UV3408/10000 Winds and Fire
And concerning the angels He says, “Who makes His angels winds and His ministering servants flames of fire ( to do His bidding)
Hebrews 1 v 7
The Lord sends His angels in the wind to help us who are His ministering servants. Winds help to cool down the temperature, to bring rain and to spread flames. The Lord has at His command battalions of angels who do His bidding. Often He deploys them in our aid to cool down any opposing person or factor, to bring us showers of blessings of every kind and to spread the flames of faith or our influence in this dark world to give light and a sense of purpose, significance and power. In us should burn the fuel or the anointing oil of the Holy Spirit who renews us from within.
Along with the angels, we serve Jesus who is the visible expression of the invisible God, who has manifested the Shekinah glory of God in this world and continues at the right hand of the Father administering the universe. He intercedes on our behalf continually with the Father. He sends us timely help when we need it. We on our part should fan the flame of our faith to fullness in zeal and truth. The winds are needed to cool our zeal when we get too hot or to increase our influence and impact. The presence of God with us is not a passive one then, but an active and dynamic one. The Lord is always reading our situations and acting accordingly, sending His angels to our side and aid.
The angels are the chariots of fire that the prophet Elisha and his followers saw in the sky. Even though we who believe may be few we will never be outnumbered or overwhelmed. The Lord God is in our midst. We should therefore, be always full of the fire of faith and the truth of His word and not entertain fears of any kind. The indwelling Holy Spirit lights us up from within, anoints, equips, empowers and enables us to be victorious in our lives. We are living flames lit up by the Lord to shine and burn for Him in this world. Even the words from our tongues are like flames that light up the hearts of our listeners with faith and praise to God. The Lord will send His angels in the wind to keep us burning, shining and to distinguish us, not to extinguish us.
Wednesday, November 27, 2019
Tuesday, November 26, 2019
Distinction by Service
UV 3407/10000 Distinction by Service
Then you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.
Malachi 3 v 18
This uni-verse defines people as either wicked or righteous. The righteous are those who know God and serve Him while the wicked are those who do not serve Him. The latter by default serve the enemy of all humanity. If we know God we have no option but to serve Him. We serve Him by making our organs like our brains, our mouths, our hands and legs work for Him. We serve God when we speak of Him, when we teach His word. We serve God when we go places just for Him. We achieve distinction not by our good deeds or accomplishments but by our knowledge and submission to the only and absolutely holy Being- God.
The righteous and the wicked according to the above uni-verse are distinguished not by deeds but by the presence of God or by the personal relationship they have or do not have with the Lord. Whatever the righteous do is done in the name of the Lord and for His glory and by His grace or power. He is the be all and end all of our existence. As His faithful servants, we are always in awe of Him. We worship Him in reverence and adore Him with love. It is a combination of commitment, deep respect, humility, implicit obedience and curiousity to know Him more as well as desire to experience more of His love and power.
The servants of God are paid their due wages or just rewards both in this lifetime and in eternity. The wicked or those who do not chose to serve Him also receive their just desserts. The righteous receive the power from God to defeat the wicked. Their faith and character puts them in conflict with the wicked but they will eventually be victorious whatever be the struggle they face now. Often the wicked are the ones who are successful and powerful in this world. But the Lord acts on behalf of the righteous and ensures justice is done.
Then you will again distinguish between the righteous and the wicked, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve Him.
Malachi 3 v 18
This uni-verse defines people as either wicked or righteous. The righteous are those who know God and serve Him while the wicked are those who do not serve Him. The latter by default serve the enemy of all humanity. If we know God we have no option but to serve Him. We serve Him by making our organs like our brains, our mouths, our hands and legs work for Him. We serve God when we speak of Him, when we teach His word. We serve God when we go places just for Him. We achieve distinction not by our good deeds or accomplishments but by our knowledge and submission to the only and absolutely holy Being- God.
The righteous and the wicked according to the above uni-verse are distinguished not by deeds but by the presence of God or by the personal relationship they have or do not have with the Lord. Whatever the righteous do is done in the name of the Lord and for His glory and by His grace or power. He is the be all and end all of our existence. As His faithful servants, we are always in awe of Him. We worship Him in reverence and adore Him with love. It is a combination of commitment, deep respect, humility, implicit obedience and curiousity to know Him more as well as desire to experience more of His love and power.
The servants of God are paid their due wages or just rewards both in this lifetime and in eternity. The wicked or those who do not chose to serve Him also receive their just desserts. The righteous receive the power from God to defeat the wicked. Their faith and character puts them in conflict with the wicked but they will eventually be victorious whatever be the struggle they face now. Often the wicked are the ones who are successful and powerful in this world. But the Lord acts on behalf of the righteous and ensures justice is done.
Monday, November 25, 2019
Invisible But Invincible
UV 3406/10000 Invisible But Invincible
“With him there is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. “ And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Like the people relied on the encouraging words of Hezekiah, their king, we should rely on the strengthening word of Jesus. The One who is with us is greater than the one who is with the enemy. With him is only the arm of flesh that is finite and limited in strength, power and prowess but with us is the Omnicompetent, Omnipotent God Almighty. Our reliance is not on our army or our array of resource, abilities or strengths but our dependence is on Jesus, Our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, our Counsellor and Comforter and Jehovah, our Heavenly Father. We do not rely on horses or chariots but on the Lord alone for our victory. The arm of flesh will both flail and fail but the arm of the Lord no man can predict how it will act or react. The arm of man however strong will perish but the arm of the Lord is eternal, infinite, invincible.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria threatened the people of Judah and their king Hezekiah but the Lord God sent an angel that slew the warriors of his army and he himself was killed by his own children. The Lord proved Himself time and again in the history of Israel to be mighty, invincible and a God of rescue who hears the cry of His children, whoever acknowledges Him and worships Him. We should therefore not pin our hope and faith on mortal help but seek the favour or grace of our Lord. The battle or the struggle belongs to the Lord and He will surely deliver us from it. We need not despair or be afraid regardless of the size or strength of the quarry we are currently confronting.
We only need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Finisher or Perfector of our faith, character and testimony. He is the Lord of a host of powerful angels. He deploys them to guard and protect His children so that no angel remains idle. Every battle or struggle, challenge or problem is meant to bring out the grace, power and glory of the Lord. We should therefore, not shrink or avoid these but just take our stand of faith in Christ. He is ever present with us to help us, to equip us with His armour and His weapons. He gives us the apt strategy or solution in every situation, crisis or predicament.
“With him there is only an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God to help us and to fight our battles. “ And the people relied on the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.
Like the people relied on the encouraging words of Hezekiah, their king, we should rely on the strengthening word of Jesus. The One who is with us is greater than the one who is with the enemy. With him is only the arm of flesh that is finite and limited in strength, power and prowess but with us is the Omnicompetent, Omnipotent God Almighty. Our reliance is not on our army or our array of resource, abilities or strengths but our dependence is on Jesus, Our Advocate, the Holy Spirit, our Counsellor and Comforter and Jehovah, our Heavenly Father. We do not rely on horses or chariots but on the Lord alone for our victory. The arm of flesh will both flail and fail but the arm of the Lord no man can predict how it will act or react. The arm of man however strong will perish but the arm of the Lord is eternal, infinite, invincible.
Sennacherib, the king of Assyria threatened the people of Judah and their king Hezekiah but the Lord God sent an angel that slew the warriors of his army and he himself was killed by his own children. The Lord proved Himself time and again in the history of Israel to be mighty, invincible and a God of rescue who hears the cry of His children, whoever acknowledges Him and worships Him. We should therefore not pin our hope and faith on mortal help but seek the favour or grace of our Lord. The battle or the struggle belongs to the Lord and He will surely deliver us from it. We need not despair or be afraid regardless of the size or strength of the quarry we are currently confronting.
We only need to fix our eyes on Jesus, the Finisher or Perfector of our faith, character and testimony. He is the Lord of a host of powerful angels. He deploys them to guard and protect His children so that no angel remains idle. Every battle or struggle, challenge or problem is meant to bring out the grace, power and glory of the Lord. We should therefore, not shrink or avoid these but just take our stand of faith in Christ. He is ever present with us to help us, to equip us with His armour and His weapons. He gives us the apt strategy or solution in every situation, crisis or predicament.
Sunday, November 24, 2019
Measuring Our Words
UV 3405/10000 Measuring Our Words
But I tell you, on the day of judgement people will have to give an accounting for every careless and useless word they speak.
