Monday 30 September 2013

IT'S POSSIBLE!

I was listening to Les Brown motivating young people in the USA (A YouTube video). Some of the things he said could have come only from the Bible and to reinforce my belief he even referred to the following scripture: 

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God Romans 12:2


I could see the 'life coach' using some Biblical concepts to drive home his message of hope without referring to the need for God's grace and power over our life!

The power of 'faith confession' was reduced to a mere 'mantra' that had to be repeated over and over again - "IT'S POSSIBLE!"

For what it is worth (And yes, in the worldly sense it is!), i will note down a few tips Les Brown left me with:

- What is it that you need to discover, that you lack, to be a winner.

- Re-adjust your strategy to achieve your dream until it works for you.

- Operate from your 'imagination' and not from your 'memory'. Ignore that 'inner conversation'!

- 'That's the way it was last time' will destroy you!

- Don't get even ... stay ahead!

- Be relentless in your focus.

- When 'Murphy's Law' comes to visit you (And be sure it will!), remind yourself again and again   ... IT'S POSSIBLE!

- Get creative to get what you want.

- No matter how hard it is or how bad it gets, I'M GOING TO MAKE IT!

- Go after what's yours in the universe.

- You need to work with people who see the advantage in working with you (Work with people        who think like you)

- 'Refusing to settle for anything less' is the mother of all invention!

- People are dying not from what they eat but rather from what eats them!

- If you don't programme yourself, life will programme you!

- Don't have a limited vision.

- Get better at what you do - CONSTANTLY!

- What others think about you is their own business! Don't make it yours!

- It's not over until i win!

- It's going to be HARD! EASY is not an option! When you get through it, it only prepares you for   bigger and better things.

- Keep on watering your dream. Remember the Chinese bamboo? You don't see anything           coming out of the ground until 5 years of watering the ground and then it grows 90 feet tall in      just    5 weeks!

- Harder the battle, sweeter the victory.

- PASSION - You must love what you do!

- If it's worth it you will do it (e.g. something that saves our children is worth it surely?)

- Keep on 'keeping on'. It is done before it happens!

BUT AFTER READING ALL OF THE ABOVE, THE BIBLICAL WAY IS THE MORE EXCELLENT WAY!

PROVERBS 3:5,6 - Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Sunday 29 September 2013

PRAYING WITH UNDERSTANDING

To me, this post is the most important of all! It deals with the Lord's Prayer.

Assie Friso, the Dutch Prayer Warrior was at GCC yesterday and she gave us an unique understanding of the most 'rattled' prayer of all! I say rattled because i was born a Catholic and when we prayed the rosary, we literally said the 'Our Father' and the 'Hail Marys' the chipmunks style! The Our Father is the oldest of Christian prayers, going back to Jesus Christ himself, who, in Matthew 6:9-13, taught his disciples to pray in those words. 

The following are notes taken from Sr. Assie's teaching of last night, along with some of my own reflections:

Let us use the fingers on our palm to remind us of the 'prayer points' in the Lord's prayer!

1: "Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name"

THE THUMB is the only finger on the palm that can touch every other finger. When we pray the 'Lord's Prayer', let it remind ourselves of our heavenly father. We begin our prayer in praise to God, acknowledging Him as Father and honouring His holy name - Our Father in heaven, Hallowed be Your name.
"If you, with all your sins, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will your heavenly Father give good things to anyone who asks Him!" —Matthew 7:11
Our heavenly Father, like our earthly fathers, wants to be known as a good provider. The way a father provides indicates his love for the family. The Lord says, "My God in turn will supply your needs fully, in a way worthy of His magnificent riches in Christ Jesus" (Phil 4:19)
The Old Testament refers to God as “Almighty” fifty six times in the English text. The New Testament is equally clear. Colossians 1:15-18 says, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. (16) For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. (17) And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. (18) And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.” (NKJV)
The problem is, sometimes we are just too proud to admit we need God’s power in our lives!
2: "Thy Kingdom come; Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"
THE INDEX FINGER points us in the direction of heaven and reminds us the we must let heaven invade earth! His kingdom of peace, righteousness and power must impact the earth! 
Let the index finger remind us to affirm God’s priorities as our own - Your kingdom come. Your will be done, On earth as it is in heaven.

