He is all we need

When times are tough, sometimes we can feel that God has abandoned us. Have you ever wondered why God puts us in such situations - situations when the odds are stacked against us and it looks like a losing battle. Sometimes we don't recognise that God may be the author of that very difficult situation. He sets us up in difficult circumstances so that He can show us that He is all that we really need and that we don't need to rely on ourselves. We see this in the life of Gideon.

The Israelite army of 32,000 men led by Gideon was getting ready to fight the Midianites when the Lord intervened and reduced the size of the army to a mere 300!
Judges 7:2-4
The LORD said to Gideon, "You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, 'My own strength has saved me.' Now announce to the army, 'Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.' So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained. But the LORD said to Gideon, "There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will sift them for you there. If I say, 'This one shall go with you,' he shall go; but if I say, 'This one shall not go with you,' he shall not go."
When God was done with the sifting, Gideon's army was reduced to 300, less than 1% of the original size of 32,000.

Undoubtedly, Gideon was shaken and wondering whether God had abandoned him and was even against him. But God gave Gideon encouragement to make him realise that He was in control and He was with them! God woke Gideon at night and enabled him to overhear a Midianite soldier recounting a terrifying dream - a vision of Israelite victory! This dream assured Gideon that the Lord was at work even in his seemingly imposible situation. And we know that Gideon went on to win the battle against the Midianites (Judges 7). Like Gideon, sometimes God may put us in a challenging, hopeless situation with the odds stacked against us. We need to realise that God never abandons us and that we can boldly rely on His faithfulness and His strength. He will make a way out for us so that His name is glorified!
John 16:33
"I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
Matthew 28:20
And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.

What are the challenges that you are facing? In this life, we will face heartache, difficulties, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. As a child of God, are you relying on your strength and abilities or instead are you relying on God's strength and His abilities. Realise that sometimes God wants us to know that He is sufficient for us. Yes, He is all that we need. Stand firm and be encouraged because our God is faithful and He leads us to definite victory!

Desire....

Have you wondered why Jesus would ask the invalid man who was lying by the pool of Bethesda whether he wanted to get well? Does it not seem rather callous? To understand, we need to step into this man's shoes. When you are an invalid for 38 years, you can sort of get used to where you are at, kill your desire to get well and resign to your situation and rely on others to help you get by. Jesus by asking him whether he wanted to get well, opens up in him a desire that he has long given up on.
John 5:1-6:
Some time later, Jesus went up to Jerusalem for a feast of the Jews. Now there is in Jerusalem near the Sheep Gate a pool, which in Aramaic is called Bethesda and which is surrounded by five covered colonnades. Here a great number of disabled people used to lie—the blind, the lame, the paralyzed. One who was there had been an invalid for thirty-eight years.When Jesus saw him lying there and learned that he had been in this condition for a long time, he asked him, "Do you want to get well?"

Desire is often looked down as a bad thing or something to be supressed and overcome. We need to realise that the ability to desire is a God given gift placed in us. To connect with God and to live in His will, we need to develop Godly desires. God is not interested in soul killing spirituality, a life lived by duty and obligations. Instead God is looking for mankind to live to its fullest, in total surrender, in total desire of Him alone. This is perhaps the secret to King David's full life, as he constantly declares his desires for God alone and that God will fulfill his desires.
Psalm 42:1-2
As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. When can I go and meet with God?
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Sometimes, we are fearful of getting in touch with our desires because we are afraid of what might be lurking in our hearts. However, we need to believe that we are children of the new covenant, and though we struggle with sin and have a tendency to go after false desires, we are really a new creation with a new heart given by God and empowered by the Spirit to desire and live in a way that brings glory to Him!
Ezekiel 36:25-27
I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all your impurities and from all your idols. I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws.

This year, how do you want to live? Do you want to live just the way you always have - just going about the same motions of life and doing things out of duty and obligation or do you want to awaken the desires in you that God has placed in your heart alone and live a rich abundant life? What do you really desire? Saint Iraneus said that "The glory of God is man fully alive". Blessed indeed are the ones who hunger and thirst after God!

Good Tidings of Great Joy!

Christmas is a time to rejoice as God's promised Messiah has been given to us! It is time to celebrate as we are reminded again that we are not left to our own devices but that God, the Creator of the universe is inteested in us and loves us and wants a relationship with us.

Isaiah 9:6
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

God of grace and mercy
  Looked down from up above
To see a world in chaos
  Without hope and love
He saw the only way
  Is to send His precious son
To be born of a woman
  Bringing hope to everyone
He came into the world
  Just a babe in swaddling cloth
Who one day grew to be
  The saviour of the lost.

Luke 2:8-14
And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests."

Wishing you a very special Christmas and a blessed New Year 2009! May you experience His love, joy and peace continually this season.

ps: I am taking a break from blogging and will write more in January!