The Software that Makes our Hardware Work Well

UV 3250/10000 The Software that Makes Our Hardware Work Well
For Ezra had set his heart(resolved) to study and interpret the Law of the Lord, and to practice it and teach His statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Ezra 7 v 10

Ezra was a scribe who specialized in studying the first five books of the Bible. While Nehemiah handled the hardware of building the walls of Jerusalem, Ezra was given the responsibility of training people in the software. Scripture gives the software of life- how to live with purpose and power, connected or related to the Creator. Our bodies and brains are the hardware. Ezra realized the vital importance of scripture and resolved to study and interpret it. He practiced it and taught the precepts, principles, rules to the people of Israel. When Ezra read the scripture, the people listened with reverence and were moved to tears of repentance. Repentance is godly sorrow that leads to personal change. But after the reading, there was festive celebration or godly joy. The Lord blessed Ezra with favour in the sight of the king Artaxerxes and gave him all that he needed. Scripture needs to be studied every day, interpreted every day, taught or listened to once a week and practiced every day. Like any other habit, we need to initially consciously practice the precepts of scripture before they become automatic, second nature to us.

It is nearly ten years since I resolved in my heart to study the scriptures daily, interpret it, observe or practice it and derive from it the underlying principles, concepts, precepts of life, leadership and management. During this time, the Lord has granted me all that I needed and kept me from all manner of illness or strife. Many of the readers of uni-verse have testified and given feedback that my interpretation and application of scriptures gave them comfort, strength, encouragement and blessing. The Lord has also testified that , “My sheep are being fed from shore to shore, nation to nation.” In addition to the meditation on one verse or uni-verse, the Lord has enabled me to extract nearly 3500 precepts of leadership, management and life after study of the scripture which inspires and gladdens the hearts and minds of many.

There are two ways to live life- according to a random script or according to specific scripture that guides our decisions, emotions, relationships, communication, behaviour patterns. One cannot be a reader of the Bible without being a practitioner. One cannot be a practitioner of biblical values and teachings without being a leader. A Bible reader is by definition a leader. He leads people into the knowledge and love of God. This is the equivalent of leading people into the promised land or the land of promises, the land of the living hope in Christ. The book of Daniel in the last chapter states that" Those who are spiritually wise will shine brightly like the brightness of the expanse of heaven, and those who lead many to righteousness will shine like the stars forever and ever." Scripture contains ten commands but ten thousand promises to fill our lives with hope even in the most hopeless and desperate situations. Scripture is not meant only for reading but for study, meditation and practice. The more we read, the more inclined we are to study it, the more we study it, the more we meditate on it day and night, the more we meditate, the more we memorise it, the more we memorise it, the more we practice it, the more we practice it, the more blessed and blessing we become to this world we live in. We need to incorporate or make it part of our lifestyle and incarnate it or make ourselves examples of people who live out the scripture. Ezra found favour with God, king and people of Israel. We too when we incorporate and incarnate scripture will certainly find favour with the King of Kings, authorities and people of all walks. We are to delight in scripture more than fine gold or the most delicious of wild honey. The reason is that though gold is valuable, it cannot teach us the values of life, though honey is delicious and nutritious, we are satiated if we take too much honey. The more we study Scripture, the more hungry we become for more. We are not satiated but our appetite grows.

DNA

UV3249/10000 DNA


And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 6 v 13

The Lord does not tempt anyone. But if we are overly blessed in one particular aspect, for instance – extraordinary intelligence or physical attributes, strength or wealth, we may be inclined to rely less on the Lord and more on ourselves, causing us to be proud, independent, stubborn. Even as Jesus taught His disciples how to pray, He was preparing to deliver us from evil and its consequences. In fact, by His death and resurrection, He has delivered us from all evil. His power has released us from the power of sin though the presence of sin continues around us. The power to overcome temptations comes from the Lord, the Holy Spirit who constantly reminds us of our covenant and of the Word of the Lord.

IF we know Jesus as Lord, Saviour and King, He has set us free for He is the Way, the Truth and the Life. The term “The way” is not defined precisely so that His grace is available to us for all life’s situations. He is the way to salvation, success, joy, fulfilment, righteousness, freedom, healing, deliverance, wisdom, power, justice. He is the One who is, who was and is to be, implying that He is sovereign and enjoys absolute power in all domains and realms of human activity. We invite the rule of God in all aspects of our lives. We cannot have Him in one area of our lives and shut Him out of others as it is impossible to prevent the sunlight to spread everywhere to dispel darkness.


