Happy New Year

This morning, as my wife and I were praying into 2007, a passage of scripture was inspired in my heart. And I thought I should share that with you today as we count down to the new year. It will banish fear from you, hopefully, and inspire faith in your heart as we step into 2007.

The stone the builders rejected
has become the capstone;
the LORD has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day the LORD has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.

That is from Psalm 118: 22- 24, NIV. This scripture is a prophetic psalm about the chief corner Stone, Jesus Christ. Although, he was rejected by the ruling powers of Israel and Rome, tortured and crucified, he is today the Prince of Peace, the Savior of the world, and King of kings.

But as we were praying this morning, it occurred to me that we are also referred to as 'living stones' in the bible. And so, what was true of Jesus would be true of us too if we believe in him. "As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to him— you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" I Peter 2: 4-5, NIV.

So, here is a word of hope for you as you enter this new year. 'The stone the builders rejected will become a capstone!' Many times, we don't have all it takes to succeed in a highly competitive world like ours. The 'builders' of society may look at us and vote us least likely to succeed. But there is a God in heaven who calls the things that be not as though they are, and raises the poor to positions of prominence overnight. Your weight, height, physical looks, level or education or even economic ability may limit you by this world's standards. But, thank God, God looks at the heart, and is not influenced by our sense-ruled parameters.

'It is the Lord's doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes.' Yes, in this new year, I sense that God is going to raise help for us where our natural strenght could have failed. God is going to take you to places that your human qualifications could not take you. It is going to be God's doing. Grace will intervene where human effort and human laws have failed. Glory will take the place of shame. God will open new and effectual doors that will give us the opportunity to glorify him and reap his blessings.

It is the day the Lord has made. I do sense that 2007 is a year God will show up in most unusual ways in our lives and in this world of his. I think that, come 2007, God is going to remind us all in very clear terms that he is still in charge of this earth - not the scientist or business persons, or political leaders. 'The earth is the Lord's and the fullness there of; the people and all that dwell in them' Psalm 24:1.

We will rejoice and be glad in him. God will give us reason, as his children, to rejoice and be glad this new year. 'With joy shall we draw water from the well of salvation.' 'The joy of the Lord is our strenght.' Learn to stir up joy in your heart this coming year. The enemy may try to steal your joy, but don't let him. It is in the place of joy and heart cheer that we receive of His fullness, grace upon grace.

But notice that this huge promise began with the 'upright' principle. Righteousness or uprightness is the gate that leads to God's favor. "Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the LORD. This is the gate of the LORD through which the righteous may enter" Psalm 118: 19-20, NIV. You can not disregard this principle, and still expect to enter the blessings and favor of God. Let us remember to be fair, just and equitable in our dealings with others, and God himself will be committed to your defence and promotion.

These were some of the thoughts that filled my heart this morning. And I hope that they motivate and encourage you as you step into 2007. We are thankful for your friendship, and for the opportunity to share with you all. Happy new year!
Free free to contact us any time.

New Video - How To Discover Your Purpose In 15 Minutes

Only yesterday, my wife and I made the very first video on purpose, right in our living room. As you can imagine, its quality may not be the very best you have ever seen. But may I ask you to watch this video. You will be touched by the simplicity of it all.

But in case you have thought your purpose can only be discovered by some esoteric, high-sounding psychological means; then this video will shock you in its profound simplicity. Life is a simple deal. We do our best to try and complicate it.

After watching this video, there will be no doubt as to what you are here on earth for. You matter a great deal to God. Happy viewing.

Merry Christmas! But What does that mean?

Since we are in Christmas mood, I thought a conversation on the meaning and purpose of Christmas may be fitting.

For sure, the Christmas holiday is a welcome break for many from work and business, to connect one more time with friends and family. So, for a lot of hardworking folks all over the country, Christmas is just a well deserved holiday season. It does not hold any spiritual meaning to such persons. Is that why we are doing our best to subsititute 'merry christmas' with 'happy holidays'?

Others go even further. They see Christmas, in addition to a holiday, as a season of joy. A time to be merry and make sure the merry-making goes round. Is that the sense in which we typically greet each other with “Merry Christmas”? And spend a fortune on the good practice of gift-giving?

For the capitalist, it is a good time for business. All kinds of marketing gimmicks abound to drive consumers to spend more and more, both on things they need and things they don’t need. Some people shop until they drop dead.

