The Object of Your Faith

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was bestowed through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, saying, "Give this authority to me as well, so that everyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit." – Acts 8:18-19.

For when one says, "I am of Paul," and another, "I am of Apollos," are you not mere men? What then is Apollos? And what is Paul? – 1 Cor 3:4-5

..holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; Avoid such men as these. – 2 Tim 3:5

You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. – Gal 5:4

For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast. – Eph 2:8-9

I was at the Bible study yesterday and we were going through the book of Acts, chapter 8. While I was sharing what I learnt, this phrase the object of your faith struck me. As children of God what is the object of our faith? Bible talks about people and the objects of their faith. Simon, the sorcerer was looking for an external sign to restore his relationship with God (Acts 8:18-19). The people of the Corinth were worshipping men and built their faith upon mere names (1 Cor 3:4-5). Paul writes to Timothy about the people whose focus was on godliness and not the power or the source of it (2 Tim 3:5). The Pharisees looked for justification by the law and law alone (Gal 5:4). Many of us around the world have our faith centered on our own works (Eph 2:8-9).

So what is the object of your faith? Is it really necessary to give it a thought? I would say yes, not only for giving reason of your hope to others (1 Pet 3:15) but also to make sure we do not fall (1 Cor 10:12). If we have a clear picture and understanding on what the object of our faith is then it helps answer other questions like -What is my priority? Where is my focus? Who am I here on earth to please? What is my purpose?

Jesus Christ is the only object of our faith and everything else is secondary. “For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” – 1 Cor 3:11. “According to the grace of God which was given to me, like a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building on it. But each man must be careful how he builds on it.” – 1 Cor 3:10.

It was a good time of retrospection for me because when I look back and dissect my life, I see that God has not always been the object of my faith. I encourage you my friends to look back and look into so that we know what the object of our faith is and will be in the future. Are external signs and wonders the objects of our faith? Are charismatic men of God the objects of our faith? Are different forms of our godliness the objects of our faith? Are our works or only the law the objects of our faith? Are our earthly possessions or worldly titles the objects of our faith?  Are our gifts and talents the objects of our faith?

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen…And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him – Heb 11:1,6

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. – Heb 12:1,2

God is good!

After a looong break, I am back! Life has been good with God on my side in all the series of events that unfolded of late. I will start of by updating you guys about my recent move to Samsung. Yes, I quit Cypress and moved to Samsung. It was wonderful to just watch and follow in the direction that God showed me. God was the story writer and director while I was the difficult but yet a sincere actor! When I knew not what was happening and why it was, I went about looking for answers around me only to prove my foolishness that I was not looking above for answers. When God opens a door for you, it cannot be shut and I simply could not shut that open door with the little strength I had.

Summer Tree(Camp) was a blessing. It was encouraging. There was so much of energy and freshness on every ones face. I was filled with amazement to think of God and the heavens rejoicing over one sinner repenting than over ninety nine who need no repentance. This was a lesson God taught me when I was studying in Pilani. Many a time I would get carried away by the numbers and end up being discouraged. When I saw that people would not turn up even after reminding them and found out some people who promised but would not show up and some who simply refused to accept the truth despite clear explanation, it would only make me feel bad and small. But God being a patient God corrected my thinking that numbers do not matter. My job is to just follow the direction while God who is the beginning and the end, is the ultimate script writer. His ways are beyond our ways and our understanding.

When I interacted with the students during the camp, I realized that each one had a story to tell, some encouraging, some sorrowful, some painful, some adventurous and some miraculous. There were some who came there with a earnest desire to grow closer to God, while some were there just to have fun, some because they were forced by their parents and some were desperately looking for answers to their pestering questions. When I stood there as a bridge and an instrument of God’s love, it brought me great joy to introduce Christ and share about the greatest gift I have ever received. I was humbled to see how God moved people out of their comfort zones and brought them to much more comfortable zones of everlasting and abundant life in Him!

The messages that came from God’s Word through the resource people were thought provoking and challenging to all of us. I pray and hope that all those new babes will be nurtured by His word and His children to eventually be molded as strong pillars for Christ.

