jesus turns to Him and says, ‘Have I been with you so long a time and you still do not know Me Philip?’ As we live we must be conscious of this question of the Lord and work so that He will not ask it of us.

Knowing Jesus is great and knowing Him intimately is something out of this world - heavenly. Jesus said, ‘O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing’. This goes to show that we aren’t interested in knowing Him. Our inner unsaid desire is to be oblivious of God and we rationalize it in the lie that we are busy, permitting us to say we don’t have the time to spend with Him, getting to know Him. It is ironical that we understand so little of our God, because we haven’t yet realised that eternity is a long time and if we aren’t abiding in God there, the only other thing we have is to abide in eternal darkness.

Jesus came to earth as the Living Stone; but He was rejected and destroyed, of course the destruction was just of the body, but in the heavenly realm, Jesus won the victory - a victory for all that is good. God had chosen Him as He was precious in His sight; and God raised Him high because God wanted men to know that He has finally through the blood of His only begotten Son washed off the stain of sin from our hearts which earlier always created the chasm by which we could not reach Him. Our acceptance of this Living Stone and more importantly, our efforts to know Him will pay us rich dividends and ensure us a smooth ride into eternity.

Thoughts for another day

July 28, 2010

Today's verse: Ps. 32:5. I acknowledged my sin unto thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the LORD; and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

There are many facets to the Lord - each facet is beautiful. He is our Father and we, the children of His love for He created us with much love. David says, ‘how precious are Thy thoughts unto me and how great is their sum!’ Ps. 139:17, signifying the tremendous intelligence of God in making us. He fashioned our beings with care and put His Spirit in us by whom we are able to breathe and live. Each moment He is with us and each moment were we to allow Him, He would lead us ahead; God always leads forward – His ways are not regressive nor stagnant.

Then our free will attacks our minds; the seed of sin takes control of us and we go against Him. There’re times when we do not know what we do, yet we do the evil we don’t want to (this problem even Paul had, he speaks of it in Romans 7:15ff). We fall and become the vessels of the devil. God is slighted by all this and yet He doesn’t say a word. All He does is wait for us so that in time we turn and go back to Him. And when we do that He welcomes us with open arms.

Today’s Scripture in David’s words are recognition of God’s goodness particularly when we sin. God knows that many of us sin not knowing what we do. When Jesus was crucified, He told His Father, ‘forgive them for they know not what they do!’ How true it is, we sin not realising the grievous insult we do to the Lord. After we confess our sins, we feel His forgiveness flow into our beings and so light and easy. And God always forgives; His nature is to forgive unlike us who bear the grudge in our hearts telling us how different we are from Him; bringing to mind, ‘My ways are not your ways; My thoughts are not your thoughts.’ Yet, I know that when I offend Him, to be reconciled, all I need to do is get up and accept His love; confess my sins, seeking His forgiveness and He will forgive for His mercy is unending and His faithfulness, great.

Thoughts for another day

July 27, 2010

Today's verse: Ez. 34:31. And ye my flock, the flock of my pasture, are men, and I am your God, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The Lord loves His people and He cares. He looks at us very tenderly because He knows we’re fragile. He takes us carefully in His hands and holds us close to His bosom. In His presence, we feel no fear and come to no harm. We’re gently led by Him as we move in His ways and accept His plans. When we don’t resist Him, our paths are filled with goodness, though at times it may seem they’re filled with thorns. The Lord doesn’t promise us a bed of roses, but says that with every thorn we have to be pricked by, He will provide us the Grace to bear the pain.

When I read the Word of our above Scripture, I feel warm inside of me. When small, I used to see a picture of Jesus holding a little lamb on His shoulders; an amazing picture. Whoever had conceived it had put great love and care in His eyes. Looking at it, I could feel Him watching: His love and care flowing into me. The lamb in His hand was tender and no matter how old we may be we are yet very tender, for we are but children before Him who is the Ancient of Days.

