Living on Purpose

2010-12-04T15:53:00.000-08:00

Free to Explore

Introduction: Last week, Paul tells us the story of how he resisted efforts by people in Jerusalem to limit Titus’ freedom and re-define his God-given ministry. Now, he tells us another story, not only about his freedom to resist Peter in person, but also calls our attention to the positive side of this encounter – our freedom to explore (Galatians 2: 11-21). We are free to explore – the grace of God, new territories, new skills, and new opportunities. The life of faith is an exploration of God’s wonderland of grace.

Men and women who were free to explore: The bible is filled with accounts of men and women, who having put their trust in God, were willing to step out on a limb, so to speak, to explore new ‘territories’ with God. Think of Noah building his ark and entering in with his whole family; Abraham leaving his native land, business and relatives to go to a strange far away land; or picture the children of Israel leaving the familiar land of Egypt to the distant land of Canaan. The Christian faith is filled with such examples. Hebrews 11 is filled with such examples. History is also filled with accounts of men and women who left the familiar territories of life, and decided to live each day trusting God and anticipating what next He has in store: Mary Slessor dared to leave the comforts of Scotland to go live in Calabar, Nigeria until her death in 1915, for example.

Stopped by fear: Peter started to explore a new dimension of grace, and stepped out of the comforts of his Jewish traditions to interact with Gentile believers. In his heart, he knew it was the right thing to do, after all, God had taught him a big lesson earlier regarding gentiles ( Acts 10:9-22). But the fear of “the other” stopped Peter from going all the way in this way of living and loving. Other Jews from James had come to visit, and so fearing what these “other” would say or do, Peter balked. It seems like fear is the greatest enemy to a life of faith, to the explorative spirit. It may be fear of “the other”, fear of failure, fear of an uncertain outcome, fear of what others may say or think (Proverbs 29: 25, Hebrews 2: 14-16).

Crucified with Christ: Paul seems to suggest in Galatians 2: 20 that the antidote to fear is to know that we were already dead anyway, crucified with Christ. After all, a dead man doesn’t have to worry about what others think of him. But on the other hand, we are now free to live for God, to trust Him, to explore, to step out on a limb in response to his revelation. “The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.” He loved me enough to give Himself for me. So I now trust Him enough to go wherever He says go. I am free to explore with Him, because He loves me. He has my back. I may not know what the new land holds in store for me, but I know that He loves me; so I can step out to explore the land. He may not tell me all about what tomorrow may bring, but I know that I can face tomorrow victoriously anyway; because He is with me (Psalm 23:4).

2010-12-04T15:32:00.001-08:00

Free to Resist

Introduction: Last week, we noted that every Christian story is a story of freedom, and in particular, the freedom to change. Paul told us his own story of God’s wonderful change in his own life in Galatians 1. Today, we look at another freedom that we all have – the freedom to resist (Galatians 2:1-10). Some of the insights here are inspired by Travelling Light, a book by Eugene H. Peterson

Freedom defined: As Myles Munroe noted in his book, The Burden of Freedom, freedom is a two-part word, free-dominion (Genesis 1:26) – which means the liberty or ability to exercise dominion over the earth through one’s unique gifts and talents according to God’s purpose. In other words, freedom is the liberty to fulfill God’s will in serving others with the gifts and talents He gave you, without restricting or controlling others as they also seek to fulfill God’s purpose. It also means then that no one is allowed to control or restrict you as you pursue God’s will for your life. But all too often, we know that there is the tendency to control, or even allow ourselves to be controlled by, others as we run the race of life.

Paul, an example in resisting: It is for the above reason that Paul again tells us his story of resisting man’s controlling and restricting influence on his life and ministry. He tells his story first to the Galatians, and then to us, that we may all learn to resist. We are Free to Resist. Today, we are called to be vigilant about the faith and freedom we have received in Christ. But what exactly are we to resist as we seek to maintain our freedom?

Titus and Circumcision: We are called to resist everything that restricts or controls the freedom and grace we have received in Christ. Titus met Christ just as he was, a Greek. And Christ accepted him, loved him, and changed him. But now, he was among the Jews who, over several years of religious preconditioning, have their own rigid ideas about what you must do in order to be accepted by Christ. Or for that matter, what you must do in order to remain accepted by Christ – Circumcision. Fortunately, Paul was a free man who understood that we are saved by grace alone (Ephesians 2: 8-10). So, he resisted this attempt to enslave Titus again. We are free to resist (Galatians 5: 1-4). Sometimes it may not be circumcision – it may be a denomination’s stifling man-made rules that control and restrict the true grace of Christ, societal or peer pressure, a pastor’s domineering and controlling spirit, or it may be national or ethnic preconditions and superstitions that seek to return us to fear and bondage to elements, holidays or rituals – but whatever it is, we are called to resist if it seeks to rob us of the freedom we have in Christ.

Peter and Paul, a divergence in ministry: Paul’s ministry was so different from Peter’s that it encountered opposition. He never met Christ in person, never saw him heal but Paul was God’s choice to the Gentiles; not in addition to reaching Jews first (as Acts 1: 8, Romans 2: 10 suggest) but in devotion to the Gentiles. So, it was easy to see why the elders of faith questioned the validity of Paul’s ministry. But the same God who called Peter and other apostles to the Jews is the same God that called Paul to the Gentiles. God doesn’t have to take permission from the religious institution or explain Himself. Paul knew the God who has commissioned him, so he resisted the attempt to invalidate his calling. He refused to surrender God’s calling to their cynicism and mockery. Finally, Peter, James and John recognized God’s divine hand and so offered him their own hand of fellowship. We are free to resist all attempts to invalidate or discredit our own ministry. We are Free to Resist (Galatians 5:1).

Don’t Forget the Poor: We are free to resist, but there is one thing we must be sure not to overlook or resist, namely, the opportunity to help the poor (James 1; 23). Ministry to the poor is a common tread of all God-given ministry, whether to the Jews or to the Gentiles. Any person or group that neglects it is showing sign of losing their freedom.

2010-11-06T19:03:00.000-07:00

The day the Lord has made…

The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the LORD’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.
This is the day the LORD has made.
We will rejoice and be glad in it. (Psalm 118: 22-24, NTL)

The stone the builders rejected: In the olden days, building a house requires cutting the stones carefully. Sometimes, as in the old rabbinic parable, the masons may come across a stone that does not seem to fit into any place and so is cast away. Sometimes though it turns out that the stone the builders rejected may become a pillar stone. David was rejected a king by most of Israel, but eventually become one-of-a-kind king in Israel. The Lord Jesus was rejected by the House of Israel, but one day will come back as the Reigning King of Israel. In the same way, we are ‘stones’ being built into a spiritual house (1 Peter 2:4-6). Sometimes, there are things that happen to us we will rather not talk about. There are ‘stones’ in the house of life that we will rather throw away and reject permanently. But if we allow the Lord to have His way, those ‘rejected stones’ may become corner stone experiences in our lives to shape us into the persons God wants us to become.

The Lord’s doing: Only God can take up a rejected stone and make it into a cornerstone. God is at work. And what God does is marvelous in our eyes. It is beautiful to behold, when God takes up our weakness and turns it into a divine strength. It is wonderful to behold Paul being used by God although it was said of him, “Paul’s letters are demanding and forceful, but in person he is weak, and his speeches are worthless!” (2 Corinthians 10: 10-11, 2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Or to behold the Rahab changed from being a harlot into becoming the great grand mother of the Messiah (Matthew 1:5). It is wonderful to behold the crucified Jesus become the Lord and Savior of all. This in deed is the Lord’s doing, and it is wonderful in our eyes.

This is the Day the Lord has made: This is the era in which the carpenter’s son, rejected by Jewish ‘builders’, has become the Lord and Savior of all. This is the day in which God is turning our mourning into dancing, our weakness into strength (2 Corinthians 6: 1-2, Isaiah 61:1-4). Today is the day the Lord has made. Today is in God’s hand. It means that 1): I can live fully and freely today. “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” We can rejoice and be glad in today – it is the day the Lord has made. 2): It means that I am given today. Yesterday is gone, tomorrow is but a promise. Today is a gift to us. So, we are called to live each day at a time. To maximize today’s grace (Ephesians 5:15-17). Finally, it means that I can plan for tomorrow while living worry-free today (Matthew 6: 25-34). Because He lives and does wonderful things, we can face tomorrow confidently and rejoice exceedingly in today’s blessings. This verse from Cristy Lane’s song, One day at a time, is fitting:

One day at a time sweet Jesus
That's all I'm asking from you.
Just give me the strength
To do everyday what I have to do.
Yesterday's gone sweet Jesus
And tomorrow may never be mine.
Lord help me today, show me the way
One day at a time.

2010-10-30T19:47:00.000-07:00

The Unforced Rhythms of Grace

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly." (Matthew 11:28-30, Message)

Tired and Worn Out? Well, sometimes life’s battles can and do leave us bruised, tired and worn out. Yes, we can also get burned out doing the right things – job, marriage, raising kids, school, and church work. Isaiah 40:28-31 tells us that even the youths can faint, but our God never faints nor grows weary.

Come to me: Ah, what a wonderful invitation. Jesus invites us to get away with Him. Spending time with Him in the quietness of our soul is key to recovery. Isaiah 40:31 sums it up very well, “But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.” John 7:37.

Walk with me: We hardly ever ‘walk with’ the Lord. We are either trotting ahead of Him or lagging well behind him. But Jesus invites us to walk and work with Him. We are to watch how He does it, and take each step as we watch Him take His. Jesus lived on earth by walking with and depending on the Father (John 12:49-50) – that’s how we are to live and work on earth too. That, according to the Lord, is how to take a real rest.
Rhythms of grace: Life’s best comes by grace. We are saved by grace. Grace has its own rhythms, its timing, and its ways and means. But there are other rhythms in life too. There is the worldly rhythm of survival of the fittest. There is the rhythm of ‘all you have is all you worked for.’ There is the rhythm of worry, anxiety, strenuous exertion of strength and will power. But we choose to dance to the rhythm of grace – letting God be God, and receiving all that He is giving us here and now.

Unforced rhythms of grace: We can’t force the hands of grace. Sure, we may pray, fast and believe. But our prayer must not be panicky, stubbornly insistent demands of an unreasonable child. We must learn to be at peace as we wait for the rhythms of grace. We must learn to flow with the tide, and not against it. Insisting on having things our way and in our time doesn’t always work out God’s marvelous grace. No wonder God tells us, "Step out of the traffic! Take a long, loving look at me, your High God, above politics, above everything." (Psalm 46: 10, Message). We need to consciously step out of the traffic long enough to see God in His majesty and rest on Him fully.

Keep company with me: That is the sum totality of our calling, to keep company with Christ all through life’s journey. He enables us to live freely and lightly as we keep company with Him. He won’t lay any heavy or ill-fitting burden on us. What a way to go through life’s journey – unburdened, free, graceful, gracious, and dancing to the unforced rhythms of God’s wonderful grace.

2010-09-18T19:49:00.001-07:00

What happened to your big dreams, Joseph?

Text: Genesis 40: 14-15.

Just imagine Joseph in prison: It had been about 11 years now since he had those wonderful dreams of his. Yet, things hadn’t gotten any better. Just when he thought things were improving, he hit rock bottom, was finally thrown in Jail. Sitting there in prison, Joseph must have wondered to himself, “What happened to you, Joe? What happened to all your big dreams? What had become of your big plans?” But two years later, he was a ruler in Egypt, the greatest kingdom at that time. The mid-way point in a journey can seem tiring, confusing and unending – the excitement of the initial take-off has waned, and the joy of arrival is yet far off. But Joseph’s life should encourage us that dreams do come to pass.

Dreams do come to pass, just not when we may expect: Joseph was thirty years old when his dream came to pass (Genesis 41:46), thirteen long years after those wonderful dreams. This is one fact that is always hard for us humans to accept - God’s time is different from ours. The one who knows tomorrows knows when best to bring our dreams to pass.

The way God fulfills our dreams sometimes blows our natural mind: Who would have thought that hatred from brothers, being sold to slavery, being lied on, and ending in maximum security prison could ultimately lead to the fulfillment of a pre-ordained purpose? Yet, that’s precisely what happened in Joseph’s case. Every moment of trial or betrayal actually led him closer to the fulfillment of the dream. Who would have thought? In the middle of the journey (with no end yet in sight), Joseph lamented his plight (Genesis 40:14-15). Who wouldn’t? But at the ‘end’ of the journey, through the benefit of hindsight, Joseph can declare to his brothers, “what you meant for evil, God turned around for good” (Genesis 50: 19-21). Oh, the wonderful and mysterious ways of God. Who can fully understand all His ways? Isaiah 55: 8-13, Romans 11:33-36.

So, whenever we find ourselves in the middle of the journey, we can take solace in the fact that He who began a good work in us is able to complete it to the end (Philippians 1:6, I Thessalonians 5:24).

2010-09-04T19:52:00.001-07:00

A lesson on thankfulness

Text: Luke 17:11-19

Excerpt: Jesus asked, "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine? Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Then he said to him, "Rise and go; your faith has made you well." Luke 17: 17-19, NIV.

The cry for mercy does not go unheeded: The ten lepers cried out for mercy. Our God is a merciful God. He will always respond to our call for mercy. The cry for mercy is a call for help, an admittance that we depend on God totally. Matthew 11: 28, Romans 10: 12-13.

God’s answer occasionally comes in the form of an instruction: “Go show yourselves to the priest.” That was God’s instruction. But it was also God’s answer to their prayers. We should pay attention to Mary’s admonition: “Whatever he tells you, do it” John 2: 5.

Miracles and breakthroughs are the result of responding to God’s instruction: “And as they went, they were cleansed.” They obeyed the instruction given to them, and in their obedience, saw a physical manifestation of the healing. These lepers acted in faith as they went to the priest (Leviticus 14: 1-32). Naaman also learned the same lesson (2 Kings 5: 9-14).

One out of ten returned to give thanks: Ten lepers were healed, but only one returned to give profuse thanks to the Lord. It may be a stretch, but could it be that only about ten percent of us actually return to give praise to the Lord for His individual acts of grace?

Jesus’ response showed that He expected their thankfulness: "Were not all ten cleansed? Where are the other nine?” Jesus asked. He expected all ten of them to give thanks. God expects our hearty praise for all His wonderful works. Psalm 103: 1-22.

A sense of entitlement seems to be the problem: “Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?" Yes, it was a Samaritan that returned to give thanks. He was filled with joy. Didn’t think he deserved it. It was all God’s love and grace. What about his nine Jewish friends? What else should they have expected? They were God’s chosen people. It was no big deal for Christ to heal them. After all, He was sent to the house of Israel. Our false sense of entitlement robs us of the ability to be truly humble and appreciative of what God has done. Romans 12: 3.

2010-06-26T18:22:00.001-07:00

Get Ready!

I don’t know where you are at today, but I sense a timely cry in the spirit: Get Ready! God is about to visit. The Lord whom you seek is about to come into His temple (Malachi 3:1-2). But are you ready? Are you prepared to accommodate the next move of God in your life, family, and Church? Showers of blessings are about to be released on you. Are you ready?

24-Hour turn-round: 2 Kings 7: 1-20 tells of a wonderful 24-hour turn-around that the world had ever known. One day, Israel was so starved that women were killing their own babies for food. Yet, the next day, God sent in so much abundance that a bag of rice was selling for 10 cents, for instance. By this time tomorrow, God would have intervened marvelously in your case. Get ready!

Not By Power: Before you wonder how this could be, remember that God used lepers to bring about this 24-hour miracle. They were destitute, diseased and homeless, but God used them anyway. All they had to do was STEP OUT in faith (verses 3-8). God made the Syrians to hear the sound of a mighty army coming against them. God will magnify your strength! God will cause your adversaries to hear the sound of multitude of angels marching against them, and they will flee on their own accord.

Get Ready: Isaiah 54:1-3 tells us exactly how:

Enlarge the place of your tent: Enlarge the size of your dreams. Broaden your vision Increase your expectations. God wants to do more. You have outgrown ‘where’ you are no (2 Kings 6:1-2). Step out of the doubt and worry and limitation mode. Step right into the wide horizons of God’s love and grace.

Stretch your curtains: Stretch yourself to do more and become more. Take risk – intelligent risk – but risk any way. Those lepers took a risk, but it paid off at the end. Task yourself to become all that God is calling you to be. Sometimes, you may have to step out of your comfort zone in order to move to the next level.

Spare Not: For sure, it may not be easy, but don’t accept any excuses. Don’t take ‘no’ for an answer. Keep at it. Give it your best shot. Go all the way. Don’t stop trying. Don’t spare any effort to succeed, to become all that you are called to be.

Lengthen your cords: Take it even further. Go beyond the limit. Yes, that means you must excel. To ‘excel’ means to go beyond the limit; to do more than is required; to anticipate the needs before they arise and meet them. It was this habit of excellence that distinguished Daniel in Babylon. Excellence will make you outstanding.

Strengthen your stakes: Dig deep. Grow roots. Cover the basics. Don’t take anything for granted. Be sure you understand the principles. You have to grow your roots deep in God!

2010-06-19T18:17:00.000-07:00

Faith is the substance

Text: Hebrews 10: 35- 39, Hebrews 11:1-2

Faith is the substance: Brother Paul starts to encourage us not to give up on what we have believed. Reminds us that we are no quitters- we don’t give up hope. We believe to the end. Then, through the Holy Spirit, he pauses to remind us again: faith is the substance. It’s ok to go to church, be kind or even be prayerful, but faith is the substance, the ground on which all else must be built. Hebrews 11: 2 tells us that it is only because of faith that the patriarchs obtained a good report. Faith is the solid ground we are called to stand on. Hebrews 12: 6, 2 Corinthians 4:13-16; Corinthians 5: 7; Romans 4: 16-24. Our accomplishments, degrees, bank account etc certainly have their place in the scheme of things, but are no solid ground on which to anchor our lives. The most recent economic shake-up is a vivid reminder that our trust has to be in God alone who gives us richly all things to enjoy ( 1 Timothy 6: 17-19).

Only Believe: Mark 5: 21-24, 35-43: tells us of a man for whom it seemed all hope was gone. He had believed, trusted and followed the Lord, but it seemed that things got worse. But before he could give in to the defeat, Jesus gave him this important injunction: “fear not, only believe”. Only believe. Go on believing. Keep believing. Yes, it takes both faith and patience to inherit the promise. Heb 6: 11-20, Hebrews 12:1-2, Psalm 27: 12-14, Psalm 37:7-9. God is calling us to be, and keep believing.

2010-06-13T19:21:00.001-07:00

The Grandstand of Witnesses

Text: Hebrews 12: 1-3

Introduction: Apostle Paul invokes a sports imagery in order to encourage the Hebrew Christians (and by extension, all of us) to continue faithfully in the faith. Here is his point in a nutshell: we are in a race (verse 1; 1 Corinthians 9: 23-27), and there are folks in the grandstand who are not only cheering us on, and but are also proof that we can make it to the end successfully (Hebrews 11: 1-40). Why? Because they too ran the same race (even without the benefit of so many extra gadgets that we have today) and made it to the end. They are an encouragement and a challenge to us!

We are no quitters: This message that Paul was giving started with a simple injunction in Hebrews 10:32-39: “We are not quitters. Instead, we are those that believe to the end no matter the challenges on the way.” We are encouraged to persevere to the end, holding on to the confidence of our faith. We dare not cast away our confidence because in just a little while, God will come with great rewards in His hands. God is a rewarder, and He will definitely reward those who seek Him diligently (Hebrews 11: 6). This was the reason Paul began to list ordinary men and women who persevered to the end, kept their faith and glorified God in their time ( Hebrews 11: 1-40). The Spirit’s point is simple: if these everyday folks could make it, so can we!

So, get on with it: Enough of complaining and murmuring – get on with living the life God has called you to live. Let us lay aside the weights or the sin that so easily trips us up. There is a ‘race set before you’ – start running it. And don’t just run it sluggishly, give it your best shot, totally depending on the grace of God. (Hebrews 12:1-3). Will you be satisfied at the end of the journey that you gave it your all? (2 Timothy 4: 6-8).

2010-06-05T11:43:00.000-07:00

The Temple and the Ark of God

Text: 2 Chronicles 5: 1-14

The Temple without the Ark is nothing: Solomon had just finished building the temple. And what a magnificent temple it was. But what is the use of a magnificent temple without the ark of God’s covenant? It is for this reason that Solomon summoned all the elders to bring in the ark of God (verse 2). In the same way, the Bible makes it clear that we are God’s temple (2 Corinthians 6: 16-18 ). But what use is our ‘temple’ to God if His ark is not granted a permanent dwelling place in our heart.

The Ark represents His presence and Covenant: What is the big deal with the ark? For Israel, the ark meant the very presence of God and His presence. The ark represents God’s covenant with Israel as a people, and assures them of His abiding presence. When the ark is present, Israel goes out with confidence against their enemies (1 Samuel 4:1-22; and 1 Samuel 5:1-12). When we become God’s children, He gives us the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit becomes to us in reality what the ark represented for Israel – proof of God’s presence and covenant (Ephesians 1: 11-14). Oh, the Holy Spirit in us makes all the difference.

Bringing the Ark Into the Temple: There are three important steps we notice that the priests took in order to bring in the ark of God into the temple…

Consecration: Verse 11 tells us that all the priests had consecrated themselves. This means they had taken time to surrender all to the Lord, and to abstain from evil (2 Corinthians 6: 16-18).

