General

The start of the new year 2020 looked promising. I remember watching fireworks hosted by cities all around the world and I thought to myself, this year has to be a year of change for me and perhaps for others too. But little did I know that change had a dark face to it. A simple yet deadly organism, scientifically classified as non living and thought to have been confined only to animals such as bats, found a way into humanity. We were bracing for one of the worst disasters of mankind. It had a name – the Corona Virus of 2019 aka Covid 19. And sadly we weren’t ready.

The disease has it’s origin in Wuhan, China. It has now exploded to other parts. News of cities under lock down, closed borders, worsening health, political unrest, cover-ups, economic losses and so on have become talk of the town. The future looked dire and any glimmer of hope quashed daily by an official count of deaths worldwide. And as of writing this blog, that number is more than 685000. Where are we heading to? Almost over night, the pandemic has thrust upon us a glossary of words we have rarely used. Words like lockdown, N95, self-isolation, social distancing, contact tracing, WFH, super-spreaders and flatten the curve.

Public gatherings have been banned. Churches moved online. Sunday worship are either streamed or on the new Zoom app. Does this mean the end of the traditional church as we know it? Only time will tell. To me physical buildings were always irrelevant. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:27 that we as individuals make up the body of Christ. We are the Church and nothing can separate us from the love of God. Let this be our hope during these uncertain times.

Paul says in Romans 12:1 ‘Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God–this is your true and proper worship’. Before I can explain to you the revelation I received regarding this verse, I would like to draw your attention to the story of Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel Chapter 2 verse 27 onward. We see that Eli and his family were chosen to serve God as priests. They were given the privilege to wear priestly costumes and perform sacrificial rituals on behalf of Israelites and even partake in the sacrificial food that was offered to God. Eli’s sons however dishonored God by sending servants to bring them sacrificial food even before the process of sacrifice was complete. A worship that was once meant to please God has now become a ritual now meant to please the priest’s sons. The honour that was meant for God alone has been robbed by the very people who were meant to bring him honour. God therefore cursed Eli’s generation and the rest is history.

Similarly in the new testament age, we who have called on the name of Jesus; we have received salvation and have been made one with Christ. According to 1 Peter 2:9 we are now God’s chosen people, a royal priesthood and a holy nation. For God to give sinners these privileges and titles is by his mercy and by the power of the blood of Jesus (1 Peter 2:10). It is this very mercy of God that Paul refers to in Romans 12:1. In view of this mercy, we are to offer our bodies as living sacrifice HOLY and ACCEPTABLE. This means we are to offer ourselves to God giving him all honour and all glory. How do we do it? In Romans 12:2, we are told to avoid living by pattern of this world and be transformed by the renewing of our minds. The pattern of this world is to accept sin as normal, is to live life like there is no tomorrow and is to dishonour God by living in darkness. We, the children of God need to hate evil and also love sincerely. We cannot worship God and live the way of the world just as Eli’s sons. We are called to live Holy and Acceptable. If we sin, we have the right to ask God for forgiveness and to be reconciled and to change from our old ways by the renewing of our minds.

I have made a short Youtube video about this topic. I hope it blesses you today.

In Luke 18:15-17, it is said that people were bringing little children even babies to Jesus to have him touch them. These parents were willing to bring their children to God and have them experience him in real. But the disciples rebuked the parents and stopped them. Has this happened to you? Have you ever neglected your children from experiencing God because you think they are not old enough to understand God yet. This is big mistake. God can talk to anyone whether they are capable or not of understanding him. Children also represent those people who have not heard of Jesus or those that are physically incapable of understanding God or those new Christians who have just begun their new life. The Bible says that Jesus called these children back to him and told the disciples that the Kingdom of God belongs to these little ones. Oh what a statement was that?

In Mathew 21, we see children shouting Hosanna to Jesus, the Son of David. Seeing this and miracles, the chief priests were stunned. Jesus reminded them of the verse that goes “From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise”.

Dear reader, I want to encourage you to take your children with you whenever you pray or go to Church. Give them the same importance as you would give an adult. These children have the capacity to learn very well right from their birth. Also if you feel someone is like a child incapable of understanding God, don’t give up. Be a good Christian and keep sharing the saving Word of God. God bless you.

Life is filled with options and we have different reasons for the choice we make. For some the reason may be happiness, for some the reason may be money, for some it may be an unfulfilled dream and some others make decisions for negative reasons. With every choice we make there is a reason. In Luke 5:33-38 (mouse over to reveal verse), the pharisees ask Jesus why his disciples eat and drink while John the Baptist’s and their own disciples pray and fast all the time. Does not God require them to perform these rituals? Does Jesus not follow the traditions of the old testament.

