The answer to the title of this article may seem obvious, however, it is not always so! Not all Christians are actually living a life that pleases Christ.
While having christian parents is enough to be called ‘christian’, it takes more than just being born in a Christian family to be on the side of Christ. The lines are way thinner than we imagine.
Once Jesus’ mother and brothers were waiting to meet Him standing outside a house and this news was brought to Jesus. He immediately looked at the crowd in front of Him, who filled that house, and said ‘who is my mother, and who are my brother’s?’ (Matthew 12:48)
I believe, it would have left the audience of Jesus completely baffled. If we were to make the same statement to our parents and siblings today, we would be calling for deep trouble! Yet Jesus did it, because his standards were different and His teachings were tough.
Jesus went against traditions, culture and expectations of His people and time. He gave the place of a mother, brother and sister to those who did the ‘will of God’, over his own blood related family. So if Jesus questioned His own family, would he spare you and me if we don’t believe in Him and do His will, just because our parents are christians?
“Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters.” Matthew 12:30
Being spiritually passive is a state where one chooses to be inactive in the affairs of the kingdom of God, often accompanied by reasoning such as ‘there is already too much on my plate’, ‘let me work hard now and when I retire I will serve Christ’, ‘am busy trying to hold everything together’, ‘if I don’t work, how will I feed my family’, ‘it’s a clergy job’. This is a very dangerous state to be in.
Jesus gave the place of a mother, brother and sister to those who did the ‘will of God’, over his own blood related family.
When God made us a new creation, He made us for a purpose with a heavenly mandate to be His ambassadors on earth. Not fulfilling or, for that matter, neglecting such a calling not only makes us disobedient to God but destroys the very work of Christ. And Jesus said, these are the people who are against Him!
In a world where everyone likes to play safe, Christ made the lines quite clear and expects us to choose the kind of life that abides by the law of Christ.
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“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” – Jesus
Quite often, you find yourself feeling fearful of an unknown future, or a broken past, or a shameful present. Today, keep your heart open – as God, who is your FATHER and who loves like a MOTHER, wants you to dive into His arms and receive His unconditional love that will wash away all your pain, rejection, shame, fear and burden. There is no place except the arms of your heavenly Father where you will be made whole.
The love that human beings have to offer is tainted by sin. An earthly mother or father can love you sacrificially and beautifully, but never completely. This is simply because sin entered mankind and only Jesus could pay the ultimate price for it because He had no sin in Him. God, who is sinless, is the only one whose love is completely selfless and totally unconditional.
To receive God’s gracious love, you and I need to do nothing. Only believe who He is and what He is saying is true.
Jesus literally came on earth to empathise with the scars and wounds that you have faced – caused by sin in others and yourself
Beloved, sin in others and sin in you has wounded and scarred your life from when you were a child. Yes, scarred physically but also spiritually. The inability to trust human beings because they harmed you, automatically, makes it hard for you to trust God. Inability to see good in yourself, automatically, makes it hard to see good in God. Every scar of your life leaves a mark that causes fear, anxiety and bitterness to flood your life.
And Jesus literally came on earth to empathise with these scars and wounds that you have faced – caused by sin in others and yourself. That is why, when He was talking about His ascension to heaven and about sending the Holy Spirit, He told his disciples – “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you” John 14 : 18 (NIV)
The disciples weren’t orphans, but with Jesus leaving them to go to heaven – they were going to be ‘orphaned’ spiritually. This is why Jesus had to tell them that though he was going to heaven, he was sending another advocate who would live in them and speak God’s word to them.
Today, a lot of us continue living orphaned spiritually. Sometimes we get a hint of it, but a lot of times we don’t even recognise that the mistakes we make or say is because we’re deeply scarred internally.
Now, how does a king know when to send his army to fight a battle? It is when he recognises that the enemy is scheming to attack him or has already launched an attack.
The same way, a lot of us end up living with a spirit of feeling orphaned, which ties us down and limits us, because we don’t even know that there is such an attack upon us.
A lot of times we don’t even recognise that the mistakes we make or things we say are because we’re deeply scarred internally
So how does one recognise this spirit of feeling orphaned?
Sensing loneliness and feeling helpless
Feeling anxious and worried
Finding it hard to trust anyone completely, including God
Feeling jealous or upset when others are blessed
Being unforgiving and unmerciful to God and others
Pitying yourself
But you are not meant to be living a life feeling orphaned in your spirit.
In fact, the Holy Spirit who lives in you, is always reminding you that you are a CHILD of GOD!
Let me tell you, one of the most important truth you need to live by for a victorious life is that YOU ARE A CHILD OF GOD – which only comes by believing in Jesus (John 1:12).
You are not meant to be living a life feeling orphaned in your spirit, but to live as a child of God
Paul understood this very well, and that is why he says in Romans 8 : 15 – 16, “The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship.And by him we cry, “Abba, Father.” The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.”
If you recognise any of these characteristics in yourself, or observe a pattern of any of these or all of it in your life, you know that you got to fight this out. The Spirit of feeling orphaned holds you back from the plans God has laid out for you. Even if you read the bible or attend church, these scars stop you from fulfilling the call of God in your life and living to the fullest capacity that God has fashioned you for.
Recognising and knowing your enemy helps you form a strategy and plan your battle. Every king sends his troops to battle based on the size, ability and schemes of the enemy. It would be foolish to send all the army for a battle against only a few or to take less army to fight a large enemy.
The Spirit of feeling orphaned holds you back from the plans God has laid out for you.
How do you strategise and position yourself to fight this battle and conquer the spirit of feeling orphaned?
1. Know your identity in Christ
Everything you do and everything expected from you is rooted in identity. You are a girl or a boy, a student or a professional, a doctor or an artist, an Indian or German, a daughter or a son and so much more. Do you see how everything in this world functions on identity?
The truth is all these worldly identities like gender, race, profession, and creed are limited and temporary. They either end once your life ends or they keep changing in your lifetime.
There is only one identity that lasts for eternity which is true and firm, and that is your identity in Christ.
When you believe in Jesus, you receive this identity in Christ – You are God’s child, You are God’s cherished possession. You are chosen, holy, a priest (1 Peter 2:9). You are the apple of God’s eye (Zechariah 2:8). You are His ambassador (2 Corinthians 5:20). You are fearfully and wonderfully created (Psalms 139:14). You are His signet ring (Haggai 2:23). You are God’s chosen instrument and vessel (Acts 9:15).
As you read and meditate on the word of God, the Bible, to know who God is – you will begin to understand your true identity in Him.
