Who is your best friend? Surely good moments you had together and memories might flood your mind even as you think of him or her. What if Jesus is your best friend. It is possible. For Jesus told his disciples, “I have called you friends” (John 15:15).
#1. Love
The first thing about friendship is love. Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends” (John 15:13). When he bled on the cross he showed the full extent of his love for all he called friends. And those stretched out hands on the cross is welcoming you to be friends with him.
#2. No Secrets
The second thing about friendship is that there are no secrets between friends. Jesus said, “I have told you everything the Father told me” (John 15:15). Jesus took time to be with his disciples telling them about the kingdom of heaven and what the future is going to be. You too can have intimate friendship with Jesus. Tell him everything—your good and shameful thoughts, your worries and anxieties, and your desires, both good and bad. This habit will bring you closer to Jesus.
#3. No Barriers
The third thing about friendship is that there are no barriers separating friends. When it comes to friendship with God; the separation comes only because of sin. God forgives all your sins through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross. You need to turn away from what is not pleasing to God and ask him to cleanse you through his blood. Then the dividing wall will come down and there can be continual friendship with God.
#4. Quality Time Together
The fourth thing about friendship is that friends invest time to build the relationship. Friendship grows over time. It happens through a lot of conversations, sharing, and caring for each other. Sometimes we neglect this principle when it comes to God. Do you give him quality time? The kind of time you spend with God and the time you spend on social media: Which is more important to you?
#5. Desiring the Best
The fifth thing about friendship is that it is desiring the best for the other. Surely, God desires the best for you. Our friendship with God is often strained when life doesn’t go as we hoped. When our plans don’t work out, we might miss this truth: God could be redirecting us. He might be trying to get our attention to lead us toward something better that he has lovingly kept in store for us.
#6. Access
Now think about this. What if you were friends with the President or Prime Minister of your country? How privileged you might feel? What if you had the freedom to speak to them over phone any time of the day or night 24 x 7? That might not be practically possible. But when Jesus says, “I call you my friend,” you have absolutely continual and unrestrained access to God through the blood of his cross.
#7. Guard Your Friendship
Finally, good friendships are about jealousy too. You guard your friendships; don’t you? Likewise, the Bible also warns against things that destroy friendship with God.
James, a brother of Jesus wrote: “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” (James 4:4 NIV)
John, another friend of Jesus, wrote, “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh, the desires of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not from the Father but from the world.” (1 John 2:15, 16 Berean Standard Bible).
Yes, to safeguard friendship with God, you must say NO, jealously, to every distraction.
Featured image courtesy: Image by kp yamu Jayanath from Pixabay | Fotor
Martha opens her house for Jesus and makes herself busy trying to prepare; probably a meal. See, hospitality was held in high esteem in the culture of those days. The story says that she was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. It leads us to the “Great Kitchen Debate. Distraction or Devotion Which Is Better?”
Now she had a sister named Mary. She came and sat at Jesus’ feet listening to his words. This troubles Martha. She comes and asks Jesus, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me.”
This seems to be a normal complaint and request in this context. One person is doing all the work. The other is simply chatting with the guest. Martha feels herself a victim left alone to do all the work.
Don’t you also feel like complaining when others seem to take it easy while you alone shoulder the burdens at work, whether it be home or office?
The Response: Nailing the Problem Which Is Lack of Focus
What makes this normal situation different is Jesus’ response: “Martha, Martha, you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.”
Jesus is not finding fault with Martha’s hospitality. But Jesus is pointing out that she is worried and upset about many things. The language that Jesus used tells us about a person being pulled in different directions at the same time. There seems to be a lack of focus.
Isn’t it typical of many of us? Aren’t we pulled in many different directions when it comes to work? When that happens, can you stop for a moment and try to prioritize. Look at what is urgent and of utmost importance at that point in time. Then focus on that one thing. It will make a difference.
Which Is Better: Distraction or Devotion
Jesus is trying to point out to Martha that her value in life does not come from what she does. God does not give us marks according to our performance even though he has promised many crowns and rewards to his faithful followers.
Jesus is present in her house. He was welcomed as the guest. Yet Martha is now very busy, distracted with preparations, her many tasks, and much serving.
She failed to value his presence. She failed to value his words—his words which Peter once described as words of eternal life (John 6:68). More than that she feels herself to be a victim of the situation when she could have had the joy of having the companionship of the Son of God in her home.
Martha is someone with great faith as her extraordinary declaration of who Jesus is shows (John 11:27) while at another time she conversed with Jesus by the grave of her brother Lazarus. But on this occasion, she is making her kitchen the greater priority.
Always put people first and tasks below them in your priority list whether at home or the office. You will be blessed and you will be a blessing in doing so.
God Is Valuing Your Companionship Not Your Busyness
We live in a fast paced world. We are busy all the time. We are dominated by the chores of life and its dull routines. Unless you make a deliberate effort to sit at Jesus’ feet, you will miss him altogether even when he is present with you.
Jesus in his response to Martha tells her that the better choice is devotion. Spending quiet and quality time with him is more important than attempting to do something for him.
So many of us are trying to do things for him. He doesn’t find fault with that. But he is asking us not to lose focus. Not to miss the better thing.
Life’s moments might not repeat themselves. So when you are with someone who loves you and cares for you, give him or her the fullest attention you can possibly give. That is the better thing than the good things you might be able to do for them.
Choose Devotion: Spending Time with Jesus
When was the last time you enjoyed the presence of God in your life? It is not something dramatic. It can happen in the kitchen in the ordinary routines of life. Just think on God. Thank him and praise him. Tell him you love him.
Will you not take a few moments to stop and talk with Jesus. In the words of Robert Frost,
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.
Choosing to spend time with Jesus who bled and died for you on the cross is a choice very few make on a daily basis. That is a road that is less travelled by. But if you choose to go that way, the way of love, adoration, worship, and devotion; it will make all the difference.
Stephen R. Covey wrote about The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. And he added an 8th one which says “Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs.” Here is the 9th habit which can undo you. It is the habit of making and giving excuses. They are the hallmark of highly ineffective people.
We learn to make and give excuses at home to avoid punishment, practice it at school to fool teachers, and bring it to perfection at the workplace to cover up our inefficiency. It is a blessing for the lazy and a mask for the perfectionist who never gets started. But it is a habit the 9th one that will undo you.
The Parable
Jesus talked about people making excuses. He told a story or a parable to illustrate it. He spoke about a man who was preparing a banquet and had sent out invitations for the feast. When the time for the feast came he sent out his servants to bring in the invited guests. And surprisingly all those who had earlier accepted the invitation began to make excuses.
The first one said, “I have just bought a field, and I must go and see it. Please excuse me.” The second one said: “I have just bought five yoke of oxen, and I’m on my way to try them out. Please excuse me.” And still a third one said: “I just got married. So I can’t come.”
At first look, you can’t find fault with any of them. They gave legitimate excuses. But if you think why Jesus told this story; then you will understand what these people missed.
The man who hosted the feast is God himself. The invitation is to enjoy God and be part of his kingdom. In that sense, the invitation was to be seen as a huge privilege; much greater than a personal invitation by The President of the United States of America.
The Excuses
Now let us look at the excuses: There is the tragedy of the present and now; toppling the eternal. There is the disaster of earthly things crowding out spiritual things. There is the sorrow of priorities being misplaced.
Business and work or career and personal relationships are important. But they should never crowd out your love for God and seeking him.
What Happens When You Reject God’s Invitation?
God will simply bypass you to extend the invitation to those whom you think are not worthy to be part of God’s kingdom. In this story the man sends invitation to people in the streets and alleys of the town to bring in the poor, the crippled, the blind, and the lame.
Yes, when you make excuses to God, he will be extending the invitation to people you will never normally accept to be part of your group.
And even after all these things had been done there was still room. So he sends invitation far and wide for people to come even from far away. He also added this warning: Not one of those who were originally invited will get a taste of my banquet.
As you look at the life of Jesus we find the religious people of his day rejecting him. But he was welcomed by the sinners, the common folk, and the social outcastes. People who were looked down upon by the society found a great welcome in Jesus’ invitation to be part of God’s forgiving love.
Know that Jesus accepts you just as you are with all your sins, mistakes, faults, and failures.
Practical Application
First of all, are you in the habit of making and giving excuses? Are you even aware that you have this 9th habit which is destroying you and is undoing you?
Secondly, when God gives you a chance, when he is inviting you; show urgency to accept the invitation and be part of his love. Lesser things will take care of themselves; be it career, family, friends, or earthly possessions. God first. Let that be your watchword.
If you have read this much; think of your excuse of not having a closer walk with God. What is the excuse of not coming to accept the love of God shown on the cross where Jesus bled and died for you?
Thirdly, making and giving excuses is a tactic we employ to avoid responsibility. When Prophet Nathan confronted King David telling him that he did great wrong in committing adultery and murder; he humbly accepted responsibility saying: “I have sinned against the LORD.” (2 Samuel 12:13) He did not make excuses for his sinful acts.
Call to Action
#1. Become aware of your habit of making excuses; for making and giving excuses is that 9th habit of highly ineffective people.
#2. Show urgency to act when God is giving you a chance to put him first in your life without making excuses.
#3. Accept responsibility for your decisions without blaming others or circumstances for your behaviour.
The above post is based on The Parable of the Banquet or Great Feast found in Luke 14:15-24. Featured image courtesy: Photo by Kenneth Surillo on Pexels | Microsoft Designer
Saul, in response to a request, went in search of his father’s donkeys that were lost. He was an impressive young man, without equal in that land. He went for an ordinary task. But that led him to his destiny. He met with the Prophet Samuel to whom God had already told to anoint the young man coming to meet him, king. This post from Sunday Sermonettes has invaluable tips to assist you in your job search as you are #OpenToWork.
Be Enthusiastic
When you are #OpenToWork, always be enthusiastic about the work you currently have a chance to do. It might not be something spectacular. But when you do it with diligence and mindfulness, it will lead you to better opportunities.
