Posts from — September 2010

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.” –Isaiah 5:20 (NIV)

We live in an age where moral confusion has become a disease that has seeped into our culture like a poison. Abandoning absolute and universal moral values, we have adopted the position that morality is subjective and solely dependant on what the individual feels. Some might take this as a sign of progress; that such an attitude heralds an age of peace and happiness. But such a peace comes at a dire price. In the name of toleration and a wish to make everybody content, we have rationalized inherently evil practices as being acceptable, turned a blind eye to injustice, and have restrained ourselves from condemning both wickedness itself and the practice of allowing it to persist. If human society continues to degrade itself in this manner, we will silence the voice of truth, righteousness, and justice; instead becoming mindless slaves of our own depravity.

Humanity is meant to live under a set of guidelines. Without them, we have nothing to hold back our carnal nature. God, in His Word, set in place His righteous and pure standards for proper human conduct. These standards are not there to oppress us, but to protect us from the ravages of falling prey to our sinful nature. Yet if we try to obey God’s Laws, we will fail because His standards are too lofty for humans to attain through any action of our own. This is why in His love and grace, He sent His Son to Earth to die for us on the cross; so that by His blood and His glorious resurrection sin’s hold over us is broken and we can enjoy a restored relationship with God. When we allow Christ to work within our hearts, we will know exactly what is right and wrong for His righteousness will be worked out through us. Only through Christ’s indwelling in our hearts and our constant obedience to His voice will we be able to live according to God’s standards. Through Him we will be able to stand confidently for truth, righteousness, and justice; never forgetting that all are deserving of God’s love and grace and that all can achieve salvation from their depravity if they allow Christ to work in their lives.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“This is what the Lord says: ‘If you can break my covenant with the day and my covenant with the night, so that day and night no longer come at their appointed time, then my covenant with David my servant—and my covenant with the Levites who are priests ministering before me—can be broken and David will no longer have a descendant to reign on his throne.’” –Jeremiah 33: 20-21 (NIV)

There is something wonderfully assuring about seeing the sun rise and set. Regardless of the chaos on Earth or the corrupt ambitions of man, nothing can alter the cycle of night and day. It is far beyond human capability to do so. God is the only one who is able to cause dawn and dusk to appear faithfully to signify the beginning and end of each new day.  Just as how nothing can interfere with God’s divine ordination of the sun and moon to appear at their appointed hour, no human design can interfere with a promise that He has made. To this day God’s covenant with David and the Levites has not been broken. It remains intact through Christ who is, and will be eternally, the Davidic King and Levitical High Priest for all the world.

As sure as the rising and setting of the sun, we can take assurance in the fact that God never breaks His promises with us. In a world where promises have lost their meaning and can be easily broken, our conditioning asks if this is truly possible. But God is not tainted by human failings. He is the embodiment of truth, love and justice. Therefore, when He says that He will do something, He will do it. If we have allowed Him to enter into our hearts by accepting His redemptive sacrifice on the cross for our sins and His resurrection, we can find rest in the fact that His hand in upon us and that we will see His wonderful plan for our lives come fruition. The redemptive work of Christ in the world cannot be stopped. No matter how bleak the world around us may be, no matter how desperate our circumstances may seem, we can find comfort in the fact that God is the world’s Redeemer and Restorer. He will mend the brokenness of our world and lives, if we allow Him to, according to His good and perfect will. Our trust is not misplaced when we place our hope in God and His promises.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes, so he departs. He takes nothing from his labour that he can carry in his hand.” -Ecclesiastes 5:15 (NIV)

In most ancient cultures, when a king or ruler died, all of his possessions would be buried with him in a tomb. The rationale behind this practice was that the sovereign would need them in the afterlife. All manner of things, from food and jewelery to horses and slaves, would be buried so that they would be of use to the dead king in the hereafter. But as archaeologists would find out, the material things of this world cannot be taken with us when we die. Everything that the kings thought would be with them in the afterlife remain sealed in their tombs and if their possessions did not fall prey to natural decay, they are displayed in museums all around the world; even then in environments where there is no guarantee that they will survive forever.

