UV 3397/10000 The Son’s Choice
Then Jesus said to him, “ Go away, satan! For it is written and forever remains written, “ You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.”
Matthew 4 v 10
We are to always choose God over the world and its attractions or seductions. We cannot serve God and mammon or wealth, fame, pleasure, power of this world. We have to reject one and hate it. We cannot love and serve both. When we worship and serve God truly, He gives us a portion of what He considers the best of the blessings we need to enjoy while living this life on earth but our focus should be on the rewards of eternal life. This is the reason that this life is organized like a “zero sum game”- whatever we gain in this life we are bound to lose or leave behind. The One who remains with us is only God, Our Creator and Jesus, the Redeemer. Worship is inspired by a sense of awe at God and a deep sense of love for the Saviour. Whatever we do is meant to serve Him.
Only if we love God with all of our hearts and bodies and minds, can we truly worship and serve Him. Jesus loved the Father with this kind of love and hence, He could clearly see that He had no option other than to worship and serve Him. He used His knowledge of the Word to drive away satan with a rapier thrust of the sword of the spirit. Intimate knowledge of the Word is the sword edge that gives us victory in our lives and keeps us from compromising with the world and prevent us from yielding to the lusts of our minds and bodies.
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We should use the authority of the Word to tell satan off even as Jesus did. If we stay to have a dialogue with him, we are bound to be deceived like Eve and Adam. Instead, we should command him, “Go away, satan.” Even when his own disciple Peter tried to dissuade Jesus from ascending the cross, Jesus rebuked that spirit by saying, “Get thee behind Me, satan!” He spoke directly and decisively to the enemy of our souls and we, too learning from His example, should do so. We are ultimately, servants of God and we take our orders only from Him. We should not allow any extraneous influence or person to affect or sway our decisions away from God.
Tuesday, November 12, 2019
Monday, November 11, 2019
Perception
UV3396/10000 Perception
The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear ( spiritually perceptive), your whole body will be full of light (benefitting from God’s precepts).
Matthew 6 v 22
The Word of God is described as a lamp unto our eyes and a light unto our feet. Hence, the Word becomes the lamp of the body of the believer. The alternative is the world which is full of darkness though it appears to be light. If we fill our minds and bodies with the world’s philosophies and thoughts, we are filling our lives with darkness. We have to be careful, according to this uni-verse, to be filled with the light of the word of God and not live in our own light or our own understanding of the truths of life. Jesus described Himself as the Light of the world. We are to be filled with His teachings and precepts in order to be victorious in this life and to emerge from this life victorious into eternity.
Just as the eye has four principal parts to help us see clearly- the retina, the cornea, the pupil or lens and a jelly like substance that helps to focus the incoming images onto the retina, the Word has commands that are to be obeyed, precepts to be understood and applied in our contexts, promises to claim and believe, models or examples to avoid or follow. The optic nerve conveys the images to the brain to guide the perceptions and movements of the whole body. Likewise, the Holy Spirit conveys accurately the perceptions and visions to our spirit so that our whole body and the use of different parts and faculties of our minds and bodies are in accordance with the Word.
The word gives us a clear near vision of what we need to do now or today, in the present moment as well as the far or distant vision of our long term goal and purpose in life. A constant connection and alignment between our near vision and our long term vision is essential to fulfill the God-given or God-revealed purpose of life. We should be willing to cast out “ the beam” in our eyes that blocks out the beams of light from the Lord- anything that blocks our clear view. We should not be so short-sighted as to forget what we look like spiritually in the mirror of His word but take consistent and persistent steps to accept spiritual correction and course correction in our lives.
The eye is the lamp of the body; so if your eye is clear ( spiritually perceptive), your whole body will be full of light (benefitting from God’s precepts).
