“Rescue those being led away to death; hold back those staggering toward slaughter. If you say, ‘But we knew nothing about this,’ does not he who weighs the heart perceive it? Does not he who guards your life know it? Will he not repay everyone according to what they have done?” –Proverbs 24:11-12 (NIV)

As a result of the internet, we are fed with news from around the world instantly. Shocking news items pose that dilemmatic question, “what are we going to do about it?” One popular course of action has been through the website Facebook. During the 2009 Iranian protests or the recent earthquake in Japan, Facebook pages were set up dedicated to the events in order to bring awareness. People who were sympathetic to the cause had the option of pressing the “like” button and show their support. Some have criticized the practice of “liking” causes on Facebook on the basis that it really does not do anything for the people for whom these events are a tangible reality. However, while I think this is true to an extent, I also believe it is a great way for people who are limited by distance and resources to show their solidarity with people who are halfway around the world.

Yet how often are we unwilling to get involved when we have the means to do so! Perhaps it is more comfortable for us to love in theory rather than to love in action. Anyone can say that they would give of themselves in love and service regardless of the circumstances. But when the time comes to put our words to the test, we shy away and are content with loving from the sidelines. Why this hesitance? Maybe it is because we do not want to give up what we feel is rightfully ours. Our comforts, our resources, our reputations, all of these things will prevent us from practicing the love of Christ if we have turned them into idols. It is only when we have surrendered ourselves to Christ that His love will overflow from our hearts. When we have seated Him on the throne of our lives and have allowed ourselves to be guided by His Spirit within us, He will give us His love that is fearless and absent of pride. Through Him guiding us in His love, our words of compassion will not be just words, but actions backed by the desire to see God save the lost and heal the broken.

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.

“I will come down and speak with you there, and I will take of the Spirit that is on you and put the Spirit on them. They will help you carry the burden of the people so that you will not have to carry it alone.” –Numbers 11:17 (NIV)

Working together in a group setting can often come with its disadvantages. Conflicting personalities, differing expectations, and a lack of unity can not only serve to hinder productivity, but create a very unpleasant environment in the process. That is why we can sometimes be so loathe to working with others, fearing that our vision will not be realized and thinking that it would be better if we did not entrust others with our aspirations. But what a joy it is when people work together in unity! Grasping a common vision everyone diligently works together towards that vision no matter the disappointments and failures. When the successful end result is achieved every member of the group is satisfied, echo one celebrating the victories gained and congratulating each other on a job well done.

God has placed within each and every one of us a vision. Those good and pleasing plans and ambitions which we cherish come from Him who assures us that He works to give us hope and a future. However, we may not trust others with this vision and keep it to ourselves thinking that if we get others involved they will only ruin it for us. Yet what often is the case is that God has given us a vision that was not meant to be borne by ourselves. Rather, for it to be fulfilled He requires that we allow others whom He has strategically placed to help carry out His perfect will for us. If we jealously guard our dreams and desires, we turn them into idols that will only serve to hinder the work God is doing through us. But if we surrender every area of our lives to Christ, giving back to Him the desires He has placed in our hearts, He will lead us to others who have caught the same vision He has given us so that His will may be fulfilled.

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.

“And he continued, ‘You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions!’” –Mark 7:9 (NIV)

What is so appealing about tradition? It is surprising that even in a world of rapid technological advancement where what is new is advertised as being better, the idea of having traditions to hold onto remains strong. Traditions often have sentiments behind them. To go through the motions and rites of traditions preserved for countless years certainly has a sense of grandeur to it, and they come to form a part of our identity. But the problem with tradition is that it is often blindly followed. Soon what becomes the case is that people follow tradition not so much as a matter of it being right or wrong, but for the sole sake of clinging onto them regardless. Indeed history has shown that unimaginable atrocities have been committed in the name of upholding traditions that were never questioned even though they were clearly wrong.

Tradition, if it is not rooted in truth, can turn into a deceptive and destructive idol. Instead of being in obedience to Christ, we worship our traditions and allow them to turn us away from Him. Though we might mistake our upholding of tradition as religious zeal and piety, it in fact turns us into oppressors who have strayed far away from what Christ requires of His children.  How then can we obey God? It is only when we have allowed Christ to dwell within us. By acknowledging Him as Lord and allowing Him to enter our hearts, He will refine us and open our eyes to see His truth. As long as we seek to keep in step with Him we will understand how we must walk as His children; training us in His righteousness and love. In this we will find that the only traditions worth clinging onto are not those rooted in human sentiment or wisdom, but those which have their roots in Christ alone and what He has revealed to us in His Word.

