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Who Fulfills Your Desires?

Who fulfills your desires? That is the question I would like to explore.

Desires are many. And all your life you strive hard to fulfill your desires. Some happen; others don’t come to pass.. Fulfilment of desires makes you elated while desires not fulfilled disappoint.

I leave out what is plainly known to all as bad desires out of my discussion. And what remains are good desires. Who fulfills them is the question?

The Bible gives an answer to this question. It says God will “give you the desires of your heart.” Is that possible? Is God interested in your desires? The answer to both questions are an emphatic “Yes.” The Bible clearly states the promises of God can be claimed and they are “Yes” in Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Then why is that many of your desires are not met? That is a good question. Let us look at God’s promise: “Delight yourself in the LORD and he will give you the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4).”

So it is plain that there is a condition on which the promise is made. You have to delight in God. Now what do you do when you delight in someone? Or to put it in perspective what does a lover do when he is engaged to a girl to be married? Does he not seek time away from others to be with his beloved because he delights in her?

Similarly, if you delight yourself in the LORD you will long to spend time with him. Reading the Bible becomes a delight, maybe a greater delight than the food you enjoy the best. Prayer stops being formal but becomes an ongoing conversation with occasional quarrels with the LORD like any normal human relationship.

Moreover, when you delight yourself in the LORD you recognize and welcome the presence and indwelling of the Holy Spirit in your life. You allow him to search and examine your heart and obey his prompts with gladness.

You start to realize that he dwells in your body and your body is his temple. So you will allow the Spirit of God to sanctify your bodily desires so that the sinful desires will lose strength and the godly desires become deep-rooted.

One more impact is that your desires will start to conform to the desires of God for your life. Then it becomes a willing obedience from your part. And thus your desires will be fulfilled because there is no conflict with what you desire and what God wills for your life. Amen.

Related Posts
Delight Yourself in the LORD and He Will Give You the Desires of Your Heart!
Delight in the Lord, He Will Give Desires of Your Heart

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God Who Watches Over You

“I, the Lord, watch over it” — Isaiah 27:3

Have you ever wondered if God watches over you? Let us look at Isaiah 27:2–6 to find the answer. Here God is calling Israel, his people, a fruitful vineyard. Earlier he was disappointed with it (see Isaiah 5:1–7). But now God is saying that he watches over it.

Have you wondered whether God is angry with you? It could be that you had sinned against the Lord and even after you have repented and been washed in the blood of the Lamb, you still feel that God is angry with you. God is not condemning you (Romans 8:1). And even if he had been angry with you; now his anger has turned away (Isaiah 12:1). Therefore you can be joyous (Isaiah 12:3). Further, God says, “I am not angry (Isaiah 27:4a).”

God’s intention for you is that you be a fruitful vineyard. You will be one “in that day.” It is that day of God’s blessing that will come upon you like it is going to come to Israel. Then “Jacob will take root, Israel will bud and blossom and fill all the world with fruit (Isaiah 27:6).” God wants you to bear fruit for his glory (John 15:8).

To this end, God is watching over you like his own vineyard. He is watering it continually giving you all grace that is needed to flourish. He is guarding you day and night so that no one will harm you (Isaiah 27:3). He who watches over you will neither slumber nor sleep (Psalm 121:4).

So dear friend, do not move away from God. Be under his watchful care and eye. Do not rebel against him. But be at peace with him. He is not angry with you but wants to make you fruitful. Jesus too said the same thing. Therefore abide or remain in him and let the word of God remain in you (John 15:5, 7). Be encouraged today for God is watching over you.

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Are You Hooked to Internet Pornography? 7 Steps to Freedom from Sin!

God is merciful. He will show you compassion.

But if that is all, then you have got a wrong picture of God. He is holy.

You need to look at the holiness of God before you find reasons to justify your surfing the internet to see or read porn.

God understands your struggle. You do not wish to be a slave to sin. But you find yourself return to the vomit time and again as the Bible says (2 Peter 2:22).

Do not deceive yourself by saying to yourself that God will forgive. Yes, he does that through the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross.

But look at the cross. The punishment that had to fall on you fell on him.

Yes, look to Jesus. You can see love in his eyes. But he came to set captives free (Luke 4:18, John 8:36).

  • Therefore the first step to get out of internet pornography is to call it by its true name–sin.
  • Step two is to stop justifying your sin. Do not put the blame on your hormones, your friends, or anything else. Accept responsibility like David and say, “I have sinned against the Lord (2 Samuel 12:13; Psalm 51:4).”
  • Step number three is to stop relying on your resolution, “This one last time I will look at internet porn. From tomorrow I will stop.” It has never worked and never will.
  • Step number four is to spend more time with God’s Word and hiding it in your heart so that you will not sin against God (Psalm 119:11). Yes, the Word of God can strengthen you in your fight against sin and can cleanse your mind of filth.
  • Step number five is to seek the help of the Holy Spirit. Without his help you fight an ever-losing battle.
  • Step number six, always remind yourself that God has called you to be holy. Fleeing sexual immorality is God’s will for you (1 Corinthians 6:18, 1 Thessalonians 4:3). Therefore run away from all sources of temptation like how Joseph did.
  • Finally, return to God with all your heart each time you saw porn. The battle is real. There is no moment you are insulated and safe against temptation. The Bible warns: “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful you don’t fall (1 Corinthians 10:12)! Just cry out to God for mercy. He will hear you.

But do one thing. Never yield a moment to the devil’s lie that it is impossible to break this evil habit of yours. He is a liar and a murderer always (John 8:44).

Do not deceive yourself by thinking that circumstances were favourable; therefore it was God’s will. Read James 1:13–15 and be warned.

Do not think that it is ok because nobody else is watching me. I am harming no one. All these are lies of the devil. Jesus said, looking lustfully at a woman is already adultery committed with her in one’s heart (Matthew 5:28). So it is your heart’s attitude that is primarily counted. So looking lustfully at an image, movie, picture etc. amounts to adultery.

Remember that each time you see porn you are strengthening the hands of the wicked and pouring out money to them.

Remember this too: When the Bible says that God’s wrath is being revealed against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness (Romans 1:18), wrath certainly includes wrath against pornography as well.

If you are married, then know that you are defiling your marriage bed (Hebrews 13:4) by filling your mind with lust.

If you earnestly repent and seek God with a broken heart, he will restore the joy and sanctity of sex in marriage as he created it to be (Proverbs 5:16–20, Song of Songs).

Stop being unfaithful to God and your beloved wife or husband.

God’s hand is not shortened. He is Almighty. He can deliver you from internet pornography. But the devil would like you to believe that it is impossible.

The question is, do you want to believe the lie of the devil or the truth of God?

The Deception of Innocent-Looking Chat Relationship Outside Marriage

About God’s Will and Right Sexual Conduct

But David Remained in Jerusalem, Woman Bathing

Are You Struggling with Masturbation?

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The River of Life

There flows a river;
A river, a river of life.
Of its abundance
I drink deeply
Till from within my heart
Its streams, living, overflows!

Clear as a crystal
Flowing from God’s throne
And of the Lamb.
It’s a river, a river, a river
Of life-giving power
As its peaceful torrents flow.

On the banks of this river, river, river,
Stand the tree of life,
Yielding fruit every month–
It is food that never fails.
Their leaves wither not;
And they heal the nations.

There is a river of the water of life;
Whose streams make glad
The city of God.
This is a river;
A spring of living water
That wells up to eternal life!

—–
This song has been based on the following texts: Revelation 22:1–2, Ezekiel 47:1-12, John 4:13–14; 7:37–39 and Psalm 46:4. May you experience the fullness of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in you as you read these Scriptures. Amen.

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Still I Am His Child

When the pain of sin
Clouds my broken heart
And shuts heaven’s light–
Amid this grave’s darkness
A pearl does shine:
“Still I am His child!”

When that beautiful vase
Slips from my hands ‘n falls,
Cracks ‘n breaks and scattered lies–
From its broken pieces
I see emerge a grand design:
“Still I am His child!”

When beneath a broom tree
I in fear and despair lie
And pray for life to die–
I wake to an angel’s touch
And eat of heaven-sent food:
“Still I am His child!”

When that urgent mail returns
With unopened seal; my faith trembles
And looks up to see starless nights–
Oh mournful song; death-scented breath,
Challenge me not, touch me not:
“Still I am His child!”

—–
This poem came as a result of the Holy Spirit deeply impressing upon the author the thought that whatever happens, he is still God’s child. Even when he falls into sin (stanza 1), even when he makes mistakes (stanza 2), even when he is discouraged like Elijah (stanza 3), and even when prayers seem unanswered and fear of death lurks around (stanza 4), he was reminded that he is still God’s child!

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My Care, His Care!

There was a care in my heart
That I could not wish away.
So, in prayer, I took it to the Lord;
Yet the pain, its weight, remained!

Was it that God did not care
To look upon my wearied soul?
When in such big a world
He had bigger things to do?

I waited for His answer still
Though clouds did gather in,
My doubts echoed loud’n clear
Like thunder-rolls crashing in.

I cried cos I could not find a friend
Who could my burdens a little share;
Thought I told, explained all,
They could not my care lessen.

With nothing else to do, I stood
And tried to knock heaven’s doors again:
More in despair than in hope. The door opened,
But alas, there I saw my care again!

Such fear shook my mind at its sight,
That, like a tree by an ax brought down
I crashed’n fell to the dusty ground–
And for a long time there unmoving lay.

Then I felt, first a drop, then drizzle,
And then at last heavy downpour too;
It flooded not the ground, but my heart,
Till and unitl there was no more room.