But what does Christmas mean to you? I challenge you to really do some reflecting.

Christmas is a historically Christian holiday. Whether Christ was born on the 25th of December or not is not the main point here. The issue is that the world has chosen a day to honor Him, and celebrate his birthday. We have some national holidays dedicated to the memory of either some of our past leaders or military heroes. On such days, it is politically correct to sing their praise. Yet, it is politically incorrect to talk about Jesus Christ, the greatest of all leaders, on his own birthday? Give me a break.

Christmas means Christ’ mass. Christ means messiah or savior. Mass is a religious celebration. So, Christmas literally means the celebration of Christ. Christmas is supposed be a day we devote to celebrating Christ. That is exactly what the angel of God meant when he announced his birth to the shepherds: The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master. This is what you're to look for: a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger."(Message Bible, Luke 2: 12).

The birth of Jesus Christ was ‘a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide’. He is the Savior, the Messiah and Master. He who is divine has entered the realm of humanity in order to save us. Divine Incarnation! A mystery of the highest magnitude, supreme gesture of love. He gave up his all to be your friend and savior.

But notice the sign the angel gave those shepherds how they would find him. They would find ‘a baby wrapped in a blanket and lying in a manger’. The One who is Savior and Lord came to us as a baby, lying in a manger. Think of the lowliness and humility depicted here by this deliberate message God is sending to us. Yet, how grandiose is our celebration of ourselves in all pomp and pageantry, in the name of Christmas.

Matthew gave us another important response to Christ and his mass. “And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh.” Matthew 2:11. Those are the ‘Wise men from the East’. The way they celebrated Christ was to worship Him, and to give Him gifts!

I wish we could learn to celebrate Christ at Christmas, and in fact, at all times. A lesson we learn from those wise men from the East. They worshipped Him and their gifts were to Him. Yet, how often we tend to forget Christ himself in all our partying and gift-giving. It is also important we heed God’s sign for us about Christ’ celebration – humble orthodoxy.

Let us celebrate Christ this season. He is the reason for the season. And let us do it in humility, and in worship.

Glory to Jesus Christ, and merry Christmas to you!

Geico's Caveman: A Peep Into The Mind of The Marginalized and Maligned

If you are in the academic sector like I am, you will know this is an exam period on most campuses nationwide. So, after a busy week of academic 'stress', I feel like reflecting on life's lighter side today... I have always thought that some of Geico's commercials dealing with the caveman are so hilarious. I like those caveman ads for two reasons: for one , they are so funny they get me laughing all the way through the ad session; two, it is a very creative way by Geico.com to deal with some of the social issues that their ad raises - like common stereotypes.

Have you seen some of those Geico's commercials lately? "It's so easy a caveman can do it". You know the one I love most? 'Geico.com- so easy a therapist can do it'.
Mr. caveman comes to see a therapist ( most likely forced by his employer, Geico, to go see one for 'anger management'!), but the therapist doesn't understand why he is upset by being so maligned. Well, the caveman replies her by suggesting that the ad says, 'Geico.com, so easy a therapist can do it'. But surprisingly, the therapist who a moment ago said that 'it was just an ad', protests, saying it wouldn't make sense to her. Click here now to watch it. It is so funny and thought-provoking.

The other one I love is this: 'Sounds like someone woke up on the wrong side of the rock'. Click here to watch it
I think this caveman is too smart for this kind of malignant. He reminds us that his men discovered fire, invented the wheel, and laid the foundation upon which we are building are modern society. That doesn't sound to me like a dumb fellow! But all we could answer to what he just said, was that 'he woke up on the wrong side of the rock'. How ironic.

This one makes me empathic, and also respectful of the caveman: 'Everywhere he goes, there is something to remind him'.
Even at the airport, there is still this poster, 'so easy a caveman can do it'. Who could understand the struggle he goes through seeing those posters everywhere, spreading a stereotype that he sharply disagrees with?

From far away, the so called caveman sounds too uncivilized, too crude and uneducated; that is, until we see him up close. Then we realise he is just like all of us - smart, intelligent, resourceful, and can hold his own any day with the so called modern fellow. Just because someone is different from us does not give us a right to treat them as dumb or inferior.

