Rock of Ages, Cleft for me

Have you heard the old hymn Rock of Ages, Cleft for me?
Rock of Ages, cleft for me,
Let me hide myself in Thee;
Let the water and the blood,
From Thy riven side which flowed,
Be of sin the double cure;
Save from wrath and make me pure.
According to a famous story, Rev. Augustus Montague Toplady wrote this hymn when he was travelling along a gorge and was caught in a storm. Finding shelter in a gap in the gorge, he was struck by the title and scribbled down the initial lyrics.

Life is so much like that. There are storms we have to face everyday - they may not always be natural calamities but storms in financial markets, or our jobs or in our relationships. Whatever the nature of our storm, the Lord wants to let us know that He is our refuge and shelter and our ever present help. He is our rock, eternal and steadfast. We can have perfect peace if we learn to trust Him even in the midst of the storm.
Isaiah 26:3-4
You will keep in perfect peace
&nbsp &nbsp him whose mind is steadfast,
&nbsp &nbsp because he trusts in you.
Trust in the LORD forever,
&nbsp &nbsp for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal.

David was faced with many problems. As a young man, he was hunted down for his life by King Saul, someone whom he looked up to as a father figure. He faced heartache and was fleeing for his life everyday but he understood that he would be safe as long as he trusted in God, who was a rock higher than any problem or rock he would ever face.
Psalm 61:1-4
Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer.
From the ends of the earth I call to you,
I call as my heart grows faint;
lead me to the rock that is higher than I.
For you have been my refuge,
a strong tower against the foe.
I long to dwell in your tent forever
and take refuge in the shelter of your wings.

When faced with trials and tribulations, what do you do? Do you fear and hide within yourself? Or do you hide yourself in the Rock that is higher than you? Make God your hiding place and He will protect you and deliver you!
Psalm 32:7
You are my hiding place;
you will protect me from trouble
and surround me with songs of deliverance.

Food for Thought?!

What are we living for? If we are living to work so that we can have food to eat and earn our living, then we are totally missing the point for which Jesus came for. Life is far worth than just satisfying our apetities for food and material goods. We do not live so that we can eat nor do we eat so that we can live. Life is not meant to be lived as though we are consuming entities but it is meant to be lived in relation with God and people! This was evidenced from the way Jesus answered His tempter in the desert.
Matthew 4:1-4
Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. The tempter came to him and said, "If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread." Jesus answered, "It is written: 'Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

Well, here is more food for thought. Jesus when he ministered to the Samaritan woman, said that he would give her living water so that she would never thrist again. This is because Jesus realised that her hunger was far more than for food or drink. There is an interesting lesson that we can learn from the exchange between Jesus and his disciples when the disciples got back from buying some food while Jesus was talking to the Samaritan woman. Here is a snippet:
John 4:27,31-34
Just then his disciples returned and were surprised to find him talking with a woman. But no one asked, "What do you want?" or "Why are you talking with her?" ... Meanwhile his disciples urged him, "Rabbi, eat something." But he said to them, "I have food to eat that you know nothing about." Then his disciples said to each other, "Could someone have brought him food?" "My food," said Jesus, "is to do the will of him who sent me and to finish his work.
Here Jesus is saying that a fulfilled life can only be lived if the focus is to do will God's will rather than pandering to the apetite of the flesh.

What are you pursuing? If you are pursuing the temporal material things, you will never be satisfied. Jesus asks us to pursue Him if we want complete fulfillment.
John 6:35
Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty."
Food is a metaphor not just for nourishment but for real eternal fellowship. The invitation to join Jesus in an eternal relationship is given to you. Will you seek eternal spiritual food or settle only for the temporal?
Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Little Things Matter..

All of us would like to increase our ability and resources and be all that we can be so that we can live to our maximum potential. One of the essential qualities that Jesus says in order to achieve that is faithfulness in little things. I for one hated it when I was chided by my parents for not putting back things in its proper place or not handling little things the way I should have but I have now appreciate the lesson that the way we handle small things matter...
Luke 16:10-12
"Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches? And if you have not been trustworthy with someone else's property, who will give you property of your own?"