With such acts of mercy does God visit
The soul that bites the dust;
In grief, in doubt, in deep despair–
Till no room for care is left!

Related Post:

Killing Killer Worry

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Even Our Failures

The good news account in Matthew’s gospel begins with a long list of names.

In this list of names there are many who failed God at some crossroad in their lives. There are blemishes in the lives of many of the people mentioned here. Even a prostitute who turned to God in faith finds mention in the list. Yet God has included their names here.

The people mentioned in this list had different temperaments and character. Some of them had daring faith; while some others had glaring failures in their lives. Overall we find diverse personalities being joined together like linking beads in an ornament of exquisite beauty.

God blended them all together into his grand design. He used their lives to bring about the birth of his Son to this world. All this took centuries.

Therefore the long list of names tell you that God finds you useful; and in spite of most unlikely circumstances in your life, he can fit you perfectly into the working out of his great plans for good.
It is God’s grace that makes even our failures blend into His bigger picture. That grace came to us through Jesus Christ!

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Prayer Is Conversation with God

A better understanding of prayer can help us be great communicators; for prayer is conversation with God. When Jesus taught about prayer (recorded in his famous Sermon on the Mount), he said:

“But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.”

Several key thoughts emerge from this single statement on prayer:

The most revolutionary thought is that prayer is a relationship. It is talking to your Father in heaven. It is not that God does not know what you need. That is not the reason why Jesus encouraged those who heard him to pray. It is because God delights to hear his children speak to him because that is the most natural way of expressing a relationship. The Father in heaven is near and approachable when his children come to him in prayer.

The second thought is that prayer is spending time alone with God. This happens only when there is love between man and God. For those in a love relationship do not mind spending time with each other, however long hours it takes. Unfortunately the common thought is that prayer is some kind of burden when you put on a long face. But God promises joy to his children in his presence when they spend time with him in prayer.

Another thought is that Jesus encouraged people to talk directly to their Father in heaven. He said to “go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen.” The focus is on you and God; all alone:

What a picture this is! Can you imagine the privilege to have God as your audience? What will you speak? Yes, in the secret place of your talking with God, you can be honest with him. It is here that you open your heart and let God know of all your fears, doubts, anxieties, worries, temptations and expectations.

And imagine again the truth that you need no one else’s help to pray. Jesus said that you can approach God directly in prayer. What a privilege this is! Nothing is said about perfect grammar, right pronunciation or a particular language to pray. Even a broken heart too burdened to say words is accepted by God as genuine prayer. What a comfort this is!

Then there is the promise of reward. One way of seeing reward is how God teaches us humility and dependence on him in prayer. He refines our character and makes us better by helping us wait for the answers he has kept for us. This is the toughest part for it goes directly against the tech savvy “I want it and I want it now” generation. But in the waiting process, the praying man or woman is changed to be a better person; and that is definitely one reward of prayer.

Let me conclude with one final thought. There is a great promise on prayer in the Bible which says: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” The invitation to pray is God’s. His promise that he’ll answer your prayers is true. And there are things unknown to us that God will show us when we pray. What more do you want to ask for?

Bible quotes (NIV): Matthew 6:6, Jeremiah 33:3

The Secret of Prayer Posts List

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Is God Your Hiding Place?

We all hide when we do wrong; don’t we? That is our first instinct. We love to move away from the light and hide in the dark.

But if we confess our sin and turn to God with a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:17) we have a hiding place in God.

So let us draw near to God in full assurance of faith that he is our hiding place (Psalm 32:7).

Then, there are occasions when we need a refuge in times of distress in life. No life is free from trouble and there are seasons when we feel burdened beyond measure.

Those are times we shouldn’t move away from God but inch closer to him. Emotionally we might not feel the love of God nor joy nor peace. In such darkness, God is more near than you think.

Don’t trust your emotions. But trust your God when there is no light (Isaiah 50:10). Then you will find God a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat (Isaiah 25:4).

As we sing,

Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A weary land, a weary land;
Oh, Jesus is a Rock in a weary land,
A Shelter in the time of storm.1

You will find him comfort you with a mother’s love (Isaiah 66:13) when you move to him, your hiding place.

But God is not just your hiding place in your brokenness because of sin and failure, and when your life is in distress. There is more.

Yes, more is the word. God himself testified that he talked with Moses like a man talks face to face to his friend (Numbers 12:8, Exodus 33:11). Earlier, Moses had spent forty days and nights with God.

Yet he was not satisfied even when God promised him that “My Presence will go with you, and I will give you rest (Exodus 33:14).” He wanted to know more of God. And he made a bold request: “Now show me your glory (Exodus 33:18).”

Surprisingly, God did not deny that request but told him that he will put Moses inside a hiding place–a cleft in the rock (Exodus 33:22)–to see him.

In Christ, we have that hiding place. He is the cleft in the rock. Paul says our life is hidden with Christ in God (Colossians 3:3).

But intimacy with God is reserved for those who long for God and thirst for God (Psalm 42:1) and like Moses (Exodus 33:13) and Paul desired, “that I may know him (Philippians 3:10).”

It is when you long for God like that he will be for you a hiding place.

Are you weary today because of your struggle with sin? Go to God your hiding place.
Are you weary today because of your troubles in life? Go to God your hiding place.
Are you weary today because of your lack of spiritual growth? Go to God your hiding place.

No failure in your life is final if you go to God your hiding place!

A Cleft in the Rock

You Are My Hiding Place

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1Hymn

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But When You Pray–the Prayer in Secret!

Prayer is in an invitation to be in a closed room with God the Father.

It is a privilege given to you–to be alone with God. It also means that God is giving you absolute attention when you pray.

A closed room means that this is a private meeting. What you talk with God is in secret. But the promise is that God will reward you openly.

You need not have fear when you are alone with God. This is simply because you are invited to pray because of your relationship with God. He is your heavenly Father.

Therefore prayer is not a duty or a burden. It is a time you experience intimacy with God. It also means that there is absolutely nothing you cannot open up before God–even things that you are ashamed of and are unable to tell anyone else!

You are also asked to close the door and pray. What does it mean? It means that you should prepare your hearts to speak to God. And practically, as much as possible, set apart a time and place, where you might not be disturbed when you pray.

Again, Jesus emphasized one element in prayer we shouldn’t miss. Those who do not know God try to make prayer a repetition of phrases, magical chants, or even use memorised words. Do not babble (talk in a foolish, excited and not understandable way) like pagans is what Jesus said.

But Jesus pointed out that the effectiveness of prayer is not in meaningless repetition. Why? He said it is because God your Father already knows what you need before you ask him.

Then what is the need of prayer? Simply that God loves to have you come and talk with him.

You might ask him many things without knowing what you actually need. The beauty of prayer is that you learn to pray by praying.

And in talking with God you realize what you actually need. For example you might want a trouble removed but what you may actually need is grace to stand up under its pressure. And you learn to say, “your will be done,” because his will has now become your will through prayer.

Finally, the absolute certainty of God listening to, and answering your prayers is made clear. Oh, there is no end to doubts when you pray. But no prayer is going to be unheard.

Therefore pray. Your Father in heaven is listening. The world prays motivated by fear. You pray because you love God and you are loved by him.

Isn’t that awesome?
—
Post based on Matthew 6:5–8 and 10
For more on prayer,
The Secret of Prayer Posts Lists
Pathways of Prayer

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“Why Are You Downcast, O My Soul?”

“Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me?”1 The ones who raised this question three times in rapid succession themselves give the answer too: “Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my Saviour and my God.”

Seasons of discouragement come to the best of people. Those who trust in God also do pass through the valley of darkness occasionally. During such times human help often fails. People who used to give us godly counsel struggle to find the right words to encourage our spirits during such times.

The first thing to remember during such times of difficulty is that God is not finished with us yet. He still has a plan and a future for us however dark the situation appears to be.

Therefore the authors of these Psalms found courage to say, “For I will yet praise him.” That is the beauty of having a future look. Looking ahead with hope that God will step in and pull us out of deep pits of depression is an act of faith.

Such faith does not allow oneself to spend time in self-pity. It does not brood over past failures. But instead such faith fixes its eye on God alone. “For all other ground is sinking sand,” as one hymn writer has put it.

As one holds on to God during dark times in life, a miraculous change comes in. God will give the people who mourn a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair.2 Yes, God acknowledges the reality that we often get discouraged and fall into a spirit of despair.

But that is not where God wants us to be. He wants us to step out of it. One example is that of David. He, when all his men were talking of stoning him, in great distress “found strength in the Lord his God.”3

The authors of the Psalms mentioned above were doing the same thing. They were encouraging themselves in the time of great discouragement to put their hope in the Lord.

Therefore do not yield to despair and give up. God knows the difficult times you are passing through. He “longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion”4 He will be gracious to you when you cry for help and he shall answer your prayers.

So do not lose heart. “Hold the fort” as another hymn writer has put it. There is no need to be downcast or disturbed. You will surely find God’s help and you will yet praise him. He is your Saviour and your God!

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Bible references:
*1 Three times in Psalm 42 and 43 the Sons of Korah who composed these Psalms asked the question.
2 Isaiah 61:1—3
3 1 Samuel 30:6
4 Isaiah 30:18

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God Has Kept Before You an Open Door That No One Can Shut

The Risen Christ is speaking:

“See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.”

You might have prayed long about closed doors in your life.
You kept knocking at many of them but they did not open. And you are disheartened. Yet the promise is true because the One who spoke is faithful. He always keeps his word without fail.

Take a moment to think:
In spite of all that seems lost, aren’t there blessings in those very same closed doors you failed to see? Did you not learn to trust God more, and wait for his time in your life with patience?

