UV 3187/10000 Blessings of Life, Leadership, Multiplication and Fruitfulness
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.
Genesis 1 v 28
From this uni-verse, we learn that the blessing of God is crucial for life, leadership, multiplication and fruitfulness. It does not say ,” be successful or prosperous” for success and prosperity are human inventions of a later day. God, the Creator purposed that the human being, sentient and created in His image, whether male or female, is to be fruitful, multiply, replenish the earth, subdue it, rule over every other creature. Man is created to walk in intimacy with God. In partnership with God, we are to live, be fruitful, multiply, lead, rule. In partnership with God we are blessed. Divorced or separated from God, we are cursed or we fail to be fruitful, fail to multiply, replenish, fail to subdue, lead and rule. Divorced or separated, we lost the vestiges of the image of God. We have knowledge like God but we do not have wisdom like God. To restore us to that image of God where we can live, be fruitful in all we think, say and do, multiply, replenish, subdue, lead and rule, Christ, the wisdom of God was sent by God, the Redeemer to dwell with us and in us.
In the absence of the wisdom of God in Christ, we cannot be blessed. We cannot be fruitful, multiply, subdue, lead or rule. We are no longer concerned with human concepts of success and failure, prosperity or poverty but with a focus on remaining blessed in Christ to live, to lead, to rule, to serve, to love, to renew, to rejoice in Christ. We build our house with Christ as the chief cornerstone or keystone. Every stone or part of our lives is built in reference to the Word or teachings of Christ, the example of Christ. We are therefore, not building in vain but for gain, not just temporal but for eternal gain.
Walking with God or making every step we take match with the step of God or what He would have us do, talking with God or submitting every step we take in prayer into His hands is the key to blessings of the Almighty Creator, the Compassionate Redeemer. Thinking the words of Jesus, speaking the words of Jesus, doing the words of Jesus is the key to being blessed, fruitful, renewed, restored, able to subdue what needs to be subdued, able to lead and co-rule with Him. We were created in the image of God but our deliberate and unintentional choices distorted that image. Now, we are redeemed and restored to the image of Christ Jesus. We are to be fruitful not just physically or intellectually or socially but be spiritually fruitful by bearing the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, peace,patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. The wisdom of Christ contained in the word along with the power or anointing of the Holy Spirit enables us to lead, subdue, rule. We are not only co-heirs with Christ of every heavenly blessing but we are co-rulers with Him on earth and in heaven.
Thursday, February 28, 2019
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
The Covenant to Stop Afflictions
UV 3186/10000 The Covenant to Stop Afflictions
Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
Nahum 1 v 12
Sometimes people get so tired of being afflicted that they cry out to God, “Lord, enough, no more please!” The uni-verse above shows us that since we have a covenant-making God, we can make a covenant or solemn agreement with Him that we would pay attention to everything He says to us and that He need not try to get our attention or try to discipline us any longer with afflictions or trials and troubles. The Lord can pass through the most powerful array of forces in the universe or the most powerful army and throw them into utter rout or disarray as He did with the cavalry and chariots of Egypt in hot pursuit of the newly liberated Israelites. But He promised the hapless Israelites that “From this day you will no longer see the Egyptians, your former masters.” Ever since, Israel up to this day has never come under the sway or rule of any Egyptian power.
The ancient Jews suffered many troubles during their forty year sojourn across deserts and rivers to reach the promised land as their hearts were not focussed on the Lord who had called them out of slavery with many mighty acts. The journey should have only taken a fortnight if they had moved on the shortest path to Canaan. We too needlessly take a circuitous route in our path to our promised lands. The Lord does not wish to afflict us without reason even as a loving parent never chastises, rebukes or punishes an erring child beyond what is absolutely necessary for his correction and betterment. We should not be like stubborn mules who would obey only if a ring pierces its noses or in other words, after suffering great pain. Some of us carry our stubborn attitudes and pride with us to the very end while the word instructs us to be simple and humble like a child.
Even Elijah, the great prophet or Israel as well as Job cried out to the Lord when they were afflicted. The Lord never tests or afflicts us beyond our strength to bear and endure. It proves easier and less painful when we willingly surrender ourselves to the pruning and correction of the Lord. The Word is a painless way of correction of humanity as we submit or acquiesce in the will of God and allow ourselves to be disciplined by the Spirit of God. The Word gives us access to the wisdom of the Lord and keeps us out of unnecessary trouble. It will also increase our innate capacity or strength to bear hardship. The enemy of our souls often targets some people as he did with Job to try to demotivate them. When we enter into a "stop affliction sub-covenant " the Lord puts a hedge around us if not His arms to preempt or prevent the enemy's aggressive intentions from hurting us. Once when I went through a series of afflictions in quick succession, I too cried out to the Lord, " No more. Just tell me what to do and I will do it . I will be sensitive even if You give me small warnings and signs." Needless to say, the Lord kept His side of the bargain while I am not sure I have always kept my own commitment to listen, to be sensitive, responsive and obedient.
Thus saith the LORD; Though they be quiet, and likewise many, yet thus shall they be cut down, when he shall pass through. Though I have afflicted thee, I will afflict thee no more.
Nahum 1 v 12
Sometimes people get so tired of being afflicted that they cry out to God, “Lord, enough, no more please!” The uni-verse above shows us that since we have a covenant-making God, we can make a covenant or solemn agreement with Him that we would pay attention to everything He says to us and that He need not try to get our attention or try to discipline us any longer with afflictions or trials and troubles. The Lord can pass through the most powerful array of forces in the universe or the most powerful army and throw them into utter rout or disarray as He did with the cavalry and chariots of Egypt in hot pursuit of the newly liberated Israelites. But He promised the hapless Israelites that “From this day you will no longer see the Egyptians, your former masters.” Ever since, Israel up to this day has never come under the sway or rule of any Egyptian power.
The ancient Jews suffered many troubles during their forty year sojourn across deserts and rivers to reach the promised land as their hearts were not focussed on the Lord who had called them out of slavery with many mighty acts. The journey should have only taken a fortnight if they had moved on the shortest path to Canaan. We too needlessly take a circuitous route in our path to our promised lands. The Lord does not wish to afflict us without reason even as a loving parent never chastises, rebukes or punishes an erring child beyond what is absolutely necessary for his correction and betterment. We should not be like stubborn mules who would obey only if a ring pierces its noses or in other words, after suffering great pain. Some of us carry our stubborn attitudes and pride with us to the very end while the word instructs us to be simple and humble like a child.
Even Elijah, the great prophet or Israel as well as Job cried out to the Lord when they were afflicted. The Lord never tests or afflicts us beyond our strength to bear and endure. It proves easier and less painful when we willingly surrender ourselves to the pruning and correction of the Lord. The Word is a painless way of correction of humanity as we submit or acquiesce in the will of God and allow ourselves to be disciplined by the Spirit of God. The Word gives us access to the wisdom of the Lord and keeps us out of unnecessary trouble. It will also increase our innate capacity or strength to bear hardship. The enemy of our souls often targets some people as he did with Job to try to demotivate them. When we enter into a "stop affliction sub-covenant " the Lord puts a hedge around us if not His arms to preempt or prevent the enemy's aggressive intentions from hurting us. Once when I went through a series of afflictions in quick succession, I too cried out to the Lord, " No more. Just tell me what to do and I will do it . I will be sensitive even if You give me small warnings and signs." Needless to say, the Lord kept His side of the bargain while I am not sure I have always kept my own commitment to listen, to be sensitive, responsive and obedient.
Tuesday, February 26, 2019
Relish What Nourishes US
UV 3185/10000 Relish what Nourishes Us
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119 v 103
It is said that bad experiences make human beings either better or bitter. The Word of God has the power to turn what is bitter in our lives into what is better and sweet. Sugar coated medicine usually tastes sweet in the mouth but bitter in the mouth. But the Word may sometimes taste bitter in the mouth especially when we are rebuked, corrected by the Spirit of God but it turns sweet in our inner being and proves to be for the health of our entire being. If we relish the Word of God, it will nourish us and we will flourish. For the Word taken as a whole is the vision of God rolled into one that we should take and eat daily.
The Word says, “Taste and see that I am good.” God told Moses that His name is “I Am who I Am.” In short, He said His name is “I AM.” In one sense, it means God is self-existent, not created Supreme Being. With the words “I Am” , every superlative adjective of our languages can be added to describe Him. We are invited to experience or taste these supernatural and superlative qualities of the Lord Jesus. As we relish the Word another metaphor that John uses to describe Jesus, we experience goodness, wonders, miracles, breakthroughs, victories without number.
Doctors have found that meditation on the word of God strengthens our frame, our very bones and internal organs.The Word lubricates our spiritual "dry bones." It brings healing and deliverance. Even in traumatic experinces, near death experiences, the Word has healed people of the terrible memories as it happened with me in the world’s first human bomb assassination of a former Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandhi. When I was recuperating from extensive burns, splinter wounds, fractures and PTSD, the Word acted as a Balm of Gilead to strengthen me physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. When I read about Caleb who at the age of eighty was a doughty warrior with the strength which he had at forty, I claimed the same enablement or anointing. The Word gives us knowledge of the kind of miracles the Lord has in store for us and His storehouse, the Word tells us, is inexhaustible.
How sweet are thy words unto my taste! yea, sweeter than honey to my mouth!
Psalm 119 v 103
It is said that bad experiences make human beings either better or bitter. The Word of God has the power to turn what is bitter in our lives into what is better and sweet. Sugar coated medicine usually tastes sweet in the mouth but bitter in the mouth. But the Word may sometimes taste bitter in the mouth especially when we are rebuked, corrected by the Spirit of God but it turns sweet in our inner being and proves to be for the health of our entire being. If we relish the Word of God, it will nourish us and we will flourish. For the Word taken as a whole is the vision of God rolled into one that we should take and eat daily.
The Word says, “Taste and see that I am good.” God told Moses that His name is “I Am who I Am.” In short, He said His name is “I AM.” In one sense, it means God is self-existent, not created Supreme Being. With the words “I Am” , every superlative adjective of our languages can be added to describe Him. We are invited to experience or taste these supernatural and superlative qualities of the Lord Jesus. As we relish the Word another metaphor that John uses to describe Jesus, we experience goodness, wonders, miracles, breakthroughs, victories without number.
Doctors have found that meditation on the word of God strengthens our frame, our very bones and internal organs.The Word lubricates our spiritual "dry bones." It brings healing and deliverance. Even in traumatic experinces, near death experiences, the Word has healed people of the terrible memories as it happened with me in the world’s first human bomb assassination of a former Prime Minister Mr Rajiv Gandhi. When I was recuperating from extensive burns, splinter wounds, fractures and PTSD, the Word acted as a Balm of Gilead to strengthen me physically, mentally, socially, emotionally, psychologically and spiritually. When I read about Caleb who at the age of eighty was a doughty warrior with the strength which he had at forty, I claimed the same enablement or anointing. The Word gives us knowledge of the kind of miracles the Lord has in store for us and His storehouse, the Word tells us, is inexhaustible.
Monday, February 25, 2019
The Alpha of the Zeal for the Word of God
UV 3184/10000 The Alpha of Zeal for the Word of God
For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart
Hebrews 4 v 12
The Word of God is the lens through which we see the world. It holds all the keys to unlock the mysteries of creation, the purpose of creation, the plan of redemption by Christ, the key to living a victorious life in this world of darkness. Even bones of the human are radio opaque and X rays cannot penetrate the bones while the Word penetrates the bones and heals and strengthens our inner being. The Word is the two edged sword of the spirit, one edge cuts our spirits and the other cuts our minds or souls. Whatever be the tools of our professions, the Word acts as the whetstone to sharpen our tools and skill sets. Like Nehemiah’s volunteer builders, we should hold the sword of the Word in one hand and with the other do our professional work. The Word will defend us effectively against the adversary and his allies.
The Word is the spiritual seed that He plants in our souls and waters continually as it grows to bear many kinds of fruit every month of the year. The Word is also the sickle to harvest the crop, to prune our souls to make it more fruitful. The Word is the roadmap the Lord has clearly laid before us to journey back to Him. The Word is the voice of the one Shepherd Jesus that we hear constantly and are reminded of by the Holy Spirit. The Word is the holistic medicine the Lord uses to heal us of all our mental, spiritual, psychological as well as physical ailments. The Word discerns the crookedness of our hearts and helps to justify or straighten all our attitudes and intentions. The word is the oil that feeds our spiritual lamps and keeps it burning continually and eternally.
The Word is our mirror to show how accurately we are reflecting the love of Christ in our lives to the world around us. It is a mirror of our faults that the Lord wants us to address and redress. The Word analyses our deepest motives, attitudes, hidden intentions and brings what is in darkness to the light of His love and truth. The Word holds all the secrets to obtaining the blessings of the Lord in this life and the one to come. The Word is the repository and treasure trove of the wisdom of God that He transfers to us on a daily basis. It is therefore, more precious than gold,silver or precious stones for it has in it the power of salvation and the hope of eternal life. It is a practical manual for man to live like Immanuel and live with Him. The Word gives us discernment of our own selves as well as of others. The Word acquaints us with the way the Lord God thinks. We can therefore, take every thought and word we utter captive to obey the Lord like Christ Himself. Zeal for the word of God should accompany our zeal for God as it will then effectively balance spiritual knowledge and competence with boundless energy and enthusiasm to serve God. Like Gideon’s three hundred bravest volunteers who lapped up the water like dogs from their cupped palms, ready for action in the event of a surprise attack, the word of God primes us for action as we lap it up with zeal. The word is both nourishing and refreshing drink as well as wholesome and delicious food.
Sunday, February 24, 2019
The Alpha of How Praise Precedes, Accompanies and Succeeds Victory
UV 3183/10000 The Alpha of Victory
O sing unto the LORD a new song; for he hath done marvellous things: his right hand, and his holy arm, hath gotten him the victory
Psalm 98 v 1
A new song of praise, victory and thanksgiving should emanate from our hearts every single day of our lives. A day on which we have praised and thanked the Lord will never be a wasted day while one on which we have omitted to do so would certainly be a wasted opportunity to be blessed, to be renewed, to rejoice, to experience the victory of the Lord. Prayer presages victory. When we cast the bread of our prayers on the ocean of Jesus, it will come back to us some day as the marvellous things the Lord does in our lives. Prayer is the seed of our faith and of miraculous breakthroughs.
Jesus said, “ Render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and render unto God what is God’s.” It implies that the taxes we pay to the state are our obligation to the state while prayer and praise and thanksgiving for blessings received and receivable by faith are our pleasant obligation or duty to God that we need to render daily, regularly and as often as we remember. We need to acknowledge the omnipotent power of God at work in our lives, working constantly to deliver us from the enemy who is a thief, robber and killer. Our songs need not even be melodious for not many of us are musically gifted or at least speaking for myself. It only needs to be a joyful noise. Using our skills to glorify the Lord is also a form of worship pleasing and acceptable to God. The crucial thing is that the song should be our own, from the bottom of our hearts, the lyrics should be a refrain of our lives.
What do we praise God for and when do we praise Hi? Since He is the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, we praise Him from the beginning of each day till its end with our “breath praises”. If we know how to swear under our breath without anyone teaching us, we can also praise and thank the Lord under our breath. Our days and everything we are, do and aspire for are so sandwiched between the Alpha and the Omega, between the mighty right hand and the supporting left of the Lord. There is no greater guarantee of a victorious life in 360 degrees than a lifestyle of praise and thanksgiving. Every degree the Earth rotates on its axis the Lord’s presence is with us and releases His amazing power, wisdom and grace into all we do and all we speak and all we think. Every challenge, difficulty, problem, crisis is a new valley, a subject for another song to sing of the marvellous things the Lord has done. As Mary praised the Lord, “He whoi is mighty has done to me great things and holy is His name.” The power of God which is mighty and holy or pure is personalised and manifested in our lives. Every victory we realize is not the work of our own hands but the right hand of favour of the Lord upon our lives.
Saturday, February 23, 2019
The Alpha of Spiritual Blindness
UV 3182/10000 The Alpha of Spiritual Blindness
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Matthew 15 v 14
The spiritually blind of this world are leading the intellectually blind. As a result both categories of people fall into the pit of destruction. Those who have vision of what lies ahead of us beyond this life can warn, guide, lead those who do not have such vision. The former can change the direction and priorities of life of the latter. The spiritually blind “strain at a mosquito but swallow an elephant or a camel.” They are blinded to their own faults, mistakes and errors and magnify those of others. The spiritually blind are both hypercritical and hypocritical and ignore what is critical or important in life. Jesus said, “Take care of your eyes for they are the light of the body. If there be darkness in the eye, the body too will be in darkness.” We who are spiritually sighted need to take care to use our two eyes for 360 degree vision, for inner vision or insight, for hindsight, for farsightedness, for oversight. One eye is the eye of reason and the other eye is the eye of faith. Faith will enable us to see what reason cannot see and reason will enable us to see what faith cannot see. By this means we will have binocular as well as telescopic vision to see what is near clearly as well as to see what is far.
The Word of God has the power to cure us of spiritual blindness. We will know the direction in which we are travelling and make course corrections. The Word is therefore described as “ a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our eyes.” The word of God is the light of life that cures us of spiritual blindness. By means of imbibing the word, we have near vision as well as distant vision. Our conditioning by this world causes scales to grow over our eyes of both reason and faith. Scripture says, “Buy from me eyesalve” to heal your eyes. When the rebellious and aggressive Saul was blinded by the vision of Jesus, another anointed believer Ananias prayed for him and it was as if the scales that blinded his eyes had fallen off. Spiritual vision altered the path of Saul- the killer and persecutor Saul became transformed into the saint and apostle , Paul. As believers of Jesus, our perspectives or visions of life are transformed.
We have a choice to be blind and wild or visionary and wise. In world history, we find a majority of national or political leaders are spiritually blind. They take nations and organisations in the wrong direction, led or driven by their lust for power, their pride and their ignorance. A guide is one who knows the way. Only Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Hence, a true guide or life coach is one who knows Jesus. Jesus cured many blind persons in the course of his earthly sojourn. The blind healed remind us that Jesus can cure not only physically blind but also those whose spiritual vision is impaired and prevents them from seeing the image of God in themselves and others. Our physical sight is so overpowering that the seductive beauty of sin and temptation blinds us spiritually. This is the reason Jesus, the only fully sighted leader was given the spirit of discernment and wisdom that enables Him to judge not with His sight but with the spirit of wisdom.
Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Matthew 15 v 14
The spiritually blind of this world are leading the intellectually blind. As a result both categories of people fall into the pit of destruction. Those who have vision of what lies ahead of us beyond this life can warn, guide, lead those who do not have such vision. The former can change the direction and priorities of life of the latter. The spiritually blind “strain at a mosquito but swallow an elephant or a camel.” They are blinded to their own faults, mistakes and errors and magnify those of others. The spiritually blind are both hypercritical and hypocritical and ignore what is critical or important in life. Jesus said, “Take care of your eyes for they are the light of the body. If there be darkness in the eye, the body too will be in darkness.” We who are spiritually sighted need to take care to use our two eyes for 360 degree vision, for inner vision or insight, for hindsight, for farsightedness, for oversight. One eye is the eye of reason and the other eye is the eye of faith. Faith will enable us to see what reason cannot see and reason will enable us to see what faith cannot see. By this means we will have binocular as well as telescopic vision to see what is near clearly as well as to see what is far.
The Word of God has the power to cure us of spiritual blindness. We will know the direction in which we are travelling and make course corrections. The Word is therefore described as “ a lamp unto our feet and a light unto our eyes.” The word of God is the light of life that cures us of spiritual blindness. By means of imbibing the word, we have near vision as well as distant vision. Our conditioning by this world causes scales to grow over our eyes of both reason and faith. Scripture says, “Buy from me eyesalve” to heal your eyes. When the rebellious and aggressive Saul was blinded by the vision of Jesus, another anointed believer Ananias prayed for him and it was as if the scales that blinded his eyes had fallen off. Spiritual vision altered the path of Saul- the killer and persecutor Saul became transformed into the saint and apostle , Paul. As believers of Jesus, our perspectives or visions of life are transformed.
We have a choice to be blind and wild or visionary and wise. In world history, we find a majority of national or political leaders are spiritually blind. They take nations and organisations in the wrong direction, led or driven by their lust for power, their pride and their ignorance. A guide is one who knows the way. Only Jesus proclaimed Himself as the Way, the Truth and the Life. Hence, a true guide or life coach is one who knows Jesus. Jesus cured many blind persons in the course of his earthly sojourn. The blind healed remind us that Jesus can cure not only physically blind but also those whose spiritual vision is impaired and prevents them from seeing the image of God in themselves and others. Our physical sight is so overpowering that the seductive beauty of sin and temptation blinds us spiritually. This is the reason Jesus, the only fully sighted leader was given the spirit of discernment and wisdom that enables Him to judge not with His sight but with the spirit of wisdom.
Friday, February 22, 2019
The Alpha of Supernatural Signs
UV 3181/10000 The Alpha of Supernatural Signs
For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
2 Kings 3 v 17
The Lord is able to wrest victory for us whether we be many or few. The king of Israel, the king of Judah and the king of Edom had joined forces against the Moabites and they were apprehensive that the Moabites would defeat them for there was no water for their armies or their horses. They thought that thirst would defeat them and that the Lord had delivered them into the hands of the enemy in this manner. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah then searched for Elisha, the successor of Elijah. Elisha on a word from the Lord asked them to dig ditches in the valley where they were camping. There was no wind or rain but the wells that were freshly dug were filled with water. So also, when we seek the Lord and His word earnestly, He will fill our wells with His power. Most people who do not believe God and rely only on their own prowess and efforts have little to show at the end of the day. They live defeated and depressed. In contrast, believers in times of adversity turn to the wall- Jesus and He answers with supernatural provision or intervention as He did in the wedding at Canna. He provides abundantly in the place of our personal inadequacies and insecurities.
We need to believe that everything is possible for God. There may be no visible symptom of His presence in our lives but the Lord is always at hand to help us overcome the odds of life. He is with us in the valleys of our lives as He is with us on the mountains of victory. The provision of water in the dry valley was a sign to Elisha that the Moabites would not overcome the forces of the three kings but that they would be put to rout. The signs we have seen in our lives are indications of a greater victory the Lord is giving us over the forces of evil and darkness.
Just before the dry wells were filled with water, Elisha asked for a minstrel or a worship leader to lead them in worship. Worship, praise and thanksgiving precedes miracles, prepares the soil for the work of the Lord. The worship led by the minstrel at the behest of Elisha ushered in the presence of the Lord. Every day and every time we face adversity, we too should bow in worship and praise. In so doing, we invite the Lord into our circumstances and invoke His power in our lives. Praise and worship is the seeding of faith. The supernatural first manifest in the natural. Our wells of life instead of running dry would be overflowing with supernatural blessings. We understand through this uni-verse and its backdrop that there is a process for the birthing of miracles.
For thus saith the LORD, Ye shall not see wind, neither shall ye see rain; yet that valley shall be filled with water, that ye may drink, both ye, and your cattle, and your beasts.
2 Kings 3 v 17
The Lord is able to wrest victory for us whether we be many or few. The king of Israel, the king of Judah and the king of Edom had joined forces against the Moabites and they were apprehensive that the Moabites would defeat them for there was no water for their armies or their horses. They thought that thirst would defeat them and that the Lord had delivered them into the hands of the enemy in this manner. Jehoshaphat, the king of Judah then searched for Elisha, the successor of Elijah. Elisha on a word from the Lord asked them to dig ditches in the valley where they were camping. There was no wind or rain but the wells that were freshly dug were filled with water. So also, when we seek the Lord and His word earnestly, He will fill our wells with His power. Most people who do not believe God and rely only on their own prowess and efforts have little to show at the end of the day. They live defeated and depressed. In contrast, believers in times of adversity turn to the wall- Jesus and He answers with supernatural provision or intervention as He did in the wedding at Canna. He provides abundantly in the place of our personal inadequacies and insecurities.
We need to believe that everything is possible for God. There may be no visible symptom of His presence in our lives but the Lord is always at hand to help us overcome the odds of life. He is with us in the valleys of our lives as He is with us on the mountains of victory. The provision of water in the dry valley was a sign to Elisha that the Moabites would not overcome the forces of the three kings but that they would be put to rout. The signs we have seen in our lives are indications of a greater victory the Lord is giving us over the forces of evil and darkness.
Just before the dry wells were filled with water, Elisha asked for a minstrel or a worship leader to lead them in worship. Worship, praise and thanksgiving precedes miracles, prepares the soil for the work of the Lord. The worship led by the minstrel at the behest of Elisha ushered in the presence of the Lord. Every day and every time we face adversity, we too should bow in worship and praise. In so doing, we invite the Lord into our circumstances and invoke His power in our lives. Praise and worship is the seeding of faith. The supernatural first manifest in the natural. Our wells of life instead of running dry would be overflowing with supernatural blessings. We understand through this uni-verse and its backdrop that there is a process for the birthing of miracles.
Thursday, February 21, 2019
The Alpha of the WIse-Hearted
UV 3180/10000 The Alpha of the Wise Hearted
And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;
Exodus 35 v 10
When we revere and respect the Lord God, we become wise-hearted. It implies that every heart beat of ours is in tune or resonates with the Lord’s own heart. Such a one dedicates every breath of his to the Lord God. His heart is focussed on pleasing the Lord, on diligently storing His word therein and to obey His commandments and believe His promises. He uses all his knowledge, talents and abilities to honour the Lord. He does not build with the equivalent of straw or hay but with precious metals and stones of the spiritual realm. Whatever work he does, he does it as if it is for the Lord.
The wise-hearted will use his tongue to edify or build up the faith of people in God. He stills his inner being and waits on the Lord to hear a word from Him. He uses all opportunities to manifest or show case the glory of God. He is always overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Lord is the source of his strength, of his courage and of his joy. He aims for perfection and catches up with excellence in all he does. His heart is the tabernacle of God not built by human hands and is always filled with the incense of praise, thanksgiving and worship. He remembers the testimonies of the faithfulness of God and strengthens himself in difficult moments of doubt and trial.
The wise-hearted sacrifice their own egos and do everything possible to magnify the invisible glory of God such that it is visible to all. Everything that they do which is creditable or praiseworthy they attribute to the grace or enablement, enlargement and equipping by the Lord. They do everything that lies with them to do and trust the Lord for the rest, for the unknown, for the unpredictable. They act with prudence, intelligence, imagination, creativity, foresight, insight, hind sight, skill and vision. They overcome their own limitations that they are quite aware of by teaming up with others who have the corresponding requisite ability or strength or talent or skill or knowledge. They accept that failure in any venture is either a signal from the Lord to try again harder, smarter and better or to change course.
And every wise hearted among you shall come, and make all that the LORD hath commanded;
Exodus 35 v 10
When we revere and respect the Lord God, we become wise-hearted. It implies that every heart beat of ours is in tune or resonates with the Lord’s own heart. Such a one dedicates every breath of his to the Lord God. His heart is focussed on pleasing the Lord, on diligently storing His word therein and to obey His commandments and believe His promises. He uses all his knowledge, talents and abilities to honour the Lord. He does not build with the equivalent of straw or hay but with precious metals and stones of the spiritual realm. Whatever work he does, he does it as if it is for the Lord.
The wise-hearted will use his tongue to edify or build up the faith of people in God. He stills his inner being and waits on the Lord to hear a word from Him. He uses all opportunities to manifest or show case the glory of God. He is always overshadowed by the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Lord is the source of his strength, of his courage and of his joy. He aims for perfection and catches up with excellence in all he does. His heart is the tabernacle of God not built by human hands and is always filled with the incense of praise, thanksgiving and worship. He remembers the testimonies of the faithfulness of God and strengthens himself in difficult moments of doubt and trial.
The wise-hearted sacrifice their own egos and do everything possible to magnify the invisible glory of God such that it is visible to all. Everything that they do which is creditable or praiseworthy they attribute to the grace or enablement, enlargement and equipping by the Lord. They do everything that lies with them to do and trust the Lord for the rest, for the unknown, for the unpredictable. They act with prudence, intelligence, imagination, creativity, foresight, insight, hind sight, skill and vision. They overcome their own limitations that they are quite aware of by teaming up with others who have the corresponding requisite ability or strength or talent or skill or knowledge. They accept that failure in any venture is either a signal from the Lord to try again harder, smarter and better or to change course.
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
The Alpha of Victorious Living
UV3179/10000 The Alpha of Victorious Living
Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you
Luke 10 v 19
Believers of Jesus historically live among “briars and thorns”, “ serpents and scorpions,” “lions and dragons”, all these being metaphor for people under the influence of the evil one or demonic , dark spirits and forces. Some of these attack subtly like the serpent while others attack boldly , from the front and in the open. The uni-verse states that the Lord has given us power and authority to tread or trample upon these forces such that none of these can harm, hurt, injure, maim or kill us. The word “tread”or “trample” implies that our power and authority is several times greater than these forces of darkness. At our command, our rebuke these forces will be thrown into disarray. Our faith in Jesus and our knowledge of the Word of God are our principal shield while our tongues and mouths hold the sword of the spirit for our words will scatter them as fire does.
It being a power given or vested in us, we need to use our spiritual power and authority on a regular basis or it will get rusty. In this manner, the head of satan or his thoughts against us, to separate us from the love of God, are bruised or rendered powerless and ineffective. When Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from submitting to the cross, Jesus rebuked not him but the spirit that influenced him to attempt to keep Him from fulfilling His mission on earth. Jesus said, “Get thee behind me, satan.” Likewise, we should not allow satan to get ahead of us but we can command him to remain away from us, our children, our friends, our homes, our work. Jesus rebuking the spirit that inspired such words in one of the closest of his associates shows that we too can be stung or harmed not necessarily by strangers or known enemies but even through the words of those closest to us in our homes or work places.
The words, “nothing by any means shall hurt you,” are all encompassing. We belong to God and are sealed by the blood of Jesus. None of the weapons that satan brings against us can do us any harm. We need to walk every day with the assurance that since God is with us, what can any man or spirit do against us? All these forces are under our feet. The overwhelming infinite power of God clothes, fills, defends us and we can crush these forces of darkness under our heels. As it is written in the book of Genesis, “the seed of the woman will crush the head of the seed of the enemy.” We are “satan-proofed.” It is these forces that should fear us. Our mere words can put them to the rout, scatter them so much so, though they attack us in one direction or in a particular aspect or situation, they will be dispersed in seven directions. This kind of faith fills us with immense courage for courage is not fearlessness but the assurance that in the midst of all our fears, the Lord God is with us. Courage is the strength and joy of the heart that enables us to speak and do things that please God and fulfil the purpose of our creation and redemption in Christ. Such spiritual courage is the secret of all victorious living in this fallen, falling and failing world.
Tuesday, February 19, 2019
Yield to the Shield
UV 3178/10000 Yield to the Shield
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
Exodus 11 v 7
The Lord makes a distinction between those who fear Him and those who do not, those who trust Him and those who do not, those who serve Him and those who do not, those who love Him and those who do not. No man or beast can raise its tongue against the children of God. He will not allow the powerful to threaten or intimidate the faithful. The Egyptians could ill treat the Israelite slaves only so long as they did not acknowledge the Lord. Moses infused faith in the Israelites once more. The Lord multiplied the miracles in the land of Egypt in order to deliver them from the bondage of Egypt. Moses was not put to shame in front of the people of Israel. The mighty Pharaoh was compelled through a series of ten plagues to release the Israelites. He obeyed the meek Moses. Moses’s staff and stuttering words proved more powerful than all the cavalry, infantry, spears, chains, whips and chariots of Egypt. The Lord nullifies the power of the mighty against the meek and faithful.
