Hearing, Seeing and Doing...

The story of the Prodigal Son is a profound story of extravagant love, grace and forgiveness of the father to the wayward son who squanders his wealth and finds his way back home. The son leaves home thinking "out there" he is going to find success and fulfillment. He discovers that after the initial thrill, he is lost, wasted and starving and longs to return to the father's house where even the servants had plenty. The contrast is stark - away from the Father there is lack, suffering and deprivation while at the Father's house there is abundance, joy and celebration!
Luke 15:22
But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate.

Hearing..
Jesus is our Good Shepherd and He says that His sheep hear His voice (John 10:27). It is really important that we stay close to Jesus to hear His voice and don't wander off thinking that there is something better "out there". Jesus has come so that we can have life and have it in abundance!

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.

God's plans, purposes and intentions for us are the best and it is all experienced in the Father's house! So are you close to Jesus that you are hearing His voice and not wandering "out there"?

Seeing..
The future is not ahead of us, it lies within each of us as we begin to see things as God sees us. The vision you see today should lead to the decisions and actions we take and these create the future.

Ephesians 1: 18- 19

I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength. 

Vision is the key to our future. What glimpses of the future does the eyes of your heart see? Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal this to you.

Doing..
We are made for greatness and significance. Real greatness comes from serving others. The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in serving others. Martin Luther King said, Life’s most persistent and urgent question is “What are you doing for others?”. Everybody can be great because anybody can serve.” Jesus’ words were the same, encouraging us to serve others.

1 Peter 4:10 – Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in it’s various forms.
Matthew 20:26 – 28: Whoever wants to be great among you must become your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave – just as the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and to give His life as a ransom for many.

Serving is a hall mark of a disciple and it takes many forms. What are your forms of serving others? What are you doing every day to live out the greatness and significance?

As we go about our lives, let’s be careful about that we are hearing God’s voice, seeing the vision that God has for us and doing what He has called us to do so that we can truly live out our destiny!

Never Been this Way Before...

It's the start of the New Year - new beginnings, new opportunities, new possibilities - so much to look forward to and expect! However, it is a year we have not walked before and if we are honest, we possibly have questions of how the year will turn out, some of us may have fear, trepidation, anxiety of how to conquer the challenges ahead of us and wonder how the road not traveled before is going to turn out.

Joshua was in a similar position - He had to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land after the death of Moses. 
Joshua 3:1-4 
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittimand went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. After three days the officers went throughout the camp, giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about two thousand cubits between you and the ark; do not go near it.”

So how did Joshua go about going through a road he had never been before? The Bible records three things that Joshua specifically did and these can serve as guideposts in our own journey as we traverse through unknown territories and conquer new challenges and live victoriously this year!
Joshua 3: 5-8
Joshua told the people, "Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing thongs among you."
Joshua said to the priests, "Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people." So they took it up and went ahead of them.
And the Lord said to Joahua, "Today I will begin to exalt you in the eyes of all Israel, so they may know that I am with you as I was with Moses. Tell the priests who carry the ark of the covenant: When you read the edge of the Jordan's waters, go and stand in the river.' "

The first thing that Joshua told his people to do was to sanctify themselves. To sanctify means to dedicate oneself to a higher purpose, to be set apart. We can live for a lower purpose of grasping at everything that comes our way in terms of entertaining and gratifying ourselves and living for the moment versus making a conscious decision that our lives this year will be consecrated to Him. How can we sanctify ourselves this year to be used by God in the way we think and act, what we do with our time, resources and the way we honor God and people? We can consecrate ourselves by choosing to walk by the Spirit and not giving in and gratifying the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16)

The second thing that Joshua did was to take up the Ark of the Covenant. The Ark of the covenant was special to the Israelites as it signified God's presence with them. In it were the Ten Commandments, a golden pot of manna and Aaron's staff that sprouted buds, blossoms and ripe almonds supernaturally. Each of these objects have a spiritual significance that we can apply in our own lives.
The Ten Commandments serve as a reminder of the covenant relationship between God and the Israelites. For us, we have a covenant relationship with Christ - He has redeemed us and written his truth in our hearts and sealed us with His Holy Spirit! How should we then live in a way that gives preeminence to Christ in all that we do?
The pot of manna serves as a reminder that ultimately God alone is our provider and supplier of our needs. Christ is the Bread of Life. Do we recognise that our source is God and that we will never run out of His provision for us and He will supply all our needs? So we can put our trust in Him and we don't need to put our trust on a job or business or a person or even our own feelings and perceptions. We can stand on the promises of our God and depend on Him alone!
Aaron's staff supernaturally produced buds, blossoms and ripened almonds overnight! This was given as a sign to the Israelites after they rebelled and grumbled against Aaron and Moses' authority. Do we grumble about our circumstances when things don't go the way we envision? Let's take encouragement that we serve a God who is far bigger and stronger than any circumstance that we will face this year.

The third thing that Joshua did was to go to the waters of Jordan and take a step and stand in the river! When Joshua did that, the waters parted!
Joshua 3: 15-16
Now the Jordan is at flood stage all during harvest. Yet as soon as the priests who carried the ark reached the Jordan and their feet touched the water’s edge, the water from upstream stopped flowing. It piled up in a heap a great distance away, at a town called Adam in the vicinity of Zarethan, while the water flowing down to the Sea of the Arabah (that is, the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. So the people crossed over opposite Jericho. 
Sometimes, we just sit back and expect God to part the waters and do a miracle for us! He will but often we have to take a step of faith and get our feet wet! What are the steps of faith that God is asking you to take this year?