There is only one identity that lasts for eternity which is true and firm, and that is your identity in Christ.
Every time you see yourself questioning your worth, or someone else questioning it – remind yourself of your identity in Christ. Feel jealous or upset when others are blessed? Remind yourself of who you are and how valued you are in God’s sight, as much as the other person is valued in God’s sight. Finding it hard to forgive someone who has wronged you or God himself? Remind yourself of what God has done for you through Jesus and who you are because of Jesus’ unconditional love for you.
Everyone has strengths and weaknesses. If you focus on your weakness or trials, you will end up pitying yourself which pulls your spirit down. Instead, in those moments of weakness and trials, focus on your strengths and the gifts God has given you. If you do this, you will see how, no matter which area you do well or don’t do well, you will remain confident of who you are – simply because your identity is now in Christ.
2. Trust your heavenly Father completely
When you feel lonely, left out and helpless, you tend to go further into a hole and hide yourself. This destroys all the amazing purposes that God has planned for your life. Instead, when you feel lonely and helpless, you’ve got to call out to God and seek Him.
Job was feeling extremely lonely when he lost everything he had, and even his wife told him to curse God and die. But Job says in Job 23:8 that God was near Him.
How did Job overcome loneliness? By trusting God.
God is a father to the fatherless. We are all His children and He will never let us feel orphaned.
Why should you trust God? Because He is never changing, holy, righteous, loving, compassionate, slow to anger, forgiving and He is the author and perfecter of your life. He holds the whole world in His hands. He is always good. He is keeper of His word, a giver, a helper and your all in all. God says in 1 Peter 2:6 that no one who trusts in Him will ever be put to shame.
God is a father to the fatherless. We are all His children and He will never let us feel orphaned. Because when you trust Him, He ensures He fulfills His word.
When you’re feeling anxious and worried, this trust upon God will be your shield and rampart. Someone who doesn’t have the spirit of feeling orphaned will never worry about life on earth – their job, marriage, family. It is simply because they trust God who says, ‘if I feed the birds in the air, will I not also feed you?’ So every time you feel anxious when a tough circumstance comes your way, proclaim your trust in this true and living God who is in charge of everything and who is faithful to His word. He will never ever fail those why trust in Him.
When you trust God, you also trust people around you because the God whom you depend on trusts those people. Is it making sense? God trusts those around you with gifts and talents and so much more. So if you say you trust God, you got to trust those people too.
People fail, because sin entered mankind and has made everyone sinful. But the God who is over those people and you will never fail. That is why, in Romans 8:28, God says that He works all things for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose.
Beloved, you and I are not called to be trampled by the spirit of feeling orphaned. You and I are called to conquer it – and it is only possible through the help of the Holy Spirit and understanding God’s word. We need to rest in our identity in Christ and trust God completely, even when it looks irrational.
You and I are not called to be trampled by the spirit of feeling orphaned. You and I are called to conquer it.
God is your everything. He promised that He won’t leave you as orphans.
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Looking at all that has happened due to Covid-19, if you are reading this blog now – kudos to your perseverance! Who would have thought that something as small as a microorganism can be so deadly and devour so many lives? It is not only the body that the virus affects but also man’s soul (emotions and thinking). What many have lost, together with losing their many loved ones, is ‘hope’ – which is something that gives strength to individuals to cope through sorrow and distress. One finds it hard to press on forward with confidence, because of all the fatal blows he has received in life.
Yet, despite turmoil and suffering, those who hope in Christ remain strong.
The hope that the Bible promises is complete, concrete and reassuring.
This may sound strange. But let us first look at what is not hope according to Bible –
Biblical hope is not mere positive thinking. If it was so, then it is hard to encourage oneself especially when one is shattered and depressed. In times of difficulty, we need external reassuring help which is only found in the bible.
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”… For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.” Romans 8:26 (NIV)
Biblical hope is not a dream, either. Dreams may or may not come true, especially considering the financial, emotional, mental exhaustion that occurs during illness or loss. Biblical hope offers us the true solution based on reality. So we need to be more realistic as we look for hope.
He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all–how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Romans 8:32 (NIV)
Biblical hope is not just for riches, jobs and good health on earth. The truth is God wants us to hope for what is eternal because if one gets everything on earth, then there is nothing more to hope for. Biblical hope is weightier than earthly possessions. Rom 8:24
Biblical hope offers us the true solution based on reality.
For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what they already have? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. Romans 8:24-25 (NIV)
The hope that Bible promises is complete, concrete and reassuring.
Let’s take a look at this verse, “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 (NKJV)
True hope is foolishness to people who are not in Christ, but for us who believe – it gives power to face every challenge with boldness.
First of all, hope is based in Christ. You can tap into this hope by receiving Christ into your hearts. Secondly, it is a hope of glory, i.e, a heavenly inheritance, glorious riches, glorious bodies, a peaceful state in eternal dibs. Thirdly, it is for those to whom it has been made known. Till date, this true hope remains a mystery for many. It is foolishness to people who are not in Christ, but for us who believe – it gives power to face every challenge with boldness.
What really anchors a believer’s hope? What makes it unshakeable and true?
1. Jesus Christ, our forerunner
“…looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”
Hebrews 12:2 (NKJV)
For a sinner who hopes in Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, there is no fear of being let down by Jesus.
True hope springs from the message of Christ. Because Jesus, left His heavenly splendour with all its powers and became nothing, a human being. He took the path of suffering, pain, the cross and, most importantly, took the place of us sinners being punished for our transgressions. He defeated death, received a rich welcome and sat on the heavenly throne next to the father and will sit as a judge of both the living and the dead. So, for a sinner who hopes in Christ, the author and finisher of our faith, there is no fear of being let down by Jesus. He himself continues to live to intercede for our salvation, just as He did for Peter.
2. Covenant promises by the Father
For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” By calling this covenant “new,” he has made the first one obsolete; and what is obsolete and outdated will soon disappear.
Hebrews 8:12-13 (NIV)
We can rest assured that all our efforts in the Lord and for the Lord won’t be in vain but will result in better promises.
God has promised, through the new covenant, to be merciful for our unrighteousness and remember our sins no more. We know, these promises were not spoken by God in haste. Unlike us humans who conveniently lie, yahwah – God – is absolutely faithful. The whole Bible in itself proves this truth. The life of Israelites, Abraham and David are the best examples. The word of God boosts our confidence. We can rest assured that all our efforts in the Lord and for the Lord won’t be in vain but will result in better promises. And the greatest promise is that we will be co-heirs with Christ in his inheritance.
3. Holy Spirit, as a seal
Now He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who also has given us the Spirit as a guarantee.
2 Corinthians 5:5 (NKJV)
Holy Spirit provides life and power to our mortal bodies giving us hope, just as He exerted power in Christ Jesus, when He raised Him from the dead and brought Him to life.
As we speak of hope, we cannot do so without talking about the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, who is an assurance of what is to come for those who believe in Jesus Christ. He continues to live to reveal the heart and mind of God to us. But, most importantly, He is a guarantee of what is to come. Just as in the case of a betrothal, the man commits and assures the girl’s family that he is going to come back to take her to be his wife.
Holy Spirit continuously prompts you to lead you into all truth, convicting you of His righteousness. He provides life and power to our mortal bodies giving us hope, just as He exerted power in Christ Jesus, when He raised Him from the dead and brought Him to life.
For believers in Christ today, ‘hope’ for tomorrow is not just sympathy shown by God, it is a prerogative.
Paul says in Romans 8:38-39, “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (NKJV)
So, for believers in Christ today, ‘hope’ for tomorrow is not just sympathy shown by God, it is a prerogative. It is an entitlement which God himself has given through Jesus. Our hope is secured and anchored in Christ and by God himself because nothing can separate us from love of God that is in Christ. So we boast all the more in our hope. Because this hope will not put us to shame or result in disappointment.
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Paul, a very fierce character in the New Testament, who nearly destroyed the church because of their ‘faith in Jesus’, later puts himself on the frontline and becomes a pioneer of the same faith among gentiles.
In 1 Timothy 2:5-7, Paul says, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. This has now been witnessed to at the proper time. And for this purpose I was appointed a herald and an apostle—I am telling the truth, I am not lying—and a true and faithful teacher of the Gentiles.”
This story is not just about Paul. Million and billion others after Paul have joined this sect which is called ‘The Way’, and today people call it ‘Christianity’.
You might be wondering why talk about it through this blog? Because many are curious. ‘what really compels these people’ and some are trying hard to fill this curiosity with accusations and stories of people giving money or some perks to convert others to Christianity. While I agree there could be some cases which may be true, it comprises less than 1% of such people who do this for their gain. Let us not push aside the remaining 99% people’s testimony. Viewing them with the same lens as the 1% is incorrect.
For example, simply because we have some murderers in the country. It doesn’t make rest of the people in the country, murderers.
So, let’s look at the core of what really urges people to genuinely believe and follow Jesus Christ inspite of severe persecution.
• Love of God
This love, which is from God, is evident in Christ and in the church which is also called the ‘Body of Christ’.
Jesus demonstrated what it means to love by sacrificing Himself on the cross for us, for the forgiveness of our sins.
Jesus’ teaching in Luke 6:29 says – “If someone slaps you on one cheek, turn to them the other also. If someone takes your coat, do not withhold your shirt from them.”
Likewise in Matthew 5:44, He says, “I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you”
Jesus, himself, is an example when it comes to following these commands.
He demonstrated what it means to love by sacrificing Himself on the cross for us, for the forgiveness of our sins.
How could we reject such a love? Reject such a forgiveness and still walk in our iniquities? It is truly for freedom that Christ set us free!
• Eternal life
We may all be familiar with the scripture in John 3:16 that says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”
But have you heard of this passage in Hebrews 2:14-15 that says, “Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might break the power of him who holds the power of death—that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.”
Without Christ, there is no way one can make it to heaven.
So Jesus’ dying on the cross was not just a sign of love, but a ‘hefty price’ He paid with His body and blood to make provision for eternal life. In short, He became our atoning sacrifice. He did this so that you and I can be free of condemnation. In others words, without Christ there is no way one can make it to heaven.
Such a price who can pay to purchase you from death’s hold on you? Jesus came to save us from our iniquities.
• Sonship and Companionship
“But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “ Abba, Father.” So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.” Galatians 4:4-7
We cannot understand the Gospel without understanding the terms – grace and free.
There is a new mandate for us as new creation, to be called His sons – sons of the Almighty God and Co-heirs with Christ. This is all at the cost of just believing in Jesus Christ.
We cannot understand the Gospel without understanding the terms – grace and free. It is just like how we cannot overlook a sale of 70% or 90% on online shopping. In fact, Jesus is giving salvation for free. That is why you will notice that the terms grace and free are often repeated in the New Testament. Companionship with the constant presence of the Holy Spirit is an added bonus.
We are living in times of identity crisis, emotional breakdowns, loneliness and depression. The Bible provides a perfect solution to our problems which is to just believe in the one, Jesus, who gave His life as a ransom for us.
Are you willing to put your faith in Jesus today?
If yes, drop a comment below saying, ‘I put my faith in Jesus Christ.’
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I in them and you in me so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. John 17:23
More than often, in today’s time, I hear people saying they don’t ‘like’ a particular leader in church and so stopped going to church OR that someone in the church ‘hurt’ them OR someone did something ‘wrong’. While all these may be true and genuine reasons – it is not only unfruitful but also against God’s desire that anyone separates from the body of Christ and sails this earthly life all by themselves.
On the other hand, when Jesus prayed and asked God to bring us all in complete unity with Himself and God – He prayed it because it is possible.
Well, it is unity that comes from God that binds us, His people, together as one family – the church – despite our differences, hurts, misunderstandings and wrongdoing.
Although the word ‘unity’ is often understood as an absence of hurt, misunderstandings, offence and negative emotions, it is not the true biblical expression of the word ‘unity’. In fact, ‘unity’ in the bible is far deeper than physical hugs, calls, gatherings and unions.
Have you seen how most families live and journey life together despite their differences, day-to-day disagreements, hurt, and misunderstandings? Why and how? Well, it is unity that comes from God that binds us, His people, together as one family – the church – despite our differences, hurts, misunderstandings and wrongdoing.
According to what Jesus prayed and the word of God – there are two crucial principles that we need to align ourselves to, that brings us to this unity –
• UNITY IN THE SPIRIT
Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Philippians 2 : 1 – 2
We, believers in Christ, must be united with the Spirit of God. Paul exhorts the church in Philippi to be one in spirit and of one mind. That is only possible by being united with Christ – as Jesus prays in John, ‘I in them and You in Me’. When you are connected to Christ, who is the head of the church, you will undoubtedly be connected to every other part of the body. This is because the Head, Jesus, himself has the best interests of all parts of His body in mind.
