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!

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.

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."

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!