eyes on your course!!

God has a purpose for our lives. A divinely designed purpose that He has given us the will to follow. When we do, He opens the doors and grants us the grace to accomplish this purpose, to His glory. However, many a time we become distracted by the activities of others, comparing ourselves to them. We need to understand that each one of us has a divine purpose and must stay focused on achieving that purpose. In John 21: 19-22, Jesus had commanded Peter to follow Him.Peter then turned around ( looking away from His commanded path) and asked about the purpose of John, the beloved, who was also tagging along. We are not told of what Jesus might have told John personally,just like He did with Peter. However, I strongly believe that the Lord's response to Peter was a rebuke, reprimanding Him for losing focus from His chosen past.

Today may we set our gaze on the purpose Jesus has given us. Let us shun comparing ourselves to others, for we do not know what the Lord has also asked them to do.

Holy presence.

In Jesus' words in the gospel, the Lord assures us of His continual presence as He says that He will be with us even to the end of the age. This is clearly manifested in Acts 23:11, where He "stood near Paul", and encouraged Him in carrying out the task He had assigned to him. This promise also holds for us today. The Lord is with us through the thick and thin. He is with us even when He seems so silent. May we continue to take confidence in this word, trusting Him fully.

" When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze"~Isaiah 43:2.

...Like it is

The knowledge of Christ exceeds scholastic and philosophical arguments. Its is however entrenched in a revelation of Himself to the individual. It is grounded in having a personal relationship with Him. Today, let us seek to know the Lord for ourselves. Ask Him into your heart,for He is willing and ready.

SWEET PAIN

Tests, trials and difficulties in the life of a committed Christian can be sometimes very depressing and discouraging. But we will understand them differently, when we view them from  an alternate angle, through the eyes of God. In John 15:2, Jesus clearly stated that the Father prunes the branches that bear fruit, in order that they will bear even more fruit.

Viewing tests and trials, pain and difficulties as ways by which God prunes us to make us more efficient in Him, will help us endure those situations and enable us consider them as a "sweet pain". However, most of us throw our hands up in despair at God's workings, forgetting to seek out the reasons/purpose for that situation. I strongly believe that He does not allow any thing to happen without a reason. He prunes so we will become better until we have achieved all that He has purposed for our lives.

...DEEP.

12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.~ John 14:12-14

Peter's defense (c.f. Acts 11:1-18)

This was a tense moment, filled with the potential for impassioned arguments, over-the-top accusations, and severe division. But how did Peter respond? With a clear, step­-by-step explanation. He knew his actions were controversial, but he also knew that God was behind it. So he remained calm, and walked the others through the situation as objectively and patiently as he could. There was no sense of defensiveness, fear, or guilt on his part. Neither did he try to pull rank on them: “I’m the chief of the apostles, and what I say goes!” He simply let the story speak for itself.

Peter’s balanced response shows us just how much he trusted in the Holy Spirit’s work. He knew that God didn’t need someone to defend him. He knew he shouldn’t treat his fellow believers as enemies. All he had to do was testify to what he had seen and heard; God would take care of the rest. Isn’t that the way we should treat all situations of tension and conflict? 

~ taken form The Word Among us. (www.wau.org)

opportunistic seekers

In John 6, Jesus fed a total number of five thousand men with five loaves of bread and two fish, and there were leftovers!! These people then came rushing to Jesus to force Him to be king, because they saw that He will fill them. However the Lord had a different plan. He showed them this miracle to draw their minds to the point; that He is the giver of life, the bread of life. However, these people meant to use Jesus for their own selfish gain. 

Why do we seek after the Lord? Is it just because we want/need a miracle or because we want to have a relationship with Him. The Lord desires to give us what we need, but above all, He desires that we will believe in Him and have a relationship with Him. He desires that we will accept His offering of salvation and that we will regard Him, not as a means to an end, but He is that end in itself. Jesus Himself succinctly said : " Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the son of man will give you... The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent"(john 6: 27&29).