Sunday, December 30, 2012

2013 in Perspective


The year is 2013. Some say it is the year God will perform His word. Some say it is the year of worship. Others still say it is the jubilee year; the year of expansion and increase. No one wants to be left out; needless to say! Is it prophecy? I am not in any way suggesting I do not believe in prophesies! Nope.

Take 2012 for example. Powerful words were spoken as we began the year. You can ascertain whether all those things came to pass. Are all of us meant to experience the same things? It’s true we almost want the same things; if not financial breakthrough, relationship stability, if not promotion, physical well being and so on. But on the other hand, I believe that each of our paths is unique.

As for me, despite what I have heard concerning 2013, I have determined still to hear for myself what the LORD purposes for me. For the years I have walked with Him, I have understood that the cup meant for you to drink from, shall not be taken away. Few of us are looking towards a season of suffering; and consequently we fail to ask for the grace to help in times of need. Let us look at Paul’s desire.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

The Closed Door

I stared hopefully at the closed door. I still cannot exactly say for how long, but a long time had passed since the door was slammed. I struggled with the probability that this was happening in my dreams; but no, it was real. So real was it all this time that I could tangibly recall every moment I felt unable to go through that door.


I knelt to say a prayer arousing the hope in my heart that the door might just not be closed. In my attempt to reassure my faith, I would wrestle with the choice of opening the closed door and the choice of remaining contented that the opportunity had passed of going through that door. Was it really closed? I would ask.  Really? But there was no one to answer back! The puzzle was all left for me to solve. I am a genius; so I told myself! My ego and self will was so strong inside me that I could optimistically prove any one wrong; that the closed door was open. How paradoxical of me.

I could not imagine accepting any hint that acknowledged the door is closed, not if it was coming from me, leave alone another person. There was no thinking of the nature that if the closed door was actually closed it could be opened. My mind was not permitted to stray to this limit. My faith prohibited this. The closed door is open; I convinced myself. When the time to go through it comes, I will only push it!

Suddenly a strange feeling

God; a pavilion from the heat and the storms

Everyday unfolds new challenges. A challenge is an understatement of the trials and temptations we often face in our journey from earth to glory. Jesus Christ declared that on this earth we are going to face many sorrows & trials (other bible versions: trouble, tribulation, distress, frustration).

If you are human, like me, certainly you have experienced sorrow, trouble or frustration. All this come through many forms. Some have lost their loved ones (this is not easy, but it does not depict other experiences as lesser), others have had to endure pain in their bodies due to disease, losing jobs, failed relationships including divorce, raising children only to be ruined by worldly deception, being victims of crime including rape, crushed dreams, discrimination, lack of any kind (finance, spouse), oppression and many other unmentioned here.

It is at this moment that our ability is exposed as frail and our own means of help appears crippled. Even our lifetime preparedness (savings, education, healthy living) for such occurrences barely match the strength and magnitude of this storms when they suddenly come.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Sexual Purity in Dating

This is an interesting topic. It is worth considering if you want to follow God's will for it is written.

“It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable, not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God.” (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5).

I came across this interesting material which is available here and noted the following guidelines:

1. Realize you don’t have to date.
 
Much sexual temptation today is created by our social practice of coupling and isolating young people instead of doing what the Hebrew culture and many others have done—requiring that single people spend time together only in a context supervised by parents and other adults.


This structure of direct parental involvement and carefully overseen courtship has been the normal social structure; it is ours that is abnormal. In our culture, the unprecedented combination of young people‘s leisure time, money, transportation and being permitted to be alone for long hours and late at night—and the large gap between the average age of puberty and marriage—have proven overwhelming temptations to many, Christians included. (This is especially true in a culture that distorts teen sex, making it look romantic and healthy, when in fact it is usually unfulfilling, often emotionally devastating, and always morally wrong.)


Many people think that to be normal you have to date. But just because lots of other people do doesn‘t mean you have to. It‘s an option, not a need. With the upside comes the downside of definite risks and temptations. You can enjoy fun positive friendships with people of the opposite sex and be involved in all sorts of activities without coupling up with one person.  


If you‘re interested in the case for courtship rather than dating, see the best-selling I Kissed Dating Goodbye, A New Attitude Toward Romance and Relationships by Joshua Harris (Multnomah, 1997).

If you do choose to date, the following guidelines can help you maintain a walk with God and guard your purity.

Thursday, September 6, 2012

The Undiscovered Grace:

The Word became flesh and dwelt among us full of grace and truth…..and from his fullness have we all received grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [John 1:14-17]

Grace was the first thing Jesus Christ brought to us. It is the first thing we must receive from Him. There is no salvation without grace. There is no eternal life without salvation. There is no grace without Jesus Christ as grace came through Him.

Grace is the central foundation of the new covenant to which we are privileged to be part of. Grace introduces us to the covenant and the covenant keeper Himself. We believe Him because we have received the grace He brought (mark you; we have received grace upon grace).

Prophets enquired and searched diligently and prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. …The angels desired to look into these things. But it was revealed that it was not unto themselves but unto us they ministered. [1 Peter 1:10]

There was something exceptional about the second covenant which the prophets for saw. It had not been there before. It was something of great delight such that even the angels were envious of it. It was the grace that was to come to us! They would crave to gather every niche of it and try to understand the timing and the targeted people. It must have saddened them that they were only ministers to us! Friends, when Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of men appeared, he came with it; the grace. Grace is the reason for His blood!

I have identified three effects of grace in our lives: