Posts from — April 2011

“‘Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.’” –Like 22:42 (NIV)

Why did Jesus have to die? As we reflect on Good Friday and its meaning, our minds immediately turn to Him. We see images of Him being rejected, scorned, flogged, and finally executed by crucifixion, the most humiliating and excruciating of deaths. But why? Was there not another way to bring about the salvation of mankind? He was God so He could have certainly done so in a less painful and tragic manner. However, to understand why He endured the anguish of the Cross for us we must first understand man’s relationship with God. It is only when we have grasped this fact that we are able to understand the significance of Christ’s sacrifice for humanity and why it shows how much He loves us.

From the time Adam and Eve disobeyed God, man has been corrupted by sin. Even today we see evidence of the fallen nature of man all around us. Since God is holy He cannot tolerate sin. Thus the once intimate and close relationship we had with Him has been severed because of our deliberate choice to indulge in what is depraved. The penalty for sin is death according to the holy standards of God and when measured against His standards not one of us can honestly say that we are not guilty before Him. Yet God knows this full well and in His love He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die on our behalf. Christ voluntarily chose death to give us life. Through His blood shed for us on the Cross, the penalty of our sin has been paid in full and we have the hope of living in a restored relationship with God. But will we take hold of Christ’s sacrifice for us? Will we allow Him to carry out His redemptive work in our lives? When we have allowed Him to enter our hearts, His blood will cleanse us of all our sin. But this is only half the story and in the coming days there is much to follow.

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.

“Better is one day in your courts than a thousand elsewhere; I would rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God than dwell in the tents of the wicked.” -Psalm 84:10 (NIV)

What do we think of when we think of splendour? Perhaps our minds may conjure up images of opulent palaces and mansions with beautiful furniture and treasures inside. Maybe we might think of the celebrations and parties thrown by the rich and famous; full of guests dressed worthy of their affluence and banquet halls filled with the finest of foods. Yet none of these things can compare with being in the glorious presence of God. He is the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. Whenever in Scripture God gives mortal men the privilege of seeing heaven, they cannot describe its indescribable beauty. All the things of the Earth pale in comparison to God for while they are fleeting, He is eternal.

Yet how often do we desire the things of this Earth. In our blindness we elevate the material things of this world to the status of god. Though we may not admit it we may worship our wealth, our careers, or our relationships and place them on a platform that should only be reserved for God alone. We foolishly think that nothing can compare with being in the presence of these things and we think that we can find our security in them. However, we will become sorely disappointed when our treasures soon begin to wither and fade away. Where then can we find our confidence and hope? When we have allowed Christ to enter our lives and seek to abide in Him, we will find that being in His presence far outweighs anything the world can offer. Though the world may crumble around us, we can rest in the eternity of God, praising His faithfulness knowing that ultimate victory lies with 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.

“If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” –James 1:5 (NIV)

Imagine yourself in a thick and foreboding forest with nothing but the clothes on your back. It would definitely be a frightening experience! Perhaps one of the greatest fears we have is the fear of the unknown. Without something to guide us and provide us with that sense of direction and security, we would walk aimlessly into unfamiliar territory. Lost and confused we become paralyzed by fear, constantly dreading where each step of ours will take us. Now compare this to if we were placed in the same forest but with a map, a compass, and even a GPS system. What a difference this would make! We would be able to walk confidently through that forest knowing that we are going in the right direction.

Sometimes life can feel like as if we are walking through a vast forest with nothing to aid us. In the face of uncertainty we become fearful of the future and wonder if we are going in the right direction or stepping into disaster. Nothing seems to make sense and in our frustration we cry out for help and guidance. But the wonderful truth is that our cries do not fall on deaf ears. God hears us when we call out to Him in our despair and He wants to help us. For each and every person on this Earth He has a perfect plan that He wants to have fulfilled in our lives; plans to give us hope and a future. When we have allowed Christ to reside within us and continue to submit ourselves to Him, He will gives us wisdom and guide our steps towards the fulfilment of the great purposes He has for us. We will not fear uncertainty for when we are guided by God’s flawless wisdom we can rest knowing that He is taking us along the path He wants us to go so that we may praise His faithfulness and love.

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 let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream!” –Amos 5:24 (NIV)

Water takes on the form of whatever contains it. If we were to pour water into a bottle, it will take the shape of the bottle. If we were to pour it into a bowl, it will take the shape of the bowl. This makes water, or any other liquid for that matter, a very malleable substance. Through technological innovation we have the power to divert rivers for irrigation and reap the agricultural benefits this would bring for us. We also have the ability to build dams which partially block the natural flow of water so that we may harness it to produce energy for ourselves. Such architectural feats are fascinating to learn about and it shows how through technology we can use the natural force of water to our advantage.