We often seem to be oblivious of this basic fact of life; naked we enter this world and naked we will return. We spend so much time accumulating wealth; hording material possessions in an effort to boost our prestige. But for what? When we succumb to the inevitability of death, our wealth will be divided amongst others; our houses and possessions sold to strangers. Even a reputable name will eventually be forgotten underneath the sands of time. This then begs the question, is there anything which can claim eternity? There is, but it is something not of this world.

God is eternal, and before we disobeyed God and allowed sin entered this world, humanity was destined to live forever. Once wickedness corrupted us and the world however, the life-giving relationship we shared with God was ruptured. But because God is love and wanted none to perish, He offered His son to humanity so that through His redemptive sacrifice on the cross and His resurrection, we may have our relationship with God restored and partake of the eternal life He offers. The redemptive work which Christ initiated on the cross is eternal and once we choose life in Him, it will never be snatched away. When we choose to invest in the treasure that will not give to rust and decay, we will find the unshakable security and peace which comes from knowing Christ in a personal way. Our priorities will be re-aligned as we find our source of fulfilment not in what we can obtain for ourselves, but what God does through us as He brings to fruition the wonderful and eternal plan He has for the entire world.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“…but those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.” –Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

I loved wearing my school uniform. Every morning I would make sure that it would look neat and crisp before I went to classes. What I loved most about it however was that emblazoned on my tie and vest was an eagle with an outstretched wing. Written underneath were the words “Isaiah 40:31”. Whenever I was going through anxious times in school, I would always find hope in the promise that was written in my uniform. As long as I placed my hope and faith in the Lord, He would never fail to renew my strength. He will raise my spirit above the concerns and cares of this world on the sure assurance that He will be to one to carry me through the dark times I face.

Why do we give into excessive worry and fear? When the clouds of misery and grief darken our skies, it is a natural response. We feel as if the burdens of our circumstances are meant to be borne solely on our own shoulders. In our limited human perception, we see no other alternative. But humanity was not meant to bear such a burden. We were meant to live in the peace and joy that comes from knowing and relying on our Heavenly Father. Once sin entered the world through our deliberate choice to disobey, not only did suffering enter as well; but the blissful relationship we shared with God was severed because of our wickedness. Yet God is the restorer of all things. Through His loving sacrifice on the cross and His glorious resurrection from the grave, we are all given the hope of being redeemed from our sin and our relationship with God restored if we allow Him to carry out His restorative work in our hearts. As Christ’s children who bear His presence, we must never forget that we do not live this life on our own. We will always have Christ who, if we allow Him to, will strengthen us when we feel weak, revive our spirits when they are crushed, and comfort us in our darkest hour. When we place our hope in Him, His peace will overflow through us; bearing witness to all who see us that there is a God who can and will lift them up if they call upon His name.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God…” 1 Peter 4:11 (NIV)

We have often heard the maxim, “Actions speak louder than words”. But by no means does it indicate that we should neglect the way we conduct ourselves in our speech. If anything the words which we say, and the way we say them, reveal something about our character, our values, and our entire outlook on life. Anybody can act in a kind and charitable fashion. However, when we are in environments where we are not hindered by mere social convention or when the wrong buttons have been pushed to arouse our ire, it will be our words which will betray any façade we have created. Out of the heart, our mouths will speak and our words will reveal to others what we really serve and hold dear.