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.

“Why spend money on what is not bread, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and your soul will delight in the richest of fare.” –Isaiah 55:2 (NIV)

None of us would waste money on that which is of no benefit to us. We have been taught to conserve our energy and resources for something that is worthwhile and in our best interests in the long run. Whether it is what we eat or the career path we choose to take, we want to be wise in our decisions and make the right choice so that we may live healthy lives and that nothing be done in vain. But though we desire this, we often fall short of them. How often do we frivolously spend our time, money, and energy on that which is corrupt and depraved? How often do we worry and lose sleep obsessing over our careers and plans. Though we think that these will give us satisfaction, they only provide an illusory contentment that will give way to grief and misery.

There is only one way through which we can find true and lasting satisfaction. Man was designed for a relationship with God so that we may dwell in His eternal and unfailing love. However, because of our sinful nature gained as a result of Adam’s disobedience against God, the relationship we formerly shared with Him has been severed. But God does not wish for it to be like this. For this reason He sent Jesus so that through His death and resurrection we may have the hope of being freed from our sin so that we may enter into a relationship with God and bear witness to His goodness. When we allow Christ’s Spirit to enter our hearts and carry out His work of restoration in our lives, we will find joy and peace that nothing on this Earth can match. Investing all that we have by surrendering ourselves to Him, we will find it more than worthwhile as Christ fulfils His perfect will for our lives. He will prove to us His love and faithfulness and by His Spirit give us a lasting satisfaction that will remain constant regardless of our circumstances.

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 we had forgotten the name of our God or spread out our hands to a foreign god, would not God have discovered it, since he knows the secrets of the heart?” –Psalm 44:20-21 (NIV)

It is fairly easy to tell when someone is being insincere. Somehow we are able to discern whether a person is saying something because they genuinely mean it, or if they are saying it simply to please or appease us. Things such as their tone of voice or their facial expressions can often be indicators as to the true intent behind their words. However, because our human understanding is flawed, even the most astute of minds can be deceived by those who are able to put on a good show. But while we may try and succeed to be thoroughly convincing to those around us in our claims and statements, our hearts could be far away from what our mouths confess. Though we may feel that our deception is flawless, there is One who cannot be fooled.

God is all-knowing. He has created us, and knows us better than we know even ourselves. Thus, He knows when we are simply paying lip-service to Him. He knows when our hearts have enthroned an idol that is not deserving of the primary place He should occupy in our lives. It is foolish for us then to think for a moment that we can successfully live a double-life before God for He knows our every thought and move before we even consider it! If anything we deceive ourselves into thinking that we can somehow convince God that we are sincere in our worship of Him when we are really not. God is very clear; no one can serve two masters. The question before us is whether we choose life with Him, or cling to our idols which lead us into despair and misery. When we allow the Spirit of Christ to enter our hearts and permit Him to carry out His redemptive work in our lives, we are assured that He will lead us according His perfect will so that we may find freedom in Him. Through the power of His Spirit in us, we are able to stand justified before God; not because of anything we can do, but because of what Christ has done and is doing 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.

“Amos answered Amaziah, ‘I was neither a prophet nor a prophet’s son, but I was a shepherd, and I also took care of sycamore-fig trees. But the Lord took me from tending the flock and said to me, ‘Go, prophesy to my people Israel.’.” –Amos 7:14-15 (NIV)

Sometimes, we know exactly what we want to do with our lives. Based on our desires and what appears to be in our minds the logical fit for us, we move forward and chart the path that we feel is right. In this we develop a zone of comfort because we feel that we are in control of our destiny. But God’s plans for our lives may not entirely agree with ours. In fact His plans could be in complete opposition to what we wish; taking us in a different direction than we imagined. When this happens, we stubbornly refuse to obey Him. We come up with excuses saying that we are incapable and are not suitable for the task God has called us to. However, these excuses only serve to betray our unwillingness to leave our comfort zone and surrender ourselves to God and His perfect will.

If God has called us to something, He will provide us with all that we need. In His love, God does not abandon those who call upon His name and choose to walk with Him. Our perceived weaknesses and inaptitude means nothing, for God promises to be more than sufficient for us to carry out the task He wants us to accomplish. The question is will we trust Him? Will we like Amos leave our comfort zone to follow the will of God? His plan is never to harm us, but to prosper us and give us hope. When we allow Christ to reign in our hearts and seek to align our desires with His, He will guide us in the path we should go. By choosing to walk with Him and follow His voice, He will prove to us His faithfulness and He equips and sustains us; teaching us of the blessings and joy which comes by submitting our lives to His purposes.

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.