Now our Father says, you men you are my flock, the flock of My pasture and I am your God. He affirms His Sovereign right over us in that He declares we are His people, who He will tend. What a beautiful God. Though we sin, though we crouch in our evil and though we offend His infinite goodness again and again, He yet says He is our God. His Words are so firm, ‘I will never forsake you’. My dear friend, how good is our God and how patient and loving He is to us. Like me don’t you also feel like just loving Him, worshipping Him and falling on His chest and looking into His eyes and saying, ‘Yes Father, I am Your sheep, You are my God’.

Thoughts for another day

July 26, 2010

Today's verse: Amos 7:5, 6. Then said I, O Lord GOD, cease, I beseech thee: by whom shall Jacob arise? for he is small. The LORD repented for this: This also shall not be, saith the Lord GOD. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The beauty of God is impregnated in all of His Creation and there are times when His beauty comes forth as a voice of goodness to us. Here in our Scripture the Lord comes forth in all His goodness because He listens to a mere man and his small argument. You would probably not expect even a worldly king to listen to a common citizen of his kingdom, but here God changes His plans in listening to a simple man who has a simple case to make to Him.

Every time, I think of God and His goodness, I am struck by the beauty of His character and His ceaseless mercy with which He surrounds us. Amazing; amazing is all I can say of His ways particularly to His own people who plead to Him day in and day out. It gladdens my heart to think of a God who is so merciful and glorious in His love for me despite the fact that all I deserve is to be damned by Him who is so great it’s impossible to decipher His greatness with human wisdom.

I can’t help but think that though His decrees and His will run without hindrance, He still repents of the trouble He had in store for us, because of the prayer of one man who found favor in His sight. Even today my friend there are so many disasters averted because of our prayers. When we sincerely sit and pray, God’s repents of the disaster He was going to bring and changes it into a blessing. Haven’t we heard sometime or other about how a friend of ours was saved from a disaster and suddenly we realise that at that very time, we were praying for him! When we know our God well, we understand that He who gave His only Son to redeem us, will He not do anything for us? Think about it.

Thoughts for another day

July 23, 2010

Today's verse: Exod. 33:13a. Now therefore, I pray thee, if I have found grace in thy sight, show me now thy way, that I may know thee, that I may find grace in thy sight: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Ch. 33 of Exodus has always excited me about a man’s discussion with God the way Moses discusses. Here, you discover a beauty in God that I feel you never discover anywhere else except in Jesus and Jesus was the visible God, therefore it was possible to discuss with Him and Jesus brought with Him, a new dispensation of Grace which allowed it. But, in this chapter we have such a discussion that, were one to think, one would not be able to believe that God, so powerful, so majestic, so awesome, would talk to a mere human being the way He does and what’s more, how can a man talk to Him that way – the way Moses does? Just amazing.

Talking to God in prayer today is possible for Jesus taught us to pray and in the Bible we learn of the prayers of others. But in those days there was nothing. One could only pray on the basis of what one felt and the way one was moved. But Moses in a way broke all rules and prayed, nay, conversed with God in an amazing and down to earth manner and God accepted all His prayer, except that which Moses asked that he be allowed to enter the Promised Land.

What’s amazing about ch. 33 of Exodus is the manifestation of the awesomeness of God to Moses, yet in a manner in which Moses could bear. It is so humble and gratifying to the soul. Check our Scripture well and see how Moses seeks God’s Grace in all humility. First He seeks to know that He has found God’s favor and then requests God to show Him the way by which Moses may ‘know’ Him (odd you might think…particularly because of the earlier discussions Moses had with God and the mighty works God performed in Egypt and even later). But this knowing is moving into the deep being of God and the melding of Moses’ spirit in the Spirit of God! And this Moses asks so that He find more favor in God’s sight. My friend, consider the beauty of this conversation between Moses and God and delve in your own life to see if you’ve had such a conversation with God. If you haven’t, it’s time you did: now.