Joshua followed the above principles and he helped the Israelites cross over into the Promised Land and overcome even more challenges to possess the land! He had never been this way before but giving preeminence to God through sanctification, depending on God as his source and not grumbling or complaining along the way and by actually outworking his faith, Joshua was successful in traversing and conquering the lands he had never been before. And just like Joshua, you too can this year!

Pursuing your Destiny with Passion and Perseverance!

A moment can change your life, your destiny when you recognise and respond to the call of God! Elisha had such a moment - the moment that changed the course of his life and he found his purpose and destiny. He was doing his every day job, doing the back breaking job of plowing the fields of his family, unknown, undiscovered in the backwaters of Israel. Who but Elijah, the established prophet comes by? And not only does he come by but he goes up to Elisha and throws his cloak around him to take up his prophetic mantle! Throwing the cloak in ancient times, was a sign of passing on a designation or placing a call to take up the mantle!

What an opportunity seemingly out of nowhere! God does have a plan - the opportunities to transition and step into your calling may come unannounced when you are least expecting it, when you have given up and feel stuck in your day to day routine. If you stay faithful to what God has called you to do and keep a heart and spirit willing to respond without grumbling and complaining about your lot in life, and be in communion with God - you will surely recognise the moment and not miss it or see it pass by! Elijah was quick to respond - he did not stand there and question it, toy with the idea of trying something like this another day or year but did what he needed to quickly do and respond to the call with urgency without missing the opportunity and the rest is history!

1 Kings 19:19-21

So Elijah went from there and found Elisha son of Shaphat. He was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen, and he himself was driving the twelfth pair. Elijah went up to him and threw his cloak around him. Elisha then left his oxen and ran after Elijah. “Let me kiss my father

and mother goodbye,” he said, “and then I will come with you.” “Go back,” Elijah replied. “What have I done to you?” So Elisha left him and went back. He took his yoke of oxen and slaughtered them. He burned the plowing equipment to cook the meat and gave it to the people, and they ate. Then he set out to follow Elijah and became his servant.

Elisha not only took up his calling but pursued it with passion and perseverance. He stuck to his master Elijah to the end, wanting to spend as much time with him even though Elijah himself discouraged him three times and asked him to turn back just before he was to be taken upto heaven in a whirlwind. Talk about commitment and not letting discouragement of not seeing his mater anymore keep him from pursuing his own call!

2 Kings 2: 2-6

When the Lord was about to take Elijah up to heaven in a whirlwind, Elijah and Elisha were on their way from Gilgal. Elijah said to Elisha, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to Bethel.”

But Elisha said, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went down to Bethel. The company of the prophets at Bethel came out to Elisha and asked, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” Elisha replied, “so be quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here, Elisha; the Lord has sent me to Jericho.”And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So they went to Jericho. The company of the prophets at Jericho went up to Elisha and asked him, “Do you know that the Lord is going to take your master from you today?” “Yes, I know,” he replied, “so be quiet.” Then Elijah said to him, “Stay here; the Lord has sent me to the Jordan.” And he replied, “As surely as the Lord lives and as you live, I will not leave you.” So the two of them walked on.

This perseverance to pursue his calling, is why he was able to ask Elijah for a double portion of the Elijah's anointing and actually receive it on the condition that he actually saw Elijah being lifted up!

When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?”“Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied. “You have asked a difficult thing,” Elijah said, “yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours—otherwise, it will not.” As they were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind. Elisha saw this and cried out, “My father! My father! The chariots and horsemen of Israel!” And Elisha saw him no more. Then he took hold of his garment and tore it in two. Elisha then picked up Elijah’s cloak that had fallen from him and went back and stood on the bank of the Jordan. 

Elisha did receive not only Elijah's cloak or prophetic mantle but also the double portion of Elijah's anointing and went on to do great things for the Lord in this tumultuous time of Israel's history! How are you preparing your heart to respond to God's call when it comes? Are you ready to step into destiny, able to discern God's call and not question it or dilly dally and totally miss the opportunity? Do you have the passion and perseverance to not just step out but to see it through like Elisha did? A moment can literally change the course of your life and destiny when you respond to the One who calls you....

Positioning for Breakthroughs!

Sometimes we can feel beaten by life and we shelve all our dreams and aspirations especially if they did not eventuate according to our timeline and even lose our faith in God for a breakthrough. How can we position ourselves for a breakthrough and enter into the things that God has planned and purposed for us even in times of adversity. 

The story of the Shunammite woman who lived in Elisha's time from 2 Kings 4:8-37 gives us some keys on how to plough through in faith. The story starts with this woman creating a room for Elisha, a man of God to come and stay in her home. She said to her husband, "I know that this man who often comes our way is a holy man of God. Let’s make a small room on the roof and put in it a bed and a table, a chair and a lamp for him. Then he can stay there whenever he comes to us.” On one of the visits of Elisha, he asked his servant Gehazi on what can be done for this woman in return for her hospitality.

2 Kings 4: 14 - 17
“What can be done for her?” Elisha asked. Gehazi said, “She has no son, and her husband is old.” Then Elisha said, “Call her.” So he called her, and she stood in the doorway. “About this time next year,” Elisha said, “you will hold a son in your arms.” “No, my lord!” she objected. “Please, man of God, don’t mislead your servant!”  But the woman became pregnant, and the next year about that same time she gave birth to a son, just as Elisha had told her.
This Shunammite woman positioned herself to receive her blessing by “Creating Room" for God in her life. Though her dream had not eventuated according to her timeline, she continued to make space for God and this positioned her for Elisha to proclaim prophetically that her dream of being a mother would be realised in a year's time, even when she dared not believe in her dreams anymore because she did not want to be disappointed.

The story does not end here. This precious son of the Shunammite woman grows up and suddenly dies. Sometimes, we may start well on a dream or vision and then we run into roadblocks like this woman does. We can wallow in self pity, discuss our problems with everyone and be paralysed in our situation and give up again when we are faced with the impossible. But that's what this Shunammite woman did not do when faced with the impossible. 

2 Kings 4: 18 - 24 
The child grew, and one day he went out to his father, who was with the reapers. He said to his father, “My head! My head!” His father told a servant, “Carry him to his mother.” After the servant had lifted him up and carried him to his mother, the boy sat on her lap until noon, and then he died. She went up and laid him on the bed of the man of God, then shut the door and went out. She called her husband and said, “Please send me one of the servants and a donkey so I can go to the man of God quickly and return.” “Why go to him today?” he asked. “It’s not the New Moon or the Sabbath.” “That’s all right,” she said. She saddled the donkey and said to her servant, “Lead on; don’t slow down for me unless I tell you.” So she set out and came to the man of God at Mount Carmel.
Wow, what a response! She did not waste time in even telling her husband that their son was dead. She fled to have God intervene in her situation through Elisha. God honored her faith - Elisha prayed to God and stretched himself on the boy and he came to life after sneezing seven times. The woman received her son back again!

The story does not even end here. God's favour was with her when she again faced adversity again (2 Kings 8: 1- 6). When she left her home and lands to escape the famine in the land, her property was repossessed and she went to appeal to the king. 

2 Kings 8: 3-6
At the end of the seven years she came back from the land of the Philistines and went to appeal to the king for her house and land. The king was talking to Gehazi, the servant of the man of God, and had said, “Tell me about all the great things Elisha has done.” Just as Gehazi was telling the king how Elisha had restored the dead to life, the woman whose son Elisha had brought back to life came to appeal to the king for her house and land. Gehazi said, “This is the woman, my lord the king, and this is her son whom Elisha restored to life.” The king asked the woman about it, and she told him. Then he assigned an official to her case and said to him, “Give back everything that belonged to her, including all the income from her land from the day she left the country until now.”
Wow, what favor, what a restoration! If we are faithful in following God no matter what adversity we face and persevere, God will honor us just like he did to this Shunammite woman.

Yes life may have been hard on you lately - what is your response? Do you feel like shutting God out of our life or do you want to continue to create room for God and persevere in faith when faced with the impossible like this Shunammite woman did? If you do, God will provide a breakthrough for you and you will find favor and restoration - not according to your timeline but according to His for His glory!

This is How I Fight my Battles!

I love the song by Michael W. Smith "This is how I fight my battles".

It may look like I'm surrounded but I'm surrounded by You!
Nothing is as strong as Your blood
This is how I fight my battle
Right here at the table
Your blood and Your body has overcome!
How powerful to sing this in worship and make it our battle song!

However when troubles and problems may surround us on every side, we tend to feel we are alone and we are overcome by the enemy. We forget that God is for us and on our side and is fighting the battles we face and He will bring us victory! A good story that illustrates this is from 2 Kings chapter 6. The nation of Aram was at war with the nation of Israel.  Every time that Aram attacked the nation of Israel, Israel was prepared and escaped the Aramean strategy. This was because God was revealing the war plans of the enemy to Elisha and he would duly inform the king of Israel. When the king of Aram got wind that Elisha was the one helping Israel to win, he sent an army to get Elisha.

So you can imagine the shock and panic that Elisha's servant felt when he woke up one morning, surrounded by the enemy and totally outnumbered. Let's pick up the story here.
2 Kings 6: 5 - 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 no, 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, “Open his eyes, LORD, so that 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.What an experience for Elisha's servant when his eyes were opened by the Lord and actually saw the Lord's army!

In the natural it felt that Elisha and his servant were far outnumbered and without any hope. In reality, it was the opposite – those who were for Elisha and his servant far outnumbered the enemy and there was definite victory! Yes, this is how we fight our battles, by standing on the victory that Christ has won for us by the shedding of His blood.
Romans 8: 37 - 39
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,[k] neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What is your reality today – do you feel outnumbered and defeated or do you know beyond a shadow of doubt that Christ is for you and with you, no matter what you have to go through. Ask the Lord to open your eyes and your heart to the truth and then stand on it! This is how we fight our battles! We are more than conquerors!

Facing the Giants...

Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference. It can help us achieve great things and overcome challenges that we never thought was possible, or it can limit everything we do. The story of the twelve spies in the Bible is one that highlights this. Moses sent twelve spies to spy the promised land Canaan and to come back with a report.

Only two of the spies, Joshua and Caleb came with a report that they can indeed conquer and possess the land. The other ten spies came back with the report that they would not be able to conquer the land and that they seemed like grasshoppers in their own eyes. What a great difference in perspective on the very same situation!
Numbers 13:30-33
Then Caleb silenced the people before Moses and said, “We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it.” But the men who had gone up with him said, “We can’t attack those people; they are stronger than we are.” And they spread among the Israelites a bad report about the land they had explored. They said, “The land we explored devours those living in it. All the people we saw there are of great size. We saw the Nephilim there (the descendants of Anak come from the Nephilim). We seemed like grasshoppers in our own eyes, and we looked the same to them.”

