It’s not a secret that I love reading the Bible. There are many reasons of course. One of them is the surprise factor. You see, the Bible is the Living Word of God and when we read it prayerfully, the Holy Spirit surprises us time after time. The boring parts becomes precious, old things get new meanings and historical things becomes personal. Encouraging words for sure. Try it yourself. Keep at it regularly. And your life is not the same…
Do you know that the enemy uses pride to lure us away from the Lord? It is hard to die for yourself and live only to the Lord. But that’s the calling of every Christian. But we don’t like it. And that’s when the enemy steps in. He tries to make us believe that pride is not really a sin. That we actually deserve some praise and acknowledgement. Slowly the anti-God state of mind starts to grow in us. A…
How are your discipleship routines? Are you diligent in obeying God? Are you reading your Bible even when you don’t feel like it? You answers tell a lot about your thoughts about how a Christian should live his/her life. Let’s see what others have said about discipleship and obedience. Eugene Peterson states “A disciple is a life-long learner: not an academic acquiring information about God, but a craftsman acquiring skills in the faith.” I do agree. Being a disciple is…
How is your day going? How do you stay alert to God and what he is doing in your life? We can’t let routines overtake the preciousness of life or busyness trump the sacredness of life. We truly need to refuse to become so self-sufficient that we forget our total dependence on God and his amazing grace. With the words of Paul Chappell “The mundane tasks of everyday life can lull you to apathy and push God to the back…
Do you rush around like crazy? Trying this and trying that? And nothing really comes together anyhow? Have you thought about asking God in what you’re doing? Have you thought about beginning with a prayer? Or – this is even a wilder thought – have you thought about laying down your own agenda asking God what and when and how he would like you to proceed? Because that is how to build a beautiful life. Unless the Lord builds the house,…
Do you know yourself? Even your dreams and desires? Sometimes we don’t dare to get to know ourselves because we are afraid of what we’d find. But denial is not the way to go. God has not meant us to burry our heads in the sand. Instead we are called to know ourselves and give our everything to God. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4, NIV) First and foremost we…
Do you know how to cultivate a spiritual crop? All children of God are called to bear spiritual fruit, to cultivate a spiritual crop. What this means for each of us is a little different. We’ve been gifted and wired special and peculiar ways. God has created us unique and also our callings will be unique. Hence we are not to compare ourselves with each other. We are to do the creative best we can with our own life and…
All children of God are all called to grow into spiritual maturity. We are called to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. We are called to grow up in Christ. How is your spiritual growing up process going? “In a word, what I’m saying is, Grow up. You’re kingdom subjects. Now live like it. Live out your God-created identity. Live generously and graciously toward others, the way God lives toward you.” (Matthew 5:48, MSG,*) The key ingredient in the…
One of the best things about Christianity is that we are not just saved, made right with God but we are also made whole. Wholeness is something everyone in the world wants. We want to feel complete. We want our lives to be wholesome. We want to be happy, whole, and peaceful. The way to wholeness is available for us in Christ. But only in Christ. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore…
God decided long, long time ago that he wants to adopt you into his family through Christ. God also decided that he wants you to be the focus of his love, to be made whole and holy by his love. God wants you to enter into the celebration of his lavish gift-giving by Jesus. All this is said so beautifully in the Message version of the letter to Ephesians: How blessed is God! And what a blessing he is! He’s…
