Friday, April 30, 2021

The Crown of Glory

UV 4123/10000 The Crown of Glory For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 2 Corinthians 4 v 17 Whatever be our present burdens we are bearing or problems we are facing, we are to consider it light and temporary comparing with the suffering Jesus underwent for our sakes and compared to the blessings and rewards of eternal life. Some of the challenges we face in life are meant to reveal the glory of God. It is also meant to increase or expand our faith and confidence in the word of God. We can indeed, rejoice when we have overcome or come through the trial. We, also leave behind a testimony of His faithfulness. The words “ far outweighs them all “ indicate that in fact, there is no comparison with what we are going to reap or enjoy in eternity. The glory is much greater than earthly greatness. The pleasure is much greater than what we enjoy earthly things. The learning or wisdom we gain is also much greater. This is the reason James says, “Consider it pure joy when you undergo suffering.” The suffering purifies us, too. The dross in our character and faith is removed by the pain of suffering. Hence, instead of resenting or resisting suffering, we must yield or humbly accept it. We can appropriate more grace during times of such trials and we, inevitably become closer or more intimate with the Lord, our faith in prayer and the word would redouble. The crown of glory is not a prize that awaits us at the end of the path of the cross. Rather, it accompanies us since it refers not to a physical ornament but to the strong presence of the Lord with us. The Lord is with us, at our right hand, in the storm, in the mire and in the fire. He gives us inner strength and comfort. He counsels us what we should do or say. We are filled it with hope and joy unlike the saying, “ Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown.” We are crowned or adorned with love, hope and joy. We become more mature in our faith and its profession in practical and effective ways. Hence, we should not greet or meet our earthly troubles with a frown of worry but with a crown of grace, joy, hope, love and power. It is a crown of grace and as such kingly authority or power cannot be earned or inherited by us except through faith in Christ. Crown implies the wearing of kingly authority. We can command the trial, threat, trouble, suffering to dissipate and disappear, to be overcome in the spirit before it is defeated in the flesh or in the three dimensional world. Application: I command you in the name of Jesus, King of Kings you - low life, half life covid not to affect, infect or attack myself, my family, my children, my friends, my fellow believers, my neighbours, my staff, my known people. When we so command in faith, we are wearing the crown of grace, joy, hope, power and love.

Thursday, April 29, 2021

The Hour of God's Visitation

UV 4122/10000 The Hour of God’s Visitation They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you. Luke 19 v 44 Jesus wept at the sight of Jerusalem as He in His foreknowledge knew what was to befall Jerusalem and its inhabitants within a century. Jerusalem would be attacked, hemmed in from all sides, besieged, pillaged, torn down, destroyed. These terrible things would happen as the Jews did not recognize the Messiah. Centuries later, Hitler would also destroy six million Jews also for the same reason. It was revealed only to the Jews that the Messiah would be visiting, that God Himself would be dwelling among them and yet, they were blinded by tradition and lack of sensitivity to the truths of scripture. In fulfilment of the prophecy of Jesus, the temple, every building was torn down within seventy years leaving only the wall that is now recognized as the Wailing Wall to which Jews to this day turn in mourning and prayer every day. Like the Jews, we must not miss recognizing the voice of God, the hand of God, the visit of God in our lives. We must not miss recognizing the move of God, of Jesus, of the Holy Spirit in our lives. We need to weep, repent at our times of betrayal of God, of being blinded to His presence and His move in our lives. We need to hide in the wings of the Lord- word and prayer. He longs to take us under His wings to protect us from the contagion, the pestilence, the assaults, the attempts of the enemy to hem us in from all sides. We need to introspect and examine if the present pandemic and the pandemonium, the death toll, the destruction of increasing numbers of people, the economic stress and distress it has unleashed are part of the judgement of God as we did not recognize His visitation. When a king visits without prior intimation His subjects and they are not ready to receive him, he does not mind but when he has given advance notice and repeatedly, he expects the subjects to be fully prepared to welcome him, to honour him, to recognize his visit. We should be like the five maids whose lamps are polished and filled with oil, ready to receive the Master, the Bridegroom, the Landlord's Son, the Returning King. We must be ready for His inspection, His assessment.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

PLUS

UV 4121/10000 PLUS For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. 2 Timothy 1 v 7 If we look at the cross, it resembles the plus sign. Our faith in Jesus transforms all the negatives in our lives into positives. He gave us a spirit not of fear, one of the most powerful universal negatives present in every human, but power, love, understanding and self-control. We are therefore, to add to people around us joy, peace, strength. We are not to yield to any kind of fear. The greatest fear man has is the fear of death. The resurrection of Jesus gives us the hope and promise that we, too will resemble Him in death- that our bodies will be gloriously transformed like His. The cross that Jesus bore gives us strength to bear our own. The death He suffered on the cross frees us of the fear of punishment according to law at the hands of the Righteous Judge. Hence, Jesus said, “You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free.” The truth of His death, resurrection and the spirit of power, love, understanding and self-control He gave to us after resurrection have set us free of fear. Having resembled Jesus in His death and holding the hope of resembling Him in His resurrection, we need now to resemble Him in our lives. We need to carry the cross or be a PLUS in this lifetime. We are to be sources of positivity in any situation. We are to encourage people to overcome their fears. In order to do so, we need to first understand what is the fear driving different people. We can ask the Spirit of God who dwells in us to impart the understanding, wisdom, discernment to help people overcome fears. Through the Holy Spirit, we have access to the absolute power of God. His strength will be revealed in our weaknesses as we yield to Him. We need to understand the many and great dimensions of the love of Christ manifested towards us. Having understood that love, we should then reflect it to others around us. The Holy Spirit also imparts the discipline, the grace, the power to control our own selves- our thoughts, emotions, words, actions, reactions so that we show ourselves to be people of the PLUS or the cross. It is interesting that even after we surrender our hearts and lives to Christ, we are not controlled by the Lord but that our selves have a role and autonomy to decide for ourselves, to make choices according to His counsel, direction and leading. Self control does not only mean how we deal with negatives like anger, lust, pride, fear but how we propel ourselves forward, remain motivated to excel for God’s glory, stay grateful and graceful.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Christ-Shield

UV 4120/10000 Christ-Shield From six calamities he will rescue you; in seven no harm will befall you. Job 5 v 19 Human charm and power cannot safeguard us from harm in a disaster. Protection in a calamity of great magnitude can come only from the sovereign and loving God. He provides us in times of famine, He secures us in battle, He saves us from destruction in a pestilence or a pandemic like the current one. We need not fear the curses of our foes and enemies. He guards our children like the mother hen takes its young chicks under its wings. We come under His wings when we resort to fervent prayer and diligent study and application of His word in our daily lives. By recalling the previous disasters, troubles and situations in which He saved us, we examine the truth of this uni-verse. I was saved from a drowning death in the sea. I was saved from the world’s first human bomb assassination. I was saved from accidents even as a child, as a youth, as a young man. I was saved from financial disasters and imprudent decisions. I was saved from calumny and the false accusations of rivals and foes in my profession. When He has saved us from six calamities, will He not save us in the seventh? The Lord secures the pegs of our tents, our homes. He safeguards even our reputation and testimony from maligning and character assassination wantonly by those around us. Nothing can shake our confidence in Him as long as we hide and bask in His presence and power. The spirits of evil take the shape of different anima and animate humans. The Lord protects and preserves from the machinations and plots of humans as well as the spirits that may inhabit them from time to time. As it is written and promised in the same chapter of Job, “ You will come to the grave in full vigour, like sheaves gathered in season.” We who walk in faith in the Redeemer Jesus, the Rescuer, the Ransomer will have an expected end and then we will join our fathers or forefathers in faith as we leave this life.

