To Know Him

Our Youth Group has been going through a series on identity, and 2 weeks ago, we learnt about being a Weapon of Righteousness. To put it in perspective, weapons of mass destruction cause mass destruction, and weapons of righteousness cause righteousness in the sphere of their influence.

We learnt that righteousness is in close relationship to truth, justice, love and blessings. To be a weapon of righteousness means standing for truth, effecting love, justice and blessings. And the Bible promises that a person of righteousness will have life and blessings. But more on that another time.

In my research on this topic, I came across this OMF article that touched me and made me think. There are a lot of charismatic Christians running around saying 'Thus says the Lord' and yelling at demons. I've done it myself. There's nothing wrong with it unless it is done without understanding, and without a core ingredient that makes THE difference: the love of God. This love is so potent, so overwhelming that just a taste of it can transform lives and destinies. Isn't this what we all want?

Many Christians tend to think that salvation and power is what they have, and all that they need. But without love, we are merely noise, clanging symbols (1 Cor 13:1-3). It's the stuff of Bible-bashing -- all noise and completely pointless, not to mention destructive. Notice how the ladies were doing the best with what they knew about the Name of Jesus -- but they were acting out of fear and ignorance. And I'll go out on a limb to say that if we don't do something with the love of God, we are probably leaving Him out of it more than we realise.

There is one very basic factor in living as a Christian, and it can be lost in the myriad of 'doings': it's relationship. If you know God, you will have His love. These two things give you all the authority you need when you pray.

Acts 19:14-16 tells us about some exorcists who set out to try out this magical name of Jesus Christ that they had heard Paul use. Instead, they had a demon growling at them, "Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?" before sending them out of the house torn and naked.

It is essential to truly know God. Knowing God is not simply going to Church, praying and knowing the Bible back to front. These are all good things, and are essential towards that relationship but it is easy to just 'do' it and still not truly know God, just like reading letters from someone can give you a sense of who they are, but without time, effort and frequent heart-to-heart interaction, that relationship stays only at the stage of 'knowledge'.

I can assure you now that God is a force to be reckoned with. The world has dumbed Him down to a simpering do-gooder irrelevant to the modern age but I've personally felt a dark pain instantly lift at the Name of Jesus, nausea instantly cease after prayer, experience the wisdom of following His counsel, the reality of true prophecy, the startling feeling of a powerful presence filling the room and the beautiful comfort that comes with it. This is a living God. And He is everything He says He is.

Do you truly know Him?

Ways of the Mustard Seed 3

In a previous post about the Mustard Seed kind of faith, we said that when Jesus said, 'Have faith in God' in Luke 11:22, the original Greek is 'Have the faith OF God'.

Well! How do we get the faith OF God? The same way we come to trust in someone else's abilities -- spend time with them, talk with them, listen to them: Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God (Rom 10:17)


God's Word is life and power. It was His Word that brought the world into being; every blade of grass and dainty butterfly, towering volcanic inferno, raging hurricane and whispering breeze on a sunny spring morning was brought into existence by His Words.

The Bible also says that His Word is our spiritual staple: Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of the mouth of God (Deut 8:3)  -- we were made to thrive on the spiritual food of God's Word. This is because we are spiritual beings with a physical body. We cannot live on physical bread alone. 


Our spirits need food too, and just like we can feed our bodies junk as well as wholesome food, there is junk and wholesome spiritual food. God's Word is the equivalent of Nanna's home-cooked, healthy, fresh-from-the-garden meals. You grow strong and happy on it.


It's not enough to just hear. We need to receive it in our hearts, believe it, do it, develop it. This takes time to do; just as it takes time to build up muscles. 

It takes time and effort, the right diet, and the right exercise. So it is with our spiritual faith muscles. Your diet is the Word of God. You must take the time to fill yourself with it, and make the effort to use that faith.


So if there's something that looks impossible - it isn't. Not to God. Get an infusion of His faith, change your diet. Find out what He's saying about your impossible situation, then have the faith of God, and speak the same to that mountain!

Ways of the Mustard Seed 2

"If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it will obey you." Luke 17:6

Mustard seeds are tiny. But one seed holds a lot of potential.


Faith, when it is borne of hearing and believing God's Word, is like a little packet of dynamite with so much potential it could move a tree from the top of a hill to the bottom of the sea.


Mark 11:22 has a similar verse to Luke:

So Jesus answered and said to them, “Have faith in God. 

For assuredly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that those things he says will be done, he will have whatever he says.

Therefore I say to you, whatever things you ask when you pray, believe that you receive them, and you will have them.

Derek Prince, in His teaching 'Gifts of Power' said that the original Greek actually implies, "have the faith of God". (Check out Derek Prince's teachings. If you sign up to the free newsletter, they often give away free CDs of his teachings.)