Let us also not forget Isaiah's prophecy of the New Heaven that is yet to come!
For behold, I create new heavens
and a new earth,
and the former things shall not be remembered
or come into mind.
Isaiah 65:17 (ESV)

3: "Give us this day our daily bread"

THE MIDDLE FINGER
Let the middle finger remind us to appropriate God’s provision for our lives here and now - Give us this day our daily bread. This not only indicates 'physical food' but 'spiritual food' also!

But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’ Mat. 4:4

In another scripture, Jesus says that His 'food' is to do the will of the Father!

4: "forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors"

THE RING FINGER.
Let the ring finger remind us to ask for God’s pardon and commit ourselves to forgive others - And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
We must forgive others for the wrongs they have done to you but more so, we must learn to forgive ourselves! Sometimes it is so very difficult to forgive ourselves but the Lord says,"I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake; And I will not remember your sins." Isaiah 43:25

And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses. But if you do not forgive, neither will your father who is in heaven forgive.” Mark 11:25-26


5: "lead us not into temptation but deliver us from the evil one"

THE PINKIE
Let the pinkie remind us to seek God’s protection from temptation and Satanic attack and engage in spiritual warfare ourselves - And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.

This 'deliverance not only deals with the evil one but also deliverance from sickness and poverty. The 'divine exchange' that happened on the cross has been listed below for your reference:

  1. Jesus was punished that we might be forgiven
  2. Jesus was wounded that we might be healed
  3. Jesus was made sin with our sinfulness, that we might be made righteous with His righteousness
  4. Jesus tasted death for us that we might share His life
  5. Jesus was made a curse that we might receive the blessing
  6. Jesus endured our poverty that we might share His abundance
  7. Jesus bore our shame that we might share His glory
  8. Jesus endured my rejection that I might have His acceptance with the Father
  9. He was cut off that we might be joined to the Lord
  10. Our Old Man was put to death in Him that the New Man might come to life in us
 6: "For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen"

ALL FINGERS FOLDED AND THUMB OUT! 
If the Thumb reminds us of the Heavenly Father, all other fingers folded indicates complete complete sovereignty of the Father. Everything else must bow down in front of the Father!
David’s prayer in 1 Chronicles (29:11) says, “Yours, O LORD, is the greatness, The power and the glory, The victory and the majesty; For all that is in heaven and in earth is Yours;Yours is the kingdom, O LORD, And You are exalted as head over all.” (NKJV)While man has an ego that needs to be stroked by praise, God does not. Yet He calls us to praise Him. He even commands it. Why? Not because He needs praise, but because we need to praise Him is why! Praise does something for us. It reminds us of God’s greatness and of His glory. It alters our perspective. It changes our attitude. 
The wonderful truth is not that Jesus is going to be King, but that HE IS KING NOW!!! When we pray, “yours is the kingdom” we are acknowledging the fact, the present day reality, that Jesus is King. When we pray, “yours is the kingdom” we are also recognizing that we are subjects of the King. We are freely acknowledging his right to LORDSHIP in our lives. 

In the New Testament we read in Revelation 5:13, “And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying: “Blessing and Honour and glory and power Be to Him who sits on the throne, And to the Lamb, forever and ever!” (NKJV)

I wrote all of the above with the hope that your praying of the OUR FATHER will no longer be the same again! PRAYING WITH UNDERSTANDING IS POWERFUL!

Saturday 28 September 2013

THE SIN OF OMISSION

19 “There was a rich man who was dressed in purple and fine linen and lived in luxury every day. 20 At his gate was laid a beggar named Lazarus, covered with sores 21 and longing to eat what fell from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.

22 “The time came when the beggar died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried. 23 In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham far away, with Lazarus by his side. 24 So he called to him, ‘Father Abraham, have pity on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I am in agony in this fire.’

25 “But Abraham replied, ‘Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, while Lazarus received bad things, but now he is comforted here and you are in agony. 26 And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been set in place, so that those who want to go from here to you cannot, nor can anyone cross over from there to us.’
27 “He answered, ‘Then I beg you, father, send Lazarus to my family, 28 for I have five brothers. Let him warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.’

29 “Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the Prophets; let them listen to them.’

30 “‘No, father Abraham,’ he said, ‘but if someone from the dead goes to them, they will repent.’

31 “He said to him, ‘If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead.' 

Luke 16:19-31

New International Version (NIV)

The above story touched me so much that i consciously began to scan my life.

Have i ignored my car-wash man who works the whole night without A/C to earn a living? Or maybe my poor neighbours in my village back home who are struggling to make ends meet? Maybe there's someone i could have helped get proper treatment for their malaise and eased their pain? ... Oh my God, forgive me! I have just realised that i've been fooling myself into thinking that i'm a good Christian!

If there is even one person who i know, goes without food or clothing and I've not been sensitive to his needs, i stand to be judged for committing the 'sin of omission'!
  

Friday 27 September 2013

EAT, PRAY, LOVE

I have just returned from my hospital visit and I'm sitting in front of the computer responding to all the emails from my partner and brother, Antonio. And then there were also emails from our draughtsman. But then even as I'm working, my eyes and ears are focusing elsewhere - the TV! I just can't help but get drawn to what is being screened - EAT, PRAY, LOVE! I promise you it is not Julia Roberts who is distracting me but the dialogue that is oh, so familiar to me!

I have been to Italy several times and i loved the wine, women and song!
I am an Indian and so i know about India and what being an Indian entails - So many religions and spiritual paths!
I've been to Bali for the same reason as in the movie - for Love (Yes! It was my honeymoon!).

In the movie, Elizabeth (Julia Roberts) has a bitter divorce and a turbulent love affair. She emerges battered and bewildered and realizes it is time to pursue her own journey in search of three things she has been missing - Pleasure, Devotion and Balance!

After i watched the movie, i was restless in my spirit but i could not find out what it was. I knew there were 'deceptive concepts' in the movie which were so well presented that they were too good to be true! I had to nip it in the bud! The devil was out to get me to think CONTRARY TO THE BIBLE!  So i asked the Holy Spirit's guidance and here's what i was lead to read about Elizabeth Gilbert's book - EAT, PRAY, LOVE!:

Elizabeth Gilbert has a breezy, easy-to-read style and takes honest looks at herself. She is very likeable and appealing in the pages of her book. Through a combination of Eastern meditation, Yoga, Western self-help psychology, mystical states and visions, and her beliefs about her divine nature, Gilbert is able to heal from her divorce and other deep wounds. Her writing is enticing and her success is persuasive -- it gives validity to her practises and claims. She seems free now to enjoy life and love. This kind of freedom is very tantalizing, but it comes with questions. What standard is there for being free enough? Doesn't the past always dodge us? Do we attain perfection or just a consciousness of perfection? How many more lives must one live to be free enough?
Before the journey recorded in this book, Gilbert had visited an Indonesian island and spent several days alone and in silence, wrestling with her past and with her issues. After nine days of silence, she recounts how she sees her own "goodness" after forgiving herself and how this leads her to an understanding of God's forgiveness. She seems to believe that this forgiveness comes with no cost except the task of forgiving herself. But this is a presumption of forgiveness - a view that forgiveness from God is a right. Or that we get it if we work hard enough, especially by forgiving ourselves.
Gilbert writes, "I was the administrator of my own rescue" (329). But the message from Jesus is that we cannot rescue ourselves: "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins," (John 8.24). We cannot magically erase our sins by forgiving ourselves; the sins remain, because we have a sinful nature ("For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3.23). God tells us that the wages of sin are death (Romans 3.63), death meaning separation from God. How do we escape this penalty?
Jesus was the only one who was without sin and was pleasing to God on his own merits: "And He who sent Me is with Me; He has not left Me alone, for I always do the things that are pleasing to Him" (John 8.29). Because of his sinlessness, Jesus the God-man was able to pay the penalty for sins as the Lamb of God without blemish. This is what the atonement was about: paying the penalty for sin.
Gilbert writes that her heart tells her mind, "I love you, I will never leave, I will always take care of you" (328). She is getting a pass to reassurance from her own self, her own thinking, not from God, though she may believe it is from God. But it was Jesus who said to those who believe in Him, "I am with you always" (Matthew 28.20).
No one, if interacting honestly with what the Bible teaches, can remake Jesus into another Guru or another Buddha. Jesus claimed to be the unique Messiah, the Son of God (which means he has God's nature), the Redeemer, the First and the Last. It is not about a transformation of consciousness, or a realization of man's supposed divine nature, or a process of self-forgiveness, but rather that we understand that we are helpless in our cocoon of sin and selfishness in the presence of a holy God, and desperately need the redemption of the one and only Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Redemption through Christ is the true freedom.
I'm sure if Gilbert was to come to Jesus, He would have said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me, even if he dies, will live. Everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die-ever. Do you believe this?"  John 11.25,26

Wednesday 25 September 2013

TAME YOUR MIND!

I heard a great message from Bro. Johnson today. It was his last day of preaching for this month and i was blest with the encouragement he gave us on the Word of God. I had to record it on my blog so that both you and i would be able to return to it! 

"A WONDERING MIND IS A DEVIL'S PLAYGROUND," he claimed! "We must tame our minds in order to receive God's blessings.Our minds must be tamed with the Word of God and not just on 'positive thinking'!" He continued. 

"Our state of mind will determine our future and therefore our attention should be given to the Word of God."

What is taming the mind?

It means that we have to be constantly 'thought-checking' -  vigilant of what we are thinking about!

Since our mind is that part of the soul in which our FAITH is established, Satan constantly attacks our minds with vile suggestions.

We must tame the mind by bringing it into submission to God's Word. Spiritual battles are fought in the mind and the victory depends on our thinking!

Don't be a fatted lion from a zoo but rather be like the ferocious lion from the wild!

Tuesday 24 September 2013

MY LIFE IS IN YOU

This evening, we sang the following gospel song before the start of Bro. Johnson's meeting in Dubai. The musicians were going crazy with their guitars and the singers sang the following song with much gusto ...
MY LIFE IS IN YOU LORDMY STRENGTH IS IN YOU LORDMY HOPE IS IN YOU LORDIN YOU, IT'S IN YOU
The pastor made a gesture to stop singing but the singers had closed their eyes and did not see it. I was playing my flute and i noticed. I tapped the end of the flute to attract Bro. Benson (guitarist) to tell him to stop but he just nodded and continued to play. Even the second signal did not do the trick and so the Pastor just butted in with a, "Hold on, hold on!"
"What do you mean by 'My life is in you Lord?' He challenged the congregation.
There was a pin drop silence and the brethren looked at each other, some shrugging their shoulders whilst others murmured some unsatisfactory answers.
"When you sing, you must sing with understanding," the pastor explained. "When you say 'my life is in you', it means that you are,
- no longer thinking wordly thoughts, - no longer thinking selfishly, - no longer chasing your own dreams, - no longer glorifying yourself, - no longer hoarding wealth, - no longer living a defeated existence, - no longer sick and dying,
IF your life is in Him, you will,
- Think like Jesus (As written in His word)- Love your neighbour as yourself,- Be part of God's dream to preach His saving gospel to the ends of the earth,- Humble yourself (Have a servant attitude as you lead others)- Give generously from what God has blessed you with.- Live victoriously- Experience God's healing touch and favour.
IN HIM, YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD, LIVING THE "ZOE" (GOD KIND OF LIFE) LIFE!  A NEW CREATION! A VICTORIOUS KING! MAKE HIS WORD, YOUR VOICE

Sunday 22 September 2013

THE SIN OF PRESUMPTION


James 4:13-16 says, "Come now, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.’ Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapour that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.’ But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil."