The ark was placed in its proper place: They made sure to place the ark in its proper location- under the wings of the Cherubim. It could have been anywhere else, but under the Cherubim is where God has chosen (verses 7-10). The Holy Spirit lives in the heart of all believers, but only those who give Him His proper place in their lives see His manifested presence.

They offered sacrifices to the Lord: Verses 4-6 tells us that the priests offered sacrificed so many sheep that could not be counted. Sacrifice may stand for appropriating the work of Christ deeply and totally for ourselves (Ephesians 1: 7; Colossians 1:12-20; Colossians 2:13-19; Colossians 3:3-4). It may also imply the act of generous giving to the work of God, or giving to meet the needs of others – in love (2 Corinthians 9: 6-15).

The praise of His Grace: Verses 12-14 tells us that the priests began to praise the Lord God and his wonderful work of grace. They sang to the Lord and worshipped. They worshipped until the weight of his glorious presence filled the whole temple. May our temple be filled with worship and the very weight of his glory!

I feel like singing this old hymn about God's faithfulness. Sing along if you like...

Great is Thy faithfulness, O God my Father;
There is no shadow of turning with Thee;
Thou changest not, Thy compassions, they fail not;
As Thou hast been, Thou forever will be.

Great is Thy faithfulness!
Great is Thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided;
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!

Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
Sun, moon and stars in their courses above
Join with all nature in manifold witness
To Thy great faithfulness, mercy and love.

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth
Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
Blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside

2010-05-22T17:47:00.001-07:00

The Spirit of War

Introduction: The Holy Spirit of God is a gentle, wonderful Spirit. In fact, He is often typified in Scripture as a dove – a picture of gentle grace. He is a healer, a teacher and a comforter to all of God’s people. But He can also be a fierce warrior, a devouring lion against God’s adversaries. Today, we shall examine how the Holy Spirit can fight both for us, and through us.

Spiritual Conflict: Spiritual warfare is real. 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5 establishes the fact that we wage a certain kind of warfare as Christians – “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does” (vs. 3). Nevertheless, we wage war. Our weapons of war are different from the world’s weapon of war; still, we are often called to wage a kind of war against spiritual adversaries. As if to erase any doubts, Ephesians 6: 10- 18 confirms the kind of spiritual forces that we fight against, and encourages us to equip ourselves so “that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.”

Holy Spirit, Our Spiritual Warrior: Ephesians 6: 10-16 can be intimidating – how can I fight against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places”? After all, I am only human? It’s normal to have that kind of unspoken concern in your heart as you think of spiritual warfare; that is, until you get to verse 17 and 18: “And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God; praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit…” Notice it talked about the sword of the Spirit. Yeah, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of War. He is the One that rises up to fight in us and for us. We only have to place the sword in His hand, and take cover (in righteousness, faith, salvation etc). Isaiah 59: 15-20 confirms this principle that the Holy Spirit fights our battles if we let Him.

Bible Examples: Scripture is filled with examples of men and women who were merely human, weak and defeated – until the Holy Spirit decided to ‘fight’ in and through them. Othniel (Judges 3:7-11), Gideon (Judges 6: 33-35), and Peter (Acts 4:5-22). The Holy Spirit can stir up a dormant soul to do great exploits for God.

What about it? The point is that there are times in your life that you will have to face up to the devil and his cohorts. There are times when we inevitably have to stand up against the wiles of the devil, and wage war against the works of darkness. But don’t you fear, the Holy Spirit will stir you up in the spirit, and fighting through you and other loved ones, will accomplish great victory for you. You have the Spirit of God on your side (Romans 8:26-31).

2010-05-15T20:52:00.000-07:00

Living for "One Thing"

We are disciples of Jesus Christ. This means that He is not only our savior, but also our teacher, mentor, and guide. He is the ultimate Wisdom of God. In Him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and understanding (Colossians 2:3). So, when He teaches on the value of concentrated focus – giving our full attention to life’s Chief Purpose – we had better listen to the Master.

What Jesus taught on Focused Living

Matthew 6: 19- 34: The Lord warns us clearly that we can not serve two masters at the same time. It is not possible to give our full devotion to both God and money at the same time. He then encourages us to lay up our treasures in heaven, to stake it all on God and His kingdom. God won’t fail us, but He demands that we first give Him our all. He demands single-hearted devotion to Him. The Lord essentially calls our attention to competing interests that tend to distract from God’s purpose for us.

Matthew 13: 44-46: Here, the Master makes no assumptions about the value of this treasure. The treasure is valuable, and it is hidden. Only those who value it will seek it out. And only those who value it enough will dare “sell all” they have in order to own this treasure. God’s kingdom is worth seeking after with our whole heart, and it is definitely worth giving all our time and effort.

Paul, an example of a good disciple: Philippians 3: 7-14: Paul has learned from the Master. He has found Christ’s love and discovered his assignment. And for joy, he has counted all other things but loss for the excellence of knowing Jesus Christ. He reminds us that now he forgets all that is past, and pursues wholly that single purpose for which Jesus has called him. Here is a good example for us.

Practical Lessons for us: Go has called us all to a single purpose – to know and glorify God. This is the huge treasure we are called to focus all attention on. God has also given you a specific assignment – an opportunity or a series of opportunities to serve God and humanity, thereby glorifying God. It is our duty to seek out such opportunities, to maximize them when they open up, and to keep our priorities straight to reflect our purpose and assignment.

2010-05-08T17:57:00.000-07:00

The Spirit of Creation

Text: Genesis 1: 1-5

In my last post, we examined the fact that the Holy Spirit is the ultimate secret to successful living. Today, we shall study the creative powers of the Holy Spirit. Yes, the Holy Spirit can create life, favor, joy, salvation etc where none existed. This is one more reason we need Him so much.

Divine Incubator: Genesis 1: 2 gives us a very vivid picture of the Holy Spirit as an “incubator”. The word ‘hover’ or ‘brood’ means to “incubate”. To brood means ‘to sit upon (eggs) to hatch, as a bird; incubate’ or ‘to warm, protect, or cover (young) with the wings or body’ (dictionary.com). When we allow the Holy Spirit to brood over our lives and decision-making, He will hatch great destinies, peace, righteousness, abundance etc. And what is more, He will warm, protect and cover what He hatches. When Jesus, the Savior of the world, was to be born, it took the brooding of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:34-36). And when Jesus was about to leave the earth, he knew that it would take the Holy Spirit to empower and sustain His disciples who where charged with spreading the work of salvation (Acts 1: 8, John 14: 16-18, 26).

So, what should be our response?

Total Surrender: If it takes the Holy Spirit to incubate and birth God’s destiny in our lives, then it behooves us to surrender to Him completely (John 7: 37-39, Matthew 11: 28-30, Proverbs 3: 5-8).

Speak His Word: With the Spirit hovering over us and our lives yielded to Him, that is the best atmosphere to speak God’s word into our situation, to create new things out of nothing. The rest of Genesis 1 illustrates this principle. God spoke definite things into being, but He did so after the Spirit incubated the void of nothingness for a while! The Spirit and the Word work together. Words borne out of Holy Spirit’s incubation can be very creative when spoken timely and in faith. John 1:1-4, Ephesians 6: 17-18, Mark 11: 22-24). Notice that many of these scriptures about the power of words is in the context of praying in the Holy Spirit. When we pray, not only do we intercede and petition God, but we also make decrees in His name ( Job 22: 27-29).

2010-04-24T17:57:00.000-07:00

Holy Spirit – the Secret of Successful Living

“On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "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. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” John 7: 37-39, NIV.

Introduction: The feast being referred to here is the Feast of Tabernacles (or Sukkot in Hebrew). It is a feast observed between 15th and 22nd of September, to remember the huts (temporary and fragile dwellings) Israel lived in for 40 years in the wilderness (Leviticus 23: 42-43). It is also a feast characterized by bountiful harvest and joy. Hence it is also called “season of our rejoicing” by many Jews ( www.jewfaq.org/holiday5.htm). It was during the last day of this important feast that Jesus chose to reveal to all and sundry the everlasting secret of joy, harvest and breakthrough – “the rivers of living waters,” the Holy Spirit himself.

Holy Spirit likened to a river: From the text above, we see that Jesus likens the Holy Spirit to a river – full and overflowing with life, peace, joy, healing, grace, salvation, mercy etc. In fact, Psalm 46:16-18 reminds us that “there is a river whose streams shall make glad the city of God, the holy tabernacles of the Most High”. Notice the reference again to “tabernacles” or dwelling tents. Oh, the Holy Spirit longs to live in us, and overflow through us. It’s a picture of abundance and overflowing grace through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

"Another Comforter": No wonder Jesus said clearly in John 14:16-18 that He would not leave us ‘comfortless’. In other words, He sent the Holy Spirit to bring us comfort as we live day by day in a challenging world such as ours. The kind of comfort that Jesus brought during His earthly ministry is the same kind of comfort that the Holy Spirit brings us each day as we lean on him – healing, wisdom, counseling, revelation, restoration etc.

Inherent Power for Success: The Holy Spirit is the source of inherent power for success and effectiveness in life. This is why Jesus instructed His disciples to wait in the upper room until they be endued with power from the Holy Spirit (Acts 1: 8; Acts 2:1-4). And what a marvelous change came over those apostles when the Holy Spirit came upon them. You and I need an inner ability to take us over in life, and this ability comes from the Holy Spirit. Zachariah 4: 6-7; Job 32: 6-10.

What should we do with this understanding?

Acknowledge the Holy Spirit: We acknowledge him by welcoming Him into our affairs, praising Him, asking for His guidance and help (John 14:17). But we have to acknowledge Him in order to receive the benefits of His presence.

Listen to Him: He speaks to us in various forms. We must listen to Him. Yes, one word from the Holy Spirit can change our lives if we respond to him. We must pay attention to the inward witness, to the voice of wisdom through the Word, prophecy etc. Romans 8: 14-16.

Pray out the “burden”: Many times the voice of the Spirit is clouded in background ‘noise’ such that we are not able to discern clearly what He is saying. Or may be, there is an urgent need in the spirit realm that needs to be addressed through prayer. In either case, we sense a “burden” or this inner stirring that is deep and ‘troubling’. This is the Spirit’s call to prayer and fellowship. We must seek God and pray until this “burden” is lifted. We must pray until there is “lightness” in our soul, and joy in our heart. Nehemiah 2: 1-8.

2010-04-17T13:31:00.000-07:00

Christ, Our Advocate

All through the ages, there has been a cry in the heart of men and women for an advocate, a mediator, one who can plead our case with God, and one who can fully represent us before the divine court of heaven. Job 33: 19-30.

Job: This was one person who was under intense demonic attack, yet under severe attack too from his friends as they accuse him. And how he cried out for an advocate, a divine intercessor, one who knew him better than all and still loved him enough to defend him! Job 9: 32-34; Job 16: 18-22.

David: Hounded by King Saul, David fought, ran and cried. His whole heart desire was for an advocate, a mediator. He understood that he stood no chance in the physical fighting against Saul. But there is a God in heaven is the advocate of all who are being oppressed. 1 Samuel 24: 14-16.

Jesus is our advocate: Yes, the cry of all humanity has been answered in Christ. He is our advocate in heaven, our divine intercessor. We sure can count on Him to represent us. We have our Friend as the Judge in the court of heaven. 1 John 2:1-2; 1 Timothy 2: 5; Hebrews 9: 15; Hebrews 7: 25-26.

The Holy Spirit, our ever present advocate: The Holy Spirit is heaven’s advocate living right in our heart. Well, Jesus the Lord is representing us at the throne of God in heaven, and the Holy Spirit is representing us right now in this present world. John 14: 15-17; John 14: 26.

Power of agreement: We can enjoy His advocacy only as long as we agree with God concerning our lives. We have to side with Christ to receive the full benefit of His representation. We have to agree with, and acknowledge, the Holy Spirit regularly in order to receive the full blessings of His comfort. Amos 3: 3; Matthew 18: 18-20

2010-04-10T13:20:00.000-07:00

Peace in a troubled world

“For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking, but of righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit” Romans 14:17

God has called us to peace even in the midst of a challenging world. Peace is reflective of a life under the kingdom of Christ. It is a gift that Christ gives to all who belong to him. John 14: 27, John 16: 33. The blessings of peace come to us in different forms, and here are some of them…

Peace with God: Life of unbelief and sin is state of enmity with, and alienation from, God. In this sense, every sinner or unbeliever needs reconciliation with God. This is the peace that opens the door to all other forms of peace. It is the peace that only Christ can bring to every soul. The peace that leads to eternal life Romans 5: 1, John 3: 17-18, 2 Corinthians 5: 18-21, 1 Peter 2: 9-11

Peace with self: I forgive my self because he has forgiven me. I live in harmony with myself because He has reconciled me to Himself. It doesn’t matter what our past has been or what our current circumstances are, we love ourselves because He has first loved us, and called us accepted in the beloved. Ephesians 1: 3& 6; 1 John 1: 8-9; 1 John 2: 1-2; 1 John 3: 18-21.

Peace with others: God mandates us to live at peace with each other, as much as possible. Romans 12: 18, Hebrews 12: 13-15. It’s our responsibility to live at peace with one another, and to reconcile others.

Peace abundant: Peace also means freedom from fear and agitating passions. It involves ‘shalom’, serenity, abundance, fullness, wholeness, total well-being. God is a God of wholeness and prospering abundance. God’s desire is for our well-being in every area of life, 1 Thessalonians 5: 23, 1 Corinthians 7: 17, 3 John 2. This kind of peace comes, among other things, from fellowship with God through prayer, the Word and communal worship (Philippians 4: 5-8, Mark 4: 35- 41).

2010-04-03T21:34:00.000-07:00

Resurrection – the Crux of the Gospel

Text: 1 Corinthians 15
Easter morning is a good time to remind ourselves about the main theme of the gospel – the Risen Christ! Yes, the resurrection of Christ is the pillar on which our faith is anchored. Here is how Paul summarized the gospel which we have believed:

“For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.” Verses 3-7

Because He lives, we can face eternity with hope, verses 12-19
Paul’s argument is simple: that Jesus rose from the dead is guarantee that we shall all be resurrected too on the last day. Because he lives, we can face eternity. Oh how true this rings: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” Faith in Christ isn’t only good for this world; it is equally profitable for the life to come (1 Timothy 4:8, 6: 17-19).

A glorious new body, verses 35 – 46
The day of resurrection is going to be a day of glory. Our corruptible bodies will be raised incorruptible. We shall put on our celestial body – which can not be corrupted by sin, disease or death! A body that can inherit the kingdom of God. This is the hope of Christians.

Death is swallowed up in the final victory, verses 50-58
Oh, yes, one day, the trumpet is going to sound! Then the dead shall be raised, and we who are alive shall be changed in the twinkling of an eye. And then death shall be swallowed up in victory. All because Jesus lives. “The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (vs. 56-57).

2010-03-27T11:33:00.000-07:00

Salvation in Jesus Name

“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18: 10

Text: Romans 10: 5-13

There is power in the name of Jesus Christ – power to save from sin, heal, and deliver from evil. It is clear from the Scriptures, that everyone that calls on the name of the Lord is saved (Romans 10: 11-13, Proverbs 18: 10, Joel 2: 32, Judges 9: 50-55). The name of Jesus is the only name given among humans whereby we may be saved – from sin, sickness, disease, and eternal destruction (Acts 4: 12).

Divine Guarantee: It’s clear from the Scriptures above, that God has given us a divine guarantee – all who call on Him will be saved, and will not be put to shame ( Romans 10: 13, Isaiah 28:16, Joel 2: 32).

Why the name of Jesus is so powerful: Philippians 2: 5-13 tells us clearly that God has exalted the name of Jesus above all other names, so that at His name every knee must bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord. He is the sinless Son of God who took away our sins. He is our Divine advocate, our eternal redeemer.

How to experience the power in Jesus' name:

Believe in your heart: Whether as a sinner coming to God for salvation, or as a believer coming to God for deliverance from some evil, the first step to releasing His divine power is to believe in your heart that Jesus is the Lord and that God has raised Him from the dead for our salvation (Romans 10: 9-10, 14; Psalm 91: 14-15). He that comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a ‘rewarder’ of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11: 6). Trust in Jesus Christ as the Savor is the required first step towards salvation.

Call on His Name: Believing firmly in His ability to bring salvation is the first step, but it is also equally important to call out for help in His name. We believe with the heart, and we confess or call out to Him with our mouth (Romans 10: 9-10, Psalm 91: 15, Joel 2: 32, Jeremiah 33: 3, John 14: 13-14). Calling on His name for help and salvation in time of trouble is proof that we truly believe in Him (Peter’s example, Acts 14: 28-32). It’s time to call on His name, and watch every other name bow to Him.

2010-03-20T19:49:00.000-07:00

Dealing with fear

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” 2 Timothy 1: 7

Fear is an intimidating, and a limiting force. It can harass us into submitting to mediocrity if care is not taken. God is calling us to deal with the fears that hold us back, that limit us from being all that God wants us to be. We will look at three characters who dealt with their fear in two different ways:

Lot: Genesis 19: 15-26, 30-36. First, Lot was afraid to go to the mountains, and requested to go to a small town. Later, he left the city of Zoar for fear, and fled to the same mountains. We must not act based on our fears, but on the word of God and on the power of His grace. Ephesians 3: 20-21.

Abraham: Genesis 12: 5-15. Abraham was called to dwell in the land of Canada. He had left all to get to this land. But confronted with unexpected famine, he gave into his fears and left the land of his destiny. He moved into Egypt.

Isaac: Genesis 26: 1-5, 12-16. Isaac was confronted also with famine, and had to make a decision whether to leave for Egypt. But, thankfully, he did not give in to fear and to what he saw on ground. Isaac’s response to his fear of the famine gives us an example on how to deal with fear and satanic intimidation:

How to deal with fear

Respond to divine instruction: God’s word to Isaac was clear: 1) don’t go to Egypt, 2) stay in Gerar. His obedience to those two instructions released the fullness of God’s blessings. God has already spoken to us in many ways, and given us certain instructions in ‘secret’. It’s important to respond to God in spite of our fears.

Take Action: Isaac sowed in the land in the time of famine. He acted in spite of his fear of hunger and death. Perhaps the best way to deal with our fear is to act positively despite the suggestions and insinuations of hell. Taking the right kind of ACTON in the face of fear is perhaps the best antidote to fear.

Regular meditation in God’s Word: Meditation in the word renews our mind, and fills us with God’s love and power. Romans 12: 2. God’s word is a weapon of war that we need to have ready even before the time of conflict. Ephesians 6: 17-18, 2 Corinthians 10:3-5. God’s word is filled with fear-killers and faith-building nuggets – like this one from Isaiah 41: 10-11: 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. "All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced; those who oppose you will be as nothing and perish.

2010-03-13T11:30:00.000-08:00

Life Beyond "Jordan"

Text: 2 Kings 2:1- 15
Excerpt: “Yet if you see me when I am taken from you, it will be yours- otherwise not” 2 kings 2:10.

Let us take a moment to go over the story of Elisha. Remember the call of Elisha (1kings 19:19-21), while he was plowing with 12 yokes of oxen. This does not only signify a hardworking man but also a wealthy man. Despite all of these, he left all of these to follow Elijah. No wonder out of all the sons of prophets he was the only one that went with Elijah on this seemingly unending journey. First, here are a few reflective insights from key points in Elijah's journey with Elisha:

Gilgal: A place where the Israelites were circumcised (Jos. 5:1-9). A place where their reproach was taken away. A place that could be likened to when we first believed. When our hearts were circumcised and the reproach of sin was removed.

Bethel: A place of God’s presence, it is a place of worship. Let us recount the story of Jacob (Gen 28: 18-19). This is the experience that follows our conversion, the ecstasy we experience when we fellowship with believers, when we discover new revelations from the word of God. How sweet does this feel?

Jericho: A place where the wall of hindrance was destroyed, a place of miracle, a place of praise (Josh 6). It is a place where we experience God’s miracle face to face. When we know the reality of the miracles of God, when we see, we hear and we feel it personally, what the Lord is doing. A place where our faith is fortified.

Jordan: What does Jordan stand for? It is the pace of anointing, a place of service. It is the place where we are no longer on lookers but actors in the work of God. Elisha received a double portion of anointing upon Elijah after crossing Jordan (2King 2:9) Elisha performed the first recorded miracle right at the bank of river Jordan (2King 2:9).

What does it take to Jordan and beyond? - DETERMINATION!

Be ready to get out of your comfort zone… Elisha would never have been a son of the prophet in the first place if he were not willing to let go of all he had and followed Elijah. In addition, he was willing to embark on a journey that he had no idea where it was going to end. Let us look at the life of Abraham too, he would never have been the person he was if he did not heed the call to leave his comfort zone (Gen 12:1-4)
Desire more of God …. Elisha could have stopped at Gilgal, maybe bethel or at the most, Jericho but he persevered to the end of the journey (Phi 3:10, Matt 5: 6)
Have a goal …. Elisha was not ready to settle for just anything, he had his eyes on a goal that looked difficult to achieve (2King 2:10). He asked for the double portion of Elijah. (2King 2:9)
Do not be discouraged, rather tap into God’s strength … If we look at situations and circumstances around us, we may be overwhelmed, and discouraged. Consider Elisha and the sons of the prophets, the type of discouragements their prophecies would have been, but he was willing to go on. We can say like Joshua and Caleb: we are able to go up and possess the land.