It will be about sympathising with others’ weakness rather than judging them. It will be about correcting and building up a fellow believer, instead of gossiping about them. This will be true unity.
If you are connected to Christ and share in the Spirit, you will begin to view, perceive and understand others through the Spirit of God. It will no longer be about your priorities that needs to be heard, but about God’s priorities being heard and taken into account. It will no longer be about what someone said or did, but about why that person said or did that very thing. It will be about sympathising with others’ weakness rather than judging them. It will be about correcting and building up a fellow believer, instead of gossiping about them. This will be true unity.
Jesus, himself, empathises with our weaknesses (Hebrews 4:15), that is why He even came to the point where He was willing to die for our sins. No one who is against you for your mistakes will die in your place for those very sins. He had the interests of the Father in mind, and so all He desired was to lavish the Father’s love on us, who sin against Him over and over again.
Friend, you have to walk in the Spirit and be in constant communion with Christ to be able to be truly united to the body of Christ. It is not about being united with one or two people who suit your interests, but every single person in the body of Christ.
John says in 1 John 3:15 that anyone who hates a brother or sister is a murderer. Why? Simply because God is love. Loving is the very nature of God. That is why, God loved us to an extent of sacrificing His only begotten son as a ransom for our sins. This means that if I truly love God, I have to accept this nature of His which is to love unconditionally.
God’s love is AGAPE. It is unconditional. You can stop talking to God, turn your back on Him, speak ill of Him – and He will still not stop loving you.
You have to walk in the Spirit and be in constant communion with Christ to be able to be truly united to the body of Christ.
And so, if you really love God, the truth is – you wouldn’t hate, or in simpler words, hold anything against anyone in your heart. You will instead lavish your love upon the person who has hurt you, harmed you or even done the worst to you. Simply because you love God, who loves that person enough to pay a penalty for that person’s sins.
Unite with Christ, through the Spirit of God, and you will begin to exhibit and live in what Jesus said is ‘complete unity’ within the body of Christ. Beyond the physical, it will be unity in the Spirit.
• UNITY COMES THROUGH MATURITY
As a prisoner for the Lord, then, I urge you to live a life worthy of the calling you have received. Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4 : 1-6
Unity comes with being able to live a life worthy of the call that God has over you. As you walk in communion with Christ, you will grow in maturity, in understanding and in reflecting Christ. Unity through the bond of peace that Paul talks about here in Ephesians is not an inherit nature in all of us. In fact, we all are sinners and fall short of the glory of God. The sinful nature is us is constantly battling with the Spirit of God who is at work in us. However, Jesus won the victory for us and so now we don’t need to submit to our sinful nature; rather we submit to the Spirit of God.
The Holy Spirit will only lead us to be at peace with one another, to forgive one another, to bear with one another. As Paul says, there is ONE body, ONE spirit, ONE hope, ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, ONE God and Father of all.
The triune God in the Bible best describes unity. The Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit always work in tandem, in oneness and unity.
TheHoly Spirit will only lead us to be at peace with one another, to forgive one another, to bear with one another.
Where the flesh rules, there will be jealousy, offences, misunderstandings, hurt, fights, quarrels and differences. But where Christ rules, there will be understanding, forgiveness, acceptance, love, peace, joy and unity.
In the church of Corinth, people were jealous of one another and they had fights and quarrelling. Paul tells them in 1 Corinthian 3 : 1-3 – Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?
Paul told them that their jealousy and quarrelling stemmed from their immaturity and lack of growth in Christ. Beloved, step up to know Christ more, grow in His likeness. Only when you grow to become more like Jesus, maturing in Him, will true unity reign in you.
Unity is more than feeling ‘comfortable’ around someone, it is making others feel comfortable around you. It is more than ‘not talking to someone because of their behaviour’, it is being there for everyone when they need you. It is more than mere hugs and kisses, it is loving each other at one’s worst.
We must stop taking offence, being hurt and leaving the body of Christ – rather, make efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit, be quick to forgive and love one another unconditionally.
Jesus said that if we, believers in Christ, come together in complete unity as Jesus resides in us and God resides in Him – then the world will know that Jesus has loved all of us the way that God has loved Him.
There’s a dire need today, for us to stop taking offence, being hurt and leaving the body of Christ – rather, to make efforts to keep the unity of the Spirit, be quick to forgive and love one another unconditionally. Then the world will see us and believe that Jesus is Lord.
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The word sanctification comes from the word ‘Hagiosmos’, which means ‘set apart from everything else and dedicated for God’s use’. In simpler words, ‘being made Holy for God’.
In the Old Testament, there was the ‘Sanctuary’, which comes from the same root word as sanctification. The sanctuary is a place set apart and dedicated for Yahweh to dwell, also known as the Most Holy Place. And then, in the New Testament, we see how God sets apart individuals and not just places for this very purpose. God is setting apart individuals by sanctifying them from within.
1 Corinthians 6 : 19-20 says, “Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.”
“It is the blood of Jesus, offered without blemish through the spirit, that sanctifies all those who believe in Him. This means, a person must put his or her faith in Jesus for the work of true sanctification to begin in them.”
So what really brought that difference between the two testaments? What brought the change from the ‘sanctuary – a place’ being sanctified to ‘individuals’ being sanctified? The answer is Jesus Christ!
What Jesus prayed to God in the Gospel of John, chapter 17 is very crucial for us to understand sanctification. Jesus prayed in John 17 : 19, “For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.”
Here, first of all, Jesus says that He was sanctifying himself. And, how do we see that He sanctified himself? Going by the meaning of the word sanctification, He set himself apart, kept himself pure and without sin. He did not give into the pleasures of the world. Nor did he use His God-given gifts to make his life comfortable, unlike so many men do for their personal gain. Rather, He made himself available for God, for the purposes that God intended for Him – for the Cross, for humiliation, for insults, for pain, for flogging, for resurrection. And He declared all these even before they took place.
Luke 18:32-33 says, “He will be delivered over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him and spit on him; they will flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.”
Secondly, when Jesus prayed for his disciples to be ‘truly sanctified’, it is important to note that the disciples had already left everything and everyone behind, yet according to Jesus, ‘true sanctification’ did not even begin in them thus far. So this shows us that mere human efforts cannot help a man sanctify himself or make himself holy. Likewise, the offerings and sacrifices offered by people year after year in the Old Testament could not sanctify them.
Mere human efforts cannot help a man sanctify himself or make himself holy.
People can do wonders in personal and professional lives, and still not be separated from sin and the consequences of sin, which is death. Because of which, they are not truly ‘holy’ to the Lord. Each and every person needs Jesus’ sanctification to truly be sanctified. It is the blood of Jesus, offered without blemish through the spirit, that sanctifies all those who believe in Him. This means, a person must put his or her faith in Jesus for the work of true sanctification to begin in them.
The author of Hebrew points us to this vital truth, in Hebrews 9 : 14, “how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”
God’s purpose of sanctification in the lives of individuals is two-fold –
BEING SET APART
God’s work of sanctification is to free people from bondage of sin, addiction, the power of satan and worldly philosophies (which at times comes from your own family and friends).
A lot of people, after accepting Jesus as their personal saviour, are taken on a guilt trip by the devil about what happened, what they could do or couldn’t do in the past. Satan also constantly works to make people slaves to him by making them slaves to sin, slaves to people, slaves to idols; causing them to forget the sanctification power of God in them that set them apart.
Press on to be rooted in Christ by a constant and continual renewal of your mind with God’s word and by remaining in communion with God
As Christ desires, let us throw off everything that entangles us and makes us slaves to sin again and instead let us keep ourselves pure and holy. Through all these experiences that we go through, we know that sanctification is an ongoing process until we die. No, it is not a one time event. So, press on to be rooted in Christ by a constant and continual renewal of your mind with God’s word and by remaining in communion with God. Both of these are very important for the sanctification process to fully take place in our lives.
“to open their eyes and turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.” – Acts 26:18
Paul reminds the believers in the church in Corinth, “Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.” (2 Corinthians 7:1)
DEDICATED FOR GOD’S PURPOSE
God is sanctifying us so that we can fully represent Him in this world, be his ambassadors, share His Gospel, be that aroma of fragrance to the people who are oppressed, suffering and ailing, to share His love and to share the truth in love.
Let us embrace our calling and purpose on earth and do it diligently.
Most often, we are not prepared to face a situation that requires us to give a reason for our hope in Jesus. It could be because of lack of courage or the feeling of not being equipped. We tend to avoid such opportunities that God creates in our lives. Let us remember that we are sanctified by God for this very purpose. Let us embrace our calling and purpose on earth and do it diligently.
The apostle Peter, reminds us in 1 Peter 2 : 9, “But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light”
If we say we are believers in Christ, there is a pertinent question to ask ourselves. The question is – ‘Am I a lover of God?’. You see, when the Pharisees asked Jesus what the greatest commandment is, He answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” Why do you think Jesus said that loving God with all that we are and all that we have is the greatest commandment? It is because that is God’s greatest desire. He wants us to love Him with all our heart, soul and mind. He’s not a God who will force Himself on us. He is a God who showed us the greatest love of all and with that love gently summons us to embrace Him. That is why, it is so important for us, as believers, to be lovers of God – because it is God’s greatest commandment and more so, His greatest desire.
I love a statement that I’ve been reading for a few years now, here and there – “When people tell me say that I take this Jesus thing too seriously, I say, Well Jesus took me pretty seriously when He died for me on the cross”. It’s true, God, our Father, and our Lord Jesus took us very seriously when Jesus DIED for us. How hard would it be for us to LIVE for him?
So what does it mean to love God with ALL our heart, soul, mind and strength? Loving Him with our everything would mean putting God first in our heart, soul and mind. It means placing Him above yourself, people and everything in this world. The word ‘FIRST’ literally means , ‘foremost in position, rank, or importance’. Is God foremost in all aspects of our lives?
It is so important for us, as believers, to be lovers of God – because it is God’s greatest commandment and more so, His greatest desire.
In fact, in 2 Timothy 3:1-5, Paul tells Timothy how people who know God might become in the end times. He says, ‘But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.’
He points out at all that they shouldn’t have become and the one thing they should have become. They should have been LOVERS OF GOD. I do believe that since it has been more than 2000 years after Jesus proclaimed the Kingdom of God, and the end may be nearer than we anticipate.
There is no middle ground – we are either putting God first or putting Him last.
Are we going to be lovers of God by putting GOD FIRST, or are we going to be these lost people in the end times that Paul is talking about? There is no middle ground – we are either putting God first or putting Him last. It is time to check our hearts and lives and see where we’ve placed Him and if we are truly LOVERS OF GOD.
As lovers of God, GOD SHOULD BE OUT FIRST –
1. FIRST ONE WE LOOK UP TO –
The Psalmist knew well where He could find all his answers and purpose. That’s why He says, ‘I lift up my eyes to the mountains— where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord , the Maker of heaven and earth.’ (Psalms 121:1-2).
Who are you looking up to? Your own self? Family? Friend? If you think the creation can be looked up to, how much more the creator?
We shouldn’t become lovers of ourselves and others, rather grow to become lovers of God. And the best part is we always have the creator to go to, who loves us and is ever present to help us, lead us and guide us, as He says in Deuteronomy 31:8 – “The Lord is the one who goes ahead of you; He will be with you. He will not fail you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.”
2. FIRST ONE WE RELY ON –
Too often we find ourselves relying on or trusting tangible things (things that give us a hundred percent guarantee of results), yet God calls us to trust in Him, His wisdom, His timing and above all, His omnipotence.
Things of this world like money, people, career, earthly possessions can be here today and be washed away tomorrow, but God is the only one who will remain.
Noah relied on God, that is why when the entire world was washed away, He was saved.
Too often we find ourselves relying on or trusting tangible things, yet God calls us to trust in Him, His wisdom, His timing and above all, His omnipotence.
Let God be the one you rely on first and foremost, because only He remains and only He can save.
3. FIRST ONE WE OBEY –
Have you come across a situation where your near and dear ones tell you to do something, but God directs you differently? In these situations, we tend to quickly obey these close people and disobey God. Most of the time, our own desires stand in our way of obeying God wholeheartedly. Our pride, wicked ways, evil desires and selfish gain. That, however, only goes on to show whom we place first in our lives and in obedience.
Who created us? Who laid down His life for us? Who is everlasting? If the answer is ‘Jesus’, then doesn’t He deserve our foremost obedience in everything in life? No wonder Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 16:24, “…Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.”
4. FIRST ONE WE DESIRE –
Paul pointed out to Timothy that in the end times people will be lovers of pleasure. This is one thing that we see our generation moving into. In fact, living for pleasures has slowly made its way into the church too. It’s not wrong to have a good meal or enjoy, yet when the thing we’re wanting is replacing our desire for God, we know we’re placing the pleasure above God.