Planning is good, normal, and healthy but when planning becomes presumption, we have encroached into ‘sin territory’. When things don’t go our way, we become angry and bitter with God but, if we recognize that God is in control and we are not, it is much easier to be flexible and malleable to the plans of God as they unfold. We must become wise stewards of time, energy, and resources. God loves that! BUT DO NOT IMPOSE YOUR WILL ON GOD!

Each day we need to seek our Lord for daily provision!

The key is that we cannot presume upon certain future events unfolding in our lives on earth when we make our decisions today. We are not God, and such thinking is pure arrogance.

The key is that we must retain an attitude in our hearts which says, "If the Lord wills" (c.f. Paul in Acts 18:21). This is a humble, proper attitude before a Sovereign Lord.

(Caution: This does not mean you have to say "if the Lord wills" after everything we say or plan to do. It is not some magical charm as if there is power in the words!)

What God is after is a heart attitude that does not presume which would otherwise cause us to boast in our own power and self-sufficiency. He wants hearts that acknowledge that He is over all things. God wants us to yield to His plans and purposes for our lives, whether at home, at work, at school, or anywhere/anytime!
This is one of the predominant ways in which we fulfil God’s command in Proverbs 3:6 to acknowledge God in all of our ways. Then surely God will direct our paths. He will take us where He knows we ought to go if we let Him. God opposes the arrogant (James 4:6) but gives grace to the humble, to those who seek His will and yield to His leading.



Saturday 21 September 2013

THE STIRRING OF THE WATER

JOHN 5:2-9 - Now there is in Jerusalem by the Sheep Gate a pool, which is called in Hebrew, Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of sick people, blind, lame, paralyzed, waiting for the moving of the waterFor an angel went down at a certain time into the pool and stirred up the water; then whoever stepped in first, after the stirring of the water, was made well of whatever disease he had.Now a certain man was there who had an infirmity thirty-eight yearsWhen Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he already had been in that condition a long time, He said to him, “Do you want to be made well?”
The sick man answered Him, “Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up; but while I am coming, another steps down before me.”
Jesus said to him, “Rise, take up your bed and walk.” And immediately the man was made well, took up his bed, and walked.

The Holy Spirit, who is Omnipresent, Omniscient and Omnipotent, is hovering over the earth just like in Genesis 1, ready to act on our behalf. When Christians gather to worship *in one accord, the Holy Spirit shows up and stirs up an atmosphere for miracles. The one who is able to 'tap into' the power of the Holy Spirit experiences healing and deliverance!


...............................................................................................................................................................
*NOTE: Acts 2:1 - When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place.

Friday 20 September 2013

CHRISTIAN FORTUNE TELLERS

Are you the type of person who seeks life's answers to your questions from so called 'prophets' in Christian circles? And what have been your experiences thus far?

Before coming into the knowledge of the Word, i loved to attend church meetings where a 'prophet of God' was preaching. I would remain standing in mile long queues only to get 'a word from God' about my situation. Some prophecies came true but most did not! Until last Saturday (and again today), i knew nothing about discerning who were 'False Prophets'. Pastor 'D' expounded on this topic with much passion and gusto today and left everyone who attended, in a shocked but educated state!

Below are some of the notes from his teaching of today:

There are three sources of prophecies - Holy Spirit, Evil Spirits and the Human Spirit. The difficulty lies in discerning who is giving the prophecy because the evil spirits can also prophecy correctly but with a totally devious agenda!

In Matthew 7:15,16, Jesus says, Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Again, in Mat. 24:24 - For false christs and false prophets will rise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.