What is the risk of not going beyond Jordan?
Life beyond Jordan is the purpose of God for us. Anything less could mean disaster. Apart from the fact that we are not operating in Gods full potential, we also stand the risk of backsliding and sinning. Consider Lot… It took an angel to pull him out of Sodom. As if that was not enough, he decided to settle in a cave, when the Lord wanted him to dwell in Zoar. (Gen 19: 15, 30)
Now let us come back home. Are we still at Gilgal? Perhaps we are in Bethel and we have allowed the excitement of our new discoveries to blind us from the fact that there is still a higher mark that we can attain. We can only be our best when we have gone beyond Jordan, when we have seen the chariot of fire. That is when we can be of real service to the Lord. When our faith, endurance and love for the Lord have been tested. That is when we can enter into our promised land. There is always a higher ground to break, as noted in the words of a famous hymn:

Lord, lift me up and let me stand,
By faith, on Heaven’s table land,
A higher plane than I have found;
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground..

Contributed by Adebobola Nathaniel

2010-02-20T18:40:00.000-08:00

Rejoice in the Lord

Text: Philippians 3: 1-4
Excerpt: “Finally, my brothers, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you” (Verse 1).

God’s word tells us to rejoice in the Lord. Our rejoicing is to be IN the Lord. Our happiness should not rest on the transient things of this life. But what does it mean to rejoice in the Lord?

What it means to rejoice in the Lord
It means to delight ourselves in the Lord, and to make our ‘boast’ in God (Psalm 37:4, Psalm 34:1-10). It’s alright to boast, as long as our boast is in the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:30-31, Jeremiah 9: 23-24). God is our strength and our salvation. It’s ok to boast about Him.

What we should 'boast' about
So, what exactly do we ‘glory’ or ‘boast’ about God? Oh, we ‘boast’, exult, joy, and glory in His work of redemption. Paul ‘boasts’ that we are the true circumcision who worship God in spirit, rejoice in Jesus Christ and have no confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3: 3). This New Creation does not rely on human effort, but relies entirely on Christ’s finished work. Isaiah was so thrilled about the revelation of Christ’s redemptive work that he wondered who would believe it (Isaiah 53:1-12). We are called to celebrate the marvels of Christ’s salvation. We are enjoined to sing aloud His mercies, and revel in the wonders of His love.

2010-02-13T18:09:00.000-08:00

A Tale of Two Apostolic Breakthroughs

In Acts 12 and 16, Peter and Paul were variously jailed for preaching the name of Jesus Christ and for healing in His name. But we also see God’s power deliver them both miraculously. Looking closer at these two breakthroughs, we learn some useful lessons. First, what these two incidents share in common:

Trial is no respecter of persons: Peter was the spokesperson for the Church in Jerusalem, yet he landed in jail. Paul was the sent one to the gentile world; still he ended up in jail. Trials and difficulties come to all of us, irrespective of our position in life. Although the circumstances may differ, but the challenges we face today are not entirely unique to us. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13.

Prayer is important: Prayers were offered in both instances for the deliverance of these men. For Peter, the Church prayed earnestly; but Paul and Silas had to pray for themselves. In both cases, God heard their prayers, and brought them salvation. The earnest, heart-felt prayer of a righteous person avails much. James 5:13-18.

God is a deliverer: Yes, Peter and Paul were jailed, but then God did deliver them supernaturally. God can always be counted on to deliver His people in times of difficulty. As long as God has a purpose over your life, He will not allow you to be broken by any circumstance. 1 Corinthians 10:11-13; Romans 8: 28-39.

Two Different Interventions
Both men were delivered by God, but the nature of their deliverance was so different. Here are a few salient points of difference:

Prayer or Praise: The church prayed for Peter, while he slept. Paul and Silas prayed in their “midnight’, but they also sang praises to God. Oh, it seems that their praise made a huge difference. Psalm 50:23.

God’s Angel or God Himself: Peter prayed, and God sent His angel to deliver Peter. Paul and Silas praised and God showed up in their midst. Yes, how God chooses to manifest His victory is His prerogative, but it is important to remember that God inhabits and dwells in the praises of His people. Psalm 22:3 Psalm 114:1-8.

Two Different “endings”: When Peter was delivered; the repercussion was that the guards charged with his safe-keeping were killed by Herod. When Paul was delivered, the result was the salvation of the prison guard charged to keep him, and an added apology from the city council. Proverbs 10:22.

Praise made all the difference
It seems that the only thing that made such a big difference was Praise. Yes, praise unleashes divine grace and power in a very deep way. It’s a divine weapon at our disposal. Psalm 149:1-9.

2010-02-06T15:00:00.000-08:00

Thankful in All Things: How Practicable is That?

Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus…The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it. (I Thessalonians 5: 16-24).

God welcomes us to a life of continuous joy and thankfulness. Though it may seem difficult to imagine living such a joyful life in light of the practical realities of human existence, yet the Word of God gives us clues to the fact that this life is not only possible but mandatory for a victorious life. Paul’s epistle to the Philippian Church gives us helpful hints on the origin of this kind of joy (Philippians 1: 3-26). In this one epistle alone, Paul mentions “joy” or “rejoice” about 14 times. In fact, this letter is perhaps the most personal of Paul’s letters written to a Church. Why was it rather easy for Paul to gush with such joy, happiness and thankfulness, even though he was in prison? Paul’s joy was rooted in understanding of:

Covenant Relationship: The city of Philippi was the chief city in Macedonia where Paul started a Church (Acts 16:11-12). This Church had such a special relationship with Paul. No wonder the mere thought of them evokes joy and thanksgiving in him (Vs 3-6). Recalling our wonderful relationship with Christ ought to fill us with joy; as well as remembering that God has blessed us with spouses, children, friends, covenant partners etc.

Sacrificial Love: Every time we go all out to show sacrificial love to others, not only do we fill another soul with joy, but we also are filled with joy unspeakable. The Philippian Church loved Paul, and gave to him sacrificially (Vs 7-11, Philippians 4: 10-16). Is it surprising then that Paul was filled with joy each time he thought about them? And how wonderful is the love of Christ that saved us from our sin (Romans 5:9-11, Hebrews 13:11-16).

God Himself: Paul had a deep revelation of the love, integrity, faithfulness and power of God. The result is a joyful surrender to God, knowing that He is working all things for good (Vs 12-22, Romans 8:28, Philippians 2:13). No wonder Paul tells us to rejoice in God always (Philippians 3: 1).

Our Response
What then should be our response to such revelation of God’s love, faithfulness and power?

Refuse to Murmur: If we know that God is sovereign, then let’s endeavor to stop murmuring and complaining. Philippians 2:14-15, 2 Corinthians 12: 7-10. Life is full of minor irritations, but we are called to live above such irritations, as we trust in God who knows and sees all.

Give thanks in ALL things: I know that this may sound rather extreme. Can any one actually give thanks in ALL things; or should we even give thanks in ALL things for that matter? But God’s word is straightforward: “give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus” (I Thessalonians 5:18). This is perhaps the greatest expression of our faith in God who cares for us intensely and is deeply committed to our good. Psalm 50: 23. We may not always understand what He has allowed, but we can rest in the fact that He loves us and cares deeply about us. Jeremiah 29:11, Psalm 84: 11.

2010-01-30T14:02:00.000-08:00

Breakthrough

Today, we shall examine the relationship between Paul and Titus as we seek to gain insight into certain factors that lead to breakthrough. But first, let’s define breakthrough.

What is Breakthrough?
According to online dictionary, www.dictionary.com, breakthrough could mean either or all of the following:
1. “A military movement or advance all the way through and beyond an enemy's front-line defense.” So, we when we talk about breakthrough as Christians, we mean advancing through and beyond Satan’s line of defense against us. It means going beyond defeat to living a victorious Christian life. The bible teaches us clearly that we wrestle against principalities and power and spiritual wickedness in high places. We are called to cast down imaginations and everything that oppose the knowledge or the glory of God. Ephesians 6:10-13, 2 Corinthians 10: 3-5. Sometimes, what we need most isn’t another 7-step program or counseling, but the ability to take authority over corrupting influences of Satan and his evil agents.
2. “An act or instance of removing or surpassing an obstruction or restriction; the overcoming of a stalemate”. All the resistances we experience do not all necessarily come directly from Satan and his demon spirits. Some of the opposition to salvation and victory we experience may come from wrong attitudes, ignorance etc. Hence, breakthrough also refers to breaking down all resistances that stand on our way to being all that God has called us to be. This is why teaching, counseling, mentorship and submission to the Holy Spirit become very important. Matthew 11:28-30
3. “Any significant or sudden advance, development, achievement, or increase, as in scientific knowledge or diplomacy, that removes a barrier to progress.” Breakthrough also implies a significant moment in history that marks a major advancement in your life. Hence, a spiritual breakthrough could refer to a transformative moment in time that sets the rest of your life on a higher projectile, spiritually speaking. For example, the day we received Christ as Lord and Savior is a momentous day that opens a spiritual life of grace to you. There was a day that Jabez prayed and had his fortunes in life (spiritual and physical) changed for good. 1 Chronicles 4:9-10

Important Keys to Breakthrough:
Here a few helpful steps that will lead to breakthrough. The list is not exhaustive, neither is it meant to be another 7-point program. But for sure, major spiritual breakthroughs have had these important elements as key factors:
1. Proper Location: It is important for us to be at the right place at the right time. Paul was a man who listened and discerned God’s leading regarding a time and a place for God’s work. Acts 16:6-10
2. The “Titus” Connection: God’s breakthrough or blessings is often tied to a person. Paul got to Troas, had an open door but could not walk into that open door; because Titus was not around. Titus was to bring him certain news regarding the Corinthian Church. Paul’s comfort in this instance was tied to a person by name Titus. 2 Corinthians 2: 12-12-13; 2 Corinthians 7: 5-6.
3. Release of Honor: The ability to honor key persons in your life will release divine breakthrough. First on that list is God. We ought to honor God always. But there are also certain persons in our lives that we ought to honor, namely, your parents, spouse, mentor, pastor, boss etc. Titus honored Paul; the Corinthian Church honored Titus and Paul by heeding instructions. 2 Corinthians 7: 5-13.
4. Heart-felt Prayer: Paul was a man of prayer. He believed in the power of prayer to effect breakthrough, and constantly prayed in times of dire circumstances. Acts 16: 24-26. James charged that we have not because we ask not (James 4: 2-3). Prayer is a divine privilege that allows us the opportunity to co-work with God in advancing His will. In the place of prayer, we can repent of our sins and mistakes, submit to God, renounce and bind he work of darkness, claim Christ’ victory and receive the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Jacob is a good example for us (Genesis 32: 24-30).

2010-01-23T13:10:00.000-08:00

The Hope of His Calling
(Paul's Prayer, Part 2)

“I pray also 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 the saints.” Ephesians 1: 18

Today, we shall meditate on Paul’s second prayer request for the Ephesian Church, namely, that their heart may be enlightened so that they may know the hope to which God has called them. Here, then, are a few points worth noting from this prayer:

God has called you. You have been chosen by God specially and specifically. Before you were born, God already knew you. Ephesians 1: 3-5, Jeremiah 1: 5-8; Jeremiah 31:2-3; 1 Peter 2: 9-10.

There is a hope to which God has called you: There is a definite purpose for which God has called you into Christ, your career, marriage, ministry etc. God is a God of purpose, plans and objectivity. Jeremiah 29:10-11. And yes, the purpose of God’s calling spans all areas of life. There is a divine hope, joyful anticipation for excellence that God has in mind for all aspects of your life.

God is only committed to His will or purpose. God is committed to what He starts. The purposes of the Lord shall be established. He works all things after the counsel of His own will. God is not committed to fulfill our will, no matter how noble or embellished they may appear to be. Ephesians 1:11, Romans 8: 28.

Only an “enlightened heart” can know God’s will or the hope of his calling. It takes divine enlightenment to know and understand the will of God, the hope of his calling in any given time or situation. And this calls for prayer and meditation. It demands listening to the Lord through worship, prayer, and meditation in God’s word. Colossians 1:9-11, Ephesians 1:18.

Knowing his will leads to living in his will. It’s not enough to know the hope of his calling, it’s also important to live in the hope of his calling; to allow God’s glorious purpose to be fulfilled in us and through us. Knowing his lead leads to living in his will. This requires leaning on the Spirit of God daily as we walk through life. Ephesians 5: 15-17, Romans 5: 5.

Christ, the hope of glory. Christ in us is the ultimate hope of our calling (Colossians 1: 27-28). We are called to become children of God through him (Ephesians 1: 3-5), to know him personally and intimately (Philippians 3: 7-10) , to conform to his image (Romans 8: 29, Ephesians 4: 13). In Christ dwells the fullness of the godhead bodily. To know Christ Jesus in his fullness is the wonderful hope of God’s call for all of us.

2010-01-09T09:56:00.001-08:00

The prayer of Paul, Part 1

“The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation…”

I have not stopped giving thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers. I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. Ephesians 1: 16-17, NIV.

As Paul prayed for the Ephesian Church, we ought also to pray for ourselves: that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ may grant us the Spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him. I think that this spirit of wisdom and revelation is the beginning of meaningful spiritual quest. Notice the phrase, “so that you may know him better”. It takes receiving the spirit of wisdom and revelation to know Christ better. Grasping spiritual truth requires spiritual wisdom and revelation. Spiritual things are spiritually discerned (1 Corinthians 2: 1-16, Colossians 1: 9). There is a certain kind of spiritual insight and ‘intelligence’ that comes only from the indwelling Spirit of God. We ought to ask God for this kind of wisdom and insight in all things, but especially, in matters relating to the knowledge of Christ.

Brother Paul, by his own admission (1 Corinthians 2: 1-3), approached spiritual truth with humility, with “fear and trembling”, knowing that spiritual truth can only be spiritually revealed by the Holy Spirit. We ought also to humble our hearts before the Lord every time we come to worship or study His word, knowing that only He can unveil the Word to us in “all wisdom and spiritual understanding”. We dare not approach his throne as people who have known it all, or even as folks who have known most of it. We are only scratching the surface of the divine treasures of Heaven right now. There is yet much more to know. As ministers of the Word, we dare not approach His word merely from our theological training or from our vast knowledge of books, but with humility, entirely depending on the Holy Spirit to grant us a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him.

Isaiah chapter 11 is generally accepted as a messianic passage, meaning it is a prophecy about the Messiah, Jesus Christ. In that prophecy about the life and ministry of Christ, we notice that even for Him as the Savior, “The Spirit of the LORD will rest on him— the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD and he will delight in the fear of the LORD. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears” (Isaiah 11:2-3, NIV). If the Messiah needed the spirit of wisdom and revelation to be effective in his earthly ministry, how much more then do we need this dual gift from the Father.

2009-12-30T10:57:00.000-08:00

The Power of Hope

One of the definitions of 'hope' according to dictionary.com is "the feeling that what is wanted can be had or that events will turn out for the best." A simple concept in deed, but one that is sometimes difficult to practice in a dificult moment. Hope, this feeling that events will turn out for the best, is important. If there is one feeling we are permitted to indulge, it is the feeling of hope, even in the face of adverse circumstances.

The Scripture reminds us of the powerful effect of hope on our daily affairs. Here is how the Bible puts it: "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us" (Romans 5: 5, NIV).

Hope does not disappoint. In some ways, what this means is that whatever we hope for within the atmosphere of God's love tends to come to pass. In another sense, it also means that we have nothing to lose by hoping for the best even if what we hoped for does not exactly happen as we had hoped. There is always something about hope and the process of hopeful expectancy that leaves us far better than when we first began.

But this hope is not merely positive thinking that is based on our ability to discipline ourselves. The kind of hope that does not disappoint is the kind of hope that is based on God's love. Hope does not disappoint BECAUSE of God's love poured into our heart.

Notice that it is such love that has been poured out INTO our hearts by the Holy Spirit. It's not a mental assent to love; rather it is the deep knowledge that you and I are loved by God in a truly personal and affectionate way. This is a personal awareness of divine love that is birthed through a personal walk with the Holy Spirit. May the Lord grant us a revelation of His love for us. May we all pray that we "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" (Ephesians 3:17-19,NIV).

2009-05-19T08:16:00.001-07:00

Freedom to Live for a Higher Purpose

As he went along, he saw a man blind from birth. His disciples asked him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” John 9:1–2 (NIV)

As a young Christian, I was taught that it is important to discover the exact purpose that God has for me. Like most people, I grew up searching for his good will for my life. But it is all too easy to become more enamored in searching for that grand, spectacular purpose that God has for me than it is to actually settle in day by day, living the life that God meant for me to live and enjoy. So, I prayed, labored, and served with the hope that one day, God’s grand purpose would be revealed in my life. It was as though I was building up for the D-day, whatever that means—I don’t know. I was striving to find meaning, to grasp that “something” that will bring me a sense of significance. But it seemed that the more I reached out for this grand purpose, the more elusive it appeared. I had become too occupied with the end of the journey to enjoy the journey itself.

Then, in the spring of 2000, when I was a young pastor serving a local branch of my denomination in a rural town several miles from my home, God visited me. It was not an earthshaking, thunderous visitation. It was a simple but profound encounter with truth. I was reading a book called The Hidden Man and praying, when, suddenly, I realized something that has changed my life in a significant way. As I sat there in my study room, I knew without a doubt that I am intimately connected with God’s purpose for me; that God is delighted in me. He is satisfied in me, right now. The reason he made me is so that he can have me fellowship with him. All I have to do is live this purpose daily and enjoy it.

From that day on, I knew there was a huge difference between purpose and assignment. I stopped striving to find meaning and started living my purpose—being a friend of God. I found a new freedom to be the person God made me to be. In some of the chapters that follow, I discuss this experience and what it meant to me. You see, the search for meaning is important, but the experience of a sense of meaning and significance in your daily life is even more important. The experience of meaning brings freedom to live for a higher purpose each and everyday of your life.

In many ways, I was like the blind man mentioned above. The man was blind from birth. In the land of Israel at the time the man lived, it was a terrible affliction to be blind. To be blind from birth suggested that either the baby was a sinner (you’ve got to be a terrible sinner to be punished from birth), or his parents had committed some really horrible sins in the past for which they were being punished. That was the cultural perception. So, if you were born blind, it was a double jeopardy: not only did your blindness place restrictions on you, but society also placed measured limitations on you.

However, the cure for this two-edged limitation was vision. As soon as this man received his sight, he became a “free” person. The cure of his blindness validated him—he was not a “sinner.” he was free to live his life like a normal person. He could go places he could not have gone before being healed. If you read the rest of the account, you will stand back amazed as you watch the man, who only a few minutes before was the scum of the earth, as he teaches the religious elites of his time the wisdom of God. It is that kind of freedom that comes from insight that I hope you will share both with me and with this nameless blind man. I think the reason his name was not given is so that each of us can fill in our name in the place of his. It is my prayer that somewhere along the way, as you read this book, you will receive an insight that will free you to actually live and enjoy your good purpose in life.

An excerpt from "The Search for Meaning: Living for a Higher Purpose". All rights reserved.

2009-05-19T08:15:00.001-07:00

How to Thrive in a Distressed Economy, Part 1

That we are going through one of the worst economic times in history is no more news. If you haven’t been affected directly by a lay-off, you probably know some dear one who has. The sharp decline in stock prices have resulted in loss of millions of dollars in savings and retirement benefits. For months now, fear and panic have seized the hearts of many.

All around us, there doesn’t seem to be much in the way of good news. But as painful and seemingly hopeless as the job loss or economic times have been, there is a basis for us to have hope, to expect a better tomorrow. But in the meantime, how do we cope in such troubled times? For some who have lost their means of livelihood and are rendered homeless after years of diligent work, what can such people do in such precarious times? There is no doubt that some people have faced very dire circumstances, but no matter your situation, here are a few suggestions that could help you out through these tough times.

Cry if you must, but eschew bitterness

It’s ok to cry in times of pain. But it is not helpful to be bitter. The loss of job or life-long savings could engender immense pain and bitterness if not checked. It’s all easy to get into a bitter mode and become offended. The temptation could be to be bitter and offended against God. As absurd as that may sound, it is true that we sometimes get really mad at God. In fact, it seems like the more faithful someone has been as a Christian, the more likely they are to get mad at God if something bad happens to them. Perhaps it is a feeling that God “let us down” when we needed him most. Or maybe, it’s a frustration about a loving God who “can just sit there and watch terrible things happen.” Whatever may be the cause, when bad things happen to believers we tend to get mad at God.

But bitterness - either against God or against the Church, fellow Christians, the government - does not engender the grace of God in tough times. In fact, it robs us of much needed grace. No wonder, we are enjoined: “Look after each other so that none of you fails to receive the grace of God. Watch out that no poisonous root of bitterness grows up to trouble you, corrupting many” ( Hebrews 12: 15, NLT). Bitterness has the potential to poison your destiny. Avoid it at all cost, no matter the temptation.

Get away with Christ for a while

You say, “Well, you can talk like that because you have no idea what I have gone through.” There is no doubt that your situation may be a very dire one, but then, that is why Jesus invites you personally to come away with him, so you may be refreshed. “Take off” with Christ for a season. Relax a bit in his presence. Refresh, renew, rethink, and reposition. Here is Jesus’ invitation to you: "Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly" (Matthew 11:28-30, Message).

Get away with Christ and recover your life. Take a moment to reflect and pray. Christ our Lord promised to give you real rest. Yes, that is what you need most now: God-given rest, the peace of God that surpasses all understanding. It may not have been your fault that things had gone out of hand, but at least you can recover your life again, in the very hands of Christ. You may not be able to stop the bad news all around, but at least, you can guard your heart and mind with the very peace of Christ. This is the very beginning of recovery.

Yes, I know that when you are feeling beaten and weary, the last thing you want to do is get into all night prayer. Yes, I understand that; because I have personally been there a few times. But notice Jesus did not say, “ Get into prayer and fasting for seven days.” He said, “Get away with me, and I will show you how to rest, and recover your life.” To get away means to be “still and know that He is God.” It means to meditate on God’s love, goodness and faithfulness. It means to stay engaged in God’s presence and in his word until new hope arises in your heart and a new courage is inspired within your soul. Whether or not you are able to pray aloud, he hears you and knows your need. As I end part one of this piece, let me encourage you to “come away with Christ.” Let his presence renew, refresh and reposition you.

2009-05-19T08:14:00.001-07:00

Remember Your Source

For far too long, it seems like we as a people have put too much confidence in the stock market than in God as our financial source. The logic seems to have gone somewhat like this: “Just work hard, save up a bit and invest in a retirement account, and you will be just fine.” So, even when we talk about trusting God for everything, for many of us, our financial future was never really something we had to trust God about – we had it planned out. That is, until recently.

Please understand that it is important for us to save and invest in the future. We have to. We must. But the point is that we must always remember that God alone is our Source and Sustainer. We have a Father in heaven who cares about us, and is passionately in touch with our feelings of infirmity. He knows how bad you are hurting. He knows the loss you have suffered. He is the giver of all good things: “So, my very dear friends, don't get thrown off course. Every desirable and beneficial gift comes out of heaven. The gifts are rivers of light cascading down from the Father of Light” (James 1: 16-17, MSG). Dear brother, sister, “don’t get thrown off course.” These are trying times, no doubt. But we have a Father in heaven. The word “father” means “source and sustainer.” It means that God is our strength, salvation. In deed, it means that God is all we need, for in him, we find ultimately the full supply of every need: "Yes, indeed—God is my salvation. I trust, I won't be afraid. God—yes God!—is my strength and song, best of all, my salvation!" (Isaiah 12: 2, MSG).

Oh, how awesome it will be for us all to sing with Isaiah that “God is in deed my song and my salvation.” God is. It’s not that God will provide strength, joy, finance, new job; but that God is my new job, my promotion, my financial security, my all. What a revelation. What freedom this will bring us. Please take time to meditate on Psalm 27, Psalm 46, and Isaiah 12. Hopefully, you may catch a glimpse of the insight that brought these elders joy and faith unspeakable. Look at Isaiah’s response when he understood that God was his source and sustainer in life: “Joyfully you'll pull up buckets of water from the wells of salvation. And as you do it, you'll say, "Give thanks to God. Call out his name. Ask him anything! Shout to the nations, tell them what he's done, spread the news of his great reputation!” (Isaiah 12: 3-4, MSG) Or, this one by David: “The Lord is my light and my salvation— so why should I be afraid? The Lord is my fortress, protecting me from danger, so why should I tremble?” (Psalm 27:1, NLT).

These responses show us that we can be hopeful, joyful and prayerful when we understand that God is our Source. Hopeful because God can not fail: “Don't be obsessed with getting more material things. Be relaxed with what you have. Since God assured us, "I'll never let you down, never walk off and leave you," we can boldly quote, God is there, ready to help; I'm fearless no matter what. Who or what can get to me?” (Hebrews 13: 5-6) Joyful, because joy is the natural response in knowing that God is there for us, and that he can never fail us. Joy is also our strength, and the instrument of grace that connects us with the Source: “Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart” (Psalm 37: 4, Amplified Bible). Consequently, we can get into prayer and ask God specifically for what we need now, after all, Jesus said: “So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who ask him” ( Matthew 7: 11, NLT).

To sum things up, remember that God is your source. Go back to him. Relax in his presence, meditate on him, and bring your petitions directly to him: “Don't fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God's wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It's wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life” (Philippians 4: 6-7, MSG). God sure cares for you. He is able and willing to grant you a brand new beginning.

2009-05-19T08:13:00.001-07:00

Look Within

It’s true, when tough times hit, there is a tendency to let pain and tears becloud our sight and dampen our faith. It’s all so easy to think that there is possibly no good thing that could come out of our current trial or loss.

That was exactly what happened to Hagar, Abraham’s maid turned mistress. She had been sent away with Ishmael her son, with only a bottle of water and other supplies. But being in the desert, she soon ran out of water. It was a very dangerous situation. She was thirsty, but she was even more scared and tormented as she watched her son struggle. She couldn’t bear it any more. Death was imminent. As far as she could see, there was no hope. So, in her desperation, she laid the boy under a shade, said her last prayers and went off a little way down the desert to cry – why watch helplessly as her own son dies of thirst?

Hagar: From Tears of Pain to Oasis of Joy

She wept, and waited to die. But all along as she wept, she stood before an oasis of water: “Just then God opened her eyes. She looked. She saw a well of water. She went to it and filled her canteen and gave the boy a long, cool drink” (Genesis 21; 19). Thank God for a merciful God, who can wipe away tears and open our eyes to see. The pains of life are for real. The difficulties and lack that come with a job loss are all too real and painful. We may be tempted to give up, and lay us down to cry. We may think all hope is gone, and submit to the debilitating force of despair. But there is a God in heaven who hears prayers, and listens to our silent cries for help. His first miracle is to ‘open our eyes’ so that we may see ‘the pool of water’ that lies by our side. That way, God saved her life and that of her son.

As I write, I personally struggle too. I just got a mail from a friend who has just been kicked out of home and at a most painful and confused state of her life. What can I say to such a dear one to bring hope? Only God must do a miracle – the miracle of ‘opening her eyes’ to see that all hope is not lost yet; that there is yet a glorious future ahead of her; that while yesterday might have been tough, tomorrow could be a wonderful new day; that there is a way out of such depressing moments even when it doesn’t seem so.

When all else seems lost, look within. There is always ‘a way of escape’ that God plans for us, a potent resource that helps us out of our difficult moments. Moses wondered how he could confront Pharaoh, but God ‘opened his eyes’ to see the rod in his hand as God’s powerful resource (Exodus 4). The apostles of Jesus wondered how in the world they were going to feed five thousand men (not counting women and children) out in the wilderness, until Jesus challenged them to look inwards and identify what they had. They looked inward and identified five loaves of bread and two fishes (John 6). It was very little compared to the need. But that was what they had. In the very hands of Jesus, the little became much, fed them all and still had excess supply left.

No matter what we are going through now, there are still things that you have going for you. Pause. Wipe the tears. Reflect. Identify your resources, talents, gifts, and most of all, the people in your life right now. Hand it all over to Jesus. It’s amazing what he can do with our ‘little’ when it’s given wholly to him. It’s ok to cry, as long as we pause long enough to take stock of what we still have left. Give thanks for what you still have. Of all that we still have left, we do have the love and support of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We can be sure of his everlasting support: “Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good...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? (Romans 8: 26-32).

All bible quotations are from the Message Bible paraphrase Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

2009-05-19T08:11:00.001-07:00

Between Good Friday and Easter Morning

Tucked in-between the gloomy hopeless night of Good Friday when the Savior was crucified and the glorious Resurrection Morning of Easter is this quiet almost non-existent Saturday. It’s hardly ever talked about, yet it plays a major role in Christ’s mission and ours too.

When he faced Pilate and the Jews right from the previous night, Jesus still had some of his friends with him. It was a terrible day, but at least, his mom and some of his apostles were there to mourn. It was a sad day: the One they had come to trust as the Savior lies seemly helpless at the hands of Pilate and the Jews. It was a sad day, no doubt, but at least the whole city was shaken. Everyone knew that some one important had gone down. Some rejoiced, others mourned,but they all acknowledged the “demise” of Jesus, the "King of the Jews."

On the other hand, Easter morning marked Heaven’s triumph over man’s folly; the transcendence of grace over bullishness; the victory of life over death. Oh, when they thought all hope was gone, then there arose the crucified Lord, alive and well, and reigning for ever. It was in deed a glorious morning.

But in between was Saturday. It was literally one hell of a period. Didn’t the Bible hint that Christ went down to Hades, and disarmed principalities and powers? Wasn’t it within this period in the “grave” that Jesus took the keys of death and Hades (Revelation 1: 18)? Whatever happens, those three days between the time Jesus was crucified and the time he resurrected, were certainly important. Yet, whatever was going on down in Hades or right in Heaven at that time was hidden from Israel and from all of Christ’ disciples.

As far as they were concerned, he was dead. We get a picture of their gloom and despair on the way to Emmaus (Luke 24:20 24): "The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn't find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn't see Jesus." ( Message)

Oh, how sad,. They said: "We had our hopes up, but now he had disappointed us. In fact, to make matters worse, we can’t even find his corps." It sounds a lot familiar,doesn't it? Sometimes, we may have gone through a ‘crucifixion’ crisis, after which all hope seems gone. Others may even write us off as these dear disciples almost did. “We thought she had so much potential, but after several years of no growth, we have given up expecting much from her.” Oh, to be sure, people may not quite put it that directly. But their actions and inactions speak loudly about their belief. It may start with close friends gradually withdrawing, until one day, you ‘wake up’ to realize that all your close friends are gone. They have made themselves new friends who they think are more promising. After all, who wants to hand around a “loser”?

But what they don’t understand is that, within those three days of apparent inactivity or decline, heaven and hell were battling it out, and surely but steadily God is winning in your life; setting things right, reforming you, equipping you, anointing you, and increasing you in grace. Oh, yes, there may be tears and intense battles sometimes, but God is still at work in you. Others may have given up on you, but God who sent you out in the first place knows what he has deposited in you. It may take a while, but surely, he will prevail in your life.

In fact, what the disciples on the way to Emmaus did not realize was that the Lord was no more in the grave. He who was dead is now alive and well. The dream that was buried 30 years ago is suddenly being resurrected by the Lord. The destiny that was lying wasted 10 years ago is now being awakened by the Lord himself. Oh, they did not know that they were actually speaking with the very Lord of glory himself. Trials and pain have a way of transforming us that sometimes even our closest friends don’t recognize us any more when it is all over. When God is done with you, some folks who knew you years back may not recognize that it was you.

But meantime, we have to yield to the hand of the Father, and let him have his way fully. Jesus submitted fully to the Father’s will right from the garden of Gethsemane, to Golgotha, to the grave. It seemed as though the Enemy had prevailed, but not so. God had a plan. In submitting to the Father, even within those three horrible days and nights from the crucifixion to the resurrection, Jesus gave the Father full control to execute the entire plan. And boy, was the final outcome so sweet. Christ was “sown” as one Man, but now he has many sons to glory. He was “sown” in weakness, but now reigns in power for ever. He is Lord for ever.

The time in-between may be hard, but they are very important formative times. The times in-between are often lonely times, but they are seasons of unnoticed but required growth. Let this Saturday before Easer Sunday remind you again that no matter what you have gone through these past years, resurrection morning is on the way. You can “be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good” (Romans 8: 28, Message).

2008-01-16T10:27:00.000-08:00

Partisan Politics & The Evengelical Right Wing: Urgent Matters

The evangelicals have always insisted that it is important for Christians to uphold the dignity of all human life, including the right of the unborn baby to live. In political terms, it is called pro-life. They also insist on the Biblical pattern of marriage as being between one woman and one man. I fully agree with them on these two issues. Why? Because I am a Christian who shares those same beliefs based on the teachings of Jesus Christ. But only thus far do I agree with American evangelicals.

During 2004 presidential elections, I paid close attention and watched as Christian evangelicals became immensely political as they supported President Bush because they felt he shared their conviction on those two issues. So, for that year, it was about pro-life, sanctity of marriage and national security. Many innocent Christians were told that if they were really Christians, then they ought to vote for Bush (although it wasn't quite as direct, but usually, the message was clear). I heard a lot of Christian leaders ( that is those who were in what I call the Christian political movement) suggest that if you voted for any person who does not share those three issues in a political way, then you are either not a committed Christian or you have somehow backslidden.

I was troubled by this trend because I know that even Jesus Christ, who is our Lord and Savior, never fought his spiritual battles on the political arena. His kingdom was heavenly, and above all that is earthly. So, he was not partisan at all. In one breath he could rebuke Pilate, but in another he could speak against Herod or even the religious rulers in the temple. He took no sides with any politician. His side was heaven's side. He spent time praying and healing the society of its vice. He encouraged his disciples to pay tax, and obey those in authority. In short, Jesus encouraged participation of the church in civil matters (and that includes electing good leaders), but he never organized his church around a political movement, no matter the moral issues at stake. He knew the hearts of all men too well to entrust divine principles or kingdom matters to any politician.

When I shared some of these thoughts with a few of my close friends, I remember them looking at me as if I had gone crazy. It was almost as though if you cautioned against the evangelicals’ romance with the Republican Party, you were seen either as a democrat or as an unfaithful Christian. Some of us, humbled and frustrated, left it all in the hands of God.

But that was 2004. In 2008, things appear to be a bit different. Although it is early to conclude, it appears that a good number of evangelicals are no more consistent on the issues they raised just a few years ago. Then, it was pro-life and sanctity of marriage. Now, they are not so sure. It is either the economy or national security. In November 2007, Pat Robinson endorsed Rudy Giuliani. Wait a minute, I thought Christians are committed to pro-life and sanctity of marriage? I thought those were the deciding factors in 2004? But the last time I checked, Rudy does not stand for any of those two. What happened to our Christian integrity? What happened to holding on to what the Bible teaches? Pat Robinson says that, this time, national security is more important than pro-life and sanctity of marriage. I shudder at how easily we can change grounds.

And before you tell me that Pat Robinson does not speak for all of us evangelicals, let me double cross you for a moment and remind you that I know that already. Yet you can not deny that when certain of our own leaders have shifting positions on these kinds of issues, we do not only embarrass ourselves we also ridicule our faith in the face of a sneering world. Can God not protect United States if in deed there is a national security threat? Dare any of us try to help God to do that, at the detriment of moral principles we supposedly fought so hard to uphold in the last few years? Since when did Rudy Giuliani become God's choice in protecting America? By the way, as at January 16, 2008, the republicans have already conducted their primaries in about four states, how is it that the candidates whose stand for pro-life and marriage (such as Mike Huckabee and Fred Thompson) are not winning full support of the so called evangelicals? Yes, in Iowa, Mike Huckabee won his victory based on that evangelical base, but where are those evangelical leaders who spoke up so well in 2004? Why are they not routing for him or Fred Thompson? Because they are not sure he could win? Since when does moral or christian conviction hinge on the electability of a politician? Why are the evangelical leaders playing politics with moral issues? If you are going to be a leader, why not go all the way and be consistent in your position on these issues?

You see how absurd it is for the church as a body to become involved in PARTISAN POLITICS? I am not suggesting that we get into partisan politics now and support those with pro-life values in politics. I am saying quite the contrary. I am saying that the shifting sand of partisan politics is not fit to hold the everlasting principles that we are called to uphold as Christians. We ought to pray for our government, participate in our civil duties including electing public officials we feel comfortable with, but we ought not to get mired with dirty partisan politics. The church ought to be an umpire in these matters - praying with an unbiased attitude for God's will to be done in our nation. The church ought to be in a position that it can honestly speak against the actions of any government (democratic or republican) without feeling the pangs of guilt or shame. We ought to carry the religious zeal we brought to politics to the doorstep of our own local churches, and teach our people what the Bible says about abortion and gay lifestyle. Why are we more zealous in carrying placards on the street than in teaching it from our pulpit? Why do our leaders spend more time attending political rallies and felicitating with certain politicians than they do with preaching against sin right from their own pulpit?

Something has gone wrong with our priorities. Someone, somewhere, had misled the American church into thinking that they can best 'fight' God's battles by carrying placards, joining the republican party, and getting all bitter and worked up about social issues. Jesus Christ our master did not achieve spiritual change that way, neither did apostle Paul and all the early church fathers when it was said of them that 'they turned the world upside down'. Brothers, sisters, we need to acknowledge our mistakes and repent. Let's fight sin (yes, abortion, homosexuality, crime and racism) in our churches. Let us encourage our members to go out and vote with their conscience, but let us not get so involved with any politician that we loose sight of the Savior.

I do not write as one who is better off or as an enemy in my own house, but as a brother. I also share in the mistakes of the church. After all, I am a part of the body of Christ. I share the values of life and marriage between one man and one woman. I am not in any way a 'liberal'. Like you, I also believe we should get involved in voting. But we went too far during the last two elections. May be, God is giving us an opportunity during this election season to retrace our steps from the bitter arena of partisan politics, and return to being the 'salt' of the earth, and the 'light' of the world. May God bless America.

2008-01-16T09:03:00.000-08:00

Between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton: A Different Kind of Politics

As far back as February 2007, I had suggested on this blog that "the next wave of change the world will know, spiritually a well as politically, may well be led by women and people of minority." Read this article here. Almost a year later, the democratic race has gradually narrowed down to Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton and John Edwards. While it is never wise to rule out any one in politics (after all, a year ago, Hillary was the top runner nation-wide, but today she shares that position with Obama), yet most people believe that the democratic race is coming down to a choice between Hillary and Obama. And that is what is interesting to me.

We are living in changing times. There is a power shift in the air. Obama and Hillary are proof of that shift. Obama may not even be aware of the import of his 'change' theme, but he is reiterating something that is already in motion. There is a huge change in the political terrain taking place across the globe.

It is interesting that the democrats may present either a woman or black man as their presidential nominee during the next presidential elections. I am glad to be alive to witness a time like this. We ought to be celebrating this time. I am sure that Martin Luther King Jr. would have also rejoiced at this prospect. While it can not be said that we have achieved all that the civil rights movement fought for, it can certainly be said that we are making significant progress. Obama and Hillary are proof of that progress. Hillary may be a white woman and a former first lady, but she is a woman. Obama may have had a white mother, but he is a black man.

The choice between Obama and Hillary is a choice we should make with pride as a nation. Yes, there is race and minority written all over this democratic primaries. But it is not race and minority in a negative sense. Instead, it is a celebration of what is good and great in all of us irrespective of race or gender. As a nation, we are forced to step back and take a good look at these two contestants, and admit that whether you are black or white, male or female, it is the stuff the individual is made of that is more important than their gender or skin color. Hillary and Obama challenges us as a nation to look beyond individual bias or prejudice, and respond to a higher call: that of exercising our democratic rights from a standpoint f dignity and mutual respect for one another. And before you write me off as a left wing, let me remind you that I am neither a democrat nor a republican. I am simply a neutral observer.

Just take a good look at the dynamics of this race and you will appreciate my joy. Hillary Clinton is a white lady, but she and her husband have enjoyed tremendous support among a majority of the black population in this country. In fact, the issue for the Clintons now is how to keep that support base from switching to Obama. On the other hand, Obama is a black man who has had more support among white people than he had had among black people. Look at his victory in Iowa, a traditionally white state, or his strong second-place finish in New Hampshire, if you want proof. Even among women, the support is split between Clinton and Obama almost equally. More women voted for Obama in Iowa, but in New Hampshire, more women voted for Hillary. This is interesting. It seems that the everyday people of this country recognize something that the established institutions may not have come to terms with yet: it is time for positive change. People are reaching across the isle to embrace candidates based on their integrity, policy and ability, in spite of race or gender.

I am not a politician, but I sense like most people, the 'game' of politics is going to be a lot different from now on. The established institutions in both parties had better be ware, otherwise they will lose touch with a majority of American people; and may pay dearly for that. The world is set for change. I guess as a Christian, it is in place to suggest that some of these political changes we see may possibly herald major spiritual and social changes that are coming our way in the near future. Like Morris Cerullo always says, 'every truth is parallel'. Is it possible that our world is in a sort of birth pangs, crying for a new kind of order based on justice and equity? Who are the ones chosen to lead in this hour, politically as well as spiritually? Usually, such people may not always come from the established class. Remember, Jesus Christ our Lord was born of a virgin, in a manger. Abraham Lincoln had a very humble beginning too. After all, it is written that ‘the stone the builders rejected has become a chief corner stone’.

The next time you see Obama and Hillary either on TV or on a campaign trail, celebrate the change they both represent. We should not allow ourselves to be drawn by the media or fanatical supporters of these two into losing sight of the amazing transformation taking place before our eyes. It doesn't matter who you support, Hillary or Obama ( or a republican candidate), we ought to celebrate the emerging change they both represent. It is certainly not going to be politics as usual.

2007-12-01T10:52:00.000-08:00

Legality Or Respect for Human Life?

It was about Thursday, November 15, 2007, we were faced with the news that a Texas man shot and killed two apparent burglars who were attempting to break into a neighbors house, after a 911 dispatcher severally told him in no unclear terms not to shoot or kill those buglers. I watched as news media tried to downplay the story or make it a matter of legality.

Sad, two men were murdered in cold blood and we talk of legality - whether the books covered it or not. I did not hear most of the news media cover this as human tragedy, or even as a moral issue. From all intents and purposes, the dispatcher's immortal words, 'Property is not worth killing someone over,' was not heeded by the this murderer, and certainly was never noted by the news media who covered the story. What a moral and social dilemma. Two men are callously killed, yet all we talk about was whether Texas law included using deadly force to protect neighbor's property. Click here now to listen to the 911 dispatcher telling this deliberate killer not to shoot.

As I read and watched this news, I felt pain and sadness that our society has degenerated so far. It is politically correct to shout in defence of dogs and animals, and jail some of our finest citizens ( and justifiably so) who mistreat animals, but we look the other way when a man takes the law in his own hands, and kills two men for attempted burglary. Don't get me wrong, burglary is evil, and those who carry it out should be punished by the state. And if a man's life is threatened by burglars, he has a right to defend himself, even if that means the use of deadly force. But for a man to willfully, premeditatively and calculatedly murder two men in a neighbors property after being warned by police not to do it? That ought to raise overwhelming outcry against such blatant waste of human life. But I did not see such outcry. In fact, I imagined, very sadly, if this blood-hungry Texan had killed two dogs attempting to deface or destroy his neighbors property, what outcry we would have witnessed; what holy fervor with which the animal rights movement would have pursued this case; how differently the news media would have reported this case.

That is how far we have steeped ourselves in hypocrisy. The animal rights movement will rather have a human being killed than to have a dog or a cat to be hurt. And before you label me an enemy ( because that is how easy it has become these days to make enemies), I believe that animals should be treated humanely, but I also believe that no Texan law gives a man the right to take away human lives in preference for a neighbors property. The truth which most news media failed to tell us in that story, is the same truth which the 911 dispatcher stated so clearly: 'Property is not worth killing someone over'. This is the principal issue, not legality. It is this moral and philosophical dilemma that so mirrors our failure as a society. We should defend life, all live - whether they are unborn babies, helpless pets,but especially full grown human lives.

Ironically, the same man who failed to allow the agents of government and the law to take care of the burglary will now allow the same legal system to determine if he acted according to law or not. This is the danger we must seek to avert - the subtle message in this act that it is OK to hijack the law of the land, to kill and take human lives in the pretence of defending my neighbors property. Today, it may be two black men we associate with burglary, and in our unspoken thoughts, we may be saying, 'serves them right'. But tomorrow, it may not be two black men that may be involved. It may be a close white friend who is mistaken for a burglar in your neighbor's compound. Next tomorrow, other people will invent other good reasons to circumvent state apparatus for maintaining law and order, and for punishing offenders. We are heading effectively towards anarchy if we fail to say no to people like this blood-thirsty Texan.

No matter what the jury decides in this case, everyone who believes in the collective existence of a nation-state and in the law-enforcement agencies of the nation-state ought to unequivocally condemn this Texan. And I pray that this murderer's heart may condemn him, if by chance he may find repentance, forgiveness and peace which only God, the giver of life, can bestow.

2007-02-20T17:34:00.001-08:00

Power Shift- Women in Focus

February 11, 2007, Harvard University announced Drew G. Faust as the 28th president-elect of the institution (http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2007/02.15/99-president.html). Professor Faust is a woman, the very first woman to head this 367-year old institution. That announcement got me thinking, "Are we witnessing an important power shift in our world; a power shift that may see more and more women taking leadership positions?

To put things in perspective, Dr. Faust is an eminent scholar who is qualified in every respect for the position. But seen in a historical context, I think her appointment is significant and an indication of a paradigm shift that seem to favor women in leadership. It is even more significant when one recalls that Harvard is the oldest and perhaps the most prestigious institution of higher learning in the country today.

If we step out from the impressive, almost intimidating, academic hallways of Harvard, to the proud and ambitious political arena, represented by the Capitol and the White House, we also observe this gradual but consistent shift towards women power. For the first time in American history, a woman, Nancy Pelosi, is the Speaker of the House of Representatives. Also, for the first time in American politics, there is a woman, Hillary Clinton, who actually stands a real chance of becoming the president of US, the most powerful nation on earth today, in 2008. Now, don't get me wrong, I am not endorsing Hillary; neither am I saying that she is even sure to win the election for that matter. But it is significant to me that here is a woman who is currently leading all the other democratic presidential contestants in opinion polls. It seems to me that the American people, like the rest of the world, are becoming more disenchanted with men's leadership, and are increasing more apt to consider women leadership for change.

What of the economic scene? In 2006, there were 10 women CEOs out of the Fortune 500 companies, 20 out of Fortune 1000 companies (http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/womenceos/).
This year's Forbes 400 richest individuals in America included 51 women (http://www.usatoday.com/money/2004-09-23-forbes-richest-list_x.htm).

Again, I do not see these marginal improvements as a surprise, as though women are somehow incapable of as much achievement as men. No, far from it. I am simply wondering out aloud here, "Is it possible that our society is finally waking up to the reality that men are not always capable of fixing the mess our world is in, and are therefore increasingly leaning on women to play more leading roles than they have done in the past?" Is this a trend we are likely to see increase as we advance through the 21st century? It does seem very probable to me.

It does appear, from Scriptures at least, that when men fail in taking leadership roles, God always found a woman to use. Take the case of Deborah in Judges 4. A whole nation was under siege for 20 years. The men cowered under political correctness, financial greed, and moral ineptitude. Finally, and thank God for that, a woman stood up, backed by God and strengthened by conviction, saved a whole nation from oppression. Remember when Jesus was crucified? His disciples locked themselves up in a room out of fear of being reprimanded by the Jews. That included the mighty and eloquent Peter, the 'favored' James and John. But it was a woman, and bless God for her, who was out at the grave, weeping and wanting to anoint the body of Jesus Christ. Her name was Mary Magdalene. Inspired by love and driven by gratitude, she was courageous enough to risk her life for Jesus. The Lord rewarded her love; she became the very first human to see Christ after he was risen from the dead, and the very first to share the good news: 'He is risen!' Read it up in John 20; it is a moving story.

Where are the women that are being called for this hour? Will they have the courage to serve, the fortitude to bear pain for the common good, secured enough in themselves not to 'prove' anything? I am thinking that the next wave of change the world will know, spiritually a well as politically, may well be led by women and people of minority.

2007-01-22T18:37:00.000-08:00

The Call to Glorify God

We have stated that the primary purpose of human beings is to enjoy God and to glorify him. We have also spent a considerable amount of time explaining what it means to ‘enjoy’ God. But in this post, we are going to discuss what it means to glorify God. Perhaps, this post is the longest one I have written thus far, but it will be worth every bit of your time.

So, what does it mean to glorify God? It is a call to pleasure God deliberately. Purposeful and intentional life of praise and honor to God, that’s what it is all about. To understand this even more, let’s go back and meet Adam way back in Eden. How did he glorify God? Looking at the amazing life this man and his wife lived before the great Fall, it is possible to see that Adam lived a life of intentional praise and honor to God.

Surrender In Worship
Here is the very first thing he did which pleasured God very much: he was available for fellowship with Deity, with God himself. This is enjoying God and the wonders of his person. This is the greatest we can do to glorify him. The deliberate pursuit for the Divine Presence comes with deliberate worship; a heart joyfully bowed and yielded to the will of the Almighty God. Our supreme call is a call to fellowship with God, and as we fellowship, worship Him who is the maker of the universe.

He can do without our worship, but he chooses to have it. In fact, he demands our worship. Yes, the one who gave us all of himself ( Father, Son and Spirit) demands that we give him our all ( spirit, mind, will, intellect, emotion, and body). “But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way. For God is Spirit, so those who worship him must worship in spirit and in truth.” John 4: 23-24, NIV.

The other things Adam did was to live his life following the divine instructions he has been given. There are a few of them we see in Genesis chapters one and two.

Stay in the garden:
God has a specific garden that he plants and puts each of us in. He did the same thing for Adam, “The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it”, Genesis 2: 15. This garden is first a physical location. It is Eden, and its borders where clearly specified in Scriptures: “ The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed. And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Now a river went out of Eden to water the garden, and from there it parted and became four riverheads. The name of the first is Pishon; it is the one which skirts the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold. And the gold of that land is good. Bdellium and the onyx stone are there. 1The name of the second river is Gihon; it is the one which goes around the whole land of Cush. The name of the third river is Hiddekel; it is the one which goes toward the east of Assyria. The fourth river is the Euphrates” Genesis 2: 8-14, NKJV. There is a location that God intends for each of us. It is there that he visits with us, as he did with Adam. That location may change with time, but if it does, it is only because he gave a fresh instruction to relocate. God’s manifested presence has something to do with the location, the meeting place.

It is important for us then to stay located in the place God has specified. This in itself is glorying God. There may not seem to be a lot of tangible resources in the place God locates us, but then, who makes all resources? God is not limited by physical or human resource capabilities. In the case of Adam, he made Eden thoroughly fitted with almost everything Adam would need before He put Adam in there. Then as Adam stayed in there and had fellowship with God, God gave him a companion that best fits him, Eve. But in the case of Elijah, God sent him to the brook Cherit, and it was as he obeyed and stayed there that the birds brought him food. Are you where God has located you? That in itself is an act of worship, a deliberate step to glorify God; it is a sign that we recognize him as all wise, all loving and all powerful, and yield thus to him.

Tend the garden:
Adam was not only to stay in the garden, he was to tend it. It was an act of worship. As he tended the garden God planted, he was honoring the God who planted it. He was acting in God’s stead to care for what God would have cared for. His tender care of the garden was Adam’s way of acknowledging that:
1)Tthe garden was important to God. How can he claim to respect God but despise what is important to God? That will not be honoring to God.
2) He was a co-laborer with God, a participant in God’s affairs
3) It was an act of obedience that says ‘I will do what God tells me to do”. It shows that Adam was not in charge, God was.

Are you tending the garden God has given to you? Remember the garden may not even be spiritual, as in the case of Adam where the garden was a physical garden. Your garden may be a job or business. How are you tending it? Taking bribes, getting there late and leaving early, and being a bully to everyone that works with you? Your garden may be a church congregation. How are you tending it? By being more concerned about their tithes and offerings than you are about the individuals, or by telling them to do one thing while you do another, or by treating some members with preference over others because they are wealthy or politically influential? The thing to remember is that if God gave you the garden to tend, then that garden is really important to him, and it belongs to him. One day, he is going to demand we be accountable to him. But the exciting thing about tending the ‘garden’ is that it presents us a wonderful opportunity to show God how much we love him, and worship and glory him

Don’t eat the forbidden fruit:
I don’t know exactly what this forbidden fruit is, but one thing I know is that God has a right to tell us which fruit we should not eat. Why? Because he is God, period. After all, he did give Adam enough fruits in the garden to keep him busy all his life if all he did was eat one fruit after another. But God must set boundaries. True love creates boundaries. Boundaries are the barriers that love sets up to prevent its focus from being hurt. Thus a caring mother sets boundaries for her toddler, to prevent him from harm. An all permissive society is a godless society, for in a godly environment, boundaries exist. Removal of boundaries is an invitation to anarchy. True freedom constrains, humbles and directs.

On the continuum of maturity, there is the initial childhood stage of reckless abandon to do whatever the child wills. Immediate gratification rules in the child’s world. Self-control is not only lacking, it is all together alien to the child. He cries and kicks if he does not have his own way, right here and now. But as the child grows, he learns that he must not always have his way, or that certain gratifications could be delayed for long term goals, with the help of parents and school workers of course. As a result, he learns to forgo play for homework, for example, because he wants to pass his exams later in the semester. Then, as he goes away to college, he has his ‘freedom’. There are no parents to tell him what to do; even his college professors respects his ‘rights’. Now, he is a free man, he could do anything he wants. But he soon realizes that freedom comes with a price, a necessary burden - vigilance. It is up to him now whether he succeeds in life or fails. No one tells to do it, but as he matures, he learns to do without many things, only a few years ago, he thought he could never do without. He imposes more restrictions on himself, exercises more self-discipline than anyone else could have done for him. Then one day, he marries, bears children and now he his heart aches as he tries to teach his own children that you can’t have freedom without boundaries.

God’s man, Adam, must also know the ‘burden of freedom’, the price of vigilance, the value of responsibility. He could enjoy God’s life, his love, his wealth, everything. But he must also learn to stay away from just one fruit if he must continue to enjoy all those. It was a divine trust in man, a rare opportunity for Adam to have honored God. Well, you know the sad story; Adam did eat that same forbidden fruit. The result was not only that he lost the life of God in him, he also became naked, empty and vulnerable; and had to be sent out of the garden. We honor God simply by staying away from the forbidden fruit. The forbidden fruit may be sex before marriage. It may appear so attractive, all your friends may have done it, the world may tell you it is ok to do it, but none of that matter. The one who put you in the garden and gives you freely of all things to enjoy objects to it, and that is the most important thing. The fruit may be the temptation to take bribe, or cheat, or change figures or forge signature, or spend church or company money on you. It doesn’t matter what the particular forbidden fruit is, the important thing is that it is forbidden. If you stay away from it, you honor God. That is what you are called to do, that is what your life, like mine, is all about. We may lose money, miss promotion or be ridiculed, but what does that matter? As long as we are pleasing the one who planted the garden in the first place, no good thing will he withhold from us. “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly”, Psalm 84:11, NKJV.

Furthermore, this matter of the forbidden fruit is even more troublesome than we realize. When we eat the forbidden fruit, not only do we disobey and dishonor God, we actually worship and honor the devil. That is what happened when Adam ate the forbidden fruit; he obeyed and honored the devil. “Don’t you realize that you become the slave of whatever you choose to obey? You can be a slave to sin, which leads to death, or you can choose to obey God, which leads to righteous living” Romans 6: 16, NLB. No wonder, God sent him out of the garden. How can you be in another man’s garden and still be obeying his enemy’s voice. The danger of eating the forbidden fruit is two-fold: we could lose favor with God, and lose the garden itself. Are you misusing the money and opportunities and congregations God gave you? Then beware, because, soon, you could lose it all, including God.

Be fruitful:
‘Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.”’ Genesis 1: 28, NKJV. Right in Eden God gives a specific instruction: be fruitful. Bear fruit. No way around it. God has planted trees already, but there are other trees to be planted. There are other kinds of fruits to be borne. You see, it is glorifying to God when we bear fruit. “When you produce much fruit, you are my true disciples. This brings great glory to my Father” John 15: 8 NLT. Those words are from Jesus Christ himself, did you notice? Being fruitful is not the prerogative of a privileged few; it is for everyone who wants to discover and live their purpose. Begin where God has placed you. Bear fruit of joy, love, kindness, honesty, faith.

To ‘bear fruit’ means to be productive. Are you adding to the ‘garden’ or subtracting from it? What contributions are you bringing to your workplace, to your church, to your family, to your spouse? Since you became manager or supervisor, what positive additions have you brought to bear on the organization? Or have the organization, even if it is a church, made more money by dubious means, by stepping over people’s heads, by bribery, and lowering of standards?

There is also another dimension to fruit-bearing. And that is about bearing fruit in your own personal life. Are you being personally productive? Are you better today than you were ten years ago? In what specific ways have you improved your life over the past fives years for example? Have you learnt any new skills since the last 20 years or so? Please bear in mind that these kinds of positive improvements do not necessarily need to be done by enrolling in a university for a new degree. Sometimes, being fruitful and growing does require going back to school. But many times, you can change your life by reading one good book at home and acting on it. Sometimes, all it takes is to ask a friend or spouse to hold you accountable to improving your life, or to stop that bad habit. Other times all it takes is a decision, say, a decision to be whole and in harmony with God and with yourself; to live worthily and accurately. This personal growth may just be a decision to not shove and push and maneuver your way through life, whether it is at the bus-stop or at work, at home or even at church. That change in itself is a most worthy fruit in itself; it enriches your personal life and opens opportunities for you. But the greatest motivation should be the knowledge that you are glorifying God when you choose to grow, to increase in a healthy manner, to be ‘fruitful in all good works’.

Multiply:
Being fruitful is good but there is something even better. It is taking the good fruit that you have borne and multiplying it so that more people could benefit from it. It is taking the fruit that has blessed you and making it into a blessing too to other people around you.

Over many years, I have given attention to the question: how can we discover God’s purpose for our lives, fulfill it, glorify God and live to our maximum potential? I have read the bible with this goal in mind. I remember the very first bible I used after I gave my heart to Jesus Christ in 1987. I was so hungry for divine truth that I marked most verses as they were illuminated in my heart, especially the New Testament. I have also read many leadership and self-help books and many Christian books in search of the chief purpose of man and how he could truly glorify God and fulfill his life assignment. Over those years, I have grown some. I have made changes in my life that has moved me forward. I made discoveries that made me sing, dance and change. I can’t forget the day in 2000 in a small town in Southwest of Nigeria called Sagamu, when , while reading ‘The Hidden Man’ by E.W. Kenyon, life and light came flooding my soul, and I fell on the floor for hours in worship as God’s primary purpose for me became so clear. Just one book, but God used it to change my life. That was growth, bearing fruit on a personal level.

But out of that one book ( in unison with all the other things I have been thought by many teachers and mentors, of course), came messages to my congregation, seminars, and tracts; which took what was essentially my personal discovery and transformed it into a form that other people could use them and be blessed by them. That is what ‘to multiply’ may mean in one sense. Let’s say, as a matter of illustration, that you made a personal decision to live whole and pursue only that which is whole and wholesome. Over time, you see how this decision has shaped and enriched the quality of your life, and gave you a sense of wholeness you have never known before. You have been fruitful and productive, even if it is only on a personal level. Ok, let’s say you then choose to reproduce this ‘fruit’ in your family, or congregation or fellow workers, and equip them to teach the same principle to other people. You are beginning to multiply. But keep in mind that your chief goal is to honor God and glorify him. The fruits we bear and the fruits we multiply serve to honor and glorify God. They show our desire to take seriously what he has committed into our hands.

Fill the earth:
God is in heaven but he has given us the whole earth. Any person who wants to fulfill his life destiny must think in terms of the whole earth at some point or the other. Adam must begin with the garden in Eden, a rather limited place, but he must continue to grow and multiply until Eden could no longer hold his fruits. God puts us in a particular ‘garden’ at a particular time, but he does expect that we outgrow that garden until the whole earth becomes our mandate.

The earth is important to God. He worked long and hard to make it beautiful. And then on the evening of the sixth day of creation, he made man. After that, God took a ‘vacation’; he rested. The reason he rested was that he has found human being, this amazing new species of being who is equipped with all it will take to take care of the earth. God has confidence in you and me. God took a ‘vacation’ because he knows Adam was in the garden, and by extension, in the earth. What an amazing trust.

God has always chosen to co-work with mere mortals in the things that concern this earth. “Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one? I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor. For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building” 1 Corinthians 3:5 -10. Even in the work of creation, he left some things for man to finish up. Think about cars, electricity, houses etc. These were man’s ‘creation’ out of the things that God has already made. Imagine the great privilege God gave us to fellowship with him in bringing other human beings to life. It is so amazing that it blows the mind: that God wanted Adam and Eve to bring other God-friends, human beings into life. Or, in the New Creation era, think about Jesus leaving only a bunch of Jewish men to bring the rest of the world into salvation that cost his life. ‘And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”’ Matthew 28; 18-19.

I don’t know about you, but I shudder each time I read that. What if these feeble men failed him, just like Adam did? That is how much God trusts you, to take the gift or life he has given you and use it and multiply it until it fills the whole earth. None of us has any excuse. If these twelve men did it, we can do it too, after all, it is God himself who works in us all both to will and to do his good pleasure according to Philippians 2: 13:“For it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure”. They were mainly uneducated. They did not have political power, or even economic power for that matter. “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” Acts 4:13. They did not have any god-fathers. In fact, the god-fathers in the land were out to get them. The odds were stacked heavily against them. But they had Jesus on their side. They did not only have his promise to them, ‘Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world’; they had also been with him. The key to filling the earth with our ‘fruit’ is to be with Jesus Christ. That means fellowship with God in prayer, praise, holiness, and in the Word.

You may not be highly educated; Thomas Edison was not. You may not be very wealthy; but then, Mother Theresa was not. You may not have any god-fathers or god-mothers; you are not alone, John Bunyan wrote The Pilgrim’s Progress in prison because the god-fathers of his land were against him. But if you are willingly to walk with God and be faithful and patient, he will take your fruit, multiply it and fill the earth with it.

However, it is important to remember the trend here, God did ask Adam to visit every nation on earth in order to ‘fill the whole earth’. But He did say that Adam’s seed or his fruit should fill the whole earth. I don’t think Thomas Edition ever visited Nigeria before his death, but his fruit, the electric filament, fills this nation. Peter and the rest of the Apostles did not visit all the world in person, but their seed, the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ, did. Sometimes, we spend more time trying to run away into the entire world rather than filling the whole world with our fruits. God gives us an Eden, and expect that we fill not only Eden but the whole earth with our good fruits.

