UV 3463/10000 LOL
Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said in his heart, “Shall a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? And shall Sarah, who is ninety years old, bear a child?”
Genesis 17 v 17
Those who live by faith and not only by reason and sight obtain children by promise, land by promise and a Saviour or Messiah by promise. The serpent leader makes things look bleak when the promise takes time to be fulfilled. He casts doubt in our minds that it is too difficult or impossible thing to fulfill even by the Almighty. Even Abraham, the father of faith and the father by faith, erred in disbelieving that it is possible for Jehovah to give him a son at the ripe old age of a hundred years with his wife at ninety. Many of the big milestones we are looking for in our lives, the serpent leader will make it look like illusions to our mind.
Though Abraham laughed out of disbelief when he heard the promise of a son, God with His sense of humour, asked him to name his son to be born of promise, Isaac or laughter. Indeed, when God has the last word in our lives, we can have the last laugh. The birth of a son and an heir to Abraham and Sarah became a cause of much laughter in their household. Likewise, when the Lord makes His tabernacle in our hearts, we will hear the voice of laughter in our lives, we will be the recipient of much good news, whether it is children by promise, land or possessions by promise and of course, the personal Saviour by promise. Good news is accompanied by laughter and the good news of our personal salvation is to be accompanied by much laughter. The serpent leader wants us to grieve, mourn, weep, moan, lament, be sad, worried and depressed but the Servant Leader Jesus wants us to rejoice again and again, to be cheerful, happy, glad. Laughter Is not just the best medicine but it is to be our daily diet.
When we laugh, the enemy, the serpent leader is sad, depressed, feels defeated. When we are joyful, we stay healthy, live long, we are creative and productive. We are grateful to the Lord for His many blessings and always thank and praise Him. Our faith keeps expanding and we leave no scope for bitter words or memories or thoughts to grip our hearts. The ultimate cause of the laughter in our lives is the Servant Leader. We can laugh at death, at curses, at the powers of darkness. With God in our lives and Jesus in our hearts, the impossible is inevitable, the difficult is easy to visualize or imagine. We can laugh in the midst of troubles and difficult circumstances, while we are waiting for the fulfilment of the promise of God, for the inevitable impossible to happen, the difficult to be resolved. We need not fall down on our faces and laugh like Abraham and Sarah but we can laugh out loud or LOL.
Friday, February 7, 2020
Thursday, February 6, 2020
Promises Outlast A Lifetime
UV 3462/10000 Promises Outlast A Lifetime
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,
“ I am God Almighty; Walk (habitually) before Me ( with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence), and be blameless and complete ( in obedience to Me).
Genesis 17 v 1
The Servant Leader walked in integrity before God, always communing with the Lord Almighty, always aware of the presence of the Lord. Likewise, Abram walked in integrity before God, knowing that He is always present with him. The serpent leader in contrast deceives people by telling them that they can do things secretly, without anyone knowing, that the Almighty would not see. The Servant Leader is blameless in His conduct while the serpent leader is the one who blames or accuses people. The latter causes people to stray away from a life of integrity and faith. Abram stayed faithful even when he was very old. Many leaders fall after many years of walking faithfully with the Lord.
The Servant Leader did not doubt or blame God even when He had to drink the cup of most severe suffering that He certainly did not deserve. Even to His last breath on the cross, He remained faithful and entrusted His soul into the hands of the Lord. We too should be committed to be blameless, to live a life of integrity before the Almighty to the very end. We cannot let our guard down after a few years of being faithful but remains alert and vigilant to the very end, wary of the ways of the serpent leader, clinging to the Servant Leader and trying to emulate His perfect character.
None of us are perfect but all of us can try to be perfect. As long as we are trying hard, we are deemed faithful. Abram, too had certain personal failures but his faith justified him and it was credited to him as perfection or righteousness. We have to commit ourselves only for a lifetime while the Lord commits for eternity. His faithfulness is from everlasting to everlasting. His promises last well beyond our lifetime even as the promises to Abram or Abraham are still being fulfilled. That is the reward of living a faithful, testimonial life in the footsteps of the Servant Leader, Jesus.
When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said,
“ I am God Almighty; Walk (habitually) before Me ( with integrity, knowing that you are always in My presence), and be blameless and complete ( in obedience to Me).
