Thoughts for another day

April 30, 2014.

Today's verse:  Luke 23:23. And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Sometimes I sit and think, why is the world so positively vociferous on things that’re carcinogenic and even sinful, that they may indulge in it?  Why do people often go for the wrong and ignore the right?  What’s the incentive that marks the mind of man to indulge in things that’re fastidious, sick and unruly rather than be involved in things that are good and healthy.

It’s really an enigma that people who’re often able to see the good, still go and do the bad.  This is what happened with Jesus as we find in our Scripture above where it says the people who just a few days earlier had welcomed Him into Jerusalem were today baying for His blood?  Oh, I can imagine them with palm shoots running behind Him as He rode a donkey and Scripture says they even laid their cloaks down on the road as He moved along giving Him reverence accorded only to their kings (cf. 2 Ki. 9:13).  Yet, a few days later, these very people under the influence of evil, cried hard and persistently for His crucifixion. 

Are we amazed?  Not at all, because it’s seen that the power of evil (without God’s intervening power) seems very strong.  We too, so easily commit offences we’re ashamed of and wonder then whether we actually committed the offence. I understand the prayer of Jesus on the Cross: ‘Father forgive them for they know not what they do!’  You know the evil intent in our DNA is often the harbinger of evil in our hearts which is why we do the evil we shouldn’t.  The only way to avoid this evil is by the Spirit of Christ, Who enables us to see the right from the wrong and helps us stand firm in our conviction and act according to it, whereby we refrain from doing the wrong we were to do.  Crave my friend for God’s Holy Spirit so you may see the right from the wrong even when the chips are down and selecting the right may cause a huge dent to your fortunes.  For in such a situation when you choose the right, then the time will come when you stand before the judgment seat and the Judge of all the earth will pat you and say, ‘Well done My faithful servant, welcome!’

Thoughts for another day

April 29, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Cor. 4:7. What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not? (NIV – copy. ack.)

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When I look at things I possess and see them as good, I take pride in the fact that I possess them. In my mind I pat myself because I feel I was responsible for getting them.   Hardly do I bother to think they’re gifts God has given me in His mercy and love.  And that’s the tragedy of my living and not being thankful to God for all He has done for me.  As I write, I believe that’s the story with many of us Christian believers who apparently are living in Christ.

We may argue with the position our Scripture takes today, saying perhaps, it’s not that God gives everything to everybody for then why would some have all things and some are deprived?  One may opine, I work so hard to be able to afford all the luxuries of life and then how can anyone say that God gave them when I worked so hard for them. While I don’t want to get into the complexities of the argument, it would suffice to say, God puts one in a position, so that person can earn well and afford everything.’  On the other hand, there’re many others who put in equal effort and sweat into things and yet they don’t succeed.  I know that when God directs our steps, whatever we do turns out right; the time is correct, the place we’re in is perfect, the surroundings seem to be just precise and the atmosphere simply blends so well with the overall scheme that whatever we do turns out to be the right thing needed to be done, resulting in great returns. 

When we have the attitude of gratitude toward God, we realise His Omniscience of the things that happen in our lives.  I understand life isn’t just incidental, but a plan of the Almighty.  Nothing happens by chance but is a part of God’s plan and His purpose for our lives.  And this, was laid down even before the foundation of the world was established.  Therefore, with this knowledge, we turn to the Most High and thank Him for all we are, we have and do, for by his power alone we are what we are.  And even if for a brief moment, there’s some problem bothering us, know that when we approach Him in prayer, He takes it and makes it a thing of comfort for us.  We but need to know He is in control and trust Him all the way.

Thoughts for another day

April 28, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Thess. 4:3. For this is the will of God, your sanctification:that you abstain from immorality;  (RSV - copy. ack.)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Time and again I may write that God wants us to be holy as even our Scripture today tells us and yet, I can and must write it again for there’s nothing as precious in God’s sight as being holy for that is God’s will for all mankind.  God and sin cannot co-exist and when we are in a state of sin, we are not able to commune with God nor have any kind of interaction with Him, as His Holy Spirit, the One who lives in us and intimately communes with us, is hurt and goes away from us.  It is then unto us to bear the burdens of life alone for we do not then have either, His guidance nor His strength.

Now whether we’re holy or not (like most of us), holiness is non-negotiable and there can be no compromise on that score.  As far as God is concerned, He wants that if we’re in a state of ‘unholiness’ and thus don’t experience Him, we must without delay, come back. We need to put in a simple effort in telling Him how much we’re sorry we have sinned.  Of course, we must feel bad in our hearts and also be ready to relinquish whatever we’ve held thus far, which makes us sin.  It’s enough that every time we sin, we reach out to Him in that consciousness of sinning, realizing how weak we are in our minds and then change the course of our lives.  One thing we must bear in mind is our hypocrisy.  The world may think we are holy, but the Lord God who is holy sees us as we are and there is no blemish He can stay with and consequently, we lose His Presence.