What makes Joshua and Caleb press forward in faith while the other ten spies shrink back in fear and are unable to take hold of their destiny and promises of God?
Numbers 14: 24 But because my servant Caleb has a different spirit and follows me wholeheartedly, I will bring him into the land he went to, and his descendants will inherit it.
Revelations 12:11 gives us keys on how to be an overcomer and triumph over the enemy who constantly belittles and undermines us and wants to rob, steal and destroy our destiny in God. Revelations 12:11
They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.

Joshua and Caleb fixed their eyes on God and had complete trust and faith that God would take them to the promised land as He had promised. Given we are people of the new covenant, how much more faith we should have in Jesus Christ who has overcome the enemy by His victory on the cross by the shedding of His innocent blood! The second thing is that Joshua and Caleb did not speak negatively and their confession was in line with their belief. The third key was that Joshua and Caleb were bold and realised God was in control and did not fear for their lives.

How do you see yourself in comparison to the challenges and obstacles in front of you? Do you feel like a grasshopper like the ten spies did or is your attitude like that of an overcomer like Joshua and Caleb? Let's not give in to the tactics of the enemy who constantly undermines and intimidates us to make us feel like grasshoppers. We are more than conquerors through Christ and we are not alone in the battles of life we face as Christ is right with us! Let's confess God's truth and promises and know that God has a plan, purpose and destiny for us and He is in control. Choosing to give in means embracing stagnancy and limiting ourselves while choosing to fight the battle means that we embrace and possess all that God has for us like Joshua and Caleb did!

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 season 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!

Prepare Him Room

Christmas is the celebration of the good news that the amazing, all powerful, omniscient God, the creator of the universe chose to come in human likeness so that we may have an abundant eternal life.
Philippians 2:5b-7
..Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness.
Jesus could have chosen to come to earth as a popular rich King but He chose to come in a humble way as an unknown to let us all know that He identifies with all of humanity. There was no room for the King of Kings anywhere that He had to be born in a lowly manger.
Luke 2:6-7
While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The life of Jesus even from His birth was one of sorrow - people rejected Him or crowded Him out of their lives.
Isaiah 53:3
He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering. Like one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
Could it be that even we who have embraced Him sometimes live our lives not esteeming Him who gave up all the joys and comforts of heaven for our sake? There are many things that possibly crowd out Jesus from our hearts and lives and leave Him with little or no room. These things could include busyness, anger, unforgiveness, bitterness, disappointment, doubt, self pity, selfishness.. When Jesus is not in the centre of our hearts, we create room for entanglements.

This Christmas, its time to clean up our hearts and lives and prepare Him room! Its time to get rid of all entanglements that draw us away from having Him at the centre and whole of our hearts and minds and lives. When we are entangled and things of this world crowd our heart, we are violating the first and greatest commandment that the Lord gave us.
Matthew 22:36-38
Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.
The heart is the centre and core of our being and if we honor God with all our heart and mind, then we will have true joy! We can get rid of all entanglements and get Jesus to fill our whole hearts by reading and obeying His word, confessing sin, examining our heart, guarding what we set our affections on and living according to truth rather than feeling.
Proverbs 4:23
Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.

How is your heart this season? Is it crowded with the busyness or worry or doubt or pain or anger.. that Christ is moved to the periphery? An old medieval Christmas poem says "Though Christ a thousand times in Bethlehem be born, if He's not born in you, your heart is still forlorn". Prepare Him room in your heart this season by getting rid of all entanglements and crown Him the King of your whole heart and experience the joy of knowing and living for Him!
John 1:14
The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Follow the Star!

No Christmas story is complete without mentioning the three wise men who came from afar bearing gifts to worship the new born King! The three wise men when they came to pay homage to Jesus had to make a lot of decisions - they had to start on a very long journey not really knowing the destination by just following the star, they gave Herod news that they were seeking a new born King by following a star but they also chose not to return to Herod and returned home by another way. We know this decision by the wise men was important. On the highway to decision making, we all have some processes - some decisions are spontaneous, some are intuitive, others are thought through to discern which way to choose. For some decisions, we rely on the wisdom and counsel of others and some decisions are made on what “feels” good. We can look at the story of the wise men and learn on how we should make decisions.

The three wise men were seekers - seeking and worshipping the Son of God was their utmost priority. They probably waited and longed for the Messiah king, studying the heavens for signs and decided to give up the comfort of their homes to set out on an adventurous journey making every effort to seek and worship the One who is worthy of all worship. They were able to seek and worship God because they understood in humility that inspite of their wisdom and riches that in God is the ultimate fulfillment all our seeking and longing.
Matthew 2:1-2, 10-11
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem in Judea, during the time of King Herod, Magi from the east came to Jerusalem and asked, "Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star in the east and have come to worship him."......When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.

The second thing that the three wise men did was to discern what God wanted them to do. Discerning what God wants us to do in life is necessary to make wise decisions and avoid unplesant compromising consequences. Discernment is the ability to think in a Godly manner about all areas of life and is indispensable to an uncompromising life. The wise men were able to discern from their dream not to return to Herod and they did the right thing and avoided any unpleasant consequence.
Matthew 2:12-13
And having been warned in a dream not to go back to Herod, they returned to their country by another route. When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. "Get up," he said, "take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him."
Knowing God will enable us to develop the gift of discernment. The wise men clearly knew who Jesus was - bringing Him gifts of gold, incense and myrrh that signified His royalty, His priesthood and His sacrifice.
2 Peter 1:3
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.

Reflect on the kind of decisions you have made in your life. Have they been wise and Godly? Do you want to make Godly wise decisions? Make it a priority to seek God in humility and to know Him so well so that you can discern God's will. God wants to guide you just like He guided the three wise men to the Messiah child through His star. We just need to seek Him and find His star and follow it!