Sometimes we think that we need not be faithful in little things as they do not really matter or that no one will ever notice the difference. If we think that when it comes to a big job or a big opportunity, then suddenly we will do the right thing and execute things faithfully, we are deceived. This is because sometimes we are so conditioned to cutting corners or doing things unfaithfully, we will fall into the same pattern whether it is important or not and others too will not trust us as we are not faithful. At other times, God will not entrust us with bigger opportunities as we are not faithful with the little.

Often being faithful in the little things is preparing us for the bigger things that God is waiting to entrust us with! This is clearly taught by Jesus in the parable of the talents as well:
Matthew 25:22-26a
"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.' "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'
"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.' "His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant!"
Faithfulness means to be faithful all the time - not most of the time, even in seemingly insignificant little things!

Are you trustworthy and reliable with the little things that God has entrusted you with? You can measure your faithfulness by reflecting on how you have handled tasks when no one is watching you, by the way you have handled someone else's possessions or even with what you do with your time and resources and treat other people. God wants you to stop deceiving yourself into thinking that small things do not matter.. they always do. God wants to entrust you with more but He wants to see how faithful you are with what you have now..
Matthew 24:45-47
"Who then is the faithful and wise servant, whom the master has put in charge of the servants in his household to give them their food at the proper time? It will be good for that servant whose master finds him doing so when he returns. I tell you the truth, he will put him in charge of all his possessions."

Directions for Life

Have you ever taken directions from anyone to get to a particular place? Let us suppose you were asked to take the first left, followed by the third right and then the second left to arrive at the destination. If the first turn you took was wrong, say for example, you took the first right instead of the first left but followed every direction after that correctly, do you know that you will not arrive at the correct destination? That's what God says about wisdom. True wisdom and understanding starts when we first come to God and know Him for who He is and that's why Solomon wrote the following famous proverb:

Proverbs 9:10
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

So if you are a Christ follower, we are at least on the right path to wisdom as we know Him. But sometimes instead of letting God doing the leading, we decide to take the control. If we liken the Christian life to driving the car, we have Jesus in the car. The question is whether He has the full control at the front seat or are we the ones really in control telling God what He needs to do by being a back seat driver! An important truth we need to realise is that if God is providing directions for our lives, He needs to be in the front seat and in full control! Jesus is the shepherd, the good shepherd who knows what we need and will do everything to provide, protect, nurture and establish us! We just need to follow as His sheep.
Psalm 23
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.

God desires to truly direct us each day. Like a shepherd who leads his sheep step by step, we can too get directions for each step from God's words. We need to spend time with the Good Shepherd to get wisdom, guidance so that we can prepared to do His will! We need to spend time reading His word, spend time praying in His presence and hearing His voice so that we are directed by God.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 (NLT)
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work.
John 10:27
My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.

Be encouraged that if you are a Christian that you have access to God - the source of all wisdom and knowledge! Be also encouraged that God is our shepherd and He wants to lead us step by step. Are you as His sheep, listening for His voice everyday from His word and giving Him full control to lead you?

Be Passionate and Not Lukewarm!

The recurring theme throughout all of the letters written by the senior devil named Screwtape to the novice devil Wormwood in the book "The Screwtape Letters" by the famous theologian C.S.Lewis, is to make Christians indifferent so that they are rendered ineffective for the kingdom. The devils in this satirical book were not trying to get Christians to do things that were outrightly evil but rather make them live in idleness and lukewarmth. Today, if we were to look at churches, fellowships and even our own lives, lack of passion and lukewarmness is a very real problem.

In the book of Revelation, Christ when speaking to the city of Laodicea, chided the Laodicean church for their lack of passion. Laodicea had the dubious distinction of having the dirtiest and foulest water supply in Asia Minor. Not only that, but the water was tepid - neither hot nor cold. Christ therefore compared their spiritual state to the water supply of that city.
Revelation 3:15-16
I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.

The bottom line is that God wants us to be fired up. He wants us to be zealous, passionate, full of life and focussed. He does not want us to idle, standing in the sidelines but He desires our participation and involvement with passion! Jesus Himself fulfilled the prophecy that zeal for His Father's house will consume Him when he drove the monet changers out of the Temple of Jerusalem(Psalm 69:9).
John 2:13-17
Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who sold oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers doing business. When He had made a whip of cords, He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers’ money and overturned the tables. And He said to those who sold doves, “Take these things away! Do not make My Father’s house a house of merchandise!” Then His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for Your house has eaten Me up.”

How would someone you know describe your Christian walk - as lukewarm or passionate? If you have been lukewarm, it is time to confess this sin and resolve to be passionate as Jesus was. We cannot be apathetic and half hearted about such a great salvation. Such a great salvation demands our life, our all - to be lived with passion! Let's move out from the sidelines from being mere observers and let us participate to lead an active, wholehearted and passionate Christian life!

The Potters Hand

Throughout the Bible, we are likened to clay and to God as the potter fashioning us. Clay cannot be transformed without the potter. It takes the potter's skill, artistry, creativity and patience to create a unique piece. It takes the potter to apply just the right amount of pressure when and where it is needed. It takes the potter's hands! In Genesis, God tells us how he fashioned Adam from clay and then made Eve out of his side. God not only initially formed us and but wants to continue shaping our lives.

Clay has two defining characteristics: Firstly, it can be fashioned into a particular shape as it is pliable and totally submissive and can retain the shape it is cast into and secondly, when it is fired, its makeup is transformed, so it becomes nearly impervious to any decay or corrosion. Moreover, the clay has to be "turned" or "moved." No shaping takes place without movement.

Sometimes we can think of ourselves as marred or not redeemable. But in the below verse is a picture of God reshaping us to to be the best. In order for God to do this, we need to be available to Him - totally yielded and allowing to be turned in His skillful hands! When we surrender ourselves to Christ, God can take our sins, shame and problems and spin them into a design that glorifies Him.
Jeremiah 18:1-6
This is the word that came to Jeremiah from the LORD : "Go down to the potter's house, and there I will give you my message." So I went down to the potter's house, and I saw him working at the wheel. But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shaping it as seemed best to him.

As clay vessels, each of us must take a journey of being shaped into more and more into His likeness and character. The steps in this journey can be painful but are necessary for us to be transformed from broken bits of clay into anointed vessels that reflect the glory of the Lord. God is a master artisan who knows how to shape our life and make something beautiful. He knows just how much pressure to apply without breaking us, just how much heat to apply so we set our eyes on Him and how and when to move us so that the right experiences and circumstances can continue to fashion as for a glorious outcome. We need to be pliable in the Master potter's hand and co-operate with Him. We can trust this process as there is no one who is more skilled in the business of personal transformation and who knows us intimately like our Lord, the Master Designer and Potter.
2 Timothy 2:20-21
But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and silver, but also of wood and clay, some for honor and some for dishonor. Therefore if anyone cleanses himself from the latter, he will be a vessel for honor, sanctified and useful for the Master, prepared for every good work.

What is the reality of your life - as the clay in the Potters hand or as someone trying to direct your own life? Confess your sins and draw near to Him yielded and submissive so that God can shape your life into something beautiful!
Isaiah 64:8
Yet, O LORD, you are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.
In the words of the Hillsong song Potters Hand, make this your prayer:
Take me, mould me, use me, fill me
I give my life to the Potter's hand
Call me, guide me, lead me, walk beside me
I give my life to the Potter's hand.

Be a Clear Reflection of Christ!

Have you ever wondered why the truth of the gospel is not embraced by many? I think that one of the reasons that the gospel is not accepted is because our words are not supported by actions. When the words of the gospel are not reflected in our lives, we lack credibility and acceptance. Another reason is our fear, fear that causes us to communicate without conviction in what we believe. Let us have a look at the word to see what the Bible says to us to deal with these two specific issues.

James says that faith without action is dead. No one wants to follow a faith that is hollow, without substance. Gandhi was intrigued by Christianity and read the Gospels. He was impressed by the teachings of Jesus. However, he did not accept Christianity because Christians did not live out what they preached. He said, "I'd be a Christian if it were not for the Christians." If we live a life that is coherent with what we preach, then naturally many will be attracted.
James 2:14-17
What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.