King David has realised that nothing on earth can satisfy the human heart, except God himself. So he says to God in Psalms 73:25, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you.”
When the thing we’re wanting is replacing our desire for God, we know we’re placing the pleasure above God.
5. FIRST ONE WE THANK AND ARE GRATEFUL FOR –
Of ten lepers who were healed by Jesus, only one came back to thank Him. You know why? Simply because He knew that Jesus was the one who healed him.
In all circumstances in life, as believers, we know that God is sovereign over us and helps us no matter what. Yet when something turns out for good, do we actually go back and thank God? Do we realise that He is the one who turned our situation around? Or do we go on praising other people and ourselves for what happened?
Let God be the first one we thank and be grateful for because if not for Him, we can do nothing.
In another instance, we find ourselves grumbling over something that God gave us rather than being grateful that He gave us that thing/person in the first place.
Let God be the first one we thank and be grateful for because if not for Him, we can do nothing. (John 15:5)
In a time such as this, let us be found and known as LOVERS OF GOD, as we put Him first in everything – heart, mind, soul and strength.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.
PROVERBS 3 : 5,6
Cacti are meant to grow in extremely hot conditions because they can store up a lot of water. They can also typically take in a one-time heavy rainfall. But, can they survive in continuously damp or wet soil? The answer is no, they rot.
This is exactly what will happen to us if we position ourselves in an environment that is not meant for us – we will rot (a process of deterioration). On the other hand, when we position ourselves in the right environment, we will see how we thrive, grow and accomplish all that God has ordained for us. Unlike plants who cannot control where they are positioned, we, human beings, can very well position ourselves. God has also given us His Spirit to discern when and how to do it.
If the environment we position ourselves is not where we are created to be, we will shrink, dry up and struggle to survive.
Looking at the life of Joseph, one of the sons of Israel, we can evidently see how he intently chose where he positioned himself in the midst of challenging circumstances. In fact, he was placed in the most uncertain places – a pit, a prison and a palace – yet, he thrived in all of them. How did he do it? It is only by the way he positioned himself. One of the things we read constantly through Joseph’s story in the bible is ‘the Lord was with him’. If we want to accomplish what God ordained for us like Joseph did (by becoming the Prime Minister of Egypt), this aspect of positioning ourselves in the right environment is something we have to learn from him.
Resisting Temptation –
Sometimes we willingly or unwillingly find ourselves in a spot where we are tempted. It becomes very difficult for us to fight it out and overcome it.
Yet, the right thing to do at the time is to resist it– by moving away from it.
You see, you cannot always choose the situation you are placed in, but you can choose where and how you position yourselves in it.
In the midst of a serious temptation to commit adultery with Potiphar’s wife, Joseph said ‘..how can I sin against God?’ and ran away from there. He resisted the temptation. The Bible clearly tells us that no other servant was in the house that day; Joseph could have given into his flesh. But, because he was conscious of God, he realised that the best thing to do when no one else was there in the place was to move away from there. Joseph positioned himself in an environment where he does not give way to temptation. We really don’t know how different Joseph’s life would have been had he positioned himself differently by staying in that place and not resisting the temptation. However, because Joseph knew that it was not God’s will for him to be there or do that – he was able to position himself rightly.
Don’t underestimate the importance of positioning yourself in the right environment in the midst of temptation. It can change the trajectory of your purpose and calling!
What is that temptation that you keep facing? Sometimes you need to completely move out of the place where you’re being tempted, or move away from the people causing you to be tempted or remove the thing that causes you to sin.
1 Corinthians 15:33 says, “Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”
Position yourself to resist temptation, and you will watch yourself thriving. Joseph might have been falsely accused and sent to prison for resisting – but in due time, he was made the second in-command of the entire nation!
Don’t underestimate the importance of positioning yourself in the right environment in the midst of temptation. It can change the trajectory of your purpose and calling!
Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. – James 4 : 7
Persevering through trials –
Another place we often find ourselves in is TRIALS. Be it struggling with depression, loss, a dead-end or an uncertain circumstance. Joseph found himself in these kind of situations quite often – thrown into a pit and sold as a slave by his own family (brothers), sent to prison for no fault of his, betrayed by people. Yet something that stands out is how Joseph thrived through it all. Nowhere in his story do we read that he was defeated by the circumstances he faced.
Maybe you are the only believer in your family and are being questioned for your faith every day, or maybe you are in a place in life where nothing seems to be working out, or maybe you have just lost someone or something who you depended on – it could be anything. The question is – Are you allowing the situation to determine your response or are you positioning yourself to face it?
Learn to trust and lean on God to help you position yourself in the right environment, even in unlikely places.
When Joseph was sold as a slave to Potiphar’s household – he did not lament about being sold off by his brothers, instead he trusted God (we read again – God was with him) and depended on God to face the challenge. What happened? He was able to work at Potiphar’s house so well, that Potiphar entrusted everything in his care. When he was put in prison – Joseph refused to mourn about being innocent of the accusation, instead he did what he was given to do in the prison with utmost sincerity (again by trusting God and God being with him).
Joseph learnt how to position himself correctly in the right environment despite being placed in tough places only by leaning on and trusting God.
Each trial is unique and so the way we position ourselves in them is unique. So, who can guide and direct us how to do it? God can. Learn to trust and lean on God to help you position yourself in the right environment, even in unlikely places.
“Blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, And whose hope is the Lord. For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. – Jeremiah 17 : 7-9
We have the choice to position ourselves in the right environment by seeking God’s direction and grace to do what is right. And, resisting temptation and persevering through trials will always help us position ourselves correctly to face all that comes our way.
Let us be cacti that are positioned to thrive – be it in the desert or a hilly region. The choice is ours!
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Yahweh, God, has detested idols from the beginning. In fact, a large portion of the Old Testament shows how God’s people, the Israelites, turned to idols so quickly and God was against it.
Idols are anything that take the place of God in our life! It can be technology, career, people, relationships, social media, traditions, culture, statistics, logic, science, role models.
The question is, can a born-again believer go back to idolatry? Yes, that is possible. Scripture points out to this –
For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.Therefore, do not be partakers with them. Ephesians 5:5-7 NKJV
Let’s look at seven ways idols can enter a believer’s life and turn us away from God –
WHEN MARRIED TO AN UNBELIEVER
I have oftentimes heard believers say, ‘He or she will believe in Jesus after we get married’. The truth is that he or she may or may not! It all depends on the grace of God and your behaviour towards your spouse (after you get married).
If we obey God and marry a believer in Christ, we can avoid letting idols enter our lives
While Israel was staying in Shittim, the men began to indulge in sexual immorality with Moabite women, who invited them to the sacrifices to their gods. The people ate the sacrificial meal and bowed down before these gods. So Israel yoked themselves to the Baal of Peor. And the Lord’s anger burned against them. Numbers 25:1-3
People who marry this way find it hard to go to church on Sundays, leave alone attending weekly prayers or bible studies. Some find it hard to even say ‘no’ to idol worship. Still some, unfortunately, turn away from their faith in Jesus Christ. Let’s remember that even the wisest man on earth, King Solomon, could not take stand! Can you imagine? Even the wisest couldn’t resist.
There are a few reasons believers end up marrying unbelievers –
Parents do not bring up children in the word of God.
We do not seek his will (Bible) for marriage, instead choose based on our emotions.
We lack patience and are in a hurry to get married.
We come under pressure to marry people of the same caste or denomination.
Instead, if we obey God and marry a believer in Christ, we can avoid letting idols enter our lives. There is always wisdom in what God says!
WHEN OUR ENVIRONMENT IS IMPURE
“The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy,your whole body will be full of light. But if your eyes are unhealthy, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light within you is darkness, how great is that darkness! Mathew 6:22-23
Words and visuals have great power to affect our thinking or even shape our very DNA! Let nothing impure stay in our environment.
This is something we need to watch out for. With whom or where do we spend most of our time? Whom do we listen to and look up to? What we are watching on Netflix, Youtube, Instagram, Facebook? Because words and visuals have great power to affect our thinking or even shape our very DNA! And it is based on this that we act. This does not stop with us, but it goes down to our children and our children’s children!
Watch out for those who have the appearance of light but are full of darkness (1 Corinthians 11:14-15). They are wolf coming in sheepskin, looking to devour men and lead them astray.
When Gibeonites approached Joshua in disguise as though they were coming from a distant land in sack clothes and with dried bread, they were in fact from the neighborhood. Joshua and the elders did not realise, and instead pitied and made an oath to protect them. What happened? The land that was supposed to be entirely for Israelites, now had a share given to the Gibeonites because of the oath.
Let nothing impure stay in our environment!
WHEN GREED CONTROLS OUR ACTIONS
In Joshua 7:1-21, we see how a man named Achan took some plunder from Babylon because he found them beautiful; when God had told them not to. He even hid it inside his tent. Achan saw these things as very beautiful, very costly. It was appealing to the eyes and thought these will make him wealthy. However, his greed made him come against God and God’s anger burnt against the whole of Israel.
Look for inheritance in heaven and not on earth, because only heaven lasts for eternity.
The same greed made satan fall from heaven. He coveted God’s throne, which made him lose his position in heaven and is condemned to hell eternally! Satan also used a forbidden fruit, appealing to the eyes, to deceive Adam and Eve with a lie that they will become like God. They forgot that that they were already created in God’s image. Greed took them over! Satan tried it on Jesus too, by showing him all the kingdoms of the world and their splendour.
What is satan showing you to make you greedy? Money, power, women, men, riches, etc. They all will fadeaway. Bible says, “Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life” (John 6:27).
Look for inheritance in heaven and not on earth, because only heaven lasts for eternity.
WHEN WE WORSHIP SCULPTURES, IMAGES
Have some of us considered how we might have been carrying idols all along? Let me explain this. God clearly tells us in His word that we must not form idols of any kind. Not even images and sculptors of Jesus!
Slowly but surely, you will see yourself following the things and people of whom you make sculptures and images, worshiping them unknowingly or knowingly.
You saw no form of any kind the day the Lord spoke to you at Horeb out of the fire. Therefore watch yourselves very carefully, so that you do not become corrupt and make for yourselves an idol, an image of any shape, whether formed like a man or a woman, or like any animal on earth or any bird that flies in the air,or like any creature that moves along the ground or any fish in the waters below. And when you look up to the sky and see the sun, the moon and the stars—all the heavenly array—do not be enticed into bowing down to them and worshiping things the Lord your God has apportioned to all the nations under heaven. Deu 4:15-19
Unfortunately, we see it as a common practice to have images of Christ and other people and things in our homes, mobiles screens, cars and ornaments. Some of us, even in our churches. Slowly but surely, you will see yourself following these things and people, worshiping them unknowingly or knowingly.
Let us replace all of them with scriptures today! Not some other day! If you do it, you will see the change in the atmosphere!
WHEN OUR COMMUNICATION WITH GOD AND HIS PEOPLE STOPS
Some of us choose to stop praying and reading God’s word. Later, when we end up not being able to hear God, see his hand, his miracles and healing in our lives, we question God for not speaking to us. Then, we eventually turn to another for the answer! This is just like what the Israelites did in the wilderness.
There are some who like to adapt to the culture to please people, to tradition to please ancestors, to religion to please themselves and in the end, miss out on pleasing God.
Exodus 32:1 When the people saw that Moses was so long in coming down from the mountain, they gathered around Aaron and said, “Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
There are some who like to adapt to the culture to please people, to tradition to please ancestors, to religion to please themselves and in the end, miss out on pleasing God. They can’t make out the difference between culture, tradition, religion from kingdom, simply because their lives are not being built on solid foundation. These days we come across this to an extent, where a believer dating someone tells them, ‘If you don’t agree to sleep before marriage, you are religious!’ When the line between truth and culture or religion is being pushed and made thinner, sin will become the new norm!
That is why, when our communication with God and His people stops and we are not rooted and built-up in Christ, we begin to give ourselves to hollow and deceptive philosophies based on human traditions and demonic in nature.
Let’s restart today!
WHEN WE LIVE A DISOBEDIENT LIFE
No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God’s seed remains in them; they cannot go on sinning, because they have been born of God. 1 John 3:9
One of the ways to train ourselves to lift the spirit over the flesh is by fasting and praying. Why? On one hand, we are intentionally making efforts to strengthen our Spirit man and on the other, we are receiving more grace to overcome sins!
Many try to use the logic, ‘I have been saved by grace and not by works, so I don’t need to prove my salvation with works’. Yes, we are saved by grace, but because the seed of God (Jesus) is in us and we have received a new heart, we cannot go on sinning. We will always be deeply convicted of our sins and be led to repent! I have seen it in my life! The day I was saved, I realised my sins and I repented of them. Those who grow in the Lord, read the Bible and pray, will themselves come across certain sins and patterns in their life and overcome them.
Is it possible to be very passionate when born again but over period of time, slack back and reach a point where sin doesn’t prick us anymore? Yes, our spirit man becomes weak when we choose to listen to more of the flesh in our spiritual journey and then our decisions, speech, conduct, emotions, and feeling are being led by the flesh. One of the ways to train ourselves to lift the spirit over the flesh is by fasting and praying. Why? On one hand, we are intentionally making efforts to strengthen our Spirit man and on the other, we are receiving more grace to overcome sins!
Let there be no loopholes (unrepented sins) for Satan to enter!
WHEN OUR FELLOWSHIPPING IS JUST AN EVENT
This is a dangerous place for any of us to be in! Children of God, over the years, have started to see correction and rebuke within the body of Christ as an offense.
Let’s open ourselves to fellowship with saints, and let church be about doing life together.
This is because spiritual pride has taken over humility, we are casual about sin, not giving importance to the work of the Holy Spirit, and selectively hearing what suits us. This is why some people have idolised certain preachers, whose teachings match their lifestyle. They do this so that they don’t have to beat their body down.
We read about Phinehas, a man whom God commended for his zeal and act of killing an Israelite man and Moabite women for their disobedience. (Numbers 25:13) Did God not stop the plague based on Phinehas’ act?
Then why do we hate correction today? Let’s open ourselves to fellowship with saints, and let church be about doing life together. We must not and cannot sit silent when we see sin creeping into the body of Christ.
Let us, as believers, guard ourselves from making idols and turning away from the one true God. As Jesus said to him, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only.’
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Have you ever watched a shepherd calling out and leading his sheep? It is a fascinating affair. All that the shepherd does is speak a word to call out to them, and in no time, his sheep listen to him from no matter how far they are, come to him, and flock around him.
Watch this short clip to see how the sheep hear their shepherd’s voice and flock around him! Source: https://youtu.be/Coq_grSFlNs
It is no wonder that Jesus used the relationship between a shepherd and his sheep as a parable to explain His relationship with those who love Him and believe in Him.
In John 10 : 14, Jesus says, “I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me”. Jesus does not say ‘all sheep’, ‘few sheep’, ‘many sheep’, but He says ‘my sheep’. You see, not every sheep is His sheep. There are only a set of sheep that are Jesus’ sheep. So, how is Jesus separating His sheep? How are the ones who He is calling ‘my sheep’ different from the rest?
He gives us the answer in John 10 : 27, where He says, “My sheep listen to my voice, I know them, and they follow me”. That is it. His sheep listen to His voice and follow Him. Like the sheep of any shepherd, who listen to their shepherd’s voice and follow him.
Listening to the shepherd’s voice goes beyond merely hearing his voice. It is a process of understanding, accepting and obeying what He says. It involves a sense of commitment to the shepherd. The sheep have to commit to train themselves to recognise their shepherd’s voice from all the other voices. They have to stay under the guidance of their shepherd. And, it is only by listening to their shepherd’s voice constantly, that the sheep begin to know their shepherd, and the shepherd begins to know them.
The key to go from knowing about God to knowing God is listening to His voice and following Him.
It is one thing to know about someone, but another thing to know the person. I can know about the president of my country, but do I really know the president of my country personally? In the same way, some of us know about Jesus, about God; but only some know God. Today, let us become sheep who know their shepherd unlike the sheep that wander hopelessly lost without one.
We can know our Lord Jesus intimately, but the only way is by listening to His voice – understanding His word. The key to go from knowing about God to knowing God is listening to His voice and following Him. The Bible is full of God’s words to us, his voice to us. His words are there to teach us, train us, correct us and rebuke us (as Paul puts it in 2 Timothy 3 : 16). But, the question is – Are we listening to His words? Are we understanding and obeying them?
There are 3 keys to listening to our good shepherd’s voice to grow in intimacy with Him –
STAY CLOSE AND CONNECTED TO HIM
Spending more time meditating on God’s word is one of the most important aspects of listening to His voice. The Bible teaches us that all scripture is God-breathed. So, that in turn means that we need God’s help, through the Holy Spirit, to understand His word. That is why just reading the Bible with no desire to understand God will become a mundane task that is religious and forceful. However, reading the bible to truly understand God with the help of the Holy Spirit will fill us with an unquenchable thirst for more of Him.
Stay in the light of His presence, and see how the Lord becomes your closest companion!
Job, at a time when he had lost everything including his wife, said in Job 23 : 11, “My feet have closely followed his steps…”. How did Job endure all that He was going through and not doubt God? It was simply because he was so close and intimate with God. The only way he could believe in God at that point was because he understood God’s word; a result of him walking closely in step with God.
The Psalmist says in Psalms 89 : 15, “Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.”
Stay in the light of His presence, and see how the Lord becomes your closest companion!
LET HIS WORD BE THE FINAL WORD
Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them.”
Beloved, closeness to God is so intricately knit to obeying His word.Jesus wants to make His home with us and be with us all the time, only if we can truly accept Him in our lives by obeying what He says. Your disobedience to Christ reflects your distrust in Him and His ways, which inevitably pulls you away from His heart.
When you and I put God’s words above our thoughts, the thoughts of this world and the lies of Satan, we immediately begin to embrace His closeness to us and our lives. Slowly, everything in our life becomes an easy affair of handing over our situations to Him and resting in His presence.
Jesus wants to make His home with us and be with us all the time, only if we can truly accept Him in our lives by obeying what He says.
Look at Shedrach Meshach Abednego in Daniel 3, simply because they let God’s word to them be their final word, God himself walked with them in the fire. Close to them in the furnace!
PURSUE HIS DEEPEST DESIRES
Something so unique about Moses was that he is the only man whom the Lord knew face to face in all of Israel (Deuteronomy 34 : 10). Wow! Don’t you long to be in that place? How did Moses get so close to the Lord? Well, as we read his journey with the Lord, we see how Moses often secluded himself from everything and everyone and pursued God in the tent of meeting. He feared the Lord. He longed for God.
God will confide His heart’s deepest desires to those who pursue Him in reverent fear.
And, the word of God says, in Psalms 25:14, “The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.”
God will confide His heart’s deepest desires to those who pursue Him in reverent fear. He wants to make his covenant known to us. But are we pursuing Him? Are we longing to know Him more and more?
The journey of knowing God is endless. Each time you know Him a little more, there is still more to know. That is why, this is so crucial to listening to His voice – longing to know God’s deepest desires.
Truly understanding God’s word and following it is key to drawing closer to His heart.
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HE IS ALIVE 