“Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”
Galatians 6: 7 (New King James Version)
By God’s grace we have come to the last day of this year. We all know how each of us started the year and how we stand today . Have we grown in the Lord stronger or do we find ourselves still struggling in sin ?
The word of God says ‘Do not be deceived. God is not mocked’. Some of us might be fooling ourselves by thinking we can keep on walking in a path of sin and still have the Spirit of God upon us forever. Some of us think we are clever and by certain technicalities we can fool God and say ‘I have done everything right…’
We read in verse 8, “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.” What have we been sowing ?? Have all our efforts been in sowing for the flesh ? Have our priorities and desires been all about the flesh ? None of us can plant a coconut sapling and expect grapes to spring forth as fruit. As bizarre as that is, so is to expect that we can continue living in the desires of the flesh and reap everlasting life ! Only those who sow to the Spirit will reap everlasting life.
Lets turn our Bibles to Revelation 21 : 7-8 , “”He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. “But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
He who ? Overcomes ! All of us are faced with temptations . But some of us overcome the flesh by the grace of God while some of us yield to the ways of the flesh. The word of God is very clear about what those who overcome will reap and what those who yield will reap.
You know what ? Its not yet too late ! If you are alive this moment, you know that it is only His grace that has allowed you to be here and that is for a purpose. I pray that we will set our lives right before our God and Savior and start sowing to the Spirit.
“Father , thank You Lord for Your grace which is our sufficiency. Lord please forgive us for what we have done in word, thought and action. Lord this body is meant to be offered to You as a holy sacrifice. Forgive us for making our lives into something that is not of You. Lord we pray that we will overcome ! Lord we pray that we will sow to the Spirit and will reap everlasting life. Lord we pray that we will never grow weary of doing good for in due season we shall reap…Lord may we never lose heart. We surrender our lives completely into Your Holy hands. Lord have Your way in our lives. May You increase and we decrease. In the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ we ask, we believe and we receive. Amen”
God Bless
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Lord open our eyes that we may see .
“So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
II Kings 6 : 16 (New King James Version)
The king of Syria had come to know of Elisha the prophet who kept warning the king of Israel of the plans of the king of Syria. So the king of Syria sent horses and chariots and a great army and they came by night and surrounded the city in an attempt to get Elisha.
Now the servant of Elisha arose early and went out. And there was an army surrounding the city. And Elisha’s servant said to Elisha, ‘Alas, my master ! What shall we do?”
How many of us have this battle against sin ? Some habit or addiction that we keep fighting against ? For some of us it might be sexually immoral habits and addictions , for some smoking , for some anger , bitterness, for some unforgiveness , for some us a struggle to be submissive to God , for some of us a struggle against laziness …
So many times we think we are fighting this battle alone… we fight we fight and when we yield to the sin we feel so miserable… satan starts playing this whole guilt trip on us. The devil is cunning and he knows how to play people down.
And when temptation just surrounds us we go ‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!’ …
When Elisha’s servant saw the army, he got the shock of his life. Elisha however knew that he was not alone. God fights for us. In every situation He is our refuge !! We read in verse 16 “So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Verse 17 “And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Wow ! Do you that that is true of us also ? We are never alone !! Never ever ever ever. As His children HE is always with us !!
When an ugly situation raises its head , when temptation surrounds us … when fear , uncertainity seem to be the only thing we see , I pray that our hearts will be lifted to Him and that our eyes may be opened to see how amazing our God is. He is our fortress !!!! Why do we tend to forget that ???
Here is the best part. Elisha never prayed Lord open his eyes that he may see what you are doing right now only . No no no . It was simple . Open his eyes that he may see.
As His children it is a basic necessity that our eyes be opened and we walk and see beyond what the children of the world see. When children of the world see an army, we as His children see HIS army.
My brothers and sisters in Christ let us pray that our eyes be opened. That we will no longer walk in blindness to the ways of God. But that we will walk in His understanding and His power as His children.