If so, this means:

• God wants to give us His faith
• We are able to receive His faith & work in it
• Nothing will be impossible for us when we agree with God's Word on something!

This agrees with something else Jesus said (on this same topic) in Matt 17:20:

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.

Nothing is impossible for God, and therefore if we are acting by God's leading, and step out in His faith, the impossible becomes possible. It's important to realise that this is the important caveat to all the above verses.


We have no business acting on something outside of God's leading. If we decide to do something that runs against the character and will of God as revealed in His Word, we step outside the right to act in God's faith. We also step outside His blessing and protection. 


It's not that He doesn't want to bless and protect us - it's more that He cannot endorse our actions or words if it doesn't agree with His Word. God will always be true to His Word. 


Moreover, if we willingly step out of His Word, God will not override our choice since He gave us the freedom to choose our own paths. So if you choose to step out, He'll let you go out from under the umbrella of His blessing and protection, although not without some warning. 


God's grace is amazing - He may step in to prevent something from going too far, or to protect someone else, but that same grace also allows you to taste the fruit of your choice so that you know God's way is still the best way.


However, just because God is not in something doesn't mean that we won't accomplish something amazing without Him. The human will is amazing -- it can complete astonishing feats, but any feat without God is potentially destructive - both to yourself, and to others, no matter how amazing or innocent it might seem at first.


Notice also that Jesus' example of the potency of a small measure of pure faith is something that seems bizarre and impossible -- that a tree would uproot itself from the ground and plant itself into the sea, or that a mountain could do the same. 


As with anything about God, the faith of God overrides physical and natural laws. Look at the parting of the Red Sea, the healing of blind eyes, Shadrach, Meshach and Abed-Nego's fiery experience -- all of them defy natural laws. God is not bound by the physical laws He made. So don't expect God to do things your way, or the way that looks the most logical. Do you trust Him?


How do you get such faith, or apply it? It's simpler than you think. More on that another time.

Staying on the Right Road

Stay on the path and you won't touch the poisoned apples.

"Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh." Gal 5:16. Walking in the Spirit is basically living out God's character and power in your own life. To do so is a daily battle between your natural inclination to laziness and sin, and the desire to do right.

"Watch and pray, lest you enter into temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Matt 26:41

We all know first-hand how weak our flesh is so the first thing to walking in the Spirit is to remember that if you are Christ's, there is no condemnation from God over your weaknesses or failings: you can be assured of His mercy and love. If you acknowledge your wrongs and repent, God is faithful and just to forgive you. If you are forgiven, then it is Christ's righteousness that is accounted to you, not your own flawed one.

That aside now, how do we stay walking in the Spirit?

1. Put God First
Whoever you respect the most has the most influence over your choices.
Even the most spiritual person could still respect their own opinion and ideas over God's. When they do that, they have not subjected themselves to Him and therefore will find it easy to override the little nudge inside their hearts.

But it is important to note that the person you subject yourselves to also has power over you. Would you rather have Satan power over you, or God? Satan will encourage you to do what you want, but only in order to seek your destruction. God guides us to protect and lead to blessing and fulfillment of your potential. If you subject yourself to Him, He gives you the power to overcome all temptation and troubles with Satan.

There is an example I read once that is a good picture. Let's say you were a sailor on a ship where a political situation is forcing you to choose between your Captain or the First Mate. Whoever you choose, you will make available to them your time, skills, and loyalty. When they order you to do something, you will do so because you have set yourself to obey that person. You could alternatively decide that you will not be subject to either, and will do as you please.

We have the same situation played out everyday between God, ourselves, or Satan. The difference is that in this world, there are only two sides: the flesh or the Spirit. The flesh listens to its own desires and rejects the things of the Spirit -- this is exactly what Satan encourages because the flesh opposes the desires of the Spirit (Rom 8:7; Gal 5:17). Those who choose to subject themselves to the Spirit do the opposite and will find that they are following the ways and characteristics of the Lord.

Who do you respect more? Many Christians are on a round-robin of allegiance: sometimes you listen to God, but for the rest of the time, you do it your way. If you want to be able to walk consistently in the Spirit, subject yourself only to God.

2. Choose to Walk in Love
Love is the fulfillment of the whole law (Rom 1:10), and is the heart of God's character (1 John 4:16) . It is easy to give in to the urge for revenge, anger, unforgiveness and bitterness. But each of these work like maggots inside you; they cause rot that destroys you from the inside out, with great pain.

Love always chooses to honour others above themselves (1 Cor 13). Choosing to walk in love may go against the grain but to walk in love is to walk in the Spirit, and it will bring life rather than death to your relationship, situation, or private life.

3. Watch What You Absorb
We exhibit the nature of what we absorb. We absorb ideas, emotions and attitudes by hearing, watching and thinking over things.