Yet again, in another scripture, 1 Pt. 5:8 there is a warning"Be sober, be vigilant; because[a] your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

If we know from Jn. 10:10 that the thief comes to steal, kill and destroy, HOW CAN WE KNOW WHO IS THE THIEF?

Here's the answer! .... TEST THE SPIRITS!

1 John 4:1 - Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.

The following are 5 tests which you can subject your 'prophets' to:

1: HAS THE PROPHECY  COME TO PASS?

Deut. 18:20 - 22But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in My name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet shall die.’ 21 And if you say in your heart, ‘How shall we know the word which the Lord has not spoken?’— 22 when a prophet speaks in the name of the Lord, if the thing does not happen or come to pass, that is the thing which the Lord has not spoken; the prophet has spoken it presumptuously; you shall not be afraid of him.

2: IS THE GIFT OF PROPHECY BEING EXERCISED FOR PROFIT?

Acts 16:16-18Now it happened, as we went to prayer, that a certain slave girl possessed with a spirit of divination met us, who brought her masters much profit by fortune-telling. 17 This girl followed Paul and us, and cried out, saying, “These men are the servants of the Most High God, who proclaim to us the way of salvation.” 18 And this she did for many days.
But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Acts 8:18-20 - (Pls. read from verses 8 to 24 for full background)- And when Simon saw that through the laying on of the apostles’ hands the Holy Spirit was given, he offered them money19 saying, “Give me this power also, that anyone on whom I lay hands may receive the Holy Spirit.”
20 But Peter said to him, “Your money perish with you, because you thought that the gift of God could be purchased with money!

4: DOES THE  PROPHECY LEAD YOU AWAY FROM GOD?

Deut. 13:1-3 - “If there arises among you a prophet or a dreamer of dreams, and he gives you a sign or a wonder, and the sign or the wonder comes to pass, of which he spoke to you, saying, ‘Let us go after other gods’—which you have not known—‘and let us serve them,’ you shall not listen to the words of that prophet or that dreamer of dreams, for the Lord your God is testing you to know whether you love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.

5: DOES THE PROPHET SEEK TO GLORIFY HIMSELF?

Acts 14:8-18 -And in Lystra a certain man without strength in his feet was sitting, a cripple from his mother’s womb, who had never walkedThis man heard Paul speaking. Paul, observing him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10 said with a loud voice, “Stand up straight on your feet!” And he leaped and walked. 11 Now when the people saw what Paul had done, they raised their voices, saying in the Lycaonian language, “The gods have come down to us in the likeness of men!” 12 And Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul, Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. 13 Then the priest of Zeus, whose temple was in front of their city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates, intending to sacrifice with the multitudes.

Paul and Barnabas are terrified that the people are treating them like Gods and they seek to correct that belief but are instead stoned almost to death! They did not seek the glory but offered it to God. 

True Men of God will always use their spiritual gifts to bring people into salvation and never for their own profit and glory!

NOW THAT YOU ARE EQUIPPED WITH THIS KNOWLEDGE, BE NOT DECEIVED!


Thursday 19 September 2013

THE 'PATH'

I was sitting in the lobby of my building and chatting with Errol when the man whose wife had taken seriously ill a couple of  nights ago walked towards the lift. I immediately got up and hastened to the man to ask how his wife was doing now. I introduced myself to him and then Errol. He then started talking to us about his wife's precarious condition and we listened silently. After he had finished talking, i told him about my experiences with biblical faith and the hundreds of miracles that I'd seen over the last five and a half years of being a believer.All i wanted to do was to introduce to him a 'special person' in my life JESUS! My intention was not to 'convert' him but to introduce to him someone who did not come to earth to start another 'religion' but to teach us how to 'reach the Father' through a relationship with Him. I also wanted to tell him that Jesus STILL HEALS!

He stopped me in mid sentence and opened his shirt to show me his 'holy thread' indicating that he was a Brahman. He said he was 34 years old and for the last twenty years he has been a scholar in the Vedas. I asked him if he knew 'Prajapathi' from the Rigvedas ( Jesus' coming foretold in the Vedas), and he said he did not! He said he had already chosen a 'path' and that he would never deviate from it no matter what happened. He said he knew all about Christianity (But he admitted he had not read the Bible!). Apparently, he has a couple of Brahman friends who had recently found Christ and had left their 'ancestral path'. I at once understood where the 'offence' was coming from. I also understood what a stumbling block 'organised religion' has become to understanding the 'Kingdom Principles' that Christ introduced.

CHRISTIANITY IS ALL ABOUT A RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD THROUGH JESUS. I believe one can have this relationship with Jesus even if he subscribes to another religion. It is all about understanding the CENTRAL MESSAGE of the Bible and that is LOVE ..... AGAPE (Sacrificial) LOVE!


Sunday 15 September 2013

THE SWORD OF DEMOCLES

Damocles (court sycophant) used to make comments to the king Dionysius (Greek Tyrant) about his wealth and luxurious life. One day when Damocles complimented the tyrant on his abundance and power, Dionysius turned to Damocles and said, "If you think I'm so lucky, how would you like to try out my life?"
Damocles readily agreed, and so Dionysius ordered everything to be prepared for Damocles to experience what life as Dionysius was like. Damocles was enjoying himself immensely... until he noticed a sharp sword hovering over his head, that was suspended from the ceiling by a horse hair. This, the tyrant explained to Damocles, was what life as ruler was really like.
Why does grass always appear to be greener on the other side? (Comes from the idea of looking at a neighbours lawn and seeing it as better looking, healthier and overall greener then your own when in reality you’re just ignoring anything negative about it and downplaying everything positive about your own). Could it be that you're not counting the blessings that God has already given you? Given below are song lyrics which i hope will awaken you to this truth!

When upon life’s billows you are tempest tossed,
When you are discouraged, thinking all is lost,
Count your many blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.
Are you ever burdened with a load of care?
Does the cross seem heavy you are called to bear?
Count your many blessings, every doubt will fly,
And you will keep singing as the days go by.
When you look at others with their lands and gold,
Think that Christ has promised you His wealth untold;
Count your many blessings. Wealth can never buy
Your reward in heaven, nor your home on high.
So, amid the conflict whether great or small,
Do not be disheartened, God is over all;
Count your many blessings, angels will attend,
Help and comfort give you to your journey’s end.
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
Count your blessings, see what God hath done!
Count your blessings, name them one by one,
And it will surprise you what the Lord hath done.”
- “Count Your Blessings” Credits: Music: Edwin O. ExcellWords: John­son Oat­man, Jr., in Songs for Young Peo­ple, by Ed­win Ex­cell (Chi­ca­go, Il­li­nois: 1897).
...and yes, there is also a SWORD that dangles over our heads ! Read about it in HEBREWS 10:26,27 and turn back to God before the SWORD OF JUDGEMENT falls!

Thursday 12 September 2013

LEARNING TO TRUST GOD IN EVERY SITUATION

A friend of mine recently went through a trying situation in her life and she sent me the following testimony today. I share it in the hope that those of you who are going through your own trials may be reassured of a sure victory in the name of Jesus!
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Hebrews 10: 35 So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded.

This verse gives us a glimpse into the heart of God.  Our trust is important to God - so much so that he promises a reward to those who do not throw away their trust. He knows how hard it is to keep on trusting  during dark stretches in our lives. It does not come easily to us when our world seems to fall apart. Yet it is essential that we do trust in God in these critical times when troubles, doubts and sin are rampant and instability is increasing.

If we do not throw away our trust, we will find that we are royally independent of circumstances. We will be victorious amid all hardships and our Lord Jesus will shine forth mightily in our lives.  What used to get us down and at times threatened to overwhelm us will fade into the background when we put our trust in the Lord, for trust carries a great promise with it. As we learn to trust God we find that something happens. The following scripture i am sure will be familiar. 