Well our Lord Jesus had a reason why he did not allow his disciples to fast. He himself was the reason. As long as he, the bridegroom is with them there is no need to fast because we fast to be in the presence of God. Jesus Christ also explains this in a few parables. If we have an old cloth and a new one, would we cut the new one and repair the old one with it. No, because that destroys both the new and the old. Besides, why would we need the old torn cloth when we already have a new one? Would we pour new wine into an old wineskin? No, because that would break the old wineskin and ruin the wine. Would we choose new wine over old. No, we want the old one which tastes better.

Similarly, just because someone says you need to do something is not a reason enough for you to do it whether it is fasting or praying or ministering. What we do as a Christian should not come out of compulsion or tradition. It should come out of a need and hope. Jesus is the world’s greatest need and our greatest hope. So when we pray or read Bible, we should do it out of wanting to know God and to have our lives changed. When we help or minister someone, we should do it because Jesus did the same to us. For a Christian, there is no greater reason than Jesus. If this has blessed you or you have something more to add, please let me know. Thanks.

I am quoting James 1:18 in different translations just so you get a clear idea of where scripture places you and me in comparison to the rest of God’s creation.

• Of his own will begat he us with the word of truth, that we should be a kind of firstfruits of his creatures. (KJV)
• Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures. (NKJV)
• He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created. (NIV)
• He brought us to life using the true Word, showing us off as the crown of all his creatures. (The Message)
• He chose to give birth to us by giving us his true word. And we, out of all creation, became his prized possession. (NLT)
• God decided to give us life through the true message he sent to us. He wanted us to be the most important of all that he created. (ERV)

In the above translations, God tells us that he gave birth to us through his own free will. Giving birth is a painful and a very exciting time for a mother who is probably the only person willing to give her all including her life for you. Jesus did more than that. He gave us life through his death. His love is more than we can ever imagine. God also tells us that we were placed above all of His creation. Different translations uses different words such as firstfruits, crown of all creation, prized possession, most important and so on. In short, we are the most important and the most loved of all and above everything that exists.

Yesterday at my Church I was given a opportunity to speak a message directed to our youth. As soon as the man of God who I love so much asked me to prepare a message in under 3 hours before the meeting, I said yes without any hesitation. Normally I would not do that. That day I was reading the Bible and I had a strong message for my own life. This was what I shared at Church and I am about to share with you now.

Isaiah 43:18-19 says ‘Remember ye not the former things, neither consider the things of old. Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert’. This is a verse most of us have read before. But to read it at the start of a new year means a lot more. 2012 was a year of great achievement and many failures. Thanks to the internet and the media, we have been constantly hearing about world records, great inventions, great thinkers, great social works and many many achievements. 2012 has also witnessed many failures and negative news. Negative financial outlook, revolutions against governments, corruptions, political instability, wars and so on.

To give you a bit of the history behind the above quoted verse, Isiah is writing to the Children of Israel at a time when they were under Babylonian captivity. The Israelites, have many good and bad stories to tell about their past. They were led out of Egypt from bondage by a great leader, led into the wilderness by God himself. They ate the best food, walked through many waters and safely traveled to their promised land in a God controlled climatic environment  They have stories of many blessings to tell their children. But after all this, they still went back to their old ways and led their lives against the will of God. So God allowed King Nebuchadnezzar the second, to capture his people and put them back in captivity. God’s children many times fought their enemies but to no avail. Now Isaiah writes to them a message of hope at a time when it was needed the most. Scripture instructs us to forget the past and to move forward into new thing God has in-store for us.

2012 has just passed. 2013 has begun. God will do a new thing for us too just like he did for the people of Israel. Let us see that with our eyes of faith and live like we are going to grab hold of God’s promises for us for the new year. God’s promises, unlike man’s promises will come to pass at a time He has determined. Scripture says that God will make a way for you in the wilderness and rivers in the desert. How awesome is that? When you think all ways are closed, God has a way for you to walk through. When you think you are in a dry land, he has you planted besides rivers capable of sustaining lives. I do not know, what your past was. But I can tell you this by scripture, that if you decide to draw near to God and allow him to lead you, you have a great and fruitful life ahead this year. Just believe it.

Have a Happy and Blessed New Year in 2013.