“My people come to you, as they usually do, and sit before you to hear your words, but they do not put them into practice. Their mouths speak of love, but their hearts are greedy for unjust gain.” –Ezekiel 33:31 (NIV)

Why is it patronizing to pay lip-service to someone? Most would say that it is insincere to the point of being insulting. For example, when we say “I love you” to someone, yet act towards that same person in a way that is certainly not befitting of love, then our profession of love towards that person can be called into question. If we truly did love that person, we would ensure that it is made tangible through our actions and attitudes. It is like having a computer send a message to you every morning saying that “I love you”. Since a computer cannot do anything to prove its love to you, the phrase becomes hollow and superficial. Likewise our love expressed in words is meaningless if it is not expressed in action as well, and it is this lack of demonstrated love which frustrates others.

Often we can be like that with God. Though we may listen to His Word and speak of His love, our hearts can be far away from Him. While we might claim that we love God and love those around us, perhaps they have become just words to us which have not been translated into action. But it is this duplicity which can harm our witness for Christ, and cause ourselves and others to wonder whether if our love for Him is real and genuine. Like computers who have been programmed to say “I love you” our verbal expressions of love are empty and absent of meaning if our behaviour does not show it. How then can we escape this contradiction? The only way is to completely surrender ourselves to Christ and live in obedience to Him. When we have allowed His Spirit to enter our lives and restore every area of our being, we will want to live in accordance with Him by His enabling. The best way to show our love for Christ is to pursue His righteousness always; humbly allowing Him to perfect His love in us so that no one will be able to question who reigns 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.

“Your righteousness is everlasting and your law is true.”- Psalm 119:142 (NIV)

Today as I was traveling on the bus, I came across an interesting advertisement. Amongst images of everything pretty, cute, and pleasant on could think of was written, “Dressing it up doesn’t make it true.” It was an advertisement for an organization which helps to expose false messaging in advertising and take them to task. What was more striking was that the sub-heading said, “Truth matters”. In this world it seems that truth has become little more than a personal preference on the lines of a favorite color or what feels good for the moment. But looking at that sign on the bus it was encouraging to know that people still care about objective truth and whether something is universally right or wrong.

As the world comes closer together and new ideas are being constantly churned out, there are many philosophies and worldviews advertising themselves as truth. Wanting to minimize conflict between the plethora of ideas, our culture has taken the position that one truth is just as valid as any other truth. But if truth is simply reduced to something that is dependent on individual preference, we will end up living in an internal contradiction that will lead us into hypocrisy. We will find ourselves condemning a horrendous act in one context yet in the same breath justifying that same act because it took place in a different context. Two contrary ideas cannot exist side by side and there will come a point where we will have to be honest with ourselves and discover what is that objective and absolute truth.

There is only one truth in the world which brings life, and that is found in Christ Jesus. He has revealed His righteousness and law to us through His Word and wants us to be restored through Him. When we have allowed His Spirit to enter our hearts and desire to seek after Him by reading His Word, we will know that His truth is the only way through which humanity can find true hope, healing, and life abundant. If our faith in Christ is based on simply because it feels good for us, then our faith is weak for it is based on human feelings and sentiments that are prone to change and ignore the truth. But when our faith in Christ is based on understanding the truth, our faith in Him will be stronger; having the knowledge to know what is right and wrong so that we may bring life to others by His Spirit.

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.

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” –Psalm 55:22 (ESV)

Being close to the Atlantic Ocean, Nova Scotia is a place with many boat owners. When I was working there one summer, it was a common sight to see many different boats sailing in and around the harbour. One day however, it was announced that the province would be experiencing a severe storm with very powerful winds. All of us had to get anything outdoors inside our homes and I heard of many boat owners scrambling to the docks to secure their vessels. The way they did this was remarkable. Using ropes and anchors they were able to ensure that their boats were not carried away by the storm. Granted the boats may have been rocked by the power of the winds, but they remained in one place; firmly moored to the docks.

How can we survive the storms of life? It is a question that often surfaces in our minds when we are in despair. We feel as if we are being tossed about by our circumstances, never knowing whether we will be able to endure it all. In our anguish we cry out for security and strength to live and we turn to all sorts of things in the hope of attaining what we seek. But what ends up happening is that when storms come, these cords which we have trusted in to keep us secure are prone to snap; leaving us at the mercy of the wind and the waves. Where then can we find that strength which will last us through the unendurable? It is only when we have rooted ourselves in Christ. When we have allowed Him to enter our hearts and submit ourselves to Him, He will lead us according to His perfect will. By living in obedience to Him and trusting in who He is, He will not allow us to be overtaken by the storms around us; empowering and sustaining us to preserve as He works through our situations for His great purposes.

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.

“When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.” –Proverbs 10:25 (NIV)

I once used to walk through a forested path in order to go to school. It was great fun because it felt quite relaxing to walk underneath the boughs of the trees and I could see all manner of wildlife in the forest. One evening however there was a major storm which lasted throughout the night. When the next time I took the forested path, I was surprised to find that it had been obstructed by many fallen trees! What surprised me most is that these trees certainly did not look weak. They appeared to be healthy and rooted firmly in the ground, and I felt safe walking under them. But as I looked at their roots I could see that perhaps they were not grounded firmly enough. For all their appearances of strength they actually proved to be weak in the face of the storm.