Matthew 6 v 22
The Word of God is described as a lamp unto our eyes and a light unto our feet. Hence, the Word becomes the lamp of the body of the believer. The alternative is the world which is full of darkness though it appears to be light. If we fill our minds and bodies with the world’s philosophies and thoughts, we are filling our lives with darkness. We have to be careful, according to this uni-verse, to be filled with the light of the word of God and not live in our own light or our own understanding of the truths of life. Jesus described Himself as the Light of the world. We are to be filled with His teachings and precepts in order to be victorious in this life and to emerge from this life victorious into eternity.
Just as the eye has four principal parts to help us see clearly- the retina, the cornea, the pupil or lens and a jelly like substance that helps to focus the incoming images onto the retina, the Word has commands that are to be obeyed, precepts to be understood and applied in our contexts, promises to claim and believe, models or examples to avoid or follow. The optic nerve conveys the images to the brain to guide the perceptions and movements of the whole body. Likewise, the Holy Spirit conveys accurately the perceptions and visions to our spirit so that our whole body and the use of different parts and faculties of our minds and bodies are in accordance with the Word.
The word gives us a clear near vision of what we need to do now or today, in the present moment as well as the far or distant vision of our long term goal and purpose in life. A constant connection and alignment between our near vision and our long term vision is essential to fulfill the God-given or God-revealed purpose of life. We should be willing to cast out “ the beam” in our eyes that blocks out the beams of light from the Lord- anything that blocks our clear view. We should not be so short-sighted as to forget what we look like spiritually in the mirror of His word but take consistent and persistent steps to accept spiritual correction and course correction in our lives.
Sunday, November 10, 2019
The Restoration of Breaches
UV 3395/10000 The Restoration of Breaches
In that day I shall raise up and restore the fallen tabernacle of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up and restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old.
Amos 9 v 11
Sometimes the enemy breaks through our defenses through a temptation, a snare or trap, by being involved in a needless conflict, arguments or through our losing our temper or self control. The Word states that losing our temper is like breaking down the outer walls of a city. The enemy can easily breach and destroy our peace if we do not control our tongue or our temper. But in this uni-verse, the Lord promises to restore us, to re-build the ruins of our lives like it was before. He is a God not only who saves us but One who restores us, rebuilds us. He helps us recover from crises, from emotional breakdown, from personal melt down.
If a thief enters a house, the owner or occupant of the house should take steps to prevent a similar breach in future. Likewise, we should take steps to prevent security breaches in our lives by being alert, proactive and careful. The Holy Spirit will counsel us on the steps we should take. We only need to be sensitive to act accordingly. We need to invite Him on a regular basis to examine our lives to help us discern our areas of likely breach or weakness. We are vulnerable in a variety of ways and the enemy knows our weak areas. Since steel can be cut only with steel, the invisible and powerful enemy can be defeated only with the help of the invisible and invincible Spirit of God.
David, though he was endorsed by the Lord as one who had a heart after God, fell into various temptations and trials. He fell to the temptation of adultery when he let down his guard. Yet, when he repented, the Lord restored the relationship David had with Him. We can avoid needless losses, conflicts, struggles and strife by disciplining our thoughts, our tongues, our temper and our physical desires. We certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit to both pre-empt as well as to heal the breaches in our lives, relationships and homes. The enemy is real, the threats are real, the results can be disastrous if we succumb to his wiles. His main target is to attack the “tabernacle of peace” or the inner peace we have in God, to make us feel low in spirit, insecure, emotionally drained, weary, discouraged, hopeless, desperate on the one hand or angry and bitter at the other.
In that day I shall raise up and restore the fallen tabernacle of David, and wall up its breaches; I will also raise up and restore its ruins and rebuild it as it was in the days of old.
Amos 9 v 11
Sometimes the enemy breaks through our defenses through a temptation, a snare or trap, by being involved in a needless conflict, arguments or through our losing our temper or self control. The Word states that losing our temper is like breaking down the outer walls of a city. The enemy can easily breach and destroy our peace if we do not control our tongue or our temper. But in this uni-verse, the Lord promises to restore us, to re-build the ruins of our lives like it was before. He is a God not only who saves us but One who restores us, rebuilds us. He helps us recover from crises, from emotional breakdown, from personal melt down.
If a thief enters a house, the owner or occupant of the house should take steps to prevent a similar breach in future. Likewise, we should take steps to prevent security breaches in our lives by being alert, proactive and careful. The Holy Spirit will counsel us on the steps we should take. We only need to be sensitive to act accordingly. We need to invite Him on a regular basis to examine our lives to help us discern our areas of likely breach or weakness. We are vulnerable in a variety of ways and the enemy knows our weak areas. Since steel can be cut only with steel, the invisible and powerful enemy can be defeated only with the help of the invisible and invincible Spirit of God.
David, though he was endorsed by the Lord as one who had a heart after God, fell into various temptations and trials. He fell to the temptation of adultery when he let down his guard. Yet, when he repented, the Lord restored the relationship David had with Him. We can avoid needless losses, conflicts, struggles and strife by disciplining our thoughts, our tongues, our temper and our physical desires. We certainly need the help of the Holy Spirit to both pre-empt as well as to heal the breaches in our lives, relationships and homes. The enemy is real, the threats are real, the results can be disastrous if we succumb to his wiles. His main target is to attack the “tabernacle of peace” or the inner peace we have in God, to make us feel low in spirit, insecure, emotionally drained, weary, discouraged, hopeless, desperate on the one hand or angry and bitter at the other.
Saturday, November 9, 2019
Dealing with Duality of Human Nature
UV 3394/10000 Dealing with Duality of Nature
For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh ( which gratify the body), but those who are living according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit ( His will and purpose).
Romans 8 v 5
All of us have a dual nature- a spiritual nature and a carnal or worldly nature that panders to the whims and desires of our flesh and our vain minds. The uni-verse above warns us that we should not live to satisfy our worldly desires, the desires of the flesh ( what our eyes and our bodies long for) and of our minds ( what our egos long for) but live to satisfy the desires of the Spirit of God. We need to habitually say, “No” to our vain and selfish desires. By not feeding these, we put to death over time our old selves, our sinful selves. This is the process of sanctification or refinement and purification into which we are immersed once we have been justified or declared guilt-free by faith in the sacrificial death of Christ. We are to set our minds or focus on living according to the direction of the Spirit. We cannot live such a life except by availing the help of the Spirit of God who is given to us for our sanctification, comfort, purification and growth.
Instead of living in accordance with the impulses of our carnal nature, we should live in accordance with the “pulse” of the Holy Spirit. It implies that we are led by the Holy Spirit in everything we think, say and do. We do not allow our emotions of anger, impatience, fear, insecurity to take control of our minds. We seek and desire only what the Spirit seeks and desires in us. We continually confide in Him and seek His help in overcoming the draw of our own inner nature. We sense His presence always with us, eager to counsel us in our decisions and choices. We do not allow our impulses to overrule the voice of the Holy Spirit but our inner ears are always inclined to hear Him and do likewise.
Our goal should be to conform to the image of Christ. Christ was obedient to the point of death. Likewise, we should put to death our sinful nature, our sinful desires that in no way would please the Father. By obeying the word of God, we live in righteousness by grace. Such obedience might cost us our pride and wilfulness but it will deal a death blow to our old nature. We become more than conquerors for conquerors never enjoyed inner victory. Our quest for conquest begins and ends in Christ –in –us. We die to our sinful selves and live for Him. We , thereby enjoy the spiritual inheritance, peace and blessings of Christ Himself.
For those who are living according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh ( which gratify the body), but those who are living according to the Spirit, (set their minds on) the things of the Spirit ( His will and purpose).