The shadow of evil in our lives that blights all that we think, speak and do is replaced by the shadow of the Almighty. The God-man gap is bridged by Jesus. Now that we share godly attributes as we, too, are children of God, we begin to share the power of God. The more we exercise the power of God, the more we accomplish for the kingdom of God and advance the glory of God. We become instruments to deliver the world of evil. We continually combat evil at two levels- evil within us and evil around us. Evil as the word indicates is a byproduct of the devil while good is the byproduct of God. When we consistently aim to do good and do good, we acknowledge the God or Christ nature in us and deny the evil nature. Our faith in Jesus alters our DNA where DNA which mean devil nature altered to divine nature.

Focus on the Locus

UV 3248/10000 Focus on the Locus with Passion

(looking away from all that will distract us and ) focusing our eyes on Jesus, who is the Author and Perfector of faith(the first incentive for our belief and the One who brings our faith into maturity), who for the joy (of accomplishing the goal) set before Him endured the cross, disregarding the shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God(revealing His deity, His authority and the completin of His work).

Hebrews 12 v 2

Jesus demonstrated laser-like focus and blazer-like passion, the two things anyone needs to fulfill his mission or purpose in life. The gospel writers recorded that He set His face like flint towards the cross. His love for mankind caused Him to volunteer to pay the price for all sin of all mankind as the perfect sacrifice that makes all imperfection perfect in the uncompromising sight of God. God, the Father’s nature is not to compel anyone against his or her will. He would not have compelled Jesus against His will. Once Jesus accepted the challenge to travel from His Heavenly home to the dust and grime of the Earth, He did not allow satan or his machinations to divert or distract Him on His mission. He was filled with the consuming fire or passion of God. He manifested, celebrated or reflected that spirit of the best of mankind- single minded dedication combined with whole hearted devotion to God. We too need to be filled with such passion that burns up anything that can side track us, anything that disturbs our zeal for God.

Jesus disregarded the shame of the cross, He decided to bear its pain. He focused on the crown of glory He would receive from the Father, the Authority in heaven and on Earth. The spectre of pain, shame, loneliness wherein He would be cut off from the fellowship of the Father and the Holy Spirit for the first time in all of eternity ( God would be forsaken by God), the betrayal and desertion of His friends, the agony of His earthly mother Mary, the mockery of the Roman soldiers and the contempt of the Jewish religious leaders, the despising even by the condemned prisoner dying along with Him on the cross, the smug smile on satan’s face did not keep Him from the scepter of righteousness. Absolute righteousness and power had been stripped off Him to make Him not just a token payment but an absolute payment for sin, failure, shame, misery, ignorance, weakness, curses, sorrow. His mission accomplished, no longer would these have an absolute grip on humanity, individually and collectively. Jesus is both the purpose, the power, the center of our universe, the very locus of the circle of our existence. The vacuum in our hearts is filled, the gap in our words and deeds is filled, our lives are fulfilled in Jesus.

Now we are required only to focus on the locus, the starting point of a new history, a new story, a new life. Are we to focus on Jesus on the way to the cross, the dying Jesus, the dead Jesus on the cross or the resurrected Jesus who has come into His glory? The locus of our lives now is the resurrected Jesus who has come into His glory, who has full authority on the right hand of the Father in heaven, who intercedes or pleads on our behalf even now as satan brings accusations against us. Jesus has cancelled the handwriting of judgement against us. He has declared us, “ Not guilty as charged. Innocent for all eternity.” Having been so freed at such a heavy price to the deity of Jesus, the image and authority of Jesus, we are to free ourselves from the burdens of this world that hamper us and either slows us down or hinders our growth and progress as well as the enticements and temptations, the lure of this world, the sinful pleasures and conceits of this earthly life. We are to consign these to the flames of the consuming fire that burns in us, the Holy Spirit sent to us by Jesus as a sign and by His signature or authority to seal us and fill us with zeal. The Lord runs beside us as our Coach, our Encourager, Our Enabler to remove hindrances that are placed in our way by the enemy of our souls.