Did you not find hope even when everything seemed hopeless? Did not people come into your life to help and encourage you in unexpected times?

Perhaps, during this time you learned to count your blessings; didn’t you? Instead of complaining about all those things you do not have!

God is not over with you yet.
He is busy but patiently working out circumstances. You might not see what is happening but the Sun shines anyway behind the clouds. Even though your needs are so great that you seem to break underneath its pressure, God is still saying to you, “Wait, my time is not yet come!”

Why is God taking that long? you might ask.
He is preparing your heart. Just like a farmer prepares the ground before sowing the seed, you have to be prepared for the blessing that God has planned for you. The preparation is not pleasant. It is tough. No discipline seems welcome at this time. Whatever rough edges you have is being chiselled away. The finer the chiselling, the longer it takes.

But then, God is also preparing others.
He sometimes allows a crisis in other people’s lives so that you may step in at the right moment as the answer to the situations they are facing. God can move the hearts of the most unlikely people to show favour to you. He changes times and seasons. Therefore keep trusting God.

Finally, God’s time is always right.
Why? Because he alone knows when you, people, and circumstances are fully ready. He can easily call into existence those things that do not exist right now. Therefore stop looking at circumstances and being afraid. Stop putting your trust in people, because even with good intentions there are limits to what people can do for you.

There is no power on earth, heaven or hell to close the door that God has kept open for you. Believe it. And start thanking God for that open door that he has kept for you!
—

“These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut” — Revelation 3:7b, 8a Bible.

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“I Will Repay You for the Years the Locusts Have Eaten!”

God is speaking to a people whose land was devastated by an army of locusts. Their sin and rebellion against God invited this disaster.

Yet God is promising them a restoration. He was asking them to return to him so that he could make good the promise to repay the years the locusts have eaten.

“Impossible!,” you might say. “I have wasted so many years of my life.” Yes, that is true. But you need to know that the person who is making the promise is God of your past, present, future and all eternity!

He is true to his word. But he is no magician. He works with great patience. The process of rebuilding your life will take time. You need to hope, believe, and trust in spite of all the brown barrenness that the locusts have left behind.

Green will sprout again. The deep hurts will heal. Doors of opportunities will open once more. Joy will crown your head and gladness will fill your heart.

There is no situation in your life where God cannot intervene. There might be many mistakes and failures that discourage you. A long list of rejection you faced might be haunting your mind.

But God is not limited in any way. He assures you, “I will repay you the years the locusts have eaten.”

The promise looks unbelievable. But give God a chance. And wait. There is a moment coming when God will unravel what he was doing silently in your life.
—
Post Inspired by Joel 2:25 Bible.

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A Beginner’s Introduction to the Holy Spirit

All the four gospels show us that the Holy Spirit came down in the form of a dove and rested on Jesus at the time of his baptism. If the Son of God needed the Spirit of God in his life and ministry, can we do ministry without the enabling of the Holy Spirit? Think about this. 

Though many quarrel over the words baptism, anointing, filling etc; all the four gospels introduce Jesus Christ as One who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, John 1:33. See also Acts 1:5). God may use human channels to bless you with the Gift of the Holy Spirit; but Jesus is the only baptizer. 

The Holy Spirit is a person; not just a power. He is God himself. And he has unlimited power. Because he is a person the Bible asks us not to grieve the Spirit of God (Ephesians 4:30). The Bible also asks us not to be drunk with wine but to be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18). That is about influence. God wants us to be Spirit-led. 

Life Application:
Have you ever wondered why even after trusting in Jesus as Saviour and Lord you feel tempted and sometimes sin? Have you ever resisted temptation? Have you been in that tug of war between your desire to yield to temptation and your desire to please God? If yes, know that Paul spoke about it too in Romans 7:14–25. Now how do you tackle temptation? One way is to observe how birds fly. They fly in spite of gravity pulling them down. It is because the law of gravity is overcome by a higher law of flight. 

So also your sinful nature (gravity which pulls you down and towards sin) will always be present. But you can overcome it by being Spirit-filled and Spirit-led. That is what Paul says in Romans 8:2. “because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death.” “Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1). 

The Spirit of God helps you in prayer. “In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will (Romans 8:26, 27).

“Groanings which cannot be uttered are often prayers which cannot be refused.” ― C. H. Spurgeon.

So seek the help of the Spirit of God in prayer. His name in Greek is parakletos means one called alongside to help. So he is your Helper in prayer. 

The Spirit of God witnesses or testifies in your heart that you are God’s child. “For you did not receive a spirit that makes you a slave again to fear, but you received the Spirit of sonship [some translations, “adoption”]. And by him we cry, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children (Romans 8:15, 16).” 

He (Paul) says that God’s spirit witnesses with our spirit that we really are his children. The adoption ceremony was carried out in the presence of seven witnesses. Now, suppose the adopting father died and there was some dispute about the right of the adopted son to inherit, one or more of the seven witnesses stepped forward and swore that the adoption was genuine. Thus the right of the adopted person was guaranteed and he entered into his inheritance. So, Paul is saying, it is the Holy Spirit himself who is the witness to our adoption into the family of God. – William Barclay’s Commentary on Romans. 

The Spirit of God will help you remember what you read, meditate, and memorize from God’s Word (see Psalm 119:11 on the importance of hiding God’s Word in your heart so that you might not sin). The Spirit of God is the Spirit of Truth. Jesus said that he will guide you into all truth and take from what is his and make it known to you (see John 16:12—15). 

The Spirit of God is gentle like a dove and mighty like the wind. He always chooses to be on backstage and turn the spotlight on Jesus the Lamb of God who shed his blood on the cross. Therefore any ministry that glorifies the preacher or builds an earthly kingdom or preaches a prosperity gospel or is focused on making money has nothing to do with the Holy Spirit. For them the warning of Matthew 7:21 is most applicable. 

Now if you need the blessing of the Holy Spirit, know that without him you cannot come to Jesus. He is the one who convicts you of sin (John 16:8). At the same time, Jesus asked his disciples to wait for the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5 and 8). When he came in power, the fearful disciples turned into bold witnesses who turned the world upside down with their message of the crucified and risen Lord Jesus. 

If you need the blessing of the Holy Spirit you need to thirst for him (see John 7;37, 38). Thirst is most important. The next thing is to ask. As simple as that. “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him (Luke 11:13)! 

Just receive the Gift of the Holy Spirit in faith as you accepted the gift of eternal life by faith. See what Peter said at 

Pentecost: “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call (Acts 38, 39). The promise of the Holy Spirit is for you. He is the gift that God has promised to give you when you believe in Jesus. Now how do you receive a gift? You say thanks and just receive; isn’t it? 
—
Related Posts:

The Holy Spirit

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The Blood of Jesus Christ: What Does It Mean to You Today?

No man’s biographer in this world has given such an emphasis to the last week of a person’s life as the Gospel writers did to Jesus’s life. 29 out of 89 chapters (about 30%) in the gospels are devoted to the last week of Jesus’ life. John 13-19 describes sunset to sunset, the last 24 hours in the life of Jesus.

The entire Bible is focused on the death of Jesus. Therefore we find the disciples preaching Christ and him crucified along with it the message of the resurrection.

See the focus is the same for all the gospel writers:
A third of Matthew, from Matthew 21-28;
A third of Mark, from Mark 11-16;
A quarter of Luke, from Luke 19-24;
Nearly half of John, from John 12-20; focus on the last week of Jesus’ life. You cannot miss this emphasis of the gospel writers; can you?

Jesus died for you. He took your punishment upon himself on the cross. He became cursed for you. He died in your place. He died as a substitute for you. “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities (Isaiah 53:5). He shed his blood for you.

There are many things about the blood of Jesus you need to know. It will take a lifetime and all eternity to appreciate the preciousness of his blood. But let us start here and now.

The following benefits and applications of the blood of Jesus in your life are discussed in this brief series:

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What Does the Bible Say About Itself?

The Word of God has a unique place in God’s dealing with man. The Bible describes itself in certain ways that help us understand this unique relationship. Some of these descriptions are in word pictures. They help us to understand the special place the Bible has in the estimate of God.

For example, the Psalmist says, “For you have exalted above all things your name and your word (Psalm 138:2b).” This verse tells us that God has given his Word a place as high as his Name, which represents his character and reputation.

Now let us look at some of the ways the Bible describes itself:

Enduring Word: Want to Keep Yourself  Strong in Life?
Man’s life is nothing apart from God. His life withers like grass and his glory falls like the flowers of the field. That is the truth we find in Isaiah 40:6—8.

But in contrast God’s Word stands forever. The Word of God doesn’t change nor does it perish. See also Matthew 5:18, 19 and Matthew 24:35. This is a reality which should help us put our confidence in God’s Word.

About this world it is popularly said, “The only constant in life is change” – Heraclitus. The weather changes, people’s opinion changes, governments change, BUT the Word of God does not change. What a great anchor of hope (Hebrews 6:18, 19) we have in God’s Word.

Anchor: How Do You Keep Yourself Steady in Times of Trouble?
Anchor is used to secure a ship safely so that it is not swept away by winds or waves. Anchor is placed away from the ship. While the ship is in the harbour it might be taken out and secured to the shore.

In the passage starting in Hebrews 6:13 the certainty of God’s promise is spoken about. That means when God says something it is true and will come to pass. That is absolute because it is impossible for God to lie (v. 18).

Therefore our hope is tied to this anchor which is secured for us by Jesus. He has gone ahead of us to secure it at the very presence of God at the throne of grace. What a great assurance for us! See also 2 Corinthians 1:20.