Genesis 17 v 1
The Servant Leader walked in integrity before God, always communing with the Lord Almighty, always aware of the presence of the Lord. Likewise, Abram walked in integrity before God, knowing that He is always present with him. The serpent leader in contrast deceives people by telling them that they can do things secretly, without anyone knowing, that the Almighty would not see. The Servant Leader is blameless in His conduct while the serpent leader is the one who blames or accuses people. The latter causes people to stray away from a life of integrity and faith. Abram stayed faithful even when he was very old. Many leaders fall after many years of walking faithfully with the Lord.
The Servant Leader did not doubt or blame God even when He had to drink the cup of most severe suffering that He certainly did not deserve. Even to His last breath on the cross, He remained faithful and entrusted His soul into the hands of the Lord. We too should be committed to be blameless, to live a life of integrity before the Almighty to the very end. We cannot let our guard down after a few years of being faithful but remains alert and vigilant to the very end, wary of the ways of the serpent leader, clinging to the Servant Leader and trying to emulate His perfect character.
None of us are perfect but all of us can try to be perfect. As long as we are trying hard, we are deemed faithful. Abram, too had certain personal failures but his faith justified him and it was credited to him as perfection or righteousness. We have to commit ourselves only for a lifetime while the Lord commits for eternity. His faithfulness is from everlasting to everlasting. His promises last well beyond our lifetime even as the promises to Abram or Abraham are still being fulfilled. That is the reward of living a faithful, testimonial life in the footsteps of the Servant Leader, Jesus.
Tuesday, February 4, 2020
The Compassion of the Servant Leader
UV 3461/10000 The Compassion of the Servant Leader
Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are “God who sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here ( in the wilderness) remained alive after seeing Him ( who sees me with understanding and compassion.”
Genesis 16 v 13
God proves He is impartial, compassionate and kind by hearing the cry of Hagar’s heart and gave her solace in the form of a promise to multiply her descendants. The serpent leader had induced Sarai to persecute her maid Hagar while the Servant Leader looks on all with compassion and kindness. We can cast all our anxiety on Him, at His feet and He will give us deliverance. He will sustain us in our wilderness moments when all have abandoned us.
Jehovah heard Hagar’s sighs and sent a messenger to comfort her and encourage her with hope. When all had abandoned her in this world, hope had not left her. Hagar takes the word from the angel of comfort as evidence that the Lord had not only heard her but had seen her. He would not leave her desolate and destitute. He counsels her to return to Abram’s house- a practical word of advice for she was pregnant and could not roam in the wilderness. Hagar at the time the angel found her near a spring of water was trying to find her way to her native Egypt. The Servant Leader gives us sound and wise advice or counsel at the times of crisis in our lives. Hence, He is called Wonderful Counsellor.
The serpent leader often drives people to desperation, to even think of giving up and taking their lives. A large number of people in the world today end their lives by suicide owing to the spirit of suicide sent to them by the serpent leader. The Servant Leader, in contrast, sustains people who are persecuted, tormented, oppressed with hope, counsel and provision. People at large are unable to distinguish between the voice of the serpent leader and the Servant Leader and get deluded and deceived by the former. Today, the Word of God is our Beer-lahai-roi (where Jehovah encouraged Hagar), the “Well of the Living One who Sees Me.”
Then she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her, “You are “God who sees”; for she said, “Have I not even here ( in the wilderness) remained alive after seeing Him ( who sees me with understanding and compassion.”
Genesis 16 v 13
God proves He is impartial, compassionate and kind by hearing the cry of Hagar’s heart and gave her solace in the form of a promise to multiply her descendants. The serpent leader had induced Sarai to persecute her maid Hagar while the Servant Leader looks on all with compassion and kindness. We can cast all our anxiety on Him, at His feet and He will give us deliverance. He will sustain us in our wilderness moments when all have abandoned us.
Jehovah heard Hagar’s sighs and sent a messenger to comfort her and encourage her with hope. When all had abandoned her in this world, hope had not left her. Hagar takes the word from the angel of comfort as evidence that the Lord had not only heard her but had seen her. He would not leave her desolate and destitute. He counsels her to return to Abram’s house- a practical word of advice for she was pregnant and could not roam in the wilderness. Hagar at the time the angel found her near a spring of water was trying to find her way to her native Egypt. The Servant Leader gives us sound and wise advice or counsel at the times of crisis in our lives. Hence, He is called Wonderful Counsellor.
The serpent leader often drives people to desperation, to even think of giving up and taking their lives. A large number of people in the world today end their lives by suicide owing to the spirit of suicide sent to them by the serpent leader. The Servant Leader, in contrast, sustains people who are persecuted, tormented, oppressed with hope, counsel and provision. People at large are unable to distinguish between the voice of the serpent leader and the Servant Leader and get deluded and deceived by the former. Today, the Word of God is our Beer-lahai-roi (where Jehovah encouraged Hagar), the “Well of the Living One who Sees Me.”