Joy, Hope, Patience and Prayer

UV 3247/10000 Joy, Hope, Patience and Prayer
Constantly rejoicing in hope (because of our confidence in Christ), steadfast and patient in distress, devoted to prayer (continually seeking wisdom, guidance, and strength),


Romans 12 v 12

This uni-verse is a practical as well as spiritual credo for anyone to practice. The word “ rejoice” has the sense of a person bouncing in joy, bouncing back from sadness, failure, rejection, losses. It is not enough to be joyful sometimes but to keep rejoicing not due to our circumstances being perfect or joyful but despite circumstances and situations of life. Our faith, confidence, and trust in Jesus, His love, His commitment to us, His covenant promises to us, His awesome power- all enable us to rejoice in the Lord. Such joy in the Lord enables us to be patient in our troubles, knowing that it will one day end and we will be overcomers or victors in the battles and struggles of life.

We are either bouncing up or bouncing down. Whether up or down, we are steadfast and fervent in prayer asking for guidance, wisdom and strength. When we are bouncing up, we ask the Lord for wisdom to be humble, gracious and helpful. When we are bouncing down, we ask the Lord for guidance how to come out of the adverse situation. When we are bouncing up, we ask for strength to sustain us at that level. When we are bouncing down, we ask for strength to bear it if we remain down or we ask for strength to rise, to overcome, to come on top of our circumstances. Hope, joy, patience are important ingredients in our walk of faith.

The Holy Spirit is our active partner in refueling our hope, augmenting our faith, renewing or refilling our joy, reinforcing our strength. He is a faith multiplier. Through faith in the word that He keeps reminding us of, our hope is increased, our joy is topped up, our strength is renewed and our patience is extended. The exhortation in the uni-verse to be patient in affliction shows us that life in Christ is going to be often a rough ride but we should develop the resilience, remain buoyant in hope. We should avoid extremes of taking God for granted when things are normal or going just fine, blaming Him and complaining when things are not going well and ignoring Him when everything is just perfect. When we are down, we should realize that it will end sometime sooner or later, that the Lord has allowed it to test our faith and increase our endurance and patience. Praying at all times for wisdom, guidance and strength will supply all that is deficient in our live. Jesus is the best model for us to emulate. He was hopeful as He focused on the crown of glory the Father reserved for Him once He patiently endured the suffering that He had to undergo on the cross. He rejoices as He contemplates the victory that He has fought and won for all believers in all ages. He prayed at all times in all types of situations. St Paul imitating Jesus also considered the people He was ministering to as the “Fount of His joy”. We too should set up in faith several fountains of joy in our hearts, minds and lives, the very thought of which will fill us with hope and joy as well as produce the patience to endure afflictions or trials.

Leadershift

UV 3246/10000 Leadershift
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ (that is, grafted in, joined to Him by faith in Him as Saviour), he is a new creature(reborn and renewed by the Holy Spirit); the old things (the previous moral and spiritual condition) have passed away. Behold, new things have come (because spiritual awakening brings a new life).
2 Corinthians 5 v 17


A small shift in belief results in a big shift in perspective and a massive shift in emotions, energy, goals, priorities, relationships, achievements and contributions. This is what is called leadershift- our allegiance and alignment shifts from earthly blind or partly blind leaders to the full vision Jesus. When one first believes in Jesus as his Lord and Saviour, the shift in belief causes tremendous changes in perspective- it changes from the purely temporal to the eternal perspective, that one is living not just for earthly gains but for an eternal kingdom. It also presages and ushers in changes for the better in habits, in attitudes, in self discipline, in emotions. Our stony hearts that are spiritually dead and inert are replaced by hearts of flesh that respond to the things that are not tangible and yet real. The Holy Spirit shapes and sculpt our character like a patient sculptor as He chips away at our hubris and lusts. The Word or Christ renews our minds- intellect, emotions and will. Spiritual wisdom and not worldly knowledge begins to inform our decisions and choices.

Simultaneously, as the new man is being formed in us, the old man is passing away. A kind of spiritual resurrection is taking place deep inside us. We begin to hear the voice of God where earlier we were listening only to our own voices or the voices of others around us. We develop the sensitivity to hear even the whispers of the Holy Spirit and to feel His gentle nudges. Our hearts begin to sync with the heart beat of our Creator and Redeemer. Our eyes begin to see beyond the physical, beyond the visible, beyond the three dimensions of current reality. Our goals and priorities change. Our energy, our ability to persist beyond a certain level of difficulty takes an upward shift. Our belief in the possibility of the miraculous and the supernatural intertwining with our natural efforts gives us a fillip in whatever we are attempting.