Believe in Possibilities
When you are #OpenToWork, always believe in possibilities. How can you know if some ordinary task you are doing will not lead you to find a greater purpose in your life? Even after Samuel told him about the kingship, Saul was not fully convinced. When the time came and the people gathered together to greet the new king, Saul was not seen. Finally, they found him hiding behind the baggage.
Your inferiority or insignificance is no barrier for God to exalt you in the time of his choosing.
Seize Opportunities
When you are #OpenToWork, be ready to seize opportunities. It might be a half-chance or might not even have anything to do with your true calling in life. You might get an opportunity for something as ordinary as looking for lost donkeys. But like a goal-scorer in football who anticipates where the ball might come in the penalty area; you should anticipate opportunities to come your way.
Be Aware of What’s Happening Around You
That brings us to the next point. When you are #OpenToWork, be prepared. It requires constantly updating yourself and also having a big picture of trends and changes happening in your domain. As far as Saul was concerned, the political climate of that time was that people were clamouring for having a king like the other nations around them. Even though he least expected it, he became their first king. But you should make yourself aware about what is happening in the job market to be prepared for your opportunity.
Travel with Hope
When you are #OpenToWork, travel with hope. There came a point in their journey Saul was discouraged in his search for donkeys. It was his servant who encouraged him to go and meet the seer (the prophet was called seer in those days because he had a God-given ability to see into the future). His servant told him that the seer would tell them what way to take. As R. L. Stevenson wrote in his essay El Dorado: “To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive.”
Sharpen Your Skills
Again, when you are #OpenToWork, sharpen your skills. If your axe is not sharpened, all your efforts at felling trees is not going to be effective. And King Solomon shares his wisdom encouraging you to be skilled in your work: “Do you see a man skilled in his work? He will serve before kings, he will not serve before obscure men.” (Proverbs 22:29 Bible)
A Change of Heart
Perhaps, one more thought from the episode of Saul being chosen king is that you and I need a change of heart. Often when you search for a job, you might be rejected multiple times. That can lead to discouragement, resentment, and even a sense of failure. Saul, in response to Samuel informing him that he is to be king, says that his family is one having the least social status in their land. So God had to change his heart to prepare him for his destiny.
Similarly, you too have to realize that your worth and significance come from your value as an individual in God’s eyes. You need to see yourselves from his perspective.
When you are #OpenToWork, do not allow being fired from your work, being laid off, networking without results, enduring long periods of silence when you don’t hear back from your potential employer, or your applications being repeatedly rejected even after many positive rounds of interviews define you or your worth. They are just layers on the core value of who you are in God. He values you for who you are and not based on your performance.
“Follow Me” to Your Destiny
The big lesson to learn is that the lesser things will be taken care of. The donkeys for which Saul went searching were later found. Saul had no role in finding them. But he had found his destiny.
When Jesus asked a man to follow him, he said, “Lord, first let me go and bury my father.” What he meant was that he will finish all his household duties and after everything is settled he will come and follow Jesus.
To this Jesus replied, “Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom of God.” What Jesus meant was that those who are not having God’s life in them will take care of the ordinary tasks. You don’t worry about the routine and lesser things of life. But think of the destiny that God has planned for you. Act on it now.
The story of Saul’s search for donkeys and rise to the throne is found in 1 Samuel 9 and 10; and Jesus’s conversation with the man is found in Luke 9:59, 60.
Image courtesy: Luciana Evrard on Pexels and OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay | Microsoft Designer
“Who despises the day of small things?” (Zechariah 4:10a Bible). These words should inspire hope in you because they beam a light on what the Spirit of God can do in your life even if it is in ruins right now. So get started on rebuilding your life right now. Do not despise the small beginnings of this change or transformation.
Do remember that if there is one thing that has made people fail, it is that they never get started. Some people never begin because they fear failure. Others think too much about what people will say. A few think about a perfect beginning and postpone it for a later date. And it never happens.
And if there is one thing about success you would like to know, it is to start small. Most of the things that are begun with the help of the Spirit of God are humble beginnings. They are mostly like a shoot out of dry ground. It doesn’t promise much. But God will see to it that it is watered and it flourishes in spite of extreme circumstances it finds itself in.
If your life is in ruins, and you think all hope is lost; God is encouraging you to start rebuilding your life once again with his help. It will be an effort that will be accomplished not on your human strength or power but by the Spirit of God. It calls for your reliance on God and his unlimited resources.
You need not look at your insignificance and lose heart, for it is God who is on your side. You might face discouragement looking back at the lost glory of your past; the seeming impossibility of the present task, and also the opposition you are facing. But God’s purposes would prevail.
You just begin the task. The beginnings will seem small and humble. But God will do a great work. And its accomplishment will bear the stamp of God’s glory in it as well.
Today, when you begin to realign your life to God’s purposes, you might feel disheartened by the slow progress you are making. God is encouraging you today not to despise the small beginnings you are making.
What you are now attempting can become a source of inspiration, a lampstand that gives light continually with the oil supplied by the Spirit of God, and a significant milestone in the plan of God to call others to his love and care.
And opposition is not a sign that your beginning was a mistake; but it is probably the surest sign that you are on the right track. God is building resilience in you through the opposition. He is teaching you to rise above discouragement like how an eagle uses the might of the wind to rise higher.
Yet there will come a moment when God will demolish the mountain-like opposition and help you complete the task that you have begun to do with his help. When God acts; there is no chance for the opposition to stand against you.
All this requires a shift of focus from your side. Stop looking at your smallness or the smallness of your beginnings to rebuild your life. Instead turn your focus to the Spirit of God who is mighty to accomplish what human strength can never do.
Yes, there is hope for you because there is no limit to what the Spirit of God can do to rebuild and transform your life from small beginnings so that it will blaze with the glory of God.
Photo by Marcin Jozwiak on Pexels | Microsoft Designer
Sometimes, you are tired of living. Troubles everywhere. No one seems to care. Everybody is busy with their own lives. You have no one to turn to. Then remember, you have God whose compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Like dewdrops that appear each morning bringing in fresh hope and renewal.
It is good to note what David the king and poet has described. He says that God remembers that we are but dust formed from the ground of the earth. So God has compassion on those who fear him just like a father has compassion on his children. There is a gentleness that is reflected here. God has a perfect understanding of your brokenness in life; and he visits you with compassion.
Yesterday you might have failed. You might have sinned against God. You might have made mistakes that you regret today. Yet do not give up. For God will show you compassion. Morning brings word of his unfailing love. He gives you a fresh start today. For his compassions never fail. They are new every morning. Just accept that in faith even as you trust in him.
Remember, your failures are opportunities for God to show his grace to you. Grace means undeserved mercy. He wants you to get up and not lie down in despair. He is showing you what you can be in Jesus. Your future has been sealed with the precious blood of Jesus shed on the cross. Therefore God is showing you compassion today.
So, rise up. Each new dawn is God’s way of saying: “Go on in the strength I will provide. Do not look at the threatening circumstances and lose heart. Do not look at your sins and give up. Instead look to me. I will show you mercy. I will give you yet another chance. Turn away from all evil. Then you will find that my compassions never fail. They are new every morning.”
Therefore when you wake up, thank and praise God for there is hope for you. No matter what you feel, the compassion of God is real, authentic, genuine and true. It will not fail. You can trust in its newness every morning because it comes from God who is the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort.
When you wake up, if your heart is burdened, just think of God’s compassions as a soft bed on which you can sink into and still find it holding you up with needed strength. God promises you today that his love for you will not be shaken even if mountains are shaken and hills removed because he has compassion on you.
Featured image courtesy: Photo by Pixabay on Pexels | Microsoft Designer.
Audacity is courage or confidence of a kind that other people find shocking. We are now talking about that kind of courage or confidence to hope in God. It becomes shocking as you continue to hope in God when people are against you and perhaps all circumstances look negative. For the Bible confidently declares, “I am the LORD; those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
The audacity of hope in God is what you can hold on to when you lose control over your life, when people turn against you for no reason, when fortunes take a plunge downwards, and money to make both ends meet seems hard to come by. Hope encourages you to persevere in the midst of troubles of various kinds including illness, depression, and burnout.
Hope is the expectation and the confidence you have about the good that God is capable of bringing out of adverse situations and circumstances you find in your life. It takes a long-term view rather than being shortsighted and having a grumbling attitude in life. It gives you the courage to wait for God to act on your behalf.
In other words, the consumerist world we live in encourage us to grab things now, gratify our desires now, lust for more now, and instantly do things now; be it on credit. That kind of greedy attitude does not work with God. For he delights in those who hope in him and are willing to wait for his perfect time to act on their behalf.
The audacity of hope in God helps you rejoice even when you’re defeated and down. It is not positive thinking but something deeper that expresses its confidence in God even when outward circumstances are gloomy, and dark, and seems to be hopeless. For God is the source of all hope and he is the One who can cause you to abound in hope or overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit given to us.
The Bible speaks about Abraham, who is known as the Father of faith, believing in hope against all hope, and holding on to what God had promised him. And he was rewarded for his expectant faith in God after waiting long years for it. That perhaps is the secret: Looking to God with expectation and anticipating the good that he is going to do in spite of nothing-seems-to-be-happening days, months, or years.
Here we stand on sacred ground. The promises of God seem unbelievable when people and circumstances are against us. There might be delays. And there might be no indication from God that he is going to do something far above what we have asked or imagined. It is at these moments of silence that our faith is tested. Yet let us believe on in hope.
When you keep on praying and no answer seems to come by, it is the hope that God will listen and answer that gives you the ability to ask, seek, and knock without losing heart and courage. Persistent prayer and untiring enthusiasm to seek God’s face is what turns hope into reality.
The audacity to hope gives you the boldness in prayer to claim God’s promises. It says, along with King David, “You, O LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.” (Psalm 18:28). For it is when darkness surrounds us that we need to hope and trust in God all the more.