But how often do we attempt to pervert the course of justice and righteousness for our own benefit! How often is it that instead of justice rolling on like a river, it is diverted here and there so that the selfish interests of the unscrupulous may be persevered? How often is it that we have prevented ourselves from standing up for righteousness out of fear that we will be ridiculed or silenced? In a world where sin is promoted and a blind eye is turned to corruption, it can be hard to be the voice calling for integrity and purity. However, as children of Christ we are called to be bearers of His light wherever we go. When we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts and carry out His redemptive work in our lives, His righteousness and love will overflow from within us. He will give us the boldness and confidence to stand up for what is right and true so that others will see that we serve a God who is holy and just. What is stopping the flow of righteousness and justice in our lives? Only by surrendering these areas to Christ can we shine for Him in a world overtaken by darkness.

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.

“No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.” -1 John 4:12 (NIV)

How many of us have seen the wind? Try as I might I can never get a visible image of its form or grasp it in my hand. Yet I know that it exists because I can feel it and I can see what it does. I can see it as it gently carries autumn leaves into the sky. I can feel as it wraps me in its cooling touch on a hot summer day. I may not be able to physically see the wind, but I am confirmed of its existence because I see evidence of it at work. No one can logically say that the wind does not exist on the basis that we cannot tangibly see it because it is clear that its action bear testimony to its existence.

In the same manner no one can physically see God. If we were to stand before God, we would be blinded by His holiness. Our eyes, tainted by our sinful nature, cannot behold God in all His glory. But this does not mean He wants to remain aloof from humanity. Though each one of us has sinned against Him and as a result has severed our relationship with Him, He was to restore us back into relationship with Him so that we may have life. When we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts and carry out His redemptive work in our lives, He will break the chains that bind us to our sin if we submit every area of our lives to Him. He will then fill us with His love and righteousness so that we may bear witness to the loving and holy God we serve. If we rely on human love in an attempt to show the love of Christ we will ultimately fail for human love is easily tainted by our sinful nature. It is only when we have made His love to be made manifest in us will we be able to be witnesses for Christ, allowing Him to reveal Himself to others through His love and draw them into the hope of having a restored relationship with God.

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.

“For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you…” –Colossians 1:9 (NIV)

Have you ever left something unfinished? Perhaps it was a model kit or home project that seemed too difficult to complete. Maybe it was a hobby which we had an initial passion for, but soon grew wearisome as it became harder to do. Often times when we do not see immediate results, we become frustrated and give up on what we have invested our energies and resources towards. Yet how often do we turn around and complain why we are not good at this or that. Why can’t we excel at that hobby or interest, or why can’t we complete that project we had set our minds to. The answer is simple actually. We did not persevere. If we see our tasks through to the end, we will be able to complete what we started and would have gained valuable experience to help us become better at what we do.

In prayer as well we are often tempted to give up. Despite our most earnest and faithful prayers, we do not see the results we hope for. We question whether God is really there listening or our prayers, or if He is even there at all. Thus in our despair we give up and stop praying thinking it is all hopeless. But in our frustration we end to overlook an important truth. No prayer directed to God falls on deaf ears. He is always listening and working out His perfect plan for our lives. Though we cannot see Him at work, He is there behind the scenes bringing together events in such as way as to fulfil His great purposes for us. But do we trust Him and His ability to lead us? Or is our unwillingness to continue our prayers a subtle declaration that we do not trust the Lord of the Universe to do what He has promised to do. When we have allowed Christ to enter our heart and carry out His work in our lives, we can rest in the assurance that He always answers prayer and according to His flawless timing and will in order to fulfil His plan for us. All He requires is that we trust Him, being persistent in our prayers that we can see for ourselves His faithful providence and thereby strengthening our faith in 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.

“He raises up the poor from the dust; he lifts the needy from the ash heap to make them sit with princes and inherit a seat of honor.” -1 Samuel 2:8 (ESV)

I love a good “rags to riches” story. So many such tales abound not only in literature and movies, but continue to be made even now. I have read many stories of refugees, sometimes even being young orphaned children, leaving their devastated war-torn countries seeking a better life elsewhere. Making harrowing journeys across strange and unfamiliar lands they finally find sanctuary. But even here there are battles of different kinds. Overcoming language barriers and financial difficulties they work hard starting from nothing and eventually going on to lead successful lives doing what they are passionate about. To hear and read about their stories is truly inspiring and reminds me of how God uses all things for His good.

Sometimes we look at our circumstances and we wonder why we must endure them. Perhaps we are encountering struggles that seem insurmountable, or situations that seem unbearable. In our misery and frustration we cry out to God asking for what purpose has He brought us to this place in our lives. Indeed God understands these cries. He knows what it is like to suffer and He intimately knows our grief. However, He has also come to give us hope. His plans for us are never to harm us, but to give us life and hope for the future. In His love and power He is able to use our circumstances to fulfil His glorious purposes for our lives. But will we take hold of this truth for ourselves? Will we choose to trust in Him to lead us towards life? When we allow Christ to enter our hearts and allow Him to work in our lives, He assures us that He will guide us according to His perfect will as long as we keep in step with Him. With humility submitting ourselves to His wisdom and walking in obedience to Him in the situations He has placed us, we will be amazed as He proves His love and faithfulness to us.

Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version® (ESV®), copyright © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved.