Thoughts for another day

May 30, 2014.

Today's verse:  2 Tim. 1:7, 8a. For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, (KJV)

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

In living the Christian life, we must remember we’re here for a purpose which is to prepare for our eternal life after this earthly sojourn.  Quite honestly that isn’t the way we Christians look at it; fact is, many of us think that our tryst on earth is to live well, lead good lives and then, leave it to God.  Now the leave it to God bit is a little ironical because God wants us to live in a particular way and we know it but still don’t live it, yet we trust Him to understand!

How would God see it when we live contrary to His way?  I’m sure He isn’t pleased but merciful that He is, He would not pull us up all the time for not correcting the situation to His pleasure.  But He points out our fallacy, either in taking us through some trial or speaking to us, through someone or directly.  If our hearts are oriented to Him, we understand His message and change.  But even as we change, we’re confronted with a serious question on how to go about God’s work.  First, we need to mend ourselves, changing our lifestyle to suit that which He wants.  And second we must take the Gospel of our Lord Jesus to the nations; and mind you that isn’t His desire, but His command.  It’s frightening because we don’t know what will be in store for us in our evangelization efforts.

Both the tasks are difficult and many of us quickly get off the track because of our fear that we’ll fail.  We must remember that God, when He wants us to do something, will also provide the means to do it.  And we must know that God hasn’t given us the spirit of fear, but of power as Paul so eloquently says in our Word today.  Holding on to God’s Word, we must endeavor to love the way He loves and steadfastly move about our work, which though dangerous as seen by weak men, is also very possible as seen through the spirit of fearlessness that God gives us. And His Spirit will safeguard us in every journey we take in our effort to please Him and do His work.

Thoughts for another day

May 29, 2014.

Today's verse:  Deut. 30:15. See, I have set before thee this day life and good, and death and evil; (KJV)

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

All things that pertain to our life on earth and our relationship with God are placed in His Word, the Bible which we take as our friend, guide and leader before us; and live according to its dictates for they’re God’s dictates and in them He has carved for us the road to salvation.  Today, we’re reminded that God has set before us the path to walk in and live, as well as stray in and die.

The instructions are pretty clear and God expects us to walk in this path without wavering or giving second thoughts to what we find in them and like Peter we could say to God, ‘You alone have the Words of eternal life’ for in what God says is alone the map to life everlasting and that’s because God is our Creator and also the architect of eternal life.  I know just as you do that God’s Words may not be easy to keep; besides, sometimes, if we’ve kept His Word, we may still find fear gnawing at our insides, or failure holding us in its grip.  It’s also possible we’re made so tired that we don’t want to see God’s Word as being relevant to us.  But even then God’s Word doesn’t change.  It never changes.

To be with God, we must adhere to His Word and live by it, however difficult it may seem and it’s difficult; for whoever heard of success in a vacillating person?  But unlike human things, God’s Word is to be kept with the help of His Grace and His Grace is potent enough to allow even the worst offender the power to resist and walk in the path of His Word.  Now look, He has set before us death and life and the decision we take may be unalterable and either give life or death.  Choose to be with God and you’ll have life.  You may fall while the course of your choice is on, yet you will conquer for those who choose life will be enabled to stay on course and live.

Thoughts for another day

May 28, 2014.

Today's verse:  Jn. 16:33. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world. (KJV)

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

If there’s one thing that gives me great satisfaction when I face the mountains before me, it is the fact that Jesus has overcome the world.  He has gone this way and He knows it all.  He has set his foot on the pedal and hit the metal and made the moves and He rolls and that’s why when trouble besets me I know that I’m more than a conqueror for the Lord of the universe has conquered it on my behalf and boy; does He know how to conquer!  He yanked the devil of his perch and made a laughing stock of him and his minions of scamsters, with His Cross and laughed His way to heaven for just when the devil thought he had won when Jesus died on the Cross and was laid in the grave, our Lord burst asunder by the power of the Holy Spirit and laid low the evil scheme of the foxiest of them, the son of perdition and destroyed his fortress of bitter gall once and for all.

Jesus came from the Father to save me.  He lived His life and He died for you and me.   He gave us the whiff of victory which we see in our own lives by following His principles for us and thus He set a new ‘Way’ before us; a new life if one may say.  In this Jesus led us the way of peace and gave us such peace that no matter what the devil may throw upon us, he cannot rob us of the peace Jesus gave us.  Inside of us is such a fortress created by the Lord in which lies our goodness and our strength and no matter what the devil do, he cannot penetrate that fortress.