Romans 8 v 5
All of us have a dual nature- a spiritual nature and a carnal or worldly nature that panders to the whims and desires of our flesh and our vain minds. The uni-verse above warns us that we should not live to satisfy our worldly desires, the desires of the flesh ( what our eyes and our bodies long for) and of our minds ( what our egos long for) but live to satisfy the desires of the Spirit of God. We need to habitually say, “No” to our vain and selfish desires. By not feeding these, we put to death over time our old selves, our sinful selves. This is the process of sanctification or refinement and purification into which we are immersed once we have been justified or declared guilt-free by faith in the sacrificial death of Christ. We are to set our minds or focus on living according to the direction of the Spirit. We cannot live such a life except by availing the help of the Spirit of God who is given to us for our sanctification, comfort, purification and growth.
Instead of living in accordance with the impulses of our carnal nature, we should live in accordance with the “pulse” of the Holy Spirit. It implies that we are led by the Holy Spirit in everything we think, say and do. We do not allow our emotions of anger, impatience, fear, insecurity to take control of our minds. We seek and desire only what the Spirit seeks and desires in us. We continually confide in Him and seek His help in overcoming the draw of our own inner nature. We sense His presence always with us, eager to counsel us in our decisions and choices. We do not allow our impulses to overrule the voice of the Holy Spirit but our inner ears are always inclined to hear Him and do likewise.
Our goal should be to conform to the image of Christ. Christ was obedient to the point of death. Likewise, we should put to death our sinful nature, our sinful desires that in no way would please the Father. By obeying the word of God, we live in righteousness by grace. Such obedience might cost us our pride and wilfulness but it will deal a death blow to our old nature. We become more than conquerors for conquerors never enjoyed inner victory. Our quest for conquest begins and ends in Christ –in –us. We die to our sinful selves and live for Him. We , thereby enjoy the spiritual inheritance, peace and blessings of Christ Himself.
Thursday, November 7, 2019
Dealing with Stumbling Blocks
UV 3393/10000 Dealing with Stumbling Blocks
Woe ( judgement is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
Matthew 18 v 7
We can fall, according to this uni-verse taught by Jesus Himself, due to either temptations or stumbling blocks which are traps or snares deliberately set up by the enemy or his agents to make us fall. We are to be wary of both, on the guard and prayerful for to be prayerful is to be powerful as Jesus Himself showed. We will be able only by His grace to ward off the temptation and keep ourselves from stumbling. Jesus taught we should be ruthless in dealing with the source of our stumbling. Whether it is even our own eye or a hand or a limb that causes us to stumble, we should be willing to deal with it firmly or decisively so that we lead a victorious life. We should pluck out the cause by its roots from our lives so that it does not surface again.
The stumbling block can either come from within our own nature, our natural weaknesses or it can come through our inner circle, even from among our near and dear. We should be watchful to identify it early and deal with it in a determined manner. The stumbling block can come due to our own egos, our hidden pride. Hence, we should daily ask the Lord, the Holy Spirit to examine us as our spiritual doctor or divine Physician to diagnose what is wrong or even likely to go wrong. Once He identifies the hidden issue, we should allow the Spirit to remove it surgically from our inner being and lives.
The uni-verse warns us that in addition to we being careful not to stumble, we should not ourselves become a stumbling block in the spiritual progress and maturity of others. We should not be the cause of temptation, discouragement or falling away from faith of others we have some influence over. We ourselves not growing to spiritual and emotional maturity can be the source of harm for others who are not believers. Hence, we have a duty to the Lord, to ourselves and others to grow to the maturity of Christ, to grow in the sunshine and rain of His grace and wisdom to our highest potential, to remove anything that hinders or slows our growth and spiritual progress.
Woe ( judgement is coming) to the world because of stumbling blocks and temptations to sin! It is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to the person on whose account or through whom the stumbling block comes!