Monday, February 3, 2020
Man-made Solutions for God-Allowed Problems
UV 3460/10000 Man-made Solutions for God Allowed Problems
So Sarai said to Abram, “ See here, the Lord has prevented me from bearing children. I am asking you to go in to (the bed of ) my maid ( so that she may bear you a child); perhaps I will obtain children by her.” And Abram listened to Sarai and did as she said.
Genesis 16 v 2
Sarai was frustrated with her apparent barrenness. She did believe the promise of God given under covenant that they would have a son. She could not wait for the fulfilment of the promise. She decided to do what many of us often do, try to find a man-made solution to God- allowed problems, or to try to help God solve the problem. On top of such folly in retrospect, Abram, the man of faith listened to her counsel and did as she said without thinking of the long term complications of such a decision.
The serpent leader had induced Sarai to feel bad about her barrenness and suggested the solution, the short cut that would make Abram unfaithful to his marital commitment. The Servant Leader never advices short cuts that are unethical. Knowing that nothing is impossible for God, He counsels patience, to pray and wait for the answer from the Lord. The remedy became worse than the problem for the servant Hagar became haughty in her attitude towards Sarai, her mistress. She started looking at her with contempt and even allowed the creeping ambition sent into her heart by the serpent leader that she could become the mistress of the house of Abram. The Servant Leader Jesus rightly diagnoses that out of the heart of man comes murder, fornication, rape and every type of crime and sin. He offers a remedy of faith in His word, His promises.
The Servant Leader Jesus is the solution to God-allowed problems. He is the Yes and Amen to all God’s promises. He is the One who seals it, clinches it, nails it for us. He makes negative situations positive. He releases the grace of God into our predicaments to either resolve it or to give us strength to bear it. Nothing is impossible for Him and He makes possible the impossible for those who trust Him and His word. We need to think that the One who gave up Heaven for us, who gave up on possessions for us, who gave up His family for us, who gave up His clothes, His body, His blood, will He not give us what we so desperately need? The serpent leader sows doubts and fears into our hearts to weaken our faith and mar our relationships with both God and man even as he sowed the seeds of antagonism between Sarai and her maid, Hagar.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
The Rewards of Faith
UV 3459/10000 The Rewards of Faith
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward (for obedience) shall be very great.
Genesis 15 v 1
God does not say, “ I will give you a shield and and a reward..” He says, “I am your shield, your reward..” Today, the Servant Leader is our shield and reward for obedience by faith. The ultimate obedience is believing God and His word, the ultimate disobedience is disbelieving God and His word. The serpent leader induces and rewards people for disbelieving God and His word while the Servant Leader rewards those who believe Him and His word. The Lord manifests Himself in what we need and expect. He celebrates our faith by doing so. Abram receives the reward for his faith and obedience by being recipient of the great promise that he would be the father of a son and through him become the father of countless descendants. Today, that promise has been fulfilled as many nations attribute their faith to Abraham and his obedience.
The Lord also gave Abram the promise that he would inherit the land of Canaan. He gave him the promise of long life. Abram also experienced a horror of great darkness in the form of a nightmare as he fell into a deep sleep during this encounter with Jehovah. The great darkness was a symbol of the 400 years of slavery, the descendants of Abraham experienced in Egypt till they were led to freedom and the promised land by Moses and Joshua. The Servant Leader keeps His trysts with us on our life’s journey while the serpent leader flatters to deceive us.
Abraham believed God and His word, His promises and his faith was counted as righteousness. More than the promises Abraham received, the important blessing we all receive through his encounter with God is that our faith is reckoned in God’s sight as righteousness. Like Abraham, our faith is greatly rewarded. He is our shield and our great reward as we yield to Him in wholehearted trust and obedience. The serpent leader tries to shake our faith and our relationship with God and the Servant Leader Jesus by sowing doubts, by tempting us, by afflicting us in a variety of ways. We fall short in our words and actions in many ways. Hence, a perfect sacrifice was needed. When Abram asks for proof of the promises of God, God asks him to sacrifice a three year old heifer, a three year old female goat, a three year old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon. These sacrifices are symbolic of the three year public ministry of the Servant Leader Jesus. Thought He is ruler and Crown Prince of heaven, Jesus came in the humble form of a servant and became further, a sacrifice for us at the end of the three years of public teaching and ministry. The Crown Prince was sacrificed for the crown of God's creation- humanity so that instead of one heir, God has as many heirs as humans would believe in Him.