The bondage of Egypt is a metaphor for the bondage of man to the shackles of sin and curses. Jesus releases us from such bondage. Hereafter, neither animal nor human can threaten or harm us. He releases His power to shield us. No words spoken to curse us can prosper against us. No weapon can penetrate the shield of faith around us. We are distinguished from the rest of humanity as a people clothed or armed with the presence of the Lord. He gives us victory and deliverance by His grace and power. The significance of this uni-verse is that we need not be afraid or hurt or angry when people gossip, criticise or verbally abuse or attack us for the Lord will give the final answer. Instead, we should rejoice as it gives another opportunity to experience the saving power of Jesus. The Lord will reveal in a real and practical way how He distinguishes between His own and those who disown Him.
We have immunity from the attacks of the enemy. The enemy falls in the pit he digs for us. The Lord vindicates us and does not allow any word spoken by us to fall to the ground without fulfilment. The word “ Israel” means “struggle with God.” Ironically, our struggles in this world against nature and other fellow human beings end when we yield our souls to the Lord. Jacob was protected from revenge by his aggrieved brother Esau as the presence of the Lord turned the latter’s bad memories about his being cheated by Jacob into joy and love on seeing his long lost brother. In my experience, a bullet proof vest or a bomb proof suit may fail in protecting and preserving us but the Lord will never fail. Sometimes from a purely temporal perspective it might appear that the Lord’s will for an individual has been thwarted with his or her succumbing to an accident or a disease but he or she will be restored to glory and grace in eternity.
But against any of the children of Israel shall not a dog move his tongue, against man or beast: that ye may know how that the LORD doth put a difference between the Egyptians and Israel.
Exodus 11 v 7
The Lord makes a distinction between those who fear Him and those who do not, those who trust Him and those who do not, those who serve Him and those who do not, those who love Him and those who do not. No man or beast can raise its tongue against the children of God. He will not allow the powerful to threaten or intimidate the faithful. The Egyptians could ill treat the Israelite slaves only so long as they did not acknowledge the Lord. Moses infused faith in the Israelites once more. The Lord multiplied the miracles in the land of Egypt in order to deliver them from the bondage of Egypt. Moses was not put to shame in front of the people of Israel. The mighty Pharaoh was compelled through a series of ten plagues to release the Israelites. He obeyed the meek Moses. Moses’s staff and stuttering words proved more powerful than all the cavalry, infantry, spears, chains, whips and chariots of Egypt. The Lord nullifies the power of the mighty against the meek and faithful.
The bondage of Egypt is a metaphor for the bondage of man to the shackles of sin and curses. Jesus releases us from such bondage. Hereafter, neither animal nor human can threaten or harm us. He releases His power to shield us. No words spoken to curse us can prosper against us. No weapon can penetrate the shield of faith around us. We are distinguished from the rest of humanity as a people clothed or armed with the presence of the Lord. He gives us victory and deliverance by His grace and power. The significance of this uni-verse is that we need not be afraid or hurt or angry when people gossip, criticise or verbally abuse or attack us for the Lord will give the final answer. Instead, we should rejoice as it gives another opportunity to experience the saving power of Jesus. The Lord will reveal in a real and practical way how He distinguishes between His own and those who disown Him.
We have immunity from the attacks of the enemy. The enemy falls in the pit he digs for us. The Lord vindicates us and does not allow any word spoken by us to fall to the ground without fulfilment. The word “ Israel” means “struggle with God.” Ironically, our struggles in this world against nature and other fellow human beings end when we yield our souls to the Lord. Jacob was protected from revenge by his aggrieved brother Esau as the presence of the Lord turned the latter’s bad memories about his being cheated by Jacob into joy and love on seeing his long lost brother. In my experience, a bullet proof vest or a bomb proof suit may fail in protecting and preserving us but the Lord will never fail. Sometimes from a purely temporal perspective it might appear that the Lord’s will for an individual has been thwarted with his or her succumbing to an accident or a disease but he or she will be restored to glory and grace in eternity.
Monday, February 18, 2019
The Alpha of Perfect Provisioning
UV 3177/10000 The Alpha of Perfect Provisioning
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Hebrews 11 v 40
God is our permanent parent and as a parent, He desires to provide the best for His God-believing and God –honouring children. We honour God with our faith in Jesus. Our lives are sonar-power or powered by the Son of God. In Jesus, He has provided a better covenant and a better experience of faith for we are declared perfect in Christ. Our faith forefathers only saw the foreshadow but we live in the time of fulfilment of the covenant promises of God. Jesus being God and being absolutely good with no trace of sin is the perfect sacrifice to sanctify all mankind for eternity. We have a more complete revelation in Jesus than our forebears.
It is written in scripture that God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope in the present life and an endless future in eternity. His plans are also higher than our thoughts, higher than our imagination, too. His plan and purpose for our lives are higher and better than anything that our finite minds can conceive for ourselves. Hence, it is best to trust in His plan and how He works it out in our lives. We can relate to Him and collaborate with His plan only by faith. But our faith in Him will enable us to get a vision of His plan and purpose for our lives, initially dimly but as we go it will become more clear and certain.
We need to constantly seek the perfect will of God in our lives as against the permissible will. We also need to mirror the talk and walk of Jesus in our lives since we are made in His image. The perfection of our character and conversation are some of the biggest on-going challenges any believer faces all his life. Using our time, talents and opportunities to declare, experience and manifest the goodness and love of God are ways in which we can seek to be perfect like our Father in heaven.
God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Hebrews 11 v 40
God is our permanent parent and as a parent, He desires to provide the best for His God-believing and God –honouring children. We honour God with our faith in Jesus. Our lives are sonar-power or powered by the Son of God. In Jesus, He has provided a better covenant and a better experience of faith for we are declared perfect in Christ. Our faith forefathers only saw the foreshadow but we live in the time of fulfilment of the covenant promises of God. Jesus being God and being absolutely good with no trace of sin is the perfect sacrifice to sanctify all mankind for eternity. We have a more complete revelation in Jesus than our forebears.
It is written in scripture that God has plans to prosper us and not to harm us, to give us hope in the present life and an endless future in eternity. His plans are also higher than our thoughts, higher than our imagination, too. His plan and purpose for our lives are higher and better than anything that our finite minds can conceive for ourselves. Hence, it is best to trust in His plan and how He works it out in our lives. We can relate to Him and collaborate with His plan only by faith. But our faith in Him will enable us to get a vision of His plan and purpose for our lives, initially dimly but as we go it will become more clear and certain.
We need to constantly seek the perfect will of God in our lives as against the permissible will. We also need to mirror the talk and walk of Jesus in our lives since we are made in His image. The perfection of our character and conversation are some of the biggest on-going challenges any believer faces all his life. Using our time, talents and opportunities to declare, experience and manifest the goodness and love of God are ways in which we can seek to be perfect like our Father in heaven.
Sunday, February 17, 2019
The Alpha of the Window of our Souls
UV 3176/10000 The Alpha of the Window of our Souls
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Daniel 6 v 3
Daniel was pre-eminent among the officials of the empire as the Holy Sprit, the spirit of God, the spirit of excellence was in him. He was endowed with spiritual wisdom and skills to see visions and to interpret dreams of kings. He was a man of high moral character, integrity, diligent, non corrupt and not negligent. He remained humble for he knew it was the anointing of the Spirit of God that imparted wisdom to him to take bold decisions, not to fear what the king could do to him but to revere only the Lord. Daniel prayed at set times opening the window of his room looking towards Jerusalem. Likewise, our window of prayer or communication with the Lord is the source of our power and victory. It is through this window , the Lord will pour His grace and blessings upon us.
The presence of the Lord with us will distinguish us from all mankind as it did Joseph from all his family, Moses from all Egyptians and all Jews. The Holy Spirit will invest us with His wisdom and understanding. We need to keep asking for more and more wisdom. We need to gain knowledge of this world and our professions by being diligent and industrious. Our faith will give us the courage not to fear what our bosses can do to us or what earthly rulers can do. Daniel prioritised, visualised and “prayerised” everything that he did. We need to visualise the kind of character we need to develop, the kind of skills and attitudes we should have, the kind of city, country and world we want. After visualising, we need to pray asking for grace and wisdom. We need to prioritise the things of God- the word, the Spirit of God, spiritual choices we make , in our lives over the things of this world.
The Lord will prefer us over the presidents, Prime Ministers and leaders of this world. He sets us as rulers of the spiritual world, the kingdom of God on earth. He invests us with spiritual power, authority and resources to live as co-ruler with Him. The window of our souls should always be open to the Lord. Governments talk of single window clearance for new proposals and plans. Our single window is Jesus. Any issue, problem, burden, plan or decision, we should submit it through this window.
Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes, because an excellent spirit was in him; and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.
Daniel 6 v 3
Daniel was pre-eminent among the officials of the empire as the Holy Sprit, the spirit of God, the spirit of excellence was in him. He was endowed with spiritual wisdom and skills to see visions and to interpret dreams of kings. He was a man of high moral character, integrity, diligent, non corrupt and not negligent. He remained humble for he knew it was the anointing of the Spirit of God that imparted wisdom to him to take bold decisions, not to fear what the king could do to him but to revere only the Lord. Daniel prayed at set times opening the window of his room looking towards Jerusalem. Likewise, our window of prayer or communication with the Lord is the source of our power and victory. It is through this window , the Lord will pour His grace and blessings upon us.
The presence of the Lord with us will distinguish us from all mankind as it did Joseph from all his family, Moses from all Egyptians and all Jews. The Holy Spirit will invest us with His wisdom and understanding. We need to keep asking for more and more wisdom. We need to gain knowledge of this world and our professions by being diligent and industrious. Our faith will give us the courage not to fear what our bosses can do to us or what earthly rulers can do. Daniel prioritised, visualised and “prayerised” everything that he did. We need to visualise the kind of character we need to develop, the kind of skills and attitudes we should have, the kind of city, country and world we want. After visualising, we need to pray asking for grace and wisdom. We need to prioritise the things of God- the word, the Spirit of God, spiritual choices we make , in our lives over the things of this world.
The Lord will prefer us over the presidents, Prime Ministers and leaders of this world. He sets us as rulers of the spiritual world, the kingdom of God on earth. He invests us with spiritual power, authority and resources to live as co-ruler with Him. The window of our souls should always be open to the Lord. Governments talk of single window clearance for new proposals and plans. Our single window is Jesus. Any issue, problem, burden, plan or decision, we should submit it through this window.
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
The Alpha of the Harvest of Faith
UV 3175/10000 The Alpha of the Harvest of Faith
Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.