In the Grace that Jesus sends us without cease, we live our lives by our hope in Him.  Fall we will, for we’re but human, but we will get up and be of good cheer for the post of victory lies just ahead and our Savior is near to hold us up, make us rise and lead us there.  His power never leaves us and His great deed of victory never ceases to etch itself on our minds.  His glory is our waving flag and His Cross our cape of honor.  All in all because He overcame the world, we will too and be with Him in His kingdom forever.

Thoughts for another day

May 27, 2014.

Today's verse:  Ps. 100:3. Know ye that the LORD he is God: it is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. (KJV)

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It’s truly comforting to know in these times that we’re not just creatures by accident but of God; what with scientific theories floating around on the evolution of the world and then onward how man evolved from apes and so on.  They would have us believe that there’s no life after death or as in some circles, life would begin again in the form of some animal depending on the goodness we displayed in this life, etc.  It’s indeed amusing that such things float around and sadly there’re millions and millions of people who believe this and are satisfied in their hearts by their beliefs and sated by the patterns of their worship.

Yet we stand firmly before our God in our knowledge of Him, trusting in His knowledge of us, the knowledge He had much before He even laid the foundation of the world.  We know we’re created by His loving hand and aren’t evolved things floating from someone’s imagination to further evolve into something else for according to this theorization, evolution is continuous and has to reach the next step, but of course you can never know what you’ll evolve into because you see, it’ll happen in probably a million years.  It infuriates me how people can be so foolish to believe these things! 

But we, the flock of His pasture are constantly in His gaze.  He is our Good Shepherd and we’re His loving sheep.  Yeah, we love Him, even though you may look at it a little skeptically, because deep within us He has put His Spirit and His Spirit kindles love for Him within us.  His love is an everlasting cape around up and cloaked in His warm gaze, we’re ever looking up to Him, you and I, to be with Him in His home: heaven.  We crave to sing songs of praise to Him for He the LORD is God and He made us so we may praise Him, here on earth and then continue in eternal life.  I bend my knee and thank our Father in heaven for He has made us His people, the sheep of His pasture, to move into His kingdom and reign with Him over marvelous spaces and time, of which we know nothing, but we know Him and trust and rejoice in Him.

Thoughts for another day

May 26, 2014.

Today's verse:  Eph. 2:8, 9. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. (KJV)

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

How do you think you’re saved?  Is it because you were by birth a Christian or because of your really good nature and your obeying the law of God without knowing it to be His law; or is it because as you grew up you realised there’s life after this life and you started doing good works so whoever was the Authority in the next life would see your work and welcome you?  Not, by a long distance is this right and we know that our thinking would be fallacious if we thought we had anything to do with our salvation for how can we, who’re steeped in sin, ever work out anything by ourselves that will lead us out of this sin?

It’s indeed appalling to say the least that there’re times when the rebel within us, rebels against God and we hear our inner voice say that God had nothing to do with our being saved, because of ‘all the good we do’.  But my friend in this case what’s it that causes you to do good but the Grace of God; and we must shut this rebel up forcefully before his character becomes us and we rebel against God, and stamp him firmly out of our lives, for we can never achieve our salvation by ourselves, lest we be prone to boast it’s by our efforts we became free of sin.  For, it’s God’s Grace and His Grace alone that leads us to be saved.

God’s Grace enables us to accept Him as our Savior; our Redeemer and do Him homage and worship Him whereby we develop faith in Him; faith that tells us He is always there and He is our Omnipotent Father.  It tells us that we drowned in sin, but He sent us His only Son to die for us and pull us out of the deadly muck and cleanses us as white as snow.  It pleases God when a man by virtue of God’s faith implanted in him as a gift, lifts his hands up before Him and thanks Him for his being saved and it’s a great sight for a sinner to confess his sins, believe in the sacrifice of His son by His Grace, and accept Him as Savior.  God’s light will shine on such a person even unto eternal life.

Thoughts for another day

May 23, 2014.

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)

In the walk of life the unseen hand of God is always upon those who believe in Him and honor Him.  His mighty hand is ever raised on the behalf of those who’re close to Him and who worship Him in faith, day by day.  In the early morning as I get up, I can see His hand in the fact that He kept me while I slept, giving me sound sleep and waking me up refreshed.  I know that had He not kept me, I would not rise for there’re many who go to sleep at night and don’t wake up in the morning.  As I rise I remember Him and also remember that in making me, He did such glorious things, creating the heavens and all of nature which I can see through my window, so that I praise His Name.

Over the day as I work, I can see His unseen hand, helping me in my work and other worries and without Him, I would be sunk, not knowing how to go about it, even interacting with my colleagues or my friends or even relatives.  But at the end of the day, without my realizing it, I’ve been able to achieve much and God has truly been with me as I note in the clarity of my mind and my stamina to work.  I also know He has blocked the evil that wanted to come and disturb me and He stayed the darts of the enemy, sent to destroy me, and I wasn’t even aware.  Every situation of discomfort, He removed and in all this, I felt comforted by the Grace that He has sent to me unceasingly.

In the evening as I recall His love, I can feel the might of His Presence with me throughout the day.  As I move into prayer, which I call the crowning glory of my day, I realise the importance of having God with me all the time.  I know that He is there even when I resorted to silly sin and offended Him; and, He is the only One I know, Who is with me even when I offend Him.  He has made me glad through His unseen yet mighty work all my day and this much I know, I will triumph in the works that He did of His hands and the glory that flows from it will be His for all glory is His and I know, that I’m but a vessel He uses to create great glory for Himself.  Praise His Name.

Thoughts for another day

May 22, 2014.

Today's verse:  Job 31:14. What then shall I do when God rises up [to judge]? When He visits [to inquire of me], what shall I answer Him? (Amplified – copy. ack.)

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

I have said many times before that there will be the Day of Judgment when each person will stand before the throne of God and in that single most, dread-filling moment, will have to answer for all he or she has done in his or her life and which hasn’t been right in the sight of God.  Every action will be called to account and not only that, every word that we speak (and we know how much gibberish we spew out and how much criticism and hate we belch); will be called to account; Jesus Himself said this, Mt. 12:36, ‘But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.’

The very thought should fill our heart with fear, not the kind of fear leading to despair, for the Blood of Christ is still available and acceptable before the Father.  But surely our stupid words and deeds should and must fill us with dread and remorse while we’re here and we have time to reconcile with the Father of lights with the Lamb’s Blood upon us, and then live our new lives in accord with His will.  Many don’t realise that there’s going to be a judgment day.  Some are just not concerned about the after-life thinking as if with their death everything ends.  But it is not so…there is an eternal life; the Bible tells us so and it’s also apparent from various visions and experiences, men and women across the globe had in their lives, of life after death and have lived to tell it.

It’s very clear the soul will leave the body, that soul being you, and journey toward the place it is to live forever.   The place is, with God or without God; all depends on whether you’ve accepted Christ or not and the kind of life you lived.  That there’s a judgment is for sure for the Bible speaks clearly about it.  Therefore, isn’t it time to rise and tell yourself ‘the old has passed and the new has come’ and embrace the new that is the Blood of Christ and allow it to wash your sins. Then receive the new garments from the beloved Lamb of God and live in joy in Him; to cherish Him in eternal dwellings, not worrying about the Day of judgment, for at that time, in that place as you stand before the Throne, there will be the Lamb standing by you, your Advocate before the Father and when the Lamb’s light shines on you, the Father will only say, Welcome to My Kingdom, My child.’

Thoughts for another day

May 21, 2014.

Today's verse:  Rom. 8:31. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? (KJV)

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

In any walk of life in anybody’s life, whatever the situation be, it’s essential we must bear in mind the critical Word: If God be for us, who can be against us?  How powerful the Word and how majestic the sound of this Word in my ears and the ears of all believers who know that the LORD God is Almighty God and in His hand lies the earth and all its inhabitants.  He raises some and He pulls down some; those who’re His are known to Him and He may send them trials for their own growth, but He sure pulls them up when they’re weary and the world does them in.

It’s such a great thing to rest in the LORD God and His Word for His Word is true and worth mention at all times for it raps the devil on his back and sends him fleeing.  God’s Word is the eternal truth.  The Rock that stands firm and Jesus said, ‘Heaven and earth will pass away but My Words will not pass away.’  Yes, it is even today as strong as ever and most trustworthy.  And so for me the great truth in His Word is: if God be for me, who can be against me?

Many may come against me seeing I’m blessed far beyond their capacity to be blessed and are critical of my God, but they will dash against me and be broken.  Many may curse me for they can’t bear to see the success that my God has given me, but they shall be tied up and die in their misery for when they come against me, they fail to realise they’re up against God for I sincerely and with my heart believe that God is for me so who can be against me.  Even if it be an army poised against me, I shall not be afraid for God is at my side; what then will an army mean but fodder to stoke the flame of anger that my Lord will hurl at them.  My friend, let God be at your side and your enemies will flee; they will be as nothing and mean nothing.

Thoughts for another day

May 20, 2014.

Today's verse:  Lam. 3:25, 26. The LORD is good unto them that wait for him, to the soul that seeketh him. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for the salvation of the LORD. (KJV)

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

Waiting: I don’t really know what it is about waiting that seems so beautiful before God and has the power to make available all of His power and resources in our lives.  What does waiting have to do with the entire power of God, released upon us, making us strong and awesome, filled with His glory to do His work in the world?  I may not have an answer; but all I know is, waiting is the right recipe to get close to God and I believe there’s nothing else that can get us closer to Him than waiting on Him; of course, waiting must be built on the firm foundation of faith in God and an unshakeable belief that He is in control of everything.