Matthew 18 v 7
We can fall, according to this uni-verse taught by Jesus Himself, due to either temptations or stumbling blocks which are traps or snares deliberately set up by the enemy or his agents to make us fall. We are to be wary of both, on the guard and prayerful for to be prayerful is to be powerful as Jesus Himself showed. We will be able only by His grace to ward off the temptation and keep ourselves from stumbling. Jesus taught we should be ruthless in dealing with the source of our stumbling. Whether it is even our own eye or a hand or a limb that causes us to stumble, we should be willing to deal with it firmly or decisively so that we lead a victorious life. We should pluck out the cause by its roots from our lives so that it does not surface again.
The stumbling block can either come from within our own nature, our natural weaknesses or it can come through our inner circle, even from among our near and dear. We should be watchful to identify it early and deal with it in a determined manner. The stumbling block can come due to our own egos, our hidden pride. Hence, we should daily ask the Lord, the Holy Spirit to examine us as our spiritual doctor or divine Physician to diagnose what is wrong or even likely to go wrong. Once He identifies the hidden issue, we should allow the Spirit to remove it surgically from our inner being and lives.
The uni-verse warns us that in addition to we being careful not to stumble, we should not ourselves become a stumbling block in the spiritual progress and maturity of others. We should not be the cause of temptation, discouragement or falling away from faith of others we have some influence over. We ourselves not growing to spiritual and emotional maturity can be the source of harm for others who are not believers. Hence, we have a duty to the Lord, to ourselves and others to grow to the maturity of Christ, to grow in the sunshine and rain of His grace and wisdom to our highest potential, to remove anything that hinders or slows our growth and spiritual progress.
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
More Victorious Than Conquerors
UV 3392/10000 More Victorious Than Conquerors
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8 v 37
Success is found on the mountain tops but victory is in the valleys of struggle. Jesus enables us by His grace and His word to overcome all the challenges we face in life and emerge victorious in each valley of our lives. Success produces happiness that we succeeded in achieving set goals while victory produces lasting joy that the Lord helped us overcome. Man’s quest for conquest is insatiable in every sense but we have deep satisfaction, fulfilment and rest that no conqueror enjoys even after his last conquest. We find our strength, comfort and rest in His love.
We are able to overcome the highs and lows, the dangers and threats, the vicissitudes of changing fortunes by holding onto the hope that we have in Christ. He will not let go of us or give up on us. He remains strong and faithful as a Rock even when we are tossed up and down by the waves of doubt, fear and despair. He is steadfast and consistent in fulfilling His promises to us. Even the greatest conquerors feared death and eventually succumbed to death but we have eternal life in Christ and hence, we do not fear death.
We live the present life in the flesh not as we love life but that we love Christ. His agape love gives us hope, meaning, power and purpose. He has taught us that love is the most excellent and we know that His love is perfect. As we imbibe His love and imitate His love in our lives, we are victorious. We are not defeated by any of the accusations of the enemy or any events or changes in our circumstances. Like conquerors, we keep pushing back the boundaries of fear, doubt, sin and weakness and increase or expand His territory, His influence and power or His kingdom in our lives.
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.
Romans 8 v 37
Success is found on the mountain tops but victory is in the valleys of struggle. Jesus enables us by His grace and His word to overcome all the challenges we face in life and emerge victorious in each valley of our lives. Success produces happiness that we succeeded in achieving set goals while victory produces lasting joy that the Lord helped us overcome. Man’s quest for conquest is insatiable in every sense but we have deep satisfaction, fulfilment and rest that no conqueror enjoys even after his last conquest. We find our strength, comfort and rest in His love.
We are able to overcome the highs and lows, the dangers and threats, the vicissitudes of changing fortunes by holding onto the hope that we have in Christ. He will not let go of us or give up on us. He remains strong and faithful as a Rock even when we are tossed up and down by the waves of doubt, fear and despair. He is steadfast and consistent in fulfilling His promises to us. Even the greatest conquerors feared death and eventually succumbed to death but we have eternal life in Christ and hence, we do not fear death.
