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.”
Friday, November 16, 2007
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
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
Wednesday, October 24, 2007
Finding Hope when you are depressed by the smallness of your life
I was reminded of Jesus' humanity recently when I was sitting in my room. As I thought of my own family members, friends who have achieved so much while in comparison I seemed to be doing so little, my thoughts made me feel smaller and smaller. Insignificance, unimportance and inferiority swept over me. Have you ever felt like that? Do you feel depressed by the smallness of your life? If so, praise Him for His eternity.
As I read Revelation 1, He spoke to me to praise HIM for his humanity and for His eternity of Jesus Christ. Verse 8 says that " I am the Alpha and Omega."(Rev1:8). This title describes the eternal omniscience of Jesus Christ. The alpha is the first letter and omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet. Through the alphabet, all of our words, all of our wisdom and all of our knowledge are expressed. Jesus is the beginning and end of the alphabet, the summation of all wisdom and knowledge.
What does the omniscience of Christ mean to me personally???I
It means I have always been on His mind. Think of it. The most important Man in the universe has always been thinking of you and me! Wonder of wonders! I have never been out of His thoughts. Even He hung on the cross, He was thinking of me by name, dying for me by name! And when He rose from the dead on that first Easter Sunday, He was raised with me on HIS mind. And not only is He eternally omniscient, He is eternally omnipresent: He is "the lord God who is and who was and who is to come.."(Rev1:8) My dear friend not only He is thinking of you, he is with you right now. Whatever the situation you are, He is there with you.
What does His eternal omnipresence mean to me personally???He is fully present in every age, every generation, every culture and every nation. If Adam and Eve knew Him as they walked with Him in the cool of the day, if Enoch walked right into heaven with Him, if Abraham knew Him as his Friend, if David knew Him as his Shepherd, if Mary Magdalene knew Him as a liberating grace why can't I know Him? If He is eternally the same, fully present in every age and every generation, then I can know HIM for assurance. His omnipresence brings comfort because I am assured He is fully present with me. His omnipresence also brings great safety in our life.Praise God for the eternity of Jesus Christ! He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent! He is the Almighty (Rev 1:8) Jesus Christ is all power, fully in charge. No one, nor anything is mightier than Jesus! What problem you are facing that is bigger than you are?
Praise God for the omnipotence of Jesus Christ. He is greater, more powerful than any problem or situation you or I will ever face.Hence God taught me to refocus on who Jesus Christ really is. Shall we all praise Him for His humanity, for His eternity and praise Him for who He is? Let's make time each day to praise Jesus for who He is? How? By reflecting on what He has said through bible?
Finally, how does praise of Christ help you if you are depressed by the smallness of your life? It helps you get your eyes off yourself as it puts your life in proper perspective. You and I cannot remain depressed when we maintain our focus on the person of Jesus Christ through praise. Shall we praise God by being preoccupied with Him, by making Him our first priority, by focusing on Him, by obeying what He says, then we all could find hope today?
As I read Revelation 1, He spoke to me to praise HIM for his humanity and for His eternity of Jesus Christ. Verse 8 says that " I am the Alpha and Omega."(Rev1:8). This title describes the eternal omniscience of Jesus Christ. The alpha is the first letter and omega is the last letter in the Greek alphabet. Through the alphabet, all of our words, all of our wisdom and all of our knowledge are expressed. Jesus is the beginning and end of the alphabet, the summation of all wisdom and knowledge.
What does the omniscience of Christ mean to me personally???I
It means I have always been on His mind. Think of it. The most important Man in the universe has always been thinking of you and me! Wonder of wonders! I have never been out of His thoughts. Even He hung on the cross, He was thinking of me by name, dying for me by name! And when He rose from the dead on that first Easter Sunday, He was raised with me on HIS mind. And not only is He eternally omniscient, He is eternally omnipresent: He is "the lord God who is and who was and who is to come.."(Rev1:8) My dear friend not only He is thinking of you, he is with you right now. Whatever the situation you are, He is there with you.
What does His eternal omnipresence mean to me personally???He is fully present in every age, every generation, every culture and every nation. If Adam and Eve knew Him as they walked with Him in the cool of the day, if Enoch walked right into heaven with Him, if Abraham knew Him as his Friend, if David knew Him as his Shepherd, if Mary Magdalene knew Him as a liberating grace why can't I know Him? If He is eternally the same, fully present in every age and every generation, then I can know HIM for assurance. His omnipresence brings comfort because I am assured He is fully present with me. His omnipresence also brings great safety in our life.Praise God for the eternity of Jesus Christ! He is omniscient, omnipresent and omnipotent! He is the Almighty (Rev 1:8) Jesus Christ is all power, fully in charge. No one, nor anything is mightier than Jesus! What problem you are facing that is bigger than you are?
Praise God for the omnipotence of Jesus Christ. He is greater, more powerful than any problem or situation you or I will ever face.Hence God taught me to refocus on who Jesus Christ really is. Shall we all praise Him for His humanity, for His eternity and praise Him for who He is? Let's make time each day to praise Jesus for who He is? How? By reflecting on what He has said through bible?
Finally, how does praise of Christ help you if you are depressed by the smallness of your life? It helps you get your eyes off yourself as it puts your life in proper perspective. You and I cannot remain depressed when we maintain our focus on the person of Jesus Christ through praise. Shall we praise God by being preoccupied with Him, by making Him our first priority, by focusing on Him, by obeying what He says, then we all could find hope today?
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
A costly choice or lamentable choice
Dear Friends,
For our study, lets focus the life story of Lot, Abram’s nephew in Genesis 13, 14 and 19, When Abram’s servants and Lot servants had a quarrel, Abram asked Lot to choose the land first to avoid the fighting among themselves. The proposal made by Abram to Lot was exceedingly generous. May be Abram and Lot were standing on one of the high mountains of Canaan, perhaps Mt. Hebron. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the well watered, fertile plains of Sodom and the rich hills of Moab. It reminded him of the Garden of Eden, which he had heard from his uncle Abram. And Lot chose all the plain of Jordan for his portion and separated from his Godly uncle. Lot dwelt in the cities of the plains for a while, then he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Finally, he dwelt in Sodom, there he was elected to the city council. Bible scholars say that Lot lived in Sodom for 20 years.
What is wrong in Lot’s choice?
Without regard for anything spiritual, just for his own soul, Lot chose the rich plains of Sodom. His choice was not good, because he had too much love for this world and he had little concern for his own soul and the souls of his family. There were no prophets in Sodom but only riches. There was no alter at which to worship God in Sodom but only green grass. There were no believers in Sodom but only wickedness & worldliness. From the moment that Lot made his choice, he began to decline. He did not go directly into Sodom, but step by step, he hardened his heart and seared his conscience until he convinced himself, that the best thing he could do for himself, his family was to move into Sodom. He compromised all his Godly characters to inherit Sodom. Are we traveling towards Sodom step by step leaving Godly friends, fellowship and communion? How is our commitment with our Christ? Is it fading day by day? Then cry out to God to replace the first love back into our lives immediately!!
Walking by sight:-
Lot walked by sight and not by faith. In Genesis 3:6, we see that, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was pleasant to the eyes, she took the fruit of the forbidden tree”. Walking by sight is the cause of most of our failures and sorrows. Abraham walked by faith and not by sight. That was the reason he could able to inherit God’s blessings in his life.
What did Lot gain by his separation from Abraham and journey to Sodom?
Nothing at all. Instead of gaining, he was the loser. In Genesis 14, we see the battle between 4 kings with five, they took all the good of Sodom and Gomorrah and they took Lot who also dwelt in Sodom and his riches and departed. When Abram came to know, he and his armed servants redeemed Lot and his property and all the riches of Sodom & Gomorrah, but still Lot returned back to Sodom. When I read this, I felt bad for Lot. How ignorant he was for not knowing God’s will in his life. His mind was targeted with Sodom’s riches and not to have fellowship with God. I don’t find Lot building an alter for God to worship in Sodom either. Even God’s providential dealings are insufficient to move Lot’s heart as his eyes and heart were fixed to Sodom’s riches. Lets ask ourselves, where are we now? When our own plans and selfish dealings don’t work, are we still lingering at the same place for trying to succeed? May be this is the right time for us to allow God to deal our lives once again. Are we like Lot going back to Sodom after seeing failures?
In Genesis 19, we see 2 angels found Lot sitting in the gate of Sodom, when Lot requested angels to partake of the hospitality, but angels preferred to abide in the street, this again confirms that Lots heart was far away from God’s presence. He compromised all his Godliness to please Sodom riches. Angels reluctance to enter Lots dwelling is in contrast with their fellowship with Abram. The utter meanness and selfishness of lots character was exhibited when he proposed to sacrifice his daughters to the men of Sodom in order to secure his own preservation and peace. The powerless of Lots testimony appeared in the response made by his sons in-law when he warned them that the Lord was about to destroy the city. He could not even gain a single soul for God when he was 20 years in Sodom. Lots words had no weight because of his previous way. How pathetic it is to experience in a Christian life. How is our testimony today? Is it powerful or powerless like Lot? The angels laid upon Lots hand while he was lingering and delaying in Sodom, which again confirms that where his heart was and how he loved that wicked place?