In our Word, we’re also told that we must abstain from all immorality for God hates it and it’s the only sin, if we indulge in to the end, where we involve our bodies in it.  Sacredness which is so scant in these times must be the most sought commodity for every believer and leaning on God for all things must be the main motto of our lives for though we’re weak, God isn’t and He will not allow us to fall down because of some sin which is trying to fell us.  Therefore, let us commit our lives to His precious will and strive to walk on that path called Holiness; for it sure leads to the eternal dwellings that God has prepared for those who trust in Him and live in His light.

Thoughts for another day

April 25, 2014.

Today's verse:  Rom. 6:4, 5. Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Every baptized Christian and believer in Jesus Christ has been baptized into the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.  He then has the hope that every believer in Christ has – the hope of rising up some day, just as Christ our Lord rose from the dead, by the glory of the Father so that we’re able to walk in the newness of life.  In fact, I may daresay that every baptized believer is a dead person; dead to the world and alive in Christ, for the world and its things do not fascinate him as does Christ, his true Lover and Redeemer.

It is God who has put this hope in us of the resurrection; and this hope is true and the essence of the beauty of our walking with the Lord.  It is true for us who believe in God and in our Scripture above, Paul says, ‘if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection’ for it is incumbent that anyone who is baptized by belief in Christ and accepts the symbolism that baptism means – a dying to self and rising into Christ, then for that person, the life of Christ is attained by his rising from the dead which will be to the glory of the Father for it is part of His holy will for us.

In fact, the very power that raised Christ the Lord will also work in us and raise us up on that day.  This greatness, that is the basis of our resurrection, is wholly the Lord’s and there will be none that can refute it or stop it.  It is available to us simply by believing in Christ His Son, just as Christ Himself believed and so was raised from the dead.  Isn’t it awesome that we have the guarantee of the Lord of the universe that will ensure our being raised on that day for we have believed in His Son; and no one can stop it, no matter what they do. 

Thoughts for another day

April 24, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Pet. 1:3. Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

God is kind and merciful to us and all praise be to Him who is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, that in His mercy He gave us His Son to be our Redeemer.  His graciousness toward us is seen in His allowing the great sacrifice His Son gave of His Own life so that we may have life.   Our Father, who loved us even before the world began, has so delighted in us that He did not turn His face to see the painful suffering of His Son in both His scourging and His crucifixion but was pleased to bruise Him and crush Him for our sake.  What a wonderful and glorious Father we have Who so cares for us.

On the day of the first Easter in raising up His Son from the grave our Father gave us new birth into a living hope.  A hope which can never perish for it has the Sovereign guarantee of the Sovereign of the world.  A hope that kindles in our lives, the joy of being able to participate in the wedding feast of the Lamb; a joy of living forever in the grand mansions of heaven which has now become our abode in eternity simply because our God and Father of Jesus Christ, Who so loves us has deemed it fit for us to be with Him in His Kingdom.

See we must, with our whole beings, the goodness of God, who even when we were sinners covered us with His Awesome Grace, so that we would never trespass into the realms of hell for we belong to Him and we live to praise Him our God and First Love.  My friend never ever forget our beautiful Father who is so sad when we leave Him to be with the world, but is so joyful (as Jesus projected in the Parable of the lost son, even to the waiting patiently for us) when we repent and go back to Him.

Thoughts for another day

April 23, 2014.

Today's verse:  Acts 2:24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

The other day, I was speaking to my daughter and trying to make real the Resurrection of the Lord so she could visualize what happened at that precise moment when the power of God, burst upon the tomb in which Jesus lay lifeless on the cold floor, just the way a man would lie after he is buried.  I told her, how God’s power started shaking the grains of mud in the tomb and then Jesus’ body gently quivered as the power entered Him and He got up in a split second.  Then, the stone which had sealed the grave was pushed away to make way for the resurrected Lord to move out, which also I believe was more for them to enter the tomb to see it empty than for Jesus to come out knowing as we do that He, with His glorified body, could move in and out of solid spaces.

As I look at our Word today, the above holds me, particularly when I read, ‘it was not possible for death to keep its hold on Him.’  What a marvelous statement we have in our Word and we must remember that just as death has no power over the Lord, it has no power on us too because of Him.  And just as death has no power over Him, no other thing has power over Him; and so too with us because He has put on us the cloak of invincibility which we accepted when we believed in Him, acknowledging Him as our Lord and Master.