Fear is a huge limiting factor in many areas of our life including sharing our incredible faith.  We are probably fearful of being rejected and fearful of being shamed with things that could possible go wrong. We need to understand that God loves us in spite of everything we are and we could possibly do. So take the pressure of yourself because it is the Holy Spirit who will bring abut conviction. John writes that perfect love casts out fear. When we step out in His name, God will come through and help us. Every conversation, every opportunity where we witness to God's incredible work in our own life is a step in planting a seed in someone else's life.
1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment. The one who fears is not made perfect in love.
2 Timothy 1:7
For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.
Isaiah 41: 10
So do not fear, for I am with you;
   do not be dismayed, for I am your God.
I will strengthen you and help you;
   I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.

How is the gospel message that you share being received by your audience? Do you think that you need to improve your credibility by uniting your words with the way you live? Or is it fear that is robbing you of communicating the truth with conviction and love? Make a decision to deal with whatever area you are struggling with in order to not be a stumbling block for others. Be a clear reflection of who Christ is so that many will come to the knowledge of Christ!

When the Music Fades...

When we often think of worship, we mostly associate singing worship songs and playing music to the Lord. I love the lyrics from Matt Redman's worship song that echoes that music and singing is not the heart of worship but the heart of worship is really OUR HEART!
When the music fades, And all is stripped away
And I simply come, Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth, That will bless your heart
I'll bring You more than a song, For a song in itself
Is not what You have required, You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear, You're looking into my heart.

Since true worship is about God and not about us, what is it that He desires? Jesus taught on what worship is and He said that true worship is worshipping God in spirit and in truth.
John 4:21-14
Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
What Jesus means is that worship is not an outward demonstration but an inner connection from our heart to God out of a real relationship with Him! True worship is a lifestyle borne out of a continual relationship with God and is not restricted to a place or time of day!

As someone said, "It's not the art, but the heart". Jesus warned us that worshipping without our heart right is being a hypocite.
Matthew 15:7
You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you: 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men
David who was a great worshipper, understood that if he cherished sin in his heart that God would accept his worship.
Psalm 66:18
If I had cherished sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.

Jesus also said all strife and sin originate from the heart. If our heart is not right with God, we cannot worship in spirit and in truth. That is why we need to confess our sin and come back to God!
Matthew 15:16b-18
Jesus asked them. "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body? But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man 'unclean.'
1 John 1:9
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.

How is your worship - is it once a week affair when you go to church or is it a lifestyle reflecting and connecting with God every moment of every day? If there is something fundamentally wrong with the relationship, then nothing we can do externally will actually make up for that. God is not after the songs that we sing but He wants our hearts.. Confess all sin and have a close heart relationship with God. Then when the music fades, our worship will not cease but always be present as it borne out of a close relationship with Him!

Dare to be Different

We live in a time when the popular culture is so against everything we believe and stand for. How can we live a Godly life when the pressure of the culture asks us to conform? We have an example in Daniel who lived a Godly life in a secular culture. As a young man, Daniel was uprooted from his Jewish home and sent to Bablyon in the service of the Babylonian king. Even in a secular hostile culture, Daniel lived a Godly life and the principles he lived by can still be applied by us today!

In the king's palace Daniel decided not to partake the king's food and wine because it was not kosher and also maybe it was sacrified to the idols. Daniel resolved in his heart to not dilute his principles and the standard that God expected even though he was in a secular culture.
Daniel 1:8
But Daniel resolved not to defile himself with the royal food and wine, and he asked the chief official for permission not to defile himself this way.
The official guards decided to let Daniel and his four friends to eat only vegetables for 10 days for a test and miraculously they were heathier and nourished than the rest of the young men!
Daniel 1:15-16
At the end of the ten days they looked healthier and better nourished than any of the young men who ate the royal food. So the guard took away their choice food and the wine they were to drink and gave them vegetables instead.

We see that God honored their resolve and provided a way for them to practice their faith even in a secular culture! In addition, to that God decided to honor their obedience and blessed them with wisdom and knowledge! Godly obedience always leads to distinction far above what the world can offer!
Daniel 1:17-20
To these four young men God gave knowledge and understanding of all kinds of literature and learning. And Daniel could understand visions and dreams of all kinds. At the end of the time set by the king to bring them in, the chief official presented them to Nebuchadnezzar. The king talked with them, and he found none equal to Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah; so they entered the king's service. In every matter of wisdom and understanding about which the king questioned them, he found them ten times better than all the magicians and enchanters in his whole kingdom.