I hope you enjoy these ads as I have. But as you do, I hope you will join Geico.com in this creative approach to confronting some of the negative stereotypes in our society; stereotypes about blacks, whites, hispanics, fat people, Africa, etc etc. Remember, just because people in your own little world accept that it is alright to feel certain way about people who are different, that does not make it right, especially when you happen to see it from the perspective of those who bear daily the brunt of such cruel stereotypes.

Let's laugh, but let us think too. That is the twin challenge that Geico's caveman poses to us.

HIV/AIDS – Why Should We Care?

Friday, December 1, is World’s AIDS Day. It’s a day that is set aside to raise awareness about this deadly epidemic. But the question is, why should we care, even as Christians, or as Americans?

To begin with, there is a slight difference between HIV and AIDS, from a technical point of view at least. Yes, from a practical, public standpoint, there may not be a difference. HIV, you already know, stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus that could be passed on from one person to another through sexual contact or through blood contact with an infected individual. So, the first thing to notice is that while sexual contact is the main way HIV is transmitted, it is not the only way. What this virus does is to attack T cells of the human immune system, thereby weakening the ability of the body to defend itself against diseases and infections. This is why it is often called a retrovirus.

So, what is AIDS? AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This is the terrible result of becoming infected with HIV. AIDS is the medical condition in which the body, not being able to defend itself from germs, diseases and infections, is susceptible to all kinds of infections and diseases. God made our human body to fight a majority of diseases and infections on its own! Most drugs, if not all drugs, are usually administered to help the body regenerate itself or induce the production of specific anti-bodies which will fight specific diseases. But, in AIDS patients, the ‘defense army’ of the body has been routed up by the wicked HIV, and so, sadly, they fall victim to almost every germ, infection or disease out there.

It is possible then for someone to be infected with the HIV, but not yet a full blown AIDS patient. You see, if an individual gets to know on time that he or she is HIV positive, and has access to the some of the costly drugs available, they could actually live a longer ‘healthier’ life than would have been possible if they did not know on time or if they could not afford the drugs to help extend their lives.

There is a surprising degree of apathy about HIV/AIDS among those of us living in Western world. There is this feeling that, ‘AIDS is more of a problem for the developing countries…for those in dark and poor Africa.’ But did you know that…
There are two types of HIV; HIV -1 is distributed worldwide, and HIV-2 is primarily confined to West African countries
Two young people become infected with HIV every hour in US alone. Think about that.

No country is shielded. It may be more prevalent in a particular part of the world today, but in a global community in which we live, it is becoming increasingly dangerous to ignore the threat that HIV posses to all of us.

You may wonder, 'But what can I do?' Here is what I think you could do.
Heart-felt compassion, not condescending pity, is key. We must become empathic with those who suffer with AIDS. Yes, it is true that many people contact the ‘disease’ by some sort of sexual perversion or the other. That’s sad enough. But what would Jesus do even in that case? I think he would be kind, patient and compassionate. I think he would judge the sin and not the people. ‘ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd’ Matthew 9: 35.

Next thing we can do is pray, that is, for those of us who believe in prayer. That's what Jesus requested we do in Matthew 9: 36-37. We should pray for breakthrough results in research into cure for AIDS, cancer etc. We should pray for the victims of AIDS and their families. We could pray for healing for those we know around us...yes, I do believe God can heal even AIDS victims. God is not limited by our limited medical abilities.

If you happen to be in a position to do so, I think it is a good idea to communicate the need to our politicians and pharmaceutical companies; so that they stop playing political or money game with this 'disease'. Two years ago, I signed a letter which World Vision sent to the President of US and the Congress, to increase funding for HIV/AIDS research and cure. A few weeks later, I got a mail from one of the President's aids thanking me for my letter and assuring me that government is doing its best on the matter. That suggests to me that, although the President may not have read my mail ( I did not expect he would anyway; he is a busy man), but his assistant did. That is important.

Finally, if you ever have any doubts, please go for an HIV screen/test. Discovering this virus on time could help extend one’s life and also avoid transmitting it to loved ones. But even as you visit the hospital, be cautious. I read the other that over 90,000 new infections or diseases (not necessarily HIV/AIDS) are contracted in US alone by visits to hospitals.

Ultimately, we should place our faith in God for protection and deliverance. If you are a Christian who does not believe that God can shield his beloved children from some of these deadly diseases, then, too bad. I believe that God loves us and cares affectionately about us. We must live worthy and accurate lives, but we must never forget that ‘it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy’. We are not holier than those who have contracted this deadly infection, but we could consciously and deliberately put our hope in God to protect us and our loved ones from this deadly ‘pestilence’. I like this promise that God made to us in Psalm 91: 7-14 is relevant and encouraging:

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name".