It is almost universally agreed ('almost' because not everyone is convinced) that people who habitually watch or play violent movies or computer games are likely to be actually violent in real life.

If you have a problem with lust of any kind, you feed it by giving in to its desires, and giving your mind and body over to its urges. In consequence, it will grow and invade other areas of your life, and sooner or later, that problem you were hiding will become blatantly obvious. If you starve the desire for lust and feed your soul wholesome things, it will abate.

If you are hungry and want junk food but fill yourself with good food, the urge for junk food loses its power.

In the same way, if you feed your soul patience, joy, care for others, the Word of God, time in His presence, then you will exhibit God's nature, including the fruits of the Spirit.


How will you walk today?

Tapping into Unlimited Ability

Why is it sometimes we just can't make it? All our best efforts seem unrecognised, or not needed. Sure, when we set out to just do something that doesn't bother anyone, we can do it. But if we want to do a 'something' that counts, that changes lives, we are left helpless staring at the limitations of our ability.

I don't just want to say things to entertain, or write to tickle someone's fancy but not reach their heart. Sometimes we hit on a gem. Most times it's easy to just become part of the overall clamour of humanity.

How can we always hit the mark for someone out there? Without becoming completely drained and unhappy? They say that the best things come when you are not trying hard, but I think it's more than that.

Today, I am reminded that my best is nothing without God. After all, '...your life is hid with Christ in God' (Col 3:3). Only He is still able to stand out amidst that clamour. We forget that God wants to touch hearts more than we do. We can't do it without Him.

When we try to do things solely by our own understanding and ability, we will always fall short. We may have a God-idea but it must also be done by His power. To tap into God's ability, we need to work in complete partnership with Him. Yet, most times, we treat God as an oracle, or genie, ('Help me!') and when everything goes well, we say 'Go me! This is awesome!'

But partnership with God means letting Him be who He is with us - and that means Master, King, Friend. The Master and King always has a good plan - so we should find out what it is and follow it. Being our Friend means that we are on more than speaking terms - we are family, precious, beloved. We can trust Him to watch our back. We can discuss, laugh and joke together. But that never negates the fact that He is still sovereign and is worthy of our awe.

'God, you lead the way, and I'll come. You give the order and I'll follow.'

From experience, I've found this approach the most stress-free, most powerful path to follow. People are helped, but not because of me. But I do forget.

Digging for Treasure

We settle for too little. I, for one, find this a recurring theme. We complain if we're bored but often can't be bothered getting off the couch to do something about it. The inertia can be overwhelming.

Comfort is good but if we live doing all we can to stay comfortable and convenient, our hearts become numb. All of us were created with a spark, that if put to tinder would light up to be a mighty fire that others will come to catch some of. We each know that the inertia becomes nothing when we stand up and just DO IT.

So this is your little encouragement to stave off inertia for today. You were made to live for more than yourself. You have so much to give in away that only you can deliver. You already have what it takes to make a difference NOW. You might have plans for the future and think, 'I need this, and that'. Yes, but what about today? What do you have now that you can use?

But it means means ditching routine, the daily grind, the automatic modes of our lives. It means challenging ourselves, stepping outside of our comfort zone once in a while to do something bigger than ourselves, to live for something bigger than ourselves. It means investing ourselves in others because when we leave this Earth, the only thing about us that lives on is our legacy in others' lives. The world isn't all roses but you don't have to leave it that way.

Jesus said He had come to bring abundant life, but He sacrificed it in order to do so. In the same way, if we try to keep our lives, and keep it comfortable, we'll lose it because it will go numb and die on us. Seeds have to die as a seed in order to be born as a plant.

Scudding along the surface of life is safe but...flat. If we want to truly live, we need to break the numbness of our hearts and make the effort to dig deeper everyday, to go beyond routine, the humdrum, in every activity, in every conversation to find the treasures around us - even if it means some extra effort or discomfort.

So...
how often do you go out of your way to help someone?
Purposefully look for ways to make someone's day?
Ask 'how are you' and be actually interested in how they are?
Plan a night of purpose, not self-entertainment? Habitually?
Shake the automatic mode during praise and worship and press in to a place where you have bared your heart to God and got it renewed?
Took communion with tears?
Prayed to hear God talk, not just yourself?
Made time to pray for someone you said 'I'll pray for you' to?
Prayed for a relative stranger with such fervency that there were tears in your eyes, and red patches on your knees?
Allow preaching to grip your heart and challenge you?
Not just read the Bible but connect with it?
...

How will you dig deeper tomorrow?

All Smoke and No Fire

Did you know that it's possible to operate in anointing without the presence of God? But without His presence, you operate without the source of ability and you run on a limited tank, and also without the power to transform lives.