In this Easter season, if there’s one thing we must hold deep in our hearts it’s the fact of the total control God has over all things.  God was in control even as Jesus was murdered cruelly after being scourged in the most inhuman manner; so too, God is in control as we move about our lives.  See, God will never bring us to the door of harm because His Son went through that door on our behalf.  In every situation we find ourselves in, we must accept God’s control and there’s no way defeat or death can have any hold over us for after all, they have to contend with God, before they can even come near to us.

Thoughts for another day

April 22, 2014.

Today's verse:  John 20:29. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Sometimes this thought comes to me: Why do we find it so difficult to believe in things of God?  If there’s a miracle, we don’t want to believe it as a miracle, but as something that can be attributed to an act of man.  On the other hand, we believe in so many superstitions and myths that belong to the world and the world has attributed some stupid demonic powers in them like amulets, talismans, charms, etc.  We pay our due respects to them for we’re scared of them, but  when it concerns God, we’re hardly bothered.  By this I don’t mean that we should have some man-made object to represent God without His consent and then be scared of it or revere the object rather than God!

In the context of our Word, we see how Thomas behaved when the other apostles narrated the visit of the risen Christ, adamantly refusing to believe and making it incumbent on Jesus to show him His nail scars and jots in His body, so that he could then believe!  Why doesn’t Thomas believe that Jesus is risen?  There can be no answer to this except that when God’s work is concerned, men of the world flay it and refuse to see it as His work, even if all the signs in that work point to God’s finger and not to anything else! 

That’s the problem with us… And I reckon it’s because our God is a benevolent God and expects us to totally understand Him and His Presence, pointed to by His signs.  Any soul with its identity in God, will believe and even though Thomas initially disbelieved, he later on changed and believed.  To all who believe God without straining their minds, Jesus has a Word of blessing in our Scripture.  God wants us to just believe in Him and if we do, He works things to us who believe. In fact, it’s so great to believe that by doing it, we’re blessed even until today for Jesus loves a sincere believer.

Thoughts for another day

April 21, 2014.

Today's verse:  Lk. 24;26. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

On Easter day and the days following Easter, beginning Good Friday, I sit and think:  What was the need for my Lord, the Creator and Master of the universe, to die such a gruesome death?  The first reason I know is me, for my sins are too heavy for me to bear.  I know if I have to walk the narrow way, I’ll trip and fall under the weight of my sins.  I have need for the broad shoulders of my God to bear them for me and He does.  Then I know of the man’s sins, right from Adam to now, and I know from the bottom-most part of the earth to the outmost layer of heaven, our sins are laid end-to-end and there’s nothing of man that can cut the clutter so he may see the stairway to heaven.

Yes, the above may be as it may, but yet, I cannot fathom why He suffered so much, that I can see the sinews in His flesh as the Roman brutes yanked of the flesh of His back, skin and all.  How painful the moment of reckoning for Jesus when He readied Himself for what He knew to be the mother of all scourgings as the brutes went berserk, pummeling Him with blows even they couldn’t understand why. 

But, as the light begins from the East heralding another day, the Body of my Lord comes alive and the heavy lid of the tomb runs aside.  As I gaze into the Easter light, deep within, revelation dawns into my mind and I know, my Savior suffered much, so very much so I could look at His face in the most draining moments of my life, yeah the moments when I’m so weak that getting up seems impossible and seeing that bloodied face, recognize instantly that He suffered so I needn’t.  In that bruised body, I see the lashes meant for me splayed on Him.  All through my walk in life, I should have suffered many scars and scalds but the Easter light tells me, He suffered them instead.   Easter takes an altogether different meaning in my life and I know there’s hope and I realise:  Because He lives, I can face anything tomorrow.  Because He lives I dare to venture into another day in the confidence I find in Him.  I know He is in control and He will bear me up when I need and He will take me through the narrow way, right into His mansion above.  What more do I need?

Thoughts for another day

April 18, 2014.

Today's verse:  Jn. 19:28 & 19:30. I thirst.  It is finished: (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Today we observe Jesus’ death on the Cross and to many of us, it seems incredulous as how can one conceive the possibility of the Almighty God, the Creator of the universe coming down on earth and dying for us who’re stupid and frail and save us from the death that stared us in the face.  And so in this spirit, we take two Words spoken by Christ as He hung on the Cross, gasping in pain and despair as He knew His Father, Who was always with Him, had left Him.  Truly for Jesus it was a moment of great ache and loneliness.  One which probably shook Him up to think of the intense savagery meted out to Him at the hands of the Roman soldiers.