It is helpful to notice that this ‘fruit’ , as much as it could certain mean other things, refers mainly to persons, human beings. ‘Why is that so?’ you ask. Human beings are more important to God than any other thing in this universe. You matter dearly to God. He wants more of us; Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, Aborigines etc. In a literal sense, then, God wants us to fill the earth with godly children that grow up to honor him and fellowship with him. With all the talk today about the right to abort babies or the right live and marry as homosexuals, it is important to remind ourselves that part of God’s purpose for us all is to be fruitful, and as a group, fill the earth with other worthy human beings who honor God. If we start aborting our babies or start living as homosexuals, we certainly dishonor God, and live contrary to his glorious purpose for us. So, while we extend this ‘fruit’ to include other forms of productiveness, we must not lose sight of the fact that, primarily, God’s instruction is to fill the earth with godly ‘seeds’, that is, human beings. Of course, there is a place for planning and wisdom in the number of children that we bear; so that we can raise them up with enough resources to help them become the kind of persons God intends them to be.

What has God given you? It’s time to fill the earth with it. Bear fruit, then multiply your fruit. But don’t stop there, go all way and fill the earth with your fruit. If you ask God and stay long enough with Jesus Christ, he will show you how and when to do it. But we must keep this in perspective. It is all about glorifying God with our lives, giving him praise by being faithful, honoring him as we care for the whole earth he made; telling him it is ok for him to ‘rest’; that his confidence in us is not misplaced.

Share Companionship:
The last mandate God gave Adam was a spouse, someone to share his life with. Companionship. God expected Adam to glorify him by accepting his diagnostic that he, Adam, needed the ‘other’ to be whole. ‘And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” Out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field and every bird of the air, and brought them to Adam to see what he would call them. And whatever Adam called each living creature, that was its name. So Adam gave names to all cattle, to the birds of the air, and to every beast of the field. But for Adam there was not found a helper comparable to him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall on Adam, and he slept; and He took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh in its place. 22 Then the rib which the LORD God had taken from man He made into a woman, and He brought her to the man. And Adam said:
“This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh;
She shall be called Woman, Because she was taken out of Man.”’ Genesis 2: 18-23.

Imagine how busy Adam was, so busy he did not even realize his need, a fitting companionship. But let’s just suppose for the sake of this piece, that when God brought Eve to him, Adam was to argue that he didn’t think he needed her. After all, he was getting the job done alright without her. He would have utterly dishonored God if he said that. Eve was God’s addition and complement to Adam’s life. God knows our needs much more. God wants us to honor him in the family life, by being a family and caring for the family.

Three kinds of family:
There are three kinds of family God expects us to honor him by. The first one is the natural family- Husband, wife and children. Family is important to God. Do you know that just by marring and producing godly seeds you are glorifying God? It is a most sacred opportunity to partner with God in bring living souls into being. Pause to think about that. And as those kids grow up to fear and honor God, you are a part of that wonderful plan.

The other family is the church. By church here, is meant both the body of Christians in general, wherever they are found all over the world; and the local congregation of Christians who assemble regularly to worship God through Jesus Christ. It honors God for you to belong to a local congregation that assembles in the name of Jesus Christ in truth and in spirit. Being a part of the body pleasures God. That is why Jesus came, to have a body, one body: the Lord and his people joined together as one. In becoming a Christian, you become a member of the Body, a part of Christ. You also complete this divine plan when you join together with the rest of the Body, the church. We should take the pressure and performance out of church. It is a place to worship God, and share fellowship with Christ and his people. Fellowship is a word we need to recapture in our churches, in its truest essence. The world is hurting, they need a place where they can be authentic without being rejected, vulnerable without being abused; a place to be loved and cared, not fleeced, like the rest of the capitalist world, a place to find rest for their weary soul. God made such a place in this world. It is called Church. Let’s take the pressure of money and showmanship out of church. It’s time to keep it simple and real.

The third kind of family is the human family. There is a sense in which both Christians and non-Christians are the same: we live together in this one planet called earth, and we are all sinners who must be saved only by the grace of God alone. We share similar trials, pains and triumphs. It’s high time we started acting live we are brothers and sisters. It’s time we began asking God to give us a love for the human family. God loves the whole world, sinners or not. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved” John 3: 16-17. Persons who have accepted Christ into their hearts do not belong to this world any more in the sense that God expects them to live a higher life, of worth and integrity. However, Christians are also asked by God to be the ‘salt’ and the ‘light’ of the world. In other words, God wants us to care about the world he gave us, the people around us, whether they are believers or not. To show some decorum, respect to others even if they are of a different faith, religion, nationality or race. Imagine if we honored God this way- Muslims and Christians and Jews could live in peace even though they may have different beliefs, racism or ethnicity that plagues nations from US to Nigeria will be at its minimum at least.

It’s time to honor God and pleasure him, by having a healthy respect and love for human family. “From one man he created all the nations throughout the whole earth. He decided beforehand when they should rise and fall, and he determined their boundaries” Acts 17: 26, NLT. God cares for every person in the world today. Is it not only logical that one way to show our love and respect for God is to respect and care for what he loves tenderly? We must not get sucked in by the evil ways that abound in our world, but there is certainly a place for a theology that recognizes that human beings, even unsaved human beings, are God's beloved creation which deserves our love.

2006-12-31T10:01:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-12-31T09:46:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-12-15T13:40:00.000-08:00

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!

2006-12-13T10:11:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-12-03T19:01:00.001-08:00

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".

2006-12-03T18:47:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-12-02T12:11:00.001-08:00

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

2006-12-02T12:01:00.001-08:00

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.

2006-12-02T10:48:00.001-08:00

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.

2006-12-02T10:03:00.001-08:00

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?

2006-12-02T09:51:00.000-08:00

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.

2006-11-22T05:47:00.000-08:00

What Past American Presidents Truly Believed About Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is around the corner. It's going to be another time for eating and drinking, and more than enough turkey to go round. But have you ever wondered what the purpose of Thanksgiving was all about? What if I told you that Thanksgiving is an essentially Christian festival? In fact, as I was doing preliminary search on Thanksgiving, I was sturned to read how reverently past American Presidents approached the issue of thanksgiving.

I have decided to reproduce for you here what two of those presidents said about this national holiday, just so you will know how much we seem to have gone away from the original intention of thanksgiving. This is going to be bit long, but it will be worth your time, every bit of it.

Let's start with George Washington. Here is his reason for signing this National Day of Thanksgiving into law:

"to recommend to the people of the United States a day of public thanksgiving and prayer, to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness. Now therefore I do recommend and assign Thursday the 26th day of November next to be devoted by the People of these States to the service of that great and glorious Being, who is the beneficent Author of all the good that was, that is, or that will be--That we may then all unite in rendering unto him our sincere and humble thanks--for his kind care and protection of the People of this Country previous to their becoming a Nation--for the signal and manifold mercies, and the favorable interpositions of his Providence which we experienced in the tranquillity, union, and plenty, which we have since enjoyed--for the peaceable and rational manner, in which we have been enabled to establish constitutions of government for our safety and happiness, and particularly the national One now lately instituted--for the civil and religious liberty with which we are blessed; and the means we have of acquiring and diffusing useful knowledge; and in general for all the great and various favors which he hath been pleased to confer upon us." (signed) G. Washington, The Massachusetts Sentinel, Wednesday, October 14, 1789.

As I read that, I am thinking, even my local pastor couldn't possibly have preached a better sermon on thankgiving to God, the Almighty. But before you think, 'Oh, that was just one isolated instance', listen again to President Abraham Lincoln, even in the middle of the civil war:

"The year that is drawing towards its close, has been filled with the blessings of fruitful fields and healthful skies. To these bounties, which are so constantly enjoyed that we are prone to forget the source from which they come, others have been added, which are of so extraordinary a nature, that they cannot fail to penetrate and soften even the heart which is habitually insensible to the ever watchful providence of Almighty God. In the midst of a civil war of unequalled magnitude and severity, which has sometimes seemed to foreign States to invite and to provoke their aggression, peace has been preserved with all nations, order has been maintained, the laws have been respected and obeyed, and harmony has prevailed everywhere except in the theatre of military conflict; while that theatre has been greatly contracted by the advancing armies and navies of the Union. Needful diversions of wealth and of strength from the fields of peaceful industry to the national defence, have not arrested the plough, the shuttle, or the ship; the axe had enlarged the borders of our settlements, and the mines, as well of iron and coal as of the precious metals, have yielded even more abundantly than heretofore. Population has steadily increased, notwithstanding the waste that has been made in the camp, the siege and the battle-field; and the country, rejoicing in the consciousness of augmented strength and vigor, is permitted to expect continuance of years, with large increase of freedom.

No human counsel hath devised nor hath any mortal hand worked out these great things. They are the gracious gifts of the Most High God, who, while dealing with us in anger for our sins, hath nevertheless remembered mercy.
It has seemed to me fit and proper that they should be solemnly, reverently and gratefully acknowledged as with one heart and voice by the whole American people. I do therefore invite my fellow citizens in every part of the United States, and also those who are at sea and those who are sojourning in foreign lands, to set apart and observe the last Thursday of November next, as a day of Thanksgiving and Praise to our beneficent Father who dwelleth in the Heavens. And I recommend to them that while offering up the ascriptions justly due to Him for such singular deliverances and blessings, they do also, with humble penitence for our national perverseness and disobedience, commend to his tender care all those who have become widows, orphans, mourners or sufferers in the lamentable civil strife in which we are unavoidably engaged, and fervently implore the interposition of the Almighty Hand to heal the wounds of the nation and to restore it as soon as may be consistent with the Divine purposes to the full enjoyment of peace, harmony, tranquility and Union.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand, and caused the seal of the United States to be affixed.
Done at the city of Washington, this third day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the independence of the United States the eighty-eighth."
Proclamation of President Abraham Lincoln, 3 October 1863.

I am telling you, as I read this exact words by past American leaders, I stand a bit shocked. Not because they openly and gratefully acknowleded God as their source and sustainer, but because the nation they fought and worked so hard to preserve is doing everything it can to disavow the "watchful providence of Almighty God" over their lives. An average American today grows up treating God as 'suspect', or outrightly hostile towards God. I am wondering, where did God go wrong with America? In blessing us so much that we have become the greatest nation in the world today? The way things are run in some quarters in America today, especially in some of our academic and news media, you will think God was the greatest enemy US ever had. But my question is, why are we so unthankful even at Thanksgiving?

Today, Thanksgiving has been secularized. To the degree that our children do not even know to Whom we are thankful. We glibly talk about the things for which we are thankful, but we omit the One to whom we are thankful. Our past Leaders didn't think that was the way to celebrate Thanksgiving, why should we? Unless, we are suggesting that our past leaders were...actually, dumb. But I know that our past leaders were not dumb at all. They were smart, intelligent, hardworking, and godly folks. They were so smart that we elected them to govern this great country. So, I am thinking, who is being dumb here - my generation of Americans who are rejecting God and refuting his loving kindnes, or our past leaders who had sense enough to acknowlege the "watchful providence of Almighty God".

Think about this the next time you are in a group that makes God the butt of their mean joke; or at a Thanksgiving dinner that makes fun of God, and celebrates its secular posture.
Happy Thanksgiving.

Just so you know, I got some of the materials I used here from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thanksgiving.
You may choose to visit that site for more details on the above subject.

2006-11-18T12:41:00.001-08:00

How To Discover Your True Identity- Part 1

It isn’t what we do that matter the most. It is not even what we are. It is who we are, first and foremost. I may be good at teaching; that is my gifting. I may even be a well trained teacher who is really good at my life career. Well, that is what I am, a really good teacher; but that is not who I am. Does that make sense?

Jones was caught stealing the other day. That’s what he did. To be sure, that is bad. But then, over time, Jones took to stealing ever so often. Too bad, that is what he is now – a thief. But is that all there is to Jones? Having known that Jones is a thief, have we known all there is to him?

It is so easy to define ourselves by what we are or by what we do. ‘He is a medical doctor.’ ‘She is an actress.’ ‘That guy is a fine gentleman.’

We live in a culture that likes to categorize and put a label on people. Have you noticed? ‘She is black.’ ‘He is white’. ‘Oh, Grace? She is Latino.’ Somehow, if we can just define and categorize one another, then it becomes easier to deal with the other group, right? Like, if I know Grace is Latino, then I sort of know what to expect from Grace – because somehow, in my mind, there is an assumption that I know how Latinos or Blacks or Whites or Asians behave. That way, I don’t have to deal with Grace on an individual, unbiased level. You see, I don’t have to get involved, or be genuine and whole and sincere or vulnerable. I can simply deal with other individuals, especially those from a different group or race, from a distance.

Ok, let’s admit it; this type of discussion makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Why? Precisely for the same reason that we don’t want to honestly deal with our inner selves. So, we sort of prefer to deal with the externalities; to live our life from a distance, shallow and shielded.

Well, you know it as much as I do; it is a lame way to live. It is the way of weak-minded, somewhat ignorant and shallow individuals who have not yet understood the basic fact about who we are, as different from what we are or what we do.

But don’t get me wrong. What we do is important. What we are is even more important. But who we are is much more important. This was the lesson that a middle-aged man in ancient Israel was to learn several years back.

His name was Jacob. He cheated his brother out of his rightful inheritance, and ran away. But chicken will always come back to roost in, right? After several years of running, he decided it was time to go back home and face his brother, and deal with the consequences of his behavior.

Now, just a short distance away from home, Jacob became desperate. What if his brother was still angry with him? Was he endangering his life and those of his two wives and many children? Was he being reckless? If anything, at this point, Jacob really needed God’s help. This time, he could not afford to be distant or shallow with God. Men, he was either going to be honest, real honest with himself and God, or he was going to be in real trouble. With this attitude, Jacob went into the woods to pray; somewhere private, where he could be real honest without being ashamed, where he could cry if necessary and not be embarrassed, where he could let it all out and not wonder who took note. It was written that he prayed all night. This guy must have had quite a lot on his mind. Ever been there where you have to stay up all night because of a major need?

You say, ‘Yeah, but what has this got to do with understanding who I truly am?’ I will tell you in a moment. But notice, in response to his all night prayer, God simply asked Jacob a question (the ‘Man’ in the text refers to God who appeared to him in the form of an angel):

[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. Genesis 32: 27- 28, Amplified.

“What is your name?” That is the question we must honestly answer, just like Jacob, before God may help us. Name represents identity, definition, and categorization. What ways have we been defining ourselves and other people? By what you do, by what you are ( such as tall, black, white, asian, handsome, ugly etc), or by who God made you to be?

Jacob replied, ‘My name is Jacob - a cheat, a schemer, a swindler; that’s what I am’. You see, Jacob had to be honest this time. In his deepest moment of reflection, the person that Jacob could see in him was ‘a cheat’. Yes, what we are and what we do are very important. They becloud our true identity and obscure our purpose, if they are the wrong things.

But thank God, now at last, Jacob could be honest enough to face himself, courageous enough to admit his sin, humble enough to admit it to another, repentant enough to look up to God with pleading eyes.

To discover the real reason we are here on earth (purpose) and take our place (assignment), we need to take a clue from Jacob, and be real honest with God and with ourselves; courageous enough to admit our sins and change from our ways of error.

But in the next post, I am going to share with you what is the most interesting discovery Jacob made. It wasn’t just the blessedness of being real and authentic (as if that was not enough in itself); it was the discovery of his true identity. Discovery of purpose begins with a clear understanding of our true identity.

Back to http://www.discoverpurpose.net

2006-11-17T09:51:00.000-08:00

How To Discover Your True Identity, Part 2

In our last discussion, we began taking a look at this man called Jacob; how in one moment of desperation, he was willing to risk being real and authentic. Let's recall the question God asked him which started Jacob on this journey towards a realisation of his true identity.

[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. Genesis 32: 27- 28, Amplified.

'What is your name?' That was the question Jacob answered. He admitted that, as far as he knew, he was jacob - supplanter, schemer, trickster. Jacob had had his own way all his life. His uncle, Laban, tried outsmarting him, but learnt the hard way that this guy is a long-practiced schemer. But now, we see him, humble, contrite, vulnerable as he openly admits the wrongs he had done.

But here is what is so interesting. While Jacob saw himself only as a trickster, God saw him as a prince, a prince with God. "Your name shall be called no more Jacob, but Israel", God told him.

Amazing. God doesn't see people as we see them. God doesn't categorize and label individuals based on skin color, height, weight, economics etc. He sees something right inside your innermost being that no one else sees or is willing to admit.

Jacob might have been kneeling down there broken, contrite and perhaps even hating himself, in sudden realization of how ugly his life had been. But all along, the person God sees isn't Jacob, the cheat, the supplanter; but God saw Isael, a prince with God and man. That teaches me something: it isn't just the name others are calling me that is important. The name I have been calling myself ( in my thoughts, comments, attitude etc) is more important. But even much more important is the name God has given me.

God's name for us is gloriously defining. Yes, it is in Christ that we find out who we are; what our true identity really is. You know, we may have messed things up so bad like Jacob did, perhaps, so bad that we have come to be defined by our wrong deeds. But when we are open and authentic enough, like Jacob, to admit where we are at, God is ever willing to embrace us with love and a new name written over us.

"Because of this decision we don't evaluate people by what they have or how they look. We looked at the Messiah that way once and got it all wrong, as you know. We certainly don't look at him that way anymore. Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created new. The old life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at it! All this comes from the God who settled the relationship between us and him, and then called us to settle our relationships with each other. God put the world square with himself through the Messiah, giving the world a fresh start by offering forgiveness of sins." 2Corinthians 5: 16- 18, Message.

God gave Jacob a fresh new start, by helping him re-discover his true identity. Isn't that always like God? Ever loving and forgiving. It's time to look inside and see the new person that we have become, or could become, through our union with Christ. I think God delights in welcoming us home to himself, forgiving, blessing us, helping us understand who we truly are. So, will you come home like Jacob did? Will you kneel in honest prayer before God and say, " I am sorry, I have lived like Jacob"? I feel like taking a moment right now to talk with God about this? Will you be willing to do the same?

I am going to end this by reminding you ( and myself of course) who or what God says we are. God has a new name for you. God calls you:
Friend - John 15: 13-14
"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you

Accepted - John 1: 5
Beloved - John 1: 5
Forgiven - I John 1: 8-9
New Creation - 2 Corinthians 5: 16 -21
Blessed - Ephesians 1: 1-3

I want to ask you to refuse to accept any other definition of you. Our culture will do it's best to label you 'black', 'white', 'hispanic', 'short', 'tall', 'fat' or 'thin', 'poor', 'wealthy' etc. But we have to remember all those are not who we are...those are futile attempts by others to define and categorize you. We are God's offsprings, new creation in Christ Jesus.

If any of these writings bless you, feel free to post a comment or share a testimony with us. Others may be blessed by your testimony or comment. And feel free to contact us anytime. My genuine desire is to assist you in your search for meaning and joy.

2006-11-16T10:35:00.000-08:00

How To Discover Your Purpose In 15 Minutes or Less

I know, reading that heading, you are probably thinking, 'This guy must be nuts. How can someone find out his whole life purpose in 15 minutes?' But truth is, you can actually discover your entire life purpose in 15 minutes or less. Fifteen minutes is about all the time it will take you to read through this piece. Sure enough, I trust that you are willing to invest just 15 minutes of your time to find out what may turn out to be the most transforming moment of your life. But if you are one of those fast readers, then you can actually discover your purpose in less than fifteen minutes from now. Ready?

But first, you need to understand what 'purpose' we are talking about here. We are not talking about introspection, potential, mission statement, goal setting etc. Those are important aspects of 'purpose', but are not your primary purpose. Purpose deals with the nature of meaning, origin and value who you are as a person. You may click here now to find out the difference between purpose and life mission or assignment. And, yes, this discovery is from an essentially christian worldview, because, 'It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for' ( Ephe 1: 11; The Message).

Now, let me share with you how I came upon the biggest discovery of my life...the exact purpose of my life. The year was 2000. I was on a missionary journey to a small African town. While I was preparing for my trip, I had gone to a christian book store and collected a number of books that I felt could help me. It was going to be a long and somewhat lonely trip for a then bachelor missionary pastor like me.

One of those days, I was at my desk, reading one of these books when I recieved an insight that was to change my life. This particular one was called, 'The Hidden Man'. The book was discussing the uniqueness of the human spirit and its relationship to the Creator Spirit. As I kept reading, something flashed into my mind that I can not explain. Suddenly, I was lying flat on my uncarpeted church office, lost in the deepest worship and adoration that have ever come up to God from this being.

It was the very sharp realization of who and what I am that produced this kind of worship. It was as though I was immediately translated into the 'beginning' and I saw into the heart of the Father God as He said, 'Let us make man in our own image'. I could feel the love and joy with which he anticipated making another set of beings who will be his own, to love and to bless. Then, I understood why God 'rested' on the seventh day after he made human beings. Seeing that, I saw why he made me, who I am and what my role on earth is.

So, let me share a bit of what insight I recieved that day with you. Remember, it's just a bit. You may have to visit often to recieve the rest. But as you read, I trust you will come to discover why God made you and what your purpose on earth is all about.

So, let me begin with the key question that changed my life: Why did God 'rest' after he made human beings?

It is written that God rested on the seventh day. But notice that God did not rest until his work was completed. And his work was not completed until he made man and woman on the sixth day. So, in essence, the creation of humans marked the achievement of God’s goal and the beginning of his rest. ‘So the creation of the heavens and the earth and everything in them was completed. On the seventh day, having finished his task, God rested from all his work. And God blessed the seventh day and declared it holy, because it was the day when he rested from his work of creation.’ Genesis 2: 1-3 NLB. This is an important key in eventually understanding the divine purpose for human beings.