Usually in the process of waiting, the child of God is led to the wilderness, a place of dryness, a place of discomfort where we’re parched and ready to fall.  It may not happen with all believers, but does happen to them who’re close to God, atleast once in their lives for I believe that unless the desert of despair is thrust upon the child of God, he or she isn’t acquainted with Him.  This wilderness isn’t necessarily a place but a situation in life where nothing is going right and there’s a lot of failure, dejection and despair.  A place we want to get out of quickly, but the more we try, the more we’re stuck firmly in it.  And then reconciling to our fate, we look upon God and suddenly, He becomes real.  His life becomes real and gradually, His reality becomes our reality.

We begin to seek Him and from the myriads of blurs of the world, we’re yet able to decipher God’s shape and worship Him with fervor and passion.  A quietness descends upon every soul who happens to traverse this way and all anxiety is replaced with the quiet confidence of knowing there’s a God up there and He is connected to me and He is seized of my matter and He will deliver me.  Then this quiet confidence translates into the miracle of an encounter with God…the greatest experience a man can have of God and then the River of God bursts forth and we’re watered with the wells of salvation even unto eternal life and the chains of oppression we faced in the desert are broken and we’re free.  What a life we can lead from there!  Therefore, it’s good, a man should hope and quietly wait on Him.

Thoughts for another day

May 19, 2014.

Today's verse:  Ps. 30:7. Thou, Jehovah, of thy favor hadst made my mountain to stand strong: Thou didst hide thy face; I was troubled. (ASV – copy. ack.)

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

One of the most beautiful verses in the Bible for me is ‘I will be with you always, yea, even to the end of the age!’  And it pleases me because I know, no matter what happens, He is always there.  I might be in deep trouble and in great despair but I can tell myself, ‘hang on, He is close by.’   The mere sight of the Lord is enough to bring shudders in the spine of my enemy.  His countenance is enough to drive the devil from me as fast as smoke scatters in a hurricane. 

Quite simply, I must reiterate the Word today for I keep it in my heart and it’s a solid foundation on which I stand when there’re all reasons that defy my standing strong, as the enemy willed that I wilt and disappear into nothing.  In times like these I look at the life of Job who must have felt far more misery than me, yet even at that time it’s possible Job was aware that God’s favor was on his life which is why, he remained strong, though perhaps a bit dazed by what had happened.  Yeah, when God hid His face, he would have been alarmed and scared; even then the Grace of God had him covered and he still had the courage to say, ‘my Redeemer lives.’ 

My life (and even yours I believe), is not a bed of roses; in fact, right now, my life seems to be thrust in a rudderless boat in the midst of an ocean and all around there’s nothing but disillusionment and despair.  I know the forces of the evil one are trying to drown me into the bottom of hades and that’s why I hear the shrill cry of heinous winds that seem to wrap me in a shroud.  But, in tears, I lift my eyes to Heaven, the abode of my merciful God and there I see Him and I perceive in my heart, ‘Fear not I AM with you.’  I take His outstretched arm and hold on…hold on and I realise all is well.  My God is all I need and His favor rests on me and my mountain has been planted even in the sea.  You and I need but wait on Him and the victory will be ours.

Thoughts for another day

May 16, 2014.

Today's verse:  Pro. 9:10. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight. (RSV – copy. ack.)

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

When small, I remember one thing my dad and my elder sisters taught me and that was to fear God and keep on His side of things.  We were trained to pray at home as a Catholic family and we took that rather seriously, with one kid leading the prayer at the exact time each evening and the next one the other day, etc.  We were packed off to church early morning each day and mind you, my dad never allowed us to be late for Mass.  When I see it today, I thank God for my dad who was so hardworking and despite my mother passing away when I was a little kid; my family didn’t go off track, but for one sister who married a non-believer.

From early childhood, I was ingrained to pray and fear the Lord, not to see Him as a big task master with a stick waiting to use it on us when we fell off the line, but rather as The One who looked after and cared for us.  Yet despite this, I can’t remember my knowing God the way I do now; and believe me, the knowledge of God is so precious, so rare and so illuminating and strengthening to my existence that I can’t comprehend living a single day without God by my side.  I thank His Grace by which we as a family had such a close relationship with Him and funnily, despite our not knowing it.  But as we grew up, we also grew out of the family’s code of behavior going wayward in our ways including our habit of attending church and praying and that led to a lot of disarray in our family.  Yet, God never forgot us for I know He loved our little hands clasped in prayer when we were small and despite our moving away as we grew up into adulthood, He has today brought us back to Him, except for that sister and I believe someday, she and her family will join the fold; it’s inevitable.