Thoughts for another day

July 22, 2010

Today's verse: Is. 25:4. For thou hast been a strength to the poor, a strength to the needy in his distress, a refuge from the storm, a shadow from the heat, when the blast of the terrible ones is as a storm against the wall. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

When we pray sometimes, there’s no answer. But this much we need know that a sincere prayer from the heart is always answered. No matter what the prayer, God answers it for He has said that in His Word. No one can change or alter it and when God utters a Word, it is forever. No situation dare go against God and there’s none who can defy Him. He holds all power in His hand and He can do anything - we learn in the Bible and we witness His Awesomeness in His creation.

Today’s Scripture tells us that He is a strength to the poor and the needy in distress. He is a refuge from the storm and shade from the heat. When the wanton create an uproar, He quells it; it’s like a storm ranged against the massive wall which though it rave and rant, cannot cross the wall. Yes, God is a refuge. We may not know it or we may think otherwise but God is a refuge against all danger.

Pro. 18:10 says, the Name of the Lord is a strong tower and the righteous run into it and are safe. Is it too difficult to believe this? The storms of life may make us bitter with God when we feel our prayers aren’t answered and the pain the storms bring us are too difficult to bear that we seem to sink. But honestly, I’ve yet to notice a righteous one succumb to his problems for God watches over him. Trials come and go and sometimes, there’re trials after trials, making us so weak not knowing what to do. We shout, ‘God where are you?’ and there’s no answer. At this time, let’s remember what He says in His Word: He is strength to the needy in distress and a refuge from tribulation.

Thoughts for another day

July 21, 2010

Today's verse: Eccl. 10:8a. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

In the course of our lives, we take on different natures and come across different people, some we like; some we don’t. Then our nature, bred by us, takes control and provides us occasions to start hating somebody to the extent we want to destroy them. This nature though evil, does not even startle us at the evil in it, rather impels us to formulate strategies to create situations that will result in the downfall of the subject of our hatred. The downfall could also mean death and/ or destruction.

A good example of this can be found in the Book of Esther in the Bible. King Ahasuerus the Persian had promoted Haman the Agagite to a very powerful position in his kingdom and this went into Haman’s head. He expected everybody to bow to him and do him homage; and the king’s servants did, except Mordecai the Jew for whom homage was to be paid only to the God of Israel. This infuriated Haman so much that as the story moves, we are told that he erected a gallows about eighty feet high planning to hang Mordecai on it. Later we learn that he himself was hanged on it at the king’s command. Haman would have never expected this when he arranged the gallows for Mordecai, yet as events unfolded, he took Mordecai’s place.

There is a great evil in planning ‘evil’ for others. I’ve seen it myself how people who plot others’ downfall, themselves wither away. There’s a way of God which destroys the designers and perpetrators of evil for others. Our Scripture affirms the same and in wisdom the author of Ecclesiastes says very simply, that those who dig a grave for others will themselves fall into it. I’d exhort you never, no matter how much you hate a person, no matter how great he be your enemy, never plot their destruction… it may turn out to be your own.

Thoughts for another day

July 20, 2010

Today's verse: Zeph. 1:12. And it shall come to pass at that time, that I will search Jerusalem with candles, and punish the men that are settled on their lees: that say in their heart, The LORD will not do good, neither will he do evil. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Men have a tendency to develop bad habits. Somehow, as we move on in life, we take to something that isn’t good, we know it isn’t good, yet we take to it and refuse to shed it and slowly but surely it grows on us and then takes control of us. One of them is the habit of being complacent or not worried about what’s to happen and be content with what you are or what you have, not thinking about what you can be and what you could have. While complacency per se may not be such a problem, it can be adverse if not dealt with and can cause major attitudinal malfunction because you tend to reconcile with evil too, being complacent and unconcerned.