After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision, saying, “Do not be afraid, Abram, I am your shield; your reward (for obedience) shall be very great.
Genesis 15 v 1
God does not say, “ I will give you a shield and and a reward..” He says, “I am your shield, your reward..” Today, the Servant Leader is our shield and reward for obedience by faith. The ultimate obedience is believing God and His word, the ultimate disobedience is disbelieving God and His word. The serpent leader induces and rewards people for disbelieving God and His word while the Servant Leader rewards those who believe Him and His word. The Lord manifests Himself in what we need and expect. He celebrates our faith by doing so. Abram receives the reward for his faith and obedience by being recipient of the great promise that he would be the father of a son and through him become the father of countless descendants. Today, that promise has been fulfilled as many nations attribute their faith to Abraham and his obedience.
The Lord also gave Abram the promise that he would inherit the land of Canaan. He gave him the promise of long life. Abram also experienced a horror of great darkness in the form of a nightmare as he fell into a deep sleep during this encounter with Jehovah. The great darkness was a symbol of the 400 years of slavery, the descendants of Abraham experienced in Egypt till they were led to freedom and the promised land by Moses and Joshua. The Servant Leader keeps His trysts with us on our life’s journey while the serpent leader flatters to deceive us.
Abraham believed God and His word, His promises and his faith was counted as righteousness. More than the promises Abraham received, the important blessing we all receive through his encounter with God is that our faith is reckoned in God’s sight as righteousness. Like Abraham, our faith is greatly rewarded. He is our shield and our great reward as we yield to Him in wholehearted trust and obedience. The serpent leader tries to shake our faith and our relationship with God and the Servant Leader Jesus by sowing doubts, by tempting us, by afflicting us in a variety of ways. We fall short in our words and actions in many ways. Hence, a perfect sacrifice was needed. When Abram asks for proof of the promises of God, God asks him to sacrifice a three year old heifer, a three year old female goat, a three year old ram, a turtledove and a young pigeon. These sacrifices are symbolic of the three year public ministry of the Servant Leader Jesus. Thought He is ruler and Crown Prince of heaven, Jesus came in the humble form of a servant and became further, a sacrifice for us at the end of the three years of public teaching and ministry. The Crown Prince was sacrificed for the crown of God's creation- humanity so that instead of one heir, God has as many heirs as humans would believe in Him.
Attitude towards Riches
UV 3458/100000 Attitude towards Riches
“That I would not take anything that is yours, from a thread to a sandal strap, so that you could not say, “ I, (the King of Sodom) have made Abram rich.”
Genesis 14 v 24
Abram refused to take any share of the spoils of war from his ally the King of Sodom. He did not want the credit or honour for making him rich to go to the latter. He relied by faith on Jehovah. Jehovah had made him rich without adding any sorrow. The one sorrow he had of his not having an heir was also not affecting him as he believed in the promise of God. Indeed, it is written in the book of Proverbs that “When God makes a man rich, He adds no sorrow to it.” Most people try to become rich by their own efforts and have many sorrows pierce their hearts. They become weary and sacrifice everything else at the altar of wealth.
It is written in scripture that it is God who gives us the ability to make wealth. It was Jehovah who as one of the signs of favour upon Abraham invested him with wealth. Hence, God is not per se against wealth but He is certainly against wealth becoming an idol or golder calf in our hearts. We are to be industrious, enterprising and make use of every good opportunity to increase or multiply our resources. But our first priority in life should be to know God and to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The serpent leader tries to distract people by engaging them in the relentless and often ruthless pursuit of riches. Hence, the saying that “behind every great fortune there is a crime.”
We need to have a sense of contentment with what the Lord has provided for us this far even while we work hard to increase our substance. We should also set apart a part to give to others, to worthy or needy causes, to give to the less privileged and poor. We are to be also good stewards of our resources and not spend it in a wasteful, boastful or extravagant manner. We need to always seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Our goal should be not to be so poor that we curse our lives or so rich that we have no place or need for God in our lives.
“That I would not take anything that is yours, from a thread to a sandal strap, so that you could not say, “ I, (the King of Sodom) have made Abram rich.”
