Friday, November 16, 2007

God's unconditional love

Dear Friends,
In John 3:16, we see the most well known verse, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” I understood that one way God defines love is the act of giving.. Many times I have heard my kids say, I love you because you are cute or I love you because you take good care of me sometime friends say, I love you because you are fun to be with. We love conditionally in other words, we love someone because they fulfill a condition that we require before we love them. Our love is not only conditionally it is also mercurial, we love based on feelings and emotions that can change from one moment to the next. God wants us to know that His love is unconditional, so he sent his son Jesus Christ to die for us while we were still unlovable sinners, His love is very different from human love, and his love is not based on feelings or emotions. He loves us because He is love.

Why does God so love the world? Why does God love me and you? Is He jobless or is He not busy to care other important things?

God loves us because we are HIS children. God’s love is unconditional and it seems that the love parents have for their children are as close to unconditional love. Parents continue to love their children through good times and bad times and they don’t stop loving them if they don’t meet the expectations they may have for them. This is similar to God’s love for us. He loves us because He created us.

God loves us because; He wants us to know Him. We are incomplete without God. He wants us to have closer relationship with Him. How can we know God better? To know God better, we should know Jesus Christ. To know God better, we should read the word of God regularly. And know God better through observing nature, Psalm 19:1.

God loves us because we NEED HIM. We need God to redeem us from sin. We need God to help us live for Him. We need God to meet our life’s needs. Phil 4:19 says that, “But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Jesus Christ.”

If we see John 3:16 again, the most beautiful word in this text is “whosoever”. Jesus can save you and me. Whoever you are, no matter who you are? No matter what you have done, no matter how evil and godless you have been, no matter how richly you deserve hell. No matter what your nationality, or skin or color or ethnic group, no matter if you are male or female, young or old, whoever you are, you can be saved, you don’t have to perish. However, what God gave was not a mere gift wrapped present, God sacrificed his only son Jesus Christ, so that we put our faith in HIS son. This is an amazing love because we are the ones, who choose to be separated from God through our own sin, yet it’s God who mends the separation through His intense personal sacrifice and all we have to do is accept HIS gift

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

Thursday, November 1, 2007

A Sword for the Lord

Let's spend few minutes on Judges 7: 19-25. Here we see, how God helped Gideon to choose 300 men in his camp. God's ways are very strange in this selection. I was thinking who are these 300 men? Are they rich or strong or wise or great warriors? The answer is NO, but these 300 men are ready for God and Gideon's command. Their minds are set to God. If you see verses 19 to 25, it clearly picture that they did what Gideon asked them to do. Sometime God wants us to do the same thing in our life. What is our reaction? Are we saying that it is enough, let me do on my own? If so, lets ask HIS grace to learn what Gideon and his men did for the victory.

If you see verse 19, it says, " they blew the trumpets and smashed the pitchers that were in their hands". This is their first action towards their victory. They blew their trumpets, which represent our testimony to Jesus. They were perfect in God's proclamation to others. Let's check our trumpets now. How is my personal testimony to God? Am I blowing my trumpet regularly or it has been hidden in my garage. Where is my trumpet now? Is not enough to find your trumpet but we have to tune the trumpet for HIS glory. How is our Christian life? Is it giving any fruits or not?

Secondly they smashed the pitchers that were in their hands. It represents our inner life. We will be having many thoughts, which hinder God's blessings in our life. Or we will be having many preconceived ideas, which block His glory in our life. We may be having ungodly persons in our life. What ever it is, allow it to HIS feet and smash all these things that are in your mind. Everyone will be having different type of pitchers in your mind, could you please break it or smash it to God now? God sees your inner person. The unholy thoughts, people, actions may corrupt your inner person to God, Why don't we smash all these ungodly things in our life?

Thirdly, they held their torches in their left hands and the trumpets in their rights hands for blowing and cried, "A sword for the lord and for Gideon".(Verse 20). Wow, what a great picture? Immediately I thought about Nehemiah who used both hands for God's work when his enemies were trying to disturb his work. God wants both of your hands and your heart for HIS work. They held their torches in their left hand which teaches us the lamp on the lamp stand. The torch represents Jesus in our life. In gospel we see that He is the light of the world. Where is my torch now? Is it shining or lost its radiance? Lets search our torches right now! Where is our torch, which has given to all of us when we accepted Him as a savior? Is it faded by my partner or by my friend or by my roommate or by any other source? Let's tame our torch and increase its brightness.

My dear friend, God wants us to stand like a soldier who is ready for HIS command and keeping both hands ready for HIS action. Lets hold our torches in our left hands and hold our trumpets in our right hands for HIS command. In these days, God wants you and me to smash all our ungodly ways first before we get ready for HIS command.

May the dear Lord Jesus prepare all of our hearts and minds for HIS battle in these days? Amen