“Trust in the LORD with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make your paths straight.”- Prov 3:5-6

Repentance

Many a time we associate repentance with unbelievers and thereby distance ourselves from what I think is one significant process in which we can be molded into God's image. David in the Psalms was conversing with God with a broken spirit and contrite heart (Psa 51). God can only use broken pots to build the new jar he wants us to be. If we continue to be "stiff necked"(Acts 7:51)  and powered by our insolence then little does God have to do in our lives. If we think we have our "own gods" that will come to our rescue and fail to realize the importance of repentance then we are missing the point of our calling.

When was the last time we went to God with that humble spirit and broken heart? If we do not go to God with that emptiness how can God fill us up?. We need to empty the sin in us and run into His arms to fill us up. There is nothing that can draw us away from God if we repent and there is nothing that can draw us near to God if we do not repent. Just as we are belligerent in our prayers to call upon our "Abba Father!" for our needs, maintaining that level of transparency of our heart with God is called for. Contriteness is what God is looking for. The main theme of the prophets of the old testament -Isaiah, Jeremiah,.. was to bring back the hardened hearts(Heb 3:7-19) of the people who inspite of tasting the goodness of God, went back to the "imaginations of their heart". What was God looking for? Repentance! In the new testament - John the Baptist(Mk1:4) ,Jesus(Mat 4:17), Peter(Acts 2:38) and Paul (Acts 20:21) spoke the need of the hour. Repentance!

If we are perfect what is the purpose of God sending His Son to die for us and the Holy Spirit to be with us. Jesus rightly points it out by saying that "It is not those who are healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick; I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners." It is interesting to observe the profundity in prophet Jeremiah's statemet "Can the Ethiopian change his skin Or the leopard his spots? Then you also can do good Who are accustomed to doing evil."(Jer 13:23) Do you see the ultimate reality of life? We are accustomed to do evil! Yes we do have a God who gives us the power to overcome sin but at the same time our very fallen nature causes us to sin. Paul expounds about godly sorrow that brings us to repentance unto salvation and not unto death in his letter to the Corinthians(2 Cor 7:8-11).

Repentance that leads to the acceptance of our limitations and worship that leads to the acknowledgment of God's omnipotence is humility.It is not just a phase of emotional breakdown but a process of spiritual turnaround!

I am saved...now what?

For those of you who are reading my post and are not yet saved or do not know what it means, there is something you need to know. God loved you that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Make that prayer in your heart. 

Welcome to the family!

Now that we are saved..what next? I am not sure how many of us have actually thought of what we intend to do or accomplish after we have received the free gift of salvation. What am I called to do?

It is a call to love and serve. To love is a decision. To serve is an honor. (Matt 22:37-39)

It is a call to live and follow. Live in the world and hate it. (Jam 4:4) Live by the Spirit (Rom 8:5,13) and experience abundant life (John 10:10). Followership requires our complete submission and total surrender to God’s will. It is no longer us but Christ who lives in us. (Gal 2:20, 5:24)

It is a call to obey. Obedience is better than sacrifice (1Sam 15:22). You will learn to obey if you know and understand God (Jer 9:24).  We ought to hold God in utmost reverence and reciprocate it by keeping His commandments. There cannot be two ways about it. (Deut 10:12, Ecc 12:13)

It is a call to call. We are called to be his disciples and in turn are commissioned to go make disciples for Him. (Matt 28:19)

It is a call to suffer.  Rejoice in your suffering (Matt 5:11,12, Jam 1:2) that you may enjoy the pleasures of eternity. (Rom 8:18, 2Cor 4:18)

It is a call to be holy. We are called to set apart ourselves from the sin that besets us and be holy just like our father in heaven is holy. (Heb 12:1, 1Pet 1:16)

It is a call to be rewarded. Run the race with faith (2 Tim 4:7). Do not grow weary of good works (Gal 6:9) and you will be rewarded (Rev 22:12).Not on earth but in heaven! (Luke 6:23).

It is a call to…the list can go on. But I would like to end with this.

Salvation is present but reward is both present and future.