When the winds of temptation blow, will we stand firm? Sometimes we may feel as if we are powerless in our fight against sin. Trying to overcome our wickedness by our own strength our initial tenacity turns into discouragement in the face of countless defeats and wonder why we even bother. Thus we give into sin and allow its destructive grip to crush us and toss us about. But this does not have to be our fate. There is victory over sin and we can remain strong under the pressures of temptation. This victory and strength does not come from within us, but solely on our reliance in Christ. When we have allowed His Spirit to enter our hearts and seek to live by His power in us, we will not be shaken. To be rooted in Christ and in His Word is a sure defence against being uprooted by temptation. By choosing to remain in Christ we will find a strength that will never be taken away from us. Though the winds of temptation may buffet us, we will remain unmoved as Christ works out His righteousness through us when we choose to abide 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.

“If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides,” -1 Peter 4:11b (NIV)

A happy army is a well-fed army. The success or failure of a military campaign can often rest on whether the soldiers fighting the battle have food to eat. For this reason the wise army makes sure that when they are in a protracted campaign that their supply lines are not stretched too thin and that these lines are adequately protected. Failure to do so could give the enemy the opportunity to strike at these vital lifelines; thereby depriving their opponent of needed food and supplies. Regardless of their training or skill as warriors, a solider cannot fight if he has not eaten. Starved and yet forced into battle, he cannot fight effectively for his strength is drained and thus he becomes easy prey for his enemy.

Sometimes we think that we can love and serve like Christ relying solely on our own strength. However, people and situations will come along our path that will challenge this claim. We soon come to face the reality that our love and generosity has its limits. It is no wonder then that we are prone to discouragement and frustration. We are like soldiers who are without food; fighting to love and serve others but only becoming weaker and demoralized with each step. It is for this reason that we need to keep our supply lines open by drawing from the strength which comes from God. When we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts and seek to abide in Him, He will give us a hunger to spend time in His presence and in His Word. With this spiritual food, God will replenish and strengthen us so that He may fulfil His great purposes through us. When we disconnect ourselves from the true source of strength, it will reflect in our service and love for others. But when we seek to be rooted in Christ He will enable us to love and serve as He did, with a tenacity and gentleness that will draw people to the hope which is only available through 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.

‘“Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the body is weak.’” –Matthew 26:41 (NIV)

Life as a student comes with its joys as well as its challenges. Perhaps one challenge which seems to be universal for students everywhere is working on essays and assignments late into the night. I remember times when I had to stay up all night in order to finish a paper due that morning. There were moments where I would wish that I could go to sleep, or at least shut my eyes. However, I knew that the moment I rested my head, I would fall deep into slumber and would not be able to finish my work. I had to pray to God for strength during those times. I knew that if I relied on my own willpower I would easily succumb to the temptation to fall asleep. But once I prayed to God to give me strength knowing that I could not carry on my own, He would always sharpen my mind and senses; giving me energy to finish my work in time and succeed by His grace.

In the same manner, how often have we wanted to let our guard down and allow temptation to lead us astray? Often times the allure of temptation is great and though we want to resist, part of us wants to indulge in sinful behaviour. Paul himself admits this struggle in Romans 7:15 when he writes that, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” We compromise with ourselves saying that a one-time tryst with sin will not harm us and that we can pull ourselves out whenever we choose to. But the reality is that once we give even the slightest allowance to sin in our lives, we have already gone too far. Sin has that nasty effect of sucking us into a downward spiral and taking us further down the path than we would be willing to go.

But where can we get the strength to fight against temptation? No matter how hard we try out of our own efforts, we always end up doing things that we do not want to do. The problem lies in the fact that we are inherently sinful and thus it is no wonder we are so vulnerable to sin because it is embedded in our nature. It is only when we have allowed Christ to enter our hearts that His blood cleanses us of our sin and we become clothed with His righteousness. Abiding in Him and keeping in step with His Spirit, He will give us the strength to walk the other way when temptation strikes and according to 1 Corinthians 10:13, “…He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” God will keep us vigilant and alert so that He may fulfil His perfect will for our lives and that we may dwell in the freedom which comes from knowing 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.

“David said to the Philistine, ‘You come against me with sword and spear and javelin, but I come against you in the name of the Lord Almighty, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied.’” -1 Samuel 17:45 (NIV)

Where did David get the courage and strength to speak boldly before Goliath? Certainly it did not come from his physical stature and military prowess. David paled in comparison to Goliath in this regard, for the Philistine could not only boast of unrivalled brute strength, but he was armed to the teeth as well.  Neither did David find his strength in the support of his own Israelite comrades. Initially King Saul was hesitant to send the young David against the battle-hardened Goliath and certainly the soldiers of the Israelite army would not have had a high opinion of the shepherd boy armed with only a sling. But David found his strength in the arms of God. Who was it that gave Goliath breath? Who was it who created the materials to make Goliath’s swords, spears, and javelins? Was it not the Lord of the universe who holds all things together? Armed with the confidence that the same God defends those who seek to honour Him, David stood boldly before Goliath and was able to defeat him for all to see that it was God who gave David strength to face his enemy and fight.

Sometimes we encounter situations which make us quake in fear. Comparing our perceived weakness to the enormity of our circumstances, we are quick to say that it is hopeless and that victory is destined to elude us. We ask ourselves how we, insignificant and weak as we are, could emerge triumphant over the gargantuan challenges we face. However, though in our strength the task we are called to accomplish seems impossible, nothing is impossible with God. If we rely solely on our strength or on the support of others, we will slowly succumb to discouragement and defeatism when struggles come along our path and our earthly sources of strength evaporate. But when we find our strength in Christ we can stand firm knowing that He fights on our behalf and empowers us so that his perfect will may be fulfilled in our lives. Like David, when we have entered into a relationship with God by allowing Christ’s Spirit to enter our hearts, we can find confidence in the fact that God is our strength and that He will enable us to do what He has called us to do. Entrusting ourselves to Him we will have courage to face our situations with boldness and an unmovable strength which comes from knowing that the battle belongs to the Lord who is Ruler over all.

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.