How are you living in the midst of the secular culture around you? Are you compromising your faith and belief because it is too hard or are you taking a stand for Him? Remember, it is worth resolving in your heart to follow Him though the way is narrow and is against the popular stream. Dare to be different! Dare to be a Daniel! And God will surely bless your obedience and lift you up! Don't settle for the lowly worldy standards when the highest Godly distinction awaits you!

On an Exciting Adventurous Journey..

As little children, we were more adventurous. In my childhood, I grew up on a staple diet of Famous Five, the Five Findouters, Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys! I loved the mysteries and adventures that the children in the story ran into and my friends and I were confident that we too will run into mysteries that needed solving and prepared ourselves with key skills like climbing trees, writing an invisible letter and trying to open a locked door! As adults due to life's pressures, we somehow pull back and expect to live without risks and surprises because we fear the unknown. However, in the Christian life, God wants us to have an exciting adventurous life - full of suspense and surprises but with a difference - with the Lord by our side!

With Christ by our side, we are free once again, free to dream and to go on an adventure. No matter the risks, the drama or the suspense - He always promises to come through and be at our side! We only need to trust in Him and not fear as He alone has our best interests in His mind, even more than we think we do!
Isaiah 43:1-3, 13
But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: "Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.... Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand. When I act, who can reverse it?"

What should we do to live without fear and go on an adventurous journey? We can ask the Holy Spirit who lives in us to strengthen us from the unlimited resources of God and cast out fear! We need inner strength and resolve to live an adventurous life, anticipating what God is going to do in and through us. God is ready to empower us and we need to fall on our knees and tap into the mighty power and strength of our Lord.
Ephesians 3:14-16 (NLT)
When I think of all this, I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower you with inner strength through his Spirit.

Once we start living this way, we need to keep pushing on through it confident that God will come through for us till we see His will accomplished in and through our lives. Confident trust and patient endurance in the Lord is the key we need to carry throughout the adventurous journey if we are to come out shining!
Hebrews 10:35,36 (NLT)
So do not throw away this confident trust in the Lord. Remember the great reward it brings you! Patient endurance is what you need now, so that you will continue to do God’s will. Then you will receive all that he has promised.

How are you looking at your life - as an exciting adventurous journey with God or a dull existence with things to do because it needs to be done? God wants your life to be an exciting adventure - not always comfortable but definitely rich with experiences of His faithfulness and grace coming through every unknown unexpected situation! Ask the Holy Spirit to enable you to strengthen your inner being and nurture your trust in the Lord as you live out His will in an adventurous life!

You Are Not Alone

There are times when we can be in a crowd and still feel lonely. There are times when we feel totally unnoticed and wish there was someone who understood who we really are and our heart. Sometimes it can feel like the whole world is against us. But this perception that we feel, is it really true?

During the time of Elisha, the kings of Aram and Israel were at war. But because God told Elisha where the Aramaens were, and Elisha told the king of Israel, the Israelites were always winning. The king of Aram decided to take action against Elisha and went and surrounded Elisha and when he woke up, he was surrounded by a huge army. Let us read the following verses to see what happened.
2 Kings 6:15-17
When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. "Oh, my lord, what shall we do?" the servant asked.
"Don't be afraid," the prophet answered. "Those who are with us are more than those who are with them."
And Elisha prayed, "O LORD, open his eyes so he may see." Then the LORD opened the servant's eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.
Here we see that the Lord knew the situation that Elisha was, and Elisha had the confidence that he was not alone even when in the natural it seemed so.

The new testament also shows us that we are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses. We are not insignificant or alone - we are more than noticed by the God and even a great cloud of witnesses, the heroes of faith!
Hebrews 12:1-2
Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Are you feeling alone against the whole world? Be confident that the Lord is with you just like He was with Elisha! Rest in the promise that our God will never leave you nor forsake you and is with you to the ends of the earth.
Psalm 27:1-3
The LORD is my light and my salvation—
&nbsp &nbsp whom shall I fear?
&nbsp &nbsp The LORD is the stronghold of my life—
&nbsp &nbsp of whom shall I be afraid?
When evil men advance against me
&nbsp &nbsp to devour my flesh,
&nbsp &nbsp when my enemies and my foes attack me,
&nbsp &nbsp they will stumble and fall.
Though an army besiege me,
&nbsp &nbsp my heart will not fear;
&nbsp &nbsp though war break out against me,
&nbsp &nbsp even then will I be confident.