Hosea 6 v 11
Judah is the house of praise. Judah is also the lineage of Jesus, the Messiah. When we remain faithful to the Lord and continually pray and praise the Lord, He is sure to bless us with a harvest of righteousness. When we pray and praise, we are sowing in the spirit realm. The seeds are not visible but as we pray and worship, the seed of satan is crushed while the Seed of the Son of Man, Jesus is released into our lives and those for whom we pray. The Lord will surely restore the blessings of those who formerly wallowed in the sorrow and pain and misery of sin or the state of being distant from the Lord.
The Lord has set the time for our harvest of different types of blessings, spiritual, physical, material, financial, filial and familial. We need to only wait patiently with His praise in our hearts and on our lips. The wicked and unrepentant in this world will reap the harvest of their deeds and words for scripture reiterates the spiritual law, “As you sow, so you reap.” Sin sticks close to the skin of man like a leech with its many blood sucking tentacles but the word of God acts like salt on a leech and causes it to loose its grip on us and fall off. In this manner, we are released from all captivity of sin.
When a farmer reaps a rich harvest, he rejoices that all his efforts, expenses, patience in waiting for the crop to rise and ripen was not in vain. He rejoices to see the standing crop. He rejoices to see it ripen. He rejoices to harvest it. He rejoices to see the grain garnered and stored. He rejoices as he and his loved ones eat of it and profit from it. This results in spontaneous thanksgiving and praise rising from his heart to the Lord of the harvest, the one who gave the seed, blessed the soil, provided the water, the rain of blessings in time, fenced and protected it from being ruined by pest and disease. He gives a portion of the harvest to the needy in the name of the Lord.
Also, O Judah, he hath set an harvest for thee, when I returned the captivity of my people.
Hosea 6 v 11
Judah is the house of praise. Judah is also the lineage of Jesus, the Messiah. When we remain faithful to the Lord and continually pray and praise the Lord, He is sure to bless us with a harvest of righteousness. When we pray and praise, we are sowing in the spirit realm. The seeds are not visible but as we pray and worship, the seed of satan is crushed while the Seed of the Son of Man, Jesus is released into our lives and those for whom we pray. The Lord will surely restore the blessings of those who formerly wallowed in the sorrow and pain and misery of sin or the state of being distant from the Lord.
The Lord has set the time for our harvest of different types of blessings, spiritual, physical, material, financial, filial and familial. We need to only wait patiently with His praise in our hearts and on our lips. The wicked and unrepentant in this world will reap the harvest of their deeds and words for scripture reiterates the spiritual law, “As you sow, so you reap.” Sin sticks close to the skin of man like a leech with its many blood sucking tentacles but the word of God acts like salt on a leech and causes it to loose its grip on us and fall off. In this manner, we are released from all captivity of sin.
When a farmer reaps a rich harvest, he rejoices that all his efforts, expenses, patience in waiting for the crop to rise and ripen was not in vain. He rejoices to see the standing crop. He rejoices to see it ripen. He rejoices to harvest it. He rejoices to see the grain garnered and stored. He rejoices as he and his loved ones eat of it and profit from it. This results in spontaneous thanksgiving and praise rising from his heart to the Lord of the harvest, the one who gave the seed, blessed the soil, provided the water, the rain of blessings in time, fenced and protected it from being ruined by pest and disease. He gives a portion of the harvest to the needy in the name of the Lord.
Tuesday, February 12, 2019
The Alpha of Spiritual Legacy
UV3174/10000 The Alpha of Spiritual Legacy
And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
Obadiah 1 v 18
Jacob is one of the first people in human history to encounter God and enter into a covenant relationship with the Father. The fire of faith lit up his life despite many adversities. It provided him a sense of direction, warmth of love and the light of truth to transform his formerly deceitful and covetous nature. He had a righteous seed or son in Joseph in whom the flame of faith was lit at an early age. Faith produced righteousness in Joseph. But Jacob’s twin brother Esau cared little for his relationship with the Father. He wanted only his earthly father’s inheritance, not the blessing of the Father in heaven. These models of the patriarchs influence our thinking and our priorities to this day. Esau left no trace of a spiritual legacy while Jacob and Joseph left a strong and lasting legacy of faith, paving the way of generations of people to emulate them.
Our connection with the Lord lights an inextinguishable fire in our hearts. We build our house to last on the foundations of faith unlike the house of Esau that is built with the equivalent of straw and hay that will burn easily. The house of Esau is a metaphor for those who live to satisfy their appetite for the things of this world and do not prioritise the relationship with the Lord over all other relationships, the kingdom of God over the kingdom of this world, the word of God over their the words of self and other people. The cornerstone of our house of faith is Jesus. He guides us where to draw the line. He shows us how to make the crooked straight. He makes us resilient and causes us to endure both famine and flood. Nothing good we do goes unnoticed, unrewarded in eternity.
Jacob’s spiritual successor was Joseph who experienced severe pitfalls in life but sustained his hope and faith in the fulfilment of his God-given dreams. His faith enabled him to suffer pain, anguish, imprisonment, betrayal. His character went through fire but came out clean and pure as refined gold from fire. He was now ready for high office, for responsibilities to save many including those of his own household. He experienced elevation, enlargement and enablement. He left a lasting spiritual legacy. So much so, he is one of the few in the Old Testament considered a “fore type” of Jesus. We too need to fan the flame of our faith like Jacob and Joseph to full and steer away from being impatient and emotion-driven like Esau. In order to feed the flame of faith, Joseph like Daniel starved or disciplined his flesh and mind and fed his spirit on the spoken word of God. The word is the manna that prepares man for holistic success and legacy, the seed that multiplies and produces fruit and crop, generation after generation.
And the house of Jacob shall be a fire, and the house of Joseph a flame, and the house of Esau for stubble, and they shall kindle in them, and devour them; and there shall not be any remaining of the house of Esau; for the LORD hath spoken it.
Obadiah 1 v 18
Jacob is one of the first people in human history to encounter God and enter into a covenant relationship with the Father. The fire of faith lit up his life despite many adversities. It provided him a sense of direction, warmth of love and the light of truth to transform his formerly deceitful and covetous nature. He had a righteous seed or son in Joseph in whom the flame of faith was lit at an early age. Faith produced righteousness in Joseph. But Jacob’s twin brother Esau cared little for his relationship with the Father. He wanted only his earthly father’s inheritance, not the blessing of the Father in heaven. These models of the patriarchs influence our thinking and our priorities to this day. Esau left no trace of a spiritual legacy while Jacob and Joseph left a strong and lasting legacy of faith, paving the way of generations of people to emulate them.
Our connection with the Lord lights an inextinguishable fire in our hearts. We build our house to last on the foundations of faith unlike the house of Esau that is built with the equivalent of straw and hay that will burn easily. The house of Esau is a metaphor for those who live to satisfy their appetite for the things of this world and do not prioritise the relationship with the Lord over all other relationships, the kingdom of God over the kingdom of this world, the word of God over their the words of self and other people. The cornerstone of our house of faith is Jesus. He guides us where to draw the line. He shows us how to make the crooked straight. He makes us resilient and causes us to endure both famine and flood. Nothing good we do goes unnoticed, unrewarded in eternity.
Jacob’s spiritual successor was Joseph who experienced severe pitfalls in life but sustained his hope and faith in the fulfilment of his God-given dreams. His faith enabled him to suffer pain, anguish, imprisonment, betrayal. His character went through fire but came out clean and pure as refined gold from fire. He was now ready for high office, for responsibilities to save many including those of his own household. He experienced elevation, enlargement and enablement. He left a lasting spiritual legacy. So much so, he is one of the few in the Old Testament considered a “fore type” of Jesus. We too need to fan the flame of our faith like Jacob and Joseph to full and steer away from being impatient and emotion-driven like Esau. In order to feed the flame of faith, Joseph like Daniel starved or disciplined his flesh and mind and fed his spirit on the spoken word of God. The word is the manna that prepares man for holistic success and legacy, the seed that multiplies and produces fruit and crop, generation after generation.
Monday, February 11, 2019
The Alpha of Exaltation
UV 3173/10000 The Alpha of Exaltation
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD
Obadiah 1 v 4
Some exalt themselves and fly high as the eagle with their sense of self importance. But the Lord will bring them down in due course. They do not acknowledge the Lord and equate themselves with Him. In their arrogance, they do not realize that they could fall like a stone, that the very methods that took them up will bring them down. In contrast, those who humble themselves before the Lord will be raised up by the Lord to find a place among His stars. They realize that without Jesus, they are zeroes but with Him, they are heroes. They accumulate grace upon grace. They are confident like St Paul that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.
The Lord is the path-finder, the pace setter, the guide for His followers at every step of the way, on the steep slopes as well on the perilous cliffs of life, on the mountain and in the valley. They are not deceived into thinking that they can accomplish anything or reach anywhere on their own strength. When satan tempted the first man, he told him that if he disbelieved and disobeyed the word of God, that he would become like God. He was telling him a deceitful lie. The truth was that man was being tempted to be like satan, disbelieving, dishonouring and disobeying the Lord God. Man, thereafter, as a species are deceived into thinking that believing and obeying the Lord makes them weak and dependent. To set our nest among the stars is destructive for attractive as the stars seem, they burn up anything that comes near.
Human wisdom, power, beauty are self destructive. As a species, we are attracted to what is seemingly or superficially good, what is seemingly or manifestly powerful. We rely on our eyes, our senses and not on our judgement. This is the reason we are restored to a right relationship with the Lord by believing the Word- Jesus and obeying the word of God. Our spiritual or new life and spiritual sight are renewed. We rise by faith like eagles to find our nest not in the stars but in the Lord Himself. We acknowledge that the Lord is higher and better than anything in this world or in this universe. He lifts us up in due time or God’s time which is eternity. We wait for His hand of exaltation with expectation, patience, trust and humility. Elevation and enlargement as well as enablement happen not due to human intelligence or ability or talent but by the grace of the Lord. When it happens, we remain humble for we realize that it is not due to any merit on our part but purely by the grace of the Lord. We have nothing to boast of or take pride in. Instead, our hearts are filled with faith, praise and thanksgiving for it is the Lord's doing.
Though thou exalt thyself as the eagle, and though thou set thy nest among the stars, thence will I bring thee down, saith the LORD
Obadiah 1 v 4
Some exalt themselves and fly high as the eagle with their sense of self importance. But the Lord will bring them down in due course. They do not acknowledge the Lord and equate themselves with Him. In their arrogance, they do not realize that they could fall like a stone, that the very methods that took them up will bring them down. In contrast, those who humble themselves before the Lord will be raised up by the Lord to find a place among His stars. They realize that without Jesus, they are zeroes but with Him, they are heroes. They accumulate grace upon grace. They are confident like St Paul that they can do all things through Christ who strengthens them.