The biggest danger is complacency when wickedness floats around. Complacency makes a person accept evil knowingly and stops a person from speaking the truth when needed. This complacency can also mar one’s relationship with God to the extent that slowly a person is led to think that God doesn’t exist. This can be dangerous and GOD DOESN’T LIKE IT.

God is very clear He doesn’t like fence-sitters. He loves pro-active people and works beautifully in their lives because they respond to the Graces He sends them and they shine where they are unlike complacent people who are nothing but a drag; dragging down others and killing their enthusiasm. Our Scripture tells us is that complacency makes people think that God will not act either with good or evil at the way they behave; suggesting that God too is complacent. But that is not it. God is not complacent and will act swiftly and punish these people. Then they will know that being complacent doesn’t serve His purposes.

Thoughts for another day

July 19, 2010

Today's verse: 1 Cor. 10:13. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Why do trials come? Why do we need to suffer and why does God allow it? Questions: answers of which, only God knows. Job’s trial in the Bible is a fine e.g. of God testing a man in a rather harsh way and we’re aware of the reason at the beginning of the Book. Job’s trial is proof of God’s confidence in him which satan isn’t aware of while satan thinks that Job serves God because God has blessed him abundantly. In proving to satan that Job is His servant and won’t go against Him despite what happens, Job is made to undergo the test. The reasons for our trials could be many, but we must understand it is our One God who subjects us to the trial and as in the case of Job, He will redeem us too from the trial restoring what we lost, yeah, even double fold.

An interesting aspect of a trial is rendered in our Scripture today. Paul says we face no trial but that which is common to man. If suddenly one were to discover one suffers from cancer it’s not new because before him, there were many who found they had cancer. Paul affirms God is faithful and won’t allow you to be tried beyond your ability to bear. Yes, God is a kind God and He knows our limits of tolerance and it’s true He will never exceed our trial more than we can bear.

Paul also says that with the trial He will make a way for us to endure it so that we may be able to stand up under it and not buckle down and fall. God is kind and loving and to those devoted to Him, His Word still stands that He will send His Word and heal your disease and He will heal even cancer, for there’s nothing impossible with God. The trial of course is painful but it will pass and then God will provide ample reason for us to rejoice in Him. All glory be to His Holy Name. Amen.

Thoughts for another day

July 16, 2010

Today's verse: Ps. 92:4. For thou, LORD, hast made me glad through thy work: I will triumph in the works of thy hands. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

The work of God is marvelous and note-worthy. It’s indeed a thing most beautiful in the sight of us humans and the heavenly hosts and therefore we praise Him on high day and night for we know and understand the marvelous things that comprise His creation.

God has made everything so perfect: right from the blade of grass swaying to the music of the wind, to the gigantic stars that strobe their way across the galaxy winking as it were, in mirth and good cheer marching to the beat of the celestial posse. Everything bears the Master’s signature of perfection and sings of its own awesomeness for immense is the knowledge that created its fine tendrils and little cells making up its tissues and parts of its body. Were you to behold, you’d find the perfection of a Majestic Creator with infinite knowledge and skill.

As for you and me, we just need look at ourselves - tell me is there another like us? Look and see how delicately He has carved us and how minute are the little capillaries that supply blood to our little fingers and also the little parts that’re so minute. Look at the complex highway of nerves and the labyrinthine network of muscles that give us the ability to function and even our other organs that help us live. How awesomely He has created and built us, isn’t it? The God of glory has left His imprint on us and all that we’ve access to and use. Therefore like the psalmist, I too will say, He has made me glad in His works, yeah, who can work better than Him? So, I’ll rejoice in His work and raise my crooked and unkempt work to Him so that He touches it, gently swinging His fingers on it giving it life and meaning; and eventual victory in my life.