Rain and Snow: What Is That Keeps You Full of Life?
Both rain and snow come down from heaven. They accomplish growth by nourishing the earth’s soil. So also God’s Word. (see Isaiah 55:10, 11).

The Word of God comes from above. Our role is to receive it in faith and proclaim it in faith. That is why there is power in preaching the Word of God faithfully. It convicts when preached in the power of the Spirit of God, it creates faith, it makes people repent, and it causes spiritual growth in the life of a believer.

Without the influence of rain and snow earth dries up, greenery is lost, and the land becomes brown. Therefore open up your heart to receive God’s Word and it will not return to God empty. It will surely bring blessing, “seed for the sower and bread for the eater.” Without rain and snow life is not possible, is it?

There Is Life in the Word: What Makes You Thrive?
Moses proclaimed God’s Word saying “See, I set before you today life and prosperity, death and destruction (Deuteronomy 30:15).”

Love God.
Listen to his voice or Word.
Obey what he has said.
The result is life and blessing.

The opposite is also true. Disobedience to God’s Word brings death and destruction. So allow the Word to be planted in you (James 1:21). It will cause you to have life. Jesus also referred to the life-giving power of his words: “The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life (John 6:63).” In Proverbs 4:20—22 we find that there is life and health to be found in God’s Word.

Seed: What Do You Need to Have in You?
One of the properties of seed is that it multiplies when it falls on good soil. This is very clear in the parable Jesus told about the sower and the seed. “The seed is the word of God (Luke 8:11).”

The quality of the seed is good. But the recipients differed in the way they received God’s Word. When the seed falls on good soil, the recipients hear and accept the Word. In other words the listeners hear the Word, make changes in their lives in obedience to what they heard. That is what results in producing a crop that is thirty, sixty, or even a hundred times what was sown (see Mark 4:20).

The seed is symbolic of the imperishable life that is hidden in it (1 Peter 1:23). If the Word of God is not multiplying in impact in your life and through your life in the lives of others; the problem is with the soil. So consider the way you listen to God’s Word.

Fire and Hammer: How Do You Stay Ready for Correction?
This is mentioned in the context of false prophets misleading people with their dreams.  They were telling lies. God is reminding that prophets have to speak God’s word faithfully.

When the Word of God came to people it gave them a fearful sense of the holiness of God. On the other hand it also made them feel their own sinfulness.

This is the power of God’s Word that came to them–capable of breaking them down like a hammer breaking rock into pieces and like a fire that burns away (Jeremiah 23:29) all that needs to be purified in their hearts

The Word of God is like a hammer. That is why even hardened sinners are broken down under its power. The Word of God is like fire. It burns away all that will not stand in front of the holy eyes of God. Have you experienced God’s Word as hammer and as fire?

Faith Is Connected to the Word
It is only by listening to the Word that faith comes. This is what Paul said, “Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17).

If people have to hear the Word, it has to be preached. As you listen to the Word more and more, you become more and more convinced about the greatness of God and his majesty. The more you know about God through his Word, the greater the faith in him becomes.

Prayer Is Connected to the Word
There can be no meaningful prayer without reading and meditating on God’s Word. When the words of Jesus remain in our hearts God will listen to our prayers in his name. This what Jesus meant when he said: “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you (John 15:7).” (see also John 15:16;  16:23, 24).

When God’s Word remains in us, our prayers will be in tune with God’s will. Then our prayers will be answered as the Spirit of God helps us in our weakness (Romans 8:26, 27).

Fruitfulness Is Connected to the Word
God wishes his disciples to be fruitful for God’s glory (John 15:8). That is why the man who delights in the law of the LORD and meditates on it day and night is compared to a tree planted by streams of water which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither (Psalm 1:2,3).

Remember Joshua was asked not to turn to the left or the right from the Law but meditate on it day and night so that he may achieve success (Joshua 1:7—9).

Mirror: How Can You Know Your Wrongs and Errors?
We need to make necessary correction in our life in the light of God’s truth shown to us in the mirror—that is the Word of God. There is no use if people forget how they looked in the mirror as they turn away from it (James 1:22—25).

James immediately follows it up with one practical example on how we use our tongue (James 1:26). He says that if you consider yourself religious and do not keep a tight rein on your tongue, you are deceiving yourself and your religion is worthless.

Ask God to help you tame your tongue if that is what God is showing you in the mirror today (see also James 3:1—12). If you don’t do so, your religion is not acceptable to God. The Mirror of God’s Word has shown you one area in your life that needs correction. Will you do something about it or forget about it?

Lamp and Light: How Can I Know God’s Will for My Life?
“Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light for my path (Psalm 119:105).” This image comes from a time when people had no torchlights or streetlights. So they valued the light of the fires they carried with them.

The Word of God does not guide when you open a page of the Bible randomly. Sometimes God, out of compassion, gives you an encouraging verse. But you will land up in trouble very quickly if you follow that pattern often.

But when you read and meditate on God’s Word more and more, you will be able to know what God’s will is for you in each situation of your life. There are many verses which talk about guidance.  Isaiah 30:21, Isaiah 48:17, Psalm 32:8 are some verses that can encourage you.

Truth: Is There Only One Standard for Truth?
Let us look at truth from a different perspective. How do you measure things? You use a scale or a measuring tape. What if 1 metre is not equal to 100 centimetres in all parts of the world? Yes we need a standard to measure things. The Bible is God’s standard of truth.

Jesus said, “Your word is truth (John 17:17).”

The Bible does not sugar-coat sin. It speaks of sin that happened in the life of the saints. We also find prophets speaking to kings about sins they committed and the judgement of God upon them in the Name of the LORD and in the power of the Spirit of God. In no other culture in the world is that possible.

The Bible does not hesitate to speak about sin, its consequences, judgement and hell. Therefore there is the ring of truth to this Book.

Milk: Can I Survive Without Drinking Milk?
“Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good” – 1 Peter 2:2, 3. Some translations specify “pure spiritual milk of the word” (NASB, KJV, NKJV etc.).

Milk is something absolutely essential for a newborn baby. When we become children of God we are born again into his kingdom. We, like any baby, need milk. When babies become hungry they cry and mothers instinctively know that it is for milk they are crying.

Now think about it. Whose problem is it if you are not crying out for milk? Milk, however as you will soon see, represents the basics of God’s Word. You need more to grow in the Lord.

Solid Food: Can I Grow Without Eating Nutritious Food?
“In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you the elementary truths of God’s word all over again. You need milk, not solid food!” – Hebrews 5:12 (see also 1 Corinthians. 3:1—2).

This is a less popular passage as it is a warning. No parent desires that his or her baby continue to be a baby depending on milk all the time. Instead each parent wishes to see the growth of the baby. It is no different with our heavenly Father. He wants to see us grow.

As long as you are happy with the simple truths of God’s Word there is no chance for you to grow. As long as you are happy reading Psalm 23 (general), Psalm 121 (going for a journey), and Psalm 91 (for protection) and maybe a chapter from Proverbs every day you are still on milk.  But solid food gives you spiritual strength. God is challenging you to go for solid food. Will you accept the challenge?

The Double-Edged Sword: How to Attack and Win over Devil’s Temptations?
Paul was in prison in Rome. From his cell he could see the Roman soldier guarding him. He looked at the Roman soldier’s sword and wrote about the “sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17).”

The sword is an offensive weapon. You can attack using it. It is the only offensive weapon described by Paul in this passage.  The Word of God when quoted to the devil in the power of the Spirit of God can put the devil to flight. The best example is how Jesus used the Word of God when he was tempted by the devil. He said: “It is written” thrice to the devil (see Matthew 4 and Luke 4). Thus Jesus won that spiritual warfare.

In Hebrews we find yet another way in which the sword operates. “For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart” –Hebrews 4:12. This is one reason why people do not spend time with God’s Word. If they read it in a humble manner the Word of God will point out the wrong attitudes in their lives however hidden it is.

Agent of Cleansing: How Can I Use the Cleansing Power of the Word of God?
There is a purifying effect of God’s Word in the life of a believer. Hiding or treasuring God’s word in one’s heart helps you not to sin: “How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word (Psalm 119:9).” “I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you (Psalm 119:11).”

Jesus also referred to the cleansing effect of his Word: “You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you (John 15:3).

You will face a lot of temptations in this world. It is easy to sin against God without anyone knowing about it these days. One way to defeat temptation is to treasure God’s Word in your heart. That is why a regular daily reading of God’s Word is important. The Spirit of God will remind you of what you read (John 14:26) when you need it. But if you don’t have a habit of reading how can the Spirit of God help you?

Precious than Gold     | Sweeter than Honey
Psalm 19: 7—11 talks about the perfection of God’s Word.

The law of the Lord is perfect, trustworthy, right, radiant, sure, altogether righteous, more precious than gold, sweeter than honey. It revives the soul, makes wise the simple, gives joy to the heart and light to the eyes. David says, “By them [the law of the Lord] is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward” (v. 11).

Dear young friends, the Word of God is a warning light from a lighthouse to the ships at sea. In listening to its warning there is great reward–the saving of your life.

Psalm 119: The Glories of God’s Word
Psalm 119 is the longest Psalm and the longest chapter in the Bible. Many Bible Scholars believe that Psalm 119 might have been a contribution of Ezra, the great teacher of the Law of Moses (Ezra 7:6).

This Psalm has 176 verses. All these verses except 90, 121, 122, 132 mention God’s Word in one way or the other. This Psalm is an acrostic. It has 22 stanzas and each stanza has 8 lines. Each of these stanzas and the lines in them begin with one letter of the Hebrew Alphabet thus covering all the 22 alphabets.

Verse 176: This is a surprising conclusion to this great Psalm. After having praised God’s Word and its benefits, the author concludes on a note of prayer. He tells God that he has not forgotten God’s commands. Yet he points to his own weakness saying that even though he loved God’s Word, he was like a sheep that easily went astray. So, O God, please do not forget me! But “Seek your servant.” You can make it that prayer too along with Psalm 19:14.

The Bible Comes Alive
The Bible can change your life. It can help you love God more and more each passing day. It can encourage you to live a life pleasing to God. It can correct your wrong attitudes and make you confess hidden sin in your life. Reading the Bible regularly and meditating on it will make you experience God and his love for you. The Holy Spirit will make all this real for you. Above all you will discover that Jesus is the focus of the Bible (John 5:39)!

“The Bible will keep you from sin, or sin will keep you from the Bible.” – D. L. Moody

 

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What Does the Bible Mean to You?

Who Wrote the Bible?
God used chosen people to write down what he wanted them to communicate. The Spirit of God enabled these people to do so (2 Peter 1:20, 21). Even when the literary characteristics   like the style of writing, choice of words, and personality of the author is distinguishable in these writings, the Mind behind these writings is that of the Spirit of God. Therefore the Bible is God-breathed or inspired. That means it originated with God. It includes All Scripture–the 66 books of the Bible–and no more (2 Timothy 3:16).

INSPIRATION

Whom Does the Bible Point To?
To reveal Jesus Christ to the world and the plan of salvation through his blood-sacrifice on the cross is the main focus, purpose of the Bible. Therefore Jesus was able to point out the fulfilment of everything written about him in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, the Psalms and all the Scriptures (Luke 24:27, 44–47). So you should approach the Bible to know God and not always for personal guidance.

JESUS-CENTRED

 Unless God Told Us
How could we know about God unless he told us about him? That is the first thought you need to know about God’s Word. The Bible is what God has told us about himself. In that sense God has revealed himself to us through the Bible–the greatest revelation of God–came in and through Jesus Christ the Word of God (John 1:1, John 1:14, Hebrews 1:1—3).

REVELATION

Can We Believe the Bible?
The Bible has authority because it is God speaking. The Bible is to be received as the Written Word of God. We can believe the Bible because God is a God of truth and he cannot lie (Titus 1:2, Numbers 23:19, Hebrews 6:18, John 17:17).

AUTHORITY

Is the Bible Free of Errors?
The Bible was written by 40 different authors in a period of over 1600 years. It was written in a Hebrew cultural setting in the land of Palestine and Israel. Old Testament was written in Hebrew (a very small part is written in Aramaic) and New Testament in Greek.

Bible is the most translated book in the world. Most popular and widely circulated translations are known to have a high level of accuracy. The Bible being God’s Word, an approach of word by word translation has been used.

Translations can never be the same as the original; and not all translations perfect. However, the most important thing to know is that what the Bible declares to be true is true. Therefore it is infallible. It does not mislead us. The best approach to take towards the Bible is to take in child-like faith as God’s Word and accept it as without error.

There might be many passages you don’t understand and portions which seem to say opposing things. Did you know that even Peter pointed out that there are some portions in Paul’s letters that are difficult to understand (2 Peter 3:16)? But in due time, you will learn. Bible Study is a life-long process.

When a small passage is taken out of context and trying to understand it often results in misinterpretations. Studying the historical situation in which it was written, the overall purpose of the book, the grammar and style of language used in that passage will help you understand it correctly. We can refer to commentaries written by godly scholars to get help on these areas.

INFALLIBILITY

Is the Bible for You?
The Bible is God’s story book for you. When you have a personal relationship with him, the Bible becomes a love letter and love story written for you. You will be able to see that God created a perfect world. He put man and woman in it. Then they rebelled against God and his Word; listened to Satan, disobeyed God and sinned. Satan thus became the villain of the story.

God was not defeated because of Man’s sin. He had a plan to rescue Man from sin, evil, and eventual death. The plan was to bring Jesus as a human being to this world (Isaiah 9:6) and have him die on the cross by shedding his innocent blood as a sacrifice for the sin of the world (Isaiah 53:5). He came back to life and those who believe in him will find salvation.

Thus Jesus became God’s Action Hero in rescuing his loved ones (his bride; see Ephesians 5:25, Revelation 19:7) from sin and evil and death and from Satan. The story doesn’t end there. Jesus and his loved ones including you will live happily ever after.

LOVE STORY

Is the Bible a Book of Prophecies?
There is no human being on earth in whose life so many prophecies were fulfilled as in the life of Jesus. This shows his uniqueness too. Jesus’ virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14), the place of his birth (Micah 5:2), the manner of his crucifixion (Psalm 22, Isaiah 53) was all made centuries before he was born. There are many other historical predictions which came true. The Bible is timeless. It was relevant in the past and it shows the future.

Some books that deal with future events and establishment of God’s kingdom on earth are Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah and Revelation. The most exciting predicted event that we can look forward to is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ (Acts 1:11).

TIMELESS

Is the Bible a Completed Book?
A country’s constitution can be amended but the Bible is a finished book and a completed book. God guided his people to compile all the 66 books of the Bible. God does not speak today in the way he inspired people to write these 66 books. All that we need for our salvation (2 Timothy 3:15) and to lead a godly life in Jesus is already revealed in the Bible.

Take a look at the following verses and understand the importance given to the truth that nothing can be changed in the Scriptures:

“I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven” – Jesus Christ ( Matthew 5:18, 19).

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will never pass away” – Jesus Christ (Matthew 24:35).

Warning
“I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds anything to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book. And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book” — Revelation 22:18, 19.

NOTHING MORE CAN BE ADDED

Why Is the Bible divided into Old Testament and New Testament?
The word Testament in simple terms means agreement (or Covenant). The Old Testament is God’s agreement made with man on the basis of the blood of bulls and goats (Exodus 24:8). All the sacrifices in the Old Testament pointed to Jesus Christ the Lamb of God who was to come into the world. The New Testament is God’s agreement with man on the basis of the blood of Jesus shed for the forgiveness of sins (Matthew 26:28, Luke 22:20). The four gospels talk about the story of Jesus.

TWO AGREEMENTS

It is important to note that Jesus believed everything the Bible said: He talked about beginnings, Adam and Eve (God made them male and female, Matthew 19:4), about the murder of Abel (Matthew 23:35) about Noah (the ark and the flood, Matthew 24:37–39), about Lot (judgement on homosexuality or same-sex marriages, Luke 17:28, 29), about Lot’s wife (Luke 17:32), about Abraham (John 8:56, 58), about Jonah (the big fish, Matthew 12:40), about David (Matthew 22:43), about Solomon and the Queen of Sheba (Luke 11:31), and so on. If Jesus has quoted Old Testament this much and spoke about all these people and events mentioned as historical figures and facts, how can the New Testament be understood apart from it?

JESUS BELIEVED THE BIBLE

One of the ways of Jesus’s teaching method was to ask people whether they have read a passage from the Old Testament regarding a question they asked or a doubt they expressed. Next time you read through the gospels look for that pattern as well.

Is the Old Testament Connected to the New?
Look at this: Jesus quoted from 22 Old Testament books in the gospels and Revelation quotes the Old Testament 245 times in just 404 verses. Genesis talks about beginnings and Revelation talks about the end. Before beginnings was eternity. After the end is also eternity. Jesus is the Beginning and the End (Revelation 22:13).

Why Is the Bible Being Attacked?
There is no other book which tells the truth about creation, man’s sin, Satan’s lies (John 8:44) and his deceptions, the reason for the existence of death, the plan of God’s Salvation, how Jesus and his shed blood on the cross gives us forgiveness of sins and eternal life, final judgement, heaven and hell, and God’s final reign as King. As the Bible tells us God’s truth about all these, Satan does his best to attack the Bible. His point of attack right from the Garden of Eden is the same–Cast doubts about God’s Word in the minds of people. He still continues the attempt: “Did God really say (Genesis 3:1)?”

BIBLE TELLS US THE TRUTH

Is the Bible Just Another Book?
The Bible testifies to itself as the Living Word (Hebrews 4:12) of God. It has got life in it. Just look at what Jesus quoted to the devil when he was tempted in the wilderness: “It is written: ‘Man does not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God. (Matthew 4:4).’ ” There is life in this Book.  Therefore it will speak to you, guide you, warn you, comfort you, rebuke you, correct you and discipline you. It can bring healing to your mind and body (Psalm 107:20).

LIVING BOOK

How Should I Approach Reading the Bible?
We need the help of the author, the Holy Spirit, to understand the Scriptures. Let us pray along with the Psalmist, “Open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in your law (Psalm 119:18).” When Jesus opened the minds of the disciples to understand the Scriptures they said, “Our hearts were burning within us (Luke 24:32).” Such is the impact when God speaks to you through his Word. This is generally known as Illumination.

You need more than intelligence to understand what God is saying through the Bible because they are understood only when the Spirit of God helps us or throws light on what we read (See John 16:13, 1 Cor. 2:14, 2 Cor. 4:6). Acts 8:29 shows us how the Spirit of God directed Philip to help the Ethiopian Eunuch to understand the Scriptures.

ILLUMINATION

 

 

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Lesson 35: Let Us Draw Near to God

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Intimacy with God

Jesus spoke hard-to-digest language when he spoke about having intimacy or close communion with him. He told: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you (John 6:53).”

