With Him it is possible

 "The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

Matthew 19:20-22

 

We read from verses 16 , " And behold, a man came up to him, saying, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” And he said to him, “Why do you ask me about what is good? There is only one who is good. If you would enter life, keep the commandments.” He said to him, “Which ones?” And Jesus said, “You shall not murder, You shall not commit adultery, You shall not steal, You shall not bear false witness, Honor your father and mother, and, You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” The young man said to him, “All these I have kept. What do I still lack?” Jesus said to him, “If you would be perfect, go, sell what you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow me.” When the young man heard this he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions."

 

The young man went away sorrowful becuase he knew his life was so tied to his possessions. And just the thought of letting it all go and the following Christ was not something he could do left him sorrowful.

 

Sometimes we can be quick to judge and say , "What's wrong with that guy ? Christ gave him an invitation to follow Him and he just walks away ? What's the big deal ?" ... Its good to take a moment to introspect into our own lives and check and see where our life is wrapped around... what in our lives takes a higher priority in our life... Its easy to answer back saying "Christ is my highest priority", but when we evaluate our actions where do we stand ?

 

Now here is the best part, we read in verses 25-26 , " When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”"  The disciples were astonished with what Christ said and asked who then can be saved ? Because following Him seemed like a task of such great magnitutde that was beyond what a person could seem to handle. And this is what Christ says , "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible"  And this is the key. More than often we find ourselves striving on our strength to do the right things, to figure things out with our own strength. And you know what ? Trying it with our own strength solely will be impossible . And this is what God desires, to walk with Him for with Him all things are possible.We are saved by His grace !

 

We read His Word, sit in His presence, pray, do His will living out His word not by our own might , not by our own strength , but by His Spirit . WITH GOD - this is the key.

 

Have a wonderful blessed day walking with Him, growing in Him and trusting in Him.

 

God Bless

 

How are we shining today ?

" In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven." 
Matthew 5:16

 

For His light to shine through us there is a need for us to surrender all to Him. Imagine a light bulb and on that we place different pieces of cloth here and there... The amount of light coming out of the bulb will surely be diminished.

 

God is calling us for a life of Holiness and Purity. These just make us more transparent to the watching world and His light shines through us. However if we choose to pick up pride , pick up different patterns of the world and place it upon us, these are opaque bodies that will hinder the light shining through us.

 

We cannot choose to have patterns of darkness in us and say we are children of the light. We serve an amazing loving Father, He is so gracious.. He gives us strength beyond what we can imagine. It is He who cleanses us from all sin, It is He who gives us strength and grace to follow after Him.. It is He who gives us wisdom...

 

So lets rely on Him completely , lets surrender all and ask Him to chip away things that are in us that are not pleasing in His sight.

 

May this be our prayer , that our light  will shine before others, so that they may see our good works and give glory to our Father who is in heaven. May we truly be walking as children of Light

 

God Bless

God transform this for Your glory

 "Blessed are those whose strength is in you, in whose heart are the highways to Zion. As they go through the Valley of Baca they make it a place of springs; the early rain also covers it with pools. They go from strength to strength; each one appears before God in Zion."

Psalm 84:5-7

 

A continuation from yesterday...

 

PIcture this with me..  On the heart are the highways to Zion.. and the inward desire to seek His face, and this inward desire is translated into outward actions of actually going before the Lord ! :)

 

A lot of times we tend to stop with just having the desires in our heart to read His word, to seek His face... but there is no translation into actions. The Psalmist says that as they (those whose strength is in Him, those in whose heart are the highways to Zion) go through the valley of Baca they make it a place of springs...

 

Isnt that just so beautiful... In the journey of just seeking His face , drawing closer to Him that even valleys of dryness become a place of springs. But here is the best part.. we need to go through it... and He sends the early rain and covers it with pools... How amazing is that ! And guess what.. we now continue to go from strength to strength ! There is growth..

 

A lot of times when we face tough situations or circumstances we instinctively pray "God get me out of this" , but guess what we can also pray , "God transform this for Your glory"...

 

It doesnt matter how dry the valley may be.. just know this.. as long as we are walking with our hearts focussed on Him, and outwardly actions of drawing closer to Him (not just thinking God is the centre of our life  but actually living a life where He truly is the centre of it all) even as we go through a valley not only will the valley be transformed to a place of springs but we will be found going from strength to strength

 

What a joy to love the Lord ! Such an honour to seek His face ! How powerful is His word. May He continue to transform us and may we continue to walk in complete surrender and obedience to Him

 

Have a wonderful blessed day

 

God Bless

Starting Right

" Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion."

 

Psalm 84:5

 

Ask anyone if skipping breakfast is a good idea the immediate response is "NO" . And for good reasons obviously. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. This is what a site said , "The consumption of an early morning snack increases the metabolic rate (how fast you burn calories) and kick starts your body into gear, telling it what to expect the rest of the day" . If breakfast can do that , how much more can starting one's day in His presence. Burn away every bit of self at the beginning of the day and telling our flesh it shall be subject to His Holy Spirit.

 

" Blessed are those whose strength is in You, in whose heart are the highways to Zion." . Its not just about the start of the morning, but its our very being trusting in Him. We place not our trust and hope in our jobs, in the stock markets or even our own ability to do things... We know our hope, our joy, our strength is in Him and Him alone. And if that is true, the very beat of our heart will be a longing to worship Him.

 

Praising Him is our delight, worshipping Him is a joy and an honour, staying in His presence is our dwelling place.

And this is my prayer this morning, that we may live lives pleasing to Him, that our very being will be an adoration of who He is, that truly in every way our strength will be in Him and our hearts set on worshipping Him.

 

God Bless

Rahab & the spies... A Lot to learn from them

 "And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath."