The Lord is the path-finder, the pace setter, the guide for His followers at every step of the way, on the steep slopes as well on the perilous cliffs of life, on the mountain and in the valley. They are not deceived into thinking that they can accomplish anything or reach anywhere on their own strength. When satan tempted the first man, he told him that if he disbelieved and disobeyed the word of God, that he would become like God. He was telling him a deceitful lie. The truth was that man was being tempted to be like satan, disbelieving, dishonouring and disobeying the Lord God. Man, thereafter, as a species are deceived into thinking that believing and obeying the Lord makes them weak and dependent. To set our nest among the stars is destructive for attractive as the stars seem, they burn up anything that comes near.
Human wisdom, power, beauty are self destructive. As a species, we are attracted to what is seemingly or superficially good, what is seemingly or manifestly powerful. We rely on our eyes, our senses and not on our judgement. This is the reason we are restored to a right relationship with the Lord by believing the Word- Jesus and obeying the word of God. Our spiritual or new life and spiritual sight are renewed. We rise by faith like eagles to find our nest not in the stars but in the Lord Himself. We acknowledge that the Lord is higher and better than anything in this world or in this universe. He lifts us up in due time or God’s time which is eternity. We wait for His hand of exaltation with expectation, patience, trust and humility. Elevation and enlargement as well as enablement happen not due to human intelligence or ability or talent but by the grace of the Lord. When it happens, we remain humble for we realize that it is not due to any merit on our part but purely by the grace of the Lord. We have nothing to boast of or take pride in. Instead, our hearts are filled with faith, praise and thanksgiving for it is the Lord's doing.
Sunday, February 10, 2019
The Alpha of the Perfected Bride
UV 3172/10000 The Alpha of the Perfected Bride
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61 v 10
This uni-verse states that the chief source of our joy is the Lord. The word “rejoice” is an unique biblical term that means to find joy again and again endlessly. We will not merely rejoice but we will greatly rejoice not in what the Lord blesses us with but in the Lord Himself. We delight in His love and care. Jesus was Himself stripped to be bare before human eyes but He provided us the entire attire or the complete set of garments of salvation from head to foot. The Roman soldiers draped a purple robe on Him as a mock gesture but He has given us the robe of His righteousness, His perfection and integrity to cover the nakedness and vulnerability of our imperfections, angularities, flaws, faults, mistakes.
Instead of our former ugliness, the Lord has invested in us with His inner beauty. He has adorned us as a bride. He regards us as His precious ornaments. He cherishes us even as He nourishes us. The jewels with which we are adorned are the traits of Jesus of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. With these qualities of the spirit, we are made suitable for the Lord. We are anointed with and by the Holy Spirit who causes His fruit to rise in us.
As we wait with expectation for the Bridegroom to return, we are to stay faithful to Him, not slack in our attention, not impatient or frustrated. We have a responsibility to keep our clothes clean and beautiful. We are to feed on His word and stay well nourished and not starved or famished or weak. We cannot be distracted, disturbed, worried, depressed or carefree. We are to be vigilant and watchful and not fall morally or spiritually asleep, unaware that the Lord is at the door. Our practical actions and steps taken to obey the instructions of the Bridegroom are the way to keep our jewels burnished or polished. We should keep the lamp of our faith burning and fan the flame to its full potential, even while replenishing the oil in it from time to time to see that it does not run dry and gets extinguished. In the eyes of the Lord, a wise bride is the most beautiful and able wife and we should constantly learn to be wise like Him in all our ways. We should frequently remember and relish the experiences of His love in our lives. The Holy Spirit being the Remembrancer continually reminds us of our special and intimate ties with the Lord. He encourages us to stay hopeful, faithful, fruitful and joyful.
I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.
Isaiah 61 v 10
This uni-verse states that the chief source of our joy is the Lord. The word “rejoice” is an unique biblical term that means to find joy again and again endlessly. We will not merely rejoice but we will greatly rejoice not in what the Lord blesses us with but in the Lord Himself. We delight in His love and care. Jesus was Himself stripped to be bare before human eyes but He provided us the entire attire or the complete set of garments of salvation from head to foot. The Roman soldiers draped a purple robe on Him as a mock gesture but He has given us the robe of His righteousness, His perfection and integrity to cover the nakedness and vulnerability of our imperfections, angularities, flaws, faults, mistakes.
Instead of our former ugliness, the Lord has invested in us with His inner beauty. He has adorned us as a bride. He regards us as His precious ornaments. He cherishes us even as He nourishes us. The jewels with which we are adorned are the traits of Jesus of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. With these qualities of the spirit, we are made suitable for the Lord. We are anointed with and by the Holy Spirit who causes His fruit to rise in us.
As we wait with expectation for the Bridegroom to return, we are to stay faithful to Him, not slack in our attention, not impatient or frustrated. We have a responsibility to keep our clothes clean and beautiful. We are to feed on His word and stay well nourished and not starved or famished or weak. We cannot be distracted, disturbed, worried, depressed or carefree. We are to be vigilant and watchful and not fall morally or spiritually asleep, unaware that the Lord is at the door. Our practical actions and steps taken to obey the instructions of the Bridegroom are the way to keep our jewels burnished or polished. We should keep the lamp of our faith burning and fan the flame to its full potential, even while replenishing the oil in it from time to time to see that it does not run dry and gets extinguished. In the eyes of the Lord, a wise bride is the most beautiful and able wife and we should constantly learn to be wise like Him in all our ways. We should frequently remember and relish the experiences of His love in our lives. The Holy Spirit being the Remembrancer continually reminds us of our special and intimate ties with the Lord. He encourages us to stay hopeful, faithful, fruitful and joyful.
Thursday, February 7, 2019
The Alpha of Working Towards Perfection
UV 3170/10000 The Alpha of Working Towards Perfection
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Job 31 v 1
This uni-verse has an unique precept contained in it : man can make a covenant or a solemn inviolable agreement before God with each of his organs. Job made an agreement with his eyes not to look with lust at a woman. But we can make a covenant with our brain not to think negative or evil or proud, covetous or lustful thoughts, our heart not to harbour negative emotions like envy, anger, hatred… We can make a vow or commitment not to hear things that are harmful, gossip, slander, vulgar, untruthful or unedifying. We can make a covenant with our tongues not to speak hurtful words, lies, abuse, coarse or vulgar jokes. We can make a covenant with our legs not to go to sinful or shameful places, our hands not to do anything that displeases the Lord and does us no credit. We can vow to keep our hands clean. We can make a commitment with our sexual organs not to misuse or dishonour it in any way. A person who so makes a commitment to keep all his organs pure is on the way to Christ-like perfection and will find grace or favour in the eyes of the Lord.
These covenants with our own organs or parts of us are difficult to keep. Yet the Lord will give us enabling grace by the power of the in-dwelling and in-working Holy Spirit. The Psalmist wrote that the Lord desires holiness in our inner parts. The commitment to follow Jesus is a commitment to be perfect like our Father in heaven and perfect like Jesus. Not only are we to be blemishless or blameless in all of our conduct but we are to work to add virtue to our faith and character. Like a person who is on diet or physical training, we need to keep a record of all that happens with each of our organs on a daily basis and keep eliminating things that we erred in previously. This kind of spiritual discipline will ensure that we grow to the maturity and wisdom of Christ in the course of our days.
Each of the covenants we make with our organs are a source of much blessing. If our hands are clean, the Lord will bless the work of our hands. If our eyes are kept pure, we shall see the Lord as it is written in the beatitudes. If our lips are sanctified, we preserve and enhance life and our prayers and praise will be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord. If our brains are used wisely, we will prosper in all that we do and our lives will be shaped beautifully. If our legs are kept from going to the wrong places, we will be kept out of much trouble in our lives. If we keep our sexual organs pure, our children will be blessed. If our hearts are kept from negative emotions, we will be truly happy and joyful all the time. Conversely, the whole body, mind and hearts suffers when we use a wrong word or entertain a negative thought or do a bad deed. Human health and happiness hence, is holistic and all the organs are inter-connected for we are wonderfully and awesomely made by the Lord God.
I made a covenant with mine eyes; why then should I think upon a maid?
Job 31 v 1
This uni-verse has an unique precept contained in it : man can make a covenant or a solemn inviolable agreement before God with each of his organs. Job made an agreement with his eyes not to look with lust at a woman. But we can make a covenant with our brain not to think negative or evil or proud, covetous or lustful thoughts, our heart not to harbour negative emotions like envy, anger, hatred… We can make a vow or commitment not to hear things that are harmful, gossip, slander, vulgar, untruthful or unedifying. We can make a covenant with our tongues not to speak hurtful words, lies, abuse, coarse or vulgar jokes. We can make a covenant with our legs not to go to sinful or shameful places, our hands not to do anything that displeases the Lord and does us no credit. We can vow to keep our hands clean. We can make a commitment with our sexual organs not to misuse or dishonour it in any way. A person who so makes a commitment to keep all his organs pure is on the way to Christ-like perfection and will find grace or favour in the eyes of the Lord.
These covenants with our own organs or parts of us are difficult to keep. Yet the Lord will give us enabling grace by the power of the in-dwelling and in-working Holy Spirit. The Psalmist wrote that the Lord desires holiness in our inner parts. The commitment to follow Jesus is a commitment to be perfect like our Father in heaven and perfect like Jesus. Not only are we to be blemishless or blameless in all of our conduct but we are to work to add virtue to our faith and character. Like a person who is on diet or physical training, we need to keep a record of all that happens with each of our organs on a daily basis and keep eliminating things that we erred in previously. This kind of spiritual discipline will ensure that we grow to the maturity and wisdom of Christ in the course of our days.
Each of the covenants we make with our organs are a source of much blessing. If our hands are clean, the Lord will bless the work of our hands. If our eyes are kept pure, we shall see the Lord as it is written in the beatitudes. If our lips are sanctified, we preserve and enhance life and our prayers and praise will be pleasing and acceptable to the Lord. If our brains are used wisely, we will prosper in all that we do and our lives will be shaped beautifully. If our legs are kept from going to the wrong places, we will be kept out of much trouble in our lives. If we keep our sexual organs pure, our children will be blessed. If our hearts are kept from negative emotions, we will be truly happy and joyful all the time. Conversely, the whole body, mind and hearts suffers when we use a wrong word or entertain a negative thought or do a bad deed. Human health and happiness hence, is holistic and all the organs are inter-connected for we are wonderfully and awesomely made by the Lord God.