Thoughts for another day

July 15, 2010

Today's verse: James 5:13. Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Sometimes Paul’s refrain on ‘God consciousness’ takes a new dimension in my life; things like, rejoice evermore, in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving make your requests known to God, give thanks to God always, etc. These are choices Words God gives us, indicating that when He is there, there can be no situation that can defeat us, rather, every situation works for our benefit when He adorns us with His munificent Grace. When I talk of the awesomeness of God, I can literally feel His power flow through my veins and suddenly whatever I’ve asked of Him is given. Time ensures I receive it, because it’s possible with Him, and He knows, though I cannot receive it at the time I ask - and He knows best - He gives it a little later.

But what’s important at any time is that we rejoice in God. To do this, I advocate a certain consciousness of Him which always reminds you of His presence with you. A consciousness like, you wake up in the night and your mouth just voices praises to Him. At another time you’re just sitting and suddenly, Hallelujahs resonate from your lips. It may happen in our talk with someone or when we watch television. If our consciousness has this awareness of God, then we see every situation of life as a vanguard of God’s plan for us and this world. This consciousness can only come with our constant communion with Him when we decide to spend time with Him.

When we reach such maturity in our walk with God, then what James says is bound to happen automatically. The moment we are struck with some malady, we’ll turn immediately to Him. I always tell Him, ‘Lord who else do I go to, who will help me but YOU!’ On another occasion when mirth surrounds me, I look up and whisper a thank You for I know, He’s granted me a great blessing and I can be happy. Friend, if this isn’t how you are attitudinally disposed, then you need to correct it. If you always are seeking and seeking rather than thanking and praising, there’s something wrong with your relationship with God. You need to correct it so you can inculcate James’ instruction in life which will make it worth living.

Thoughts for another day

July 14, 2010

Today's verse: Zech. 10:1. Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to everyone grass in the field. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

I love to read about the Sovereignty of the Lord in His beautiful Word. Once, when they were riding the boat on the Sea of Galilee, there was turbulence in the water and the waves lashed the boat, so much so that it was heaving up and down, sending shivers of panic down the backs of the Apostles. While this happened, Jesus was sleeping! Imagine sleeping in the midst of the storm as if it was nothing. They woke Him up in great fright. He rebuked the winds and commanded the sea, ‘Peace be still.’ That was it, the sea quieted down as would a child after being reprimanded. Only a Word from the Master could make the sea shut up…imagine the power of God.

God’s Sovereignty extends to everything on earth and things outside of the earth. There’s nothing beyond His Sovereignty and at all times He is in control. Today’s Scripture says to ask the Lord for rain in the time of the latter rain (those that come in spring). For in that time the land is waiting to be cooled down; for its thirst to be quenched. Further it says that the LORD shall make ‘bright’ clouds and give showers of rain and grass in the field! The affirmative is in the asking first of all and then the Sovereign Lord’s answer with t rain as asked for.

Note here the absolute command of the Lord on all things on earth and elsewhere; for God’s power is Supreme. Today His power is at our disposal, when we approach Him with confidence in the Name of Jesus Christ. Our faith provides Him the platform to work our miracles as faith does away with all impediments blocking His blessing on our lives. Let me also say, sometimes though we have faith and though His Sovereignty extends over us, we see no visible action of His as is considered visible by us, but as sure as we live and He lives, He is working steadily toward fulfilling what we have asked. So hang on and ask the Sovereign Lord, in your tears if possible, what you want and He will give it to you.

Thoughts for another day

July 12, 2010

Today's verse: Rom. 3:24. Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

What have we done to get anything from God? Nothing; absolutely nothing. Our own lives which we call our own are not our own but belong to God. As long as He wants us to live, we do and then He takes us away. Along with our lives, He has instituted the structure of family, thereby giving us parents and siblings. Then He has given us various other things like talents, abilities, etc. which enable us to establish ourselves in our lives and then form the base to start our own families and all the while, it is the Lord Himself who is with us, who prods us and drives us towards the paths He wants us to tread unless we rebel against Him, asserting our own dominion. And even in this God doesn’t interfere for He gave us ‘free-will’ and if according to our free-will we don’t want His companionship, He isn’t about to push it down our throats.