We no longer live for ourselves and ourselves alone. We develop a compassionate heart like Christ’s. We look to the well being of others and are willing to go the extra mile for others. People no longer exist to be used by us but have a value of their own like us. We no longer judge others by their outward appearance or by the specks in their eyes. We become self critical and are ready to accept correction without taking offence. We believe that nothing happens by chance but by the invisible but guiding hand of the Lord. We accept that He teaches us as much by adversity as He gives us joy and happiness in times of prosperity.

Signs, Science and True Wisdom

UV 3245/10000 Signs, Science and True Wisdom
Frustrating the signs and confounding the omens of boasters(false prophets), Making fools out of fortune tellers, Counteracting the wise and making their knowledge ridiculous.

Isaiah 44 v 25

Once I read in the newspapers that an astrologer predicted world- wide disasters due to the lie of stars. I wanted to expose the lie and so I prayed to the Lord to cancel the disasters predicted, to frustrate the signs, to confound the false prophets and fortune tellers. Often our own natural intelligence is a block to understanding God and to gain higher and deeper and true wisdom. What we need to know is that the knowledge and wisdom of God is complete and total, the knowledge and wisdom of the enemy consists of lies and deception and what we know and understand is only partial and very limited. Even the best of technology or science is not able to fill our hearts with peace or joy. It does not help us to find the purpose of life nor to fulfil it Our false and superficial knowledge shuts out the grace of God. The powerful and learned have their own set of signs and superstitions. The Lord frustrates the design of the enemy of our souls. From the womb to the tomb and beyond, He is engaged actively in the business of saving us. The initiation of our understanding the wisdom and character of God is through faith but its consummation is through experience.

The Lord also counters or nullifies the shrewd stratagems of the wise and the cunning. He unmasks their hidden intentions. He confirms the word of His servants and executes the plan of His messengers. He does not let any of their words to fall to the ground in vain. When we disagree with the word of God we are trying to make Him out to be a liar as satan did with the first man and woman. We too miss our bliss when we disbelieve the word of God and conversely, when we affirm our faith in His word, He vindicates us, He provides evidence for our faith. Human knowledge is based on the precept- seeing is believing while the Lord operates on the precept that believing is true seeing.

The Word we believe in – we should hold it firmly in our hands as a man would wield a sword. No one should be able to wrest it from us for our rest from evil depends on our stance of faith. Reason and knowledge do not take a back seat but sits along with faith as a good navigator sits beside a driver, reading and scanning the maps, pointing out the direction, the speed to drive at according to the nature of the terrain, the likely obstacles or natural hurdles that are coming up before they do.

When Luck Ran Out but Blessing Remains

UV3324/10000 When Luck Ran Out but Blessing Remains

And there was a young man named Eutychus(“lucky”) sitting on the window sill. He was sinking into a deep sleep, and as Paul kept on talking longer and longer, he was completely overcome by sleep and fell down from the third story; and he was picked up dead.

Acts 20 v 9

The young man was probably named like most of us in the hope that he would live up to his name of being lucky. But luck has no role in the life of a believer of Christ. Luck and Lucifer have three common starting letters. Nothing happens by chance. The young man should not have been sitting where he was not meant to be sitting – the window sill. He should have moved away as Paul was talking longer and longer and sensed his own attention was wandering. Indeed, we humans have a very short attention span when it comes to listening to the voice of God or the Word. The lesson to be learnt from the short episode of Eutychus is that we need to be careful, diligent, proactive in everything we do.

Eutychus ran out of luck and fell three storys to his death. But the Lord gave St Paul the faith that he could raise him back to life. Paul’s embrace gave the young man the equivalent of a spiritual CPR and he was revived. The natural often accompanies the supernatural but the supernatural has power to supercede the natural as the resurrection power of Jesus working through Paul awakened the young man as if from a deep sleep.

Luck is uncertain, faith is certain of the things we hope for in Christ. Luck deserts us when we need it the most while faith is our strength in times of distress and sorrow. We rely on the grace of Jesus to be blessed, not to be lucky. The young man’s spirit was willing but his flesh was weak and caused him to fall asleep. The disciples also were chided for falling asleep by the Master in the Garden of Gethsemane. They were admonished , “Watch and pray.” Praying or listening to the word requires us to be watchful, alert, vigilant, proactive, strong in the spirit. We need to focus on the locus- Jesus and ask the Holy Spirit to augment our strength to overcome our natural instincts to slack off, to relax, to dose off, to be distracted.