And it is when you have this kind of a buoyancy in hope or have optimistic faith that you see a small cloud the size of man’s hand rise on the horizon. It is just a small sign of the abundance of rain that is coming. And you can be assured that your prayers are being answered in response to your hope in God.
Yes, believe that hope in God will not leave you disappointed. You’ll certainly be a better man or woman for holding on to hope when despair clouded your mind. Yes, God is able to do immeasurably more than you ask or imagine. And when the object of your hope is Jesus and his precious blood he shed on the cross for the forgiveness of your sins, there is the overflow of hope not only for this life but also for the life to come which is eternal. He is the greatest dealer and leader in hope the world has ever seen.
“And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” — Romans 5:5
I remember the emotion I felt when I read the first five books of the Bible for the first time. The realization that I stand in front of a holy God hit me with full force then.
Often we think of God as God is love. That is true. But the one unique thing about God is that he is holy.
I have no clue how to describe the holiness of God. In simple terms, he is separate from us because of his holiness. Glory, splendour, majesty, worship, awesome, beauty, unapproachable light; are all words that are associated with his holiness.
God’s Holiness is Incomparable
Often we compare ourselves with others and think, “I am better than him or her.” But God is inviting us to be holy like him. And it is impossible by any human effort.
Why? When Moses, who twice spent time with God forty days and nights on a mountain, asked God to show him God’s glory; he was told: “You cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.”
Prophet Isaiah, likewise, had a vision of God seated on his throne and heavenly angels calling out to one another non-stop in his presence:
“Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory.”
His response as he cried out was: “Woe to me! I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips.”
Simon Peter, who was a disciple of Jesus, had his first encounter with Jesus when his fishing boat was empty after a hard night’s toil in the sea of Galilee. Jesus told him to put his nets into deep water and there was a huge and miraculous catch of fish. Then Peter fell at Jesus’ knees and said: “Go away from me, Lord; I am a sinful man.”
All these examples show us that not one of us qualifies to stand before God. The Bible says that all our righteous acts, which means all the good deeds that we do, are like filthy rags or really dirty clothes before God. They cannot earn us our salvation.
God’s Holiness Will Search Us Out
As we stand before God, his light will bring out all the hidden things in our heart and mind—even those things, minute things, that we might have forgotten. There is no escape. Every single thought; every single word; every act that we did will all be shown for what they truly are:
“Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account.”
Can we stand before this holy God? No. There is a huge separation between God and us because of his holiness and because of our sinfulness.
God’s Holiness Demands Sacrifice of Sinless Blood
Therefore God himself made a way for us to approach him. He sent Jesus as a human being to bleed on the cross and die for all the sins that we have committed. As we look to Jesus and accept the truth that he died for you and me; God cleanses us from all our sins by his blood.
How is that possible? It is because Jesus lived a sinless life. And the sacrifice of his broken body and blood has all the merit in the world to give us the right to come before God without fear. For the Bible says,
“And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
And since Jesus shed his sinless blood for you; that is the only way we can go to God who is holy. He is inviting us to be holy like he is. As you look at your own sins; you might feel like giving up because being holy is impossible. But God is coming near to you in Jesus; loving you and accepting you just as you are.
God Is Commanding You and Me to Be Holy like He Is
But he won’t leave you just as you are today. He will work on you and put in your heart a desire to be holy like Jesus. And he will also make you holy like him.
That is why the Bible calls us to repent of our sins. In popular terms, it is like making a U-turn from the wrong way and moving on in the right way.
As we walk on the roads, dust and other dirt will definitely stick to us. And therefore we take a bath everyday. It is the blood of Jesus that washes us clean every moment from all sin in our lives so that we too can share in God’s holiness.
It is a process; and not just a one-time event. So the bible asks us to purify and cleanse ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. So let us fear God and shun all evil and constantly increase in desire to be holy like God.
“I am the LORD your God; consecrate yourselves and be holy, because I am holy.”
Can you expect to rise above your defeats? Yes you can, God helping you.
Can you find strength to go on in spite of all failures you have faced? Yes you can. For God’s Word says to you:
“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.” 1
You might have made mistakes; but that is how life is. Not one of us is perfect; and it is foolish to think that all those who succeed do it perfect all the time.
Now life for you might have slowed down; it might have even come to a standstill.
He comes to give you strength. His love is neither weak nor sentimental. What he sees when he looks at you is unparalleled beauty arising out of what has been wrecked.
There is a voice of hope that whispers courage in your heart. He is asking, “What are you doing here lying down on a bed of despair, my child?”
You cannot lock yourself in your room and expect to hide from him. When he has business to do with you; he will walk right in. For he holds the key to your life; didn’t you know?
Your heartaches are his concern even when you think no one cares.
Never will he ask you to walk alone. You might not recognize his presence with you; for he loves to see you walk by faith and not by sight. He is there by your side when you are losing grip on the rocks you climb.
Still believe: When you have lost your strength and you feel that you can longer fly; he will lift you high. And make you climb the heights.
You can soar on wings like eagles on high for it is love that brings him near and touch your hurting life.
Never give up for there is a finishing line. And he is waiting there to see you cross the line.
It doesn’t matter you stumbled and fell many times. But all that now counts is that you did not lose faith in God who bled on the cross for you and did not lose sight of the finishing line.
Featured image courtesy: Image by Satya Tiwari from Pixabay | Microsoft Designer
God knew you before anyone else knew you. It is an amazing foreknowledge. You were seen in his radar before any scan could see you.
I know you by name.
God calls each star by name. Such is his immense wisdom and power which holds them. And he is longing to be friends with you. To have a personal relationship with you. He, therefore, calls you by name and says, “You are mine.”
I know your thoughts.
When your heart is proud and unresponsive, he knows it. When your heart is broken and you are humble in your attitude, he knows it. He knows when you feel like a failure and he knows when you are nesting evil thoughts. Everything in your mind is laid open and bare before him.
I know your deeds.
Our system of evaluation is based on what we see. God’s standards are different. He weighs our deeds on a different scale. He looks at our motives and judges our deeds accordingly. Will you and I pass this test?
I know the plans I have for you.
When God’s people were in exile and captivity because of their sin, rebellion, and disobedience; he sent them a message through a prophet. God made a promise that after several decades he would bring them back to their own land. The plans he had were for their good; to prosper them, and not to harm them. His plans for you are also for good; to give you hope and a future even when your circumstances look hopeless today.
I make known the end from the beginning.
God often spoke through prophets and predicted events in the future. As he knows what lies ahead; it is wise to ask him to lead and guide you. He will not only guide you continually; but to the very end. His counsel is always wise and best. Therefore listen to his voice. You will hear him say, “This is the way, walk in it.”
I know your love for me.
The old fire has gone out. The romance is no longer there. You are doing lip service to me but your heart is not in it. What wrong did I do to you that you have forsaken your first love for me? Therefore return to me. I have loved you with an everlasting love. “Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken,” says your God.
I know your secret sins.
I know that you have tried to avoid them but have failed time and again. Your good deeds will not save you. Trust in the blood of my Son Jesus shed on the cross for you. You are clean and purified because of faith in his blood. Your heart is washed whiter than snow. So don’t be disheartened. Don’t be discouraged. Rise up from your bed of defeat. Walk away from evil. And be clothed in garments of praise.
I know your prayers.
God says: “I have heard your prayer and seen your tears.” He sees your unspoken desires; your inaudible groans, and silent lifting up of your heart to his throne of grace. He listens to your every sigh; and even what you are unable to share with your most intimate friend. Therefore do not lose heart. He is near you. He is with you. He is in you. And he is for you. He answers when you call. And he will show you great and mighty things you do not know in response to your prayers.
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Do you consistently speak words of hope or do you speak words of despair? The power of words we use is immense. Some of their impact even time cannot erase.
But from where do words pour out? Jesus spoke the truth when he said: “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” Yes, speech is an outflow of the abundance of good or bad we store up in our hearts.
Words spoken do carry great power. In fact, the wise King Solomon said, “The tongue has the power of life and death; and those who love it will eat its fruit.” It is no secret that words affect us, influence our emotions, and colour our relationships.
So let us strive to build others up through our words. Let us encourage others; and let us avoid diminishing people in front of others. A little bit of kindness in our hearts can make the words we speak have a healing touch. It can become a lifeline of hope to a discouraged person.
But an empty vessel cannot pour out water. Likewise life-giving thoughts have to be stored up in our hearts to give life-giving words to others.
In other words, motivational speaking is effective only when the speaker is overwhelmingly thinking of uplifting the audience and painting for them the possibilities that life and the future holds for them.
His or her words should help the listeners look away from their current reality which might look like a wet blanket of despair to the future that is like a door wide open to what each of those persons can become.
Your words therefore can throw open God-gifted possibilities in the life of people. So store up God’s Spirit-filled wisdom in your heart; and your words will truly ignite hope for others. Let your mouth always speak the good, the lovely, and the inspiring that your heart is full of.
But inspiring words do not happen by chance. It has an intense and intimate connection with what our character truly is. And character is not formed in a day or two. It is shaped over the years.
For we are shaped not only by what we allow to influence us but also by what we make an honest effort to avoid. For if we avoid the baggage of words that are acidic like slander, gossip, and mocking others; our mouths will speak only of the beautiful things stored up in our hearts.
Then when we talk; our conversations will turn out to be pleasant; filled with kindness like food seasoned with salt. It will taste good and preserve relationships in contrast to having a bad taste and destroying others.
Let us therefore keep our eyes and ears open to store up good things in our hearts so that when we speak they will bring words of cheer, hope, and comfort out of the abundance stored up there.
“But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgement for every careless word they have spoken.” — Jesus Christ
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Each one of us has stared into the face of despair at some point in our lives. No hope. No one to say words of comfort. No one who understands. We, at such moments, question God’s care for us. But there is one Name that you can call upon at such times. It is the name of Jesus.