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
The Alpha of Spiritual Wisdom and Nourishment
UV 3169/10000 The Alpha of Spiritual Wisdom and Nourishment
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15 v 16
When people ask if God and the devil, heaven and hell, absolute good and evil, truth and untruth exist, it will make it plain to them if we ask , “ Does “Yes” and “No” exist? They will certainly accept that these exist as plain as day. The world then consists of binary realities like “Yes and No” of God and the enemy , heaven and hell, absolute good and evil, truth and untruth. This is the reason that Jesus is simply described in the word of God as the “Yes and Amen” to all God’s promises. It is the word that reveals the kind of binary realities that exist around us. Hence, Jesus is also called the “Word.” He is the “word” that brought the world into existence, the word that redeems the fallen world or the world that chose to say , “ No” to God. According to such binary logic, there are four basic moral choices we make daily: “ Saying yes to good, Saying no to evil, Saying no to good, Saying yes to evil.” It is the consistent study, analysis, meditation, application and ingestion or imbibing of the word that enables us to make the first two morally consistent choices every day and every moment of our lives- saying yes to absolute good or God and saying no to absolute evil or the enemy of our souls and spirits and flesh.
The uni-verse states that “thy words were found”, implying that we need to diligently search the scriptures that strengthen our moral and spiritual resolve to make morally consistent choices. Having found the appropriate or applicable portion of the word, we need to not just skim read but we need to “eat” it. Eating it means breaking it into its constituent parts even as we use our jaws and teeth to break larger pieces of food into digestible morsels. Eating the word means analysing it, every word and phrase and nuance of it. Just as delicious and nourishing food gives us satisfaction or joy, the word when so analysed with delight will fill our hearts and minds with joy. It will turn or transform the bitterness we have experienced in life into sweetness of wisdom, of lessons learnt, blessings both temporal and everlasting. We will not have either regret or sorrow as the word will explain every suffering, alter every sadness. As a result, we are greatly strengthened and enabled to live the victorious, triumphant or successful life. Like food that we eat not occasionally but daily and frequently, we need to ingest the word as frequently as we can.
In the old covenant, man related to God as one of his creatures though as the crown of his creation as he is created in the very image of God. With the coming of the Messiah Jesus, in union with Him by faith or by spiritual grafting, we are now a part of the Lord’s family. We are given His name or identity as children get their biological and social identity from their parents. The Word is the daily bread the Father feeds us. It is the wholesome food that doubles as medicine. It heals us. It makes us spiritually brave, strong and robust as soldiers, athletes and hard working farmers. The reference to " God of hosts" or the armies of heaven implies that people so strengthened and equipped are the army of God on earth who usher in the kingdom of God or the rule of God. It also implies that we need the word to fight or combat the legion of challenges we face in our daily lives.
Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O LORD God of hosts.
Jeremiah 15 v 16
When people ask if God and the devil, heaven and hell, absolute good and evil, truth and untruth exist, it will make it plain to them if we ask , “ Does “Yes” and “No” exist? They will certainly accept that these exist as plain as day. The world then consists of binary realities like “Yes and No” of God and the enemy , heaven and hell, absolute good and evil, truth and untruth. This is the reason that Jesus is simply described in the word of God as the “Yes and Amen” to all God’s promises. It is the word that reveals the kind of binary realities that exist around us. Hence, Jesus is also called the “Word.” He is the “word” that brought the world into existence, the word that redeems the fallen world or the world that chose to say , “ No” to God. According to such binary logic, there are four basic moral choices we make daily: “ Saying yes to good, Saying no to evil, Saying no to good, Saying yes to evil.” It is the consistent study, analysis, meditation, application and ingestion or imbibing of the word that enables us to make the first two morally consistent choices every day and every moment of our lives- saying yes to absolute good or God and saying no to absolute evil or the enemy of our souls and spirits and flesh.
The uni-verse states that “thy words were found”, implying that we need to diligently search the scriptures that strengthen our moral and spiritual resolve to make morally consistent choices. Having found the appropriate or applicable portion of the word, we need to not just skim read but we need to “eat” it. Eating it means breaking it into its constituent parts even as we use our jaws and teeth to break larger pieces of food into digestible morsels. Eating the word means analysing it, every word and phrase and nuance of it. Just as delicious and nourishing food gives us satisfaction or joy, the word when so analysed with delight will fill our hearts and minds with joy. It will turn or transform the bitterness we have experienced in life into sweetness of wisdom, of lessons learnt, blessings both temporal and everlasting. We will not have either regret or sorrow as the word will explain every suffering, alter every sadness. As a result, we are greatly strengthened and enabled to live the victorious, triumphant or successful life. Like food that we eat not occasionally but daily and frequently, we need to ingest the word as frequently as we can.
In the old covenant, man related to God as one of his creatures though as the crown of his creation as he is created in the very image of God. With the coming of the Messiah Jesus, in union with Him by faith or by spiritual grafting, we are now a part of the Lord’s family. We are given His name or identity as children get their biological and social identity from their parents. The Word is the daily bread the Father feeds us. It is the wholesome food that doubles as medicine. It heals us. It makes us spiritually brave, strong and robust as soldiers, athletes and hard working farmers. The reference to " God of hosts" or the armies of heaven implies that people so strengthened and equipped are the army of God on earth who usher in the kingdom of God or the rule of God. It also implies that we need the word to fight or combat the legion of challenges we face in our daily lives.
Tuesday, February 5, 2019
The Alpha of Sovereignty
UV 3168/10000 The Alpha of Sovereignty
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Exodus 9 v 16
This uni-verse has a corresponding truth expressed in Romans 9 v 16: “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” The Lord has let us live, He has raised up of His own sovereign will. It is His choice that we are chosen. It is His choice that we have received mercy in Christ. It is not something that we could have wished or willed on our own. This implies that the purpose of our lives is to declare the greatness of the Lord, the love of God, His faithfulness, His mercy and grace in verbal and non verbal ways throughout the world, wherever the Lord takes us.
When we do well like Abel in our relationship with the Lord, our sacrifices of praise and worship are acceptable to the Lord. His favour is upon us. We are to manifest His greatness in our lives, our work, our words, our relationships. To illustrate with the structure of an umbrella. Our relationship with the Lord is like the central shaft of the umbrella while the many spokes that connect with the central shaft are our other relationships. Neither our connection with the central shaft or with the spokes should be broken at any time. The canopy of the umbrella is the agape love of God demonstrated in Christ. Jesus is the central piece, the focus and fulcrum of the universal and sovereign will of God that connects us with the Lord and with each other. The name of Jesus has power in it to hold us up. The word of God has power to hold us up. The Holy Spirit has power to hold us up. He breaks the chains of dead habits. He breaks the power of our mortal and spiritual enemies to oppress us.
We have not chosen the Lord but He has chosen and called us even as Jesus called the apostles, one by one and they did not find or choose Him. Our role and response lies in cooperating or obeying His sovereign choice. Now that He has chosen us, no one or no force on earth can thwart His sovereign will to see His pleasure fulfilled in our lives. The Lord’s will operates whether we cooperate or not but when we do cooperate, we are connected to the sovereign will of God. We become mouthpieces of the greatness of the Lord, prisms to break the white light of His glorious presence into myriad colours of the rainbow in the various domains of our daily lives. Since He has raised us up, He will not let us down. He will not let us fail. He will not let us fall. He upholds us in a variety of ways. He freely makes available to us His power to fulfil the very purpose of our lives.
And in very deed for this cause have I raised thee up, for to shew in thee my power; and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth.
Exodus 9 v 16
This uni-verse has a corresponding truth expressed in Romans 9 v 16: “So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.” The Lord has let us live, He has raised up of His own sovereign will. It is His choice that we are chosen. It is His choice that we have received mercy in Christ. It is not something that we could have wished or willed on our own. This implies that the purpose of our lives is to declare the greatness of the Lord, the love of God, His faithfulness, His mercy and grace in verbal and non verbal ways throughout the world, wherever the Lord takes us.
When we do well like Abel in our relationship with the Lord, our sacrifices of praise and worship are acceptable to the Lord. His favour is upon us. We are to manifest His greatness in our lives, our work, our words, our relationships. To illustrate with the structure of an umbrella. Our relationship with the Lord is like the central shaft of the umbrella while the many spokes that connect with the central shaft are our other relationships. Neither our connection with the central shaft or with the spokes should be broken at any time. The canopy of the umbrella is the agape love of God demonstrated in Christ. Jesus is the central piece, the focus and fulcrum of the universal and sovereign will of God that connects us with the Lord and with each other. The name of Jesus has power in it to hold us up. The word of God has power to hold us up. The Holy Spirit has power to hold us up. He breaks the chains of dead habits. He breaks the power of our mortal and spiritual enemies to oppress us.
We have not chosen the Lord but He has chosen and called us even as Jesus called the apostles, one by one and they did not find or choose Him. Our role and response lies in cooperating or obeying His sovereign choice. Now that He has chosen us, no one or no force on earth can thwart His sovereign will to see His pleasure fulfilled in our lives. The Lord’s will operates whether we cooperate or not but when we do cooperate, we are connected to the sovereign will of God. We become mouthpieces of the greatness of the Lord, prisms to break the white light of His glorious presence into myriad colours of the rainbow in the various domains of our daily lives. Since He has raised us up, He will not let us down. He will not let us fail. He will not let us fall. He upholds us in a variety of ways. He freely makes available to us His power to fulfil the very purpose of our lives.
Monday, February 4, 2019
The Alpha of Divine Teaching
UV 3167/10000 The Alpha of Divine Teaching
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Luke 12 v 12
In the book of Proverbs, it is written that the apt word for the apt occasion is like apples of gold in settings of silver. The uni-verse tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us what we should speak at the appropriate time. When we yield our tongues, ears and minds to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will be our Teacher. He anointed the tongues of Peter and the other apostles such that their words inspired awe of God, hope and eternal life in the hearers. When the Holy Spirit controls our tongues, our otherwise unruly tongues that set our lives on fire, become instruments of peace, healing and deliverance. Our tongues become the rudder and helm of our lives. We will steer clear of needless controversy, arguments, conflicts, ego clashes and stay on the straight and narrow path lit up by the Word of God.
In the natural, the mouth of man can be the gate of hell. It ensnares him with the very words he speaks. But, once the Holy Spirit controls our tongues, it becomes a fountain of life and the words of wisdom that we speak become a source of blessing to many. The Holy Spirit will bring to our minds the applicable truth of scripture fitting for our need or the need of the hearers. Our words have life-changing and transforming power. The early believers were anointed with the Holy Spirit and He was manifested as “tongues of fire,” symbolising that the destructive fire of our words and mouths are replaced by the life-giving, life –empowering, life-enhancing spiritual fire of purification, sanctification and perfection. Hence, St James declared that the man who can control his tongue is perfect.
A student cannot learn without listening intently to the teacher. Likewise, we need to be silent in the presence of the Lord for the Holy Spirit to teach us. We should cease to speak on our own authority even as Jesus listened to the Father and spoke only what the Father wanted Him to speak. Listening is the best part of communication but often it is the most neglected. We need to not only look to the author and finisher or perfector of our faith but we need to open both our ears to the Lord by commanding it “Ephatha” or open while commanding our restless tongues to remain still. We need to imitate Jesus who listens more frequently and speaks rarely. Our minds are mints for the Holy Spirit to produce the currency or coins (words) of faith while our hearts are the furnace to refine our words and free it of evil.