God Bless
II Kings 6 : 16 (New King James Version)
The king of Syria had come to know of Elisha the prophet who kept warning the king of Israel of the plans of the king of Syria. So the king of Syria sent horses and chariots and a great army and they came by night and surrounded the city in an attempt to get Elisha.
Now the servant of Elisha arose early and went out. And there was an army surrounding the city. And Elisha’s servant said to Elisha, ‘Alas, my master ! What shall we do?”
How many of us have this battle against sin ? Some habit or addiction that we keep fighting against ? For some of us it might be sexually immoral habits and addictions , for some smoking , for some anger , bitterness, for some unforgiveness , for some us a struggle to be submissive to God , for some of us a struggle against laziness …
So many times we think we are fighting this battle alone… we fight we fight and when we yield to the sin we feel so miserable… satan starts playing this whole guilt trip on us. The devil is cunning and he knows how to play people down.
And when temptation just surrounds us we go ‘Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!!!’ …
When Elisha’s servant saw the army, he got the shock of his life. Elisha however knew that he was not alone. God fights for us. In every situation He is our refuge !! We read in verse 16 “So he answered, “Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”
Verse 17 “And Elisha prayed, and said, “LORD, I pray open his eyes that he may see.” Then the LORD opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.”
Wow ! Do you that that is true of us also ? We are never alone !! Never ever ever ever. As His children HE is always with us !!
When an ugly situation raises its head , when temptation surrounds us … when fear , uncertainity seem to be the only thing we see , I pray that our hearts will be lifted to Him and that our eyes may be opened to see how amazing our God is. He is our fortress !!!! Why do we tend to forget that ???
Here is the best part. Elisha never prayed Lord open his eyes that he may see what you are doing right now only . No no no . It was simple . Open his eyes that he may see.
As His children it is a basic necessity that our eyes be opened and we walk and see beyond what the children of the world see. When children of the world see an army, we as His children see HIS army.
My brothers and sisters in Christ let us pray that our eyes be opened. That we will no longer walk in blindness to the ways of God. But that we will walk in His understanding and His power as His children.
God Bless
Wait & Listen
“His mother said to the servants “Whatever He says to you, do it””
John 2 : 5 (New King James Version)
There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him that they had no wine. Then we read in verses 4-5 , “Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
What was the problem ? They had run out of wine
Whose problem was it ? The servants who were in charge of getting the needful done for the bridegroom’s wedding.
What did Christ say in response ? “…My hour has not yet come.”
What did His mother tell the servants ? “Whatever He says to you, do it”
A lot of times we are faced with a problem and we start to panic … we wonder how are we ever going to handle things… we start telling everyone our problem and ask them to pray hoping that they will be able to nudge God for us J . Now don’t get me wrong.. It is good to share with believers and pray together in oneness of spirit. But here is the key… Mary left the servants with a very wise word. She said ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.” . In other words she told them , His time has not yet come… until then wait… wait on Him and listen …and when He says something be obedient and do it !!
It is one thing to ask our friends to intercede and pray for us. It is another thing when along with that we also sit in His presence and wait for a word from Him with a heart of obedience to do as He says.
Verses 7-8, “Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim”
What was the problem ? They had run out of wine
What did Christ ask them to do ? Fill six stone waterpots with water
What did they do ? They obeyed ! They filled them up to the brim !
As you wait on the Lord and listen to His instructions and listen to His word , He might ask you to do something which in our limited thinking might seem totally irrelevant… but if we would just obey .. we will see His glory revealed.
We read in verses 8-10, “And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
The six waterpots that were there were meant for purification of the Jews. It was customary for them to wash their hands and then eat . Else those who didn’t do so were considered to be defiled. Christ took that water and turned it into wine. A servant of God well said “The picture God is painting for us here is that the people believed this water would "purify the Jews," but God uses this to demonstrate that the Jews will only be cleansed or purified by the miraculous creative work of the shed blood of Christ”
As we read in verse 11 this was just the beginning of much more to come.