I thirst:  In fulfillment of Scripture, Jesus uttered this Word, rather solemn and meaningful.  It was both real and figurative.  Real because Jesus, I would imagine, had not had a drop of water since He was arrested and now stood thirsty on the Cross.  His mangled body was bleeding and shivered with the ceaseless pain rising in every sinew inside of Him.  I also feel at that moment, Jesus put us into the picture to express His thirst for all men to be saved.  As He lay on the Cross, He saw you, me and all of humanity in a glance and the great suffering we were to undergo on account of our sin. When His heart could hold it no longer, He spoke out His desire, His deep longing and His cry to each one of us showing how greatly He wants us to come to the Fount of Living Water and drink from it.  We must decide today, are we going to the Fount or are we content in the muck we’re in?

It is Finished:  Jesus’ ultimate joy was to finish the work His Father had entrusted to Him. As He hung on the Cross, He knew it was over.  Just as He was about to give up His Spirit, in meek surrender to His Father, He declared…It is done.  It was His signal cry to His Father declaring the completion of His mission on earth.  It was accepted; and then Jesus bent His head and died.  For us, because Jesus finished His work, we just have to believe and accept it and then join Him in the kingdom, after we pass away from our life here on earth.  God gives us the Grace to combat every lethargy and force that confronts us in our acceptance of Jesus’ work and as we lean on God, he removes all barriers so we’re able to partake in the redeeming work of Christ and be saved for eternal life. 

Think on these my friend and know that our God is certainly an awesome God, even to dying for us on the Cross.

Thoughts for another day

April 17, 2014.

Today's verse:  Lk. 22:67, 68. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go.   (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Jesus knew the ways of man well; and at the time he says the above Word, He is aware His time for going from this earth is nigh.  He is conscious of the fact that the time has now come for Him to go through the worst phase of His plan of coming to earth.  He knows of the sham that’ll be played out before Him even as the elders and seniors of the council, assemble to judge Him.  He is fully aware that it’s according to the Divine plan and that nothing or no one apart from Him can thwart what is about to happen.  He is ready to meet the odds for it has to be done so that man may be saved; but right now it is the very men He came to save who will decide His ‘fate’ as they think they’re doing, not even conscious that Jesus is allowing it all and that it’s not by them that it is happening.

A look at His Word tells us a great deal of the weakness or lack of understanding of man toward God.  God gives so many signs of His being and yet we don’t want to believe.  We’re content to ignore the huge amount of natural data signaling God’s existence and latch on the paltry stuff learned scientists provide to signal God doesn’t exist and Jesus was just a figment of the imagination. And, in His time, despite the work He did, they didn’t even consider them to know He was the righteous Lamb of God, rather they ganged up against Him and wanted to destroy Him.

Their hearts were so hardened toward Him that He had to tell them, ‘If I tell you that I AM the Messiah, you’ll not believe!’  Not only did they not believe, they also thought of erasing His Name from the face of the earth by executing Him in the cruelest way of that time.  Now what about us?  Do we believe in God the way we ought to?  Do we consider everything as an act of God and that God is in control.  It may be easy for us to castigate the Jews responsible for the passion and death of Jesus, but aren’t we like them in all ways?  Do we not malign His Name when we do all kinds of nonsense and sin grievously?  In the brief time we have before Easter, it would be right for us to think of our own lives vis-à-vis what our Savior wants from us and do what He says.  After all, eternal life depends on it.

Thoughts for another day

April 16, 2014.

Today's verse:  Jn. 13:38. Jesus answered him, Wilt thou lay down thy life for my sake? Verily, verily, I say unto thee, The cock shall not crow, till thou hast denied me thrice. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Many of us are pretty brave when it concerns things which have otherwise beaten others and we are all familiar with things like – ‘oh if I were there, I would have done this and that…how dare he question you thus, etc.’   But it is an altogether different thing when we face the real thing.  The context of our Scripture today is rather similar and most of us are somewhat conversant with it.

Now Jesus knows His time has come to bear the suffering and humiliation destined for Him as a Man on earth of which He gives a hint to His disciples.  And Peter talks about how he would do whatever he needed to do, to be with Him.  Peter is hardly aware of what exactly is about to happen and the intensity of fury of those in charge and the people.  He is yet to witness the tremendousness of Jesus’ humiliation and the soreness of His scourging.  That’s why he’s able to say he will follow Jesus, even to death!  That is when Jesus predicts his denial. 