Matthew 12 v 36
Our words reflect our inner spiritual condition, our state of the heart. If we are storing evil in our hearts, evil words will come forth. If we are storing good things, good words will come forth. If we store the Word of God, the perfect word of God will come forth. Hence, Jesus warns us not to speak any careless or useless or purposeless words. Our words are meant to build the faith, to encourage and edify the hearers. Jesus said, “ If we call our brother a rascal, we are guilty to be sent to the fires of hell.” We are not to use our words to abuse or insult others.
Both sweet and bitter water cannot flow from the same spring. Hence, we who are dealing with the Word of God cannot allow our words to be negative, carping, insulting, discouraging to our listeners. We need to allow our words to go through a filter or sieve and only words that are wise, pleasing, gentle, gracious should be allowed to emanate from our mouths. We should spend some time every day examining the quality of our conversation, our speech both in public and private. As a rule, the more angry we become, the slower our speech and lower our tones should be. Our words should be carefully chosen and deliberately delivered in order to be effective and useful. The more we treasure our relationship with God and man, the more we will measure our words. The more we treasure eternal life in Christ, the more we will measure our tones and our words.
Speaking on impulse without much thought has the propensity to get us into much trouble. The more thought we apply to our words, the less trouble we will have. Words affect our emotions, our relationships, our decisions, our influence. We should not speak unless our words are likely to have a better effect than silence. Words should be used carefully like currency, not carelessly, thoughtlessly. Spending more time listening, spending more time praying and less time talking helps us avoid needless chatter. Praying for the Lord’s anointing of our words, the Holy Spirit’s regulation of our speech is the key to perfecting our speech.
But I tell you, on the day of judgement people will have to give an accounting for every careless and useless word they speak.
Matthew 12 v 36
Our words reflect our inner spiritual condition, our state of the heart. If we are storing evil in our hearts, evil words will come forth. If we are storing good things, good words will come forth. If we store the Word of God, the perfect word of God will come forth. Hence, Jesus warns us not to speak any careless or useless or purposeless words. Our words are meant to build the faith, to encourage and edify the hearers. Jesus said, “ If we call our brother a rascal, we are guilty to be sent to the fires of hell.” We are not to use our words to abuse or insult others.
Both sweet and bitter water cannot flow from the same spring. Hence, we who are dealing with the Word of God cannot allow our words to be negative, carping, insulting, discouraging to our listeners. We need to allow our words to go through a filter or sieve and only words that are wise, pleasing, gentle, gracious should be allowed to emanate from our mouths. We should spend some time every day examining the quality of our conversation, our speech both in public and private. As a rule, the more angry we become, the slower our speech and lower our tones should be. Our words should be carefully chosen and deliberately delivered in order to be effective and useful. The more we treasure our relationship with God and man, the more we will measure our words. The more we treasure eternal life in Christ, the more we will measure our tones and our words.
Speaking on impulse without much thought has the propensity to get us into much trouble. The more thought we apply to our words, the less trouble we will have. Words affect our emotions, our relationships, our decisions, our influence. We should not speak unless our words are likely to have a better effect than silence. Words should be used carefully like currency, not carelessly, thoughtlessly. Spending more time listening, spending more time praying and less time talking helps us avoid needless chatter. Praying for the Lord’s anointing of our words, the Holy Spirit’s regulation of our speech is the key to perfecting our speech.
Friday, November 22, 2019
New Visions, Old Fervour
UV 3404/10000 New Visions, Old Fervour
Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43 v 19
Faith often depends on the quality of our hearing the Word of God. If we are listening intently, carefully, persistently, we are enabling the grace of God to work in our lives in ways we cannot imagine. The Lord will take our faith the way He took the five loaves and seven fish of the boy and multiplied it to satisfy the hunger of a multitude of people. He can and does do the impossible in our lives. He can create a road, a way out of our life’s challenges and problems in ways we cannot see or understand. He can cause life-giving, hope-giving rivers to flow from stony hearts and hardened minds. The metaphor of rivers implies a continuous flow of the Spirit of God in us, causing all kinds of fruit of the Spirit to grow on both banks the river flows through- the intellectual and the physical, the emotional and the spiritual, the social and the personal “banks” of life. The metaphor of roads in the wilderness is a promise that the Lord will remove the “mountains,” obstacles, barriers, hurdles in our paths. Jesus is the ladder that connects the wilderness of the earth, full of thorns and brambles with the beauty of heaven, the kingdom of God.
Very often in life due to our conditioning we are not God-aware. We are not aware of His presence as it is drowned in our consciousness due to competing voices and noises in our lives. If we can still all these distracting voices and noises including the chatter of our own minds, we will clearly sense the move of the Lord in our lives. The attention we pay to the Lord will eliminate all tension from our lives. Believers of Jesus should expect the miraculous, the supernatural, the inexplicable to happen in their lives. He will endow us with new gifts, new visions, new ideas, new skills, new consciousness. We must bring our old fervour to bear upon the new visions He gives us and bring it to fullness, fulfilment and fruition in His time.
In my professional career as a senior police officer, the Lord gave me many new ideas ( FOP, Social Justice Tea Parties, VOP, Factor X, Excenomics, State Assurance, Know Your Criminal.. ) which I tried to carry into implementation, trying to create bridges between the police and the people they serve. Many powerful and senior officers tried to scotch or scorn these ideas over the past three decades due to petty reasons but the Lord did a new thing as prophesied and promised by enabling me to win coincidentally the SKOCH awards for two new ideas I implemented. He surely creates roads in the wilderness beyond our wildest imagination and causes rivers of joy and gladness to flow upward to Him from our hearts and minds.
Listen carefully, I am about to do a new thing, now it will spring forth; will you not be aware of it? I will even put a road in the wilderness, rivers in the desert.
Isaiah 43 v 19
Faith often depends on the quality of our hearing the Word of God. If we are listening intently, carefully, persistently, we are enabling the grace of God to work in our lives in ways we cannot imagine. The Lord will take our faith the way He took the five loaves and seven fish of the boy and multiplied it to satisfy the hunger of a multitude of people. He can and does do the impossible in our lives. He can create a road, a way out of our life’s challenges and problems in ways we cannot see or understand. He can cause life-giving, hope-giving rivers to flow from stony hearts and hardened minds. The metaphor of rivers implies a continuous flow of the Spirit of God in us, causing all kinds of fruit of the Spirit to grow on both banks the river flows through- the intellectual and the physical, the emotional and the spiritual, the social and the personal “banks” of life. The metaphor of roads in the wilderness is a promise that the Lord will remove the “mountains,” obstacles, barriers, hurdles in our paths. Jesus is the ladder that connects the wilderness of the earth, full of thorns and brambles with the beauty of heaven, the kingdom of God.
Very often in life due to our conditioning we are not God-aware. We are not aware of His presence as it is drowned in our consciousness due to competing voices and noises in our lives. If we can still all these distracting voices and noises including the chatter of our own minds, we will clearly sense the move of the Lord in our lives. The attention we pay to the Lord will eliminate all tension from our lives. Believers of Jesus should expect the miraculous, the supernatural, the inexplicable to happen in their lives. He will endow us with new gifts, new visions, new ideas, new skills, new consciousness. We must bring our old fervour to bear upon the new visions He gives us and bring it to fullness, fulfilment and fruition in His time.
In my professional career as a senior police officer, the Lord gave me many new ideas ( FOP, Social Justice Tea Parties, VOP, Factor X, Excenomics, State Assurance, Know Your Criminal.. ) which I tried to carry into implementation, trying to create bridges between the police and the people they serve. Many powerful and senior officers tried to scotch or scorn these ideas over the past three decades due to petty reasons but the Lord did a new thing as prophesied and promised by enabling me to win coincidentally the SKOCH awards for two new ideas I implemented. He surely creates roads in the wilderness beyond our wildest imagination and causes rivers of joy and gladness to flow upward to Him from our hearts and minds.
Thursday, November 21, 2019
A Daily Key to Spiritual Portals
UV 3403/10000 A Daily Key To Spiritual Portals
Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk.
Psalm 143 v 8
We need to pray like the Psalmist in the uni-verse above that we may hear of His love and kindness every morning. We should affirm our trust in Him. He will teach us the way we should walk. We need to ask Him to rescue us from our enemies, spiritual and human for we take refuge in Him. We should also ask Him to teach us to do His pleasing, perfect and not just permissive ( permission given reluctantly) will and to lead us in uprightness or level ground. When we pray in this manner, we are using the key of the Lord to open the spiritual channels, doors and portals that are now locked. He will do a new thing in our lives, renew us from day to day in His grace and power, give us new thoughts and consciousness of His presence.