Do not say this is a hard saying and leave Jesus like many of the disciples did (see John 6:60, 66). Instead move closer to Jesus. This is how it can be done:

As we look at Hebrews 10:22 we are encouraged. It says, “Let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water (Hebrews 10:22).”

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near because a new and living way has been opened for us. Therefore we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place, that is, heaven’s throne room where God dwells, by the blood of Jesus. (Hebrews 10:19, 20). Tell God that you are approaching by the blood of Jesus. You are then given right of access.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near because our elder brother Jesus, who is the great priest over the house of God, is already there in God’s presence. He ever lives to intercede for us (Hebrews 7:25, Romans 8:34). When he is there, and you approach by his blood, God is happy to welcome you as a brother or sister of Jesus. Remember Jesus is all mankind’s representative in heaven as he shared fully in our humanity.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near with a sincere heart. That is a repentant heart. There might be hidden sins in our lives. Ask God to search them out (Psalm 139:23). When you allow the Spirit of God to search you like how a security personnel frisks you before you enter a high security area for hidden things, you have a sincere heart.

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near with full assurance of faith. We need to have faith in the blood of Jesus. We need to have faith that his blood is more than sufficient to take care of our sins.

“There must be a full assurance of faith that there is a Holy Place where we can dwell and walk with God; that the power of the precious blood has conquered sin so perfectly that nothing can prevent our undisturbed fellowship with God.”–The Power of the Blood of Jesus by Andrew Murray

Let us draw near.

Let us draw near is a call has special reference to prayer.

“There are moments of closer fellowship when the soul turns itself entirely to God to be engaged with Him alone.” — Andrew Murray.

Each time you pray just think of the blood of Jesus. Ask God to remove sin in you through the blood of Jesus so that any known or unknown sin will not come as a barrier between you and God. Take time to be conscious that you are now in the very presence of God by the blood of Jesus. And then pray.

“Brethren, ‘let us draw near.’ Let us pray for ourselves, for one another, for everyone. Let the Holiest become our fixed abode [home or place of residence] that we may carry about with us everywhere the presence of our God.” – Andrew Murray

Let us look at cleansing found in Hebrews 10:22. The following is taken from Andrew Murray’s book.

“There is for us a twofold cleansing with water and blood. Baptism with water is unto repentance for laying aside of sin. ‘Be baptized and wash away your sins.’ While the blood cleanses the heart, the inner man, baptism is the yielding of the body, with all its visible life, to separation from sin.”

“The power of the blood to cleanse inwardly cannot be experienced unless we also cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh. The divine work of cleansing by sprinkling of blood and the human work of cleansing by laying aside sin are inseparable.”

“We must be clean to enter into the Holiest. Just as you would never dream of entering in to the presence of a king unwashed, so you cannot imagine that you could come into the presence of God, in the Holy Place, if you are not cleansed from every sin. In the blood of Christ that cleanses from all sin, God has bestowed on you [given to you] the power to cleanse yourself. Your desire to live with God in the Holiest must always be united with the most careful laying aside of even the least sin. The unclean may not enter the Holiest.”

“Praise be God, He desires to have us there. He desires our purity that we may enjoy the blessing of the Holiest—that is, His Holy Fellowship. And He has taken care that through the blood and by the Spirit, we may be clean.”

Let us draw near.

“The Holiest Place is open even for those in our congregations who have not yet truly turned to the Lord. For them also the sanctuary has been opened. The precious blood, the living way, and the High Priest are for them also. With great confidence we dare to invite even them, ‘Let us draw near.’ ”

Let us draw near.

The invitation comes especially to all believers. Be not satisfied to stand in the porch. It is not sufficient to cherish the hope that your sins are forgiven. ‘Let us draw near’; let us enter within the veil; let us in spirit press on to real nearness to our God. Let us draw near and live nearer to God.”

Read more posts on prayer:
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Lesson 25: Jesus and the Holy Spirit

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

  • Jesus is presented by all the four writers of the gospels as the One who will baptize you with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3:11, Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16, and John 1:33).
  • At the time of baptism of Jesus the Holy Spirit descended on him in a bodily form like a dove (see Luke 3:22). This shows the holy and gentle nature of the Spirit of God.
  • Think about this: If Jesus, the Son of God, needed the fullness of the Spirit of God resting and abiding on him, how much more do we?

Did you know that the Spirit of God resting on Jesus was prophesied in the Old Testament?

Let us look at Isaiah 11:1—3

 “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirt of the LORD will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of power, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD—and he will delight in the fear of the LORD.”

And also the well-known passage beginning the first verse of Isaiah 61: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor . . .” Jesus read this from the scroll and proclaimed that “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). This is known as the Nazareth Manifesto.

Let me end with a simple but lovely sketch Luke draws for us in his gospel: “At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, . . . (10:21)” What a lovely picture this is! Joy through the Holy Spirit! May that joy be yours and mine. Amen!

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”     – Romans 15:13

The Holy Spirit in the Christmas Series

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Lesson 21: He Will Remind You

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

“I have much more to say to you, more than you can now bear. But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth (John 16:12, 13a).

The disciples were not in a position to fully understand what Jesus was saying to them. The authors like Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, etc. were reminded of truths that were to be communicated to us and that is how they wrote the gospels inspired and guided by the Spirit of God. Today the Bible is a book that is completed. The Spirit of God will not add anything more to the Bible but he will remind us of what is already written there.

That is one great motivation for us to we read the Bible. The Holy Spirit will bring things to our memory when we need it. He can use only what is stored up in our hearts (Psalm 119:11). (There are times when he speaks to people who do not know the Bible but those are exceptions).

Again, if you read the sermon which Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost, you will see how the Spirit of God reminded him to what to communicate. The truth he preached was so filled with God’s power that it added three thousand to the church that day (Acts 2:41). To what else would you attribute the way Peter preached the truth of God’s Word other than to the Holy Spirit?

Remember the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17). When you allow God to work in your hearts, the Spirit of God can use the Word powerfully in you (Hebrews 4:12).

The Sap That Runs Through the Branches

This is not commonly taught. But since Ch. 15 is sandwiched between the teachings on the Holy Spirit found in Ch. 14 and Ch. 16 this analogy is not difficult to understand. We all know that it is the sap* that runs through the branches that give life to the same and produce fruit. (*The fluid part of a plant; specifically a watery solution that circulates through a plant’s vascular system.)

The Holy Spirit is like sap because he does not draw attention to himself. He simply stays in the background and does his work quietly without shouting it through loudspeakers!

In Galatians 5:22 we read about the fruit of the Spirit (Note that it is fruit and not fruits). Go outside your home and try to find a branch in a tree that is flexing its muscles and trying hard and sweating it out to create fruit. You will find no branch like that.

The branch simply remains in the main body of the tree like the branches remain in the vine. Jesus said in plain terms: “apart from me you can do nothing (John 15:5b).”

Then what are we trying to accomplish? Sad to say, we have been taught things the wrong way—we have been taught to perform for God. Is that the right way? We try to be a great man or woman of God by preaching, singing, giving testimony, reading the Bible, attending prayer meetings and so on. Jesus simply says, “Abide in me,” or “Remain in me (John 15:4).”

That means to stop to try to become a saint. And simply remain in him. And allow the Holy Spirit to produce the desired fruit in you. Your role is to remain in the branch. And thus when you remain in him, he will cause you to bear fruit.

How does he make that happen?
It is through the process of pruning.

Michael Angelo once created a sculpture of an angel from a marble piece that was rejected by many others. When people asked him how he did it, he simply replied: “I chiselled away all that did not look like an angel.” No one will tell you that chiselling away is a pleasant process. Pruning, likewise, is a painful process. But God does that to branches that are already bearing fruit so that it will bear even more fruit for God’s glory.

Often the difficulties that come into your life are part of God’s pruning process. At the end of the day he would like to see Jesus in you. And it is the Holy Spirit who will ultimately make us resemble the Son of God (1 Corinthians 15:49). So the sap that runs through the branches is the Holy Spirit.

He Will Bring Glory to Me

Sad to say there are lot of extremes happening in the Name of the Holy Spirit in the Christian world. Let us look at the words of Jesus: “He will bring glory to me by taking from what is mine and making it known to you. All that belongs to the Father is mine. That is why I said that the Spirit will take from what is mine and make it known to you (John 16:14, 15).

The Holy Spirit’s great role in today’s world is to turn the spotlight on Jesus. Therefore wherever the preacher, in sincerity and truth, preaches the blood of Jesus, his sacrificial death and resurrection from the dead the Spirit of God is at work.

But wherever the preacher is focused on speaking about his own ministry, the gifts he has, the miracles he is doing; there the Spirit of God is absent. Wherever the preacher, however great a man or woman of God she is, begs, pleads, and manipulates the crowd for money all the time; the Spirit of God is absent.

The Spirit of God does not draw attention to himself.  Instead the Holy Spirit delights in showcasing Jesus in glory. The glory belongs to Jesus. The Spirit of God will not allow men or women, however great he or she is, to steal the glory away from Jesus.
—

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Lesson 20: I Will Not Leave You as Orphans

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

Jesus was comforting his disciples because to be orphaned is a sad state to be. He told them: “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you (John 14:18).”

Jesus was talking about his constant presence with each one of them and with each one of us too. If Bethlehem was, God with us; and Calvary, God for us; then Pentecost is, God within us. So Jesus was talking about each one of us experiencing the very real presence of God in our lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit residing in us.

We have often neglected this ministry of the Holy Spirit. He is the one who makes Jesus real to us. In his time on earth Jesus had to go to the tomb of Lazarus to meet with Martha and Mary and to comfort them. But today, through the Holy Spirit Jesus can be real to anyone in any part of the world at any time of the day or night in whatever situation or circumstance you find yourself to be.