The name of Jesus brings to you God’s love and compassion. For God is merciful to those who call on him. When you speak the name of Jesus, all heaven is ready to come to your help and aid.
Many people, even those who have not known Jesus as an intimate friend, have called upon the name of Jesus while in danger and have found help. The Bible says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” You find that true in the name of Jesus. Yes, there is divine protection in his name.
The name of Jesus is also a lover’s password. The more you love God, the more you fall in love with the name of Jesus. For in that name is contained the fullness of God’s being and character. When you speak the name of Jesus with love for him in your heart, it draws you close to God.
So fall in love with the name of Jesus. When he becomes the object of your thoughts and conversations, he draws near to you. There is no other name like the name of Jesus to release God’s love and power and authority in whatever situation you find yourself in. His name means your salvation.
For, the primary meaning of the name Jesus is that he will save his people from their sins. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved.” Your burdened heart because of guilt or shame of past sins will find a sweet medicine in the name of Jesus. His name is forgiveness if you are willing to turn away from wrong.
The Bible also says, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” So there is hope for you. There is healing in his name and deliverance from all kinds of oppression of your mind for God has given the name of Jesus extraordinary power and authority. Even demons are subject to the name of Jesus who made peace between God and you through his blood shed on the cross.
When you trust in the name of Jesus, you are moving from ignorance to truth, from darkness to light, and from death to life. When you trust in the name of Jesus, you receive a rich welcome to God’s family as his child.
Like how one of the thieves crucified along with Jesus became one. He said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, today, you will be with me in paradise.” Yes, today, now, this moment, you can become a child of God in Jesus’ name.
And when you are his child, prayers in his name are always heard and answered. It is a child’s privilege to ask; for there is freedom to access God the Father’s presence at all times. Be bold. Ask with confidence in the name of Jesus. It is God’s great joy to listen to you speak the name of his Son. And he will answer your prayers.
Finally, when you speak the name of Jesus and proclaim his name to your friends; there will come a change in you. Slowly but surely, you begin to capture the loveliness of the character of Jesus in you. So fall in love with the name of Jesus, the name that is above every name! Sunday Sermonettes | The Glorious Hope of Seeing You in Jesus’ Likeness
This Day Choose to be positive in spite of setbacks and disappointments that have come your way.
This Day Choose to lend a helping hand to someone who needs your presence or encouraging words even when you are hurting within.
This Day Choose hope even when all your circumstances make it look like you are alone without help in a desert.
This Day Choose to stand with the truth though it is painful even when it seems easy to speak a lie and get away with it.
This Day Choose to show mercy to others about whom many are speaking slander and gossip.
This Day Choose to love your loved ones even when they are unlovable in their attitudes, words, and actions.Yes, it is all a choice.
We choose to love God or reject him. We choose to bless with our words or wound with our tongue. We choose life or we choose death with the choices we make. We choose what is of the earth and passing away or we choose what is eternal and lasting forever.
If we don’t choose; we do by habit what we chose the first time when confronted with choices. So change your choices.
Thus change your habits. Thereby, change your life and destiny.
“Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”
Respected Teachers and my dear friends,
Today as I speak on the pleasures of reading, the first thought that comes to my mind is from Francis Bacon. As he said, reading is like tasting and enjoying your favourite food. It gives immense pleasure. As food nourishes your body; reading refreshes and strengthens your mind.
The second pleasure of reading is that of knowledge. Reading exposes our mind to different cultures and languages of the world. It is through reading that we connect with people across the world and participate in their lives drama; through their sorrows and joys; their despair and dreams.
The third pleasure of reading is that of inspiration. Biographies of great men and women tell us that most of them became great because of the inspiration they got from reading books especially during their childhood days. So also, as we read, our minds are ignited with hope and courage, with cheer and determination to make our lives count and leave footprints on the sands of time.
The fourth and last point I would like to communicate regarding the pleasure of reading is that of entertainment. Novels, short stories, poems, travelogues, even comics and cartoons entertain our minds. It helps us relax. More than that it engages our mind in a way nothing else does. Our imagination is ignited when we read. We become co-creators of stories as we animate the stories we read in our minds. It is definitely a healthy exercise for the mind.
Let me conclude now by saying that books continue to be written and published because people continue to read and be entertained and inspired. Reading is one of the healthiest entertainments a man or woman can have. I am sure the pleasure of reading will continue to ignite hope in countless lives even like a thousand points of light twinkling in the night sky.
It is impossible to grow in your career without being able to say No. If you say Yes all the time, that means you are being a people-pleaser. It means that you are not focused. It again means that you don’t set priorities. It also means others don’t respect your boundaries or are not even aware of them.
If you say Yes to everything; you are going to bleed your time, energy, resources, and money for the tasks others are responsible for. That means others easily make you work for them for nothing. A Yes man or woman does not realize that he or she is an individual worthy of respect and esteem like anyone else.
Now the question is how can you say No. You might be afraid that you will hurt people if you say No. That might be true. But we are not talking about saying No to genuine requests for help. Instead, you need to ask questions to find out the real intent of people asking for favours from you. If you discover that, you will be shocked to know that what they said to you to get things done was not sincere but only a mask to conceal the real motive of manipulating you.
Often there are people who want to get things done by dumping the task on the head of someone who is weak-willed. That is not delegation but just making use of you to get them some leisure time.
Now be courteous when you say No. Tell them you have more urgent priorities to deal with at the moment. Point out to them some other method or resource or help they can seek.
A No response comes from your realization of what you are called to do in life. The more you grow as a professional the more focused you should become. That can happen only if you learn to say No to anything that distracts from what you are converging in on life.
Hope is in short supply in today’s world. But let me remind you of how to overflow with hope. If you are feeling tired and having no strength; if you feel powerless and weak; hold on. Even if you think God has forgotten you; don’t give up. For this promise of God from Isaiah 40:31 is for you:
“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.”
What does this promise mean to you today? First of all, it reminds you to focus on God and not your problems. You have to hope in the Lord. You have to make a deliberate effort to turn your eyes away from all your troubles and failures and focus on God and his great power, mighty strength, and infinite wisdom.
Secondly, when you hope in the Lord, you will start to expect God to act in your life. Faith will begin to rise in your hearts. For the Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 that “faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” This kind of hope is not wishful thinking. Instead, it is based on God’s promise and assurance in our lives that he will not leave us nor forsake us.
Thirdly, when you hope in the Lord, there is bound to be action. There will be renewal of strength. You will soar on wings like eagles; you will run and not grow weary, and you will walk and not be faint. Therefore, cheer up. Take heart. Make God the focus of your thoughts. And strength will flow into your lives.
Finally, many people lose hope today as they focus on their past sins, present failures, and future worries. See, the blood of Jesus has the power to cleanse you from all your past sins, redeem your life from present failures, and keep your mind in perfect peace as you hope and trust in him.
So be filled with hope today. As Paul wrote in Romans 15:13, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.” Let your cup overflow with hope today. God has heard your prayers and seen your tears. From the ashes of your defeat, hope will rise. And God will act on your behalf. Therefore, look to the God of hope today.
Welcome 2024 with hope in God. Out of loss in previous years; there can yet come a sprout out of the stump left.
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January 2, 2024 | Treasure Hunt
Life is a treasure hunt. You need to restrain restless pursuit of the things of the world to find things of true value.
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January 3, 2024 | Taste
What adds taste to life is not salt, sugar, or pepper; but love and togetherness. Even in simple dishes, they add abundance.
Image courtesy: Microsoft Designer
January 4, 2024 | Mirrors
Mirrors don’t tell truth; they only tell us what we like to hear. We look at mirrors that show us our smiling best; but shun God’s Own Mirror which show us as our hearts truly are.
Photo courtesy: Andrea Piacquadio on Pixels | Microsoft Designer
January 5, 2024 | Prayer
We pray to God to change our negative circumstances. But God often gifts you grace and courage to rise above them. He first of all makes you bold before he changes difficult situations. Therefore never lose heart; never lose hope. Keep on praying. God hears. God answers.
Image generated by Microsoft Designer.
January 6, 2024 | Failures
Do not wallow in self-pity when you fail. Instead, look up and rise up now out of your bed of despair. Trust God. There is hope for your tomorrow.
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January 7, 2024 | Be Still
There are moments in life when the best thing to do is to remain still and trust God to do the impossible. Then it becomes Himpossible.
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January 8, 2024 | Space Exploration
Each scientific discovery tells us how small we human beings truly are. The stunning progress of Science and Technology, especially in Space exploration in recent years; should move us to worship God the Creator, who gave us life: for his holiness, greatness, wisdom, mighty power, majesty, and glorious splendour.
The vastness of unending Space; its marvellous beauty; its stillness and laws that govern the perfect order in which stars and planets move; speak volumes of God’s incomparable greatness.
It is not scientific spirit that rejects God or deny his existence; but simply our pride that does not accept our smallness.
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January 9, 2024 | Hope in God
God says, “Those who hope in me will not be disappointed.”
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When we listen to gossip, it can crush someone like this beautiful and innocent butterfly. Say a deliberate NO when people tell you negatively flavoured stories of others. Imagine if the story is about you. How would you feel? You can make this world a better place by refusing to listen to gossip. Yes, you can!
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January 11, 2024 | Winning
Winning at the highest level of competitions is all about: One, a burning desire to win, and Two, staying calm under pressure. Without these two; all hard work, game plan, practice, and fan support will go wasted.
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January 12, 2024 | Professional and Personal Growth
God’s best work of art in us comes through cutting away like how grape vines are pruned to produce luxuriant fruit. What are we willing to put the chisel to in our lives that even when producing pain will enable growth and fruitfulness?
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January 13, 2024 | New Every Morning
We all fail miserably at times. And then we feel like giving up and calling ourselves failures. But God is willing to gift you yet another chance; always. For “his compassions never fail. They are new every morning.”
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January 14, 2024 | Your Look Matters
So many of our thoughts start with seeing. Therefore it is important to keep an eye on what we look at. If we look too long at what is not rightfully ours; it can lead to coveting. And that can explode like a volcano; destroying trust and relationships.
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January 15, 2024 | Smile
Never forget to smile; never fail to shine a ray of hope with your smile. For you are counted richer than a billionaire if you can gift a smile.
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January 16, 2024 | Mockers
Many sit in the seat of mockers in today’s world. They try to outsmart their competitors by laughing at their expense and making fun of them. But it won’t last long. Mockers will surely fall one day.
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January 17, 2024 | Simple Words
Simple words can have great impact in communication. “I have good news for you,” need not be said as; “The report that I am going share with you is profound and impactful.” Simplicity in choice of words hides greatness within it. So, go for simple words when you communicate.
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January 18, 2024 | God Remembers You
When troubles come; it is easy to lose heart and get discouraged. But the Hebrew Poet and King David found comfort that God stores all his tears in a bottle, writes them on a scroll, and keeps a record of them. Let us be thankful that God values each one of us as individuals; and he remembers our tears.
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January 19, 2024 | Do Not Be Apologetic
You might have heard many speakers begin saying, “I’m not thoroughly prepared,” or “I am not knowledgable about this topic; but will still try to say a few words,” or something apologetic like this. Why spoil audience expectations like this? Instead, start positively and with joy and the audience will echo the same to you quickly.
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January 20, 2024 | God Cares for You
So many of us worry to death each day. The only antidote to worry is to trust in our Heavenly Father who cares for even a sparrow no one is worried about a bit at all.
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January 21, 2024 | Postpone Death If You Can
Almost anything can be postponed; except the day of death. That surely is a compelling reason for mindful living today.
Photo by
January 22, 2024 | The Blood of Jesus
The blood of Jesus on the cross is the greatest hope ever gifted to all.
A poem written on Good Friday, April 6, 2012.
January 23, 2024 | Running On Track
It is not speed, power, or efficiency; but what is more fundamental is whether you are running on track? Planets, stars, and galaxies obey heaven’s laws and follow their God-ordained orbits and there is order, harmony, and peace. So run on the track assigned and find success.
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January 24, 2024 | Follow Up
Call it leadership, management, or plain common sense, “follow up” is what gets things done. Neglect it at home, office, or anywhere else; and you’re undone.
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January 25, 2024 | We Speak What Our Hearts Are Full Of
Jesus said, “For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks.” We have felt the power of angry words bursting forth at us from someone.
Often daily, we too hurt others with words. These are no accidents. It is coming from what we have stored up in our hearts.
Let us try to store good so that what spills out from our mouths even in angry moments are gentle words. Is it difficult? Yes. Is it impossible? No. Let us give it an honest try even though we have failed multiple times in this regard in our speaking.
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January 26, 2024 | Authority and Power
Authority and power are given. It is wise to use them with humility; for it is God who changes times and seasons.
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January 27, 2024 | A Matchstick Can
You can be a simple matchstick. Yet you can light many torches. Do not look at your insignificant appearance. But look at what God can do through you.
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January 28, 2024 | Valentine Gift Heart Love
There is power in love. Not many forget the first time you met true love! Here’s a story of love lifting up someone from the slimy pit; and restoring that person to dignity. Lavished love! Amazing love! Everlasting love!
Image by Michael Winkler from Pixabay | Microsoft Designer
January 29, 2024 | Failures Come Because You Don’t Aim High
Some failures, though not all, happen because your goals are meek. Set your standards higher than normal. And that will help to bring out the best in you. Even if you fail then, you would have outshined your previous best. No failure is final when you have the guts to dare an audacious goal.
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January 30, 2024 | Take a Short Break
Long hours of intense coding can break you. Take short breaks in between. For your code matters; but your life and health matters most.
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January 31, 2024 | Forgiven Much, Love Much!
Forgiveness is the true colour of love. When God forgives, he asks no questions why you sinned or failed? He only asks, “Do you love me?” If you are forgiven much, you can love him much more!
Peggy_Marco on Pixabay | Microsoft Designer
These are inspirational words & images originally published on LinkedIn in January 2024. They are short snippets of wisdom motivating you to better living. They are words of hope.
A warm good morning to you all in the matchless name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The topic for today is obedience. Isn’t it lovely that the New Testament begins with the story of one man’s obedience. The Bible says: “When Joseph woke up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife.” The lesson for us is that one man’s obedience can impact history. So it is important for us to obey. This is especially true for us children as Paul wrote in Colossians 3:20, “Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”
Now let me point out a few thoughts about obedience.
First of all, obedience can take us through difficulties.
Our supreme example of obedience is that of Jesus Christ who obeyed God to the point of bleeding to death on a cross. The writer of Hebrews says, Jesus learned obedience from what he suffered. It tells us that the path of obedience is not always smooth. It might lead us through difficulties and suffering. But these pressures of life will transform us from an ordinary lump of dark charcoal to a priceless diamond that shines brilliantly.
Secondly, obedience is not about obeying rules but it is about a personal love relationship with Jesus Christ.
In John 14 Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” Therefore obedience is an outflow of our love relationship with God. We can obey God with joy when we believe that God is good all the time. We can obey God when we believe that God has our highest good in mind when he commands us to do something. Therefore let us obey God because we love him.
Thirdly, obedience is about faith.
Let us look at Abraham, the father of faith. In Hebrews Chapter 11, that great roll call of faith, it is said “By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going.” He went because he trusted in God.
Let me conclude by saying that God always warns us when we try to disobey him. If we do not listen we will sink like the great ship Titanic which ignored warnings about icebergs ahead. Let us not be like Prophet Jonah who ran away from God in disobedience; or like King Saul who lost his kingdom due to disobedience; but let us be like Joseph who obeyed God and left his footprints on the sands of time. Amen.
A warm good morning to you all. Greetings to you in the name of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
The topic obedience is of great relevance in today’s world where artificial intelligence enables robots to obey commands. They are programmed to obey. In contrast, God gave human beings the ability to choose. We have been given free will. We can choose to obey.
Listen to God’s Word
But unfortunately, in the Garden of Eden Adam and Eve chose to disobey God. How did that tragic fall happen? It was simply because they chose to listen to the serpent which made them doubt God’s word. The question the serpent asked Eve was, “Did God really say?” She doubted God’s word and therefore disobeyed.
So my first point is that obedience can happen only when we listen to God’s word. That is why Jesus at the end of the Sermon on the Mount told us that the man who listens to his words and does them is like a man who built his house on the rock.
Secondly, obedience is love in action.
For Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey my commandments.” Now a lot of people believe that Christianity is a set of rules dominated by the Ten commandments. But Jesus summarized those commandments into two: Love God and love your neighbour. And this love, if it is true, is always accompanied by obedience.
Jesus himself showed the extent of his love for all of us through his obedience. In Philippians Chapter 2 we read that Jesus humbled himself and became obedient to death—even death on a cross. The practical lesson for us is that there are many things that are not pleasant to do. But we do them because we love God and show that love through obedience.
Thirdly, we need to learn from examples in the Bible.
For example, we have a tremendous example of obedience in the life of Abraham. God gave him the promised child, Isaac. But after a few years God asked Abraham to sacrifice Isaac on Mount Moriah. Abraham obeyed and went. He asked no questions. We all know how God blessed Abraham for that act of unquestioning obedience.
In contrast we have the example of Prophet Jonah. He was commanded by God to preach to the people of Nineveh. Instead, he ran away in the opposite direction and boarded a ship bound for Tarshish. He had to spend three days and three nights inside the belly of a huge fish before he came back to the path of obedience.
My final thought is that Paul writing to the Ephesians says, “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right.” In a generation where obedience is not regarded as popular, this command is a clear direction to children. I am sure that children who obey their parents will receive God’s blessings in their lives. Let me conclude with the chorus of a meaningful song:
Trust and obey, for there’s no other way
To be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.
Be passionate about one thing. Your passion shouts out loud when you talk. You need not try to convince the interviewer about your passion; it simply shines through. Instead of wasting time mastering interview techniques, take time to be extremely good at one thing. This one thing can be your ability to code excellently well in a particular programming language or your passionate pursuit to excel in a hobby of yours. That will bring you success.
Now, interviews are won not by the precise answers you give. It is good if you can give the right answers. But it is more about the confidence you inspire in the interview board that enables you to get the job. And it is here that the passion you have will help you.
It is quite natural that the interviewer will, at some point in time, start asking about what you are passionate about. Then you get the chance of your lifetime to showcase your knowledge and expertise. If you say it well, then it will inspire confidence in them.
That brings us to yet another point. How to craft your answer well. The best thing you can do is to write down your thoughts as part of the interview preparation process. The first draft might be just a starting point, the second draft can improve upon it, and probably a third draft after striking out what is not needed can become your pitch for the interview. Many make the foolish mistake of being over confident of their ability to speak off the cuff and nose dive into the pit of failure.
When you prepare, try to connect some elements of your passion with the job you are being interviewed for. Something like: playing football taught me the art of teamwork; passion for photography helped me sharpen my focus; participation in chess tournaments have increased my ability to concentrate and enhanced my strategic thinking; and so on.
And definitely you should try to organize the points of your presentation. It will demonstrate your clarity of thinking; your level of preparedness; and your ability to inspire confidence. Organising content is not about saying everything about what you know. It is more about choosing the best things and editing out the rest.
If you have played cricket with passion; tell them something about your playing for your school, college, or club; about what kind of player are you; a batsman, a bowler; an all-rounder; if a bowler what kind of bowling you have specialised in: fast, medium, spin, and so on. Highlight some of your best achievements.
If you have captained any team; tell them so and it will highlight your leadership capability; your ability to motivate your team; and so on. And definitely be prepared to answer questions like who is your favourite cricketer and why? Such questions will help you to speak with authority and confidence on what you really know; and your passion will shine through.