Monday, April 26, 2021

The Right and Power of Decree

UV 4119/10000 The Right and Power of Decree Now write another decree in the king’s name on behalf of the Jews as seems best to you, and seal it with the king’s signet ring- for no document written in the king’s name and sealed with his ring can be revoked. Esther 8 v 8 Esther could not bear to see disaster fall on her people- the Jews. She could not bear to see the destruction of her family for she regarded all Jews as her family. The king had pointed his scepter towards Esther to show she had his favour in this request of hers to cancel the decree to have all Jews killed -ordered by Haman, the Prime Minister. Likewise, we as believers and followers and subjects and co-rulers with the King of Kings, Jesus have the scepter of favour turned in our direction. Like Esther, we can plead with the King of Kings to have mercy on our family, our people. Since He has declared us as His veritable signet ring on earth, His diamond-studded scepter of authority, we have the right and power of decree to write as best as we can and seal it with the blood of the Lamb. Our decree is a divine order sealed not with ink but the blood of the King of Kings, the Lamb of God. It is irrevocable. It is final. The Power of Decree needs documentation or writing. We, as families and as individuals should maintain a book of decrees we issue. Like the decree for the salvation of the condemned Jews was issued in the name of the king, we need to issue it in the spirit and in the name of Jesus, the name recognized on earth as it is in heaven, the source of our power and authority. We can write a decree in the name of Jesus, King of Kings, that no person in our family should die in this pandemic, no believer known to us should die in this pandemic, no disaster should overtake our children, no pestilence should enter our house. It is an act of faith and trust and the Lord will honour our faith. The decree, once it is written, should be sent not on horseback as the ancients did but through the angels, the ministering spirits so that all the people being covered in the decree know of it. The point being made is that we need to write down the prayers, the fervent desires we have of the Lord to protect our families and our people as done and dusted orders from the throne of heaven. We have this boldness to enter the presence of God on account of our faith in the Lord Jesus and we have His favour to decree as best we can in our own language, written in our own hand and issued, made known to others.

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Jesus in Our Boat

UV 4118/10000 Jesus in Our Boat He replied, “You of little faith, why are you so afraid? Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm.” Matthew 8 v 26 The projections of infection and death in the second wave of the current covid pandemic are going through the roof. The estimates are that 650000 may die by year end of covid. Even young children are being affected. The strain is highly infectious and even escaping detection in the usual test. Millions have lost their income, jobs, loved ones. I was anguished to hear of a 35 year old young father down to oxygen level of 60 today but not getting oxygen or admission in an ICU of a hospital in Delhi. But the Lord says, “ Why are you so afraid?” We can rise like Jesus and rebuke the second wave with the authority of Christ. We can plead and intercede for the lives of the affected. If Jesus is not in our boat ( our lives) we need to ask the Lord to enter and be part of our lives for He alone has the solution for every human problem. He alone demonstrated his authority and power over the fury of nature, over the spiritual world of demons, over disease and afflictions of every kind. The moment Jesus commanded the waves and winds, it became perfectly calm and peaceful. We need Jesus to rise over India and the world and say to the virus, “ Peace, be still, second wave cease and no more.” We should exercise all possible precautions, take the vaccines as early as possible and adopt good anti- covid immunity boosting practices and preempt the virus. That said, we should spend more time on our knees, feet and prostrate praying the Lord has mercy on our nations. We can imitate the Lord Jesus in using God-given authority and power to command the second wave to subside all over the nation and the world at large. We can ask the Lord to do what doctors, scientists and others cannot do- to eliminate the virus and stop the ravages it is causing to homes, families, economies around the world. Like in the time of Noah, the Lord will blow a wind that will cause the pandemic (the flood) to subside and ebb away. There is so much depressing news coming from all over. We can ask the Lord to send us the Holy Spirit, the Encourager and to also send Him, the Comforter to the bereaved, the afflicted in hospitals. We need to pray for wisdom and insight for the authorities to take the right steps now on. We also need to pray to strengthen the vast army of medical personnel, paramedics, ambulance staff and other essential services like the police. Those of us who are not yet affected should hide in the new ark of faith- Jesus and try our best not to add to the burden of hospitals and the already stretched to its limits- medical infrastructure.

Power of Life and Death

UV 4117/10000 Power of Life and Death The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit. Proverbs 18 v 21 The tongue, in this uni-verse, is made out to be equally a source of life or death depending on whether we love life or death, whether we use it as an instrument of life or of death. If we speak lies, abuses, curses from it, we speak death. If we speak truth, encouragement, confession, appreciation, blessings, we speak life. It is a double-edged sword. It is a spiritual sword sheathed in human mouths alone of all species. If we use our tongues to praise God, we should not also use it to curse, accuse, criticize our fellow beings who are made in the image of God. The tongue can keep us young and healthy if we use it in a way to edify ourselves and others. The tongue gets it power from love. It gets negative power from the love of death. If we love earthly life, we are loving death, we are loving the world. Such a tongue produces negative fruit or the fruit of death or the fruit of the evil spirit. If we love eternal life, it will produce the fruit of the spirit, the fruit of the Holy Spirit. The nine fruit of the spirit, namely, love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control can all be expressed verbally or are functions of the tongue. These are the nine rivers of life giving water that the Holy Spirit produces from our belly. It flows against the current of this world, the world of death and hatred. If we use the tongue to agree with the promises of God, the promises will begin to unfold and be fulfilled in our lives. Like Jesus uttered after reading the scripture, we should say, “This day this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” When we use the authority of God to command the evil spirits, power is released into this world, our homes to take the spirits of darkness captive, to set them to flight. We are using our tongues to affirm the word of God, then, our tongues become veritable spiritual swords that are moving in all directions, defending our lives. When our tongues are anointed by the Spirit of God, our prayers and even sighs are heard by the Lord and Giver of Life, by our Redeemer. Jesus said, “Those who live by the sword will die by the sword.” But those who live by the word, will live forever by the word and their tongues will be spiritual life giving and life enhancing weapons of power.