Sometimes I think we end up worshipping the anointing rather than the Anointer: we lap up the atmosphere, are entertained by the speakers, enjoy the music, dance and jump when it's all good. But what if there wasn't any atmosphere? What if the speaker spoke the truth with sincerity but lacked pizzazz? Would you listen just as hard? What if the music was terrible and the singer off-tune? Could you still sing and jump and have a good time? We can be such superficial people.

The Bible warns that in the last days, there will be more and more people who want their ears tickled more than to hear the truth (2 Tim 4:3-4). Are you one of them?

It is possible to be oblivious to the fact that God is not there, or that you have moved on without Him. There are Church services like that. Serving God without God is a dangerous place to be. Why? Because anointing (ability, dynamism) is irrevocable. It's a gift. But if you're not plugged in, the batteries quickly dry up.

And as surely as a pool of water cut off from the river will stagnate, stink, collect rubbish and die, so will the Christian who serves God but is losing intimacy with Him. If you starve the intimacy, you starve the ability to operate out of life-giving power.

When you are close to God, the glimpses you get of His greatness keep you down-to-earth. Your regular talks with Him bring inspiration, creativity, uncanny timing. But without the life of God coursing through you, anointed people become like a talented monkey showing their skill for entertainment. God is so amazing that He can still use your talents to make a difference. But you'll stink. And stink attracts maggots. There are people rotting inside and dispensing spiritual death but don't know it. They are smoke without fire.

Don't get me wrong. Nobody starts out wanting to go that way. Usually, the right intentions are still there. Rather, it's easy to fall into the traps of laziness, dependency on ourselves, putting other things ahead of our relationship with God. When that happens, our waters begin to stagnate, and the good intentions we may have become tainted with the rubbish of the world.

Many mighty Christians fall because of little things that built up to become big things to separate them from God. Separation from the source of power leads to weakness against temptations. And when they fall, they take a whole lot of people with them, people who become disillusioned, hurt, confused. People who are disconnected from God will minister death. No one is immune from these traps; everyone is susceptible, and all are called to be alert.

Which would you rather be? Defend your time with God, and make each moment count to know and live in His presence.

Lose it, Find it

The Bible is filled with seemingly back-to-front concepts:

it is more blessed to give than to receive; 

pray for your enemies and do good to them;

...

and the list goes on.

The most challenging one (I think) is this: 

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. Matt 16:25

What??

The commentaries all agree that 'whoever desires to save his life' is in the context of someone trying to save himself from trouble/persecution by denying Christ. This person will find that denying Jesus lets him off in his physical life, but such a person has lost sight of his destination -- he risks losing his eternal life.

This makes sense since the following verse says:

or what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?

Conversely, if we refuse to deny Christ when push comes to shove, we'll receive an eternal reward.

May we avoid being like Peter, who denied Christ when it was convenient to meld in with the crowd.

Answering the Critics

The other day, I was accosted by a sales girl in a shopping centre. I've met this kind before. They pass you a freebie, then you're hooked. Not every sales girl can do this well, but the girls from this particular organisation are well trained, I have to say. This is the second time in roughly 5 years that I've come across this brand, and it is also the second time I've spent way to much money with them...

That aside, I took the opportunity share the gospel with the girl. She had built a good rapport with me, and was very easy-going and open. Since she was sharing a great product with me (I do think they are good quality products), I thought I'd share something great with her too!

She was so polite, but had some serious indictments against God. Her family fled the Poh Pot regime in Cambodia, and one of her sisters fell victim to the genocide there. If God exists, she countered, this shouldn't have happened.

Additionally, she believed that people only need God when they are sad or in trouble. In other words, she believed God is a crutch only made up by people in need. She also felt that she had no choice to follow another god since her family are all Buddhists. What do you say to such a list?

These arguments are very common. I've read them in books and movies, and heard them repeated in discussions with friends. They may be universal questions but sometimes I wonder if some people just pick up these views from the media.

What I do know is that trying to convince someone when their mindset is fixed is like banging your head against a brick wall. She was definitely fixed, and in any case, she was a stranger I'd met for the first time. For most people, convincing people is not the strategy to take, and you can't allow emotions to overtake rational discussion. No matter how emotional your conversation (or debating) partner, you have to stay rational and calm. You plant a seed, expose a flaw in their argument(s), share Christ with them, show them His love and that's all you can do.

I don't know if what I said went anywhere, but what I hoped that I had done is plant a seed that would make her think, and continue to sit in her heart and remind her in days to come.

We have to remember that we are not there to convince people. It's God who will ultimately help them to be convinced. We are to be faithful messengers who communicate the message accurately, and represent God faithfully. We may be the last in a long line of messengers who plants the last seed to break down the hardness of their hearts, or we may be one in the middle. But every one counts.