A Father’s Elaborate Preparation for Fellowship

In the last post, we concluded that it is in the place of fellowship that we get to know God, or if you like, to enjoy God. Do you remember how the dictionary defined ‘fellowship’? It is ‘friendly relationship; companionship: the fellowship of father and son.’

Please recall that the chief purpose God made human beings was so we could enjoy Him and glorify Him. It wasn’t because he was needy. He did not wake up one morning and realized how lonely he was, and then said, “You know what? I am going to make human beings to keep me company.” God is self-existing, self-sufficient, complete, entire, and does not need our affection or company to be complete. If he needed our love and affection to be in some way complete, then, he would not be God, would he? Any way if he did, then he must have been a thoroughly starved God, don’t you think? Why, you say? Because we hardly ever give him the love or praise he so richly deserves. So, this whole deal is about us, and for our sakes. It is a father’s desire to birth and bless a son that compels the divine heart to seek us out in order to bless us.

I think it is so important that we get this paradigm shift. Until a revelation comes to our heart that God chose us only in order to love and to bless us, we may continue to act as though he owes us, or as though we do him a favor by fellowshipping with him. In fact, some people have rebelled against God and ‘religion’ because they think that God is so demanding. It’s like saying, ‘Who in heaven does he think he is to demand so much from me or to demand that I submit to him? Why does it always have to be about him?’ But when we see a loving and caring father that seeks our company and even our obedience only in order that he may have the opportunity to bless and impart our lives, then we can’t help but cry, ‘Abba, Father!’.

So, let’s go back to the beginning and take a peep into the divine workshop on the sixth day of creation morning. That was the day he made man, with the goal of fellowship in mind. Now, here is the marvelous thing about this. He was eagerly anticipating our coming. He made elaborate preparations. He could not just speak the word alone this time. Before now, all he had to do to create anything was speak the word, and it was so. Check it out for your self in Genesis chapters one and two.

But when it was time to make man, his beloved friend and companion, he spoke the Word first, yes, but then he did something he had never done till this time. He dug his hands into clear dust and mud, digging and molding his man: “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being” Genesis 2: 7, Amplified Bible.

No wonder Ephesians 2: 10 tells us clearly, according to the Amplified Bible, “For we are God's [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]”. You are God’s deliberate handiwork. All of us humans were deliberately and thoughtfully created by a loving God with ‘good works’ in mind for us. Oh, he wants us to live ‘the good life which he prearranged and made ready for us to live’. It’s a good life he planned in the beginning for all of us. If this doesn’t make you dance, then you need to read it over and over again until it does.

Notice a recurring theme in the passage we just quoted is ‘plan’. God made elaborate preparations for our ‘birth’ on creation morning. None of us is a product of accident or chance occurrence. God planned well in advance for your coming into being. And it gave him immense pleasure thinking about his good plan for you. This is how the New Living Bible puts it in Ephesians 1: 5, “God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure”.

‘This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure’! It gave God great pleasure thinking about you and the plans he has for you. The Message rendition of that verse clearly shows that he not only took time in planning man’s being, it was a pleasure for him - “Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!)”. It wasn’t a bore. It was a carefully thought out process, but it was also an exciting one.

Now, you are thinking, ‘I will like to know some of the elaborate preparations he made in advance of having me fellowship with him’. Genesis 2: 7 tells us two of those right away. “Then the Lord God formed man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath or spirit of life, and man became a living being.”

Did you notice that? God made a form which resembles any of us today, and then did something that was utterly amazing. He breathed (exhaled purposefully and intentionally) into man the breath or spirit of life. The word used here is ‘neshamah’ in Hebrew, or ‘pneuma’ in Greek; and means either breath or spirit. That is why the Amplified bible safely translates it as ‘breath or spirit’.

So, the first thing that God did was exhale into us the ‘spirit of life’, and we became living souls. Ah, you get it; until he did that, we were nothing different from any other organic form he has already made. It was the ‘spirit of life’ that rushed into our being on creation morning that made us unique, highly elevated above all other forms of animal or plant life. There are then two key factors here that make us in a large degree what we are as humans – spirit and life. In the next post, I am going to continue to explain how these two factors interplay to prepare us for fellowship and wholeness.