Finally, let me say that if you are not passionate about something; it is highly likely that you will not be passionate about anything including your job. If you can demonstrate your enthusiasm and your ability to persevere by talking about your passion; you stand a good chance to clear the interview. So before you think about mastering interview techniques; make it a point to be passionate about one thing. And let it speak for yourself at the time of interview.
Beyond interview success; life is about passions; isn’t it?. As the famed Formula One (F1) Racer Michael Schumacher had written on his traditional Schuberth red helmet at his farewell: “Life is about passions. Thank you for sharing mine.” So having a passion in life is about continuing the journey in hope.
There is not one who does not feel anxious at some point in time. For a student it can be just before an exam; for a professional it can be some pending work or a meeting with the boss. For many others it is fear of the future; health issues; financial insecurity or being late to catch a train. It is natural to feel anxious. But let us try to look at how to manage it.
First of all, look to God.
He is a strong tower, a mighty rock, a shade and shelter, a comforting mother, a helping hand ever present, who lives for ever and never sleeps. He is watching over you all the time. Even when you are struggling he is seeing it and is moved with compassion for you. Cast all your anxiety on God, because he cares for you says the Bible1. So look to God. Make a conscious effort to think about God.
Secondly, try to declutter your life.
See when we organize poorly; when we accumulate little things over the years; when we say yes to all unimportant requests from people; when we refuse to say No to activities that blurs our focus on what is important; they all lead to anxiety. So take time to remove the weeds that mar the beauty of the garden of your life. When you declutter it will make life simpler.
Thirdly, talk to your friends.
Just admit that you feel anxious. Talking things with your friends can relieve anxiety. They may or may not give advice. What they say might not help or be practical in your situation. But still talking with friends will relieve anxiety. Do not be like a dam with all shutters down; but open the spillways with trusted friends.
Finally, travel with hope.
Life might not be easy. It is natural to fear and feel anxious. But hold on to the firm hope that you will emerge strong in spite of all your anxiety; God-helping you. Never give up hope. Miracles do happen. It might not be like a burst of lightning always; but like the simple ordinary blooming of a flower bud more often.
Champions have a different mindset. One thing that makes them different from others is their ability to raise their game to highest performance when situations demand it from them. Let us look at some the highlights of a champion’s mindset.
First of all, champions don’t think defeat.
They are realistic with who their competition is. But they don’t allow that to intimidate them. Often the best opponent and the toughest teams bring out the best in them and help them bring out their best performance.
Secondly, champions enjoy their game.
They workout, toil, and spend long hours in practice. All these are tolling on the mind and body. But they persevere because they enjoy what they do. Even when they sleep they dream of enjoying their game. This undoubtedly makes them raise their game to highest performance while on the field.
Thirdly, champions don’t give up till the very last.
They have the ability to bounce back from early setbacks if it happens. They keep cool under pressure. They anticipate in hope till they catch the opponent relaxing for perhaps a split second and turn the tables around. Often champions show their true colors by unbelievable comebacks especially during final moments of a game. This is performance at its very best.
Fourthly, champions treat victories differently.
They are happy; but they are dissatisfied with even their best performance. Always, they strive to find what they could do better next time. No champion relaxes on reaching a summit. They treat it as history and focus sharply on the next game coming up. Looking forward is one way champions raise the level of their game to highest performance.
Finally, champions sense it when their fans, the situation, and the watching world is expecting them to perform.
They adapt to even hostile situations and deliver under pressure. Perhaps this one distinguishes a champion from others. They raise the level of their game to highest performance when all is against them.
To conclude, you too can be a champion if you strive to win, have that killer instinct, and a never give up hope-filled attitude until you win.
Your look matters. What you see is what makes you think. Looking up at the twinkling stars is what made the poet ask, “How I wonder what you are?” Likewise looking at the beautiful can trigger your imagination to see diamonds in every twinkle in the sky.
That kind of look of wonder and imagination was in the past. Today people are hooked to what they see on the screen or in the streets. When you engage with what you see; you imagine, you think, and you act on your thoughts. So it is important to know that your look matters.
What you look at constantly can feed your mind. It can create a web which links to emotions. So it is up to you to choose what links you like to create. Remember it all starts with what you choose to see. Unlinking the hooks you have created is not easy like how you unlink when you write a piece of code. So be careful for your look matters.
There are a lot of things you cannot avoid seeing. Life is busy and your eyes and sight collide with too much visual information, entertainment, and enticement through the media too. Like there are censoring boards and editors in the movie world, you should consciously have filters in place which will weed out unwanted images and thoughts.
Otherwise, distractions can easily make you slip and fall. And it all starts with what you look at. The choice is yours. Make a wise decision not to look at what is wrong, what is tempting, and what can lead you down to a slippery path to destruction. Please God and you will have the courage to say no to the glittering things of life that appeal to your eyes. So watch what you look at; for your look matters. Read Your Look Matters on LinkedIn
Featured image courtesy:Photo by Marina Vitale on Unsplash
Shankumugham Beach, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India.
10th September 2010.
Scene I
Two sets of fishermen were standing in line. They were holding on to two ends of the fishing net. With great effort they were hauling the net in. Two men were out in the sea guiding the net even as they kept swimming. Though the tide seemed low, the waves were crashing in. And soon it started raining.
But my wife and I stood watching the fishing process with great fascination. It was the first time we were seeing it live. We found that our umbrellas were no protection against the slanting rain. And it was cold.
Yet the men toiled on; unmindful of the weather. I admired their sense of unity and purpose and how focused they were on their work. Dark and cloudy skies, crashing waves, heavy rains and biting cold—circumstances that look not promising to an average onlooker did not seem to even bother them the least. And finally they brought in their catch. Small and big fishes were there. They struggled to hold on to their freedom and life one last time. But the game was over. They were soon transferred to the waiting baskets of fisherwomen.
As the umbrella offered little protection from the rain and the winds, we tried to find shelter underneath the roof a small house nearby. From there we watched a group of fishermen trying to wash their nets. It was a fascinating sight. All of them together carried the bundled up net down to the sea. They were singing and chanting “ellelo, ellelo” and “hoi, hoi” encouraging each other and creating a jubilant mood.
Perhaps their hearts were content and thankful because of the catch of fish they got and for the safe return of those who had gone out to the sea. Well, in that heavy rain, and drenched to the core, they cast the bundled net into the sea. As the waves washed it, they straightened out that net into one long stretch.
As we watched, what happened next fascinated us very much. One fisherman lifted up the straightened out net at one end and drew it towards himself from the sea. After the net had come up two or three feet, another man stepped forward and took hold of the net ahead of the first man. Then the process repeated. Young and old stepped forward in almost rhythmically timed fashion, one at a time, until the entire net was carried by them in a single file. The wonder was that there was no one to instruct. It all happened with great precision. It was one example of brilliant teamwork.
What I thought was that they knew and understood their roles well. Without jealousy, without any thoughts that one was better than the other, with a great sense of purpose and unity, they toiled.
Epilogue
We left the shore with the thought that the morning was well spent. It was a joy to learn some life lessons first-hand. I also thought once again about that bit of sidelight information that I had read many times: Jesus called some of His first disciples “as they were casting a net into the lake” or some others who were “in a boat, preparing their nets.” Did something of the teamwork of those “unschooled, ordinary men” attract Jesus’ attention to them that made Him make them part of His team? I wonder.
Like the sea our lives are a big canvas. Nothing great can be painted there without such teamwork as these fishermen exhibit. Unflagging enthusiasm, unlimited patience, endurance and hope, the joy of celebration; all mark the lives of these men. They rise together as a team. This is their glory even as they wait for each new dawn.
Hard work leads to success. There is no doubt about it. So many people have proven that through their life and experience. So what makes hard work work for you? Let us consider what it does.
Hard work often begins from a burning desire to get things done. It begins from a passion to fulfill some ambition or dream. It begins from a drive to achieve some goal.
Hard work without planning and organizing or scheduling your work doesn’t go a long way to get things done. You need to create a time table and learn to stick to it. Hard work therefore involves time management and effective use of resources available.
Hard work definitely involves working more than normal or usual. It involves saying NO to legitimate entertainment or other distractions to focus on your work. Disciplining yourself to spend extra hours at working hard is essential to success.
Then there are 3 enemies to hard work you should be aware of:
One is talk. There are many who talk big and deliver nothing. The Wise King Solomon wrote: “All hard work brings a profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty.”1 Therefore talk less and focus on getting things done.
The second enemy of hard work is laziness. Let us look again at what King Solomon had to say. “Laziness casts one into a deep sleep, And a lazy person will suffer hunger.” 2 So many people know what is defeating them. They know that they are their own enemy. And they are defeated not by anyone from outside but by their now laziness. The best way to get out of laziness is to act immediately. NOW is the key word.
The third enemy of hard work is procrastination. That is putting off doing something for a later time. Let me quote King Solomon again: “Farmers who wait for perfect weather never plant. If they watch every cloud, they never harvest.” 3 Postponing things by looking at unfavorable circumstances is like never getting on the boat because you wait for the waves to stop.
So what is the conclusion of the matter. Stop talking. Stop being lazy. And stop postponing. Instead start doing now. Yes hard work with God’s blessings leads to success.
Are you facing giants in your life? They can either kill you or make you strong if you fight and conquer them. The choice is yours. If you decide to fight, here are a few simple steps to remember when you face giants in your life. By the way giants refer to the BIG problems you are facing.
The first thing is to realize that every person fights a giant at some point in life. No one is exempted. Your giant might appear small to another; but to you the giant looks imposing. Don’t let that discourage you. The truth is that giants are everywhere and they are meant to be conquered.
The second thing to remember is that God is willing to help you. When you feel powerless, weak, and without strength; look to God for help. Your prayers are never lost. There might be delays; but God will answer in his wisdom with what is best for you. So trust him to conquer the giants in your life.
The third thing to remember is that giants always fight back. They never give up easily. So don’t expect an easy victory. Like the classic David and Goliath fight; the odds might be overwhelmingly against you. But then it was a simple stone slung in faith that felled the giant. Don’t fear when giants advance against you; you can conquer them if you face them with boldness and courage that the God-confidence you have gives.
Fourthly, remember that giants are meant to make you grow in your faith in God and to have courage in your character. Without giants you always will remain feeble unable to face the realities of life. So one of the best ways to face giants is to thank God for them and cherish the opportunity you have to graduate in life. Conquering giants will not only make you strong; but also inspire others to fight and conquer giants in their lives too. Believe it.
Finally, face giants with hope. There is nothing like hope that keeps your spirit bubbling and buoyant in your fight against giants. Hold on to hope even when the progress seems snail-pace slow. Don’t lose heart over repeated failures. Simply get up and fight again. You might get hurt but the victory is yours. So get up and conquer the giants that threaten you today.
A young woman in England was troubled in her mind. She felt herself unworthy to come to Jesus. A Swiss evangelist, Cesar Malan who was visiting the town told her, “Come just as you are.” But she was not willing then to come to Jesus. It was only 12 years later that those five simple words would impact her.
She became invalid and was confined to her room. And then one night in 1834 the burden of the lost condition of her heart and soul became unbearable and she, Charlotte Elliott, thinking on those five words, “Come just as you are” came to Jesus.
She simply came with her sense of unworthiness and uselessness. That night she wrote the words of the hymn Just as I am. She said in that hymn that she was coming to Jesus not because of any claim she had to make. Instead, she was trusting the blood of Jesus the Lamb of God which was shed for her and his invitation to come to him. She said that she was not trying to clean herself but instead she was coming to the blood of Jesus which can cleanse all dark spots.
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bid’st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, and waiting not
to rid my soul of one dark blot,
to thee, whose blood can cleanse each spot,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
My dear friend, would you like to come to Jesus today? Bring your sins, your guilt, your shame, your sense of unworthiness; bring it all to him. He has not only invited you to come, but he is also eagerly waiting to see you return to him. Will you come? Will you return to his love today?
See, God’s love is not about emotions. But it is practical and sacrificial. He showed his love for you on the cross where Jesus bled and died for you. This is the central truth in all human history.
You have to look to the cross and the blood of Jesus to come to God. There is no other way. It is a narrow way. Many people reject this way because they want a way to God which is easy and popular and based on their own goodness.
But there is no other way to God. For the Bible says, in Hebrews 9 and verse 22 “and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” (NIV) And again, the night before he was crucified, Jesus said, in Matthew 26 and verse 28, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”
Yes, the blood of Jesus has tremendous power to cleanse and to forgive. Because it is sinless blood;
because it is innocent blood;
because it is the blood of the Son of God fully and willingly surrendered to his Father’s will;
because it was poured out as sacrifice to the very last drop;
and because it speaks words of forgiveness even today,
it has in it the power to cleanse and forgive all your sins.
There is not one sin in your life, however great and evil it is, that the blood of Jesus cannot wash clean.
Your every secret sin, every act of disobedience, every act of rebellion against God; all their bright red scarlet stain can be washed as white as snow in the blood of Jesus. Just come to him with a sincere and broken heart; ready to turn away from evil and darkness to the light of God.
In 1 John Chapter 1 verse 7, the Bible says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (NKJV). “And the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” My dear friend, there is cleansing power in the blood of Jesus.
The one thing you need to do is to walk in the light. Do not run away from God when the Spirit of God convicts you of sin in your life. Like King David, agree with what the Spirit of God is showing you and say, humbly say, “I have sinned against the LORD.”
When you thus confess your sins before God, the Bible says in 1 John Chapter 1 verse 9: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Let me read that again: “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” So, you can find forgiveness with God and cleansing from all your sins by the blood of Jesus.
You can come again and again to the blood of Jesus every single time you become conscious of a wrong thought, a bad word, or a sinful action from your side. For the blood of Jesus is a cleansing fountain as said in Zechariah Chapter 13 and verse 1. You cannot exhaust its cleansing flow and power.
Therefore, do not hesitate to wash yourself in the blood of the Lamb of God. Yes, do not hesitate to wash yourself in the blood of the Lamb of God. That is the only way you can enter the holy presence of God. In fact the Bible says in Hebrews Chapter 10 verse 19 that we can have confidence to enter the presence of God in the most holy place in heaven by the blood of Jesus. With boldness and freedom, we can definitely enter the presence of God by the blood of Jesus.
It further invites us to draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith. That means you need not doubt. God will welcome you for sure when you come to his presence through the blood of Jesus. This is the significance of the curtain of the temple being torn in two; from top to bottom when Jesus died on the cross.
For the blood of Jesus removes all barriers and opens the way for you to come to the presence of God. The door in heaven is open for you. The curtain, the body of Jesus, was broken for you. So come boldly; come with boldness and with confidence that Jesus your high priest in heaven is bringing you near to God by his precious blood shed on the cross of Calvary.
Yes, the blood of Jesus has permanently opened a new and living way for you to approach God. Do not hesitate when you become conscious of sin. The moment you realize you have sinned; come to God confessing your sin and be cleansed and forgiven by the blood of Jesus. The blood of Jesus makes it possible for you to have access to God at all times.
Do you find it unbelievable? Then think on what Pastor Stuart Silvester had to say about this. He once had a conversation with a friend of his who frequently flew his small private plane in and out of Toronto International Airport. He asked the pilot if he ever faced problems taking off and landing a small craft at an airport that was dominated by so many large jets. His friend responded, “My plane may be small, but I have the same rights, the same privileges, and the same access to that airport as anyone else—even the jumbo jets!” “the same access to that airport as anyone else
Yes my dear friend; don’t think yourself small or insignificant when you to come to God through the blood of Jesus. You have equal access to the throne of grace just like any giant of faith you might know. You are always welcome to go to God crying out Abba Father, crying out My Dearest Daddy, through the Spirit of God dwelling in your heart.
So draw near to God now. For the blood of Jesus has the power to make you stand before God having your past wiped clean. Come to God with a heart that is truthfully and sincerely hurt by all your sinful attitudes, thoughts, words, and actions. Ask God to help you turn away from all that is wrong in your life. The Bible calls that repentance, and it is godly sorrow that leads you to repentance.
Isn’t it sad that you still trust in your self-righteousness? Now what does that mean? You think by going to church regularly, by prayer and Bible reading, by giving tithes, by your church traditions, by your good deeds, by going on a pilgrimage, doing penance, and so on you can earn access to God. Impossible. It is your pride that makes you think so. The cross of Jesus is where man’s pride ends. No one can come to God except through the blood of Jesus shed on the cross.
So humble yourself before God. The Bible says in Ephesians Chapter 1 verse 7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins.” The Bible says again in 1 Peter Chapter 1 verses 18 and 19 that we were redeemed not with perishable things such as silver and gold “but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” “but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot.”
The sacrifice of Jesus was costly. As I mentioned earlier, Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 22 says, “And without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” The blood of Jesus has purchased your pardon and freedom. There is absolutely nothing in you or your possessions with which you can clear the debt that you owe God to clear you from all your sins. Only the blood of Jesus redeems. So come to this cleansing fountain now itself.
When you do so, God justifies you. For the Bible says in Romans Chapter 5 verse 9: “Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him.” “Since we have now been justified by his blood.” Now what does it mean? It means that God will not count your sins against you. In simple terms, it means you have a clean new beginning in your life; a brand new beginning in your life. It means that as God looks at you through the lens of the blood of Jesus, it is as if you never ever sinned.
Dr. Warren Wiersbe talks about Dr. Roy Gustafson who has the finest illustration of justification he has ever heard. It seems that there was a man in England who put his Rolls-Royce on a boat and went across to the continent to go on a holiday. While he was driving around Europe, something happened to the motor of his car. He cabled the Rolls-Royce people back in England and asked, “I’m having trouble with my car; what do you suggest I do?” Well, the Rolls-Royce people flew a mechanic over! The mechanic repaired the car and flew back to England and left the man to continue his holiday.
As you can imagine, the fellow was wondering, “How much is this going to cost me?” So when he got back to England, he wrote the people a letter and asked how much he owed them. He received a letter from the office that read: “Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our files that anything ever went wrong with a Rolls-Royce.” “Dear Sir: There is no record anywhere in our files that anything ever went wrong with a Rolls-Royce.” That is justification!
It results in you having peace with God. In Romans Chapter 5 and verse 1 we read, “Therefore since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” This is “through faith in his blood” as is made clear in Romans 3 and 25. So if you trust in the blood of Jesus, God’s anger against you is turned away from you because of Jesus’ blood. Romans 3:25 is a very important verse which specifically mentions the object of faith which saves. That is faith in the blood of Jesus is what saves. Many non-believers accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, a divine healer, a worker of miracles, and a powerful prophet. That is all true. But that kind of faith is not enough to save. What saves you from eternal hell is your faith in his blood! So come to this cleansing fountain of blood and find peace with God.
And he will heal your wounds which were caused by sin. The Bible says in Isaiah Chapter 53, “the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.” He will also restore you to friendship with God. For, “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us.” 2 Corinthians 5:21. All the sin of the world was placed on Jesus the Lamb of God who came to take away the sin of the world. Why? To reconcile us to God. It simply means that through the blood of Jesus, God is telling you and me, “I will be friends with you.” Will you believe that? Come to the cleansing fountain of the blood of Jesus.
When you trust his blood for your salvation, sin that separated you and God is removed. The shame and guilt of sin is also taken away. That brings you into close connect and fellowship with God. Instead of enmity with God, there will be peace with God.
God has also brought you out from Satan’s dominion and darkness and evil and given you the power to lead a life that becomes increasingly holy. See, Jesus took the punishment for sins that should have come upon you and me on his body broken on the cross, to set us free! Does that mean we will never sin again. Not at all. But the blood of Jesus puts in our heart a new attitude which hates sin and evil.