The point I make is that the fear of God in our lives when we were small is the one thing that has kept us with Him, even in the moments of our unruly behavior as young adults.  And somehow only God knows how, our little knowledge of Him has secured us to Him as a baby is secured to his mother with the umbilical cord.  Truly our Word above is so true in my life and I’m so grateful to God for all He did for me and my family.  Today, I’ve ingrained the same values in my daughter, again by His Grace, and I know that despite the numerous jaunts we may have in the labyrinths of mire, muck and danger, He is there for us for we know Him and those who do, He never allows to slip into the devil’s grip, however hard he try.  And you know what, He has put a safety board around us warning the evil one not to intrude and the board says: This is My property; no trespassing! 

Thoughts for another day

May 15, 2014.

Today's verse:  Is. 45:3. And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel.  (KJV)

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

As Christians we must remember we have the special status of being a ‘child of God’ in and through Jesus Christ our Lord; and this status isn’t reserved for only a few but to all who have accepted Christ and His marvelous sacrifice.  In becoming a child of God, the Word of God says we were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit at the time of accepting Jesus as our Lord and Savior.  Therefore, there’s an anointing of special Grace upon our lives…unmerited, yet fully existing in every true believer’s life.  Grace so powerful, it can rock the foundation of the world, a Grace by which the saints of old downed wild animals, destroyed the bastions of the enemy, overcame impossible blocks, subdued huge armies and by only worshipping the Lord, brought about earthquakes which perforce released them from captivity.

Now since we have God’s special anointing, the Promise above is for everyone who accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior of their lives.  In the Word, we know God has reserved for us unknown treasures of darkness and hidden riches, dwelling in secret places of which we know nothing.  God will release in the lives of His holy ones such bounties that they who see them will marvel and wonder how it came to be and then we’ll know for sure that He is the Lord who calls each one of us by name and He alone is the God of Israel!  How will it happen, we don’t know for we don’t know how God works, Eccl. 11:5, ‘As you know not the way of the spirit, nor how the bones grow in the womb of a woman with child, even so you know not the works of God who makes all.’  All we need to do is trust Him to Whom all things are possible.

If today, most believers live in conditions of squalor and want, it’s simply that we don’t believe in the Word or we aren’t yet acquainted with the Word.  I usually never talk about riches and such like things because our objective is to praise Him, who has given us life; but it would be wrong to keep silent on the fact that God wants His people to live in full.  The only limitation we have is our mind which refuses to accept God’s reality and that’s why we don’t receive what’s ours in Christ.  Never mind if in your mind you want the greatest things and you fear ridicule if you tell others, for know that our God is Almighty and nothing is impossible to Him.  All we need to do is just hang in there in faith, even if at times it seems hopeless; for surely God is about to do something mighty and all good things take time, for in that time, God moulds us into that which He wants us to be.

Thoughts for another day

May 14, 2014.

Today's verse:  Col. 3:1, 2. If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. (KJV)

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

In the world we live move, it’s quite easy to become like anyone in the world.  It’s easy to live like other people who have no need for God and who’ll not even believe when you tell them there’s a God and He loves you.  Now this also applies to the idol worshippers and others who don’t believe in the One True God for their notions don’t prevent them from mingling with the crowd so to say and absorbing their customs and their ways.  For these people, everything is okay and hunky dory till some major problem comes along and shatters their life.  Then they run helter-skelter and are too confounded as to where to go for everywhere they go the door is closed and there’s no respite at all.  Since they’ve also not looked at the LORD God Almighty as their God they now don’t even know how to look at Him for how can you look at Some One you never knew? 

Are we too like this?  Believe me when I say, we are, for most of us Christians don’t even know our God, leave alone trust Him to work in our favor; but if we do that, He will do a great work for us. Today I received a mail from a friend who is to visit two countries in his current holiday trip.  He got the visa for one country where he is right now, but the visa for the other country was refused and he had to start the process all over again.  Now there was no time to give the passport for the visa stamp and this friend also had booked non-refundable air tickets in advance and the host people in the other country were looking forward to his visit; and the visa not being granted was something they never imagined happening.  Now what to do?  He requested all his friends to pray and pray they did, hammering at our heavenly Father’s heart.  His mail tells me he has obtained what is called an ‘e-visa’, one issued only in extraordinary circumstances.  Although not stamped in the passport, all he needs to do is take an output of the letter from the Immigration received by him and they can walk into the country, which just a few days earlier, they thought they would never go to!