The Lord’s mercies are fresh every morning. It is through prayer that we can avail of these fresh mercies, new blessings the Lord reserves for those who plead for these. He renews our strength for the day so that we can fly like an eagle, not strut like a chicken. We will have the energy, the God –given enthusiasm and joy to run our lives on an even keel. We will not stumble or fall into the snares of the enemy that He has sown or sewn into our very flesh and minds. The Lord will keep our feet from falling and our eyes from tears.
The words we talk as well as the paths we walk should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to control our unruly tongues to make it like a river of eternal life, a stream of wisdom, a channel of blessing for hearers and us. When we use the above mentioned spiritual key, the Holy Spirit will use our tongues as rudders to give our lives as well as our listeners the direction of eternal life.
Let me hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for I trust in You. Teach me the way in which I should walk.
Psalm 143 v 8
We need to pray like the Psalmist in the uni-verse above that we may hear of His love and kindness every morning. We should affirm our trust in Him. He will teach us the way we should walk. We need to ask Him to rescue us from our enemies, spiritual and human for we take refuge in Him. We should also ask Him to teach us to do His pleasing, perfect and not just permissive ( permission given reluctantly) will and to lead us in uprightness or level ground. When we pray in this manner, we are using the key of the Lord to open the spiritual channels, doors and portals that are now locked. He will do a new thing in our lives, renew us from day to day in His grace and power, give us new thoughts and consciousness of His presence.
The Lord’s mercies are fresh every morning. It is through prayer that we can avail of these fresh mercies, new blessings the Lord reserves for those who plead for these. He renews our strength for the day so that we can fly like an eagle, not strut like a chicken. We will have the energy, the God –given enthusiasm and joy to run our lives on an even keel. We will not stumble or fall into the snares of the enemy that He has sown or sewn into our very flesh and minds. The Lord will keep our feet from falling and our eyes from tears.
The words we talk as well as the paths we walk should be under the control of the Holy Spirit. Only the Holy Spirit has the power to control our unruly tongues to make it like a river of eternal life, a stream of wisdom, a channel of blessing for hearers and us. When we use the above mentioned spiritual key, the Holy Spirit will use our tongues as rudders to give our lives as well as our listeners the direction of eternal life.
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
Nobility of Character Invites Abundance of Blessings
UV3402/10000 Nobility of Character Invites Abundance of Blessings
Now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you whatever you ask, since all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.
Ruth 3 v 11
The rich landlord Boaz spoke to Ruth in this manner. But in place of Boaz, we have Jesus the landlord of the entire universe speaking the same words to us: “ I will do for you whatever you ask…” But the rider is something that we, believers and followers of Jesus need to be. Ruth was a woman of excellence, also translated as a woman of noble character or virtuous person. She was loyal, humble, obedient, faithful, diligent. We, too need to develop on a day to day basis, along with our faith in Jesus, a nobility of character that will keep us from stooping to act or react in a crass, base or sinful manner.
The human mind is like a decision tree. At the base level are the most obvious but baser instinct or emotion based decisions or reactions. With our personal relationship with Jesus, His teachings, the word engrafted in our hearts and minds, we should ascend the higher and nobler branches to choose the nobler responses of behaviour on a consistent basis. Boaz was so impressed, touched, impacted by the testimony, the reputation, the behaviour of Ruth that he promised to do whatever she asked of him. In fact, Boaz, the eligible bachelor goes on to become her groom and kinsman- redeemer. Jesus, likewise is our kinsman-Redeemer.
Salvation or redeeming us is the responsibility of Jesus but our response is to be excellent, noble, virtuous. Our testimonial lives is our response to His grace and mercy. When both these sides are in place, we will enjoy the abundant or eternal life and our lives will be impactful for God. The Lord will do for us whatever we ask of Him. Ruth asked of Boaz only permission to glean but Boaz not only conceded to her humble request but went onto save her from a life as a miserable, lonely young widow. He took her into his life, his home as his bride and wife. Likewise, in my experience, the Lord does much more than we think, ask, expect, imagine of Him.
Now, my daughter, do not be afraid. I will do for you whatever you ask, since all my people in the city know that you are a woman of excellence.
Ruth 3 v 11
The rich landlord Boaz spoke to Ruth in this manner. But in place of Boaz, we have Jesus the landlord of the entire universe speaking the same words to us: “ I will do for you whatever you ask…” But the rider is something that we, believers and followers of Jesus need to be. Ruth was a woman of excellence, also translated as a woman of noble character or virtuous person. She was loyal, humble, obedient, faithful, diligent. We, too need to develop on a day to day basis, along with our faith in Jesus, a nobility of character that will keep us from stooping to act or react in a crass, base or sinful manner.
The human mind is like a decision tree. At the base level are the most obvious but baser instinct or emotion based decisions or reactions. With our personal relationship with Jesus, His teachings, the word engrafted in our hearts and minds, we should ascend the higher and nobler branches to choose the nobler responses of behaviour on a consistent basis. Boaz was so impressed, touched, impacted by the testimony, the reputation, the behaviour of Ruth that he promised to do whatever she asked of him. In fact, Boaz, the eligible bachelor goes on to become her groom and kinsman- redeemer. Jesus, likewise is our kinsman-Redeemer.
Salvation or redeeming us is the responsibility of Jesus but our response is to be excellent, noble, virtuous. Our testimonial lives is our response to His grace and mercy. When both these sides are in place, we will enjoy the abundant or eternal life and our lives will be impactful for God. The Lord will do for us whatever we ask of Him. Ruth asked of Boaz only permission to glean but Boaz not only conceded to her humble request but went onto save her from a life as a miserable, lonely young widow. He took her into his life, his home as his bride and wife. Likewise, in my experience, the Lord does much more than we think, ask, expect, imagine of Him.
Tuesday, November 19, 2019
Choosing the Better Part of Life
UV 3401/10000 Choosing the Better Part in Life
I was cast upon You from birth; From my mother’s womb You have been my God
Psalm 22 v 10
Jesus had a lifelong and indeed, eternal relationship with the Father. This uni-verse declares that from the womb, He had a personal relationship with God. The greatest good that one can find on earth is to have a personal and lifelong relationship with God. Jesus has made it possible for us to know God from the womb to the tomb and beyond. To be able to talk with God every day and to know Him personally is the greatest privilege a man can have. We have 24x 7 access to the Lord.
God knows us before we know Him for scripture says, “He puts us together in our mothers’ wombs. “ He knits us together and only by Him and in Him are we held together, the different parts of our lives are integrated and welded together. He is closer to us than our own skin. He knows our thoughts and our words, even before it is thought or spoken. We cannot ignore so great a love, so much grace. We would be foolish to do so. Instead, we should acknowledge Him at every step of the way, seek His grace and guidance, His wisdom and power in all that we attempt or do. He is our partner, director in all our ventures. He is the CEO of our lives.
We find our purpose, our significance in Him. We live and move and exist in Him. His word is our breath, our spiritual life-giving and enhancing oxygen, our food and drink , our shield and sword. He is invisible but we can feel His touch, sense His move in our lives. Like Mary, we have chosen the better part, to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen in silence and awe. It is not religion but relationship and fellowship with us that He seeks and delights in. We are to be real, authentic, genuine, honest in our relationship with the Father and the Son. He knows what we are, He knows we have “feet of clay” or weaknesses and frailties. Yet, He declares us righteous by faith and grace. The love of our parents or of our children is only a shadow of the agape love of God.
I was cast upon You from birth; From my mother’s womb You have been my God
Psalm 22 v 10
Jesus had a lifelong and indeed, eternal relationship with the Father. This uni-verse declares that from the womb, He had a personal relationship with God. The greatest good that one can find on earth is to have a personal and lifelong relationship with God. Jesus has made it possible for us to know God from the womb to the tomb and beyond. To be able to talk with God every day and to know Him personally is the greatest privilege a man can have. We have 24x 7 access to the Lord.
God knows us before we know Him for scripture says, “He puts us together in our mothers’ wombs. “ He knits us together and only by Him and in Him are we held together, the different parts of our lives are integrated and welded together. He is closer to us than our own skin. He knows our thoughts and our words, even before it is thought or spoken. We cannot ignore so great a love, so much grace. We would be foolish to do so. Instead, we should acknowledge Him at every step of the way, seek His grace and guidance, His wisdom and power in all that we attempt or do. He is our partner, director in all our ventures. He is the CEO of our lives.