Lots choice of residence was completely dependent upon immediate and temporal needs and not on eternal spiritual blessings. His life on earth was a wretched failure; there was no witnessing for God and no blessings of God upon his family. His wife turned to be a pillar of salt and all his life, he left face to face with fruit of his own awful sin in the dark cave.
Lot is a concrete warning, a danger signal, for all Christians who feel a tendency to be carried away by the things of the world. May the God of Abraham help everyone to make a costly choice for the glory of God? Amen.
For our study, lets focus the life story of Lot, Abram’s nephew in Genesis 13, 14 and 19, When Abram’s servants and Lot servants had a quarrel, Abram asked Lot to choose the land first to avoid the fighting among themselves. The proposal made by Abram to Lot was exceedingly generous. May be Abram and Lot were standing on one of the high mountains of Canaan, perhaps Mt. Hebron. Lot lifted up his eyes and saw all the well watered, fertile plains of Sodom and the rich hills of Moab. It reminded him of the Garden of Eden, which he had heard from his uncle Abram. And Lot chose all the plain of Jordan for his portion and separated from his Godly uncle. Lot dwelt in the cities of the plains for a while, then he pitched his tent toward Sodom. Finally, he dwelt in Sodom, there he was elected to the city council. Bible scholars say that Lot lived in Sodom for 20 years.
What is wrong in Lot’s choice?
Without regard for anything spiritual, just for his own soul, Lot chose the rich plains of Sodom. His choice was not good, because he had too much love for this world and he had little concern for his own soul and the souls of his family. There were no prophets in Sodom but only riches. There was no alter at which to worship God in Sodom but only green grass. There were no believers in Sodom but only wickedness & worldliness. From the moment that Lot made his choice, he began to decline. He did not go directly into Sodom, but step by step, he hardened his heart and seared his conscience until he convinced himself, that the best thing he could do for himself, his family was to move into Sodom. He compromised all his Godly characters to inherit Sodom. Are we traveling towards Sodom step by step leaving Godly friends, fellowship and communion? How is our commitment with our Christ? Is it fading day by day? Then cry out to God to replace the first love back into our lives immediately!!
Walking by sight:-
Lot walked by sight and not by faith. In Genesis 3:6, we see that, “And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food and it was pleasant to the eyes, she took the fruit of the forbidden tree”. Walking by sight is the cause of most of our failures and sorrows. Abraham walked by faith and not by sight. That was the reason he could able to inherit God’s blessings in his life.
What did Lot gain by his separation from Abraham and journey to Sodom?
Nothing at all. Instead of gaining, he was the loser. In Genesis 14, we see the battle between 4 kings with five, they took all the good of Sodom and Gomorrah and they took Lot who also dwelt in Sodom and his riches and departed. When Abram came to know, he and his armed servants redeemed Lot and his property and all the riches of Sodom & Gomorrah, but still Lot returned back to Sodom. When I read this, I felt bad for Lot. How ignorant he was for not knowing God’s will in his life. His mind was targeted with Sodom’s riches and not to have fellowship with God. I don’t find Lot building an alter for God to worship in Sodom either. Even God’s providential dealings are insufficient to move Lot’s heart as his eyes and heart were fixed to Sodom’s riches. Lets ask ourselves, where are we now? When our own plans and selfish dealings don’t work, are we still lingering at the same place for trying to succeed? May be this is the right time for us to allow God to deal our lives once again. Are we like Lot going back to Sodom after seeing failures?
In Genesis 19, we see 2 angels found Lot sitting in the gate of Sodom, when Lot requested angels to partake of the hospitality, but angels preferred to abide in the street, this again confirms that Lots heart was far away from God’s presence. He compromised all his Godliness to please Sodom riches. Angels reluctance to enter Lots dwelling is in contrast with their fellowship with Abram. The utter meanness and selfishness of lots character was exhibited when he proposed to sacrifice his daughters to the men of Sodom in order to secure his own preservation and peace. The powerless of Lots testimony appeared in the response made by his sons in-law when he warned them that the Lord was about to destroy the city. He could not even gain a single soul for God when he was 20 years in Sodom. Lots words had no weight because of his previous way. How pathetic it is to experience in a Christian life. How is our testimony today? Is it powerful or powerless like Lot? The angels laid upon Lots hand while he was lingering and delaying in Sodom, which again confirms that where his heart was and how he loved that wicked place?