Daniel 6:23

New International Version (NIV)
23 The king was overjoyed and gave orders to lift Daniel out of the den. And when Daniel was lifted from the den, no wound was found on him, because he had trusted in his God.
Had Daniel failed to trust God, he would have actually perished. Trust has tremendous inherent power. It can change everything.
Inwardly or outwardly we may be having a rough time. Draw near to God at this moment of time. He wants to intervene in our situation and help us.
On a human level to what kind of a person do i turn for help ? It will be someone we love If i have such a friend than i am confident that he will come to my aid.  But who is the most trustworthy of all ? In the whole wide world there is only one who is 100% reliable. and that is God.  No one has such a capacity to love as our Lord Jesus does and one can share our burdens as he does for He is love.  His love is beyond imagining. He cares about even the smallest details of our lives and when we suffer he draws near to us with His special love. Because our Lord Jesus has all the power  in heaven and on earth. He can do miracles if we trust in Him and in His love. 
Some might say "You know i did trust God in a particular situation but no help came. May i share with you a short prayer which has always helped me at such times. 
Lord at this moment of time i do not understand what is happening but i choose to trust in you and in your love. 
Recently i went through a horrendous time in my health and was in ICU but at that moment of time i chose to trust in my Lord Jesus completely without question or doubt and saw victory over the situation. This was my experience at a very dark moment in my life. It was a valuable lesson. Who am i ? - Just an insignificant person, a mere nothing, a speck of dust, so how dare i say "If God doesn't do as i think and expect i cannot trust in Him any longer.! How can i who am nothing comprehend the eternal God, who made the whole universe, the myriads of stars and all living creatures ? He alone is great. This conclusion helped me so much. I said to myself...I need to trust Him in all situations. He is love and He will lead everything to a wonderful goal if you are completely yielded to him. 
When faced with overwhelming difficulties and tempted to give up we will find it helpful to say "Lord I choose to put my trust in you and in your love.
Looking back over the years on a long life with various trials i can testify to the reality of the scripture. God is love. We just need to get to know this love that died for us and rose again to give us a new life in Him, a life full of hope and a future. He cares for us far more than we can ever imagine. When we are at our wits end, he sees our plight, hears our cry and folds us in His arms.  This is what is so precious about the words "Jesus i trust in your love". If someone loves us we can always trust him but love seeks to help wherever possible. This is what God is like.
We need to declare war on everything contrary to trust - mistrust, unbelief, anxiety. It is a matter of putting up resistance. A trusting attitude comes from putting your faith and belief in our Lord Jesus but anxiety exhausts our inner resources.
I conclude that whatever situation you may be in, choose to trust the maker of heaven and earth - our Lord Jesus for in Him is eternal life. The bible says in Acts 4:12 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”
God bless each and everyone reading this and may it inculcate trust in Him to grow each day no matter what comes your way.

Shirley

THE SEED CARRIES THE 'PROGRAMME'

Those who plant apple seeds should expect to harvest apples! 
Another way to put it is - When a man sows apple seeds he cannot expect to harvest mangoes. 
The seed is 'programmed' to produce an apple tree and therefore will produce only apples!

The same understanding applies when we sow 'spiritual' seeds:

GALATIANS 6: 7-9 (KJV) 
7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
8: For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.
9: And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not. 

Everything that you do has repercussions. It comes back to you one way or another. You cannot escape the consequences of your actions. What you do comes back to you and you will surely see the long-term effects of your actions. Your actions all have consequences. Don't ever be fooled into thinking that your actions don't have consequences. Don't think you can get away with bad choices even if you don't seem to get caught. Remember verse seven tells us that God cannot be mocked. He sees it all

You reap what you sow.
Watch the way you live your life because you reap what you sow.
We sow in one season, we reap in another.
Sow a thought you reap an act. Sow an act, you reap a habit. Sow a habit, you reap a character. Sow a character, you reap a consequence.