Nature of God’s rest.
The nature of God’s rest could not have been physical. Why? The answer is simple; God does not grow weary or tired. Isaiah 40: 28- 29 captures it clearly:
Have you not known?
Have you not heard?
The everlasting God, the LORD,
The Creator of the ends of the earth,
Neither faints nor is weary.
His understanding is unsearchable.
He gives power to the weak,
And to those who have no might He increases strength.

So, it is clear that God’s rest was not one of cessation of activities in order to regain strength. The Creator of the ends of the earth neither faints nor is weary. He certainly did not run out of breath and had to slow down enough to catch his breath back.

So, then, what does it mean that God rested on the seventh day? It is a state of mind that results from accomplishment, from purpose achieved. It is a tranquil state of happiness, contentment and satisfaction that stems form successfully accomplishing an important mission.

After God made man, he entered a state of rest, joy, contentment or satisfaction. He looked at man and the rest of the creation, and knew without doubt that his work was done, his goal achieved. It was like Jesus saying at the Cross, ‘It is finished’.

The Human Connection
Here is an interesting point to consider: God never considered his work finished until he created man, and empowered man to take charge of the earth. Or, put in another way, the purpose of creation of the earth was not yet fulfilled until humans were created. God never did ‘rest’, at least throughout the period of creation, until man was made.

It does seem then that the creation of man signaled the accomplishment of God’s goal in creating the earth and the firmaments. Humans were the crown of God’s creation, the chief end in divine mind at the outset of the creation venture.

It’s difficult to picture what could have gone through God’s mind on the evening of the sixth day as he beheld the man and woman he made. It would have made quite a scene to
have watched God as he looks in admiration, maybe, even in amazement and wonder and honor, at this special species he has just created.

This is how Exodus 31: 17 puts it, ‘for in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth and on the seventh day He rested and was refreshed.’ That word ‘refreshed’ is very interesting in this context. One of the definitions for ‘refresh’ is ‘to make fresh again; reinvigorate or cheer (a person, the mind, spirits, etc.)’. Agreed that God does not grow weary, faint, and does not, in a physical sense, need to be reinvigorated, then that leaves us with the last part of the definition; to cheer.

God was gladdened in no small way by examining the man he made. His loving heart was cheered and pleasured when he saw this being that was an exact representation of his person, an image of the Godhead. Here was a being that was God’s protégé, beneficiary, friend, and an exact reproduction of His person.

I look up at your macro-skies, dark and enormous,
your handmade sky-jewelry,
Moon and stars mounted in their settings.
Then I look at my micro-self and wonder,
Why do you bother with us?
Why take a second look our way?

Yet we've so narrowly missed being gods,
bright with Eden's dawn light.
You put us in charge of your handcrafted world,
repeated to us your Genesis-charge,
Made us lords of sheep and cattle,
even animals out in the wild,
Birds flying and fish swimming,
whales singing in the ocean deeps
Psalm 8: 3- 8, Message.

No other creature evoked such a response from God, except the man he made. He ‘rested and was ‘refreshed’ at the sight of man. Who is this man that God is so mindful of him? Who is this special being that so awakens the divine emotion, as to cheer and refresh the divine heart? ‘Then I look at my micro-self and wonder, Why do you bother with us? Why take a second look our way?’

In deed, he does not only take a second look at us, but we do hold his undivided attention since creation. The word translated ‘mindful’ in Psalm 8: 4 is ‘zakar’ – a Hebrew word which means ‘ to mark or remember continually, as perpetual incense rising; to set heart upon; to keep continually in merciful view’.³ God’s mind is set upon humans, for a reason.

Okay, let’s recap. God rested after he created man. The nature of his ‘rest’ was one of contentment, satisfaction and cheer that come from a feeling of accomplishment of a desire goal or objective. In order words, God had a purpose in mind when he set out creating the world, which was fulfilled in man’s existence on creation morning.

There is also a second but related reason God rested on the seventh day. It does seem as though when man was ‘born’, God saw in him all the prerequisite abilities necessary to continue to keep and maintain the whole earth. Why, he put in him those abilities. And so, in a way, God no longer needs to work, for here was another ‘form’ of him that is capable of carrying on the good work, so to speak.

Here is the insight that hit me that day in 2000. It pleasured God so much that he made me. Then it hit home, my being pleasures God. It is because of who he made me to be that gives him so much joy: God’s image, protégé, friend and beneficiary. God wanted someone special to lavish his love on, to pour out his goodness and kindness on. He decided man was to be just that person. It gave him great pleasure just thinking about our coming into being. Imagine then what joy he had when he finally succeeded in bringing us into being. No wonder he ‘rested’.

From that day, I have never doubted that
the primary purpose of human beings is to enjoy God and glorify him.

If you enjoyed this article, then you may want to visit Archives for more. If you have any comment, question or prayer need, feel free to contact us any time.

2006-11-15T16:38:00.000-08:00

Enjoying God In A Godless Society

I had discussed with you sometime ago about what it means to ‘enjoy’ God in a previous post. If you missed that, you may click here now to read all about that before continuing with this piece. Because I am going to pick it up from where we left off.

What I really want to dialogue with you today about is, how to enjoy God in a world that is very skeptical about God. You say, but why should I care about God, and what does he have to do with my purpose? Well, he has got everything to do with our purpose. Remember, man’s chief purpose is ‘to enjoy God and to glorify him’. Nothing more, nothing less. Life is about knowing, experiencing or enjoying God.

But the thing is, we often miss the exciting part about this God concept. It is a call to enjoy. Someone has said that it is all about God. Yes, in a self-centered, self-seeking world such as ours, it is important to remind us that Faith is all about God. That is for ever true. Yet, there is a good sense in which it is also about us; about you. God is all sufficient without us, happy, fulfilled and lacking nothing. But he chose to make us so as to lavish his love and kindness on us anyway.

He did not make us just for his amusement. When it comes to the issue of the human race, it is a serious issue with God. It is true that we are for his pleasure. But it is in the sense that we pleasure or delight his heart. He takes unending delight in loving and blessing us. Of course, God can do whatever he wills with us; he is sovereign. But he is also not a power monger. He chose us in love, and for love. In a good sense, from his own perspective at least, it was all about us; it was for our sake that he chose us. ‘Long before he laid down earth's foundations, he had us in mind, had settled on us as the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. Long, long ago he decided to adopt us into his family through Jesus Christ. (What pleasure he took in planning this!) He wanted us to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by the hand of his beloved Son’- Ephesians 1: 4-6.

Seen this way, the God factor does not seem so frightening after all. Here is one who is infinitely mightier saying, ‘I want to enter a holy union with you so I can defend you, and enrich your life’. This, then, is the first step in enjoying God in a godless society- to know that he is good. That is his essential nature. His motives are not only pure, they are altogether selfless. It is for our benefit that he beckons on us.

A powerful and very wealthy man who lived thousands of years ago had this same revelation. His name was David. He was a smart guy by all standards in his generation. In fact, he grew to become the leader of one of the most influential nations on the earth today. He had so much going for him. But he also had God in his life, or rather, he allowed God to have him.He had a radically different view of God than most folks do today. This is his invitation to us:

'Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him' - Psalm 34: 8

‘Taste and see that the Lord is good.’ That sounds to me like a healthy challenge. It’s like saying, ‘If only you are willing to risk giving God a chance, I bet you will love the encounter!’ It seems to me like it was an admittance that humans, since after the Fall, tend to run away from God, instead of to him. But here is a king who was saying, ‘I have tasted him, and all I experience is goodness. Come join me.’ It is a kind invitation: taste and see that the Lord is good.

How can we know his goodness unless we ‘taste’ him? How can we enjoy the wonders of his person, the blessedness of his fullness, unless we fellowship with him? That is the second step towards enjoying God – spending quality time with him in fellowship. That is a very beautiful word, fellowship. Do you know what it means? I checked the meaning at Dictionary.Com, this is what fellowship means: ‘friendly relationship; companionship: the fellowship of father and son.’

That is so neat; God is saying, “Be my friend. Enter into a companionship with me.’ If that doesn’t blow your mind with possibilities, I don’t know what will. ‘The fellowship of father and son.’ That is a fitting illustration. The father seeks not his welfare but that of the child, in an ideal world. He longs to share with his son, to bless him, to impart him with all he has or has learnt. It is a relationship that is birthed by the desire to give and bless and make whole.

‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ seem to guarantee that we will find him good if only we shall ‘taste’. This is a nature of God that is not emphasized enough in our world. He gets blamed for any evil or mishap or pain. Meantime, he says, ‘Come, be my friend, see how much I can be for you.’ To be sure, fellowshipping with God may not shield us entirely from pain, but the one who longs for our companionship says,
“ Fear not, for I have redeemed you;
I have called you by your name;
You are Mine.
When you pass through the waters, I will be with you;
And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you.
When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned,
Nor shall the flame scorch you.
For I am the LORD your God…
Since you were precious in My sight,
You have been honored,
And I have loved you…”
Isaiah 43: 1-4

How can we resist such a God, or be skeptic about him? It’s time to taste and see that the Lord is good! His only invitation is, 'Come and enter into friendly relationship with me, the fellowship of father and son'.

If you are reading this, and thinking, 'how do I enter into a friendly relationship with God?', may I suggest that all you need to do now is to ask Jesus Christ to be your savior and friend. If you have further questions about this, feel free to contact me and I will be glad to help.

2006-11-13T20:01:00.000-08:00

How To Distinguish Your Purpose From Your Assignment

What is purpose? When I say that I want to discover the purpose of my life or the meaning of my life, what exactly does that imply? Is my purpose the same thing as my assignment? How can I distinguish between the two?

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, purpose has two meanings:
1 something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
2 the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists

So, from the dictionary meaning, it is clear that when the word ‘purpose’ is used, what readily comes to mind is ‘goal’, ‘role’, ‘mission’, ‘career’. These all describe one aspect of purpose or the other. However, these descriptive words involve something we want to accomplish or an activity for which we are best fitted. In short, these could best be described by the word, ‘assignment’. The search for meaning is something much deeper than a goal, a mission or a career. It involves all those, and more.

You and I know a lot of people who are engaged in jobs or careers that they love and are best fitted for; but they are in search of something more, a meaning or purpose to their lives. So, then, there is a sense in which we use ‘purpose’ to refer to that original intent of God for human life. Who am I, really? What am I here for? Where did I come from, and at the end of this life, where am I going? In this, we see a yearning to understand the primary meaning of life, of individual existence. Purpose is about understanding the essence of life. In other words, purpose describes our collective search for meaning.

It is clear, then, that there is a difference between my life assignment and my life purpose. Both are related in many ways, but not exactly the same. Whereas Purpose deals with such fundamental questions as who am I and what am I here on earth for, Assignment deals with such question as what can I do to express or live out the very reason for which I am here?

Here are some tips to help you distinguish between purpose and assignment:

Purpose deals mainly with being, while assignment deals with doing. Both are important and necessary in the grand scheme of life, but until our focus changes from doing to being, we may never grasp the essence or meaning of life.

Purpose affects the very core of my person, while assignment is concerned with service to others. The discovery of purpose is transcendent, transforming and tranquil in its effect on my life as a person. On the other hand, discovery and pursuit of my assignment can certainly have an invigorating effect on me, but it has more impact on the lives of others. Purpose changes the individual who is called to change the world through his assignment.

Purpose asks, ‘Who are you relating to?’ Assignment asks, ‘what are you relating to?’ Discovery of purpose settles the issue of identity. The one who has found purpose knows he or she is related directly to God and to His people. So, his life is about cultivating a relationship with the One who is his Source and Sustainer, and also with the other members of the ‘family’. Discovery of assignment, especially for the one who has first found purpose, is about relating very well to the thing ( job, calling, career, gifting etc) that helps him the most to serve God and others.

Purpose is about living for Someone who is infinitely greater than we are, while Assignment is living for Something much bigger than we are. We find our purpose when we discover (or rather are found by) the One who loves us so much He gave himself for us. Meaning is tied to a loving relationship, especially, with the One who made us. Assignment is a sum total of the opportunities given to us to express our love and appreciation for God and the people He graciously put in our lives.

Someone can have an assignment without discovering the Divine purpose for the assignment, but it is difficult for one to discover his purpose without having an assignment that helps him express that purpose. So, assignment can exist without discovering purpose, but purpose can not truly exist without an assignment. Doesn’t the bible clearly teach that, on the Last Day, some people may have their works ( assignments, giftings, callings, philanthropy etc) burnt or destroyed because they did not carry them out with the right motive( purpose)? ‘If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.’( I Corinthians 3: 12-15)

In conclusion, our meaning comes from discovering and living our purpose, not from our assignments. In the sections that follow, we shall examine purpose and assignments in detail.

2006-11-06T16:30:00.000-08:00

What Does It Mean to 'Enjoy' God?

A number of days ago, we discussed 'How To Discover Your Purpose In 15 Minutes Or Less'. Do you remember? If you missed that topic, you may click on the title and read it before proceeding with the current discussion. Because they are tied together.

In that conversation, we stated that the primary purpose of human beings is 'to enjoy God and to glorify him'. But the question is, 'What does it mean to 'enjoy God? I will attempt to share with you in this segment what I understand that to mean. But I am also open to receiving your perspective on the issue.

There are about four things we are instructed in the bible to 'taste'. And if you recall, to 'taste', among other things,is an archaic word for 'to enjoy' to appreciate' (Dictionary.com). So, let's take a look at these four commands in scripture to taste or to enjoy. We are enjoined to taste:

The Lord ( Psalm 34: 8; 1 Peter 2: 3)
The Word of God ( Psalm 119: 103; Hebrews 6: 5)
The Powers to come ( Hebrews 6: 5)
The Heavenly gift ( Hebrews 6: 4)

Of the four, we shall focus on tasting the Lord today. In subsequent posts, we shall examine the other three on after the other.

Let's begin by looking at both verses.

'Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good;
Blessed is the man who trusts in Him' - Psalm 34: 8

'if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious' - 1 Peter 2: 3

Both scriptures seem to suggest that it is possible to 'taste' or enjoy the Lord. The word 'taste', we are told is from the Greek word, 'geuomai', which means to 'have experience of'. It is variously translated to 'eat' or to 'taste' all through scriptures.

OK, enough of the Greek talk; what does it mean to have a taste of the Lord here and now, each and every day? It means to experience the Lord on a regular basis. That is the supreme call of man, and the chief goal of Christianity. It is possible, nay, indispensable to true faith, for us to have an experience of the person and character of God.

Jesus said so Himself in very clear terms. "And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent"- John 17:3. Eternal life is 'knowing' the Godhead. Again, the word translated to 'know' in that verse simply means to experience, to encounter in an intimate, personal way. This is how the Amplified bible puts it: "And this is eternal life: [it means] to know (to perceive, recognize, become acquainted with, and understand) You, the only true and real God, and [likewise] to know Him, Jesus [as the] Christ (the Anointed One, the Messiah), Whom You have sent." Can it be any clearer?

Let's recap a bit. The chief goal of human beings is to enjoy God and to glorify him. To enjoy God means to taste the Lord, to encounter the wonder of his person, not once in a life-time, but on an on-going level. To experience him, and prove for ourselves that he is good and gracious. To come to understand God and his unique ways. To be able to experience something of his divine nature and joy as we interact with him closely. To walk with HIM until we begin to grasp a little of the intricate wonders of his person.

No wonder, the Bible used the word, taste. Yes, we can only have a taste of him on this side of eternity. But someday, at the end of the age, and at entrance of his full reign, we shall know and enjoy him in full.

I am going to end this discussion here( it's getting too Long, right?). But may I invite you to express your desire to taste more of Him and his goodness as Paul did?

"[For my determined purpose is] that I may know Him [that I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His Person more strongly and more clearly], and that I may in that same way come to know the power outflowing from His resurrection [[b]which it exerts over believers], and that I may so share His sufferings as to be continually transformed [in spirit into His likeness even] to His death..." - Philippians 3: 10- 11; Amplified.

What joy, what blessing , what grace I shall know if only that I may 'progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him, perceiving and recognizing and understanding the wonders of His person more strongly and more clearly". That is life at it's best; the chief goal of us all, and the source of unspeakable joy.

A final note. Yes, you are free to send these posts to friends, or subscribe to the post so that individual posts are sent directly to your inbox as soon as they are available.

2006-11-04T20:24:00.000-08:00

How To Discover Your True Identity- Part 1

It isn’t what we do that matter the most. It is not even what we are. It is who we are, first and foremost. I may be good at teaching; that is my gifting. I may even be a well trained teacher who is really good at my life career. Well, that is what I am, a really good teacher; but that is not who I am. Does that make sense?

Jones was caught stealing the other day. That’s what he did. To be sure, that is bad. But then, over time, Jones took to stealing ever so often. Too bad, that is what he is now – a thief. But is that all there is to Jones? Having known that Jones is a thief, have we known all there is to him?

It is so easy to define ourselves by what we are or by what we do. ‘He is a medical doctor.’ ‘She is an actress.’ ‘That guy is a fine gentleman.’

We live in a culture that likes to categorize and put a label on people. Have you noticed? ‘She is black.’ ‘He is white’. ‘Oh, Grace? She is Latino.’ Somehow, if we can just define and categorize one another, then it becomes easier to deal with the other group, right? Like, if I know Grace is Latino, then I sort of know what to expect from Grace – because somehow, in my mind, there is an assumption that I know how Latinos or Blacks or Whites or Asians behave. That way, I don’t have to deal with Grace on an individual, unbiased level. You see, I don’t have to get involved, or be genuine and whole and sincere or vulnerable. I can simply deal with other individuals, especially those from a different group or race, from a distance.

Ok, let’s admit it; this type of discussion makes a lot of people uncomfortable. Why? Precisely for the same reason that we don’t want to honestly deal with our inner selves. So, we sort of prefer to deal with the externalities; to live our life from a distance, shallow and shielded.

Well, you know it as much as I do; it is a lame way to live. It is the way of weak-minded, somewhat ignorant and shallow individuals who have not yet understood the basic fact about who we are, as different from what we are or what we do.

But don’t get me wrong. What we do is important. What we are is even more important. But who we are is much more important. This was the lesson that a middle-aged man in ancient Israel was to learn several years back.

His name was Jacob. He cheated his brother out of his rightful inheritance, and ran away. But chicken will always come back to roost in, right? After several years of running, he decided it was time to go back home and face his brother, and deal with the consequences of his behavior.

Now, just a short distance away from home, Jacob became desperate. What if his brother was still angry with him? Was he endangering his life and those of his two wives and many children? Was he being reckless? If anything, at this point, Jacob really needed God’s help. This time, he could not afford to be distant or shallow with God. Men, he was either going to be honest, real honest with himself and God, or he was going to be in real trouble. With this attitude, Jacob went into the woods to pray; somewhere private, where he could be real honest without being ashamed, where he could cry if necessary and not be embarrassed, where he could let it all out and not wonder who took note. It was written that he prayed all night. This guy must have had quite a lot on his mind. Ever been there where you have to stay up all night because of a major need?

You say, ‘Yeah, but what has this got to do with understanding who I truly am?’ I will tell you in a moment. But notice, in response to his all night prayer, God simply asked Jacob a question (the ‘Man’ in the text refers to God who appeared to him in the form of an angel):

[The Man] asked him, What is your name? And [in shock of realization, whispering] he said, Jacob [supplanter, schemer, trickster, swindler]! And He said, Your name shall be called no more Jacob [supplanter], but Israel [contender with God]; for you have contended and have power with God and with men and have prevailed. Genesis 32: 27- 28, Amplified.

“What is your name?” That is the question we must honestly answer, just like Jacob, before God may help us. Name represents identity, definition, and categorization. What ways have we been defining ourselves and other people? By what you do, by what you are ( such as tall, black, white, asian, handsome, ugly etc), or by who God made you to be?

Jacob replied, ‘My name is Jacob - a cheat, a schemer, a swindler; that’s what I am’. You see, Jacob had to be honest this time. In his deepest moment of reflection, the person that Jacob could see in him was ‘a cheat’. Yes, what we are and what we do are very important. They becloud our true identity and obscure our purpose, if they are the wrong things.

But thank God, now at last, Jacob could be honest enough to face himself, courageous enough to admit his sin, humble enough to admit it to another, repentant enough to look up to God with pleading eyes.

To discover the real reason we are here on earth (purpose) and take our place (assignment), we need to take a clue from Jacob, and be real honest with God and with ourselves; courageous enough to admit our sins and change from our ways of error.

But in part 2 of this conversation, I am going to share with you what is the most interesting discovery Jacob made. It wasn’t just the blessedness of being real and authentic (as if that was not enough in itself); it was the discovery of his true identity. Discovery of purpose begins with a clear understanding of our true identity.

2006-10-20T09:40:00.000-07:00

Welcome!

'Look carefully then how you walk! Live purposefully and worthily and accurately, not as the unwise and witless, but as wise (sensible, intelligent people),making the very most of the time [buying up each opportunity], because the days are evil'- Ephesians 5: 15-16. Amp. Bible.

'The greatest use of life is to spend it for something that outlasts it'
- William James.

Glad you are visiting today. I want to contribute towards enriching your day. So, here are a few suggestions to help you maximize the benefits of this site:

Choose a topic of interest on the right, click on it and read away. Don't forget to check the archives. Some of our best articles are there. Read prayerfully, one word from God could change your life for good.