Salvation is free but reward is earned!

Salvation cannot be lost but reward can be lost.

Salvation is the beginning but reward is in the end!

Let us therefore work to earn those rewards in heaven and not on earth.(Matt 6:19-21)

One heart and/or a pair of hands??!! (Continued....)

Since I got a feedback that my previous post needs to "be written in English" and should "have the common man in mind", I am summarizing it below.

All I meant to make you think through the post is

• Are you seeking God as one who simply gives what you ask for? Or is God more than that to you?
• Are you pretending to serve God by giving only your hands and not your heart?
• Do you know what it requires to dwell in the house of the Lord?

I hope I was able to put my point across.Signing off...

One heart and/or a pair of hands??!!

As I write this post I have one more post in store that I started but yet to finish so I have not posted it. I am just coming back from a camp refreshed and encouraged may be I should use the corporate term motivated! However there has been something that I have been thinking even before I started the camp and that is a pair of hands.

I have been in a suction pump for the last one month completely withered out because of my work and was almost on the verge of completing my tasks.(lots to write about.. the post in store will have it :) ) It was during that time someone (I am not sure if I can mention the name!) said "I don't think we need a pair of hands..." I would not go into the context of the conversation and in fact I still do not know what was the intention behind that statement but somehow that was going around in my mind. A pair of hands!What does a pair of hands mean? What is it worthy of having a pair of hands? Why do we need a pair of hands? Does the heart have to do anything with a pair of hands? Is it the heart or the mind that controls the pair of hands? All these were questions that kept popping up in my mind. 

I am a kind of girl who primarily goes by what my heart says. I hardly care about what others think (which I still don't know if its a strength or a weakness!) as long as I am convinced by my knowledge that I am aligned to the Word of God. In other words if I am sure  it is God's will (which I am not always sure of!?). I believe God builds each one of us uniquely and uses us to mold us into His image. When we submit ourselves to his power, He takes control. So I was thinking of these hands of mine that I have used thus far. Do I actually think each time I use my pair of hands? Do you actually think each time you use your pair of hands?

Thinking about this helped me realize that the context in which we use them has a greater significance attached. When it comes to helping others may be a stranger on the road, it is just a pair of hospitable hands. When it is about our friends in need of some assistance, may be some help with finances or a course explanation or a drive, it is a pair of amicable hands. When it is about our family which needs us specially in times of desperation or emergency then it is a pair of loving hands. What about it when it is about God?Who knows what pair of hands we are using?

I was thinking if God actually needs a pair of hands? The next question I asked myself is does God need my pair of hands? Well do I need God's pair of hands? Slightly going off track you know I always had a doubt when I read this verse "When You said, "Seek My face," my heart said to You, "Your face, O LORD, I shall seek."" - Psalm 27:8. There are other verses as well which talk about seeking His face. Why would God ask me to seek His face when well truly speaking everything comes from His hands? And why would David's heart reply when he has a mouth? Since when did heart start speaking and not pumping blood? Anyways probably and possibly if God said "Seek My hands",it would have made more sense to me because that is what I am looking for. Atleast that is what I thought until I stopped looking at God as Giver whose hands are too oily and fully greased to grip any kind of blessings from me. But now God is God- the Lord of my life. Period.

Coming back to the question does God require a pair of hands? As fellow workers with God in the vineyard, we do need a pair of hands to sow and we do need a pair of hands to reap! Paul did work with his own hands both for himself and that others might be blessed as well. What does God require from us? "Now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require from you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all His ways and love Him, and to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the LORD's commandments and His statutes which I am commanding you today for your good" - Deut 10:12 
I am tempted yo dissect the above verse into a mathematical functional equation..
God's requirement = Fear the Lord + Walk in all His ways + Love Him + Serve the Lord + Keep His commandments
                                =  f(H*h) + f(H*h)+ f(H*h)+ f(H*h) + f(H*h) 
                                = 4f(H*h) 
                                = f(H*h)

where "f" stands for a function, "H" stands for our Heart and "h"stands for our soul which I think to break it down to my level of understanding is our will and action (can signify pair of hands!)