Fuel of Faith - Obedience!

The fundamental thing that keeps a house together is the structure - the foundation and the load bearing walls. If we can liken Christianity to a house, faith in Christ is the foundation stone and the walls that hold our house together. However, obedience is the roof over the house of faith that keeps us protected from the outside elements and attacks of the enemy. Our feelings and emotions are merely the outer cover like paint and decorations that finishes the house but alone it does not stand up! The problem with most of us is that we largely like to live our life going purely by feelings and emotions. "If it ain't gonna feel good, I am not doing it", is our favourite slogan. When we live like this, we are subject to every attack of the enemy as we have no protection because we are like a house without a roof. Obedience is central to a faith that is growing and is central to walking in God's will.

Obedience is not having a strong will but rather it is aligning ourselves with God's plan, will, call and purpose for our lives. It is surrendering of our will knowing that God's will is far superior and better as a result of knowing who He truly is and knowing that He can be trsuted implicitly.
Isaiah 55:8-9
For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD. "As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.
It is surrendering our will so that we decrease and He increases just as John the Baptist said (John 3:30).
Throughout the Bible, God's heart is for people to come into a true relationship with Him, to come to a place of obedience resulting from complete trust. That is why in the Old Testament, though there was an elaborate system of sacrifices for sin and covering disobedience, God says that He delights in obedience rather than sacrifices.
Isaiah 1:11
The multitude of your sacrifices— what are they to me?" says the LORD. I have more than enough of burnt offerings, of rams and the fat of fattened animals; I have no pleasure in the blood of bulls and lambs and goats.

According to Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, the definition of obey is as follows: 1. To give ear to; to execute the commands of; to yield submission to; to comply with the orders of; 2. To submit to the authority of; to be ruled by; 3. To yield to the impulse, power, or operation of; as, a ship obeys her helm. The opposite of obedience is disobedience, defiance and rebellion. With these attitudes, we are moving away from God's love, ignoring His call and wanting to do our own thing. It is setting us up for a life of chaos and destruction, openly exposed without His protection.
Romans 2:13
For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
If we truly love the Lord and our relationship with Him is of primary importance, obedience will naturally result.
John 14:23
Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
1 John 2:5-6
But if anyone obeys his word, God's love is truly made complete in him. This is how we know we are in him: Whoever claims to live in him must walk as Jesus did.

Is your faith fuelled by obedience? Does your house of faith have a roof of obedience or are you only concerned with the paint and cosmetic effects without a roof? Come into a true love relationship with Him and know that He can be trusted implicitly at all times.
1 Samuel 15:22
But Samuel replied: "Does the LORD delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as much as in obeying the voice of the LORD ? To obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed is better than the fat of rams.
1 John 2:17
The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.

Break Up the Fallow Ground

Farmers clearly know that nothing grows in fallow ground. Fallow ground is a field that may have yielded much fruit in the past, but has been left unworked for a while or ground that has never been used. As a result, it becomes hard and yields nothing but weeds. The ground needs to be tilled, fertilized, watered and prepared in order that plans can take root to grow. Often times, we allow parts of our lives to lie dormant and is not fed by the Spirit and we do not grow in grace as a result. We keep parts of our lives hidden from God and sometimes from ourselves. Past hurts lie buried like the rocks in a farmers field that discourage strong, healthy growth. Relationships become strained because of weeds that are allowed to grow in the gardens of our lives. The call of God through Hosea is break such fallow ground if we are to be productive.
Hosea 10:12
Sow for yourselves righteousness, reap the fruit of unfailing love, and break up your unplowed ground; for it is time to seek the LORD, until he comes and showers righteousness on you.

Jesus is calling each and every one of us to sow in righteousness and reap in mercy. He calls us to plant our fields with His good works. He asks us to dig up those rocks and pull out those weeds. He tells us to break up our fallow ground for it is time to grow. Life will become a rut if we neglect the garden of our soul and just rush about attending to the things that we need to. So where do we begin? The first step and responsibility to break up the falow ground lies with each of us.
2 Timothy 2:15
Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.
What can we do? Our repsonsibility is to plow the ground with prayer and break the clods by coming to Him with a broken humble spirit.
Colossians 4:2-4:
Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful. And pray for us, too, that God may open a door for our message, so that we may proclaim the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains.
Psalm 34:18
The LORD is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Once the ground of our heart is open to the Lord in prayer in humility, we are then ready to sow the seed of God's word. As God shows us righteousness from His word, we need to obey and walk away from unrighteousness. When we do this, the weeds do not choke the word of God but the word of God will start producing fruit and the Holy Spirit will Himself water our souls!
2 Corinthians 9:6
Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously.
John 7:37b-39a
..If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive..

Is there a part of your life or heart that has become fallow ground? Are there weeds and rocks hindering the garden of your soul? Break up your fallow ground with prayer and coming back to His word and allow the Holy Spirit to water your soul and walk in righteousness. Seek the Lord with your whole heart, soul and mind! Then along with David you can truly say, "He restores my soul, my cup runs over."

Are You Ready for the Bridegroom?

The parable of the ten virgins in Matthew 25 is story of great drama, intrigue, romance and adventure. In it we see a wooing, a calling into deeper devotion to God but is also is a warning to us that we should be prepared to meet with the Bridegroom.
Matthew 25:1-13
"At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise, however, took oil in jars along with their lamps. The bridegroom was a long time in coming, and they all became drowsy and fell asleep. "At midnight the cry rang out: 'Here's the bridegroom! Come out to meet him!' "Then all the virgins woke up and trimmed their lamps.The foolish ones said to the wise, 'Give us some of your oil; our lamps are going out.' " 'No,' they replied, 'there may not be enough for both us and you. Instead, go to those who sell oil and buy some for yourselves.' "But while they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. "Later the others also came. 'Sir! Sir!' they said. 'Open the door for us!' "But he replied, 'I tell you the truth, I don't know you.' "Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day or the hour.