It is interesting to note that God reveals who He is not merely through His actions, but primarily through His words. The words He used to speak the world into existence reveals His creativity and loving provision. His commandments and decrees to His people and prophets reveal His nature as being, pure, holy, and just. His constant assurances towards those who are undergoing or entering into a period of trials and suffering, display His great love and faithfulness. The very fact that we have the Bible, literally God’s Words to humanity, shows the importance that God places on words and speech. As His children who called to be His witnesses on Earth, every part of our lives must display His character being manifested in us. The tongue is no exception. Our words should reveal our Lord as being uncompromisingly holy, faithfully just, and irresistibly compassionate. When we allow Christ to take reign over our hearts and mouths, we will be able to speak life into the hearts of those around us; using our tongues as a witness for who He is and what He can do for all who call upon His name.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” –Galatians 5:25 (NIV)

Anyone who has been involved in a dance troupe or has danced in a formal ballroom setting knows the importance of keeping in step. If even one person in the troupe or couple fails to be in perfect co-ordination with their partners, the entire performance of the group will look unsynchronized even if the others were carrying out their part flawlessly. What will amaze the audience is not just the aesthetic beauty and complexity of the movements the dancers perform, but also whether the dancers are working together in harmony with each other. That is why they undergo constant training; making sure that everyone is in step so that their performance will be without blemish.

The Christian life is mean to be lived while being constantly in step with the Holy Spirit residing in our hearts. When we personally accept Christ’s redeeming sacrifice for us on the cross and allow Him to guide our paths, we acknowledge His leadership over every area of our lives. He is leading us towards making choices that will perfect His righteousness in our lives so that we may live life in its true beauty and bliss. When He prompts us to do something that will contribute to the realization of His will in our lives, our role is to simply obey and trust that everything is in His hands. If we refuse to obey His leading and go off on our own direction and faulty wisdom, it will be just as if a dancer decided to spontaneously deviate from the pre-arranged choreography of the group. He may think he is doing everything right when really he is making a fool of himself. Likewise, people will look at our lives with puzzlement and scorn when they see us claiming to be Christ’s children, but living contrary to everything He stands for through our thoughts, words, and actions. When we surrender our lives to Christ, abandon all our wrong attitudes and values, and permit Him to guide our steps, He will lead us in a dance that will allow His righteousness to shine forth; leading others to be astounded and drawn to the redemptive work of God in our lives.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’ Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.” -2 Corinthians 12:9 (NIV)

We all have areas in our lives where we fall prey to temptation and ensnare ourselves in sin. Although our pride would like to tell us that we are of a perfect breed cut above the rest, if we are truly honest with ourselves, we can all point to areas in our lives which reveal our human weakness and fallibility. In light of this fact, it is easy to become discouraged and chained by despair. We tell ourselves that we are not good enough; that we have not attained that state of perfection, which everyone else around us seems to have achieved, in order to serve God.  Such an attitude not only hinders us in our Christian walk, but it also sows the seeds of bitterness and insecurity in our hearts.

Throughout the Bible, God uses sinful people to fulfil His perfect will. Moses was a murderer and yet it was he whom God choose to lead the Israelite out of Egypt. Jonah was disobedient towards God and disliked the people of Nineveh; deeming them to be not worthy of God’s mercy. Yet God was able to use him to bring that city into a right relationship with their Creator. Paul, the man responsible for writing much of the New Testament, struggled with what he referred to as his “thorn in the flesh”; an area of his life that often harassed him with temptations. God, because He is loving and all-powerful, is able to work through us despite our sinful inclinations. Yet He can only work through us if we have accepted His redemptive sacrifice on the cross for our sin and allowed Him to dwell in our hearts. We are not saved because of how holy we are, but solely because of God’s grace which He has lovingly bestowed upon us.

Though sin’s hold on our lives has been broken through the shedding of Christ’s blood, there will be times when, because of our human weakness, we will fall into sin. Yet as long as Christ lives and works within our hearts, there is always forgiveness if we come before Him with a repentant spirit. Satan would like us to believe that we are of no use to God because of our wickedness. But God says that He will pick us up when we fall. In His love and compassion He will never give up on us. If we allow Him, He will empower and strengthen us to do His work despite our weaknesses so that we may not boast of any efforts of our own; but boast in the redemptive power of Christ and what He can do for all who come to Him.

Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.