July 24, 2011
It is God’s intention for us to ‘have life, and have it to the full.’ (John 10:10)
Abundant life does not necessarily mean a busy life. Many of us believe that we are saved by faith but we behave like the Galatian believers. We labour and toil and then feel that ‘meaningless! All is meaningless!”
A crowded agenda and a crammed schedule is not a reflection of life quality. More does not necessarily mean better. Running a fast-paced frenzied life will only result in exhaustion and burnout.
God does not want us to burnout.
However, the abundant life does not mean an idyllic life either. The gospel of ‘believe in Jesus and you will have no problems in life” is an equally toxic lie to our souls. Some people over-advertise the good news and the result is that we become disillusioned in our faith.
God does not want us to just ‘chill out’ in life.
God has wired in us the need to work and rest. God ordains us to work but also to observe the Sabbath. He is the God of the seasons. In the rising and the setting of the sun, God designs us to be creatures of rhythm. Burnout or apathy results when we fail to observe this creature-clock in us.
The abundant life that Jesus promises is from Him and in Him. We live lives to the fullest when we intentionally live out our calling to live a balanced life of rhythm.
It is a rhythm of retreat into solitude and engaging the world.
Friday, July 22, 2011
Thursday, July 21, 2011
God Delights in us
Read Zephaniah 3:9-20
Zeph 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Throughout the Bible, we are told to ‘take delight in God” (Psalm 37:4) and to ‘rejoice in God (I Chronicles 16:10).
However, here is a wonderful picture of reversal. God is said to take delight in us and rejoice over us – with singing!!
Picture God jumping over the smallest achievement in us as a parent takes great pride in his child’s slightest action. Then imagine god breaking out in songs of happiness because of us! That is the kind of heavenly Father we have.
However, this does not mean that God is an indulgent parent who just spoils us rotten. The text here refers to those ‘remnant’ – the people who are the ‘residual’ believers who stick up for God and worship God despite the nation’s rebellion. These people have taken God to be their delight and in doing so, God takes delight in them as well.
God loves all of us (even with our sins and all) but it is those who have chosen to follow Him that He takes great delight in and rejoices over.
“Such as are upright in their way are his delight” (Proverbs 11:20).
“The prayer of the upright is his delight” (15:8).
“My strong enemy [was]…too strong for me…but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:17-19).
May God's delight in us energizes and transforms us in supernatural ways!
Zeph 3:17
The LORD your God is with you,
the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Throughout the Bible, we are told to ‘take delight in God” (Psalm 37:4) and to ‘rejoice in God (I Chronicles 16:10).
However, here is a wonderful picture of reversal. God is said to take delight in us and rejoice over us – with singing!!
Picture God jumping over the smallest achievement in us as a parent takes great pride in his child’s slightest action. Then imagine god breaking out in songs of happiness because of us! That is the kind of heavenly Father we have.
However, this does not mean that God is an indulgent parent who just spoils us rotten. The text here refers to those ‘remnant’ – the people who are the ‘residual’ believers who stick up for God and worship God despite the nation’s rebellion. These people have taken God to be their delight and in doing so, God takes delight in them as well.
God loves all of us (even with our sins and all) but it is those who have chosen to follow Him that He takes great delight in and rejoices over.
“Such as are upright in their way are his delight” (Proverbs 11:20).
“The prayer of the upright is his delight” (15:8).
“My strong enemy [was]…too strong for me…but the Lord was my stay. He brought me forth into a large place; he delivered me, because he delighted in me” (Psalm 18:17-19).
May God's delight in us energizes and transforms us in supernatural ways!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Ministry is not a quick Dash
Read I Corinthians 15:50-58
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
“A recent television documentary pointed out that the cheetah survives on the African plains by running down its prey. The big cat can sprint seventy miles per hour. But the cheetah cannot sustain that pace for long. Within its long, sleek body is a disproportionately small heart, which causes the cheetah to tire quickly. Unless the cheetah catches its prey in the first flurry, it must abandon the chase.
Sometimes Christians seem to have the cheetah's approach to ministry. We speed into projects with great energy. But lacking the heart for sustained effort, we fizzle before we finish. We vow to start faster and run harder, when what we need may be not more speed but more staying power--stamina that comes only from a bigger heart. Motion and busyness, no matter how great, yield nothing unless we allow God to give us the heart.” (quoted from Grant Lovejoy)
One of the glorious spiritual truths is that we are on the winning side. Jesus has conquered our last enemy, death. Satan is a defeated foe and our victory is secured. This truth gives us the confidence and faith to build stamina and persevere in our service for Him. How do we ensure that we don’t start well and end badly? We must be determined to adopt three attitudes in ministry and life.