God Bless
John 2 : 5 (New King James Version)
There was a wedding in Cana of Galilee and the mother of Jesus was there. Now both Jesus and His disciples were invited to the wedding. And when they ran out of wine, the mother of Jesus said to Him that they had no wine. Then we read in verses 4-5 , “Jesus said to her, “Woman, what does your concern have to do with Me? My hour has not yet come.” His mother said to the servants, “Whatever He says to you, do it.”
What was the problem ? They had run out of wine
Whose problem was it ? The servants who were in charge of getting the needful done for the bridegroom’s wedding.
What did Christ say in response ? “…My hour has not yet come.”
What did His mother tell the servants ? “Whatever He says to you, do it”
A lot of times we are faced with a problem and we start to panic … we wonder how are we ever going to handle things… we start telling everyone our problem and ask them to pray hoping that they will be able to nudge God for us J . Now don’t get me wrong.. It is good to share with believers and pray together in oneness of spirit. But here is the key… Mary left the servants with a very wise word. She said ‘Whatever He says to you, do it.” . In other words she told them , His time has not yet come… until then wait… wait on Him and listen …and when He says something be obedient and do it !!
It is one thing to ask our friends to intercede and pray for us. It is another thing when along with that we also sit in His presence and wait for a word from Him with a heart of obedience to do as He says.
Verses 7-8, “Now there were set there six waterpots of stone, according to the manner of purification of the Jews, containing twenty or thirty gallons apiece. Jesus said to them, “Fill the waterpots with water.” And they filled them up to the brim”
What was the problem ? They had run out of wine
What did Christ ask them to do ? Fill six stone waterpots with water
What did they do ? They obeyed ! They filled them up to the brim !
As you wait on the Lord and listen to His instructions and listen to His word , He might ask you to do something which in our limited thinking might seem totally irrelevant… but if we would just obey .. we will see His glory revealed.
We read in verses 8-10, “And He said to them, “Draw some out now, and take it to the master of the feast.” And they took it. When the master of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and did not know where it came from (but the servants who had drawn the water knew), the master of the feast called the bridegroom. And he said to him, “Every man at the beginning sets out the good wine, and when the guests have well drunk, then the inferior. You have kept the good wine until now!”
The six waterpots that were there were meant for purification of the Jews. It was customary for them to wash their hands and then eat . Else those who didn’t do so were considered to be defiled. Christ took that water and turned it into wine. A servant of God well said “The picture God is painting for us here is that the people believed this water would "purify the Jews," but God uses this to demonstrate that the Jews will only be cleansed or purified by the miraculous creative work of the shed blood of Christ”
As we read in verse 11 this was just the beginning of much more to come.
God Bless
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
"Lord prepare me to be a sanctuary pure and holy..."
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”
Romans 12: 1-2 (New King James Version)
Our last few discussions have taken us a lot through the book of Daniel. How did Daniel consecrate his life for God ? Well for one we know that he never let circumstances dictate his faith or his standing with the Lord ! He stood for God no matter what.
We read in Daniel 1 that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And when the king appointed daily provisions for the men who were picked to be trained, Daniel didn’t just say ‘Praise the Lord I get to train for a good position … ‘ It didn’t matter what his job or training was. He still stood for God . It did not matter if it was a common thing that everyone was eating and drinking the king’s delicacies… It did not matter if he was in a foreign land. He still stood for God ! He presented himself as a living sacrifice..holy and acceptable to God.
Are we doing that ? Or do we get carried away with what the world terms as ‘Its ok’ . As culture keeps changing over time do we find ourselves swaying with where we are or which year we are in ? Or are we firmly rooted in the word and have our principles based on the word of God ?