We find our purpose, our significance in Him. We live and move and exist in Him. His word is our breath, our spiritual life-giving and enhancing oxygen, our food and drink , our shield and sword. He is invisible but we can feel His touch, sense His move in our lives. Like Mary, we have chosen the better part, to sit at the feet of Jesus and listen in silence and awe. It is not religion but relationship and fellowship with us that He seeks and delights in. We are to be real, authentic, genuine, honest in our relationship with the Father and the Son. He knows what we are, He knows we have “feet of clay” or weaknesses and frailties. Yet, He declares us righteous by faith and grace. The love of our parents or of our children is only a shadow of the agape love of God.
Monday, November 18, 2019
Being Godmatic
UV 3400/10000 Being Godmatic
And in your knowledge, self control, and in your self control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness,
I Peter 1 v 6
Our personal knowledge and relationship with God in Christ needs to be reflected progressively in qualities of goodness, self control, steadfastness, godliness, love and brotherly affection being manifest in our character on a consistent basis. We need to ask ourselves the question daily, “Have I grown in terms of Christ-like goodness, unselfishness, love, Holy Spirit-control ( self control in this context means this), perseverance, godliness and brotherly affection for all?” Physically, we might have stopped growing but personal growth in these qualities is endless and continuous. The stony heart of man needs to melt into these spiritual qualities of character.
Holy Spirit-control is leadership, guidance, empowerment, counsel and comfort by the third person of the Trinity without which we cannot succeed in walking in the spirit with all that the enemy throws at us, all that the world brings to bear on us in terms of pressures and temptations, circumstances and relational dynamics. Are we increasing in yielding our egos, our pride, our wills, our weaknesses to the Holy Spirit? Are we focusing on the practice of our faith as a more vital dimension than professing it? The more we yield to God, the greater is our internal yield. Are we using the sword of the Spirit, the Word to attack others or to pierce our own hearts and create transformation by obedience?
When we joined service as officers, we were told that we should develop and uphold OLQ or Officer-Like Qualities in our daily deportment. As believers and followers of Christ, we need CLQ or Christ-like Qualities for these are the qualities Peter gleaned form living with Christ over three years. If we have been with Jesus, we should be like this! Shorn of these qualities of heart and spirit, we are immature, barren, short sighted, blind, foolish like the bride’s maids who did not prepare and trim the lamps to receive the Bridegroom. Everyday, it is an useful exercise to evaluate ourselves against the checklist of whether we have grown in goodness, knowledge, godliness, steadfastness, love, Spirit-control and affection? If we are falling short in any area or aspect, we can seek earnestly more of His grace and wisdom which He has promised He will render in abundance as we seek it.
And in your knowledge, self control, and in your self control, steadfastness, and in your steadfastness, godliness,
I Peter 1 v 6
Our personal knowledge and relationship with God in Christ needs to be reflected progressively in qualities of goodness, self control, steadfastness, godliness, love and brotherly affection being manifest in our character on a consistent basis. We need to ask ourselves the question daily, “Have I grown in terms of Christ-like goodness, unselfishness, love, Holy Spirit-control ( self control in this context means this), perseverance, godliness and brotherly affection for all?” Physically, we might have stopped growing but personal growth in these qualities is endless and continuous. The stony heart of man needs to melt into these spiritual qualities of character.
Holy Spirit-control is leadership, guidance, empowerment, counsel and comfort by the third person of the Trinity without which we cannot succeed in walking in the spirit with all that the enemy throws at us, all that the world brings to bear on us in terms of pressures and temptations, circumstances and relational dynamics. Are we increasing in yielding our egos, our pride, our wills, our weaknesses to the Holy Spirit? Are we focusing on the practice of our faith as a more vital dimension than professing it? The more we yield to God, the greater is our internal yield. Are we using the sword of the Spirit, the Word to attack others or to pierce our own hearts and create transformation by obedience?
When we joined service as officers, we were told that we should develop and uphold OLQ or Officer-Like Qualities in our daily deportment. As believers and followers of Christ, we need CLQ or Christ-like Qualities for these are the qualities Peter gleaned form living with Christ over three years. If we have been with Jesus, we should be like this! Shorn of these qualities of heart and spirit, we are immature, barren, short sighted, blind, foolish like the bride’s maids who did not prepare and trim the lamps to receive the Bridegroom. Everyday, it is an useful exercise to evaluate ourselves against the checklist of whether we have grown in goodness, knowledge, godliness, steadfastness, love, Spirit-control and affection? If we are falling short in any area or aspect, we can seek earnestly more of His grace and wisdom which He has promised He will render in abundance as we seek it.
Sunday, November 17, 2019
No Condemnation
UV 3399/10000 No Condemnation
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8 v 1
We need to live lightly in the flesh and deeply in the Spirit. Our bodies are like tents that we carry on our earthly journey. A tent can get torn and worn out. We should, therefore, not drive the pegs or stakes of our earthly existence too deep as we should be able to pull it out and move on. The Spirit of God renews our spirit as long as we are walking not pandering to the whims and desires of the flesh but doing all we can to satisfy the righteous directives and claims of the Spirit on us. According to the law of the new covenant, once we believe and receive Jesus into our hearts and lives, we are set free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, neither the enemy or any human can condemn or shame or accuse us of our past misdoings. We, too should not condemn or blame or shame anyone we know of their past when they are walking in Christ and in the Spirit as of now.
We are no longer in bondage to any fear as we are sons and daughters by adoption of the Almighty God in Jesus through the Spirit of God. We need to cling to God and cleave to the Spirit, holding onto our faith in the name of Jesus. If we return to the past either in recalling it or in blaming someone in our circles though they are now in faith, we are doing something that displeases the Spirit. When the Truth has set them free, who are we to again try to hold them in bondage? This is the reason no tongue can rise to stand against us or to find fault with us for we have been declared by faith as faultless being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. He has given the blemishless, spotless clothes of salvation in place of our “spiritual dirty rags”. Every believer’s story is then a “rags to riches” story.
Since no one can condemn us, we can walk in the Spirit with our heads held high, not with pride but with assurance, confidence and hope in Christ. We, too, should not fall into the trap of the enemy in blaming, accusing or condemning people for then, we become agents of the devil. Letting go of past memories is vital to avoid becoming bitter and allowing it to come up in our conversations with even our near and dear adversely affects relationships. Carrying the cross daily in our lives, a command of Christ to His followers, implies that we should convert anything negative in our past, our thoughts, our relationships, our circumstances into something positive or plus that adds to life, peace and the glory of God.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
Romans 8 v 1
We need to live lightly in the flesh and deeply in the Spirit. Our bodies are like tents that we carry on our earthly journey. A tent can get torn and worn out. We should, therefore, not drive the pegs or stakes of our earthly existence too deep as we should be able to pull it out and move on. The Spirit of God renews our spirit as long as we are walking not pandering to the whims and desires of the flesh but doing all we can to satisfy the righteous directives and claims of the Spirit on us. According to the law of the new covenant, once we believe and receive Jesus into our hearts and lives, we are set free from the law of sin and death. Therefore, neither the enemy or any human can condemn or shame or accuse us of our past misdoings. We, too should not condemn or blame or shame anyone we know of their past when they are walking in Christ and in the Spirit as of now.
We are no longer in bondage to any fear as we are sons and daughters by adoption of the Almighty God in Jesus through the Spirit of God. We need to cling to God and cleave to the Spirit, holding onto our faith in the name of Jesus. If we return to the past either in recalling it or in blaming someone in our circles though they are now in faith, we are doing something that displeases the Spirit. When the Truth has set them free, who are we to again try to hold them in bondage? This is the reason no tongue can rise to stand against us or to find fault with us for we have been declared by faith as faultless being clothed in the righteousness of Jesus. He has given the blemishless, spotless clothes of salvation in place of our “spiritual dirty rags”. Every believer’s story is then a “rags to riches” story.
Since no one can condemn us, we can walk in the Spirit with our heads held high, not with pride but with assurance, confidence and hope in Christ. We, too, should not fall into the trap of the enemy in blaming, accusing or condemning people for then, we become agents of the devil. Letting go of past memories is vital to avoid becoming bitter and allowing it to come up in our conversations with even our near and dear adversely affects relationships. Carrying the cross daily in our lives, a command of Christ to His followers, implies that we should convert anything negative in our past, our thoughts, our relationships, our circumstances into something positive or plus that adds to life, peace and the glory of God.
Wednesday, November 13, 2019
Faith Plus
UV 3398/10000 Faith Plus
Jesus explained, “ I tell you that to everyone who has (because he valued his gifts from God and has used them wisely), more will be given; but from the one who does not have (because he disregarded his gifts from God), even what he has will be taken away.