The same goes with us.  We also make many promises to Jesus about how we will die for Him etc. and like they say, before the night is over, we’ve changed our decision and are now ready to give up on Him simply because a group of people threatened us when we took His Name to some place.  My friend, faithfulness for Jesus is signaled to the fullest when we follow it up with action.  See, our route in the mission world is fraught with danger and distress at every stage.  But there can be no compromise.  We may be used to compromise but God doesn’t allow it.  If we are for Jesus then we are for Him: Period.  Half measures don’t work.  It is best we stick to our commitment to Him and ask for His help all the time.  He will give it to us for when we do His work, He is very close to us and He will help in any situation.  And in any difficult situation, you will notice that nothing can happen to you except that which He allows.  We can certainly trust Him for that.

Thoughts for another day

April  15, 2014.

Today's verse:  Pss. 122:1, 2. I was glad when they said unto me, Let us go into the house of the LORD. Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

What a wonderful thing it is to go into the Presence of the Lord God Almighty.  It’s as if all loads have fallen down our backs and in that light state, we go unto Him who is our God and who leads us into the peaceful state of being with Him.   David must have felt the sheer sense of joy as he entered the gates of Jerusalem and stood before the house of God.

Imagine the sheer joy in the heart of Jesus too as He entered Jerusalem on that day, riding meekly on a donkey, fulfilling the prophecy about Him in Zec. 9:9.  When He saw the crowds waving palm branches and shouting at Him, Hosanna to the Son of David!  But He knew what was to happen shortly from then and He would have taken it all rather stoically.  Today, as we remember this event that happened many, many years ago, we also recall the humiliation and pain Jesus bore upon Himself, even as the very people who sang with joy at His entry into Jerusalem, now turned upon Him and derided Him and killed Him.

I pray to God that He never take away the gladness of my heart which He has put in me and even before that His Spirit within me.  For the gladness of heart and the joy of standing before Him, must also remind me that there may come a time when it’s time to lay down my life for His cause.   While joy is what the Lord wants us to have, there’re situations when that very joy which God gives us can turn to pain and it’s in our accepting the pain that we can reach a new level of relationship with Christ Jesus, our Lord.

Thoughts for another day

April  14, 2014.

Today's verse:  Luke 12:4, 5. And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

In this world we Christians have a commandment from Christ which is to go to all nations and proclaim the Good News and then baptize the people in the Name of the Holy Trinity.  Now many of us Christians are aware of this commandment, but most of us, particularly in non-Christian countries are scared of going out and preaching the Gospel and it’s evident it’s because of our fear at what will happen to us, especially in Islamic and Communist countries where the punishment is instant death.

Jesus knows about this and therefore has this Word for us today, where He is tells us not to be afraid of them that kill the body and can do no more after that.  Rather, He says, be afraid of God, Who has the power to cast us into hell after having killed us.  I’ve always noticed that in everything Jesus says, His only focus is on eternal life in His Kingdom.  So, all His advice is based on going from here into the Kingdom.  And this has a cost.  The cost is to live our lives for the sake of the Kingdom. It means that if faced with the prospect of either to deny Christ and live or accept Him and be killed, the natural option Christ has for us is to accept Him.  And surely Christ knows better because He is far more than us and beyond us in knowing what is and what will be. 

It’s sad that many Christians either don’t accept or realise the fact that the moment we come to Christ, we also declare war on the world and its ways.  Many don’t even speak of absolute faith in Him and wear diluted statements on their chests, conforming to man-made and worthless rules for entry into heaven.  But Heaven is God’s world and in that His rule prevails…period.  Alas, we’ve made so many diluted interpretations of Christ’s sayings and also twisted His sayings for our benefit and comfort and I must say, the day isn’t far my friend when Christ will judge the people who’ve twisted His rules and manipulated them.  Rather than facing the wrath of God, I would be happy taking His advice concerning whom to fear; and I guess so would you!

Thoughts for another day

April 11, 2014.

Today's verse:  But that day the LORD thundered with loud thunder against the Philistines and threw them into such a panic that they were routed before the Israelites.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Every time there was grave danger to the Israelites and when someone among them stood right before God and prayed confidently to Him, perhaps even weeping at the atrocities committed upon them, God heard their prayer and rescued them with the power of His right hand.  Throughout the Bible we see how God enters the scene whenever there was any situation that stifled the Jews and someone among them stood up in right earnest and prayed.  We know how the Jews irked God and committed every kind of offense against Him, but He always forgot their wickedness and helped them.

I believe, God loves to help His children.  Deep within I know there’s not even one thing in me that would please God for all my life and all my activities and my words are aimed to bring me glory and not Him; yet, I also know that when I pray to Him in sincerity, forgetting me for those moments when I pray, then God re-focuses His attention on me.  Each time I think a particular situation is going to floor me, I look up at God and I am assured that He will help me stand.