Joshua 2 : 11

Since we have been reading about Joshua , thought it will be great to finish the week with the same. In Chapter 2 we read of a prostitute called Rahab. Now Joshua sends two spies to check out Jericho and they came to the house of Rahab which was built along the city wall. Now when the king of Jericho found out about the spies he sent his men to search them out, but Rahab protected them by hiding them in her house and told the kings men that they had already left the city.

Verses 8- 11, " Before the men lay down, she came up to them on the roof and said to the men, “I know that the LORD has given you the land, and that the fear of you has fallen upon us, and that all the inhabitants of the land melt away before you. For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to the two kings of the Amorites who were beyond the Jordan, to Sihon and Og, whom you devoted to destruction. And as soon as we heard it, our hearts melted, and there was no spirit left in any man because of you, for the LORD your God, he is God in the heavens above and on the earth beneath."

"I know that the LORD has given you the land" , "We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea before you when you came out of Egypt" .... Wow ! With no instant electronic technology, yet the news of what God had done and is doing has reached the people of the land. And it was not like this was news that entered one ear and left the other... She goes on to say , "as soon as we heard it our hearts melted" and here is the best part... its not because they thought Moses and his army were super brilliant and all.. It wasnt because they thought the Israelites were excellent in warefare... she says , "For the LORD your God, HE IS GOD in the heavens above and on the earth beneath" ... Wow ! That is a testimony !! She knew without a doubt the true living God was with them and who can stand against God ?!

God is so cool ! As we read the rest of chapter 2 here are couple of neat things that I want to highlight.. We read of how Rahab asks the spies to spare her and her household (her father, her mother, her brothers , her sisters and all who belong to them) . She wasnt thinking just about herself.. She wasnt thinking "I need to be safe"... she looked for protection for her entire household. Now here is a fun thing.. The spies gave her a scarlet cord that she tied on her window to indicate to them to spare that house and destroy the rest. Isnt it interesting that the colour of the cord was "Scarlet" :)  We have something so precious over us right now... We have the blood of the lamb ! We have been ransomed , sealed and protected.. We walk in freedom in Christ , we have life in abundance , we have goodness and mercy that will follow us all the days of our lives as we dwell in His presence ! 

Now when the spies were leaving Rahab told them to hide for three days before they made their way back and we read in verse 22 that that is exactly what the spies did. They didnt let their ego be inflated when she ackowledged their victory over her land, they did not look down on her and say , "why should we listen to this woman..who is she to give us advice".... These are men who honoured God and knew it was all HIM ! When we truly know and believe with every fibre of our body that truly it is 100% Christ , it will overflow in our actions and there will be no place for pride, because to HIM ALONE belongs ALL the glory all the honor and all the praise

God Bless 

Want Success ?

 "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

Joshua 1:8

 

A little context to this verse... After Moses's death , the Lord is speaking to Joshua and this is what He says ... Lets read from verse 1 - 6 , "After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, the LORD said to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' assistant, “Moses my servant is dead. Now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land that I am giving to them, to the people of Israel. Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you, just as I promised to Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. Just as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you or forsake you. Be strong and courageous, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them."

Wow ! Such awesome promises and assurances from God.

 

- Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given to you (Don't you just love the part where God says 'where your foot WILL tread , I HAVE given to you". God has already established it. He just needs to walk)

 

- From the wilderness and Lebanon, as far as Euphrates and the land of Hittites to the great sea toward the going down of the sun shall be your territory

 

- No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life

 

- Just as I was with Moses so I will be with you

 

- I will not leave you or forsake you

 

- Be strong and courageous for you shall cause these people to inherit the land that I swore to their fathers to give them (God is going to use him to fulfill the promises given regarding the promised land spoken to their forefathers.. wow )

 

And here is the best part. So in order for all of this to happen.. what did Joshua have to do ? Train day and night ? Go hire the best blacksmiths he could find and design the best weaponry ? Start forming alliances with other kings to make all of this happen ?

 

A lot of times we try to 'make' things happen and miss the most essential, the basic, the key to it all... Lets read verses 7-8, "Only be strong and very courageous, being careful to do according to all the law that Moses my servant commanded you. Do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may have good success wherever you go. This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success."

 

Isnt that amazing ! This is the key to success. And now you know why the first thing that the patterns of this world will cause us to compromise is our time with God. The first lie of the enemy is that , "Ah you dont need to read your Bible.. "

 

This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success

 

God Bless

Just like Jesus

 "Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."

Ephesians 5:1-2

 

Such a blessing to read all your emails and read and learn how we can walk in love ! Very true ! Walking as Christ did in love ! Knowing our inheritence in Him and who we are as His sons & daughters.. Walking in boldness and peace...  Amen

 

Lets read the previous verses (The previous verses ? Yes, when the books of the Bible were written they did not contain chapters or verse numbers. They were put in for easy reference and reading). In Ephesians 4 : 25-32 , "Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and give no opportunity to the devil. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you."

Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Isnt this amazing. This is what God desires of us. Does it seem like a tall order ? Does your work place, school , college or home seem like a hard place to live this life that God is calling us to ? Here is the key to it all...Trusting in Him ! Surrendering it all to Him and placing our trust on His strength and His grace to carry us through. But it comes down to this, do we desire and do we surrender all and say ,"Here I am"

 

I know I have mentioned this before, but here it is again, I find that is easier to say , "I want more of You Lord" than to say , "Take All of me" :) Sometimes we like to hold on to our current nature, we arent welcome to the the thought of changing  our ways or allowing God to work in us and change us to His likeness... Its time to surrender. Its time to let patterns in our life which are not of God be broken. Lets go back a few more verses and read from Ephesians 4: 17-24 , "' Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. But that is not the way you learned Christ!—assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness"

 

God Bless