Luke 19 v 26
Everything we have is from God. Life itself is from Him. He holds our breath in His hands and can take it away anytime He chooses. Our time, talent, tongue, opportunities, circumstances are all gifts from Him. If we recognize this fact and use it with an attitude of carefulness, gratitude, humility, grace, it will be further multiplied. Even the ability to multiply comes from the Lord. The uni-verse states that the Lord rewards faithfulness and diligence in developing and using the gifts the Lord has invested in us. To the one with faith, He will give even more both here in this earth and in the life to come.
To the one who is faithless, who does not know or believe the true character of God as one who rewards faithfulness, to the one who is careless, who takes things for granted, who is not diligent and does not value whatever God has entrusted to him, the Lord will prove Himself to be a tough taskmaster. He will take away even what He has. In the kingdom where Jesus is king, faith plus diligence is excellence. We need to study diligently how to best invest our time, energy, attention, spiritual gifts, health, resources, connections, influence, talents, abilities instead of worrying over what we do not have or what others have.
The servant who did nothing with what he was given had a bad attitude. He did not have knowledge of the true character of the master. He knew Jesus is the Master but did not believe Him to be fair or generous. Unlike the ones who rebelled and conspired against the Lord, He believed the Lord but drew wrong conclusions about His sense of justice. This led to bad judgement and flawed decision making on his part. This is what happened in the case of Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus. Instead, we are to emulate the faithful and diligent servants of God. They believed that whatever happened, in the end, the Lord is good, generous, faithful. Faith plus is proven faith, it translates into fruitful, productive, constructive actions. Only such faith is rewarded in the kingdom of Jesus.
Jesus explained, “ I tell you that to everyone who has (because he valued his gifts from God and has used them wisely), more will be given; but from the one who does not have (because he disregarded his gifts from God), even what he has will be taken away.
Luke 19 v 26
Everything we have is from God. Life itself is from Him. He holds our breath in His hands and can take it away anytime He chooses. Our time, talent, tongue, opportunities, circumstances are all gifts from Him. If we recognize this fact and use it with an attitude of carefulness, gratitude, humility, grace, it will be further multiplied. Even the ability to multiply comes from the Lord. The uni-verse states that the Lord rewards faithfulness and diligence in developing and using the gifts the Lord has invested in us. To the one with faith, He will give even more both here in this earth and in the life to come.
To the one who is faithless, who does not know or believe the true character of God as one who rewards faithfulness, to the one who is careless, who takes things for granted, who is not diligent and does not value whatever God has entrusted to him, the Lord will prove Himself to be a tough taskmaster. He will take away even what He has. In the kingdom where Jesus is king, faith plus diligence is excellence. We need to study diligently how to best invest our time, energy, attention, spiritual gifts, health, resources, connections, influence, talents, abilities instead of worrying over what we do not have or what others have.
The servant who did nothing with what he was given had a bad attitude. He did not have knowledge of the true character of the master. He knew Jesus is the Master but did not believe Him to be fair or generous. Unlike the ones who rebelled and conspired against the Lord, He believed the Lord but drew wrong conclusions about His sense of justice. This led to bad judgement and flawed decision making on his part. This is what happened in the case of Judas Iscariot, the one who betrayed Jesus. Instead, we are to emulate the faithful and diligent servants of God. They believed that whatever happened, in the end, the Lord is good, generous, faithful. Faith plus is proven faith, it translates into fruitful, productive, constructive actions. Only such faith is rewarded in the kingdom of Jesus.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
The Son's Choice
UV 3397/10000 The Son’s Choice
Then Jesus said to him, “ Go away, satan! For it is written and forever remains written, “ You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
Matthew 4 v 10
We are to always choose God over the world and its attractions or seductions. We cannot serve God and mammon or wealth, fame, pleasure, power of this world. We have to reject one and hate it. We cannot love and serve both. When we worship and serve God truly, He gives us a portion of what He considers the best of the blessings we need to enjoy while living this life on earth but our focus should be on the rewards of eternal life. This is the reason that this life is organized like a “zero sum game”- whatever we gain in this life we are bound to lose or leave behind. The One who remains with us is only God, Our Creator and Jesus, the Redeemer. Worship is inspired by a sense of awe at God and a deep sense of love for the Saviour. Whatever we do is meant to serve Him.
Only if we love God with all of our hearts and bodies and minds, can we truly worship and serve Him. Jesus loved the Father with this kind of love and hence, He could clearly see that He had no option other than to worship and serve Him. He used His knowledge of the Word to drive away satan with a rapier thrust of the sword of the spirit. Intimate knowledge of the Word is the sword edge that gives us victory in our lives and keeps us from compromising with the world and prevent us from yielding to the lusts of our minds and bodies.
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We should use the authority of the Word to tell satan off even as Jesus did. If we stay to have a dialogue with him, we are bound to be deceived like Eve and Adam. Instead, we should command him, “Go away, satan.” Even when his own disciple Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from ascending the cross, Jesus rebuked that spirit by saying, “Get thee behind Me, satan!” He spoke directly and decisively to the enemy of our souls and we, too learning from His example, should do so. We are ultimately, servants of God and we take our orders only from Him. We should not allow any extraneous influence or person to affect or sway our decisions away from God.
Then Jesus said to him, “ Go away, satan! For it is written and forever remains written, “ You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
Matthew 4 v 10
We are to always choose God over the world and its attractions or seductions. We cannot serve God and mammon or wealth, fame, pleasure, power of this world. We have to reject one and hate it. We cannot love and serve both. When we worship and serve God truly, He gives us a portion of what He considers the best of the blessings we need to enjoy while living this life on earth but our focus should be on the rewards of eternal life. This is the reason that this life is organized like a “zero sum game”- whatever we gain in this life we are bound to lose or leave behind. The One who remains with us is only God, Our Creator and Jesus, the Redeemer. Worship is inspired by a sense of awe at God and a deep sense of love for the Saviour. Whatever we do is meant to serve Him.
Only if we love God with all of our hearts and bodies and minds, can we truly worship and serve Him. Jesus loved the Father with this kind of love and hence, He could clearly see that He had no option other than to worship and serve Him. He used His knowledge of the Word to drive away satan with a rapier thrust of the sword of the spirit. Intimate knowledge of the Word is the sword edge that gives us victory in our lives and keeps us from compromising with the world and prevent us from yielding to the lusts of our minds and bodies.
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We should use the authority of the Word to tell satan off even as Jesus did. If we stay to have a dialogue with him, we are bound to be deceived like Eve and Adam. Instead, we should command him, “Go away, satan.” Even when his own disciple Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from ascending the cross, Jesus rebuked that spirit by saying, “Get thee behind Me, satan!” He spoke directly and decisively to the enemy of our souls and we, too learning from His example, should do so. We are ultimately, servants of God and we take our orders only from Him. We should not allow any extraneous influence or person to affect or sway our decisions away from God.
Monday, November 11, 2019
Perception
UV3396/10000 Perception
The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear ( spiritually perceptive), your whole body will be full of light (benefitting from God’s precepts).
Matthew 6 v 22
The Word of God is described as a lamp unto our eyes and a light unto our feet. Hence, the Word becomes the lamp of the body of the believer. The alternative is the world which is full of darkness though it appears to be light. If we fill our minds and bodies with the world’s philosophies and thoughts, we are filling our lives with darkness. We have to be careful, according to this uni-verse, to be filled with the light of the word of God and not live in our own light or our own understanding of the truths of life. Jesus described Himself as the Light of the world. We are to be filled with His teachings and precepts in order to be victorious in this life and to emerge from this life victorious into eternity.
Just as the eye has four principal parts to help us see clearly- the retina, the cornea, the pupil or lens and a jelly like substance that helps to focus the incoming images onto the retina, the Word has commands that are to be obeyed, precepts to be understood and applied in our contexts, promises to claim and believe, models or examples to avoid or follow. The optic nerve conveys the images to the brain to guide the perceptions and movements of the whole body. Likewise, the Holy Spirit conveys accurately the perceptions and visions to our spirit so that our whole body and the use of different parts and faculties of our minds and bodies are in accordance with the Word.
The word gives us a clear near vision of what we need to do now or today, in the present moment as well as the far or distant vision of our long term goal and purpose in life. A constant connection and alignment between our near vision and our long term vision is essential to fulfill the God-given or God-revealed purpose of life. We should be willing to cast out “ the beam” in our eyes that blocks out the beams of light from the Lord- anything that blocks our clear view. We should not be so short-sighted as to forget what we look like spiritually in the mirror of His word but take consistent and persistent steps to accept spiritual correction and course correction in our lives.