First, we will approach our life and service firmly. We will not be discouraged, side-tracked or intimidated. We will not back down from a challenge or back away from a situation.
Second, we will approach our life and service wholeheartedly. We will give ourselves completely, without reservation to inspire, encourage and serve God. We will hold nothing back.
Third, we will approach our life and service confidently. We lay hold of God’s promise and His completed work – our minds are fixed on the eternal. We are convinced that His values count and His methods are right. We cling on to what He says and let Him set our pace.
1 Corinthians 15:58
Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.
“A recent television documentary pointed out that the cheetah survives on the African plains by running down its prey. The big cat can sprint seventy miles per hour. But the cheetah cannot sustain that pace for long. Within its long, sleek body is a disproportionately small heart, which causes the cheetah to tire quickly. Unless the cheetah catches its prey in the first flurry, it must abandon the chase.
Sometimes Christians seem to have the cheetah's approach to ministry. We speed into projects with great energy. But lacking the heart for sustained effort, we fizzle before we finish. We vow to start faster and run harder, when what we need may be not more speed but more staying power--stamina that comes only from a bigger heart. Motion and busyness, no matter how great, yield nothing unless we allow God to give us the heart.” (quoted from Grant Lovejoy)
One of the glorious spiritual truths is that we are on the winning side. Jesus has conquered our last enemy, death. Satan is a defeated foe and our victory is secured. This truth gives us the confidence and faith to build stamina and persevere in our service for Him. How do we ensure that we don’t start well and end badly? We must be determined to adopt three attitudes in ministry and life.
First, we will approach our life and service firmly. We will not be discouraged, side-tracked or intimidated. We will not back down from a challenge or back away from a situation.
Second, we will approach our life and service wholeheartedly. We will give ourselves completely, without reservation to inspire, encourage and serve God. We will hold nothing back.
Third, we will approach our life and service confidently. We lay hold of God’s promise and His completed work – our minds are fixed on the eternal. We are convinced that His values count and His methods are right. We cling on to what He says and let Him set our pace.
Monday, July 18, 2011
Salvation and Grace
Read I Tim 1:12-17
I Tim 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
To many of us, Paul is like a hero that we look up to. He seems so sure of his faith, so firm in his ways and so dedicated in his devotion to Christ. We all, at some point in our lives, wish that we are half the man Paul is.
Paul’s life message is that of Christ coming, dying and rising to save sinners and he counts himself the first in Jesus’ list of chief sinners.
Paul is able to achieve much for God because he understands grace. He has a right view of himself and clear understanding of God’s saving grace. He knows that he deserves nothing but punishment and death but Christ has given him nothing but grace and mercy and salvation.
An old Indian chief, after living many years in sin, was led to Christ by a missionary. Friends asked him to explain the change in his life. Reaching down he picked up a little worm and placed it on a pile of leaves. Then touching a match to the leaves, he watched them smolder and burst into flames. As the flames worked their way up to the center where the worm laid, the old chief suddenly plunged his hand into the center of the burning pile and snatched the worm out. Holding the worm gently in his hand he gave his testimony to the grace of God: "Me...that worm!"
Do you desire to be used by God? Then you need to remember where you were before you come to salvation. The pits of sin and the agony of bondage to self! If you have never seen yourself as a ‘worm’, totally saved by God’s mercy, you can never serve Him wholeheartedly and passionately.
I Tim 1:15
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.
To many of us, Paul is like a hero that we look up to. He seems so sure of his faith, so firm in his ways and so dedicated in his devotion to Christ. We all, at some point in our lives, wish that we are half the man Paul is.
Paul’s life message is that of Christ coming, dying and rising to save sinners and he counts himself the first in Jesus’ list of chief sinners.
Paul is able to achieve much for God because he understands grace. He has a right view of himself and clear understanding of God’s saving grace. He knows that he deserves nothing but punishment and death but Christ has given him nothing but grace and mercy and salvation.
An old Indian chief, after living many years in sin, was led to Christ by a missionary. Friends asked him to explain the change in his life. Reaching down he picked up a little worm and placed it on a pile of leaves. Then touching a match to the leaves, he watched them smolder and burst into flames. As the flames worked their way up to the center where the worm laid, the old chief suddenly plunged his hand into the center of the burning pile and snatched the worm out. Holding the worm gently in his hand he gave his testimony to the grace of God: "Me...that worm!"
Do you desire to be used by God? Then you need to remember where you were before you come to salvation. The pits of sin and the agony of bondage to self! If you have never seen yourself as a ‘worm’, totally saved by God’s mercy, you can never serve Him wholeheartedly and passionately.
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