I am reminded of an analogy I heard in an awesome SFC camp meeting one year (any SFCers out there??) that everytime we share is like a drop of water. That drop may not seem to go anywhere, but over time, consistent drips over time can break down rock in a way that no flood can.

Be a drop of water today!

Get a Life

What do you think about this interesting statement?

For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. Col 3:3

If a person is dead, how can we still speak of life? Because Paul is talking about the spiritual realm.

"For you died" - this refers to the 'old nature' which is crucified with Christ (Rom 6:6) and 'buried' through water baptism (Rom 6:3-5).

Barne's commentary puts it this way:

The idea of the apostle is, that as Christ became literally dead in the tomb, so we, in virtue of our connection with him, have become dead to sin, to worldly influences, pleasures, and ambition. Or, in other words, we are to be to them as if we were dead, and they had no more influence over us than the things of earth had over him in the grave

"Your life" - this refers to your new being, which has been 'born again' through God:

But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 2 Cor 5:17

The Amplified Bible denotes that this 'life' Paul speaks of is the result of the death of the old nature:

For [as far as this world is concerned] you have died, and your [new, real] life is hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3)

Your life in terms of physical existence is not the real you. It is a stage you pass through, like a caterpillar in a cocoon. The real you is a new spiritual identity only available when you identity with Christ's crucifixion and resurrection through believing in Him.

Some translations pick up on a nuance of the word 'hidden' which implies something hidden due to its value. It's covered, kept carefully and secretly with Christ in God.

So are you living your real life? Or are you more pre-occupied with the details of your physical one, which is transient and already slipping away? Get a life! Get your real one that is hidden in Christ.

Colossians 2:1-2 exhorts:

IF THEN you have been raised with Christ [to a new life, thus sharing His resurrection from the dead], aim at and seek the [rich, eternal treasures] that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  

And set your minds and keep them set on what is above (the higher things), not on the things that are on the earth. (Amplified Bible)

Where is your focus today? What have you set your heart on lately? Let the Shepherd of your heart order its contents today, and everyday.

Metamorphosis

Do you feel like all your efforts towards changing for the better are going nowhere? Then consider the caterpillar inside its cocoon.

The cocoon hangs around for quite some time, and looks as if nothing is going on. But that's only what it LOOKS like.

Change always takes time. Let patience have its perfect work in you, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing (James 1:4).


Don't be frustrated with 'no change' because your perception of 'no change' may be wrong: just because you can't see fruit doesn't mean that it isn't coming; just because the fruit is green, doesn't mean that it's not going to ripen; just because a pregnant woman doesn't look pregnant, it doesn't mean that she isn't!

God is always working behind the scenes, and He can make something out of nothing.

Your part is to be consistent in your discipline, abide in the Lord and leave the rest to Him. You will find one day that you have changed without you even realising it!

Change Me! (please)

Leo Tolstoy once said:

 "Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself."

And it's quite true when it comes to changing others. Yet I'm quite sure that everyone reading this article would want to change something about themselves. We want to be skinnier, smarter, better looking - but that's just the physical appearance side of it. If that wasn't asking for the moon, we each also wish that we were more patient, less lazy, more courageous, considerate etc etc... AND when we do we want it? NOW.


Well, you can change without pain, without discipline. Try the 5 steps to a NEW YOU and get instant results or your money back!! Free shipping, and we'll even throw in some self-confidence for free if you sign up for our 'You're Awesome' magazine...YOU WISH.

Think about this little gem from C.S Lewis:

"It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad."

And then this:

"Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.  - Jesus Christ of Nazareth (John 15:4-6)

Do you want real, lasting change? Then go for the inside-out change. No amount of personal growth can stick if it's from the outside-in, just as putting on Christina Aguilera's look doesn't give you her vocal prowess. 

"He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; 

for without Me you can do nothing."

Did you ever realise that the fruits of the Spirit are FRUITS, not gifts? Fruits take time to develop and mature. A branch on a grapevine can only bear grapes if it stays attached to the vine, receiving nutrients from it.


Are you leaving God out of any part of your life? That might just be the part you need to let Him into if you want to see anything improve in that area. Give Him the right to work on you there, find out what He's saying about that area, then obey Him whether you like it or not.


So often, we try to change without God; for some reason, we think it is better without Him when in fact we NEED Him to help us change: "for without me you can do nothing". That's a slap in the face for some people; it takes humility to realise that you can't achieve it on your own, but that's exactly the first step to becoming more like Jesus.


The next step is to be more than just sorry about your bad habit/characteristic. Good intention alone is not enough to change the world. Convictions are because they are beliefs that propel you to action. But how do we get them?

"Good intention alone is not enough 
to change the world. Convictions are..."

Spend time with the Lord and invest in activities, thoughts and prayers that align yourself with God's Word. Catch God's passion and convictions, and let them change you from the inside out. It's time spent in His Word by His Spirit that transforms us.