Thursday, April 22, 2021

Spiritual Strength

UV 3712/10000 Spiritual Strength- Availing It, Maintaining and Using It Effectively Or again, how can anyone enter a strong man’s house and carry off his possessions unless he first ties up the strong man? Then he can rob his house. Matthew 12 v 29 Strength is something mankind has always admired. Scripture does not applaud physical or intellectual strength for Samson fell on account of his great physical strength and Solomon fell despite his great intellectual strength. In this uni-verse, Jesus explains his concept of spiritual strength. He had been delivering people of possession by demons and the Pharisees were saying that Jesus was exercising the power of the chief demon and driving out demons. Jesus refutes it by saying that if He was from or of satan, logically he would not be driving out demons but getting more people possessed by demons. The house of satan, he implied is quite united in its mission to take control of more and more souls. The only way to deliver people from satan is to tie him up by spiritual authority from God, the Father in the name of the Son for we enter the family tree of God, Jehovah through our faith in the name, the person, the teachings, the saving work of Jesus on the cross. Following certain spiritual disciplines like prayer in the spirit, meditation on the word, praise and worship builds our spiritual strength so that it remains five on a scale of 1 to 5. There are different types of predators or robbers. Some predators carry off the whole sheep by virtue of their great size and strength, some keep sniping, biting off parts of the sheep to maim, to weaken and eventually take the whole sheep. Sheep do not rely on their own strength to overcome the predators, both the subtle ones and the powerful ones. The sheep rely on the strength, power, skills of offence and defence of the shepherd. Likewise, we should rely on the Good Shepherd Jesus to protect us from the different types of spiritual predators. Since satan is a robber, a thief and a killer, he has filled his house with what does not belong to him. Hence, it is legitimate for us to use greater power, greater strength obtained by faith and prayer from the Tri-une God and to tie up, bind, neutralise the acts of satan. Jesus proved himself stronger than satan, stronger than temptations, trials, death. He is the source of our power or strength to shake the kingdom of darkness like Samson shook the pillars of the Philistine king who had tied him to the pillars. The source of the power and authority of Jesus is the Almighty, Sovereign, Omnipotent, Omnipresent God. On account of our God connectivity through Jesus, we have power to overcome any temptation, trial, test of strength. We have the authority, the responsibility, the power to set free the world from satan through tying him up with the powerful, unbreakable cords of prayer, fasting, worship, decreeing in the name of Jesus. Satan tries to penetrate our spiritual armour by taking advantage of the loopholes of our own weaknesses of our human nature. We can obtain grace from Jesus to prevent, pre-empt, disrupt satan’s plans to harm us, to weaken us, to make us fall. The power to overcome comes from the Lord in the shape of the Holy Spirit. Anointing is the imparting of the purpose and power of God on us. It is divine enablement to fulfil the will of God for our lives. If we take pride or confidence in the natural strengths we possess, then again satan will take advantage of it like he lured Samson with Delilah.

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

Path-o-logy

UV 3711/10000 Path-o-logy O Lord, I know that the path of (life of ) a man is not in himself; It is not within the limited ability of man even one at his best to choose and direct his steps in life. Jeremiah 10 v 23 Path-o-logy is to, my mind, the study of paths of life. The paths we take are determined best by the Lord and not by our own finite, limited cognitive ability or wisdom. Jeremiah, the young and much afflicted prophet, knew this better than most. Hence, in just the preceding chapter, he wrote the prophetic true words, “ Let the wise man boast in his wisdom, the skilful in his insight, the powerful or strong in his strength or power nor the rich man in his abundance.” The Lord is the fountainhead of love, of power, of wisdom, of wealth, of health, of strength, of skills, of insight. These are distinct paths of life that different people in the contemporary world and in history have chosen for themselves for even today, some choose to be the richest, the wisest, the most powerful, the most skilful. It is best we choose the fountainhead and the paths we need to travel will be chosen by the Lord who has complete knowledge and understanding. Our personal and intimate relationship with Him can lead up to some or all or none of these paths or blessings. Without Him what would otherwise be a blessing can be a curse for a wise one can become excessively melancholic and depressed when he truly understands the ways of this world, a wealthy person can get bored with his excess and see life as meaningless and purposeless, a powerful person will find himself vulnerable as many have found in the wake of this covid pandemic. Any path other that leads to God, led by Him is likely to be pathological or disease-prone, failure-prone, futile. Acknowledging God in all our ways leads to true knowledge and wisdom and power. When we trust Him with all our hearts and minds, He will direct our steps on each path we take. He will strengthen us for the uphill paths and prepare us or even catch us when we slip or fall. He holds our hands and guides us on slippery slopes where we have no other aid. He teaches us to take both success and failure in proper stride. He will keep us from needless strife and hold us in the protective cusp of His palm. We do not know which effort or plan of ours will yield what result but the Lord knows and He guides us in our decisions and choices. When we are overwhelmed by circumstances, we will realize that He is still in control. The centrality of faith in our lives will keep us anchored and stable even in the midst of great afflictions. We will be able to patiently face it like Job and learn the lessons the Lord wants to teach us or demonstrate to others through us. We must, therefore, yield ourselves like soft putty in His awesome hand. We need to be sensitive to His touch, His taste, His whisper, His nod, His glance, His word, His Spirit.

Tuesday, April 20, 2021

Holistic Growth, Success, Health and Happiness

UV 3710/10000 Holistic Growth, Success, Health and Happiness Beloved, I pray that in every way you may succeed and prosper and be in good health ( physically), just as ( I know) your soul prospers ( spiritually). 3 John v 2 In the space of one uni-verse, John describes what is holistic success and happiness. First, we need to love and be loved, feel loved, cherished, esteemed. Our inner circle of relationships count with the most central of it being our personal relationship with the Father through Jesus, His Son whom He called “beloved”. Second, we need to pray for all aspects of our livs and those of our near and dear ones. Third, we need to aim for holistic success in achieving what we aim, plan and work for. Fourth, we need financial prosperity, too so that our needs are met and have some extra to help others in the church and the needy of the world around us. Fifth, good health is real wealth given by the Lord. Sixth, we need to grow spiritually mature to reflect the very image of Christ in every aspect of our lives. All these dimensions, together constitute biblical happiness or holistic growth. Spiritual growth to maturity implies we need to be growing in godly wisdom and in the fruit of the Spirit. Every day should see us a degree wiser, a degree more humble, more patient, more loving, more kind, more joyful, more faithful, more in control of self. Control of self implies that we are more yielded to the Holy Spirit in all aspects of our lives in terms of control of our thoughts, tongues, time, talent, resources, appetite. In all the aspects of our lives, we need to show more devotion, dedication, discipline, determination and diligence. Diligence implies daily study of the word of God as well as whatever worldly duties we are responsible for. It also means we need to meditate day and night on the word we have heard or read or studied so that it becomes part of our lifestyle, practice and character. The principles we derive by study and meditation on the word need to be applied to all the spheres of action, aspiration and influence.

Monday, April 19, 2021

Comfort and Encouragement

UV 3709/10000 Instruments of Comfort and Encouragement Who comforts and encourages us in every trouble so that we will be able to comfort and encourage those who are in any kind of trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God. 2 Corinthians 1 v 4 God is One who comforts us in every situation. He is the great encourager. We, the believers are both partners in suffering and in the comfort the Lord provides us. Often, we go through many troubles in life and are comforted by the Holy Spirit who is called the Comforter. We are to take the same comfort and pass it on to the others who are suffering in many ways. It might involve praying for others in trouble but praying without lifting a finger to help in some practical way is not effectual especially when it lies within our power or ability to do so. Among the early followers of Jesus, Barnabas stood out as one deeply involved in the ministry of comforting and encouragement. We need to emulate him especially now when many in different parts of the country and the world are deeply afflicted with covid, with job loss, financial distress, poverty. We need to pray to the Lord of all comfort to stretch His hand of comfort to such as these even as we do what lies with us to help and comfort the distressed. The Lord will give us wisdom to discern and grace to comfort and help the so afflicted. Often, we might not have an immediate solution to the problems faced by people but by lending an ear to listen, a heart to empathise, a shoulder to lean or to weep, we become instruments of comfort and encouragement to the discouraged that they would be able to move on and not give up. The Lord uses us as extensions of His own arms to reach, to embrace, to pat, to console the afflicted. We need to free up time and resources in our lives for this very useful function that the Lord has called us to perform. We need to look back at the times when the Lord sent people and angels and His word to comfort us and encourage us on our down and difficult days. We are only now passing on the kindness and grace we received.