My friend, such is our God.  His work makes you feel like some kind of dignitary just as I am sure my friend will feel when he goes to the immigration of that country and they will treat him very well because he has an e-visa!  And I must tell you that if God did that for him, He will do it for you and me too.  Just trust Him as my friend trusted and all will be well.  God will exalt you and raise you above the nations so all who see you lifted will be impressed.  And I must tell you that in your travail; lift your eyes above to Christ and don’t fall into the trap below.  Then His miraculous light will shine on you.  Amen.

Thoughts for another day

May 13, 2014.

Today's verse:  Jn. 10:10b. I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. (KJV)

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

In prayer, many times we ask the Lord for various things that may be considered to be in the realm of luxury.  Perhaps an air conditioner or a large flat panel television or an upper end car and such like things.  Then listening to a preacher preaching on the sufferings of Christ we may wonder whether our asking is in good taste before the Lord.  Many of us even feel bad for asking them.  There are others who ask for nothing saying, ‘Lord just give me what You feel is right for me’ and this prayer seems so nice though it may be liable for not being answered for God loves clarity in our prayer.

Now take a look at our Scripture above where Jesus says ‘I have come so you may have life and life in abundance!’  Now consider the preaching on frugality you heard and felt bad about your asking?  The first thing we need to understand is Jesus came so we may lead a full and abundant life.  Jesus wants that we live a life of happiness and joy and I know that whatever goes into making our lives that, will be granted by Him, whether it be an air conditioner or an upper end car.  He came and He suffered and died so that we could live an abundant life and we must know that abundant doesn’t mean frugality or a parsimonious life.  As Jesus’ saved ones, we have all the right in the world to live a content and full life not lacking anything.  Don’t get me wrong, it’s not that we live a life of great grandeur and pomp but a life that has no lack.  And while on this I’ll add that our lives must also be a song of praise to His Name and a route to spread His Good News to the world.

As His followers I know He doesn’t want us to scrimp and be stingy but give and be happy.  It’s this that must be in our heart as we emulate His life of holiness and obedience to God.  In all we do, we must have the thought of giving glory to God and giving God glory can hardly happen on an empty stomach or a state of discomfort due to lack.  Remember He will answer every prayer that a person makes who walks right before Him and He blesses so we’ll bless others and we know that we can lead a good life in Christ not because anyone says so, but because He says so, in our Word for today.

Thoughts for another day

May 12, 2014.

Today's verse:  Lk. 8:13. They on the rock are they, which, when they hear, receive the word with joy; and these have no root, which for a while believe, and in time of temptation fall away. (KJV)

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

In the parable of the Sower, Jesus speaks of an interesting possibility of the seed falling on rock.  To understand better, let’s look at what the Sower does…He takes the same care for every seed that falls on various types of ‘ground’ (I use this word for lack of a better term).  His effort, His love and His fervor is the same with every seed that He sows; yet the seed falls on different ‘ground’ and the result is different.

In this reflection, we look at rocky ground of which Jesus utters our above Word of them who’re like rocks in their hearts yet receive the Word with delight.  Since they’re hard, lacking the ability to develop roots that can penetrate their hardness, for a while the seed grows literally on the surface because the root gets no resistance.  But as soon as the root seeks penetration to be planted firmly within this ‘ground’ it faces resistance and is not able to hold on and falls away.  The Word literally is washed away from the person and is not beneficial to him as he doesn’t allow it to take root.

There’re many who’re like this rocky ground.  We go for a retreat or a crusade and are touched by what we hear and see and oh, our hearts are so turned toward God.  But the hardness of rebellion toward Him curtails the growth of His Word in our hearts which results in our inability to stand firm when faced with the temptation, sent to check the strength within our hearts to bear God’s Word. And so we’re unable to live the way He wants us to live, resulting in our not bearing fruit that’s meaningful in God’s sight.  For all of us who’re like this, it’s time we prayed the Holy Spirit of God to break our hardness and make us soft and yielding to His Word; and eventually, God, seeing that we’re bearing fruit, will use us for His purposes.

Thoughts for another day

May 9, 2014.

Today's verse:  Rom. 9:15, 16. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that showeth mercy. (KJV)

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

If someone is a big man of God and I’m not then I feel jealous about him because I see the man is most blessed and he has a number of people approaching and seeking his guidance and counsel.  I find his finances much better than mine; and not only that but as a person is he far more happy and forth coming than me, which rankles me even more.  This can cause me sleepless nights and great angst and jealousy may tear at my inwards, just because I find someone more established than me. 

But what about me?  Well I too am more or less well established and in a reasonably good position.  My family is well off and my children in good positions, etc.  Yet, when I see a person better off than me, I become jealous and seethe inside.  This is so common in today’s world and everywhere you go people talk to you about it; either they’re jealous or they find someone else jealous who wants to cry on their shoulder.   When I was working in a large organization, I realised I wasn’t paid as well as others who were junior to me and much less capable, all because of the fact that I’m rather vocal on matters of principles.  My colleagues told me that I must raise the issue; but by God’s amazing Grace I just shut up and even thanked the HR head for giving me a small nominal raise.

Sadly, no one reflects on the fact that it is God’s elective plan by which a man may have more success than another.  No matter what area of life one is to touch, whether studies or anything else and importantly if it’s a ministry; success and its quantum is determined by God.  We must acknowledge that God is in control and He will never deprive us of our normal dues.  Even if I’m not working or doing anything to subsist but relying on Him to take care, He will do it regardless of whether I work or not.  It’s our job to just trust the Lord, for it is all His plan.  We cannot complain or behave insolently because of what we feel is wrong.  We must remember that God is Sovereign and it is up to Him whether to show us the mercy we don’t deserve, or not.  Eventually, by His Grace, when we accept His plan for us, happiness will be ours and our hearts will shine forth revealing His Glory.

Thoughts for another day

May 8, 2014.

Today's verse:  2 Thess. 3:3. But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil. (KJV)

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

We humans are weak and our feet may stumble.  There’re many things that may go wrong with us and we may not be able to lift ourselves up from the rut we’re in and at times we may also reach the end of the rope in that there’s no strength left in us to even tide over the situation.  But clearly and surely, the Lord our God, Whom we believe in and Whom we follow is not weak.  He is the LORD God Almighty; God from all ages and awesomely powerful, Whose power we can’t comprehend nor measure. 

Our Word today tells us that He is faithful, and He will endure with us till the end.  He beckons us to come when He says, ‘come to Me all you who labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest.’  He lifts up the yoke covering us and breaks it like a burnt stick.  We can roam free in the choice pasture of His making and He leads us into calm and still water, refreshing our souls.  There’s no bridle that can hold nor shackle that can tie us when God is by our side.  He gives strength and establishes us according to His gracious might and He keeps our names alive on the earth for we’re His children.

The best I like in all this is that He keeps us away from evil and keeps evil away from us.  He leads us away from all temptation and delivers us from evil, for the air on earth is laced with the corrosion of wickedness and filth, where immorality and debauchery revel and thrive.  God knows those who are His and He keeps them.  Today if there’s some confidence in us that we’ll not suffer the corruption of the world then we’re right but it’s not because of what we are and what we are capable of doing.  It’s because we have a God who is capable and it is He who will do it for us to show us His power and keep us with Him for He is pleased with all those who believe and obey His Son Jesus Christ.

Thoughts for another day

May 7, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Cor. 12:3b. and no one can say "Jesus is Lord" except by the Holy Spirit. (NRSV –copy. ack.)

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

If you, from your heart sincerely believe in Jesus and declare, ‘Jesus is Lord’ then Scripture says, it is the Holy Spirit in you prompting you to say it for only by the Holy Spirit being resident in your heart can you proclaim that Jesus is the King of kings.  This comes as a consolation to many who believe they don’t have the Holy Spirit because they’ve not been able to witness His Presence in a dramatic manner.  But that’s not right for the moment we accepted Jesus as our Lord and God and welcomed Him in our hearts; God gave us His Holy Spirit as a first installment for we became His children in Christ Jesus and Jesus wanted us to have the Holy Spirit to guide, lead and control our lives thereon.

You see, the Holy Spirit resides in every Christian who wants to praise and glorify Jesus.  He is a gentle God and He will never force Himself on anyone; and awesome though He is and very, very powerful, He will never harm us even when we force Him away by our truant and bad acts and in this case He gently moves away, being offended with us.  But the moment we celebrate Jesus and praise and glorify Him, the Holy Spirit is back.  He is by our side when we’re in distress and we need help.  We may never see Him or perceive Him, but we mustn’t forget that He is by our side. 

In times of danger, He never forsakes us; we may think He has because we know we sinned earlier, but my friend, I believe and know that the Holy Spirit goes about His business of being ‘Counselor’ and ‘Comforter’ to us rather seriously when we invite Jesus to live with us.  We may sin grievously but remember He doesn’t move away and we must remember at this time His mercy and His love and repent…not just be sorry but repent and then He comes with force into our lives signaling a new beginning by which also we can unhesitatingly declare, ‘JESUS IS LORD.’

Thoughts for another day

May 6, 2014.

Today's verse:  Eph. 2:22. In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

(KJV)

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

In receiving Jesus Christ after believing Him, the Lord assigns us the Holy Spirit to be our Guide, our Comforter if you will, Who is always there with us through whatever we walk in life.  It is the Holy Spirit, Who takes us the way we are and moulds us the way God wants us if we’re surrendered to Him.  It’s indeed a great thing to work in coordination with the Holy Spirit, both to know that we have been redeemed and also that we have through Him access to the Father of lights, Whom we may call ‘ABBA’, Father. 