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. 2 Cor 3:18

Then, position yourself for change. It is important to ask (ie pray), but it also important to position yourself to receive. It may mean repentance. It may mean giving up your right make your own choice about something in order for you to follow God's choice for you. Or it may just mean straight discipline. Whatever it is, it will probably entail some discomfort, and effort. But don't do it out of your own strength. Remember:"abide in me, and I in you...without me, you can do nothing."


God is in the business of heart renovation. He'll take you up on the challenge if you step up to the plate and work with Him towards being all He made you to be. He's waiting for you.

When there is Silence

Have you ever felt that your prayers were lost in the ether? Or your ears were peeled for an answer, but none came?


There are many others who could discuss the silence of God more adequately than myself but I can only comment on what I have experienced. Here are some thoughts.


God still has the Last Say
There are many of us, including myself in unguarded moments, where we regard God in our image. We think of Him as having failings and limitations like us - but this is a grave mistake. When we make God in our own image, we not only under-estimate Him and insult Him, we also miss out on so much.


We miss out on the peace that comes with the assurance of God's limitless power; we miss out trusting and stepping out on a limb, then seeing God's step in and do miracles. We miss out when we underestimate Him.


God is also sovereign; He has the last say. It doesn't mean that He doesn't tolerate questions -- it just means that as King of the Universe, He has the right to do what He feels best. Look at Abraham and Moses - both of them pleaded with God to reconsider His plans (Ex 32; Gen 18:16-33) and God listened to them.


Because we know that He is good, and that He loved us enough for Him to offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sin, we know that He will make the right decisions concerning us. We may not understand all of His decisions - in fact, we may seriously question them. Yet it is important to realise that we can only see such a small portion of the future, or of events at large.


We can never know the full impact of one act, one word, much less the events of our lives. God can see and comprehend it all, whilst our vision and understanding is so limited that we have no hope of having a strong basis to say to God "You don't know what you're doing."

Isaiah 29:16: How foolish can you be?He is the Potter, and he is certainly greater than you, the clay!   Should the created thing say of the one who made it, “He didn’t make me”?   Does a jar ever say, “The potter who made me is stupid”?

God may not answer a prayer, but I cannot deny the times He has answered me before. He may not have done something I asked for, but it does not negate what He had already done for me. My experience is of a God who loves me fully and completely. Who am I to question His hand in the face of His greatness?


Our Sins Get in the Way

Isaiah 59:2 says:"And your iniquities have separated you from God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear."

When we stubbornly hold on to a sin that we know is wrong but refuse to admit so, we'll find His voice distant, His Word difficult to receive. Our sin blocks the pipes. If you value Him, and the quality of your life enough, you will do all you can to clear the pipes. Sin is poison in our system, and exceedingly deceitful. If gives you what you want, but it brings with it death. Then you'll wonder why things seem harder, why your attitude is poisoned, why the thing that you thought would satisfy you is destroying you too.


Sin is not some laid-down rule to control you - it's the 'don't touch the hot kettle' kind of rules that keep us whole, and safe. You don't need to find out the hard way that God's ways are the best ways - listen and obey!


It's Already Been Said


There's a few parts to this: existing knowledge, the push to discover, the knowing silence of intimacy.


Once upon a time, my Dad told me not to do something but I didn't listen. I went away and thought that the best way to resolve my problem was precisely what he had told me NOT to do. So I asked him what he thought about it. He was silent. I pestered him until he stopped me and said sternly, "I've already told you the answer. You know what I think about it. Why are you asking me?"


His answer wasn't very satisfactory because I wanted him to sanction my decision. But because he didn't stop me, I thought I could go ahead with my plans. When it went all pear-shaped, you can guess that my moans were not received well.


Sometimes God doesn't even bother stopping us with 'You already know what I think'. He knows that we've already decided to go against His counsel, and is leaving it with us to decide whether to follow Him, or to follow our own ideas. It's a test of our obedience.


On the flip side, we might be moaning about something that His Word is already clear about. God may not answer because we have a little nudge to go discover it for ourselves. Search His Word, believe it, act on it. God is definitely no spoon-feeder; every good teacher knows spoon feeding is detrimental to their students.


Lastly, there is an eloquence in silence. God doesn't have to speak through words or voices. Sometimes, through the silence comes an idea, a sense of assurance... Any couple who know each other well can attest that volumes can be said in just sitting together in silence. 


Hide and Seek
Sometimes we get a whiff of God's presence, and we call to Him and get no answer. These are times calling us to seek Him with all the fervency and vigour of a devoted lover. God is not interested in one-night stands, or flattery. He wants your sincere love.


Those who are prepared to seek and pursue Him will find all that their heart desires, and more.