The arrival of the Bridegroom is expected. His Holy Spirit, which represents the oil has been provided ahead of time ensuring eternal light and joy to the bridal party. Even at the midnight hour in an hour of deep darkness, the bridal party are ready to go out to meet with the Bridegroom. The wise virgins are clearly different from the others as they have taken the time to prepare knowing fully well that a period of darkness awaits before joining the Bridegroom. The foolish ones experience "burnout" and eventually miss out on joining the bridegroom. The extra oil thus represents the spiritual preparation ahead of an anticipated time of darkness required for persevering and enduring just before meeting the Bridegroom.
2 Corinthians 11:2
I am jealous for you with a godly jealousy. I promised you to one husband, to Christ, so that I might present you as a pure virgin to him.

The overall thrust of the parable is that Christ will return at an unknown hour and that His people must be ready. Being ready means preparing for whatever contingency arises in our lives and keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus at all times while we eagerly await His coming. Saving faith in Jesus Christ will need to manifest itself in every aspect of our lives and the fruit of the Spirit needs to be produced. A desire for greater holiness and less sin should be apparent and a consistent looking for His coming will mark our lives. Paul's letter to Titus sums this well in the below verses:
Titus 2:11-14
For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men. It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, while we wait for the blessed hope—the glorious appearing of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good.

Are you prepared to meet the Bridegroom? Ten virgins had intended to go out and meet the Bridegroom, however only five of them did. This is the high drama which unfolds in the storyline. May we not be found “going away to make the purchase” when Christ returns. Take the time now to fill your lamp with oil and take extra along. See that you are not asleep and unprepared but instead keep preparing, waiting and watching for His return with joy and anticipation!

United We Stand

The disciples when they were with Jesus before His death and resurrection, constantly quibbled among themselves as to who was the greatest and who would get the most prominent position in Heaven and so on. There is little evidence of unity among the disciples. Jesus when He prayed for the disciples, He prayed for one thing - that they may be one as He was one with the Father and the Holy Spirit. He prayed for unity.
John 17:11
I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me—so that they may be one as we are one.
John 17:20-21
My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.

The message of the Gospel is a message of reconciliation, a message of unity, to bring all things together under Christ. The writer of the epistle to the Ephesians sums up the gospel thus:
Ephesians 1:9-10
And he made known to us the mystery of his will according to his good pleasure, which he purposed in Christ, to be put into effect when the times will have reached their fulfillment—to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ.
From the foundation of the world, God had a plan and purpose for all of us and this is unity of all things under Christ. This process of unification is already started with the coming of Christ. This unity is radically all inclusive!
So it is imperative that we demonstrate this unity in the way we interact with one another, especially with other believers in the Church.

What does this unity mean? Unity means reflecting the fruit of the Spirit outwardly.
Ephesians 4:2-6
Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to one hope when you were called— 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.
Being humble is that disposition which makes us not easily provoked or offended, an ability to forgive. When we are humble, we are able to be patient and forbearing in love and we will be able to reflect the unity of Christ and maintain the bond of peace. The emphasis may not always be to have common convictions but to demonstrate common care and concern and love for another.

Do you reflect the unity of Christ in your relationships? Do you emphasize more on the differences and minor points of faith or do you really maintain unity by demonstrating care and love? Let us work with the Holy Spirit to demonstrate the fruit of the Spirit to others in Christ. Let us be reminded again that the Lord wants us to be in unity just as He is one. Let us reflect Him!

Prepare for World Impact

Guess most of us would love to make a significant impact in this world. We all long for significance and this is not necessarily fame or wealth but knowledge that we have lived our lives to the maximum potential and impacted others. Jesus had probably the most important mission in the world, a mission that will impact every human and history. The impact of a person's life is often in direct proportion to the quality of preparation. Let us have a look at the life of Jesus and learn how He prepared for significant impact.
Luke 3:21-22
When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too. And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."

We can draw a few lessons from the event of baptism.
Total Surrender: Jesus totally surrendered to the will of the Father. He was the Son of God, Creator of the world. He was totally sinless and there was no need to be baptised as John was preaching a baptism of repentance. However, Jesus chose to surrender absolutely to the will of the Father and this is demonstrated in His life - from baptism, continuing daily, all the way to the Cross.
Philippians 2:5-8
Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!
Like Jesus, when we surrender to God's will, we will lead significant lives.

Relationship with the Father: Jesus had a strong relationship with His Father. If anyone knew the Father intimately, it was Jesus and yet He spent quality time inspite of his hectic schedule or tiredness and made this a priority. The strong foundation of Jesus' ministry was based on His identity, acceptance and approval out of a deep intimate relationship with the Father. When we have a strong intimate relationship with the Father like Jesus, we will not give in to fear or rejection or performance pressue but be able to carry out His will secure in the knowledge of His love.
Ephesians 3:16-19
I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.

Empowerment by the Spirit: Jesus lived by the Spirit allowing the Holy Spirit to direct and empower Him each day to execute the will of God as He walked in obedience. His dependence on the Holy Spirit was not occasional but continual. When we live like that we need not strive by ourselves, as the Holy Spirit will help us.
John 14:26
But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.
1 Corinthians 2:4-5
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit's power, so that your faith might not rest on men's wisdom, but on God's power.