Genesis 14 v 24
Abram refused to take any share of the spoils of war from his ally the King of Sodom. He did not want the credit or honour for making him rich to go to the latter. He relied by faith on Jehovah. Jehovah had made him rich without adding any sorrow. The one sorrow he had of his not having an heir was also not affecting him as he believed in the promise of God. Indeed, it is written in the book of Proverbs that “When God makes a man rich, He adds no sorrow to it.” Most people try to become rich by their own efforts and have many sorrows pierce their hearts. They become weary and sacrifice everything else at the altar of wealth.
It is written in scripture that it is God who gives us the ability to make wealth. It was Jehovah who as one of the signs of favour upon Abraham invested him with wealth. Hence, God is not per se against wealth but He is certainly against wealth becoming an idol or golder calf in our hearts. We are to be industrious, enterprising and make use of every good opportunity to increase or multiply our resources. But our first priority in life should be to know God and to worship Him in spirit and in truth. The serpent leader tries to distract people by engaging them in the relentless and often ruthless pursuit of riches. Hence, the saying that “behind every great fortune there is a crime.”
We need to have a sense of contentment with what the Lord has provided for us this far even while we work hard to increase our substance. We should also set apart a part to give to others, to worthy or needy causes, to give to the less privileged and poor. We are to be also good stewards of our resources and not spend it in a wasteful, boastful or extravagant manner. We need to always seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Our goal should be not to be so poor that we curse our lives or so rich that we have no place or need for God in our lives.
Saturday, February 1, 2020
Blessedness of Divine Favour
UV 3457/10000 Blessedness of Divine Favour
Melchizedek king of Salem ( ancient Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine (for them); he was the priest of God Most High
Genesis 15 v18
Melchizedek was king of Salem but also priest of the Most High God. Salem means peace. One was an office of profit, the other the office of priest and prophet. He called Abram blessed, meaning joyful and favoured by God. He, too blessed Abram and as a token served bread and wine, a forerunner of the Communion to be instituted by the Servant Leader to commemorate and celebrate His own sacrificed body and shed blood. The serpent leader, in contrast curses people and tries to take what is theirs for himself. Jesus, the Servant Leader is like Melchizedek, King of Peace and Priest of Righteousness, Prophet of truth.
We, too as followers of the Servant Leader are to pour out our lives as a living sacrifice unto the Most High God. We are joyful as we are favoured by God. Abram was favoured by God as He obeyed the Lord in faith even before he saw the fulfilment of any promise. We endeavor to consistently walk in the favour of the Lord. We can please the Lord only with our faith. Like Melchizedek, we should be kings and priests before God. We should offer sacrifices that are pleasing to the Lord. When we do so, we enjoy both peace and joy. Peace and joy are the two spiritual essentials for humanity.The serpent leader tries to lure people away from obeying the Lord and thereby bring more and more under the shadow of misery.
The serpent leader lured Cain to disobey God, to be cursed and haunted for the rest of his life. Abel though he was killed enjoys peace and joy at the right hand of the Father in heaven. The Servant Leader came to show humanity the way back to God, how to align with the truth and how to live a faithful, God pleasing and obedient life.
Melchizedek king of Salem ( ancient Jerusalem) brought out bread and wine (for them); he was the priest of God Most High
Genesis 15 v18
Melchizedek was king of Salem but also priest of the Most High God. Salem means peace. One was an office of profit, the other the office of priest and prophet. He called Abram blessed, meaning joyful and favoured by God. He, too blessed Abram and as a token served bread and wine, a forerunner of the Communion to be instituted by the Servant Leader to commemorate and celebrate His own sacrificed body and shed blood. The serpent leader, in contrast curses people and tries to take what is theirs for himself. Jesus, the Servant Leader is like Melchizedek, King of Peace and Priest of Righteousness, Prophet of truth.
We, too as followers of the Servant Leader are to pour out our lives as a living sacrifice unto the Most High God. We are joyful as we are favoured by God. Abram was favoured by God as He obeyed the Lord in faith even before he saw the fulfilment of any promise. We endeavor to consistently walk in the favour of the Lord. We can please the Lord only with our faith. Like Melchizedek, we should be kings and priests before God. We should offer sacrifices that are pleasing to the Lord. When we do so, we enjoy both peace and joy. Peace and joy are the two spiritual essentials for humanity.The serpent leader tries to lure people away from obeying the Lord and thereby bring more and more under the shadow of misery.
The serpent leader lured Cain to disobey God, to be cursed and haunted for the rest of his life. Abel though he was killed enjoys peace and joy at the right hand of the Father in heaven. The Servant Leader came to show humanity the way back to God, how to align with the truth and how to live a faithful, God pleasing and obedient life.
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