Shepherd, Father, King

“Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.”
~ Luke 12:32

I learnt that God is indeed our Shepherd who protects and provides, hence there is no need to fear for anything lacking. He is also our Father and we are His children, He loves us and nurtures us as His children. He is also our King who is free and generous as He rules sovereignly and wisely. One thing that struck me is that He is a King who gets pleasure out of giving for he is an infinitely resourceful and good King who knows the needs of His people and does all that is needed to make sure His people are cared for.

Loving Your Enemies

"Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
~ Matthew 5:11–12

The Joy of the Lord empowers us to rejoice in the midst of severe trials even in the case of an extreme one such as being persecuted. Rejoicing and being glad in God because of His Joy and His pleasure even in unrejoicable times like this shows that our ultimate treasure is not found primarily in our comfort and any of our wellness, but in the faithfulness and goodness of our Loving God!

Where the opportunities come, may we indeed reflect His faithful goodness to us by being faithful and good to love others around us resolutely.

Providence of God

"Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!"
~ Romans 11:33

This verse is like a stand alone verse that speaks of volumetric truths. One of the summary verses in the Bible that sums up the Godness of God.

I learnt about Abraham Lincoln this morning especially as he was born on this date of the year. His life is a testimony to the verse.

"Abraham Lincoln, who was born on this day in 1809, remained skeptical, and at times even cynical, about religion into his forties. So it is a most striking thing how personal and national suffering drew Lincoln into the reality of God, rather than pushing him away.

In 1862, when Lincoln was 53 years old, his 11-year-old son Willie died. Lincoln’s wife “tried to deal with her grief by searching out New Age mediums.” Lincoln turned to Phineas Gurley, pastor of the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church in Washington.

Several long talks led to what Gurley described as “a conversion to Christ.” Lincoln confided that he was “driven many times upon my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I have nowhere else to go.”

Similarly, the horrors of the dead and wounded soldiers assaulted him daily. There were fifty hospitals for the wounded in Washington. The rotunda of the Capitol held 2,000 cots for wounded soldiers.

Typically, fifty soldiers a day died in these temporary hospitals. All of this drove Lincoln deeper into the providence of God. “We cannot but believe, that He who made the world still governs it.”

His most famous statement about the providence of God in relation to the Civil War was his Second Inaugural Address, given a month before he was assassinated. It is remarkable for not making God a simple supporter for the Union or Confederate cause. He has his own purposes and does not excuse sin on either side.

'Fondly do we hope — fervently do we pray — that this mighty scourge of war might speedily pass away . . . .
Yet if God wills that it continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man’s two hundred years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid with another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago so still it must be said, “the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether. '

I pray for all of you who suffer loss and injury and great sorrow that it will awaken for you, as it did for Lincoln, not an empty nihilism, but a deeper reliance on the infinite wisdom and love of God’s inscrutable providence."
~ Solid Joy, John Piper

Christian Slave

"He who was called in the Lord as a slave is a freedman of the Lord. Likewise he who was free when called is a slave of Christ."
~ 1 Corinthians 7:22

Slavery brings with it a negatively connotated meanings. In fact our inherent understanding of slavery is not wrong, but should be taken in light of Scriptures.

Our slavery to any lord in this world if any is mercifully limited as freed man in the Lord who is Lord of all. At the same time, this means that while we are not bound to any lord in this world, our freedom is never totally free because God is ultimately the Lord of all. He is the only one who is Free outside of time.

However, as a Christian, our souls are bound to the worthy Lord who is the Supreme peaceful Ruler whose wisdom and joy mark His providential governance over all.

Praise be to God for we should and are indeed worthy slaves of Christ.

New Satisfaction

"If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one."
~ Hebrews 11:15-16

This morning God spoke to remind that being truly saved is accompanied by new true desires that bends and leans the heart Godward, forsaking whatever else as 'beautiful' and pleasurable. God promised to give us a singleness of heart and a new superior satisfaction above all else that is God Himself.

The verse highlights that in the face of the previously pleasurable and desirable things dangling in front of them, Abraham had his heart bent on loving and following His superior satisfaction, the God who spoke Him into being and who walked with Him from his home towards the land that He would eventually give to Israel.