Make a Choice for Commitment

God loves our whole hearted commitment to Him and He does not want us to be double minded. Until there is commitment, there is hesitancy and a chance to draw back. The Bible describes such a person as one who is tossed about, unsure of everything, not dependable and lacking direction.
James 1:6-8
...when he asks, he must believe and not doubt, because he who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That man should not think he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all he does.
On the other hand, when we are totally committed, we move ahead no matter what the circumstance and this is when God will break through and reveal Himself in that situation!

Let us look at the story of Daniel's three friends Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego who were in training in Babylon under King Nebucchadnezer. These Jewish youth were very committed to their God and refused to bow down to a golden idol that Nebucchadnezer had built even though there was an edict passed that said they will be thrown into the furnace. They were brought to the king and their commitment questioned.
Daniel 3:14
.. Nebuchadnezzar said to them, "Is it true, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, that you do not serve my gods or worship the image of gold I have set up?
Even before the king, the three friends did not flinch. They were wholeheartedly committed and they were ready to be thrown to the fire because they knew the God they served was steadfast, faithful, dependable and responsible.
Daniel 3:16-18
Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego replied to the king, "O Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves before you in this matter. If we are thrown into the blazing furnace, the God we serve is able to save us from it, and he will rescue us from your hand, O king. But even if he does not, we want you to know, O king, that we will not serve your gods or worship the image of gold you have set up."

We know how the story ended. God rescued the boys from the fire and God was glorified.
Daniel 3:25-28
He said, "Look! I see four men walking around in the fire, unbound and unharmed, and the fourth looks like a son of the gods." Nebuchadnezzar then approached the opening of the blazing furnace and shouted, "Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, servants of the Most High God, come out! Come here!" So Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego came out of the fire, and the satraps, prefects, governors and royal advisers crowded around them. They saw that the fire had not harmed their bodies, nor was a hair of their heads singed; their robes were not scorched, and there was no smell of fire on them. Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God.
When there is commitment, we will be tried but when we stick to it, God is glorified and God will bless our lives to have lasting impact.

Someone said that there are three kinds of Christians - tow boat Christians, sail boat Christians and steam boat Christians. The tow boat Christians never go unless somebody drags them along. The sail boat Christians go in fair weather. The steam boat Christians go at all times. Which one are you? Are you committed whole heartedly? Or are you double minded? If you are wavering, what is your concept of God? If you truly know the love and commitment God has for you, you will make a choice of commitment.

Evergreen Romance

How many of you love a great love story? My favourite ones are Darcy and Elizabeth in Jane Austen's classic "Pride and Prejudice" and also of Rhett Butler and Scarlet O' Hara in "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell. Your heart aches as you go through the story and feel so much for the protagonists - both the man and the woman who are caught up in pride and prejudice and oblivious of the love in each other's heart. It is a similar story with God's love for us and I believe it is the best love story ever.

Before everything was created, God in His trinity was in perfect communion and love. Then God created the angels and invited them to His heart and home and one of them, Lucifer decided that he wanted to take centre stage and be the main character and rebelled against God. This broke God's heart. Inpsite of God's heartbreak, He decided to create man and woman with a free will to choose Him, so that He could commune with them and enjoy close commanionship and a deep romance.
Ephesians 1:4-6,12 (The Message)
Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son.....Long before we first heard of Christ and got our hopes up, he had his eye on us, had designs on us for glorious living, part of the overall purpose he is working out in everything and everyone.

Like an unfeeling callous spouse who sleeps with a stranger on a honeymoon, Adam and Eve spurned God's love for them and believed in Satan's lies that God is holding out on them though they had no reason to believe in that. Paradise was lost and God's heart was deeply wounded.
Isaiah 57:8
Behind your doors and your doorposts you have put your pagan symbols. Forsaking me, you uncovered your bed, you climbed into it and opened it wide; you made a pact with those whose beds you love, and you looked on their nakedness.