The Holy Spirit takes our zeal for the Lord and builds us up in precious faith so that we’re able to withstand the darts of the evil one in our times of stress and difficulty.  He enables us to see the hand of God in our lives even if all along we believed that God was never with us, a lie thrust upon us by our enemy.  The Holy Spirit sees our helplessness and makes us believe that God is our Father and that He is always willing to help us, no matter what our situation and what we have done in the past.  He is there to make us see that there is always a better future with Jesus Christ.

Our lives are modeled on the life of Christ, by the work of the Holy Spirit and He makes sure that any disturbing thing in our lives is yanked off and flung away.  Also, in and through the Holy Spirit we’re built together, along with our Christian brothers and sisters, into a glorious habitation of God, a temple of the Living God, Who in His Spirit, lives and reigns in us as we leave ourselves be.  Trust in God’s Spirit my friend and He will leave no stone unturned to bring you into a closer fellowship with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ and He will make our lives a wonderful time on earth.

Thoughts for another day

May 5, 2014.

Today's verse:  Col. 1:12. Giving thanks to the Father, Who has qualified and made us fit to share the portion which is the inheritance of the saints (God’s holy people) in the Light. (Amplified Bible – copy. ack.)

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

Giving thanks to God must be in the DNA of our beings for God has been merciful to us and is unmindful of our sins which we commit and grieve Him so terribly with.  God gave us His only Son Jesus to redeem us from our sins and in that subjected Him to the most cruel treatment of those days. He put on Him our hideous and dreadful sins, crushing Jesus under them and I can see Jesus’ eyes turned up toward heaven in that pitiful cry, ‘My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?’ 

In this God proved His love for us says St Paul, that even while we were sinners, He sent His Son down to die for us who were most ingrate and repugnant.  Why did God do it, is a question I ask of Him often telling Him, ‘Lord, see how sinful I am, with sin loaded all over me; my heart scarred to a huge blot because of sin.’  Then I seem to hear Him in my heart say, ‘I love you My Son and whatever is needed to be done to bring you back, I will do!’  Now imagine this, He, God Most High, tells me He is willing to do all that’s needed to befriend a miserable and gruesome wretch like me!

As I move on in my life, and I read the Scripture above, I remember to give thanks to My Father in heaven who has made us fit to share the inheritance of the saints.  He has put a halo around us and in that halo is clearly written this warning to our enemies, ‘This is My child, keep off!’  Indeed, a deep sense of gratitude fills my being for I know, My God is for me and then who can be against me?  Who can ever, ever distress me when the cloak of His creamy love is around me and all that is mine?  I bow to Him my friend as you too do and in humble gratefulness tell Him, ‘As much as heaven’s real and I am real my Father…THANK YOU.’

Thoughts for another day

May 2, 2014.

Today's verse:  1 Thess. 5:16-18. Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. (KJV)

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

There’s something wonderful that happens when you give thanks to the Lord and joy in Him.  Your spirit is lifted and joy wells out of you when it happens.  Now, it may be that you’re depressed; perhaps nothing went right for you; or you’re grappling with some issue, possibly finance or an illness which has held you in a suffocating embrace; yet when you set your eyes above and start praising Him with your heart, the heaviness of the thing troubling you seems to be lift off and you suddenly discover you’re feeling light and nice.

I can say this much that it’s possible to praise God at any time.  For this we must know Him to some degree by which we can be sure that the moment we assign our problems before Him, the solution to them starts arriving or I may daresay, was already there, but God exercised it the moment we changed our perspective and gave Him authority to do what He willed.  I’ve experienced many times when I have a heavy heart, I go before Him and sitting before Him, tell Him about my heaviness.  We talk (I must be honest, I talk more and I hardly let Him talk) but then when the session is over, I feel so relieved and I know it’s He who has lifted my burden and despair.

Belief in God is necessary to be able to enjoy your conversation with Him.  It’s in that belief that you suddenly realise the immensity of God and the smallness of your problem.  It’s then that you start trusting God to work in your life and take control.  I always use this motto: GOD IS IN CONTROL and I’m always relieved.  In fact the moment I say GOD IS IN CONTROL, I cease my worry on the subject and He walks in.  He rolls my blues away and then I can be joyful and pray and give thanks to Him even though my burden has not been actually lifted.  And I do it because I know He is there and He will do it for me.  That’s why His will is I rejoice always in Christ His Son and when I do it, He lifts up my load and throws it away.  Believe this my friend, it is possible.