For the Holy Ghost shall teach you in the same hour what ye ought to say.
Luke 12 v 12
In the book of Proverbs, it is written that the apt word for the apt occasion is like apples of gold in settings of silver. The uni-verse tells us that the Holy Spirit will teach us what we should speak at the appropriate time. When we yield our tongues, ears and minds to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will be our Teacher. He anointed the tongues of Peter and the other apostles such that their words inspired awe of God, hope and eternal life in the hearers. When the Holy Spirit controls our tongues, our otherwise unruly tongues that set our lives on fire, become instruments of peace, healing and deliverance. Our tongues become the rudder and helm of our lives. We will steer clear of needless controversy, arguments, conflicts, ego clashes and stay on the straight and narrow path lit up by the Word of God.
In the natural, the mouth of man can be the gate of hell. It ensnares him with the very words he speaks. But, once the Holy Spirit controls our tongues, it becomes a fountain of life and the words of wisdom that we speak become a source of blessing to many. The Holy Spirit will bring to our minds the applicable truth of scripture fitting for our need or the need of the hearers. Our words have life-changing and transforming power. The early believers were anointed with the Holy Spirit and He was manifested as “tongues of fire,” symbolising that the destructive fire of our words and mouths are replaced by the life-giving, life –empowering, life-enhancing spiritual fire of purification, sanctification and perfection. Hence, St James declared that the man who can control his tongue is perfect.
A student cannot learn without listening intently to the teacher. Likewise, we need to be silent in the presence of the Lord for the Holy Spirit to teach us. We should cease to speak on our own authority even as Jesus listened to the Father and spoke only what the Father wanted Him to speak. Listening is the best part of communication but often it is the most neglected. We need to not only look to the author and finisher or perfector of our faith but we need to open both our ears to the Lord by commanding it “Ephatha” or open while commanding our restless tongues to remain still. We need to imitate Jesus who listens more frequently and speaks rarely. Our minds are mints for the Holy Spirit to produce the currency or coins (words) of faith while our hearts are the furnace to refine our words and free it of evil.
Sunday, February 3, 2019
The Alpha of the Presence of the Lord
UV 3166/10000 The Alpha of the Presence of the Lord
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
Exodus 33 v 15
Jesus said, “ The blind are leading the blind.” It implies that those who claim to be leaders but do not know the Lord are spiritually blind. Though they are physically sighted and have all their senses in tact, they do not know the direction and will lead the people who follow them into the ditch- the pit of destruction. In this uni-verse Moses acknowledges that he would be spiritually blind except the presence of the Lord lead him and all of Israel. The presence of the Lord is invisible but real and true. He is like the roots of a tree that are present but invisible to the human eye. He is like the rock foundation of a building that is invisible but strong and always present. We need to seek His presence at all times and abide by His guidance in all our choices and decisions. When the house or the life we build has the Lord as its foundation and its canopy or roof, it will not be built in vain nor will it fall or shake in any storm of life.
Moses and Joshua, alone in all Israel were humble and sensitive before the Lord. The people of Israel were stiff necked or stubborn and set in their ways, not willing to change and mend their ways as the Spirit of the Lord led them. His presence moulds and shapes our lives. Moses who spent time in the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle radiated His anointing and light whenever he left it. Our lives should radiate the light and presence of the Lord. Israel was distinguished from the rest of humanity by the strong presence of the Lord with them. Likewise, we are distinguished by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us and the Lord with us. We grow upward like a tree towards the sun.
The presence of Jesus at the wedding in Canna solved the problem of shortage of wine at the feast. Likewise, in our lives, the presence of the Lord will solve the problem of shortages in our lives- the shortage of wisdom, the shortage of strength, the shortage of will power and determination, the shortage of peace and goodwill, the shortage of health and the shortage of resources. The presence of the Lord, meaning a strong and intimate relationship with the resurrected Lord will remove from us the fear of death and judgement. The presence of the Lord with us will go with us wherever we go and give us rest. He goes ahead of us and prepares both path and room for us. The presence of the Lord gives us hope of glory and joy eternal. The presence of the Lord gives us grace and victory in all the challenges we face in life and beyond.
And he said unto him, If thy presence go not with me, carry us not up hence.
Exodus 33 v 15
Jesus said, “ The blind are leading the blind.” It implies that those who claim to be leaders but do not know the Lord are spiritually blind. Though they are physically sighted and have all their senses in tact, they do not know the direction and will lead the people who follow them into the ditch- the pit of destruction. In this uni-verse Moses acknowledges that he would be spiritually blind except the presence of the Lord lead him and all of Israel. The presence of the Lord is invisible but real and true. He is like the roots of a tree that are present but invisible to the human eye. He is like the rock foundation of a building that is invisible but strong and always present. We need to seek His presence at all times and abide by His guidance in all our choices and decisions. When the house or the life we build has the Lord as its foundation and its canopy or roof, it will not be built in vain nor will it fall or shake in any storm of life.
Moses and Joshua, alone in all Israel were humble and sensitive before the Lord. The people of Israel were stiff necked or stubborn and set in their ways, not willing to change and mend their ways as the Spirit of the Lord led them. His presence moulds and shapes our lives. Moses who spent time in the presence of the Lord in the Tabernacle radiated His anointing and light whenever he left it. Our lives should radiate the light and presence of the Lord. Israel was distinguished from the rest of humanity by the strong presence of the Lord with them. Likewise, we are distinguished by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us and the Lord with us. We grow upward like a tree towards the sun.
The presence of Jesus at the wedding in Canna solved the problem of shortage of wine at the feast. Likewise, in our lives, the presence of the Lord will solve the problem of shortages in our lives- the shortage of wisdom, the shortage of strength, the shortage of will power and determination, the shortage of peace and goodwill, the shortage of health and the shortage of resources. The presence of the Lord, meaning a strong and intimate relationship with the resurrected Lord will remove from us the fear of death and judgement. The presence of the Lord with us will go with us wherever we go and give us rest. He goes ahead of us and prepares both path and room for us. The presence of the Lord gives us hope of glory and joy eternal. The presence of the Lord gives us grace and victory in all the challenges we face in life and beyond.
Saturday, February 2, 2019
The Alpha of the Overheard
UV 3165/10000 The Alpha of the Overheard
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Malachi 3 v 16
If we are focussed on a certain thing, we would speak often about it. If we are focussed on the world, we would often speak about our worries, fears, anxieties, goals and aspirations. If we are focussed on the Lord and His word, we would often speak to those who are near and dear, our companions and friends about Him. This uni-verse tells us that the Lord overhears our conversations about Him and finds great delight in it. He even records what we hear even as we record what we value either as an audio file or in notings in our journals. So we learn that not only is the eye of the Lord and the hand of the Lord is upon us but His ears are inclined to pick up what we say of Him.
Jesus during His earthly sojourn asked His disciples what they thought of Him. He was not interested in what the rest of the world thought of Him but He was keen to hear what Peter and the other apostles thought of Him. In fact, He appreciated Peter when he said, “ You are the Messiah, the One sent to save mankind.” Our words matter to the Lord, our opinions matter to Him. As often as we remember His Name, His Person, His attributes, His words, His actions and reactions, Jesus is delighted. He is Immanuel and is God Present in and with us. After the resurrection, He showed His concern for His followers being saddened or perplexed by happenings. He appeared incognito to the two unnamed believers walking on the road to Emmaus and conversed with them. He was touched by their sadness at His death and wanted to comfort and set their hearts at peace. He explained to them that these things, meaning His death on the cross was prophesied even as His resurrection was prophesied.
The Lord is so attentive, mindful of us, a sign of His infinite love for us. We should therefore, realize that whenever we are speaking to another, the Lord is listening. Our words should be run through many sieves or filters, weighed against the Word of God before we utter any, that it will be worthy of His listening. Our words should be reflective of the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. We would then not say anything that will grieve the sensitive and gentle Holy Spirit. The very thought that He is present and listening would ensure that we are careful what we say to each other. As scripture says, " We will order our conversations aright." When our conversations are directed at God, our lives will be directed by God. When we share our testimonies of how the Lord has helped, delivered, healed, blessed, enlarged, strengthened, taught or corrected us, He is listening and smiling. He records our words in His book of remembrance. To think and talk upon His name, His person, His words, His actions and reactions is strength to us and delight to Him. Hence, we should not shy away from speaking often about the Lord at every opportunity we get.
Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.
Malachi 3 v 16
If we are focussed on a certain thing, we would speak often about it. If we are focussed on the world, we would often speak about our worries, fears, anxieties, goals and aspirations. If we are focussed on the Lord and His word, we would often speak to those who are near and dear, our companions and friends about Him. This uni-verse tells us that the Lord overhears our conversations about Him and finds great delight in it. He even records what we hear even as we record what we value either as an audio file or in notings in our journals. So we learn that not only is the eye of the Lord and the hand of the Lord is upon us but His ears are inclined to pick up what we say of Him.
Jesus during His earthly sojourn asked His disciples what they thought of Him. He was not interested in what the rest of the world thought of Him but He was keen to hear what Peter and the other apostles thought of Him. In fact, He appreciated Peter when he said, “ You are the Messiah, the One sent to save mankind.” Our words matter to the Lord, our opinions matter to Him. As often as we remember His Name, His Person, His attributes, His words, His actions and reactions, Jesus is delighted. He is Immanuel and is God Present in and with us. After the resurrection, He showed His concern for His followers being saddened or perplexed by happenings. He appeared incognito to the two unnamed believers walking on the road to Emmaus and conversed with them. He was touched by their sadness at His death and wanted to comfort and set their hearts at peace. He explained to them that these things, meaning His death on the cross was prophesied even as His resurrection was prophesied.
The Lord is so attentive, mindful of us, a sign of His infinite love for us. We should therefore, realize that whenever we are speaking to another, the Lord is listening. Our words should be run through many sieves or filters, weighed against the Word of God before we utter any, that it will be worthy of His listening. Our words should be reflective of the fruit of the spirit of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control. We would then not say anything that will grieve the sensitive and gentle Holy Spirit. The very thought that He is present and listening would ensure that we are careful what we say to each other. As scripture says, " We will order our conversations aright." When our conversations are directed at God, our lives will be directed by God. When we share our testimonies of how the Lord has helped, delivered, healed, blessed, enlarged, strengthened, taught or corrected us, He is listening and smiling. He records our words in His book of remembrance. To think and talk upon His name, His person, His words, His actions and reactions is strength to us and delight to Him. Hence, we should not shy away from speaking often about the Lord at every opportunity we get.
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