As we keep reading the book of Daniel we see that no matter what, he always consecrated himself for God. It didn’t matter if he sat in the gate of the king. He knew His Lord was King of all and Him only will he serve. His decisions to stand for God might have landed him in the lions den but it did not matter to him. All that mattered was that he lived a life acceptable in the sight of God. Not for men , not for his colleagues or his friends or his boss … no .. He lived his life for God. And God honored him such that king Darius himself writes to all a decree that everyone should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel !
When people see us what do they see ? Do they see a life that’s living for the great I AM ? Do they know who our God is ? Or do they see someone just carried away by the ways and pressures of the world ?
Daniel prayed, he fasted , he interceded for the people and God revealed His word to him. Wow ! can you imagine that ? Not just revelations regarding dreams of other people but visions of what is to come… things which we read in the book of revelations. Wow !!! Angels coming to him and interpreting the dreams…the devil being so threatened that there was a battle raging for 21 days and Michael had to come and help.
How wonderful and powerful is a life that is consecrated for the Lord !
Are our lives consecrated for Him or are we conformed to the world ? Do we let the world dictate our life and then try and fit God into it ? Or do we let God be all in all of our life and then walk in the world as God would have us walk ?
God Bless
Romans 12: 1-2 (New King James Version)
Our last few discussions have taken us a lot through the book of Daniel. How did Daniel consecrate his life for God ? Well for one we know that he never let circumstances dictate his faith or his standing with the Lord ! He stood for God no matter what.
We read in Daniel 1 that Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon came to Jerusalem and besieged it. And when the king appointed daily provisions for the men who were picked to be trained, Daniel didn’t just say ‘Praise the Lord I get to train for a good position … ‘ It didn’t matter what his job or training was. He still stood for God . It did not matter if it was a common thing that everyone was eating and drinking the king’s delicacies… It did not matter if he was in a foreign land. He still stood for God ! He presented himself as a living sacrifice..holy and acceptable to God.
Are we doing that ? Or do we get carried away with what the world terms as ‘Its ok’ . As culture keeps changing over time do we find ourselves swaying with where we are or which year we are in ? Or are we firmly rooted in the word and have our principles based on the word of God ?
As we keep reading the book of Daniel we see that no matter what, he always consecrated himself for God. It didn’t matter if he sat in the gate of the king. He knew His Lord was King of all and Him only will he serve. His decisions to stand for God might have landed him in the lions den but it did not matter to him. All that mattered was that he lived a life acceptable in the sight of God. Not for men , not for his colleagues or his friends or his boss … no .. He lived his life for God. And God honored him such that king Darius himself writes to all a decree that everyone should tremble and fear before the God of Daniel !
When people see us what do they see ? Do they see a life that’s living for the great I AM ? Do they know who our God is ? Or do they see someone just carried away by the ways and pressures of the world ?
Daniel prayed, he fasted , he interceded for the people and God revealed His word to him. Wow ! can you imagine that ? Not just revelations regarding dreams of other people but visions of what is to come… things which we read in the book of revelations. Wow !!! Angels coming to him and interpreting the dreams…the devil being so threatened that there was a battle raging for 21 days and Michael had to come and help.
How wonderful and powerful is a life that is consecrated for the Lord !
Are our lives consecrated for Him or are we conformed to the world ? Do we let the world dictate our life and then try and fit God into it ? Or do we let God be all in all of our life and then walk in the world as God would have us walk ?
God Bless
Sunday, December 6, 2009
"Trust and Obey for there's no other way..."
“By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises offered up his only begotten son, of whom it was said, ‘In Isaac your seed shall be called,””
Hebrews 11: 17-18 (New King James Version)
Lets take a quick look at a few happenings in the book of Genesis. We read in Genesis 15 : 4 , “And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir”. And then we read in the next verse that the Lord tells Abraham (at that point still called Abram) that as innumerable as the stars are so shall his descendants be.
Genesis 17 : 5-6 , “”No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”
Genesis 17 : 15-16, “Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.”And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
Genesis 18 : 1-2 , “Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them , he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,” Verses 9-11, “Then they said to him, “where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “here, in your tent.” And He said,” I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.”