We live the present life in the flesh not as we love life but that we love Christ. His agape love gives us hope, meaning, power and purpose. He has taught us that love is the most excellent and we know that His love is perfect. As we imbibe His love and imitate His love in our lives, we are victorious. We are not defeated by any of the accusations of the enemy or any events or changes in our circumstances. Like conquerors, we keep pushing back the boundaries of fear, doubt, sin and weakness and increase or expand His territory, His influence and power or His kingdom in our lives.
Tuesday, November 5, 2019
God's Handicrafts
UV 3391/10000 God’s Handicrafts
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2 v 10
Since we are the work of God created by His hands, we need His Word or Christ Jesus to be our Redeemer, Our model of perfection, the very image of God. We need to aim for the perfection of Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds. We should not allow a corrupt thought or motive to develop in our minds or for a corrupt word to emerge from our mouths. We are not mass manufactured but each one of us is uniquely created to manifest one aspect of the myriad aspects of the image of God. He has prepared us in Christ to fulfill His purpose for our lives with our unique character, gifting, backgrounds and experiences in life. We must be careful at the same time not to do or say anything that is not acceptable or pleasing to God.
Our faith in Christ which is deep and strong is the root while good works or deeds are the fruit. It is further a reflection of the inner fruit of the Spirit that should rise like life giving sap to formulate the good deeds that we should do. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control are the motives behind our good deeds. For instance, we spread love and joy through our acts of charity to the needy. Peace and patience restrain us from acting in anger or respond to provocations. Faithfulness enables us to be persistent and hopeful in our prayer life. Humility enables us to be servant leaders. Self discipline keeps us from being either indulgent or indolent.
The way we behave, communicate and work should reflect the excellence of Christ in our lives. The Holy Spirit is poured on us even as He was present with Bezaleel ( the craftsman of the Tabernacle ) , Daniel, the Jewish slave turned civil servant of ancient Babylonian empire and many other faithful witnesses. He is the One who helps us and enables us to excel for the glory of the Lord. Though our salvation is complete and finished in Christ, our character, our works and our sanctification is a continuum wherein God is still working in and on us. He continues to shape us with the spiritual chisel of His word, with experiences, both pleasant and tough, with different people He brings into our lives. We only need to submit and not resist His work in us.
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
Ephesians 2 v 10
Since we are the work of God created by His hands, we need His Word or Christ Jesus to be our Redeemer, Our model of perfection, the very image of God. We need to aim for the perfection of Jesus in our thoughts, words and deeds. We should not allow a corrupt thought or motive to develop in our minds or for a corrupt word to emerge from our mouths. We are not mass manufactured but each one of us is uniquely created to manifest one aspect of the myriad aspects of the image of God. He has prepared us in Christ to fulfill His purpose for our lives with our unique character, gifting, backgrounds and experiences in life. We must be careful at the same time not to do or say anything that is not acceptable or pleasing to God.
Our faith in Christ which is deep and strong is the root while good works or deeds are the fruit. It is further a reflection of the inner fruit of the Spirit that should rise like life giving sap to formulate the good deeds that we should do. Love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control are the motives behind our good deeds. For instance, we spread love and joy through our acts of charity to the needy. Peace and patience restrain us from acting in anger or respond to provocations. Faithfulness enables us to be persistent and hopeful in our prayer life. Humility enables us to be servant leaders. Self discipline keeps us from being either indulgent or indolent.
The way we behave, communicate and work should reflect the excellence of Christ in our lives. The Holy Spirit is poured on us even as He was present with Bezaleel ( the craftsman of the Tabernacle ) , Daniel, the Jewish slave turned civil servant of ancient Babylonian empire and many other faithful witnesses. He is the One who helps us and enables us to excel for the glory of the Lord. Though our salvation is complete and finished in Christ, our character, our works and our sanctification is a continuum wherein God is still working in and on us. He continues to shape us with the spiritual chisel of His word, with experiences, both pleasant and tough, with different people He brings into our lives. We only need to submit and not resist His work in us.
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