Do you know who will abide in the tent of God ? Do you know who will dwell in God's holy hill? Well the good news is we have some pointers with regard to this in Psalm 15. Here it goes...
1    O LORD, who may abide in Your tent? Who may dwell on Your holy hill?
2    He who walks with integrity, and works righteousness, And speaks truth in his heart.
3    He does not slander with his tongue, Nor does evil to his neighbor, Nor takes up a reproach against his friend;
4    In whose eyes a reprobate is despised, But who honors those who fear the LORD; He swears to his own hurt and does not change;
5    He does not put out his money at interest, Nor does he take a bribe against the innocent. He who does these things will never be shaken.

Falling away...

Though there are days of high and low

And there are pains so deep and hard

Yet the beauty of my Lord never fades

His unfailing love never lets me go astray

I cannot resist but throw myself into His hands

Wondering forever about His gift of life!

I'm moving away from this world of pleasure

I'm running away from the snare of temptation

I'm keeping away from the life of care and worry  
I'm falling away into His arms of love.....

Closer to God

Shit!, Bull shit! (BS),Holy Shit, Damn!, Fish!, What the...!, and more….

I know it feels pretty awkward when you read this in print! But these are probably the most common words people use today. As youth in Christ it is a challenge to continue living in the world but not of the world. There are people who think it does not matter what we speak and on the other hand there are people who know it matters but still use these words just to be identified along with the group. But do we really want to be friends of the world and enemies of God? Or do we want it to be the vice versa?

One place I have miserably failed and I still struggle is my words. Words good or bad have wings and fly very far. They can never be taken back. If one can control one's words, then I think one has climbed up a step towards Christ likeness. After our heart I think it is our tongue that is not easy to control. It is amazing to read in the Bible the power God has bestowed upon us as His children and so will our words be too. So how much more prudent do we need to be with our words?

The first book that comes to mind when we talk about taming our tongues is James. I am sure each of us would have read it atleast once. If not I would encourage you all to read the book of James, Chapter 3. That chapter throws a challenge saying the tongue can be tamed by no man, it is an unruly evil and a deadly poison – James 3:8. How can blessing and curse flow from the same mouth? James 3:10. If we sit back and think, we will know how much we need to improve on our words. Our words can be a blessing to many and it can also be a curse as well. What will it eventually be is in our hands and our control. One of the fruit of the Spirit is self control and controlling our tongues is one attribute of self control. One of my colleagues was sharing the other day, “Do you know that if man can control his anger, he is almost equivalent to God?” Well I would not agree completely but certainly there is an element of truth in it. When we swear or curse someone it usually stems from anger. And anger is originated in the heart. Eventually what is in the heart comes out of our mouth.

A.W Tozer says "Dispositional sins are fully injurious to the Christian cause as the most overt acts of wickedness.Lets us list a few of them: sensitiveness, irritability,churlishness,faultfinding, peevishness, temper, resentfulness, cruelty, uncharitable attitudes, and of course there are many more. Many persons who had been secretly longing to find Christ have been turned away and embittered by manifestations of ugly dispositional flaws in the lives of the very persons who were trying to win them. Unsaintly saints are the tragedy of Christianity.

I am afraid we modern Christians are long on talk and short on conduct. We use the language of power but our deeds are the deeds of weakness. We settle for words in religion because deeds are too costly. It is easier to pray,"Lord, help me to carry my cross daily" than to pick up the cross and carry it; but since the mere request for help to do something we do not actually intend to do has a certain degree of religious comfort, we are content with repetition of the words"

I will stop here and will leave you with this thought of coming closer to God by purifying ourselves from the sin that besets us.

" For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks. 35The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in him, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in him. 36But I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. 37For by your words you will be acquitted, and by your words you will be condemned.”  - Matt 12: 34b-37

"Put away perversity from your mouth; keep corrupt talk far from your lips." - Prov 4:24

"and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose you may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us." - Tit 2:8

"If anyone considers himself religious and yet does not keep a tight rein on his tongue, he deceives himself and his religion is worthless." - Jam 1:26

“Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him”- I Jn 2:15