Lots choice of residence was completely dependent upon immediate and temporal needs and not on eternal spiritual blessings. His life on earth was a wretched failure; there was no witnessing for God and no blessings of God upon his family. His wife turned to be a pillar of salt and all his life, he left face to face with fruit of his own awful sin in the dark cave.
Lot is a concrete warning, a danger signal, for all Christians who feel a tendency to be carried away by the things of the world. May the God of Abraham help everyone to make a costly choice for the glory of God? Amen.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Trust in the Lord
Dear Friends,
Proverb 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”
What do you mean by Trust in the Lord?
Our loving Lord Jesus requires you and me to live in dependency upon Him. “Trust” means, we are depending upon God and placing our life totally in His hands. To trust God, we have to believe the word of God and we must depend upon His word.
Ok, when we trust God, what do we get?
The dependency on God yields “Prayer” in our life. Prayer less occurs when we depend on ourselves. How is our prayer life today? When Jesus Christ was on the earth in the human form, he regularly prayed to our Heavenly Father, we see Him going to solitary place for prayers. Even when Jesus depends God completely why can’t we trust Him with all our heart? Are we praying for everything in our life? Are we dependant towards our heavenly father for our needs? How is our dependency in our spiritual life?
God wants us to come to the place where we can admit that we are hopeless and helpless on our own, so that He can call us to a declaration of dependence as we humble ourselves before Him in prayer & worship.
I have noticed my little child saying, “ I can do it myself.” But at the end, she makes a mess of things and cries for help in frustration. How often is this the situation in our own lives as we first try to do things ourselves and only in time of crisis call out to God for help? God is calling us to put away the childish way of thinking we can do anything without our creator. In humility, we need to draw near to God and confess our inadequacy and complete dependence upon Him.
Secondly dependency on God yields, “Resting” on our God. It is leaning on His ability and not on our own. It also brings wisdom, direction, strength, healing etc from our loving Lord.
In john 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I am in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do NOTHING.” Here we see the Gods word concerning our ability to function properly apart from depending upon Him.
Lets go to our dear Lord to revive our dependency and trust in our Lord. May the God of Jacob help us to depend on our true God so that we could have constant prayerful mind in our lives. God of Jacob reminds me that, we also cheated many times like Jacob, but still our God gave his wonderful name to Jacob to teach us that He still concerns our week ness. may God bless everyone to trust and depend on His ability in our daily life. Amen.
Proverb 3: 5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”
What do you mean by Trust in the Lord?
Our loving Lord Jesus requires you and me to live in dependency upon Him. “Trust” means, we are depending upon God and placing our life totally in His hands. To trust God, we have to believe the word of God and we must depend upon His word.
Ok, when we trust God, what do we get?
The dependency on God yields “Prayer” in our life. Prayer less occurs when we depend on ourselves. How is our prayer life today? When Jesus Christ was on the earth in the human form, he regularly prayed to our Heavenly Father, we see Him going to solitary place for prayers. Even when Jesus depends God completely why can’t we trust Him with all our heart? Are we praying for everything in our life? Are we dependant towards our heavenly father for our needs? How is our dependency in our spiritual life?
God wants us to come to the place where we can admit that we are hopeless and helpless on our own, so that He can call us to a declaration of dependence as we humble ourselves before Him in prayer & worship.
I have noticed my little child saying, “ I can do it myself.” But at the end, she makes a mess of things and cries for help in frustration. How often is this the situation in our own lives as we first try to do things ourselves and only in time of crisis call out to God for help? God is calling us to put away the childish way of thinking we can do anything without our creator. In humility, we need to draw near to God and confess our inadequacy and complete dependence upon Him.
Secondly dependency on God yields, “Resting” on our God. It is leaning on His ability and not on our own. It also brings wisdom, direction, strength, healing etc from our loving Lord.
In john 15:5, "I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I am in Him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do NOTHING.” Here we see the Gods word concerning our ability to function properly apart from depending upon Him.
Lets go to our dear Lord to revive our dependency and trust in our Lord. May the God of Jacob help us to depend on our true God so that we could have constant prayerful mind in our lives. God of Jacob reminds me that, we also cheated many times like Jacob, but still our God gave his wonderful name to Jacob to teach us that He still concerns our week ness. may God bless everyone to trust and depend on His ability in our daily life. Amen.
Saturday, September 22, 2007
Study of Joseph character
Dear Friends,
Among the great men of the Old Testament, Joseph is truly unique, he was the 11th son of Jacob and was born to his father’s favorite wife Rachel in Paddam Aram after she had been barren for 7 years. Information about Joseph is found in Genesis Chapters 37 to 50. The character of Joseph is worthy of careful study in our Christian life. Because his nobility of character, his purity of heart and life and his magnanimity as a ruler and brother. Lets review the life study of Joseph briefly.
As a son in Canaan:-
Joseph was hated by his brothers and they sold him for 20 pieces of silver as a slave to a man Potiphar, who was a high ranking government official, Captain of the guard in Egypt. Joseph was also faithful to his father and willing to obey his wishes.
Joseph as a slave in Egypt:-
Joseph was a overseer in Potiphar’s house, he was blessed by God and found favor in Potiphar’s eyes. Though a young man, he proved industrious and trustworthy. He made the best of the situation and God blessed him and Potiphar. Jospeh was well built and handsome, so he was tempted by Potiphar’s wife and she tried time and again to seduce him. He resisted out of faithfulness to Potiphar and God. Most young men would have been unable to resist, but Joseph knew the difference between right and wrong. He knew God’s law fobade adultery. His reply to Potiphars wife reveals an insight into his values and character and now Jospeh is in his imprisonment.
Overseer in Pharoah’s Prison:-
Joseph was blessed again by God and he is favored by the keeper of the prison. He was placed in-charge of other prisoners with complete trust. He also interpretated the dreams of the baker and the butler and the dreams have been fulfilled yet Joseph was FORGOTTEN. This again taught me that how Joseph was too faithful to God in his calling. Because after giving good interpretation to butler, he could have changed baker’s dream in a nicer way to please others, but he didn’t. Since butler forgot Joseph, he was forced to stay in the prison in another 2 full years. How many times, we have been forgotten by men? But lets assure that our loving god is always mindful on our ways.
As a Prince in Egypt.
Now the day has come for Joseph, this is the days for God’s purpose to be revealed in Joseph’s life. Pharoah sent for 30 year old Joseph in a prison. Josephs prediction and advice to Pharoah’s dream pleased Pharoah and he made Joseph his second in command. And Jospeh wisdom manifested in his administration. If we observe the court scene between Pharoah and Joseph, we could able to find Joseph humbleness and worship to his God.
Merciful in his treatment to his brothers.
This is a wonderful character from the life of Jospeh. He was sold by his brethren, would have created bitterness and anger within. Being away from family and placed in new place, with new people and new language should have made Joseph to be drawn into bad characters, but Joseph WALKED with GOD in Egypt. He learned to wait patiently on God and to look to God for EVERYTHING. It takes tremendous courage to look away from circumstances and to look instead to God.
Conclusion:-
In the life and story of Joseph, I learnt the following.
He was centered in faith and trust in God
Devoted to serving God and man with honor and DEPENDABILITY.
Unwilling to be deterred by the hatred, betrayal and UNFORGETFULLNESS of others.
Willing to forgive the wrongs committed by others.
Able to see the big picture, GOD’s WONDERFUL working.
These noble characters helped Joseph in his youth (tempted and tried with no help from family and friend), in his mature individual (charged with important responsibilities) and in his old age (knowing that death is imminent).
If hard times, bitterness, resentment or anger are things that you and me are struggling with, lets read Joseph’s story and learn from his courage. God probably has a blessing waiting for you and me at our trials too. Amen. May the character of Joseph inspire us to develop our character as well?
Love and Prayers,
DP Vathani
Friday, September 7, 2007
Doubting the goodness of God
Dear Friends,
Let's see the God's command about the knowledge of tree in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2: 16-17 describe "The Lord God commanded the man, you are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die". In the midst of all the opulence of Eden, stood a tree whose fruit God had told Adam and Eve they could not eat.
Was GOD playing some kind of game with Adam and Eve? Was God tempting them beyond their ability to withstand?
The answer is NO. Before going in to detail, let's refresh our mind with chapter 1 & 2 of Genesis. God created living organism from the ground, He made trees to grow out of the ground. He made man from the dust of the earth. God found good method of creation. But He introduced a new method to create woman. He created woman from man, they both had dominion. They were both created in the image of God. This Eve was a flawless woman in a flawless world with a flawless relationship to her creator and to her husband. All His creations have been programmed to respond as God designed it to respond. Birds fly, Fish swim, Deer run, stars move, etc. But in the midst of all creation, a man and woman were created with a difference, in HIS own image.
Why God created Adam and Eve in HIS image??
It was that they stood between God and His created world as His representatives. Imaging God in the world, they had a responsibility to care for everything God put under them. They could choose to love God and obey Him. OR they could choose to turn their backs on God and go their own independent way. God validated choice and He validated HIS image in us by giving us the Power to choose. The tree gave Eve and Adam the opportunity to love God meaningfully. The tree, through its very presence, was the visible reminder to Adam & Eve that they were Creatures, dependant on their creator. Do you have any thing like this in your life? What ever the problem you have or people you feel that they are taking your blessings; they are all visible reminders to us that we are dependant on our creator.
If we see Genesis 3: 1-7, Eve disobeyed God by believing Satan's lie and made Adam to eat the fruit. For Eve, it was really a decision to doubt the goodness of God. Eve chose to listen to Satan’s lies. She chose to believe that God had lied because He did not want His creatures becoming like Himself. She mad a choice to ignore our creator. Fellowship with God was destroyed by her disobedience. Verses 8-13 describe that they hid from God and they shifted blame to one another. How is our choice with God? Do we doubt the goodness of God, if we don't get our prayers answered? Do we hide from God because of our disobedience? Or are we ashamed to communicate with our creator due to our hidden secrets?
In John we see, "My sheep knew my voice". Are we tuned to know and obey to our shepherds voice in the midst of all disturbances? All of our loves are bound up in choice. Without the power to choose, to say that we love God, has no meaning. Are you wrestling with many options? To make wise decision, we must know Gods word and apply it well. I Corinthians 15: 22 say that As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
In Christ we can be made alive; we can choose to have Him establish a relationship that is not broken by our independence and our bad choices. Now, let's make good choice with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Let's see the God's command about the knowledge of tree in the Garden of Eden. Genesis 2: 16-17 describe "The Lord God commanded the man, you are free to eat from any tree in the garden, but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die". In the midst of all the opulence of Eden, stood a tree whose fruit God had told Adam and Eve they could not eat.
Was GOD playing some kind of game with Adam and Eve? Was God tempting them beyond their ability to withstand?
The answer is NO. Before going in to detail, let's refresh our mind with chapter 1 & 2 of Genesis. God created living organism from the ground, He made trees to grow out of the ground. He made man from the dust of the earth. God found good method of creation. But He introduced a new method to create woman. He created woman from man, they both had dominion. They were both created in the image of God. This Eve was a flawless woman in a flawless world with a flawless relationship to her creator and to her husband. All His creations have been programmed to respond as God designed it to respond. Birds fly, Fish swim, Deer run, stars move, etc. But in the midst of all creation, a man and woman were created with a difference, in HIS own image.
Why God created Adam and Eve in HIS image??
It was that they stood between God and His created world as His representatives. Imaging God in the world, they had a responsibility to care for everything God put under them. They could choose to love God and obey Him. OR they could choose to turn their backs on God and go their own independent way. God validated choice and He validated HIS image in us by giving us the Power to choose. The tree gave Eve and Adam the opportunity to love God meaningfully. The tree, through its very presence, was the visible reminder to Adam & Eve that they were Creatures, dependant on their creator. Do you have any thing like this in your life? What ever the problem you have or people you feel that they are taking your blessings; they are all visible reminders to us that we are dependant on our creator.
If we see Genesis 3: 1-7, Eve disobeyed God by believing Satan's lie and made Adam to eat the fruit. For Eve, it was really a decision to doubt the goodness of God. Eve chose to listen to Satan’s lies. She chose to believe that God had lied because He did not want His creatures becoming like Himself. She mad a choice to ignore our creator. Fellowship with God was destroyed by her disobedience. Verses 8-13 describe that they hid from God and they shifted blame to one another. How is our choice with God? Do we doubt the goodness of God, if we don't get our prayers answered? Do we hide from God because of our disobedience? Or are we ashamed to communicate with our creator due to our hidden secrets?
In John we see, "My sheep knew my voice". Are we tuned to know and obey to our shepherds voice in the midst of all disturbances? All of our loves are bound up in choice. Without the power to choose, to say that we love God, has no meaning. Are you wrestling with many options? To make wise decision, we must know Gods word and apply it well. I Corinthians 15: 22 say that As in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
In Christ we can be made alive; we can choose to have Him establish a relationship that is not broken by our independence and our bad choices. Now, let's make good choice with our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
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