If you ever have a question or prayer need, feel free to contact us at anytime.

HIV/AIDS – Why Should We Care?

Friday, December 1, is World’s AIDS Day. It’s a day that is set aside to raise awareness about this deadly epidemic. But the question is, why should we care, even as Christians, or as Americans?

To begin with, there is a slight difference between HIV and AIDS, from a technical point of view at least. Yes, from a practical, public standpoint, there may not be a difference. HIV, you already know, stands for Human Immunodeficiency Virus. This is a virus that could be passed on from one person to another through sexual contact or through blood contact with an infected individual. So, the first thing to notice is that while sexual contact is the main way HIV is transmitted, it is not the only way. What this virus does is to attack T cells of the human immune system, thereby weakening the ability of the body to defend itself against diseases and infections. This is why it is often called a retrovirus.

So, what is AIDS? AIDS stands for Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. This is the terrible result of becoming infected with HIV. AIDS is the medical condition in which the body, not being able to defend itself from germs, diseases and infections, is susceptible to all kinds of infections and diseases. God made our human body to fight a majority of diseases and infections on its own! Most drugs, if not all drugs, are usually administered to help the body regenerate itself or induce the production of specific anti-bodies which will fight specific diseases. But, in AIDS patients, the ‘defense army’ of the body has been routed up by the wicked HIV, and so, sadly, they fall victim to almost every germ, infection or disease out there.

It is possible then for someone to be infected with the HIV, but not yet a full blown AIDS patient. You see, if an individual gets to know on time that he or she is HIV positive, and has access to the some of the costly drugs available, they could actually live a longer ‘healthier’ life than would have been possible if they did not know on time or if they could not afford the drugs to help extend their lives.

There is a surprising degree of apathy about HIV/AIDS among those of us living in Western world. There is this feeling that, ‘AIDS is more of a problem for the developing countries…for those in dark and poor Africa.’ But did you know that…
There are two types of HIV; HIV -1 is distributed worldwide, and HIV-2 is primarily confined to West African countries
Two young people become infected with HIV every hour in US alone. Think about that.

No country is shielded. It may be more prevalent in a particular part of the world today, but in a global community in which we live, it is becoming increasingly dangerous to ignore the threat that HIV posses to all of us.

You may wonder, 'But what can I do?' Here is what I think you could do.
Heart-felt compassion, not condescending pity, is key. We must become empathic with those who suffer with AIDS. Yes, it is true many contacted the ‘disease’ by promiscuity. That’s sad enough. But what would Jesus do even in that case? I think we would be kind, patient and compassionate. I think he would judge the sin and not the people. ‘ But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd’ Matthew 9: 35.

Next thing we can do is pray, for those of us who believe in prayer. That's what Jesus requested we do in Matthew 9: 36-37. We should pray for breakthrough results in research into cure for AIDS, cancer etc. We should pray for the victims of AIDS and their families. We could pray for healing for those we know around us...yes, I do believe God can heal even AIDS victims. God is not limited by our limited medical abilities.

If you happen to be in a position to do so, I think it is a good idea to communicate the need to our politicians and pharmaceutical companies; so that they stop playing political or money game with this 'disease'. Two years ago, I signed a letter World Vision sent to the President of US and the Congress, to increase funding for HIV/AIDS research and cure. A few weeks later, I got a mail from one the President's aids thanking me for my letter and assuring me that government is doing its best on the matter. That suggests to me that, although the President may not have read my mail ( I did not expect he would anyway; he is a busy man), but his assistant did. That is important.

Finally, if you ever have any doubts, please go for an HIV screen/test. Discovering this virus on time could help extend one’s life and also avoid transmitting to loved ones. But even you as visit the hospital, be cautious. I read the other that over 90,000 new infections or diseases (not necessarily HIV/AIDS) are contracted in US alone by visits to hospitals.

Ultimately, we should place our faith in God for protection and deliverance. If you are a Christian who does not believe that God can shield his beloved children from some of these deadly diseases, then, too bad. I believe that God loves us and cares affectionately about us. We must live worthy and accurate lives, but we must never forget that ‘it is not of him who wills nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy’. We are not holier than those who have contracted this deadly infection, but we could consciously and deliberately put our hope in God to protect us and our loved ones from this deadly ‘pestilence’. I like this promise that God made to us in Psalm 91: 7-14 is relevant and encouraging:

A thousand may fall at your side,
And ten thousand at your right hand;
But it shall not come near you.
Only with your eyes shall you look,
And see the reward of the wicked.