Yet inspite of being rejected, God instead of abandoning us, decides to go all out and woo us back! He decides to bestow on us grace and the long love story of His pursuit of humanity begins and continues with the offer of His own life - life of His only Son to woo us back into a deep romance with Him.
Jeremiah 2:2, 23b, 24 ;31:3 (The Message)
I remember the devotion of your youth, how as a bride you loved me and followed me through the desert, through a land not sown...What fault did your fathers find in me, that they strayed so far from me? ....You are a swift she-camel running here and there, a wild donkey accustomed to the desert, sniffing the wind in her craving— in her heat who can restrain her? ....
I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness.

Do you realise the love that God has for you? Do you realise that He is pursuing you endlessly with an everlasting evergreen love.... Only He could love you this way, so deeply. Don't break His heart again and spurn His love, return your love to Him and make this greatest love story a beautiful one. It is now upto you... give Him your love, your heart, your life, your all.

Abundant Full Life

When someone asks us how we are doing, are you able to answer that you are living abundantly? Jesus said, He came so that we can have life, abundant full life, not an ordinary unsatisfying average life.
John 10:10
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.
Paul tells us that he knows the secret to be content in every situation and not let the situation rob his life of fulness.
Philippians 4:12
I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want.
What is the secret to live the abundant life that Jesus promised and to be content in every situation?

An aspect we forget is that we are a new creation and the past has gone and has no hold on us unless we allow it to.
2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
Our God is a God who is "I AM" and can empower us for every present moment no matter what happened in the past. His mercies are new every morning! When we live in the past, we either believe that things were better in the past than now or that if things were wrong in the past, we tend to believe that the present too will follow the pattern of the past. We need to stop living in the past and anticipate God to work through in our present - every moment, everyday!

Another aspect that robs us of our present day abundant life is to expect God to act according to our expectations and timetables. When we do this, we feel as though we have missed out on things in our life and unconsciously blame God and not enjoy our fellowship with Him. When we rest in God's timetable, we can enjoy each moment of life without stressing out that it has all passed us by. We can go through life being joyful when others succeed because we know that God hasn't forgotten our desires and dreams. In His perfect timing, He will answer our prayers as we delight in Him.
Psalm 37:4
Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart.

Are you joyful and living an abundant life? If you are not, examine whether you are living in the past or expecting God to act according to your timetable instead of His. God knows how to give good things to you as His child. Trust in Him today for today and for all your tomorrows and live abundantly!
Luke 11:9-13
"So I say to you: Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 10For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. "Which of you fathers, if your son asks for a fish, will give him a snake instead? Or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!"

A Heart for the Lost

We all know the story from the Book of Jonah in the Old Testament. Jonah was the prophet who was asked by God to go to the city of Nineveh and preach to them so that they turn away from their wickedness. But Jonah was against God's plan as he did not think the Assyrian Gentile city was worth preaching to and he ran away instead to Tarshish on a ship. While at sea, he was thrown into the sea to calm the storm when the others in the ship discovered that Jonah was running away from God in disobedience.

God provided for a whale to swallow him and vomit him on the shore after 3 days. God again commanded Jonah to go to Nineveh and this time Jonah obeyed albeit reluctantly. The city of Nineveh repented on Jonah's preaching and they were saved from God's anger. However, Jonah was angry with God. He could not understand why God had saved the people of Nineveh, who were Assyrians and a powerful kingdom that could rise against Israel. In order to make Jonah understand, God provided a vine to provide shade for Jonah but a worm ate the whole vine the next day and Jonah was very concerned and angry about the vine. Here is what God told Jonah in response:
Jonah 4:10-11
But the LORD said, "You have been concerned about this vine, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. But Nineveh has more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left, and many cattle as well. Should I not be concerned about that great city?"

Sometimes we can be very self-righteous and inward looking, focussing on our own little "vines", our small world around us. However, God's focus is always bigger and His heart beats for everyone, especially the lost. Notice in the verse below the focus on the lost.
II Timothy 2:24-26
And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. Those who oppose him he must gently instruct, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.

What is the condition of your heart? Are you worried about only what concerns you or does your heart feel for the millions who are lost and dying in this world? It is very easy to condemn but it is more needful to rescue. Let us not get caught up in our own righteousness and fail to see the lost and dying world around us.