The Sent One

The Father sent the Son into the world. The Son, from the Father, is sending the Holy Spirit into the hearts of believers (John 15:26). Therefore the Holy Spirit is the promised gift to the church. And that is why Jesus asked the disciples to wait for the promise (Acts 1:4, 5).  And it was a kind of birthday gift to the church on the day of Pentecost.

The unique event of Pentecost will not be repeated again. It was this unique gifting of the Holy Spirit to the body of believers that formed the nucleus of the church. Now all who are added to the body of believers are so added because the Holy Spirit has convicted them of sin, and they have looked to Jesus and his shed blood in faith, and have repented having accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour of their lives.

So without the Holy Spirit residing in one’s heart no one can become a child of God and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” without him (1 Corinthians 12:3). No one therefore should tell you that you do not have the Holy Spirit. He was given to the church—the organic body of believers and not the organisation—to be dwelling in us until Jesus comes again.

At the same time the Spirit of God can move mightily in your life only if you give him the control of your lives, and you confess and say goodbye to all known sin in your life, and you live a life of obedience to his gentle whispers in your heart. It is not a one-time experience alone (the Baptism of the Holy Spirit) but a daily experience we all need to have (being filled with the Spirit—Ephesians 5:18).

It Is for Your Good That I am Going Away

Jesus was saying farewell. He was speaking about his suffering, crucifixion and death. For the first time the disciples were feeling helpless. Jesus was no longer going to be with them. But Jesus was trying to tell them that unless he went the Holy Spirit cannot come (see John 16:7)

Let us look at Pentecost once again.

What happened on that day can be compared to a king taking up his rightful place on the throne and distributing gifts to the courtiers. That is what Peter preached about Jesus: “Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear (Acts 2:33).”

“Scriptures make it plain that the coming of the Spirit at Pentecost and ever since is the result of Jesus’ exaltation, glorification, and crowning in heaven. . . . In other words, the outpouring of the Spirit is earth’s evidence and proof of what happened after Jesus’ ascension, not only of the magnificence of His crowning in Heaven, but of His very real coronation power.” – Catherine Marshall in her book, The Helper.

“The Holy Spirit has not been poured out on you or me to prove how great we are, but to prove the greatness of the Son of God.” – Watchman Nee

Jesus had his glorification in mind when he said “It is for your good that I am going away.” His glorification included his cross, resurrection, ascension and crowning in heaven. Without his death on the cross, this outpouring of God’s Spirit would not have been possible.

See John 7:38:

“If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”

To this John adds his comment: “By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified (7:39).”
—
The Comforter

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Lesson 19: Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor to be with you forever—the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you (John 14:16, 17).”

With these words Jesus introduces “Another Counsellor” who will not only be with the disciples but also live within them. We might read this with a calm mind. But the disciples had just heard that one of them was to betray Jesus and another one was going to deny him.

They had just heard with certainty that Jesus was going away from them. They had just experienced Jesus washing their feet—a task that only the lowest of slaves was asked to do in those days. All this was a bit too much for them.

The sudden feel the disciples felt that night of being left alone—orphaned—without Jesus was something neither you nor me can understand. No wonder they felt left behind as “orphans (see 14:18).” It is in this context that Jesus introduces to them the blessed Holy Spirit.

“Jesus had been with them, but the Holy Spirit was in them and would remain in them. There was no fear that he might go away. He would remain with them always. And what He was to them He is to us also—a permanent presence.”–from The Holy Spirit, Our Counsellor by Selwyn Hughes.

Another Counsellor

The Greek word parakletos is the word used for Counsellor.
The word basically means “someone called alongside” to help. Another helper does not mean a substitute. It means like the other or another of the same kind. It simply means “like Jesus.” See Acts 16:6, 7 where the “Holy Spirit” and the “Spirit of Jesus” are used interchangeably. The Holy Spirit comes not because Jesus is absent, but he comes to confirm the presence of Jesus.

Several words in English are used to capture the meaning of the Greek word parakletos:

  • Advocate is one word. A legal term has been used because the Holy Spirit takes up our case in our defense like a lawyer does in court. An advocate is one called to our side to help; isn’t he?
  • Comforter is another word. Four hundred years ago when the King James Bible (1611 A.D.) used that term, the word comfort had the meaning of giving strength. But in modern usage comfort is a bit soft.
  • Helper is a good word that is used, but again that also suggests someone lower in rank which is not true about the Holy Spirit. He is God himself. The Bible tells us he is our helper in prayer. Read Romans 8:26, 27 and find out how he helps in our prayers.
  • Counsellor is another word. Of course it suggests to us the wisdom of the Holy Spirit and his constant help to us when we need his guidance. And when we reject his counsel we grieve the person of the Holy Spirt (Ephesians 4:30). What a gentle and loving person the Spirit of God is even though he is someone with power unlimited!

No one of the above terms is perhaps enough to communicate to us the full meaning of the term “parakletos” to us. But the more important point to note is that the counsel the Holy Spirit gives will be no different from that of Jesus when he was on earth. In other words the Holy Spirit will not give you advice or counsel or guidance that is against the truth revealed in the Bible.
—
Read more on The Promise in The Holy Spirit Series

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Lesson 17: “I Am the Way and the Truth and the Life.”

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 14:6
The Way
Thomas wanted to be sure about the way Jesus was going. His failure to understand and his question to Jesus was the occasion for one of the greatest statements Jesus ever made about himself: “I am the way and the truth and the life.”

Jesus is not giving us directions like Google Maps: “Go right, after 700 metres take the first left, then proceed 2 kilometres and so on.” He is not pointing out how to get there but he is pointing us to himself. He is the way. Therefore, his command, “Follow me” becomes all the more important.

The Truth
William Barclay points out something important about moral truth. A man’s character does not affect his teaching of geometry or physics or chemistry. But if a man proposes to teach moral truth, his character makes all the difference in the world. For example, an adulterer who teaches the necessity of purity or an aggressive dominating person who teaches about humility is bound to be ineffective.

Moral truth cannot be conveyed solely in words; it must be conveyed in example. And that is precisely where the greatest human teacher must fall down. No teacher has ever embodied* the truth he taught—except Jesus. Many a man could say: “I have taught you the truth.” Only Jesus could say: “I am the Truth.” [*embody means to represent in human form.]

The Life
As we look at the prayer of Jesus we see him define life: “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent (John 17:3).” No other definition of life is needed. “In him was life, and that life was the light of men (John 1:4).  John also wrote in his letter: “And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life (1 John 5:11, 12).

Exclusive Claim
Jesus in continuation of the claim, “I am the way and the truth and the life,” said, “No one comes to the Father except through me.” Many people find this difficult to accept. But Jesus spoke the truth. The cross and the innocent and precious blood he shed there have opened the way to the Father (“a new
and living way” Hebrews 10:19, 20) to all who believe in him. He alone leads to the Father!

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Lesson 5: Nathaniel–The Man Who Sat Under the Fig Tree

This Lesson is part of John’s Gospel Easy Notes Series. 

John 1:43—51
When Philip told Nathaniel they had found the one Moses wrote about in the Law, and about whom the prophets also wrote Nathaniel reacted in an unexpected way. He couldn’t believe that the Messiah would come from Nazareth. The reason was Nazareth was an obscure place even though it was near some of the famous trade routes of those times. Nazareth was so unimportant that we do not find any reference to Nazareth in the Old Testament.

Nathaniel asked: “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” Philip simply says, “Come and see.” Let us learn a lesson here. Instead of arguing with people about who Jesus is, let us invite them to come to Jesus and see for themselves who he is.

When Nathaniel approaches, Jesus points out that he is a man in whom there is nothing false. Nathaniel is surprised. He asks, “How do you know me?” Jesus said in reply, “I saw you while you were still under the fig tree before Philip called you.” See, the knowledge Jesus has of you is intimate. He knew you before you were formed in your mother’s womb (see Isaiah 49:1, 2; Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13—16). He knows when you sit and when you rise and before a word is on your tongue he knows what you are thinking (Psalm 139:2, 3). He sees through you (“his eyes were like blazing fire”—Rev. 2:14). He knows the number of hairs on your head too (Luke 12:7).

Jesus’ mention of the fig tree is interesting. In those days it was common to plant a fig tree at the front of one’s home. It spread its leaves so that when you sat underneath it served as a kind of sit out of one’s home. Nathaniel was using that space to meditate on God and his Word. From what Jesus spoke to him in verses 50 and 51 we can safely conclude that Nathaniel that day was thinking about the dream of Jacob at Bethel (Genesis 28:10—22) where he sees a ladder resting on earth and its top touching heaven and the LORD standing at the top with angels ascending and descending on it.

The point is that when you take time to think about God, he takes note of it. Further Jesus is revealing here that he is that ladder—the bridge between heaven and earth—the only mediator between God and man (1 Timothy 2:5).

The intimate knowledge that Jesus had about Nathanael made him respond: “Rabbi, you are the Son of God; the King of Israel.” Clearly Nathanael understood Jesus as the expected Messiah.

“No doubt as he sat under the fig tree he had prayed for the day God’s chosen one should come. No doubt he had been meditating on the promises of God. And now he felt that Jesus had seen into the very depths of his heart. It was not so much that Jesus had seen him under the fig tree that surprised Nathanael; it was the fact that Jesus had read the thoughts of his inmost heart.” — William Barclay

What Is Your Response?
What is your response to God’s intimate knowledge of you? He knows all your thoughts. He knows your fears. He knows the temptations you face. He knows your failures too.