Because you have made the LORD, who is my refuge,
Even the Most High, your dwelling place,
No evil shall befall you,
Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;
For He shall give His angels charge over you,
To keep you in all your ways.
In their hands they shall bear you up,
Lest you dash your foot against a stone.
You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,
The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot.

“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him on high, because he has known My name

Who Is Your Mentor? Who Are You Celebrating?

We are still looking at dedication, the secret of greatness. It was true in the life of Paul. It has always been true for all individuals in all of the world’s history who have left a mark upon their generation.

So, dedication is key to success at any level. But dedication to what? If you are dedicated to chemistry, you will become a chemist, right? So, it is very important to be very discerning when it comes to choosing your hero. In America, we a country that tend to 'worship' our celebrities – people who are famous for their money or talent. Again, whether in athletics, music or science, concentrated focus is the key that led these people to excel. And no one has a right to detract from that important fact.

However, in modeling one’s life after a celebrity or a hero, you must be sure of what you want to become, first and foremost. You want to be a great golfer? Then you may want to study Tiger Woods – his immense dedication to golf. If you want to become a great basket ball player, you may want to consider modeling after Michael Jordan for example. So, in choosing a hero, or in choosing the person we mentor, we have also chosen to become what or who they are. The end result of dedication is not merely an accomplishment, but a becoming. In wanting then to learn how to live a purposeful, worthy and accurate life, my goal certainly will not be to study some celebrity who does not have the faintest idea of what a purposeful, worthy and accurate life is all about.

Tell me who your celebrity is, and I could almost accurately predict what you will become in the years to come. Yet, how many people make this huge life decision everyday, not consciously, but by default? How many young people allow peers to influence their choice of a model or a mentor? Think of the amount of time that our youths spend each day of their formative years watching MTV and admiring celebrities in music or art. Yet we wonder that our nation is lacking in the number of young people going into the science or technology fields.

It is almost an inviolable truth that the chief secret of success is not merely talent or even genius, but persistent, concentrated focus in the direction of our dream. It is also true that we become what we are dedicated to. So, as we end this conversation, may I suggest we become consciously involved in choosing who we are learning under, who our celebrities are, or what we are devoting our life to? This is why, in the next posting, we shall go back to examining in close detail what Paul was dedicated to. Yes, I want to follow in the steps of someone like Paul, not merely because he was a distinguished apostle, but because he was a committed and celebrated follower of Jesus.

The Power of Dedication – Concentrated Focus

We started looking at the ‘Three things that made Apostle Paul Great’. One of them was that he understood the power of dedication; of concentrated effort. By his own admission, Paul tells us right away what exactly he is dedicated to: “separated to the gospel of God… concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord” Romans 1: 1-3.

The discovery of purpose eliminates guess work from the great endeavor of life. Identifying our chief mission on earth eradicates dissipation, and introduces focus into our lives. It defines our path, and guides our feet so that we can walk through life ‘purposefully, worthily and accurately’.

This is exactly what happened to Paul, and reveals the secret behind this great apostle of Jesus Christ. Once he discovered his life assignment, he dedicated himself to it, and to what it would take to fulfill it. In this case, according to Paul, it is the gospel of God, concerning Jesus Christ our Lord.

It is not enough to dedicate ourselves to something definite, it is even more important to be very careful in choosing that to which we become dedicated. You know why? Because we tend to become what we are dedicated to. What we dedicate our time, effort, resources to, defines our personality, shapes our contributions to the world, and determines the ultimate outcome of our life journey. Aristotle was once quoted as saying that, “We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not act, but a habit”. Yes, I agree with him, we tend to become what occupies us the most.

For Paul, he was clearly dedicated to the gospel of God, concerning Jesus Christ. It defined his person, and shaped his contributions, not only to Christianity, but to humanity in general. If you think of Paul today, what comes to your mind? An apostle of Jesus Christ who taught extensively about Jesus Christ and what he did for us, right? That is right. Because that was exactly what he gave his whole life to accomplishing.

As I end this discussion today, the question we may want to ask ourselves is, ‘Am I dedicated to anything? If so, what is it? Is it anything that I will love myself to be defined by? Is it anything that could bring a positive contribution to my life and those of others?' You see, it’s time to concentrate your effort in the direction of God’s plan for your life. We must always be ready to serve at anytime, but there has to be something or person to whom who are supremely dedicated. Life’s greatest joys are discovered via this path of whole-hearted devotion to another.

Three Things That Made Apostle Paul Great

Today, I am going to begin a study with you on the book of Romans. But as I was going through that Book, the manner in which Paul introduced himself struck me as a bit unusual.There was something about that introduction that revealed to me why this humble guy became one of the greatest apostles of Jesus Christ. This is how the New King James Bible puts Romans 1:1

“Paul, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle,
separated to the gospel of God”.

There has to be something to this introduction, because Paul made sure to begin all his letters, except Hebrews, this way. I don’t think Paul was a vain babbler, do you? So, I began to ask myself, ‘What is the point that this man of God was trying to make by this repeated introduction?’ I really think he wanted us to learn something, after all, ‘learning is an exercise in redundancy’. Jesus would often repeat himself, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you…’ Peter would defend his repetition of certain truth by saying, ‘Yes, I think it is right, as long as I am in this tent, to stir you up by reminding you…’ I Peter 1: 13.

You say, ‘OK, I get it. What was his point?’ Let us then look at that one-sentence introduction to find out what Paul meant to tell us, the way I see it.

The first thing he said was, ‘Hi, I am Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ.’ We see here someone who was not ashamed to be who he was. ‘I am Paul, not Peter, or James’. There was, in my mind, a complete acceptance of who he was. But notice, the greatest thing is what he said next. ‘I am Paul, a slave of Jesus Christ. The word Paul used was, “doulos”, a Greek word for bond-salve, one who is the complete property of another. I don’t know about you, but I think that is a most unusual way to introduce oneself. It is even more remarkable because Paul seem to be happy about it, as if to suggest that it is a thing of honor to be a bond-slave, the complete property of Jesus Christ.

Well, yes it is. It is a great honor for Christ to ‘capture’ a soul so entirely that He is the owner of such a life. This was Paul’s greatest secret. In fact, on the ship to Rome, he ‘boasted’ about this same issue, ‘For there stood by me this night an angel of the God to whom I belong and whom I serve’ Acts 27:23. Or, this one in Philippians 3:7-8, ‘But what things were gain to me, these I have counted loss for Christ. Yet indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ.’

As you listen to that kind of intense comment, you can’t help but wonder, ‘What is wrong with this Paul. Is he out of his senses?’ How can he rejoice in the fact that he is owned by Another? How can an individual lose all things for this person, and still count all his loss as nothing? It beats our imagination. It stares sharply in the face of our what-is-in-it-for-me Christianity, and rouses our selfish soul from its slumber.

Yet, this is the very beginning of a meaningful walk with God. It is this very fact - a total surrender to the Person and will of Jesus Christ - that made Paul who he was, not his call to apostleship. This blessed yieldedness that calls all but nothing, and counts Christ to be all in all. It is clear, the person who will count with God is someone who can truly say with Paul, ‘I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me’ Galatians 2: 20.

The second thing Paul said about himself is equally revealing. He said, ‘Did you know I am a man on assignment from God? I am an apostle of Jesus Christ.’ He knew not only the source of his life and the nature of that life; he also understood his life assignment. He was called to be an apostle, a sent one, not to the Jews but to non-Jews. Once he knew this fact for sure, he gave all to fulfilling it. He may read his own account of this in Galatians 1:15- 24.

This one thing I think we need to notice, Paul discovered his assignment by revelation. It was a divine call. He did not presume his way into apostleship. He merely discovered, and responded, to the heavenly call. Isn’t it time to ask God for his assignment or mission for you? Many times, when Christians talk about discovering purpose, they actually mean discovering their unique assignment or mission in this earth. There is something, a ‘good work which God has pre-ordained that you should walk in it’ on this side of eternity (Ephesians 2: 10). Let us be content to stay in our calling and not wish or try to do something else He has not called us into.

Lastly, Paul concluded his intro by saying, ‘You know what? I am sure dedicated to my assignment. I am separated to the gospel of Jesus Christ.’ This guy is hitting on something here. The gospel is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). In other words, it takes the gospel to fulfill his mission as an apostle. So, he made a choice to commit himself to this gospel. Paul understood the power of concentrated focus that avoids distraction and eliminates dissipation. But do we? Literarily, are we committed to the gospel, to the word of God? Isn’t it still the power of God to bless, save and uplift any soul? The postmodern world may celebrate relativity and shun absolutes with all its might, but dare we not stay true and focused to the gospel that brought us to grace and peace?

The God Of All Comfort Is For You, Not Against You

The Bible is clear on the fact that God is a Comforter. For example, let us examine this particular Scripture found in 2 Corinthians 1: 3-4:


‘Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God’¹


Blessed be God!
The enjoyment of the comfort of the Lord always begins and ends with praise. God is good and blessed for ever more. We love him because he first loved us. God is worthy of praise and adoration. ‘Bless the Lord oh my soul, and forget not all his benefits’ (Psalm 103:1). ‘Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ’ (2 Corinthians 2: 14).
‘But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ’ (1 Corinthians 15: 57). Giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light (Colossians 1:12). How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He's the Father of our Master, Jesus Christ, and takes us to the high places of blessing in him² (Ephesians 1: 3). May our heart sing of the blessedness of the Lord, who is blessed for ever more!


Yes, I know, it is not always easy to praise God in the time of pain or difficulty. But then, that is why it is called 'sacrifice of praise'. Besides, God is God even in times of trouble, right? In reference to the seeming absence of God in the affairs of Israel for 430 year of servitude to Egypt, in his new book, Christ Plays in Ten Thousand Places, Eugene H. Peterson wrote, "We need this Exodus validation that a sense of the absence of God is part of the story, and that it is neither exceptional nor preventable nor a judgment on the way we are living our lives...Any understanding of God that doesn't take into account God's silence is half truth - in effect, a crucial distortion - and leaves us vulnerable to manipulation and exploitation by leaders who are quite willing to fill in the biblical blanks which the Holy Spirit never tells us." Sometimes on our journey through life, difficulty or pain may present itself for apparently no reason at all. Even then, God is still God, and worthy of worship and adoration.


Father of our Lord Jesus Christ
The One who is our comforter is the same One who loved us so much he gave us his only Son. We can count on him. Why? Because he is the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Through the act of giving his Son for us, God has demonstrated once and for all that he is on our side. ‘So, what do you think? With God on our side like this, how can we lose? If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?’² (Romans 8: 31-32).


The Father of Mercies
‘Father’ simply means ‘source and sustainer’. God is the source and sustainer of all the mercies we enjoy. ‘Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning’ ( James 1: 17). ‘And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ’ (John 1: 16-17). It is out of the goodness and mercy of the Lord that his blessings flow toward us. None of us is deserving of it all. ‘If it had not been the LORD who was on our side’ (Psalm 124:1). Think about that for one moment, where would you be if it had not been for the mercy and grace of our Lord God, the Father of mercies.


God of all Comfort
Hallelujah, he is the God of ALL comfort. What is ‘comfort’? According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, ‘comfort’ means ‘consolation in time of trouble or worry’, ‘feeling of relief or encouragement’, ‘contented well-being’. Whenever we go through trouble, worry or distress, we count on God for relief, encouragement, consolation, and even a feeling of contented well-being. God cares for us affectionately. And let me remind you that God’s comfort is not merely a pat on the back, but an actual deliverance from trouble. He who keeps Israel does not sleep nor slumber! Rejoice in this thought, that God is the God of all comfort. The situations may differ, the needs may be so much, yet God has the deliverance that you need.

Being a Christian does not exempt us from trial and pain, but it sure gives us the assurance to count on God as an ever present help in time of trouble. The God of all comfort is our God.

It’s Your Turn to Rejoice
Yes, I feel like telling you that it’s your turn to rejoice, and to be glad.
'To everything there is a season…
A time to kill,
And a time to heal;
A time to break down,
And a time to build up;
A time to weep,
And a time to laugh;
A time to mourn,
And a time to dance' (Eccl 3:1-4)
‘'For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for life; Weeping may endure for a night, But joy comes in the morning’ (Psalm 30: 5). It is ‘morning’, the glorious dawn of a new day. God is wiping away tears from his people, and executing judgment on his adversaries. It’s your day to be blessed. Expect his blessings in full. May the days ahead be some of the most glorious ones you have ever known. Amen.

Reference:
1. All bible quotations, except otherwise indicated, are from the New King James version of the bible, Copyright © 1982 by Nelson Thomas, Inc.
2. Message bible, Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene Peterson.