C.T.Studd has said “If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him”. I agree wholeheartedly. But I also agree with Dr. David Livingstone asking “If a commission by an earthly king is considered a honor, how can a commission by a Heavenly King be considered a sacrifice?…People talk of the sacrifice I have made in spending so much of my life in Africa. It is emphatically no…
Do you know how to live well? How to have a blessed life? George Herbert states “Living well is the best revenge” encouraging us to move on with our lives after disappointments and concentrate in living well. An online dictionary tells us that well-being is “The state of being healthy, happy, or prosperous; welfare”. Probably something we all want. The ways we think we can achieve it varies from person to person. Living well for me is living according to…
Happy New Year, dear fellow pilgrim! Let’s start 2012 by listening what God has to say to us: Don’t fear, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; when through the rivers, they won’t sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you won’t be scorched and flame won’t burn you. I am the LORD your God, the holy one of Israel,…
God has promised to bless his children richly. But these blessings are not material things. Nonetheless these blessings bring forth all the good things in life: God’s kingdom isn’t about eating food and drinking but about righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. (Romans 14: 17, CEB) We can’t produce spiritual fruit on our own. And artificial fruit just does not do it. The only way to bear spiritual fruit is by abiding in Christ. Even then it’s never…
Life is a journey. With the words of Billy Graham “My home is in Heaven. I’m just traveling through this world”. This life is not everything there is. God is waiting for us to get home. Life is a gift. It’s fragile and it’s precious, and it’s over before we know it. We need to be mindful how we use our time here on earth. But if God is the center of our lives, then everything gets meaning. Then even…
Does faith and luck have anything to do with each other? Not if we think that luck has nothing to do with God. But if we see God as a giver of luck or blessings, then faith and luck are closely related. Even the beatitudes could be translated “Lucky are those”. The Greek work used here is ‘makarios’ and it means “the ones to be congratulated” or “the ones who are fortunate”. Jesus starts his sermon on the Mount with…
When something odd and new comes around we are suspicious. When something unexpected happens in our lives we tend to cling to the old and familiar. Even if we are unhappy with the old. Because it is, at least, something we know. Too often we pass by good things because we don’t dare to taste, touch or try something new out. That almost happened to the people of Israel when God sent them bread from heaven, manna (Exodus 16). In…
Happiness seems to be what the whole world wants. But happiness is based on feelings, luck, and circumstances. Blessedness is something deeper. Blessedness is rooted in God. I bless God every chance I get; my lungs expand with his praise. (Psalm 34:1, MSG) There’s a huge difference between happiness and blessedness. The difference is GOD. God is the source of all the good things in our lives. God is the source of peace in the midst of hardships. God is…
Do you know Jesus? Or do you just pretend to know him? Or do you know about him but not him? Those are two utterly different things. Because if we rationalize faith we start doubting. But if we enter into the presence of God and get to know him we are filled with joyful awe and peaceful certainty. Do you hang around Jesus because you want to be blessed? Or because you want to personally know him and love him?…
One of the many temptations in life is to forget where our blessings come from. We explain the blessings away thinking things happened by accident or it was serendibity. Or we take the credit for ourselves. But the middle verses of the Bible emphasize the importance of counting our blessings and remembering them. And giving credit where credit is due. O my soul, bless God. From head to toe, I’ll bless his holy name! O my soul, bless God, don’t…