Now, what should you do?
If you have sin, and are getting silence, you'll know about it. The answer for that is to repent (ie give up your sin, and walk away from it). As for the other reasons, I would say,  "don't be afraid of God's silence." Seek Him. God can speak in innumerable ways. He is always saying something. It just might not be in a way that we expect.

The 'Complete' Prayer for a Significant Life Part 2

I hope you found the last post on Colossians 1:9-12 as wonderful as I did! Did you think over the points and read the scriptures and mull over them? So often we take our spiritual food as fast as the food we buy at fast food chains - and it never benefits us as much as it should when we do that. 


Take time over God's Word to let it sink deep into your heart.

This time, we are continuing the rest of the passage in Colossians 1:9-12 from the end of verse 10:

...increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

4.

increasing in the knowledge of God

• God has always desired to be known
  a) Jer 31:34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the LORD. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”
  b) dealing with our sin in the light of God's countenance is key to knowing Him.
• This must then mean that God is waiting to connect with us when we set out to seek Him and know Him. He is not elusive nor difficult to relate to.
• 'knowledge': precise, correct knowledge of things divine
  God can cause us to know Him without misconceptions or misunderstandings. We might start out that way, but we don't stay like that!

5.

strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power

• 'strengthened' in the Greek is in the present, passive tense, indicating an ongoing process that is happening as we speak
• with ALL might. Chew over THAT!
• according to His glorious power:
  it's not according to the limits of our imagination, nor our understanding -- it is according to the extent of power that brought the Universe into existence, and that upholds all life in the Earth today

6. 

For all patience and longsuffering with joy

• The greatest strength required in life is that needed for perseverance and endurance.
• we can persevere and be longsuffering through something with JOY. Are you going through something long, tedious and frustrating? God promises that you can find JOY in the waiting period. Will you pause long enough in your frustration and disappointment to lay it down and REALLY listen for what God is saying about it? Listen, then obey. Joy is waiting for you.

7. 

Giving thanks to the Father

• An attitude of gratitude is the key to many things
• I've personally found that the real key to personally experiencing verse 7 of Phil 4:6-7 is not in the 'present your requests to God' but in the 'with thanksgiving'!
• Taking time to cultivate a heart that can offer sincere thanksgiving to God also keeps your focus on the things that truly matter, and the One who gives you strength
• Thanksgiving also re-aligns your perspective. A mountain of a problem becomes only a mole-hill when the greatness of God is put in real perspective alongside the problem. 
• Incidentally, 'thanksgiving' is also the English translation to two of the Hebrew words for 'praise', yadah, and towdah

8.

Who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints

• 'who has qualified us'. We are always trying to get ourselves qualified, or good enough - but none of our efforts can reach the required standard. It is God who qualifies US.
• We have a rich inheritance as saints of the Lord - so mind blowing that if you were to catch a glimpse of what is yours as a co-heir of Christ, you would not be the same again.
  Yet, so many Christians are oblivious to the privileges, glory, power and hope that is rightfully theirs.
  
  I plan to do a study soon into the inheritance that Paul talks about here. I hope that it will be inspire you, as it did me!

So now what?

What are you going to do about what you have read? Reading, listening or studying about the Word of God should not be like watching TV - mindlessly.

Chew over it, memorise it, pray about it. Put it into action: claim what is yours with faith. Continue to seek God faithfully and with all your heart - He wants to fill you with the knowledge of Him. He will not always keep silent.

Live a life that honours God, and where we fall short, trust that God is able to fulfill His own will in you - to cause you to walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him.

Pray over the work you do, make sure that it is work that God will be pleased to honour, remembering that God looks first at your heart attitudes.

Trust in the Lord for His strength; believe that He is able to bring you joy in the wildernesses and lonely paths of our lives - trust, listen, obey.

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude. Get to know what is rightfully yours, put it to work and rejoice!

Saying Good-Bye

My Second Uncle was in a car accident Sunday night. He didn't survive it. The car overturned several times and is a write-off. His passenger crawled out with only minor injuries but he died instantly (I hope), his spinal cord severed. Mum cried buckets as they were very close. She booked a ticket with my sister not long after the news and is now already back in the home town. The funeral is tomorrow.

I remember the shocking, sobering sight of my Grandpa's face - serene and tangible, yet otherworldly as he lay in his coffin... and thought with a kind of horror that my Uncle would be in that place this Thursday. It was sudden, tragic, too early. I remember him larger than life -- garrulous, generous, so much fun to be with, so flawed...

I hadn't known my Grandpa much when I attended his funeral but I was able to relate more to this Uncle. He was the one who came and brought some comfort to our family when we were new to Australia. He was the one who bought my Grandma a mobile phone (in Malaysia), set up our Australian number on speed dial, and looked after the phone bills (Grandma calls quite often). He lead the family on expeditions and holidays. He loved jokes, was one of those who laughed the loudest and parried the fastest in verbal matches.