God is simply a God who will be with us only when we want Him and when we invite Him. He has given us everything, from the simplest object to the complicated ones and He never ever throws it at us asserting His right to possess us. When we strayed against Him, He was dejected, but then as a way back to Him, He offered up His Son to atone for our sins by which the access we had to Him was once again bridged.

Jesus Christ, though God Himself, became man and came down to earth and gave us the message of love. He gave us His Grace and justified us before His Father so that through that justification, we attained the righteousness, not our own but of the Son of God, and thus became eligible before the Father. Marvelous is that Grace which makes saints out of sinners. How wonderful it is when a sinner is able to rise and be counted as the King’s emissary. And how great is that access to God Himself which has become so easy because of Grace. Praise our God who so wonderfully enabled us to worship Him. And through Him we can hope in eternal life simply because His Grace flows so richly and makes us eligible.

Thoughts for another day

July 8, 2010

Today's verse: Mic. 4:5. For all people will walk every one in the name of his god, and we will walk in the name of the LORD our God for ever and ever. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

It’s easy to believe in something that’s there before one’s eyes. It’s also man’s tendency to be considered powerful and invincible, yet, he has to face the fact that there is One who is most powerful, whose power and wisdom is millions of notches above his and this makes him uncomfortable. Now since God is not visible, man tends to ignore that there is a God who created heaven and earth. In this process, he has endeavored to create gods of his own; gods that he can control and can revel in. At the back of his mind he knows it’s no god, but he’s happy as this ‘so called’ god he created is non-interfering, giving him leeway to believe what he wants and create much hysteria in its worship. Idol worship began this way; and over a period of time, it stuck as the idol’s worship was passed down from generation to generation.

Now, that it has taken root firmly that such idols are gods, their ‘devotees’ walk in the name of these gods and do what they want. Incidentally, some of you must have noticed that none of these gods are ever offended if their ‘worshipper’ also worships other so-called gods; of course what can you expect from a ‘no-god’ worshipping devotee? These people as very comfortable even with Jesus Christ to as another God and celebrate Christmas, etc. but their hearts are far from Jesus, the only God on the face of the earth, who created all things.

We who know the truth, and understand it from the character God shows of Himself in the Bible, are the ones who walk in His Name alone. And when we walk in His Name, we see the light. We understand God’s pain as He silently watches billions of people worship other things than Him, but He doesn’t do anything because He has created them too and they too are His responsibility. He is waiting for the day when men around the world will bow before Him in worship and accord Him the honor due to Him as the One God. That day will come even as we worship Him alone and pray for the world and walk in His light, giving the precious Gospel of His Son to the nations.

Thoughts for another day

July 7, 2010

Today's verse: Lk. 12:20. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Yesterday watching TV, I landed on National Geographic and on the program ‘Mega Structures’. They were showing the making of Burj al Arab, the so-called finest hotel in the world, built on an artificial island, off Jumeirah beach in Dubai. It’s presumably the zenith of opulence and human grandeur and exudes the smell of wealth and inane splurging the filthy rich indulge in. I’m not making a mockery of splendor and ‘iconism’ created by man, nor am I sarcastic because it truly is a marvelous feat of human engineering and creative innuendo. By the way this opulence and grandeur is available to experience at the lowest level @ AED 4500 per night not inclusive of 10% city tax and another 10% service tax. Other top hotels offer the same night at about 10 percent of the price.

The narration of the person responsible for designing the hotel and it’s construction , funded by the ruler of the little ‘sheikhdom’ made me think of the vainness of human work and the utter futility of men trying to leave a name behind by creating mega sumptuous structures! A hundred years later it will seem just a simple ordinary piece of work and won’t inspire anyone. Yes, there’re structures that have defied the ravages of time, still standing as megalithic as ever, but the attraction is not the way they’re now; rather they excite the mind as to the amount of effort, money and time taken to build them belying the vision of the person who initiated it…but like Ecclesiastes says, it’s all vanity.

Our discussion isn’t about structures but about God and what we see in these structures vis-à-vis God’s wisdom. As the narrator mentioned the realization of the sheikh’s dream, I thought of the above Scripture; about the fool mentioned there. If you read the entire parable you’ll notice his motive and the motive of the creator of the hotel are not very different and for sure the Lord’s response will still be the same, for the Lord is not enthused by human grandeur for they are as junk in the His backyard. The only thing precious in His sight is the purity of the heart and the readiness to obey His command. Is it the same with you?

Thoughts for another day

July 6, 2010

Today's verse: Joel 2:32. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

This life will end for each one of us and we will pass into the next. Then someday, the Day of the LORD will come. The great and terrible day, in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up (1 Pet. 3:10) and the splendor of the Holy One, the Most High, the One who came earlier as a simple carpenter in a nondescript village in Palestine. Yes, His glory will be seen from one end of the sky to the other and then men will shiver and tremble to face the Glory of the Mighty LORD.

In Isaiah a vivid account of what will be the consequence is given and it is like this: ‘The arrogance of man will be brought low and the pride of men humbled; the LORD alone will be exalted in that day, and the idols will totally disappear. Men will flee to caves in the rocks and to holes in the ground from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. In that day men will throw away to the rodents and bats their idols of silver and idols of gold, which they made to worship. They will flee to caverns in the rocks and to the overhanging crags from dread of the LORD and the splendor of his majesty, when he rises to shake the earth. (Is. 2:17-21 - NIV).

Men who decry the Savior of the world and cast aspersions on His Divinity, who insult Him and treat Him as dirt, will then cringe before Him. They will cry for mercy and none will be shown them for their ‘work and their words’ will act as their accuser. Men who’ve always been against the Most High, not giving Him the honor due His Name, thinking them to be powerful and mighty will be brought low. Sinners and all their forms of sin shall be vanquished. But for us who know the LORD God and His precious Son Jesus Christ have to but call on His Name and His sword, thirsting for blood will be held from us for He will recognize us and bid us come nigh to Him so we can stay together in His Kingdom forever.

Thoughts for another day

July 5, 2010

Today's verse: 1 Jn. 3:2. Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

What we are and what we will be does not matter. What we think and what we devise also doesn’t matter; because, we’re children of God. We’re His heritage and if one were to understand fully what that means, one would not be able to hold the sheer pleasure of being called ‘child of God’ for that is a designation far superior to any on earth. We may not see splendor, or glory or any visible sign of grandeur but of this we can be sure that heaven and earth bow down to the child of God for it isn’t a mean thing let’s take this as a case in point: That God was with the Israelites was known to everybody when God delivered them out of the hand of Pharaoh bringing them out of Egypt and none dare even touch them for fear of God’s as God Himself protected them and led them out.

If this was for those who were chosen to be just His people, how much more for us who’re called His children and He in His absolute mercy has deigned to be our Father and this privilege was granted us by none other than God the Son, Jesus Christ, who wanted us to know and understand the love the Father had for us. Not only that, Jesus also wanted us to enjoy the bliss of heaven and the joy of eternal life.

Our bodies are mortal and with most of us, our souls are tarnished, yet we can think of spending our lives with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit in eternity because though are souls are scarlet, they’ve been washed clean like snow, by the blood of the Lamb. Our bodies are frail and subject to corruption, and honestly we don’t know what state they will be when He, the Lord comes. But this much we’re assured of is that we will be like Him. He who went before us, will make us like Him and we shall behold His glory, the glory as of the only Son of God and we shall fall on our faces and worship Him, our Maker and our Husband and it shall all be well for He will own us forever as His own treasure.

Thoughts for another day

July 2, 2010

Today's verse: Ps. 109:21. But you, O Sovereign LORD, deal well with me for your name's sake; out of the goodness of your love, deliver me. (NIV – copyright acknowledged)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

Sometimes we pray and there’s no answer. What could be the reason? Some say, it is not God’s will to answer that particular prayer. That could be right but then what if it is a prayer for a job or maybe the gift of a child! Is such a thing not in the will of God? Jesus said ask and you shall receive… no pre-conditions; it’s we who attach pre-conditions, not as much as seeking a reason as to why God has not answered our prayer, so to correct the wrong we do in it but rather to save our face so that it may not be said that God didn’t answer our prayer.

The following provides a clue on how to pray so God will answer. He is a God of principles and order and when our prayer meets His pre-ordained conditions, it will be answered. I’ve noticed that an important criterion for answer of prayer is a state of holiness or purity. When someone is pure, it’s fertile ground for God’s rain to fall upon and create untold growth of things. Another is the desperation of the human heart. The more desperate the heart is, the more quickly the answer comes, because God hears the cry of the heart and is quick to answer. Another condition is that whatever we ask shouldn’t be for vain glory but for His glory. God hates to share His glory, so even if let’s say a preacher prays for a person with the intention that God answer his prayer so that people will then respect him more, that prayer may not be answered by God (of course the Sovereign may answer it because of the faith and need of the person who requested that prayer).

Another condition is: our prayer should be such that it’s answer finds reason to testify to His goodness. This is a great reason to expect what we’ve asked for confidently as we know God will grant our prayer. But the most important thing to keep in mind when praying is adhering to Jesus’ saying: ‘If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.’ Jn. 14:14. Always make your prayer in Jesus’ Name for God then, shall I say with due permission from the Him, HAS to answer that prayer. When Jesus’ Name is invoked in prayer, it cuts across all clutter to hit the heart of God, for Jesus’ Name is very precious to Him. We may not revere His Name, the way we need to, but God is very conscious of Jesus’ Name and a prayer made in His Name cannot go unanswered! There’s a parallel in the Bible on the Name of the Lord: ‘Thus saith the Lord GOD; I do not this for your sakes, O house of Israel, but for mine holy name's sake’ Ez. 36:21. See, how precious His Name is? And the Name of Jesus is even greater for Jesus is beloved to the Father and asking anything in His Name is the guarantee of an answer. Persist if it takes time, but the answer will come; for you prayed in His Name.

Thoughts for another day

July 1, 2010

Today's verse: Is. 55:8. For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. (KJV)
(Pls. read the above before you read further. Thanks)

God is above and we are below. God is the owner of everything and we, although we think we own things, are owners of nothing. God is all Sovereign and Supreme Commander of the universe; as for us, we do not even have command over our families. God is distinct in what He does, every work of His is unique; we have to deal with only what we have and therefore, nothing that we conceive is unique - it’s basically re-cycling what God has done before.

We can only dwell in the present; we may think of the future but can never know what it holds in store and we can only muse of the past but can never change it. God dwells in all tenses at the same time. What is past for us is present before God as ‘now’ and so is the future and so is the present. Nothing is impossible for God, whereas most things are impossible for us - as an example if our character is decayed, to re-mould ourselves is literally impossible for most of us.

Our thinking is narrow and is very myopic. God is the universal thinker, He thinks about everyone and everything. What if oil exhausts beneath the surface of the earth where there’s oil? Won’t the land collapse over a period of time as more and more pressure builds from the top? I know that God thought of this before making the earth as we usually find oil in deserts and places where the earth doesn’t support vegetation. God is the Master Thinker and Maker and infinitely Majestic. Therefore, we have as our Scripture today that His thoughts are not our thoughts, nor His ways our ways. They never can be for we cannot be Him – never. But thanks be to God our Father who sent His Son who lived a kind of life that we are to emulate before God and so we can at least have the mind of Christ as Paul says, ‘for we have the mind of Christ’ 1 Cor. 2:16. And bless His Name that someday, we may be like Him and we can then say with gladness of heart, ‘Like Father, like Son!’ Amen.