Sunday, April 18, 2021

Asking the Father

UV 3708/10000 Asking The Father Until now you have not asked ( the Father) for anything in My name; but now ask and keep on asking and you will receive, so that your joy may be full and complete. John 16 v 24 We need to read this uni-verse in conjunction with the verse that says, with God nothing is impossible.” We can ask the Father in the name of Jesus who is the Yes and Amen to all God’s promises. Jesus authorises us to use His name to petition the Father, to ask the Father as His other children, the siblings of Jesus. He gives us the sense of inheritance as a co-heir for whatever belongs to the Father also belongs to Jesus and to us. We need to ask imaginatively, understanding that we should expect no ordinary things or response to our prayers. The reason He answers abundantly, exceeding even our imagination is that He wants our joy to be full, complete, lacking in no good thing. We also need to ask with faith, complete trust in the Father that He has our best interests at heart. We need to keep expanding our faith in order to ask more and ask with more expectation. The more we believe, the more we receive. We can pray for our present and future and eternal needs, our internal and external needs. Thanking God in anticipation is not to twist His arm, so to say, but to sincerely express our trust in His love and His care for us as no parent would want their children to come to harm but to bless them with whatever they genuinely need which falls in their capacity. The difference is that there is no limit to the capacity of the Father or the Son to answer our prayers. Jesus is saying in the uni-verse that until now we never asked with this level of faith or trust as we did not have a personal relationship with the Father. Now that Jesus as the way, the truth and the life has facilitated it, we have an intimate relationship with the Father as children do, we need not hesitate to ask the Father. The Father does know our needs but He expects us to ask, to ask persistently and to ask with faith and thanksgiving, grateful for all the answers He has already sent our way. We, however should not rejoice in the blessings He gives us, the answers He responds with but we should rejoice again and again in Him. He is the oasis in the desert wasteland of life of whom we should drink deep and often.

Single Minded Focus On the Lord

UV 3707/10000 Single Minded Focus on the Lord As the deer pants (longingly) for the water brooks, so my soul pants (longingly) for You, O God. Psalm 42 v 1 This uni-verse is speaking of the deep thirst of the soul for God. God is the source, the only deep source that can satisfy the innermost longing of a human’s soul. The image is of a deer whose throat is parched moving in a vast desert wasteland, chancing upon the only source of water in an oasis. God is likened to man’s oasis in the desert of life. All else is wasteland. The only need of the human’s soul is God. Often, we go through hardship, desertion, persecution, oppression in life so that we can experience that sense of deep and desperate thirst for God when we have no other longing or desire except to see God, to hear Him, to understand Him, to do His will. The depth of our souls cry out for the depth of the Spirit of God. Our tears dry up as we sense His presence in and with us. In response to our great thirst, our longing for God, He fills our souls like a rush of wind. Nothing in our circumstances would have changed but we feel satisfied. We feel the peace that passes human understanding. We feel rested like a child that has been weaned in her mother’s arms. We are not concerned with any great project or earthly ambition. The Lord and His word are the source of our refreshing, our renewal, our rejuvenation. We have no alternate source of significance or of power. God and His word have no substitute in our lives. In Him all of our need is met. The deer once its thirst is quenched in the fresh mountain stream prances on its feet and dances with joy. Likewise, we are filled with joy in the presence of the Lord. No hunter or predator can prey on the deer once it is so reinvigorated. It is as if our youth and our strength are revived. We enter the scene depressed, morose, confused, disoriented but once we have tasted of the Lord’s goodness, we are exhilarated, energised, motivated, charged. We cannot be distracted from our vision, our purpose in life.

Friday, April 16, 2021

Leadership Mantle and Leadership Mandate from God

UV 3706/10000 Leadership Mantle and Mandate from God Why do You make men like the fish of the sea, like reptiles and creeping things that have no ruler ( and are helpless against their enemies)? Habakkuk 1 v 14 Leaders or rulers who do not have a vision and values that help to realize that vision are virtually not leader material. With such leaders and rulers in place it is almost as if we have no ruler. Things are likely to be anarchic, chaotic, directionless. If human leaders do not have human and godly values, humanity becomes devoid of leadership like the lower forms of life like the fish of the sea, the reptiles and insects. Leaders who do not have human values are hollow and leaders who do not have godly values are shallow. We should not follow either for if we do, it is to our own peril. These kinds of value-less, vision-less leaders, blind leaders, so to say, cannot equip us to fight our mortal enemies- the common adversary of humanity- satan and our own inner weaknesses. If they do not have fear of God, they have neither wisdom nor knowledge nor understanding. They turn out to be the enemies and not defenders of the subjects, the people. They turn like predators and robbers on their own people. The enemy is a killer, robber, thief. The enemy is deceitful and can read our thoughts. Only godly leaders empowered by the Spirit of God can help us fight and overcome the enemy’s plot to have us spiritually killed or robbed. Only godly leaders can strip the enemy of his traditional weapons to attack us. Only godly leaders can teach us to tap into God’s grace so that we are not trapped by our own evil desires or our own follies and weaknesses. Godly leaders can lead us to both green pastures and still waters. We can graze to our heart’s content on God’s word and enjoy the still waters of prayer, reflection, wisdom, counsel, meditation, worship. Prayer births victory, victory births joy, joy births worship and worship births further victory. Godly, Bible- based leaders will lead us to victory over our foes, opponents, rivals. Even adverse situations and the acts of disciplining that we are subject to in life are seen as comforting, reassuring that the Lord is in control and cares enough for us to see us through it all. Their source of strength is not money power, muscle power but inner power. Nations, cities, people whose leaders’ vision and values are from the LORD will not perish but flourish in this world and the one to come.

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Contesting 10 X Power, Combatting 100 x Foe

UV 3705/10000 Contesting 10 x Power, Combatting 100x Foe The Lord rebukes Jeremiah for his impatience, saying, “ If you have raced with men on foot and they have tired you out, then how can you compete with horses? If you fall down in a land of peace ( where you feel secure), then how will you do among the lions in the flooded thicket beside the Jordan? Jeremiah 12 v 5 The Lord wants us to be patient and persevering when we are up against challenges, relying on His power to combat a force or foe several times our natural strength or ability. We are to patiently and faithfully and thankfully tap into His abundant grace which is sufficient for all our life’s predicaments, situations, crises, challenges. The horse is ten times more powerful than a human on the average. We should be ready to take on 10 x challenges in our lives. The mighty power of God will enter our lives as it entered the body of Samson one last time even when he was tied with ropes and blinded by his Philistine enemies. We will be able to break free from the shackles, the cords that tie us down as we exercise our faith. Like Elijah, we should exercise godly power and authority on earth but unlike him we should not say, “We are tired” and want to give up. We should seek the double anointing of Elisha who remained victorious and fearless in the face of all challenges. If we take on big challenges, then only will we be prepared to face the dangerous, prowling lion, satan. We will be ready for hidden risks and fiery trials. We must be ready to fight on any terrain, both in the flood plains of the river and on a level playing field. When we are assured that God is with us in life as in death, in good times and bad times, in victory and failure, in sorrow and joy, in gain and in loss, we must be ready to pull the sheep out of the jaws of the lion and to then go ahead, rip the jaws apart. This is what David, the young shepherd did to the lion that made off with one of his sheep. Our passion for the lost souls should exceed the fear and concern for our own comfort or lives. Our present troubles and trials are a training, a preparation for a far greater destiny and reward on high. We are made in the image of the Lord, re -made, re-built in the image of Jesus of both lion and lamb. We are to be as powerful as a lion and as gentle and meek as a sheep. When God is with us, the odds against us are evened out, even the wind or circumstance blows in our favour. We need not slink away from any challenge or situation but only ensure that we are walking in the favour of the Lord. The Lord is with us as a man-o-war, a mighty impregnable fortress, an invincible shield, a sword that executes excellence. Therefore, why should we fear, hesitate, doubt, withdraw from the contest or the battle. It is yet another opportunity to experience and manifest the love, the power, the grace of God, yet another way and opportunity to glorify His name.

Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Joy Multiplier

UV 3704/10000 Joy Multiplier You ( O God) will increase the nation, You will multiply their joy; they will rejoice before You like the joy and jubilation of the harvest, as men rejoice when they divide the spoil ( of victory). Isaiah 9 v 3 The Lord is a joy multiplier not a joy killer. The Lord increases the faithful. He multiplies their joy. We have the joy of salvation. The joy of the Lord or the fact that He delights in us fills us with His strength, His power, His grace. We have two kinds of joy- the joy of the hardworking, patient, diligent farmer and the joy of the victorious and brave soldier. It implies that we need to be patient in the kingdom of God to harvest the fruit of joy. We also need to brave hardship and physical risks like a soldier. Patience and bravery as well as a spirit of confidence and sacrifice are needed in every believer of Christ. We as farmers of salvation, growing souls in faith rejoice in the Lord. We as soldiers of God rejoice in the rewards of our struggles for the sake of our faith. That is why St Paul writes, “ Rejoice in the Lord always and again, I say, rejoice.” The first rejoice is in all seasons of our lives – to delight in the Lord and His word. The second call to rejoice is to relish the rewards or spoils of victory, the blessings we have from the Lord. There is no variation in the first kind of joy but the second kind of joy sees ups and downs, increase and decrease. Joy is a constant refrain of our lives. The early followers of Jesus were joyful even as they were being torn apart by beasts or crucified or persecuted in a variety of ways. The Lord promises to break the yoke or heavy burden cast by the oppressor of humanity. His governance and His peace will keep increasing in our lives. Our joy increases even as we increase our reliance on His wise counsel, His word, His power or grace, His love, His peace. Our lives new and good root is our personal relationship with the Father through His Son Jesus. As a worker in His field, as a soldier in His army we have a share in the harvest, a share in the spoils, a portion of blessings are our wages. In every situation, the Lord is the source of our hope, the fount of our joy.

Tuesday, April 13, 2021

True Discernment

UV 3703/10000. True Discernment But the Lord said to Samuel, “ Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart. I Samuel 16 v 7 We judge people by their outward appearances and expressions but the Lord alone looks at the heart of a person. He knows us at a very deep level. We cannot hide anything from Him. He is all seeing and all knowing. Jesus being part of the Triune God also exhibited this trait- not to judge by the words heard but by the inner being, the thoughts and even the motives behind each thought. Even Samuel, a prophet anointed from childhood, misjudged who should be the king and thought that Eliab, the eldest son of Jesse is the one anointed. We need to ask for wisdom and discernment regarding the leading of the Holy Spirit in all the critical or key choices we make in life. David, who was not available in the house as he was looking after the sheep in the pasture, was actually the one the Lord has chosen to anoint as future king. The anointing prepares him to minister to the king Saul with the harp. The anointing prepares him to take on the gauntlet of challenging Goliath. Of David, it was said even after he fell into error and sin as king, God testified that he was a man after His own heart. David continually honoured and worshipped the Lord in his heart. His qualities, skills and successes flowed from the anointing he received. We may look unworthy of a high calling by the world, by our friends and even our own colleagues and families but the Lord knows us intimately and gives us intimations about our eternal destiny in Him. We need not be concerned about the opinion of others or their approval or support. At the appointed hour, the Lord will send His servant to anoint us, to enable us to take on any challenge. Everyone found David wanting in leadership and fighting qualities to take on Goliath including his own brothers but David moved ahead without fear or trembling in the confidence of the Lord. The name of the Lord inspired such faith in Him for he knew of the victories the Lord gave the army of Israel over Pharoah’s mighty army, the victories in the desert and the 31 kings the Israeli army defeated to take over the promised land. He did not rest till he wrested victory. But once he rested, he fell into sin showing that even people who are anointed can let their guard down in a moment of weakness or complacency. But his heart was sensitive and he abjured and confessed his sin quickly. He humbled himself before the Lord in genuine repentance. He did not harden his heart like his predecessor Saul. His was a heart that was surrendered to the Lord.

Monday, April 12, 2021

Ambassadors of God

UV 3702/10000 Ambassadors of God So we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us; we ( as Christ’s representatives) plead with you on behalf of Christ to be reconciled to God. 2 Corinthians 5 v 20 We are the representatives, ambassadors, viceroys of the King of Kings, the High Priest of Heaven, Jesus. God uses us as channels to reach His love, mercy and grace to the world. We are to be persuasive or plead with the people of this world to be reconciled to God. We are ministers of reconciliation. We represent the righteousness of God on earth. We are to convey the message of reconciliation to the others who are not yet reconciled with God, whose sin is still held against them. We are to, basically, convey to people that their debts are cancelled. They owe nothing to the law or to God in terms of payment, punishment, penalty, judgement on account of such cancellation. Just as ambassadors arriving newly in countries to which they are appointed present their credentials to the ruler, the head of the country, we should present our credentials to the rulers of this world. We represent the interests of the kingdom of God on earth and we are to advance it by every means at our disposal. As holders of the high office of High Commissioner, we are to act with a sense of dignity, loyalty and wisdom in this world. In anything we say or do, we should not lower the name of Christ in this world. Instead, we should do everything that lies with us to advance His name and rule in this world. As ambassadors of Christ, we cannot remain ignorant of the constitution of the kingdom of God- the word of God. We cannot be ignorant but highly aware of the condition or state of this world. Our mission in this world is to win as many Friends of God as it is possible. To this end we need to stretch every nerve and muscle in our being. We have to convince people that the Lord has no intention to harm them but to help them and to give them hope and a future in eternity. As ambassadors of God in this world, we need to respect the laws of this land without losing our spiritual identity. We, literally, need to be in the world but not of this world, ready to pack up at a moment’s notice.

Sunday, April 11, 2021

Seeking the Esteem of God

UV 3701/10000 SEEKING THE ESTEEM OF THE KING HOW can you believe (in Me), when you (seek and) receive glory and approval from one another, and yet you do not seek the glory and approval which comes from the one and only God? John 5 v 44 Jesus emphasizes in this uni-verse that we should seek the esteem of God and not of one another or of fellow human beings. We should not seek popularity, honour or fame in this world but seek the approval of our Father in heaven by seeking to do His will. The biblical characters who sought and received the glory and approval of God are Moses, David, Daniel, Elijah, Elisha, Ruth and foremost of all His beloved Son Jesus. They sought the glory of God and His approval in all that they said and did. This is the true North of our moral and spiritual compasses. The needle of our compass should always point to the glory and favour of the Lord. In seeking the glory and approval of God, we should also be careful not to grieve the Holy Spirit in anything and everything we say and do. The Holy Spirit, in fact, teaches, guides and empowers us to seek the glory and approval of the Lord. We are to prove ourselves as skilled workmen or servants of God approved by Him, rightly interpreting and imparting the word to others. We are to prove with our lives what is good, acceptable and perfect in the sight of the Lord. The more we please the Lord, win His approval, the more the Lord will pour His grace into our lives. The Lord examines our hearts and sees the motives behind every thought and word and action of ours. Nothing escapes His attention and knowledge. He is gracious towards our faults, mistakes, flaws and errors. His approval and favour resting on us does not mean things will be easy for us. To all the biblical characters who were models who won His favour like Joseph, He proved Himself faithful and was with them in the furnace, in the pit, in the prison, in the valley and on the mountain.

Saturday, April 10, 2021

To Be Shut in With God

UV 3700/10000 To Be Shut In With God God looked on the earth and saw how debased and degenerate it was, for all humanity corrupted their way on the earth and lost their true direction. Genesis 6 v 12 This uni-verse rings true of the world now as it was in the time of Noah. No wonder then that Covid continues its cruel ravages in different nations. Just read about three babies being brutally killed in a city in the USA. The world has become absolutely depraved – spiritually and morally degenerate. People do not know the difference between right and wrong- pro-life, sexuality, abortion and the like. But the faithful like Noah are “shut up with God.” These do not shut their mouths about the will and word of God. They do not shut out God from their lives the world shuts out any reference even to the Lord. Nations are flooded with news of a second wave of covid infections, deaths and disasters. Our Ark of salvation is not of gopher wood that can rot. but the name, the cross of Jesus and the salvation that belief and unsinkable faith in Him secures. We need to hide or take shelter continually in this ark of faith as it sails and takes us homeward to the Lord and His realm. Noah’s faith helped to provide collateral benefits of salvation to the members of his household and all species on the earth- the gene pool of this planet were preserved. Likewise, our faith that keeps us in the true direction or the direction of truth helps to save our families, our children, our colleagues, our associates. The boat that Jesus sailed in was never wrecked by any storm. He is on our boat and we are shut in with God if we hold on firmly to our faith, come what may. His presence in our lives makes us unsinkable. He will direct us to rest on the Mount of Ararat- the place of safety and security. Noah, scripture records, did all that the Lord commanded him. Likewise, we, too should do all that He commands us on a daily basis, all through our lives. God instructed Noah how to design and construct the ark. The ark had no helm or pilot. God took over the steering of the Ark to its final resting place. Likewise, He directs us not only on how to design and construct our lives but directs us to our final resting place and beyond.

Friday, April 9, 2021

Transformation Process of Our Patterns

UV 3699/10000 Transformation Process of Our Patterns And do not be conformed to this world (any longer with its superficial values and customs), but be transformed and progressively changed ( as you mature spiritually) by the renewing of your mind ( focusing on godly values and ethical attitudes), so that you may prove ( for yourselves) what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect ( in His plan and purpose for you) Romans 12 v 2 It is interesting that scripture does not speak of conversion but it does speak of transformation. We are not to be old wine in a new bottle but like the wine served the second round at the wedding in Canna- new wine in a new bottle. Both our content and container needs transformation. The body ( the container) needs transformation in habits, the inner content in terms of character, principles, thoughts need a change in pattern. A pattern can be formed by a minimum of two elements- light and darkness, what we do and what we don’t do, what we speak and what we do not speak. The uni-verse says that we can be transformed or progressively changed as we mature in Christ by renewing our mind with the word. We are not to conform to the superficial patterns of this world but we are to be transformed to the deep and inner patterns of the word of God. What we saw, heard and received from Christ and Christ-anointed teachers we need to put into practice daily in our lives. The word transforms our minds, our thoughts, our emotions, the way we yield our wills to the Lord, the Holy Spirit to fulfil His purpose in and through us. While the patterns of this world are bad, worse and worst, the pattern of the word is good, acceptable and perfect. What is merely acceptable in our lives, we need to move it to good and what is good in our lives, we need to move it to perfect. The word is the salt that makes the ways of God tasty to us and it is also the salt that causes the leech of sin and evil desires to release its clutches or tentacles on us. The godly values and attitudes we imbibe and the Holy Spirit inculcates in us over time transforms us, degree by degree, little by little, precept by precept. The pattern of our lives should decidedly be better from all angles from the ones we led in conformity to the pattern of this world. Hence, growth to spiritual maturity in Christ is the measure of our transformation of patterns so that we fulfil the plan and purpose of the Lord for our lives over the entire trajectory of our lives. Of course, we need the Lord’s grace not only for salvation but to put into practice or to obey His word in all aspects of our lives. We can be effective witnesses only when we are being transformed- the patterns of our thought, speech, actions point to Jesus as the cause and source of our changed patterns. We receive salvation when we believe Jesus, we are transformed when we receive the Holy Spirit and live in the power He imparts to us to change our patterns of living.

Thursday, April 8, 2021

Hero Some Game

UV 3698/10000 “Hero Some” Game For whoever wishes to save his life ( in this world) will (eventually) lose it (through death), but whoever loses his life ( in this world) for My sake, he is the one who will save it ( from the consequences of sin and separation from God). Luke 9 v 24 Life is a zero sum game, they say, in the sense that no gain or loss is permanent. We cannot take anything out of it thanks to inexorable physical death. Jesus, the Creator coming as Redeemer, changed all that forever. He changed it into a “hero-some game”implying that we who follow Him are called to act like heroes, behave like heroes, be ready to give up our lives for His cause like a hero. We gain eternal life and the abundant life while we are here on earth, not an abundance of things but an abundance of grace. In return, we should be willing to lose all that we have gained in this world for the sake of standing up for the name of Jesus. A little later, two verses down, Jesus says that if anyone is ashamed of Him and His words, He too would be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of the Tri-une God. Jesus is emphasizing in this uni-verse that following Him implies an “all or nothing” dedication to Him, obedience to all of His word, self denial, willingness to forego pleasure, indulgence of self, an attitude of sacrifice and undergo hardship in the name of Jesus or for His sake. Jesus is teaching us that leadership is not about education, status, wealth but about dedication. Our lives should be marked by Christ-like dedication, Christ-like obedience, Christ-like service of others, Christ-like forgiveness, Christ-like determination, Christ-like sacrifice. Life is not about accumulation or self aggrandizement but surrender of one’s ego to God, surrender of one’s desires to the Lord, surrender of the entirety of our well being to the Lord. Thought it means a daily discipline of carrying the cross of Christ, it also includes potentially, the willingness to pay for one’s faith with his or her life. It does not however, mean renunciation or giving up on all worldly comforts that some religions teach. It does not mean we are to have a guilty conscience whenever we have had a good time or enjoyed some earthly pleasure that is otherwise legit. It implies that we do not set great store by our earthly ambitions, the readiness to leave this life and its comforts at short notice or sometimes even no notice. It is the perspective that Paul taught the early church, “For me to die is gain. All that I deemed as gain before I encountered Christ I now regard as mere garbage.” In short, a life that is characterised by dedication to Christ in all things we do, devotion to His word, determination to do His will, discipline to pursue on a daily basis, diligence to learn more and more is a life that is given up for Jesus, a life that honours His name, a life that is not lived in vain but for eternal gain.

Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Unorthodox Methods and Weapons

UV 3697/10000 Unorthodox Methods and Weapons David put his hand into his bag and took out a stone and slung it, and it struck the Philistine on his forehead. The stone penetrated his forehead and he fell face down to the ground. I Samuel 17 v 49 David’s absolute faith in God gave him extraordinary courage, strength and tactical wisdom. He volunteered to face Goliath in battle armed only with the name of the Lord God and a sling and a bag of five smooth stones picked up by him from the stream bed. We learn many principles of being victorious in spiritual battles by studying David’s tactics. We should not move within the range of the enemy’s weapons. Prayer is the sling which we can use to bring down the enemy. David’s aim was good coming from years of practice while the guarded the sheep from predators. He aimed for the forehead of Goliath. We, too need to aim for the head, the forehead of the enemy to neutralize him. The five smooth stones are a metaphor for five powerful verses from scripture that we need to use on a regular basis in spiritual warfare. David was provoked by the taunt and insults hurled at the Israelite army by Goliath. He took up gauntlet or challenge posed by Goliath and immediately volunteered to fight him. David did not let his young age, his lack of experience in fighting, the disparaging remarks of his own elder brothers discourage him or deflect him from the challenge. He used unorthodox methods to fight an unconventional enemy- a giant. He knew that a God-inspired ant can take on an elephant and bring it down. He was not fearful of the giant but approached him with indomitable courage. He saw the end from the beginning- the death of Goliath, the defeat of the army of the Philistines by the Israelite army. His earlier experiences or testimonies of how God had saved him from the paws of a bear and a lion powered him to believe God will rescue him from the hand of the giant. He declared that the battle is the Lord’s and that he is only a foot soldier in His army. Some of the lessons we can learn from the actual conflict or fight with Goliath is that we need to not let the enemy use his strengths against us. We should operate out of our natural strengths, skills and gifts but depend on the supernatural grace of the Lord to secure victory. After bringing down Goliath with a stone,David ran swiftly to Goliath and used Goliath’s sword to decapitate him before the latter’s shield bearer or any other Philistine could come to his rescue. We should use the enemy’s strengths and weapons against him eventually. Before volunteering for this high risk operation, David asked his brothers and others, “ What will be done to the one who kills Goliath?” He was motivated by the reward offered- great riches would be given by the king, his daughter’s hand would be given in marriage to him, his father’s house would be free from taxes and service. He found he was hampered by the heavy sword and armour given to him by king Saul. He quickly realized that he was not used to these weapons and he should rather rely on his shepherd’s weapons- the sling. He carried the shepherd’s staff to deceive Goliath into thinking he was going to fight him with a stick. But he had his secret weapon- the sling and stones for which Goliath was not prepared. We too need to keep our weapon of reliance secret and a surprise to the enemy. Victory was secured by David through a combination of faith, courage, confidence, skills, common sense, strategy and motivation. Success or victory will never elude a man who uses such a vital combination of resources, experience, attitudes and skills.

Tuesday, April 6, 2021

The Signet Ring of Authority and Power

UV 3696/10000 The Signet Ring of Authority and Power “On that day,” declares the Lord of hosts, “ I will take you, Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, My servant,” declares the Lord, “ and I will make you ( through the Messiah, your descendant) like a signet ring, for I have chosen you ( as the one with whom to renew My covenant to David’s line ), “ declares the Lord of hosts. In the space of one uni-verse, the Lord compares us to both the human, the divine, the royal, the animate and the inanimate. "Son of Shealtiel" is a reference and celebration of our humanity. Zerubbabel is a reference and celebration of our royal descent from King David as well as a reference to our divine descent from Jesus, the Messiah. We are animate or alive as we are referred to as " servant" in our attitudes towards God, inanimate like a signet ring in that we are like a royal ring that seals the expressed will or decrees of the king. Since inanimate, we have no will of our own but do that which the owner of the ring, the Lord wishes us to do. Our faith in Jesus grafts us onto the royal lineage of King David and we, the believers are his descendants. We are servants of God and also, viceroys of Jesus, the King of Kings. God does not choose us as a nation or as a race but individual by individual depending on our faith in Him and His chosen One, Jesus. The Messiah not only saves our souls but gives us His authority over the spiritual realms of the Father. We are the signet ring of the Lord God. What we declare in faith on behalf of the Lord is the decree on earth. All powers of darkness are subject to our authority. As His representatives, the army of angels of the Lord are at our service to deploy, to destroy the strongholds of the enemy that keeps people captive like the Jews in captivity in Babylon. On the day of the Lord’s judgement, we will come into our own. What we say and do will seal the fate of nations, overthrow thrones, displace rulers of this world. The strong verbs – “take you..” ,” make you” are indicative of the will of God that will prevail on earth as in heaven. We are partners and participants and executors of the will of God with all that we undertake in this lifetime. Like David, our spiritual ancestor, our source of power and strength is neither horses nor swords for riders of horses will go down, the Lord will overthrow chariots and those who ride in them like Pharaoh’s chariots in the Red Sea. Our source of power is our faith in the word of the Lord. We wait like David with patience for His word to come to fullness in time. We lead with praise and worship and thanksgiving for the miracles and grace we have experienced hitherto. Like David we will slay our giants not with sword and armour but with the cornerstone of our faith in Jesus, the rock foundation of our lives. The word is our spiritual sword, the Holy Spirit our transport, His promises of deliverance, our shield, His calling, our command. We leave behind us the sins and trophies of our past as unnecessary baggage or even as garbage. We look forward with enthusiasm to the fulfilment of the hope we have in Jesus. Everything, we know, both in heaven and in earth can be shaken but not our faith in Him whose resurrection power is at work in us to do His perfect will.

Monday, April 5, 2021

Winning and Vindication

UV 3695/10000 Winning and Vindication “Take counsel together (against Judah), but it will come to nothing; Speak the word, but it will not stand, for God is with us ( Immanuel).” Isaiah 8 v 10 Believers need not fear any conspiracy hatched against us as the Lord is with us as a shield, as a mighty fortress, as a great warrior, as a wall of fire. We are not to fear our adversaries but rather, our source of fear and dread is the Lord. He is holy, powerful, wonderful, awesome. Nothing is too difficult or too wonderful. He promises to be a sanctuary, a refuge, a shelter to those who seek Him, who hide under His wings at the approach of any perceived or unknown predator or threat. No weapon forged against us can prosper. The tongue is mentioned in the same promise of protection as the tongue is regarded by the Lord as a weapon of malice, of much evil. Our own tongues will be sharpened so that we can refute whatever evil is spoken against us. Our own weapon is our reliance on the promises of the Lord, our persistent prayer, praise, thanksgiving to the Lord. The Lord will release us from our fears and release into our lives wonders of deliverance that we could not have possibly foreseen. The Lord will nullify the counsel of the wicked and guide us on the steps we need to take. The One who is a rock of security, unshaken and impassable will also be a miry trap and snare to those who are hostile without reason to us. He will cause them to fall, to stumble, to be broken on the very rock that protects us. For ourselves, we should only be careful not to be ensnared by our own thoughts, fears, desires or words. Every word we utter matters and hence, we should not utter any word in vain. Least of all, we should not utter any word that will strengthen the hand of the enemy against us, that weakens our own implicit faith and trust in the Lord. Even when circumstances look bleak, when the odds are against us, the Lord can and does change things around like clouds passing in the sky. For He is One who can work and wrest victory with many or few. What the world perceives as stumbling blocks, the Lord can change it into building blocks of our faith, our lives our contributions, our resources, our arsenal, our network, our net worth, our legacy.