You know, the divine affair we have with God, continues all our lives and He is never far from us.  We live as His people on earth and we’re expected to live by His ways.  Yet, often we live by our own ways, caring nothing for God’s dictates and His rules.  Each time this happens I’ve seen us fall miserably, but when I lift my voice and call unto God, He comes instantly and soothes my mind and calms my anxieties.  I know that God knows exactly what to do with my temperament and He works in His way to rid me of my problem and in accepting His way, I also get into the areas of His influence where He will thunder loudly against anything coming against me and destroy my enemies.  My mind is fully convinced that God is my Father and He is for me.

Thoughts for another day

April 10, 2014.

Today's verse:  2 Cor. 5:15. And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

From the beginning of the time when God created man, He has created him for Himself and so man must focus all his life on God and work on what pleases Him.  We were created the Bible says, for the praise of His glory, as even Paul says in Ephesians 1:12 says, ‘That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.’  You know, as humans on earth, our entire focus should be on God and only on Him; but in reality we find our focus is on everything else but God.

Besides, the above I once also made this shocking discovery:  Although I work for the Lord and love to go and address prayer meetings, Bible studies, etc.  I realised that I always wanted to talk about how much I put in to do it for the Lord and also when God worked a miracle through my hands, there was this inner boast that it was through me that the thing was accomplished.  Only recently did it strike me that I am robbing God of His glory for we know that all glory that accrues through the work of God and by that I won’t be wrong to consider all activities on earth; must be for God and God alone.  If He uses me as an instrument, it must not become a thing of pride for me and my ego must not be bloated as if it was me that did the work for by myself, I could hardly do anything.

We must remember my friend, that God is first and foremost in our lives and anything good that happens, happens by God alone and not by anything I can ever do.  To that end I must be prostrate before God in effusive praise for He deemed me fit to work through me.  If our attitude is one of humility and simplicity before God, He will work even more in our lives and raise us up.  We must never forget that Christ died for all so that we, who come to live on earth, must live unto Him, to do His work.  No agenda we have on earth, must be a block to doing God’s work and then we can sit back and see God’s tremendous work in us…it will be simply overwhelming.

Thoughts for another day

April 9, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Jn. 4:4. because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Have you ever grieved and have been sorrowful because you believed you’re a sinner and were displeased at your offense to God?  Have you ever felt worthlessness at the fact that you’ve not been able to keep yourself pure and pleasing to God nor been able to love Him and your neighbor?   Fret not for God has already provided the answer to our spiritual grief by giving you His Holy Spirit; Who abides inside of you.

And John tells us today in the Word: Greater is He (the Holy Spirit) Who is in you than that which is in the world.  By that we know that the power we have, given by the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Lord is much greater than any other power.  By suffering and dying on the Cross, Jesus has done it all for us.  He gave us salvation so that we may spend eternity with Him and then He gave us all things because whatever blocks we had that might have held back our blessings, he has removed.  Every blessing in the heavens and on earth is ours just for the asking.  It’s that simple and therefore it seems incredulous for how can anyone believe that we can get whatever we want…but don’t forget that Jesus said, ‘Ask and you will receive.’  Also remember, there are no pre-conditions God puts in our receiving. 

In our asking, only we must believe for then our asking is in line with God’s will for believing in Him is the greatest respect one may give to God which pleases Him and allows us to get the righteousness of Christ into us and then get all the things we ask.  Today, if you decide to live a pure and holy life, just ask the Holy Spirit in you to check your thoughts, deeds and words.  He will be most pleased to answer you immediately and ensure that your day goes by with not much sin banked in you.

Thoughts for another day

April 8, 2014.

Today's verse:  Phil. 4:13. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

Whenever there’s a mountain in my life which blocks my progress and seems insurmountable, this Word wakes up inside of me and I say, ‘what mountain can stop me when Christ is by my side?’  And the mountain is moved.  If there is a problem which occupies the entire area of my mind and just doesn’t want to go away…or if an issue of difficulty looms around making its home in my space, then I look up and again this Word comes to me with power for look, all things are possible with Him who is my God for He is an all-powerful God, Holy and awesome and He is enough to destroy any and every force that arrays itself around my tent.

The devil may bring unspeakable types of disturbances and lay spikes in our paths to move us to defeat, but yet, in Christ our Lord, we find tremendous strength.  Sometimes, we wonder, how did that struggle end in victory…but if we’re perceptive, we will know that it was God, the God whom we follow and worship who worked it out for us, for even in the bitterest moments of our struggle we did not lose our focus from Him.  It’s in Him we believed and it is He who rescued us from our enemies even as we were about to give up sometimes.