The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear ( spiritually perceptive), your whole body will be full of light (benefitting from God’s precepts).
Matthew 6 v 22
The Word of God is described as a lamp unto our eyes and a light unto our feet. Hence, the Word becomes the lamp of the body of the believer. The alternative is the world which is full of darkness though it appears to be light. If we fill our minds and bodies with the world’s philosophies and thoughts, we are filling our lives with darkness. We have to be careful, according to this uni-verse, to be filled with the light of the word of God and not live in our own light or our own understanding of the truths of life. Jesus described Himself as the Light of the world. We are to be filled with His teachings and precepts in order to be victorious in this life and to emerge from this life victorious into eternity.
Just as the eye has four principal parts to help us see clearly- the retina, the cornea, the pupil or lens and a jelly like substance that helps to focus the incoming images onto the retina, the Word has commands that are to be obeyed, precepts to be understood and applied in our contexts, promises to claim and believe, models or examples to avoid or follow. The optic nerve conveys the images to the brain to guide the perceptions and movements of the whole body. Likewise, the Holy Spirit conveys accurately the perceptions and visions to our spirit so that our whole body and the use of different parts and faculties of our minds and bodies are in accordance with the Word.
The word gives us a clear near vision of what we need to do now or today, in the present moment as well as the far or distant vision of our long term goal and purpose in life. A constant connection and alignment between our near vision and our long term vision is essential to fulfill the God-given or God-revealed purpose of life. We should be willing to cast out “ the beam” in our eyes that blocks out the beams of light from the Lord- anything that blocks our clear view. We should not be so short-sighted as to forget what we look like spiritually in the mirror of His word but take consistent and persistent steps to accept spiritual correction and course correction in our lives.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
The Restoration of Breaches
UV 3395/10000 The Restoration of Breaches
In that day I shall raise up and restore the fallen tabernacle of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up and restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old.
Amos 9 v 11
Sometimes the enemy breaks through our defenses through a temptation, a snare or trap, by being involved in a needless conflict, arguments or through our losing our temper or self control. The Word states that losing our temper is like breaking down the outer walls of a city. The enemy can easily breach and destroy our peace if we do not control our tongue or our temper. But in this uni-verse, the Lord promises to restore us, to re-build the ruins of our lives like it was before. He is a God not only who saves us but One who restores us, rebuilds us. He helps us recover from crises, from emotional breakdown, from personal melt down.
If a thief enters a house, the owner or occupant of the house should take steps to prevent a similar breach in future. Likewise, we should take steps to prevent security breaches in our lives by being alert, proactive and careful. The Holy Spirit will counsel us on the steps we should take. We only need to be sensitive to act accordingly. We need to invite Him on a regular basis to examine our lives to help us discern our areas of likely breach or weakness. We are vulnerable in a variety of ways and the enemy knows our weak areas. Since steel can be cut only with steel, the invisible and powerful enemy can be defeated only with the help of the invisible and invincible Spirit of God.
David, though he was endorsed by the Lord as one who had a heart after God, fell into various temptations and trials. He fell to the temptation of adultery when he let down his guard. Yet, when he repented, the Lord restored the relationship David had with Him. We can avoid needless losses, conflicts, struggles and strife by disciplining our thoughts, our tongues, our temper and our physical desires. We certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit to both pre-empt as well as to heal the breaches in our lives, relationships and homes. The enemy is real, the threats are real, the results can be disastrous if we succumb to his wiles. His main target is to attack the “tabernacle of peace” or the inner peace we have in God, to make us feel low in spirit, insecure, emotionally drained, weary, discouraged, hopeless, desperate on the one hand or angry and bitter at the other.
In that day I shall raise up and restore the fallen tabernacle of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up and restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old.
Amos 9 v 11
Sometimes the enemy breaks through our defenses through a temptation, a snare or trap, by being involved in a needless conflict, arguments or through our losing our temper or self control. The Word states that losing our temper is like breaking down the outer walls of a city. The enemy can easily breach and destroy our peace if we do not control our tongue or our temper. But in this uni-verse, the Lord promises to restore us, to re-build the ruins of our lives like it was before. He is a God not only who saves us but One who restores us, rebuilds us. He helps us recover from crises, from emotional breakdown, from personal melt down.
If a thief enters a house, the owner or occupant of the house should take steps to prevent a similar breach in future. Likewise, we should take steps to prevent security breaches in our lives by being alert, proactive and careful. The Holy Spirit will counsel us on the steps we should take. We only need to be sensitive to act accordingly. We need to invite Him on a regular basis to examine our lives to help us discern our areas of likely breach or weakness. We are vulnerable in a variety of ways and the enemy knows our weak areas. Since steel can be cut only with steel, the invisible and powerful enemy can be defeated only with the help of the invisible and invincible Spirit of God.
David, though he was endorsed by the Lord as one who had a heart after God, fell into various temptations and trials. He fell to the temptation of adultery when he let down his guard. Yet, when he repented, the Lord restored the relationship David had with Him. We can avoid needless losses, conflicts, struggles and strife by disciplining our thoughts, our tongues, our temper and our physical desires. We certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit to both pre-empt as well as to heal the breaches in our lives, relationships and homes. The enemy is real, the threats are real, the results can be disastrous if we succumb to his wiles. His main target is to attack the “tabernacle of peace” or the inner peace we have in God, to make us feel low in spirit, insecure, emotionally drained, weary, discouraged, hopeless, desperate on the one hand or angry and bitter at the other.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Dealing with Duality of Human Nature
UV 3394/10000 Dealing with Duality of Nature
For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh ( which gratify the body), but those who are living according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit ( His will and purpose).
Romans 8 v 5
All of us have a dual nature- a spiritual nature and a carnal or worldly nature that panders to the whims and desires of our flesh and our vain minds. The uni-verse above warns us that we should not live to satisfy our worldly desires, the desires of the flesh ( what our eyes and our bodies long for) and of our minds ( what our egos long for) but live to satisfy the desires of the Spirit of God. We need to habitually say, “No” to our vain and selfish desires. By not feeding these, we put to death over time our old selves, our sinful selves. This is the process of sanctification or refinement and purification into which we are immersed once we have been justified or declared guilt-free by faith in the sacrificial death of Christ. We are to set our minds or focus on living according to the direction of the Spirit. We cannot live such a life except by availing the help of the Spirit of God who is given to us for our sanctification, comfort, purification and growth.
Instead of living in accordance with the impulses of our carnal nature, we should live in accordance with the “pulse” of the Holy Spirit. It implies that we are led by the Holy Spirit in everything we think, say and do. We do not allow our emotions of anger, impatience, fear, insecurity to take control of our minds. We seek and desire only what the Spirit seeks and desires in us. We continually confide in Him and seek His help in overcoming the draw of our own inner nature. We sense His presence always with us, eager to counsel us in our decisions and choices. We do not allow our impulses to overrule the voice of the Holy Spirit but our inner ears are always inclined to hear Him and do likewise.
Our goal should be to conform to the image of Christ. Christ was obedient to the point of death. Likewise, we should put to death our sinful nature, our sinful desires that in no way would please the Father. By obeying the word of God, we live in righteousness by grace. Such obedience might cost us our pride and wilfulness but it will deal a death blow to our old nature. We become more than conquerors for conquerors never enjoyed inner victory. Our quest for conquest begins and ends in Christ –in –us. We die to our sinful selves and live for Him. We , thereby enjoy the spiritual inheritance, peace and blessings of Christ Himself.
For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh ( which gratify the body), but those who are living according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit ( His will and purpose).
Romans 8 v 5
All of us have a dual nature- a spiritual nature and a carnal or worldly nature that panders to the whims and desires of our flesh and our vain minds. The uni-verse above warns us that we should not live to satisfy our worldly desires, the desires of the flesh ( what our eyes and our bodies long for) and of our minds ( what our egos long for) but live to satisfy the desires of the Spirit of God. We need to habitually say, “No” to our vain and selfish desires. By not feeding these, we put to death over time our old selves, our sinful selves. This is the process of sanctification or refinement and purification into which we are immersed once we have been justified or declared guilt-free by faith in the sacrificial death of Christ. We are to set our minds or focus on living according to the direction of the Spirit. We cannot live such a life except by availing the help of the Spirit of God who is given to us for our sanctification, comfort, purification and growth.