Let your voice be heard. By posting a comment, you will be sharing your pespective with thousands of people all over the world, and reaching them with the message of purpose and hope. You have a lot to give.

Have fun . While you are at it, you might as well have fun being a christian and a blessing to your world. 'If you aren't fired with enthusiasm, then you will be fired with enthusiasm'-Vince Lombardi. And feel free to look around, you never know what you will find.

2006-10-18T08:51:00.001-07:00

Important Life Lesson From Osama Bin Laden?

September 11, 2001, was a day that the US and in deed the rest of the world will never forget, right? Right. Because of a man by name Osama Bin Laden.There are two lessons Osama and his Al Qaeda team teach me about life. The first one is contained in an article I submitted to a campus newspaper on the anniversary of Martin Luther King Jr., 2004. If you are interested in that article, Click here now to read it.

However, for today, I will reflect on the second lesson that I learn from this man who represents what President Bush has termed 'the axis of evil'. You know, the other day, I was wondering at what could have made those men who carried out the terrorist attack, be willing to give up their lives. Look at it this way, these men, according to intillegence sources, spent months, even years in training. Many of them attended higher education, and spent countless hours traning as pilots. Yet, all the while knowing that it was all for the purpose of committing suicide.

These men made elaborate preparations to die. That fateful 9/11, they woke up, probably bade their families farewell, and drove off to the nation's airports to die. Now, no matter how we feel about these men, we must give them the credit that what they did was extraordinary. I wonder, can I ever make such elaborate preparations, just so I could die? What force drove those me willfully and deliberately to their graves? Some say, hatred. May be so, but I believe it was something more than hatred.

As I pondered on this line of thought, it became clear to me that the quest for meaning or purpose is by far a deeper need than our desire for pleasure. For those terrorists, all Osama had to do was make them believe that they were fighting for Something greater, for a Cause mightier than they were. Yes, the power of Osama lies in manipulating the innate yearning in the heart of us all - the search for meaning. But don't wave that off so easily. 9/11 is an ugly reminder that the will to meaning is so deeply rooted in humans that we can easily die for that for which we believe in.

I don't know about all the academic stuff in psychology or even philosphy, but this much I know: the Freudian philosophy that says that the need for pleasure is the primary motivation of human behavior, certainly fails to explain the sad event of 9/11. It is certainly not the will to pleasure that drove those men to sacrifice their lives, and that of thousands of others . It was the belief that they were doing it for a purpose. I have heard that their belief system says that if a person dies in a Holy War, then he is quaranteed a special entrance into paradise.

Here is what this whole thing means to me: First, each of us, deep in our hearts, long for meaning; to live for Something or Someone greater than we are, and if necessary, to die for such a person or thing. In this, I differ not from the rest of you. I do not agree with the belief system that drove those men to their death, but I do learn from them about the power of purpose. As I go to bed tonight, I marvel at the effect a single individual with an over-riding purpose, good or bad, could have on our world. I can't help but wonder, am I committed enough to discovering the meaning of life, at least for me, and to giving it the best that I've got?

2006-10-15T18:36:00.000-07:00

Dealing With "God" In A post Modern World

Until we assume the existence of an all-mighty, all-wise and all-loving God, human life and existence has no meaning, except, of course, that which we put into it. This is why the Bible’s record of the beginning and essence of man starts with ‘God’ (Genesis 1:1).

The concept of God means that I accept that there is one who is ‘the supreme or ultimate reality: the Being perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness who is worshipped as creator and ruler of the universe’ (Merriam-Webster dictionary).

The God concept is perhaps the most difficult concept for the postmodern individual to embrace. I am not sure of the exact reason. May be, it is a generational rebellion against times past when certain imperfect human institutions, organizations and individuals controlled or manipulated other individuals and groups using the name of God and religion. Perhaps, it is a euphoric reactionary tendency from a technologically advanced 21st century man who feels that he now has the answers for which he previously relied on God. Or it may be due to our dominant relativist culture that asserts its own way and dares another to question it.

Whatever the reason for the reluctance of the postmodern man to accept the existence and the relevance of a loving and caring God, it is clear that the hearty embrace of God demands total surrender to such a God. It appears to me that it is this surrender of self to another, especially, to one who is invisible and uncontrollable, that is most unacceptable to postmodern man.

The acceptance of God is based on belief. But, then too, atheism is a belief system. ‘The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd… It's impossible to please God apart from faith. And why? Because anyone who wants to approach God must believe both that he exists and that he cares enough to respond to those who seek him’ (Hebrews 11: 1, 2, 6; Message).

If an individual rejects the existence of God or refuses to surrender to Him even when there is a general belief that he may exist, it is a decision that the individual makes. There is as much reason to believe in, and surrender to, God as there is not to believe in Him. When all is said and done, it is our rationalization or simple trust that makes all the difference.

Atheism is as much a belief system as it is an intellectual process. It is a belief system because someone chose not to believe in the existence of God whom he has not yet seen. It is not conclusive that He does not exist, but his perceptions lead him to accept that God does not in all likelihood exist. It is his faith that at the end of time, if there be any such time, that he will be vindicated. He has neither conclusively proven that God does not exist nor that He does exist. He chooses to lean more towards the idea that God does not exist. It takes a kind of faith to do this. It takes as much effort for the atheist to ignore the promptings of his spirit being as it takes the Christian person to ignore circumstances or philosophies that tend to question his faith.

Atheism is also an intellectual exercise. There is hardly any individual that was born an atheist. Individuals become atheists after they weigh the pros and cons for a belief in the existence of God. Most times, they are individuals who have experienced intense pain or disappointment or loss of dear ones. Or may be, they placed faith in God at an earlier phase of their lives, but were terribly let down by fallible human beings or institutions, even individuals and organizations that claim to represent God. Other times, they became exposed to different forms of reasoning and philosophies that questioned in straightforward manner their previous belief system, and prevailed, intellectually at least. The result, in any case, is a mental process that commits to that which makes most sense to his rational mind. ‘For as he thinks in his heart, so is he’ (Proverbs 23: 7).

What about the agnostic? The agnostic is someone who has been so bombarded with doctrine (such as science, religion, humanism etc) to a degree that he is helpless about which to embrace. He thinks that by not committing to any one doctrine or belief, he is free from it all. The agnostic hopes that by not thinking or talking about Him, God will just go away and leave him alone. He would have neither a troubled conscience nor a loving God. So, by his indecision, the agnostic has made a decision, unfortunately. His choice is in favor of all other doctrines but God. He claims to be an open minded fellow in as much as it concerns other doctrines. But he chooses to be a skeptic in relation to the God concept.
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What about the Christian? He does not understand everything there is to know about God, but he does believe. The Christian’s life isn’t perfect, but he endeavors to live by a simple injunction: ‘Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; he's the one who will keep you on track. Don't assume that you know it all. Run to God! (Proverbs 3: 5-8, Message).

It is this ‘simple’ faith that defines Christianity. Christ’ call is a call to believe: ‘Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me’ (John 14: 1). Notice, he said, ‘do not let your heart be troubled’. Faith is a heart issue. To believe in God, we listen to our heart, deep down. The ‘heart’ here represents the innermost part or central essence of our being. It is in there that one accepts or rejects God. ‘With your whole being you embrace God setting things right, and then you say it, right out loud: "God has set everything right between him and me!" Scripture reassures us, "No one who trusts God like this—heart and soul—will ever regret it." It's exactly the same no matter what a person's religious background may be: the same God for all of us, acting the same incredibly generous way to everyone who calls out for help. "Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help." (Romans 10: 10- 13 Message) In this context, Pascal was right, ‘the heart has its reasons which reason knows not of’.

So, then, may I invite you to practice believing? It is possible, even easy, for anyone to believe, including the agnostic, the atheist, or the Christian. It is individual faith and state of the heart that matter. The atheist or agnostic could become a believer if the decision is made to trust, and in the same token, a believer could become so activity or church focused that he unintentionally stops believing. ‘How can we sum this up? All those people who didn't seem interested in what God was doing actually embraced what God was doing as he straightened out their lives. And Israel, who seemed so interested in reading and talking about what God was doing, missed it. How could they miss it? Because instead of trusting God, they took over. They were absorbed in what they themselves were doing. They were so absorbed in their "God projects" that they didn't notice God right in front of them, like a huge rock in the middle of the road. And so they stumbled into him and went sprawling.’ (Romans 9: 30-32) A sobering and humbling thought in deed.

2006-09-18T14:40:00.000-07:00

Your Purpose In Life Is Two-fold

There are two kinds of meaning. One deals with the grand design for human life, the essence of our existence. At a micro level, this aspect of meaning deals with my life as a person. What is the purpose of my life, as an individual? This is what I have chosen to call Primary Purpose.

The other kind of meaning deals with our daily human experience. How do we make sense out of all that happen to us – the vast human suffering, pain, sickness, accident, delay, seemingly unanswered prayer, rejection and abuse? However, this type of purpose does not deal only with distressing things that happen to us. It also affects aspects of our daily human experiences that are good and even pleasant. For example, what meaning does my type of work hold for me and for the society? What is the essence of pleasure? Is there any meaning to wealth, marriage, leadership position and opportunities, for example? This kind of purpose, I call Secondary Purpose or Secondary Meaning.

No doubt, these are questions that plague humans irrespective of age, color or nationality. At some point or the other, all of us have thought about these questions. We live with them. In what ways do primary and secondary purposes resemble each other, and how do these two purposes differ from each other?

Too often, people tend to question the existence of a supreme God due to their inability to understand secondary purpose. How can there be a loving and all-powerful God if so much evil still exist in our world? How can I believe that God loves me if I still go through so much pain? But this kind of concern seems to me like putting the cart before the horse. Until we understand primary purpose, secondary meaning will likely elude us. Because we live in a world with many uncertainties, it often happens that we become more enamored with wanting to understand secondary purposes, instead of searching for the primary meaning of our lives.

Primary purpose deals with knowing who I am. Secondary purpose deals with understanding why certain things happen to me. In primary purpose, we understand who we are, where we came from, where we are returning at death, what we are here on earth to do or to be. Secondary purpose attempts to help us understand why certain things that don’t seem to fit the description of our primary purpose still happen to us, and what we can do about it.

Primary purpose deals with the big picture. Secondary purpose focuses on the individual details and seeks to align them with the big picture. The universe is far bigger than my little world. Primary purpose helps me understand that, as much as I am a very important part of it all, it’s not always about me.

Primary purpose tends to be same across the entire spectrum of human existence. Secondary purpose is mainly subjective and specific to individuals, and gloriously so.

Primary purpose is unchanging, consistent, and eternal. Secondary purpose reflects individual circumstances and so changes based on the individual and the conditions. In this sense, then, primary purpose does not change, but secondary purpose can change, and in fact, does change at various stages of our lives.

Primary purpose is concerned with the divine intent, the supreme goal of our being. Secondary purpose deals with plans, methods and strategies involved in achieving the supreme goal.'For I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.' God was quoted here by Jeremiah as saying that he knows what his intention was for Israel. But it also talked about plans ( series of sequential tasks arranged in order to achieve the goal). God’s intention for all mankind is the same, but how he helps each of us get there is vastly different.

In conclusion, secondary purposes tend to become clearer once we understand what the primary purpose is. Perhaps, the best individual investment is in finding out, embracing and pursuing ones primary purpose. Of course, there are no easy answers to life, but many concerns become easier to deal with when a person understands her primary purpose. In this way, secondary purpose may be viewed as the personal application of primary purpose to the daily details of human existence.

This blog does not claim to have all the answers to all of life’s difficult situations. But it does claim to help individuals discover their primary purpose in life. When you do, perhaps, just perhaps, it may then be possible to view life’s complicated circumstances from an entirely new and refreshing perspective.

If these posts help you in any way, let us know. Post a comment, send our link to your friends, or just send me a mail: francis@dicoverpurpose.net. Feel free to look around, you never know what you will find.

2006-09-13T18:44:00.000-07:00

How To Distinguish Between Your Purpose And Your Assignment

What is purpose? When I say that I want to discover the purpose of my life or the meaning of my life, what exactly does that imply?

According to Merriam-Webster online dictionary, purpose has two meanings:
1 something that one hopes or intends to accomplish
2 the action for which a person or thing is specially fitted or used or for which a thing exists

So, from the dictionary meaning, it is clear that when the word ‘purpose’ is used, what readily comes to mind is ‘goal’, ‘role’, ‘mission’, ‘career’. These all describe one aspect of purpose or the other. However, these descriptive words involve something we want to accomplish or an activity for which we are best fitted. In short, these could best be described by the word, ‘assignment’. The search for meaning is something much deeper than a goal, a mission or a career. It involves all those, and more.

You and I know a lot of people who are engaged in jobs or careers that they love and are best fitted for; but are still search of something more, a meaning or purpose to their lives. So, then, there is a sense in which we use ‘purpose’ to refer to that original intent of God for human life. Who am I, really? What am I here for? Where did I come from, and at the end of this life, where am I going? In this, we see a yearning to understand the primary meaning of life, of individual existence. Purpose is about understanding the essence of life. In other words, purpose describes our collective search for meaning.

It is clear, then, that there is a difference between my life assignment and my life purpose. Both are related in many ways, but not exactly the same. Whereas Purpose deals with such fundamental questions as who am I and what am I here on earth for, Assignment deals with such question as what can I do to express or live out the very reason for which I am here?

Here are some tips to help you distinguish between purpose and assignment:

Purpose deals mainly with being, while assignment deals with doing. Both are important and necessary in the grand scheme of life, but until our focus changes from doing to being, we may never grasp the essence or meaning of life.

Purpose affects the very core of my person, while assignment is concerned with service to others. The discovery of purpose is transcendent, transforming and tranquil in its effect on my life as a person. On the other hand, discovery and pursuit of my assignment can certainly have an invigorating effect on me, but it has more impact on the lives of others. Purpose changes the individual who is called to change the world through his assignment.

Purpose asks, ‘Who are you relating to?’ Assignment asks, ‘what are you relating to?’ Discovery of purpose settles the issue of identity. The one who has found purpose knows he or she is related directly to God and to His people. So, his life is about cultivating a relationship with the One who is his Source and Sustainer, and also with the other members of the ‘family’. Discovery of assignment, especially for the one who has first found purpose, is about relating very well to the thing ( job, calling, career, gifting etc) that helps him the most to serve God and others.

Purpose is about living for Someone who is infinitely greater than we are, while Assignment is living for Something much bigger than we are. We find our purpose when we discover (or rather are found by) the One who loves us so much He gave himself for us. Meaning is tied to a loving relationship, especially, with the One who made us. Assignment is a sum total of the opportunities given to us to express our love and appreciation for God and the people He graciously put in our lives.

Someone can have an assignment without discovering the Divine purpose for the assignment, but it is difficult for one to discover his purpose without having an assignment that helps him express that purpose. So, assignment can exist without discovering purpose, but purpose can not truly exist without an assignment. Doesn’t the bible clearly teach that, on the Last Day, some people may have their works ( assignments, giftings, callings, philanthropy etc) burnt or destroyed because they did not carry them out with the right motive( purpose)? ‘If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man's work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.’( I Corinthians 3: 12-15)

In conclusion, our meaning comes from discovering and living our purpose, not from our assignments. Do you know what your purpose is? It's time to pursue, embrace and live your purpose. Visit my website www.discoverpurpose.net for more. And let your friends know about us.

2006-07-31T07:23:00.000-07:00

Different Ways People Are Fulfilling Their Purpose And Assignment

Her father was an unsuccessful shoemaker, and a drunk. Due to poverty, she was forced to begin working at a factory at age 14 to help support her family. She was one of only four surviving children of the parents, and the only one to live above 30 years of age. She was only five feet tall, and by most of today’s standards, may well have been voted the least likely to succeed.

However, deep within her soul was a genuine resolve to follow in the steps of other people who spent their lives in search of something greater than they were. A holy fire burned in her soul. It was the knowledge that there was more to life than she had experienced. She wanted to live for a Cause far greater than herself.

So, at the age of 27, she enrolled to be a missionary to Africa. This was in 1873! The situation in African at that time was certainly less than inviting, to say the least, yet, something in her won’t let go of the dream to go make a difference. She was sent to Calabar, Nigeria, at the age of 28. She gallantly faced hardships unimaginable to the modern individual. She was flown back to Scotland twice on account of serious illness, yet she survived, and went back to live among the natives of Calabar. She lived with, and served the natives for about 40 years before she died January 13, 1915.

That was Mary Slessor, the ‘white ma of Africa’. I am wondering...what could motivate a woman like Mary prefer to live among the poor and suffer hardships with the people she served? It was her love for Jesus Christ, and her desire to live for Him who is infinitely greater than she is. For Mary, her search for meaning was attained through her faith in Christ, and expressed by her extraordinary service to Him through her missionary activities in Calabar, Nigeria.

Yes, for Mary Slessor, living out her purpose, and her search for meaning, required a dramatic lifestyle like the one we just discribed. But purpose comes in different shades and styles. Purpose could come to town, live for years in the neighborhood, and not even be noticed, much less, recognzed for who she is. Ah, how simple, but infinitely profound, can purpose be, both in appearance and in its effect.

This was certainly the case in the life of a precious woman who lives in the same community as mine. She was well educated, with a Masters degree in Music, which was her passion. But somewhere along those years of schooling, she got saved, and was also healed of severe artritic pains. She found Jesus Christ as Savior and friend.

While her fellow graduands were busy planning for a future career, marriage and family, she dedicated herself to serving her local church in prayer for the rest of her life. She is not on staff of the church, and so does not recieve salary. She coaches individuls on music lessons, and uses the small proceeds from that to support herself. She chose not to marry and have not had regrets about it.For her, loving and serving her savior and friend was more important. She has already spent about two decades living for, and serving her Lord.

Now, this is happening in 21st century United States of America. Everyday, this woman recieves prayer requests from hurting members of her church, who are certain that godly prayers will be offered up on their behalf, often with tears. She has borne so many griefs and pains on behalf of the people of God, still she feels that she hasn't done enough for her dear Lord and friend. Hers is a secret assignment, stripped of the 'glamor' and affirmation that go with pulpit or even music ministry.

I call her 'sister' Linda. Probably, the 'sister' is my way of expressing endearment to this saint of God, or may be, it is an expression of my healthy awe of her commitment to living out the purpose of God for her life and the holy life to which she is dedicated. Either way, sister Linda reminds me daily of not only the power of purpose when it takes hold of an individual, but also the simplicity by which purpose can be lived out even in this postmodern world. She did not go out to Africa like Mary Slessor did, but right in her own community and in her local church, she is daily living the purpose of God, and finding meaning and joy.

Did you know you could link this blog to your website? You could also invite a friend to visit with you. Thanks for spreading the discovery of purpose.

2006-07-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Even The Richest Man On Earth Is Still In Search Of Purpose

The day was Thursday,June 20, 2006. We all woke up to hear that the world's richest man, Bill Gates, will be stepping down from day to day executive activities at Microsoft. This transition will take place over a two year period. I think this was Mr Gates exact words: "I'm very lucky to have two passions that I feel are so important and so challenging..."

Wao, those are strong words, coming from a man of Gates' worth and abilities. Two things are so important and so challenging? No one could doubt that Microsoft and software development have been Gates' passion. But the second one? Dedicating the rest of his life working at a charitable organization which he and Melinda founded.

Now, this is what is so suprising about this whole deal...Gates seem to suggest that the work at Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation is as important and as challenging as his work at Microsoft. How can giving away billions of dollars for charity be as important and as challenging as software development and amassing billions of dollars? If you don't think this is a huge paradigm change, then may be, you don't understand the issues at stake. In fact, in Gates' own words, "This was a hard decision for me". And this is even more glaring when we consider that Gates is only 51 years or so old.

What's the big deal, you say? To my mind, Gates' decision to devote more time to charity is proof that even the richest man on earth and one of the smartest human beings the world has ever known, is actively in search of meaning for his own life. What is the purpose of money in itself, except as a tool to accomplishing general good to humanity and fulfilling God's will? Bill Gates is telling me clearly, by his decision, that the will to meaning is more important than any other human need.

Yes, money, even lots of it, as in the case of Bill Gates, can not satisfy the desire in all of us to make our lives count for something intrinsically more valuable than material things or fame. There is a void in all of us that money or pleasure can not fill. That void can only be filled when we find out who we are and what we were created to be and do. "It's in Christ that we find out who we are and what we are living for"( Message), makes more sense to me in the light of the above.

One more thought. What life goals am I setting for myself? It had better not be a mere physical or materialistic goal. Bill Gates has proven to me that, I could wake up at 51 years old just to realize that I spent 30 years pursuing a goal that does not count the most when my years on earth are over. What matters most to me? Doesn't it make sense for me to listen deep into my soul, and to my Creator, and find the purpose for my life and live it? Bill will find deep satisfaction from, not only giving his money away, but being personally involved in the hurting world we live in. He will probably get more chance to personally review some of the dire cases that come to Bill and Melinda foundation regularly. There is something that happens to a man when he gets a chance to not only see such problems first hand, but also has the ability to truly relieve the sufferers of their pain. No money can buy that.

Bill Gates is committed to living out his purpose. Am I committed to mine?

Did you know you could link this blog to your website? You could also invite your friends to come check us out. That is a neat way to witness for Christ, and spread the discovery of purpose.