Great is our God who has given us great grounds to believe in Him and who leads us into that path which is full of power and might and peace for even as we use His power and might, His peace floods us and makes us revel in a bliss that’s just inexplicable.  Set your focus on God, forgetting the viciousness of your obstacles.  They will melt when you encounter them with the power of your God and you will win because you belong to a God who is all powerful and all benevolent.

Thoughts for another day

April 7, 2014.

Today's verse:  Deut. 27:9. Take heed, and hearken, O Israel; this day thou art become the people of the LORD thy God.   (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

What a wonderful thing to hear a statement like the above ‘You have become the people of the LORD your God!’  See, the statement lifts one up from being just an ordinary human being living on earth in his own strength to that of one whose strength now is the God of Israel.   And when we know Who God is, then we know how powerful a statement that can be!

A thing of interest here is, the Scripture above says, ‘O Israel’ and as Christians we may wonder: are we Israel.  Well, not the classical Israel, the descendents of Jacob, but we’re the new Israel for Paul says, Gal. 3:7, “Therefore know that only those who’re of faith are sons of Abraham.”  The covenant of God belongs to us and what’s more, we belong to the New Covenant established by the blood of Christ, of which we’re all participants. 

Abraham’s Seed, that is Christ, was entitled to all the promises made to Abraham.  In Christ we noted before that we’re the descendants of Abraham and so we’re eligible to all the promises made to Abraham since we’re his children in Christ.  Therefore our response is to hold in our hearts the firm assurance that God is our Father in and through Jesus Christ and God, just as He blessed Abraham has also blessed us the minute we believed in His Son.  What a lofty status it is by which we also are lifted from obscurity to regality for we serve a Royal Emperor and we live with Him and we know, that we’re a chosen generation and a royal nation.  It is for each one of us to consider how strong that is and be with God to be carried by Him all through our lives.

Thoughts for another day

April 4, 2014.

Today's verse:  Rev. 2: 3, 4. You have persevered and have endured hardships for my name, and have not grown weary. Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

To the church in Ephesus, rather more specifically to us in today’s times, Jesus says the Word today: You’ve experienced hardships and persevered for My Name’s sake and haven’t grown weary.  But, you’ve forsaken your first love.  Now Who is our first love?  It’s Jesus Himself.  I remember when I went for a retreat and had a soul cleansing experience.  Oh, I was so charged for Jesus.  At that time, there was nothing I wouldn’t do for His sake.  It was Jesus and Jesus alone Who interested and excited me.  Everything was just dross and I could well do without any of it as long as I had Jesus.

Then days went by and many moons later, I realise that the same commitment to Jesus isn’t there.  The zeal has mellowed down a little bit.  The willingness to sacrifice anything and everything has reduced.  There was a time when I wouldn’t watch any program on television except Christian channels, but today the feeling is, what the heck, watching another program isn’t so bad!  As far as obstinately not committing sin is concerned, well that obstinacy has softened a tad and truly though I’m still ready to persevere with the Lord and even bear hardships for Him, there’s that little bit of hesitation niggling at the back of my mind.  I still remember those days when I was ready to encounter hail, storm or floods to do work for the Lord, but today, I’m not so sure.

Time has certainly eroded my love for the Lord and here He is today telling me about it: WHERE IS YOUR FIRST LOVE.  A question I must answer in the quiet of my soul.  I’ve written this reflection with me as the person in question, asking myself, what’s the state of my soul vis-à-vis, what Jesus tells us in our Scripture today.  But it’s relevant to us all and we need to ponder upon it.  We must stop backsliding and get on to the drawing board, detaching ourselves from all the filth that has managed to cling onto us and clean ourselves with the precious blood of Jesus Christ and repent.  He will be most happy to welcome us back and sup with us.

Thoughts for another day

April 3, 2014.

Today's verse:  Ps. 73:25. Whom have I in heaven but thee? and there is none upon earth that I desire beside thee.  (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

When I think of it, these words of the psalmist are so true in my life.  For they mean everything to me and even more.  And I love to say the same thing to God sometimes when I pray and I joy and delight in the fact that He knows it and He is pleased for truly He understands when I say, ‘Whom O Lord have I in heaven but Thee and on earth, there is none I desire more than Thee.’   For when I look back I must say He has given me the Grace to live on earth with strength and confidence.