Instead of living in accordance with the impulses of our carnal nature, we should live in accordance with the “pulse” of the Holy Spirit. It implies that we are led by the Holy Spirit in everything we think, say and do. We do not allow our emotions of anger, impatience, fear, insecurity to take control of our minds. We seek and desire only what the Spirit seeks and desires in us. We continually confide in Him and seek His help in overcoming the draw of our own inner nature. We sense His presence always with us, eager to counsel us in our decisions and choices. We do not allow our impulses to overrule the voice of the Holy Spirit but our inner ears are always inclined to hear Him and do likewise.
Our goal should be to conform to the image of Christ. Christ was obedient to the point of death. Likewise, we should put to death our sinful nature, our sinful desires that in no way would please the Father. By obeying the word of God, we live in righteousness by grace. Such obedience might cost us our pride and wilfulness but it will deal a death blow to our old nature. We become more than conquerors for conquerors never enjoyed inner victory. Our quest for conquest begins and ends in Christ –in –us. We die to our sinful selves and live for Him. We , thereby enjoy the spiritual inheritance, peace and blessings of Christ Himself.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Dealing with Stumbling Blocks
UV 3393/10000 Dealing with Stumbling Blocks
Woe ( judgement is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
Matthew 18 v 7
We can fall, according to this uni-verse taught by Jesus Himself, due to either temptations or stumbling blocks which are traps or snares deliberately set up by the enemy or his agents to make us fall. We are to be wary of both, on the guard and prayerful for to be prayerful is to be powerful as Jesus Himself showed. We will be able only by His grace to ward off the temptation and keep ourselves from stumbling. Jesus taught we should be ruthless in dealing with the source of our stumbling. Whether it is even our own eye or a hand or a limb that causes us to stumble, we should be willing to deal with it firmly or decisively so that we lead a victorious life. We should pluck out the cause by its roots from our lives so that it does not surface again.
The stumbling block can either come from within our own nature, our natural weaknesses or it can come through our inner circle, even from among our near and dear. We should be watchful to identify it early and deal with it in a determined manner. The stumbling block can come due to our own egos, our hidden pride. Hence, we should daily ask the Lord, the Holy Spirit to examine us as our spiritual doctor or divine Physician to diagnose what is wrong or even likely to go wrong. Once He identifies the hidden issue, we should allow the Spirit to remove it surgically from our inner being and lives.
The uni-verse warns us that in addition to we being careful not to stumble, we should not ourselves become a stumbling block in the spiritual progress and maturity of others. We should not be the cause of temptation, discouragement or falling away from faith of others we have some influence over. We ourselves not growing to spiritual and emotional maturity can be the source of harm for others who are not believers. Hence, we have a duty to the Lord, to ourselves and others to grow to the maturity of Christ, to grow in the sunshine and rain of His grace and wisdom to our highest potential, to remove anything that hinders or slows our growth and spiritual progress.
Woe ( judgement is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
Matthew 18 v 7
We can fall, according to this uni-verse taught by Jesus Himself, due to either temptations or stumbling blocks which are traps or snares deliberately set up by the enemy or his agents to make us fall. We are to be wary of both, on the guard and prayerful for to be prayerful is to be powerful as Jesus Himself showed. We will be able only by His grace to ward off the temptation and keep ourselves from stumbling. Jesus taught we should be ruthless in dealing with the source of our stumbling. Whether it is even our own eye or a hand or a limb that causes us to stumble, we should be willing to deal with it firmly or decisively so that we lead a victorious life. We should pluck out the cause by its roots from our lives so that it does not surface again.
The stumbling block can either come from within our own nature, our natural weaknesses or it can come through our inner circle, even from among our near and dear. We should be watchful to identify it early and deal with it in a determined manner. The stumbling block can come due to our own egos, our hidden pride. Hence, we should daily ask the Lord, the Holy Spirit to examine us as our spiritual doctor or divine Physician to diagnose what is wrong or even likely to go wrong. Once He identifies the hidden issue, we should allow the Spirit to remove it surgically from our inner being and lives.
The uni-verse warns us that in addition to we being careful not to stumble, we should not ourselves become a stumbling block in the spiritual progress and maturity of others. We should not be the cause of temptation, discouragement or falling away from faith of others we have some influence over. We ourselves not growing to spiritual and emotional maturity can be the source of harm for others who are not believers. Hence, we have a duty to the Lord, to ourselves and others to grow to the maturity of Christ, to grow in the sunshine and rain of His grace and wisdom to our highest potential, to remove anything that hinders or slows our growth and spiritual progress.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
More Victorious Than Conquerors
UV 3392/10000 More Victorious Than Conquerors
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8 v 37
Success is found on the mountain tops but victory is in the valleys of struggle. Jesus enables us by His grace and His word to overcome all the challenges we face in life and emerge victorious in each valley of our lives. Success produces happiness that we succeeded in achieving set goals while victory produces lasting joy that the Lord helped us overcome. Man’s quest for conquest is insatiable in every sense but we have deep satisfaction, fulfilment and rest that no conqueror enjoys even after his last conquest. We find our strength, comfort and rest in His love.
We are able to overcome the highs and lows, the dangers and threats, the vicissitudes of changing fortunes by holding onto the hope that we have in Christ. He will not let go of us or give up on us. He remains strong and faithful as a Rock even when we are tossed up and down by the waves of doubt, fear and despair. He is steadfast and consistent in fulfilling His promises to us. Even the greatest conquerors feared death and eventually succumbed to death but we have eternal life in Christ and hence, we do not fear death.
We live the present life in the flesh not as we love life but that we love Christ. His agape love gives us hope, meaning, power and purpose. He has taught us that love is the most excellent and we know that His love is perfect. As we imbibe His love and imitate His love in our lives, we are victorious. We are not defeated by any of the accusations of the enemy or any events or changes in our circumstances. Like conquerors, we keep pushing back the boundaries of fear, doubt, sin and weakness and increase or expand His territory, His influence and power or His kingdom in our lives.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8 v 37
Success is found on the mountain tops but victory is in the valleys of struggle. Jesus enables us by His grace and His word to overcome all the challenges we face in life and emerge victorious in each valley of our lives. Success produces happiness that we succeeded in achieving set goals while victory produces lasting joy that the Lord helped us overcome. Man’s quest for conquest is insatiable in every sense but we have deep satisfaction, fulfilment and rest that no conqueror enjoys even after his last conquest. We find our strength, comfort and rest in His love.
We are able to overcome the highs and lows, the dangers and threats, the vicissitudes of changing fortunes by holding onto the hope that we have in Christ. He will not let go of us or give up on us. He remains strong and faithful as a Rock even when we are tossed up and down by the waves of doubt, fear and despair. He is steadfast and consistent in fulfilling His promises to us. Even the greatest conquerors feared death and eventually succumbed to death but we have eternal life in Christ and hence, we do not fear death.
We live the present life in the flesh not as we love life but that we love Christ. His agape love gives us hope, meaning, power and purpose. He has taught us that love is the most excellent and we know that His love is perfect. As we imbibe His love and imitate His love in our lives, we are victorious. We are not defeated by any of the accusations of the enemy or any events or changes in our circumstances. Like conquerors, we keep pushing back the boundaries of fear, doubt, sin and weakness and increase or expand His territory, His influence and power or His kingdom in our lives.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
God's Handicrafts
UV 3391/10000 God’s Handicrafts
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2 v 10
Since we are the work of God created by His hands, we need His Word or Christ Jesus to be our Redeemer, Our model of perfection, the very image of God. We need to aim for the perfection of Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds. We should not allow a corrupt thought or motive to develop in our minds or for a corrupt word to emerge from our mouths. We are not mass manufactured but each one of us is uniquely created to manifest one aspect of the myriad aspects of the image of God. He has prepared us in Christ to fulfill His purpose for our lives with our unique character, gifting, backgrounds and experiences in life. We must be careful at the same time not to do or say anything that is not acceptable or pleasing to God.
Our faith in Christ which is deep and strong is the root while good works or deeds are the fruit. It is further a reflection of the inner fruit of the Spirit that should rise like life giving sap to formulate the good deeds that we should do. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control are the motives behind our good deeds. For instance, we spread love and joy through our acts of charity to the needy. Peace and patience restrain us from acting in anger or respond to provocations. Faithfulness enables us to be persistent and hopeful in our prayer life. Humility enables us to be servant leaders. Self discipline keeps us from being either indulgent or indolent.
The way we behave, communicate and work should reflect the excellence of Christ in our lives. The Holy Spirit is poured on us even as He was present with Bezaleel ( the craftsman of the Tabernacle ) , Daniel, the Jewish slave turned civil servant of ancient Babylonian empire and many other faithful witnesses. He is the One who helps us and enables us to excel for the glory of the Lord. Though our salvation is complete and finished in Christ, our character, our works and our sanctification is a continuum wherein God is still working in and on us. He continues to shape us with the spiritual chisel of His word, with experiences, both pleasant and tough, with different people He brings into our lives. We only need to submit and not resist His work in us.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2 v 10
Since we are the work of God created by His hands, we need His Word or Christ Jesus to be our Redeemer, Our model of perfection, the very image of God. We need to aim for the perfection of Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds. We should not allow a corrupt thought or motive to develop in our minds or for a corrupt word to emerge from our mouths. We are not mass manufactured but each one of us is uniquely created to manifest one aspect of the myriad aspects of the image of God. He has prepared us in Christ to fulfill His purpose for our lives with our unique character, gifting, backgrounds and experiences in life. We must be careful at the same time not to do or say anything that is not acceptable or pleasing to God.
Our faith in Christ which is deep and strong is the root while good works or deeds are the fruit. It is further a reflection of the inner fruit of the Spirit that should rise like life giving sap to formulate the good deeds that we should do. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control are the motives behind our good deeds. For instance, we spread love and joy through our acts of charity to the needy. Peace and patience restrain us from acting in anger or respond to provocations. Faithfulness enables us to be persistent and hopeful in our prayer life. Humility enables us to be servant leaders. Self discipline keeps us from being either indulgent or indolent.
The way we behave, communicate and work should reflect the excellence of Christ in our lives. The Holy Spirit is poured on us even as He was present with Bezaleel ( the craftsman of the Tabernacle ) , Daniel, the Jewish slave turned civil servant of ancient Babylonian empire and many other faithful witnesses. He is the One who helps us and enables us to excel for the glory of the Lord. Though our salvation is complete and finished in Christ, our character, our works and our sanctification is a continuum wherein God is still working in and on us. He continues to shape us with the spiritual chisel of His word, with experiences, both pleasant and tough, with different people He brings into our lives. We only need to submit and not resist His work in us.
Sunday, November 3, 2019
Restraint and Motivation
UV3390/10000 Restraint and Motivation
Where there is no vision ( no revelation of God and His word), the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law (of God).
Proverbs 29 v 18
The revelation of God and His word are what restrains us from evil and our natural desires. It keeps us on the path of pursuing a principled or righteous life. The source of our blessing and happiness lies in our heeding and obedience of His word. Without the wisdom of the word filling us, we would succumb to lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and pride of life. The Word is like the reins with which a rider controls a horse. It keeps us from living wildly pandering to our whims and desires that are sinful and self destructive.
The Word teaches us to be determined, upright, hard working, considerate to others, unselfish, gentle in our communication. It influences at a deeper level our thought life from which proceeds all actions and behaviour. It gives us precepts or principles to guide all our decisions and actions. Apart from studying and apply the word diligently, we should also seek a vision or revelation from the Lord about His will and purpose for our lives. The person –specific revelation along with the word that is common to all believers will help us regulate our emotions and stay motivated and happy or fulfilled individuals.
We should seek and ask for a vision of the risen Jesus even as the murderous blood thirsty and ruthless Saul became transformed into St Paul, the apostle. Jesus defined Himself as the way. He is the way to blessing, happiness and wisdom. He is the way to eternal life, nay He is eternal life. John described Jesus as the Word for when we receive Him as the engrafted word into our hearts, we begin to understand and keep the law of God. He helps us discipline the natural man and experience the supernatural. Even as we are restrained from evil, we are motivated and impelled to be good and do good.
Where there is no vision ( no revelation of God and His word), the people are unrestrained; But happy and blessed is he who keeps the law (of God).
Proverbs 29 v 18
The revelation of God and His word are what restrains us from evil and our natural desires. It keeps us on the path of pursuing a principled or righteous life. The source of our blessing and happiness lies in our heeding and obedience of His word. Without the wisdom of the word filling us, we would succumb to lust of the flesh, lust of the eye and pride of life. The Word is like the reins with which a rider controls a horse. It keeps us from living wildly pandering to our whims and desires that are sinful and self destructive.
The Word teaches us to be determined, upright, hard working, considerate to others, unselfish, gentle in our communication. It influences at a deeper level our thought life from which proceeds all actions and behaviour. It gives us precepts or principles to guide all our decisions and actions. Apart from studying and apply the word diligently, we should also seek a vision or revelation from the Lord about His will and purpose for our lives. The person –specific revelation along with the word that is common to all believers will help us regulate our emotions and stay motivated and happy or fulfilled individuals.
We should seek and ask for a vision of the risen Jesus even as the murderous blood thirsty and ruthless Saul became transformed into St Paul, the apostle. Jesus defined Himself as the way. He is the way to blessing, happiness and wisdom. He is the way to eternal life, nay He is eternal life. John described Jesus as the Word for when we receive Him as the engrafted word into our hearts, we begin to understand and keep the law of God. He helps us discipline the natural man and experience the supernatural. Even as we are restrained from evil, we are motivated and impelled to be good and do good.
Saturday, November 2, 2019
In, Yet Not of the World
UV 3389/10000 In, Yet, Not Of the World
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17 v 16
We are called to be in the world and yet, not of this world. We are not to be “hyper -spiritual” or always other-worldly even as we are not to be worldly. If we are hyper -spiritual, we would be too salty for comfort. Salt should be used in appropriate proportions to the food we take or else it would cause hyper tension as well as makes the food repulsive. It implies that we are to be practical, sensitive, empathetic and wise to be of any use in this world to God or man. We need to live with our feet firmly planted in this world but our heads and hearts linked to heaven. As ambassadors of Christ, we are foreigners or strangers living in this world. We have passports to heaven but got visas to live in this world. We stay aloof from the malpractices or evils of this world even as we observe or honour customs and traditions that do not contradict or compromise our faith.
Scripture fore-warns us with certitude that the world will hate us even as it hated Jesus for our beliefs, values and principles. It does not mean, however that we dilute or compromise on our values in order to make ourselves more acceptable to others. We are vessels sanctified by His word and set apart to be used of Him in this world. Even as salt is used in small proportions, light is abundant and cannot be limited or measured. It implies that in terms of communication, we should be like salt in measured and deliberately chosen words while in terms of character and the values we espouse and practice, we should be like the light that dispels darkness decisively and effectively. There are some areas where we need to be discreet, discerning and subtle while in certain other areas and circles we can be open, expansive and overt in our faith and its expression.
Unlike the rest of the world, it is not circumstances or happenings that give us happiness but we derive our joy , enduring and everlasting from the peace, hope and assurance we have in Jesus. Our sense of purpose and our priorities distinguish us from the rest of humanity. We have similar needs and challenges like others of this world but we depend on the Lord to help us meet these needs and challenges and not on ourselves or others. Our source of strength and power ultimately are not of this world though we do use and develop the strengths, abilities and talents the Lord has invested in us from birth.
They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
John 17 v 16
We are called to be in the world and yet, not of this world. We are not to be “hyper -spiritual” or always other-worldly even as we are not to be worldly. If we are hyper -spiritual, we would be too salty for comfort. Salt should be used in appropriate proportions to the food we take or else it would cause hyper tension as well as makes the food repulsive. It implies that we are to be practical, sensitive, empathetic and wise to be of any use in this world to God or man. We need to live with our feet firmly planted in this world but our heads and hearts linked to heaven. As ambassadors of Christ, we are foreigners or strangers living in this world. We have passports to heaven but got visas to live in this world. We stay aloof from the malpractices or evils of this world even as we observe or honour customs and traditions that do not contradict or compromise our faith.
Scripture fore-warns us with certitude that the world will hate us even as it hated Jesus for our beliefs, values and principles. It does not mean, however that we dilute or compromise on our values in order to make ourselves more acceptable to others. We are vessels sanctified by His word and set apart to be used of Him in this world. Even as salt is used in small proportions, light is abundant and cannot be limited or measured. It implies that in terms of communication, we should be like salt in measured and deliberately chosen words while in terms of character and the values we espouse and practice, we should be like the light that dispels darkness decisively and effectively. There are some areas where we need to be discreet, discerning and subtle while in certain other areas and circles we can be open, expansive and overt in our faith and its expression.
Unlike the rest of the world, it is not circumstances or happenings that give us happiness but we derive our joy , enduring and everlasting from the peace, hope and assurance we have in Jesus. Our sense of purpose and our priorities distinguish us from the rest of humanity. We have similar needs and challenges like others of this world but we depend on the Lord to help us meet these needs and challenges and not on ourselves or others. Our source of strength and power ultimately are not of this world though we do use and develop the strengths, abilities and talents the Lord has invested in us from birth.
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