Jesus promised Nathanael, “You shall see greater things than that.” Anyone who comes to Jesus and fails to see the adventure God is calling him to is short-sighted. When you meet Jesus, life takes a dramatic change. God is always calling you to bigger possibilities in life. The basis of that is knowing Jesus.

In spite of this promise to Nathanael, the great beginning he had with Jesus, we find him among the disciples who went out to fish (John 21:2) having lost the purpose for which Jesus had called them to. Where are you today as you read this? Fishing somewhere? Are you discouraged? The Risen Lord is waiting for you (John 21:4)!

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A New Motivation for Purity

Sinful wickedness is on the increase everyday. Through many forms of entertainment there is an open promotion of sinful attitudes in the world today.

And Christians are exposed to these things. And they are corrupting the thinking patterns of Christians.

This is a grave problem. The old ways of fighting this menace won’t help much today. In the past, everyone was told, “Don’t do this. It is sin.”

Today, that kind of warnings are not helping much. The truth is that people fall prey to appealing temptations even though they know that it is wrong and sinful. And promoters are packaging sin in very attractive and colorful packets too.

In the light of all these, what new motivation for purity can a Christian have? The Bible links this directly to the hope of a Christian and to the glorious appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ: “But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope purifies himself, just as he is pure” (1 John 3:2b,3 NIV).

If you have hope of seeing Jesus when He comes, then you will naturally look forward to it. You will look ahead with longing to meet Him who gave Himself for you. It is this hope that gives you the motivation to purity.

This same truth is echoed in the Book of Titus (ch. 2 verses 11 to 14) too. There it says that the grace of God teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions. It teaches us to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age.

We do so while we wait for the blessed hope--the glorious appearing of our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ. So, waiting for Jesus should be characterized by the living of a godly life.

Your motivation to purity should be the hope that you will meet Jesus one day. And you’ll be like Him one day. Therefore strive to be like Him today.

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Battling Depression

The word depression immediately brings thoughts of darkness. Yes, depression can be described as absence of light. It can also be absence of joy.

When all the world seems happy and asks us to be like them we simply can’t. The sadness is increased when nobody understands what we are passing through.

They come out with nice sounding solutions. Only we know that it does not work. Others criticize, adding to our pain. But to add fuel to the fire comes the thought that all this is because God has rejected me!

Depression can have a variety of causes. But when you find yourselves passing through it, even small things can hurt and add to the lingering sense of worthlessness.

Sometimes you feel like ending your life but still you battle against this mad thought because you know you’re God’s child. Many hurtful thoughts from the past haunt you: Abuses, betrayals, denials, rejections, criticisms, failures and disappointments; all dance furiously with mocking faces right before your eyes. And you feel like giving up.

Now there are no easy solutions to depression. Yet the simplest message to you who suffer from this is “Don’t give up!” The battle might be long.

Yet God can and will ransom you unharmed from the battle waged against you: “He ransoms me unharmed from the battle waged against me, even though many oppose me” (Psalm 55:18 NIV). That means He will deliver you.

God is also asking you to “Wake up!” This is important to defeat depression. If you obey the result will be that you will make depression your captive. No longer will it conquer you (Ref. Judges 5:12). You have allowed it to rule over you long enough. It is not to be tolerated.

Arise! Wake up! Fight! “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you” (Isaiah 60:1 NIV). Surely darkness retreats for your light has come!

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God’s Best Music comes from Flawed Instruments  (Part 4) Inferiority Because of Feelings of Insignificance

There are many Christians who suffer because they think that they are insignificant. If you are one of those, right away, let me ask you a logical question: “Would Christ have died for you if you were insignificant?”

Can you answer this question honestly? If you can, your thoughts of insignificance would disappear immediately!

Or, can’t you remember what Jesus said about you being of more value than the birds of the air and the grass of the field? That is one big reason why He takes care of you. So you are significant indeed.

 He is a God who takes note of even two very small copper coins offered by a poor widow. Will He then forget to take note of you or what you do?

 Are you made to feel insignificant by others? Do not lose heart. Listen to what God has to say:“Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob, O little Israel, for I myself will help you.” “See, I will make you into a threshing sledge, new and sharp, with many teeth” (Ref. Isaiah 41:14,15 NIV).

Have you been made to feel LITTLE like a WORM by others? God shall make you strong out of your weakness. He shall give you a cutting edge over those who made you feel insignificant. So prepare for being significant.

 Are you thinking that all your labor for God has gone waste? Are you discouraged that no one appreciates your work for God?

If that is the reason why you feel insignificant; then this is God’s promise to you today:“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (Hebrews 6:10 NIV).

But the key to this blessing is, not giving up. Not going back. Not falling away. But keeping on with God.

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I am the God of Bethel

I am the God of Bethel (Genesis 31:13a NIV).

God remembers His encounters with you. He also reminds you of them. Here, Jacob is reminded of Bethel. God goes one step further and says, “I am the God of Bethel.”

Thus God was owning that experience of Himself that Jacob had at Bethel in a very special way. It was at Bethel that Jacob had the dream of a stairway (or ladder) with its top reaching to heaven.

Angels were ascending and descending on it. Above it stood the Lord. This was the experience of Bethel. God was telling Jacob that the same God is speaking to him now.

Perhaps the message to Jacob was that, God changes not. Even though Jacob’s circumstances underwent much changes, God had not changed.

When God had met Jacob at Bethel, Jacob was a deceiver. At this point in time Jacob had been deceived many times instead. But in spite of all that, God was telling Jacob that He remained the same.

This is an assurance to you too. When tides and times change, do not get alarmed; for your God changes not.

Again, God was telling Jacob that He remembers the promise He had made. Because at Bethel God had promised great blessing to Jacob and also promised to watch over him wherever he went to bring him back to the same land.

So now, God wanted Jacob to note that none of the promises made had been forgotten. So dear friend, no matter how forgetful you are, God does not forget the promise He had made to you.

Finally, God also remembers what you said and what you did in response to His revelation of Himself to you. Jacob had made a vow and also anointed a pillar there when He had recognized the God of Bethel then.

These kind of acts of worship are reminders that God uses to remind you of the reality of the vows you had made. Otherwise you will forget what you had said to God.

At Bethel, Jacob in essence had said that He will cling to God and the place Bethel will be God’s house and he will give a tenth to God; if God would watch over him and bring him back to the land. Now God was telling Jacob, “It’s time!”

It was time to move and go back to his land. And fulfill his vows too. The God of Bethel reminds you too that it is time to fulfill your vows to Him, for He is going to take you back to the land of promise!
—
More Manna:

Why Do You Say Nothing About Bringing the King Back?

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There Will Be a Day when Watchmen Cry Out

There will be a day when watchmen cry out on the hills of Ephraim, “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God” (Jeremiah 31:6 NIV).

What is fascinating in this verse is the changed role of watchmen! By duty, their role is to stand guard and report of any sign of danger.

But here a day is spoken about when they will be encouraging people to go to Jerusalem to meet God. Of course, this day will come to pass when Jesus reigns in Zion.

But does this verse have any personal significance for you? Yes, it does!

This talks about God restoring you to Himself. In spite of the punishment and the wounds He inflicted on you, He is going to gather you back to Himself.

You might have experienced His scattering in your life. But now He is going to gather everything together and give you rest.

He also is going to build you up again. There will be joy. And there will be fruitful labor in your work. That is the time when the watchmen in your heart will have a different role.

See, this is the time that the peace of God will rule your heart. Your days of being tossed and scattered here and there by spiritual forces will end because the Prince of Peace, Jesus rules your heart with mighty power.

No force of evil can attack when He is on the throne. Then the watchmen will urge you to get near to God.

Weep and pray (v.9), for you are celebrating God gathering you to Himself. Remember, there was a time when sin ruled your heart, in the “hills of Ephraim” (see Hosea 8:11).

That was a time when your heart was divided. Your love was not for God but for others who refused to acknowledge God. But now return to your God.

Can’t you hear the voice of the watchmen? “Come.” It is an invitation. It is a loving urging. The watchmen of your heart are encouraging you to go and meet your God. Weep and pray as you return to your God! “Make your praises heard (v.7)!”
—
More Manna:

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He Will Also Send You Rain for the Seed You Sow

He will also send you rain for the seed you sow in the ground, and the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful (Isaiah 30:23a NIV).

This is a promise which should put hope in the heart of all sowing God’s Word. Many times you might have been discouraged seeing no results in your ministry. Some get so discouraged that they stop sowing seeds altogether.

This is a mistake that you should not make. For some seeds lie hidden in the ground for a long time before it sprouts.

You also need to remember the many times that the Scriptures talk about the process of sowing seed. Just as the seed on the ground needs rain to make it sprout and grow, so also God’s work should happen in the hearts of men and women to make the seed of God’s Word sprout and grow in their hearts.

On the one side, there should be a human effort. You need to have a God-given burden for lost souls. You also need to pray and sow God’s Word continually.

Your work should be marked by perseverance. That means you have to keep on doing God’s work without getting discouraged: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Galatians 5:9 NIV).

Then on the other side, there is God’s blessing on your work. This is signified by the rain from heaven. The Spirit of God will work in the hearts of men and women where you have sown the seed. Then it will sprout and grow.

The promise here is that the food that comes from the land will be rich and plentiful. This talks about multiplication. This is how God always works. That is why Jesus talked about the seed yielding a crop a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.

Sometimes God uses His servants to do the watering too. For Paul said: “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow” (1 Corinthians 3:6 NIV).

But the point is that without the planting of the seed there is no need of watering. Therefore continue to plant seeds in hope. God will give the rain it needs and the growth too.
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