When I wake up in the morning I think of Him and I am strengthened.  In prayer I pledge to Him that I am His son and I appropriate all that He has for me for being His son I’m entitled to it isn’t it?  He lays His hand over me and I take Jesus’ blood and put it over all that’s mine and even on those whose hearts beat for the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  In most of my thoughts during the day, the Lord abides and I know that He is constantly working in my mind to keep it afloat of any stupid tendencies I may have that could cause me despair and weakness.

He understands when I say I’ve none to take care of me but Him and even when you my friend pray the same, He looks at you with that warm gaze of His.  He knows it is He alone who can fend for all of us and who can strengthen us in our lives and help us live full and confident lives.  Without Him, we would not be able to breathe and our hearts would stop beating in no time.  Without Him, there would be no thought that would emanate from our minds and neither would we be able to lift any part of our bodies for where would we be without His strength?  God is our all in all and our true refuge and that is why we can stand opposed to the world and its nefarious ways and still be strong; for with Him beside us, who can be against us?

Thoughts for another day

April 2, 2014.

Today's verse:  Lk. 22:61, 62. And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

God loves us all, you, me and everyone to the same measure and there’s no partiality with God.  Yet, man is so crass that He goes against God.  Many also deny their faith in the face of opposition and we know of men who seemingly have dedicated their lives in the service of God, who run away when they’re needed to stay their ground.  You know, taking the Name of Christ and living for Him is no cake-walk.  It means being opposed to the ways of the world.  Hence, many people compromise and they feel God will understand.  But then haven’t they broken the faith God had in them?

Take Peter for example: he was the numero uno apostle among the apostles.  There never was an occasion when Peter wasn’t involved with Christ in His Ministry of three years and Jesus even announced that His church would be built on Peter.  He was amongst the first apostles Jesus chose, yet when it mattered most, Peter denied Him.  And this after vociferously saying he wouldn’t and that He was willing to give his life for Him too, when Jesus had predicted that he would deny Him.  If such was the case with Peter how will it be with us?  We too make tall claims about our unshakeable faith in the Lord, but when it comes to it, we could falter.   That’s because we’re weak and constantly need the Holy Spirit to strengthen us and keep us on track.

In our normal living too, we constantly deny or insult Jesus by our words and actions.  It happens with the best and without even sensing it sometimes.  The solution Jesus has for us is repentance.  In our Word today, we see that in Scripture when it says, ‘Peter went out and wept bitterly.’  He was so cut to the heart after he sensed how he had denied his Master that I’m sure he would have felt like a worm needing squishing and repented sincerely!  So too my brother we need to feel…totally remorseful and humiliated by what we did to Jesus, just like Peter; and then perhaps the Lord may appear to us and say, ‘….do you love Me?’  It will give us the joy of our lives.

Thoughts for another day

April 1, 2014.

Today's verse:  John 15:26, 27. But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me: And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning. (KJV)

(Pls. read the above before you read further.  Thanks)

If you’re in a relationship with the Holy Spirit of God, you would know that the one thing He always desires of you is praise to the Lord Jesus Christ.  On the other hand, if you seriously intend having the Holy Spirit with you, then praise and worship to Christ will make that possible.  What I love about the Holy Spirit, our gentle and most loving God is His absolute unwillingness to take any of the worship that we give God, but channel it all to our Master Jesus.  So selfless is the Almighty Holy Spirit, that in silent adoration in His Presence you’ll always hear: “Praise Jesus” from your heart.

When we praise Jesus with all our hearts in His Presence, then He is so comforting, you can almost feel His comfort upon you.  Immersed in His joyful Presence, you’ll feel His gentle breeze swaying over you and His coolness will cover you.  You’ll realise the import of what Jesus says above when this happens and you’ll also know that Jesus has sent you His Holy Spirit to be your Comforter.  He is the Spirit of Truth and in Him abides the peace the world doesn’t know; the very peace given us by Jesus.  Even in your most dark moments, the beautiful Holy Spirit enables you to see light beyond the clouds of your despair and kindles great strength in your most weak moments so you’ll even laugh at the things that make you feel weak!

As a Christian, Jesus also gives you the Holy Spirit to bear testimony to Him and His Gospel.  His Spirit takes you across time to where Jesus walked the face of the earth and He said all those things in the Scriptures.  In fact, when we read Scripture in the Presence of the Holy Spirit, we understand how real Jesus’ Presence is and how precious His Words are.  The Holy Spirit drives away all fear from us and helps us to witness to Christ, the Lord who speaks to us in Scripture.  My friend, such is the power of the Spirit in us that I can’t even think of a moment without Him and I can now understand clearly David’s plea to God, ‘Take not Your Holy Spirit from me!’  David feared the departure of the Holy Spirit and we too who are tuned to God, do the same.  Thank God for His gift of the Holy Spirit.