Sunday, April 4, 2021

The Marrow of Our Bones

UV3694/10000 The Marrow of Our Bones Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! Ezekiel 37 v 4 Our spiritual bones, our framework, the foundation of our lives become dry, lifeless, weak, enervated when we do not hear the word of the Lord. The word of the Lord is pregnant with meaning and power, with the breath of God since it is God-inspired. We are not just revived or restored or renewed but we are resurrected as if our bones come alive and get tendons, muscles and flesh attached thereon when we truly hear the word of God. The word fills us with hope of the resurrection of our souls without which our bones will only rot in our graves. The word of God is the marrow that fills our spiritual bones and gives it vitality and produces the RBCs or red blood corpuscles, the army that feeds the whole body. Covid has taught the world once more the vitality of oxygen with thousands having struggled for their own breath and oxygenation levels falling below the level where life in the whole body can be sustained. We also need to check our spiritual oxygenation levels regularly and increase our intake of the pure oxygen of the word. Our lives become weak and disjointed without the spiritual equivalent of oxygen. Our minds are renewed, our hearts are revived, our every part is energised when we hear the word of the Lord. Prophecy is not a substitute for the word but it is like what dessert is to the main menu items. Whenever we feel spiritually weak, hopeless, depressed, dry, it is a sign we are not spending enough time and giving the right kind of attention listening to the voice of the Lord. The shepherd cries out to the sheep to move to the pasture to feed but in the case of the good Shepherd, His voice, His word itself is our breath of life, our complete food, our source of sustenance and power, the pipeline of joy. We need not diet or starve ourselves when it comes to the word. The more we have of it, we do not become overweight or unhealthy. Rather, we find the yoke we bear becoming lighter as our internal strength and power increases with our intake of the word. When we infuse ourselves and saturate our spiritual blood with the pure oxygen of the word, anyone coming in contact with us will also come alive and be able to live the eternal, abundant, full life that Jesus promises us. There is no lack in our lives that the word cannot meet or fulfil or satisfy.

Friday, April 2, 2021

Specialist of the Impossible

UV 3693/10000 Specialist of the Impossible But He said, “ The things that are impossible with people are possible with God.” Luke 18 v 27 Jesus is the specialist of being , doing the impossible It is impossible for a man to be born to a virgin Yet He was born immaculate It is impossible for water to be turned to wine He turned six jars of water into wine It is impossible to restore sight to a man born blind Jesus restored sight to the blind It is impossible for a dead man to be brought alive He restored Lazarus to life It is impossible for a man to calm a storm with His command Jesus commanded the storm in the Sea of Galilee and the winds and waves obeyed It is impossible for a paralysed person to be healed instantaneously Jesus healed a man paralysed for years It is impossible for a woman with bleeding to be healed instantaneously by a touch Yet by touching Jesus she was healed It is impossible for deaf to hear Jesus healed the deaf It is impossible to know how another person would die Yet Jesus predicted how Peter would die with His limbs bound. It is impossible for lepers to be healed Jesus healed ten of them together. It is impossible for a man to know another ‘s mind with no contact with him Yet Jesus knew Nathaniel and his heart when he had not yet met Him. It is impossible to know if there is a gold coin inside a fish Jesus knew a certain fish carried a golden coin enough to pay His tax It is impossible to eat a fish without catching it or buying it Yet Jesus was found frying a fish on a fire for the disciples to share when they were yet in the water. It is impossible to predict the fish that can be caught in a fisherman’s net Yet Jesus told His disciples to cast the net on the other side and they drew a net bursting with fish, It is impossible to know who will betray one from his inner circle of friends, Yet Jesus knew and foretold that Judas would betray Him. It is impossible to know a person’s past and yet Jesus knew all details of the Samaritan woman’s past. It is impossible for a dead man to come alive after three days Jesus came alive on the third day after bleeding to the last drop of blood on the cross. He is still doing the impossible in many lives. When we analyse the impossible and awesome miracles done by Jesus, we find that He did the impossible from birth to death and beyond. He did the greatest miracle by laying down His life and taking it up again as a man changes his dress. He did the impossible to resolve material deficiency in the marriage at Canna as easily as He addressed financial deficiency. He did the impossible to affect and heal human vision, hearing, speech, mental unsoundness, restore muscles, nerves and bones even of shriveled or paralysed limbs, blood and hormone systems, heal the incurable and chronic diseases from head to foot. As far as health is concerned, He is truly the Specialist of Specialists. He commanded the elements of nature. He transcended the laws of nature by walking on water. He said things to show that He knew the past and the future of everyone. The full armour of faith we obtain by seeking the anointing of the Lord every day to cover us from head to foot, to strengthen our hearts, to obliterate any curses or record of hidden sin or weapons against us. We can set in motion “involuntary miracles” like the woman with chronic issue of blood by pressing against Jesus every day in our fellowship with Him. When we reflect on and claim each impossible thing Jesus said and did, we are sowing in the spirit the mustard seed of faith that moves mountains, demolishes strongholds,establishes the kingdom of God on earth, in our hearts as it is in Heaven.

Thursday, April 1, 2021

THIRTY Pieces of Silver

UV 3692/10000 Thirty Pieces of Silver And said, “What are you willing to give me If I hand over Jesus over to you? And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver. Matthew 26 v 15 We often recall that Peter denied knowing Jesus, Judas betrayed Him for thirty silver coins, all the other disciples deserted Him. But do we recognize that almost on a daily basis, each of us deny Jesus Lordship over our lives, we betray Him deliberately valuing silver coins over Him, desert Him and try to run away. Anything we value over Jesus amounts to selling Him for some gain in this world. Do we value our lives, our jobs, our families, our possessions, our ambitions, our friends, our children, our money over Jesus? It was not as if Judas hated Jesus to think of betraying Him. He valued money over His relationship with God, with Jesus. Even big time preachers I have come across in my journey are guilty of doing this. We should not be willing to give up our faith in Jesus, our relationship with God for anything in this world or beyond. No affection for anyone or anything should rival or come close to our love for the Lord. Everything we do, we do for Jesus. Everything we do in the name of Jesus, to glorify Him, to thank Him for His great act of love that He was pierced for our transgressions, that the weight of the penalty of our collective and individual or personal sins fall on Him. Even a momentary distraction taking away our attention from Jesus is a desertion. A single day without speaking to Him, without listening to His word is a day wasted. A single moment spent at His feet is worth months in our calendar. A single wayward action or word is an act of denial on par with that of Peter. If we are too engrossed in our own pursuits, we are deserting Him. For He is the True Vine and we are grafted onto Him, to live forever in union, in relationship with the Father through His Son. Any thought, word or action or reaction that is not worthy of a follower of Jesus is an act of betrayal, of denial, of desertion. Instead, we are to bear fruit that is in keeping with so great a salvation He assures us of by His death and resurrection.