In spite of that, a sinless life might not be possible, for we all sin against God from time to time knowingly or unknowingly. Therefore we need repeated cleansing by the blood of Jesus from day to day and moment by moment. So when you allow the blood of Jesus to operate in your life and submit to the powerful influence of this cleansing fountain, there will be a gradual dying to all the wrong desires as God gives you a stronger desire to be holy like him. In Hebrews 13 verse 12 we read: “So also Jesus suffered and died outside the city gates to make his people holy by means of his own blood.” The Bible calls this sanctification. It is the process by which we consistently turn away from all that is evil and become increasingly holy in our lives.
Sanctification refers to the moment by moment cleansing we all need through the blood of Jesus. Imagine you taking a walk on the road. When you come back home even though you didn’t deliberately touch any dirt, lot of dust and other matter will have accumulated in your body mixed with your sweat; isn’t it? Likewise as we live in the world things we happen to see and hear defile our mind and spirit.
Often this defilement discourages us. Then we need to consciously seek the cleansing through the blood of Jesus. We also need to separate ourselves from all known sin in our lives. And then there are matters that make our consciences unclean. We may not be aware of all that. Yet if we consciously seek the cleansing by the blood of Jesus he will do it for you.
After mentioning about the outward cleansing achieved through the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled on those ceremonially unclean in Old Testament times, the writer points out the inward sanctification as well: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.” Hebrews Chapter 9 verse 14. Let me read that again for you. “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God.”
How does sanctification happen in your life? Let us listen to what Jesus said in John Chapter 6 verses 53 to 57, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him.” Even the disciples of Jesus who listened to him say this found this a hard teaching and they were offended. So what does this mean?
Drinking his blood simply means that we allow the blood of Jesus to have an unrestrained and unrestricted influence in our lives. When we allow that to happen, it leads us to the deepest and intimate union and closer walk we can have with God. Therefore there is a great sense of nearness to God’s presence when you go to him in prayer through the blood of Jesus. From now on, practise the presence of God through the blood of Jesus even while you work or study or play or drive your car. Thus you can always experience God near and have his joy in your life. But like that disciples even today many are offended by the mention of the blood of Jesus. It certainly is not popular.
And when you allow the blood of Jesus to have an unrestrained and unrestricted influence in your life, you also have victory through the blood of Jesus. As the Book of Revelation Chapter 12 verse 11 says, “they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb.” That means there is victory over sin and Satan, and protection and deliverance from all forces of evil and darkness in the precious blood of Jesus Christ, your Lord and Saviour. In today’s world filled with all kinds of evil, temptations, distractions, worries and anxieties, depression and discouragement; your means of victory over all of it comes through the blood of Jesus. So look to Jesus and his shed blood on the cross. That is the banner of your victory. Wave it high.
Let me end with the story Billy Graham told of a boy who lost his way. a police officer was on night duty in a city in northern England. As he walked the streets, he heard the sound of a quivering sob. Shining his flashlight into the darkness, he saw a little boy in the shadows sitting on a doorstep with tears running down his cheeks. The child said, “I’m lost. Please take me home.” “I’ll be glad to take you home. Where do you live?” the officer replied. But the little boy was so tired and so scared that he couldn’t remember his address. The policeman began naming street after street, trying to help the boy remember where he lived. He named the shops and the hotels in the area but the little boy could give him no clue. Then he remembered that at the centre of the town stood a church with a large white cross that towered high above the rest of the city. The policeman pointed to the cross and said, “Do you live anywhere near that place?” The little boy’s face immediately brightened up. He said, “Yes, sir. Take me to the cross and I can find my way home.”
This day let me point you to the cross and the blood Jesus shed there for you. That is the only way home to God and to heaven and to life eternal.
The blood of Jesus shed on the cross has the power to cleanse you from all your sins.
The blood of Jesus sanctifies you by giving you power to live a holy life.
The blood of Jesus redeems you by delivering you from the power of Satan and darkness and evil.
The blood of Jesus justifies you giving you a clean brand new beginning in life
The blood of Jesus heals you especially from the brokenness of your heart caused by sin.
The blood of Jesus gives you access 24 x 7 to the throne of grace in God’s presence.
The blood of Jesus gives you victory in your fight with the world, with your sinful nature and with the devil.
The blood of Jesus gives you protection from the evil one.
And the blood of Jesus reconciles you with God and let you be friends with him.
So come to the Lamb of God. Wash your robes white in the blood of the Lamb and as recorded in Revelation Chapter 5 sing the praises of heaven saying:
“Because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise.”
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power for ever and ever.” Amen!
Open doors are everywhere. But if you don’t see them; it is simply because you are looking at the past and looking at the already closed doors! You can see open doors if you trust God and are ready to wipe your tears away and look.
What can you see then? Do you see problems instead of possibilities; do you see despair instead of hope; do you see darkness instead of light? It all depends on how you look.
Open doors will help you see a glimpse of the future. Maybe you are restricted in your circumstances and in your resources. But that does not prevent you from looking ahead in hope and believing in your God-given dreams. So look through the open door ahead. And you will see a glimpse of your future.
Open doors will help you see what task God is entrusting you with for today. When you are afraid to step forward because of your inhibitions, discouragement, and a consciousness of your own insignificance, you will hear his voice saying. “Have I not commanded you. Be strong now, and act.”
Finally open doors will help you see people who are cast down and who need a word of strength, comfort, and cheer. When you see them you will know the meaning of the days you struggled. All of it was to make you a useful instrument to touch the lives of many with God’s blessing and peace.
So look through the open door ahead. And step out to meet the need that you see ahead. Open doors will not always remain so. So walk through it right now. The opportunity is yours!
Having a healthy mind is critical to your success in life. And surprisingly it is quite easy to have a healthy mind. Let me give you some simple tips to achieve good mental health.
First of all, to have a healthy mind, begin the day with a smile, a prayer, and a thankful heart. When you get up from bed; just smile because you have got the gift of a new day. Pray to God to give you wisdom for the day. And be thankful for all the blessings you have in life. In that way a positive environment can be created for having a healthy mind.
Secondly, to have a healthy mind, have good friends in your life. Friends will share your joys and sorrows. They will motivate you to do better in your studies, hobbies, and career too. They will play with you and talk. And they will team up with you for projects and activities. All these are good for your mind to stay healthy.
Thirdly, to have a healthy mind, try to help someone who is weaker than you. Encourage someone to push beyond what he or she has achieved in life. Most people suffer from low self esteem. Your motivational words can shine a light in their darkness. When you do so it not only encourages them; but will also make your mind radiate with joy. Isn’t that a great way to stay mentally healthy?
Finally, to have a healthy mind, deliberately say no to gadgets: your laptop; mobile; TV, gaming station etc. They have their value. But too much of entertainment without interaction with people; especially your loved ones is going to destroy your mental health. Addiction is more addictive than you think. The more you can stay away from gadgets; the better your mental health.
Let me conclude by saying that mental health is of great importance in today’s world. So make a deliberate effort to stay mentally healthy by being thankful, having good friends, helping others and saying no to gadgets. Keep up hope.
Respected Principal, Beloved Teachers, Dear Parents, and my fellow students,
Introduction
I stand here at this school assembly looking at the faces of young students who are the future of our country, India. There is much potential, talent, and energy in all of you. With discipline and creativity, imagination and enthusiasm, dream and drive; there is no limit to what each one of you can achieve. But sadly, today, there is a cloud that seems to darken this brightness; it is the menace of drug addiction. So let me start off this campaign by having all of you say no to drugs.
The other part of that slogan should be, “Say Yes to Life.” When saying yes to life, let me share a word of wisdom to all the stakeholders here.:To teachers, parents, as well as students.
Teachers
First of all, let me talk to our teachers. You constantly shine a light on our paths. You encourage us. We are grateful to you for that. But beyond this let me ask one more thing from you. Do not compare us with others. Do not compare our marks or our appearance.
What we expect from you is a word of appreciation. A good word of encouragement can go a long way in building our self-esteem. Give us a word of hope that in spite of our failures and mistakes we are going to make it. Perhaps the confidence you can give us, the trust you show us can in the long run help us say no to drugs than anything else.
Parents
Now let me to talk to our parents. You have made life possible for us. You have given us love and care and affection. You have given us great learning opportunities. We are here today only because of you. But there is one mistake that many parents make. You give the best toys and gadgets for your kids. You give money for their needs.
But how much of your time do you give them? Do you know the best gift you can give them is your unhurried time; your willingness to listen to them; and maybe play with them when you get a chance. Young children grow fast. And when you realize that time has flown; they will be already adults like you. Then it will be too late.
Many children turn to drugs because they seek love and acceptance they did not get at home. So they find it difficult to avoid the peer pressure and fail to say no to drugs.
Students
Now at last, let me to talk to you my friends. There is only one life. When you are young it is the springtime of life when everything is in bloom. But there are predators everywhere. They are those who seek to drain away the nectar of your life by luring you with the temptation of entertainment, pleasure, easy money and the like.
Always know that drugs come into your life to steal, kill, and destroy. It will hook you, addict you to a path of misery, and make a wreck of your mind, body, and soul.
Those who peddle drugs will make it look attractive and even innocent. But hidden behind could be the arm of mafias and terrorist outfits who have no respect for life. Know that their only aim is money by making you compromise your bright future by trading it off for illegal enjoyment the present moment.
Therefore think long-term. Think of the people who love you. Do not bring them to tears. Say no to drugs.
Conclusion
Let me end now. Even when you’ve made a mistake by chance or choice or by being forced, there is always a U-turn possible. Keep up hope. It takes courage to return and you can. It is like the prodigal son returning home to his father’s love after having wasted all his possessions in wild living.
Therefore, let me urge you once again, if there is anyone who has taken the wrong step already; it is not too late. Say no to drugs and return to life and there will certainly be a future for you.