Christ is My Reward

"Do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward."
~ Hebrews 10:35

Loving Christ for who He is is all important for He is ultimate. If our lives do not come into conformity of that, we will all be wasted. A speck of dust to be swept away into the fire.

In our world, there are just so many things that can be disguised into forms of idolatry that stokes our desire towards them. Money, sex, power, possessions just to name the most common ones. We are created with far greater purpose and design than to simply enjoy these things. These are shadows of ultimate reality.

Let us delight in the real delight of ultimate reality, God Himself.

Whatever He Does Prospers

"He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. "
~ Psalm 1:3

This may seem and sound too good to be true that it seems to be invalidated in a Christian's walk on earth. There are many verses in the Bible that says the wicked shall prosper but not quite the righteous, in fact the Christians often suffer afflictions. Some examples are:

“Fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way, over the man who carries out evil devices!”
~ Psalms 37:7

“Evildoers not only prosper but they put God to the test and they escape”
~ Malachi 3:15

However, the seeming incoherence are not quite pointing to the same exact thing about the prosperity referred to in the above.

One thing for sure, is that God's Scriptures and promises assured us of our victory in Christ is sealed and that all labour in the Lord is not being in vain. The verse "in all he does, he prospers" actually direct our attention to the undeniable unshakeable finished work of Christ Jesus in whom all prosperity lies.

Temporal Cost and Eternal Weight

"We are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls."
~ Hebrews 10:39

This morning I'm reminded no to look and focus at the temporal Cost of Discipleship and ministry, but to the God of all Glory and His power to grant us faith and preserve us.

Oftentimes we get caught up in the most  tangible, but not in the unseen.

The Place of Affliction

"Before I was afflicted I went astray, but now I keep your word."
~ Psalm 119:67

I find myself incredibly relieved and anchored in the truth and promise of God who sets afflictions to His wise purposes. Nothing happens by way of nature or accident. He is actively involved and brings them to pass, including afflictions.

It's a hard truth but a sobering and tremendously comforting to know that God never wastes any pain, hurt, struggle, trials that He brings to pass.

May we truly learn to joyfully willingly obey and submit to His sovereign Wisdom and Love for us I even in the midst of very trying times.

For the sake of God's Glory

"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name's sake."
~ 1 John 2:12

Why did and does God forgive us? Or even why does everything happen the way it happens? The answer really is simply for His Name's sake.

There is no greater being other than God alone who has Supremacy and ultimate Glory over all things.

Forgive as Forgiven

“Forgive us our sins, for we ourselves forgive everyone who is indebted to us.” ~ Luke 11:4

“As the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive.”
~ Colossians 3:13

We can forgive, truly forgive, simply because we have first received, understood and experienced forgiveness from God.

We forgive as Forgiven people of God, applying afresh the work Christ had accomplished by the power of God. God is the empowerer and the courage giver to act out our Christian living.

May we obey and cherish the forgiveness we have received with such resolution to forgive no matter what.

He Knows Our Needs

"Do not be anxious, saying, “What shall we eat?” or “What shall we drink?” or “What shall we wear?” For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. "
~ Matthew 6:31–32

The simple truth about God our Heavenly Father knowing our needs is far reaching in its implication to us. He knows and is far more than able at the same time to meet our needs. All the more awe - inspiring is the fact that He is very eager to fill our needs as He desires and determines in His Wisdom.

This is a passage that timelessly speaks of the unchanging promise of God's goodness and provision to us.

Praise be to the God of "how much more".

Works of Faith

"To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ."
~ 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12

It is amazing and utterly gracious of God in including us in the display of His Glory through our individual and collective lives reflecting the manifold facets and arrays of His Glory.

Works of Faith takes a paradigm shift in my perspective that it is not a work based on ourselves. The very fact that it is "Faith" means the work itself rests and relies entirely on God being the Great Doer and Accomplisher of the work. He initiates, supplies the necessary resources, we get the help, we get the experience of Him, He effects it into His desired will, He gets the Glory, we reflect His Glory in thanksgiving and praise.

It is a radically different starting and end point to see works of Faith as not of us or from us or in us, but all Him with us as broken vessels unworthy and undeservingly graced.

Not in the Way, Come

“In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God.”
~ John 16:26–27

It is a trembling with joy that the Father loves us so much and Jesus being our mediator who stood before us before the Father, now says that, we can go directly to Him because of Christ. This is because God the Father no longer holds anything against us because of His Son.

This is a shift in my personal understanding of this truth as opposed to how I saw Jesus forever being our mediator.

Blessedness

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account.”
~ Matthew 5:11

It is interesting to note that the last statement on blessedness is on being persecuted on Christ's account. Seems like a kind of paradox. But the great joy of enjoying the fullness of Christ forevermore shall be ours in the ages to come even starting from where we are now.

Praise be to God.

Call to Mind

Lamentations 3:21-26 reads

"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:   Because of the Lord ’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail.   They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.   I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.”   The Lord is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him;   it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord ."

This is a precious passage that reminds me of the ministry of myself to my soul. It is of crucial importance. The passage is filled with "pessimism" not simply because it's  called Lamentations but it captures what the reality of life in its delicate intricacies especially in the brokenness and fallenness of our world. There is only the Hope in God that rescues us from the mire pit of darkness and despair whatever shape and form it comes in.

The mind calls to mind what the Lord promised and finds in itself the hope that delivers. It is a beautiful and simple thing, a grace of daily deliverance for our soul.

It is His grace and mercy for us that empowers out mind to call to mind His Hope and Goodness everlasting.
Give thanks for that.

Service Unto the Lord

"Rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. "
~ Ephesians 6:7–8

There are many times that we feel injustice at work or with regards to what we do in light of the response or the treatment by our colleagues at work. This passage reminds me to focus my perspective on the fact that I'm first and foremost God's servant, God's own sent worker into the field he places me in. This has great bearing on how we function and gets the strength for the daily grind. It certainly shifts our predicament to the One ultimately in supreme control and administers His grace in various forms.

We know we can rest in peace and assurance of the Wise and Loving God who cares for us even at work, for it is Him who calls and provisions for our calling.

Look to Him and rest in His sovereign love.

Words as Wind?

Job 6:26 reads

"Do you mean to correct what I say, and treat my desperate words as wind?"

This is a gentle and clear reminder that we need to exercise discernment whenever we feel like there is something to address, reprove, resolve.

"In grief and pain and despair, people often say things they otherwise would not say. They paint reality with darker strokes than they will paint it tomorrow when the sun comes up. They sing in minor keys and talk as though that is the only music. They see clouds only and speak as if there were no sky.

They say, “Where is God?” Or: “There is no use to go on.” Or: “Nothing makes any sense.” Or: “There’s no hope for me.” Or: “If God were good, this couldn’t have happened.”"
~ John Piper, Solid Joy

This is our human tendency in our nature to perceive and reflect weighing in on the undesirable things in life, whether it is a word or deed.

But I learnt that even in the midst of this great and deep despair, Job held on to his hope in God.

That is remarkable and God - glorifying.
Praise be to God.

Freeness of Grace

Ephesians 2:4-10 reads

"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do."

Heart's Window

Hebrews 12:14-15 says:

"Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord. See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many."

Power of God's Call

"Anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” "
~ Ephesians 5:14

"The way to obey the command to be born is to first experience the divine gift of life and breath, and then to do what living, breathing people do — cry out to God in faith and gratitude and love. When the command of God comes with the creating, converting power of the Holy Spirit, it gives life."
~ John Piper, Solid Joy Devotional

What mercy and grace it is that God does that to everyone who eventually truly believes and finds themselves entering through the ocean of love.

The story of Lazarus reminds me that it is indeed God who gives us the power to be given life, wake up and obey. Only He can raise a life.

Foundation of Generosity

"God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that having all sufficiency in all things at all times, you may abound in every good work."
~2 Corinthians 9:8

Generosity is one key virtues of a Christian as it is anchored in the foundation of Christ Jesus being the all-satisfying everything that parting with anything in generosity out of that becomes a nature so inherent and so characteristic of God in His nature as the giver of all.

Christ Jesus who exemplified the ultimate generosity by giving His all to even us who knew Him not and who were vilely against Him. He gave without any condition, any merit, any reliance on anything outside of Himself. That is true sufficiency and generosity.

In the likeness of Christ, we are called to overflow in abundant generosity due only to the past and ongoing grace that we receive from God and as well as trusting and hoping in the assured promise of God's grace toward us future. We rest deeply in His ultimate generosity as He empowers us to self-sacrificially gives and shares to our neighbours.

Let us indeed acknowledge and testify to the Ultimate Generosity and Giver of all through our giving and sharing in abundant generosity unto others.

Even More Through Christ

"If while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation."
~ Romans 5:10–11

So We May Believe

John 20:30-31 tells us

"Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name."

I read this chapter and was just overawed by its magnificence, that God our incarnate Jesus, really came to dwell and live again after death. This is utterly unthinkable and unimaginable.

I confess many a times I read these passages as if they are a matter of fact that is likened to: "the earth is round", "the sky is blue", and "fishes can swim".
But praise be to God, for Awakening wonderment and amazement in our heart that not only when we read these passages but also His Word in its entirety, we may be indeed overawed and overwhelmed such a revelation to us!

Gift of Freedom

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." ~Hebrews 2:14–15

Today I'm reminded that if the greatest threat to our joy is gone, what more should we fear? Death is dead by the power of Christ and He has given us the all that we need to make all He is our Joy. Even death cannot stand to rob us of what God has purchased. Though momentary times we feel as if fear has a hold on us due to our weakness and frailty, we stand assured in His promise to deliver us completely to Himself.

As I So You

“As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.”
~John 17:18

As God has sent His Son to us, so He sent us to His world.

That is the fundamental model of missions. That is at the core of what Christmas means to all of us as His children who desire to love Him the way He loves us. By being sent into the world, God has shown us His Loving obedience to God and His Loving others as His essence of life on earth.

God's Divine Ways

"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."
~Philippians 2:9–11

It was through what looked like utter failure that Jesus pressed on in the path set before Him in order for His salvation story to unfold. For us in retrospection, this may not even come to our mind as failure because we see the clear victory bought for us. But for those were anticipating, watching and experiencing the very trial, Suffering and struggle, it must have been beyond what they could grasp and comprehend for the moment.

God meant it for good. To the glory of His name!

Life For His Sheep

In John 10:9-10, Jesus says to each of His Sheep:

"I am the gate; whoever enters through me will be saved.  They will come in and go out, and find pasture.  The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full."

Our faithful Shepherd of the sheep provides, watches over, protects and guides each of the sheep. He does not lead us astray.

That's a wonderful promise that we have of the God of our salvation. He meant to give us life and to the fullest.

Let us rest assured in His Word revealed to us. God be praised!

Save To the Uttermost

"Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen."
~ Hebrews 13:20-21

Doing what is pleasing in His sight is not possible without God's equipping us with everything that we need that we may do His will, much less what is pleasing to Him. This confidence we have and receive is through Jesus, God's Christ, our Christ who is our Great Shepherd of the sheep, to whom alone belong all the glory from eternity to eternity.

He is able! forever able! infinitely able! completely able! to save. What magnificent promise and unending assurance of Salvation!

For Christ “is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them”
~ Hebrews 7:25

Prepare Our Hearts

"How can you believe, when you receive glory from one another and do not seek the glory that comes from the
only God?"
~ John 5:44

"The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost."
~ Luke 19:10

The enchantment of our souls is so profound and deep that we fail to see the Glory Owner and Giver. That is ultimate tragedy in the face of the Revealed Son of God, Jesus Christ, even as we have come to know Him.

We are still deeply enchanted by other than Him.

I take deepest comfort and assurance that Jesus knows and hence since came to seek and save. He is the reason we celebrate Advent and eventually Christmas. The search and rescue mission tells me of the active nature of God in the salvation of His People. He waits not for us to reach to Him for we utterly cannot! Yet He did it in such a way we increasingly desire Him that we want all of Him.