Genesis 21 : 2, “For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”
Wow ! Isn’t that so amazing ! Can you imagine the joy of Abraham and Sarah ? I mean just see the promises of God and how it came to pass.
Now here is something interesting
Genesis 22: 2, “Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
What ?????
Just look at that verse …
--> Take your son
--> Your Only Son
--> Whom you love
--> Offer him there as a burnt offering
Abraham never said ‘But Lord didn’t you promise ?’..
Abraham never said ‘But Lord how could you?’
Abraham never said ‘But Lord its not fair !’
Can you just imagine the obedience of Abraham. He never contemplated … He never tried to attempt to comprehend why would God ask Him to do such a thing. He just obeyed.
We read in the very next verse , “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
We all know what happened after that .
Do we have a heart that truly trusts on His understanding alone? Do we obey His word whole heartedly without trying to contemplate and reason out when God gives us a command to obey ? Let this be our prayer today that the Lord will transform our lives as lives that are obedient to Him and are sensitive to His leading.
Here are few lines from a song …
“I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand,
Stands One who is my Saviour”
God Bless
Hebrews 11: 17-18 (New King James Version)
Lets take a quick look at a few happenings in the book of Genesis. We read in Genesis 15 : 4 , “And behold, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, “This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir”. And then we read in the next verse that the Lord tells Abraham (at that point still called Abram) that as innumerable as the stars are so shall his descendants be.
Genesis 17 : 5-6 , “”No longer shall your name be called Abram, but your name shall be Abraham; for I have made you a father of many nations.”I will make you exceedingly fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings shall come from you.”
Genesis 17 : 15-16, “Then God said to Abraham, “As for Sarai your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name.”And I will bless her and also give you a son by her; then I will bless her and she shall be a mother of nations; kings of peoples shall be from her.”
Genesis 18 : 1-2 , “Then the LORD appeared to him by the terebinth trees of Mamre, as he was sitting in the tent door in the heat of the day. So he lifted his eyes and looked, and behold, three men were standing by him; and when he saw them , he ran from the tent door to meet them, and bowed himself to the ground,” Verses 9-11, “Then they said to him, “where is Sarah your wife?” So he said, “here, in your tent.” And He said,” I will certainly return to you according to the time of life, and behold, Sarah your wife shall have a son.” (Sarah was listening in the tent door which was behind him.) Now Abraham and Sarah were old, well advanced in age; and Sarah had passed the age of childbearing.”
Genesis 21 : 2, “For Sarah conceived and bore Abraham a son in his old age, at the set time of which God had spoken to him.”
Wow ! Isn’t that so amazing ! Can you imagine the joy of Abraham and Sarah ? I mean just see the promises of God and how it came to pass.
Now here is something interesting
Genesis 22: 2, “Then He said, “Take now your son, your only son Isaac, whom you love, and go to the land of Moriah, and offer him there as a burnt offering on one of the mountains of which I shall tell you.”
What ?????
Just look at that verse …
--> Take your son
--> Your Only Son
--> Whom you love
--> Offer him there as a burnt offering
Abraham never said ‘But Lord didn’t you promise ?’..
Abraham never said ‘But Lord how could you?’
Abraham never said ‘But Lord its not fair !’
Can you just imagine the obedience of Abraham. He never contemplated … He never tried to attempt to comprehend why would God ask Him to do such a thing. He just obeyed.
We read in the very next verse , “So Abraham rose early in the morning and saddled his donkey, and took two of his young men with him and Isaac his son; and he split the wood for the burnt offering, and arose and went to the place of which God had told him.”
We all know what happened after that .
Do we have a heart that truly trusts on His understanding alone? Do we obey His word whole heartedly without trying to contemplate and reason out when God gives us a command to obey ? Let this be our prayer today that the Lord will transform our lives as lives that are obedient to Him and are sensitive to His leading.
Here are few lines from a song …
“I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand,
Stands One who is my Saviour”
God Bless
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