It seems so wrong that someone so alive could be so...absent. 'Absent' because I now have a sense now of how all live to God, even if they are no longer on this Earth. I am confident that I'll see him again in that grand reunion I look forward to. He is free now, and arrived in the very place he was truly made for - I envy him that.

Amongst the possible ponderings about our mortality, I think most of the fact that we don't belong here on this Earth. Truly, Eternity has been set in our hearts (Ecc 3:11). We think that we'll be around forever. And we will - just not in this body. We are bound for a Home away from this home.

It's a timely reminder that we were set on this Earth with a mission to accomplish - and it's not to live for ourselves. We are called to be Christ's hands and feet on this Earth to the people looking for hope and a way. In our weakness, timidity and ignorance, God sees one who can carry His glory selflessly and without fear. It is He who empowers us, and it will be He who rewards us - not just in this age, but also in the age to come. We are sojourners all in a journey both ordinary and profound - may we remember that, and be faithful to our calling.

The 'Complete' Prayer for a Significant Life

I read this passage a few weeks back and was blown away that everything I had been praying for in my walk with God and desire for my life was found in this passage.

I just wanted to unpack it here because I feel that this passage has so much in it, and it was so exciting I want to share it with you!

The scripture is Colossians 1: 9- 12:

For this reason we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him,being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy; giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light.

Long? Let's break it down.


1.
ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding

• 'ask' - there is an assurance of an answer
• 'filled' - not just 'have' or 'experience' but 'filled'. In the Greek, it means to 'fill to the brim', 'make complete'
• 'the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding'
  a) it's possible to have the knowledge of His will
  b) Paul qualifies the kind of knowledge he prayed for the Colossian Church with 'in all wisdom and spiritual understanding'. It's one thing to have knowledge, but another to understand it, and know what to do with it -- that takes wisdom and understanding) there's a kind of understanding that is inaccessible to the natural human mind. We need this 'spiritual understanding' that we can all ask for 
• walking in the will of the Lord brings us ...
  a) in line with the good works in Christ Jesus that were prepared before hand, that we should walk in them - ie we will be able to fulfill our destiny when we walk in the will of the Lord
  b) it puts us on the right path to receive all the blessings and equipping we need to fulfill our destiny
  c) puts us on the right path to meet the people we are meant to help towards THEIR destinies
• we should always seek to be in God's will, even if it means laying the right to our own will down - it will save you a lot of hassle!

2.

that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him

• it is possible to not just please the Lord, but fully please the Lord!
• if Paul can ask this, so can we
• if God is happy for us to ask this, then He must be more than happy to answer it!
• 'walk worthy' - the word 'worthy' is elsewhere translated 'as it becomes [someone]' (in the sense of propriety, or appropriate carriage of self in accordance to that person's stature or standing). The NLT translates this as 'then the way you live will always honor and please the Lord'
  a) this does not mean that we have to earn God's pleasure. If it did, it would be in direct contradiction to Paul's repeated message of salvation by faith, and God's grace independent of our efforts.
  b) walk worthy of the Lord= (in my understanding) live our lives in such a way that shows our sincere honour and gratitude towards God

3.

being fruitful in every good work

• A fruitful plant exhibits the ability to multiply itself and extend its range of influence
• 'EVERY' - it is possible to be fruitful in all the good work we do, not just some
  a) sometimes 'fruit' is not obvious, or takes some time to develop. This does not mean that the plant is not fruitful - it just becomes evident in other ways.
  b) someone else's fruitfulness is not equivalent to your kind of fruitfulness - don't compare!
  c) there are some seeds that fall unknown in far away, hidden places to spring forth elsewhere with great beauty and power. Don't think that the obvious fruit is the only fruit you bear.
  You may have influenced a life without knowing it, and that seed you sowed may bear more fruit than all your other works put together! Let God be the final judge of how effective or good you are - He sees everything, not just the obvious.
  d) therefore, give of yourself liberally without fear. Cast your bread upon many waters (Ecc 11:12), and keep yourself in the hand of Christ and in the path He has set for you. When we are willing to step out and sow the seeds God has given to us, it is He who will make them grow.
  However, this does not mean throwing caution to the wind and doing things willy-nilly - our efforts should be carefully executed, like a well-aimed arrow.
• 'good'= honourable, useful, excellent, joyful
• 'work'= business, employment, product, act/deed

Are you encouraged yet? There's still more to munch on from this passage but we'll continue another day - I'm a firm believer in small morsels well chewed! It makes for much better digestion and absorption of God's Word =) 

Take time to read the scriptures over and over again, and God may show you different aspects of these parts of the passage. Pray that God will show you how to apply this too.

More next time!