Do you desire to live a significant life that has powerful impact according to God's plan and purposes for you? If so, reflect on which of these three aspects you need to improve and prepare and build on these so that your life can have maximum impact. Our mission is to impact the world around us!
Matthew 28:19-20
Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

You Will Sing Again..

The book of Joel was written around 5 BC when Israel experienced a plague of locusts. This plague of locusts was devastating for Israel as every crop was destroyed and the lives of the Israelites were at stake as they faced famine and hardship. Joel records the plight of the Israelites with these words:
Joel 1: 10-12
The fields are ruined, the ground is dried up; the grain is destroyed, the new wine is dried up, the oil fails. Despair, you farmers, wail, you vine growers; grieve for the wheat and the barley, because the harvest of the field is destroyed. The vine is dried up and the fig tree is withered; the pomegranate, the palm and the apple tree— all the trees of the field—are dried up. Surely the joy of mankind is withered away.
Sometimes in our lives, metaphorically we too can feel as though locusts have eaten away years of effort. Sometimes, we can face hardship after hardship and not see a breakthrough and wonder whether we will ever be restored and whether we will ever sing again.

We can take encouragement today that Joel did not stop just describing the plague and its devastation and leave us without hope. He goes on to record, the promise of God that He will restore the years that the locusts have eaten! We need to understand that the devastation of the locusts does not last just a few days or even months, the devastation can last years. Notice that God's promise is not just to restore weeks or months but whole years, all the wasted years!
Joel 2:25a-27
I will repay you for the years the locusts have eaten.....You will have plenty to eat, until you are full, and you will praise the name of the LORD your God, who has worked wonders for you; never again will my people be shamed. Then you will know that I am in Israel, that I am the LORD your God, and that there is no other; never again will my people be shamed.

Between the locusts eating up and complete utter devastation, and the promise of restoration, there is an act that causes God to relent and have compassion on His people. This act is repentance, a complete 180 degree turn to walk in the way of righteousness and away from unrighteousness. God wants our hearts to be restored to Him and sometimes the difficulties are a way to awaken us to come back to Him.
Joel 2:12-13
"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending calamity.
Our God is a God of compassion and He is faithful. He is in the business of restoration - of making whole of broken things. We just need to draw near to Him...
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.
Hebrews 4:16
Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.

Do you feel like that which has been lost will not be found, that which is broken will never be repaired? Do you wonder when you will sing again? Take hold of this message from Joel that God wants to restore you for all the years that was lost and build you up, as you draw near to Him in repentance! You will sing again because He is faithful and He is a restorer! Return to Him!
Joel 2:21a
Be not afraid, O land; be glad and rejoice.

God's Masterpiece

God's creation is beautiful.. every little flower to the starry hosts in the sky, from the birds in their splendid colors to the beauty of sunsets, from the waves of the ocean on the shore to the mighty thunderstorms...our heart does not tire as we gaze at the wondrous things that the Lord has made. Just yesterday, I was gazing of the window admiring the beauty of the trees swaying in the wind and the rain and the changing beauty of the scenery as the light danced and dimmed throughout the day. There is no greater artist that the Lord and what's even more amazing is that He does not consider any of this, His masterpiece. The God of the Universe, the Creator, the ultimate Artist considers you and I as His masterpiece! He delights over us!
Zephaniah 3:17
The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.
Psalm 139:13-14
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

The Lords says that we are the Apple of His Eye!
Zechariah 2:8
For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.
We are the object of His unending love and He continues to pursue us by loving us even when we were far away from Him! Yes, no one can love us the way the Lord loves us!
Romans 5:6b-8
Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

We cannot grasp the immense value that God places on each and every one of us! He seeks after each and everyone of us individually and His heart longs for communion and fellowship with each of us. It blows my mind that God, the Creator - the Omniscient and Omnipresent Great God loves us so much!
Matthew 18:12-14
What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off? And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he is happier about that one sheep than about the ninety-nine that did not wander off. In the same way your Father in heaven is not willing that any of these little ones should be lost.

How do you feel about yourself and how do you value yourself? You need to understand that God places immense value on you - you are His apple of His eye, the object of His eternal everlasting love that He died for you. Never ever forget your true worth - you are purchased by Jesus' blood paid by Him through His suffering on the cross. You are His masterpiece, His workmanship.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

Living with Constancy among Shifting Shadows

We live in a world that is so transient, things are always changing - fads, trends, technologies, the way we live life, moral values, stock market.. basically everything. In a year or less, we will see so much change that perhaps in the centuries past people saw in their lifetime. How do we maintain our stability in our lives when everything is changing like shifting shadows around us?
James 1:17
Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows.
The Bible says that our God is One who does not change like shifting shadows. Just like how children feel secure with parents of consistent behaviour, we too can feel secure knowing that the God we worship is constant and unchanging! Let us look at some unchanging immutable charcateristics of God!

God is unchanging in His character: God is always present; His knowledge is always complete; His power is always unlimited. His justice is unchanging, for He is righteous in everything He does. He requires holiness of his people because He Himself is always holy. The Bible affirms that God is good, that His faithfulness endures to all generations and that He loves His children with an everlasting (immutable) love and He continually pours out his mercy upon humankind.
Malachi 3:6
I the LORD do not change.
Hebrews 13:8
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.
He is the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last because He is unchanging!

God is unchanging in His purpose: Just as God's nature is immutable, so are His plans and purposes. The Lord has promised to bring people into relationship with himself. In the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ we see the fulfillment of this plan so that people have a way to come back into relationship with Christ. The Lord’s unchanging purposes are also personal.
Psalm 138:8
The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me; Your love, O LORD, endures forever— do not abandon the works of Your hands.
While we are free to make choices, God still accomplishes His own intentions and can work out all circumstances for our good according to His purposes!
Proverbs 19:21
Many are the plans in a man's heart, but it is the LORD's purpose that prevails. 
Romans 8:28
And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose.

God is unchanging in His promises:God’s nature is consistent, it follows that His promises are also consistent as He does not break his word. Rather, his immutability necessitates fulfillment of His promises.
Numbers 23:19
God is not a man, that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should change his mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill?
2 Corinthians 1:20
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

How do you feel when situations around you change? Do not be afraid, instead trust in Him and rest in His constancy as He is unchanging. Rely on His Unchanging Character, Purpose and Promises! Let Him be the Everlasting Rock upon whom you can stand! The better we know Him as the immutable God, the more we shall be able to trust Him and hold on to Him for stability and strength when everything around us is changing.
Psalm 18:2
The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.

Fitting God in or Fitting into God?

Very often we try fitting God into our life and busy schedules by doing our customary bit by attending church, perhaps even attend a fellowship, serve and even maybe read the Bible and pray where possible. The real centre and focus on our lives still continues to revolve around our priorities, our schedules and our conveniences, postpoing the call of God in our lives. When we live like this continually, we can easily become frustrated and disillusioned and we wonder why we don't experience God in a fuller measure in ou rlives. We need to understand that God is too big for Him to just fit into our lives. We can only live a life of full measure and be satisfied, if we learn instead to fit into Him and give Him the first place and allow Him to dictate our priorities!

This was a similar predicament that Haggai faced. The Jews has just returned from exile from Babylon to Jerusalem and they wanted to rebuild the temple of Jerusalem. They faced some opposition and instead of pressing forward, they became discouraged and gave in to disillusionment and abandonment of the call of God. They instead foucssed their lives and energy on themselves, their own interests and building comfortable houses and settling down forgetting the bigger call of God. In such a contect, God had a message for His people through the prophet Haggai:
Haggai 1:2-8
This is what the LORD Almighty says: "These people say, 'The time has not yet come for the LORD's house to be built.' " Then the word of the LORD came through the prophet Haggai: "Is it a time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin?" Now this is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. You have planted much, but have harvested little. You eat, but never have enough. You drink, but never have your fill. You put on clothes, but are not warm. You earn wages, only to put them in a purse with holes in it." This is what the LORD Almighty says: "Give careful thought to your ways. Go up into the mountains and bring down timber and build the house, so that I may take pleasure in it and be honored," says the LORD.

If we really want the pleasure of God in our lives, we need to put Him first and fit into Him and His plans for us. We are so often like the people in Haggai's time - we are not overtly saying 'No' to God's work and His plans for us, instead we just postpone it as we do not have the time or the convenience to focus on Him now. We instead focus on ourselves and our priorities. We need to understand that we are missing out on God's best for us and settling on less when we don't honor God and please Him. When we put God's kingdom and His work first, He promises to look after every aspect of our lives!
Matthew 16:24-25
Then Jesus said to his disciples, "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life[h] will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it.
Matthew 6:30b-33
...O you of little faith? So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

I believe God's message to Haggai is the same to us today - He wants us to consider our ways. Are you fitting God into your life where possible and living below what God has for us or are we fitting into Him giving Him the first priority? It is time to evaluate your life and rearrange your priorities. When the Jewish people rebuilt the temple of God, they could see the glory of God and they felt His pleasure. Consider Him and live your life so that you feel His pleasure!

Taming the Tongue

We live in a culture that considers it 'cool' to swear and use strong colorful language. Perhaps for most Christians, this is not a real problem. However, there is a more subtle way of how we use our tongue and this could be tiny white lie, a little insinuation, a clever belittling retort, a small bit of information that we inadvertently let on and so on. The tongue has the power of life and death (Provers 18:21a), and we can use this God given ability for good or harm.
James 3:5-8
Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell. All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and creatures of the sea are being tamed and have been tamed by man, but no man can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

The Bible says that it is important to use the power of the tongue for good if it were to go well with us.
Psalm 34:12-13
Whoever of you loves life and desires to see many good days, keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies.
We need to be purposeful in our conversation and speak carefully chosen words that will not only produce victory and blessing in our own life but in the lives of others as well. Our words have power as demonstrated by how Jesus used his mouth to curse a fig tree that failed to produce its fruit in season and how Jesus used his words on many occasions to heal and forgive. As a rudder controls the direction of a ship, our tongue controls the direction of our life. We are our own prophets - what we say today impacts our tomorrow! So it is important to confess the blessings and promises from the Word of God over our life than give in to negative self-talk. The Word of God is Spirit and Life and these words will guide us!
John 6:63
The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.

Jesus made the clear connection between the heart and the mouth. Basically Jesus said, GIGO - Garbage in, Garbage out. If we are to speak more wholesomely, there is no substitute than to put in more of God's words into our hearts.
Matthew 12:34b-37
For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.
When we do this, our conversation will be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, and we will know how to answer everyone (Colossians 4:6).
Ephesians 4:29
Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.

How do you use your tongue - as intruments for good or evil? Remember that the Lord has given you the ability to talk so that you can declare His promises and blesings over your life and those of others. Confess any talk that is negative, coarse, harmful or bends the truth and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you to speak wholesome words as you feed on His word.
Psalm 19:14
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.