If you are.......

Today when I woke up and spent time studying my Bible, people who I know are going through a hard time kept flashing in my mind. I was thrown into a mix of emotions. I want to lift up to God in prayer all those in need. I also want to thank God for all the countless blessings he bestowed upon me.

If you are sad that your leg is broken,

I know one who has no legs.

If you are discouraged that you failed your exam,

I know one who does not know how to read.

If you are worried about the future of your job,

I know one who is jobless battling for daily survival.

If you are restless with your spouse for minor things,

I know of one who lost her husband the year they married.

If you are bitter that someone robbed you,

I know one whose house was fully burnt up in wildfires.

If you are resentful of your kids not living it your way,

I know one whose son beats him up and tortures the mom.

If you are vexed about waiting for your life partner,

I know one who was once handsome and brilliant

But an accident tore him apart mentally and physically.

If you are angry with your parents for not heeding to your wants,

I know one who is an orphan and has none to look up to.

If you are distressed that your eyes are not beautiful,

I know one who is born blind and cannot even see.

If you are dejected for not having the best car,

I know one who never could afford the cheapest one.

If you are troubled that you’re unable to buy another house,

I know one whose home is the pavement or park benches.

If you are furious that you are suffering for others’ fault,

I know One who died for you so that you may have Eternal Life.

Open your eyes and heart to see the light shining down from the heavens.

If you have Jesus, you have nothing in want; the world and its worries

Are temporary and this life will pass by; only Jesus’ Kingdom will remain.

Be grateful for everything and be prayerful for anything!

Hall of FAME vs Hall of FAITH

It has been a long time since I penned down my thoughts. Here I am finally writing about something I have been learning and challenged over the past few weeks. As you have already read the title it is “Hall of FAME vs Hall of FAITH.” Hall of Fame constitutes the list of people who are famous in their own field of profession or interest. Hall of Faith constitutes the list of people who are famous for their faith.

Madame Tussuads is a wax museum in London. Most of us are familiar with it or at the least heard of it. It is known to have the wax figures of many famous and prominent people. It displays the waxworks of film stars, sports stars, musicians, world leaders, cultural figures, ill-famous murderers and royalty across the globe. It is considered to be an honor to have your figure waxed in Madame Tussauds. People dream about it! Nevertheless I am not sure of the criteria based on which the decisions are taken. It is however a good example to describe the term “Hall of Fame” in today’s world.

Now may be you are starting to think of getting into the “Hall of Fame.” Well I have a much better proposition - the “Hall of Faith.” The first response that comes to our mind when we talk about the heroes of faith is Hebrews 11. You got it right. We know people who are famous for their faith in the Bible. They were not movie stars or sports stars or any other super stars! They were people who were known for their simple faith. I say simple faith because it does not involve any complications or prerequisites or publicity. It is faith in action. James 2:14-17 talks about it. The faith that our heroes in the Bible had, was not only the redeeming faith but also the life changing and impacting faith in action. It not only changed their lives but also affected the people around and rightly so continues to challenge us Christians till today. We can also see a similar description about love in action in 1 John 3: 16-18. Again the emphasis here is on action! It is not just about intellectual faith and intellectual love but it is about faith in action and love in action.

God gives us the perfect example of how he acted out His love for us. I am sure John 3:16 is ringing in your mind. “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” The word I would like you to concentrate on is “GAVE.” He did not stop by just telling us He loves us but showed us in action. The next word that is important is “BELIEVES.” God acted and is calling us to act. But friends it is just the beginning of our action. This act of belief is what should lead us to go out and live in the standards of our calling to fulfill our faith and love. Our faith is dead without actions. We are called to walk in His footsteps. “Whoever claims to live in him must live as Jesus did.”- 1 John 2:6. “To this you were called, because Christ suffered for you, leaving you an example, that you should follow in his steps.”- 1 Pet 2:21

This is the hard question. What are you known for? I am not talking about fame or reputation here. When people talk about you, what comes to their mind? Let me put it this way. What is that about your being and living that grabs the attention of people. Please do not get me wrong if you are known for your talents, skills or abilities. Praise God for such Christians! What I am trying to bring out here is- Are you a hero of your faith? There are a large number of unsung heroes of faith whom I have been discovering of late. It is amazing to see that they are tremendously influencing the society for Christ. They do not belong to the Hall of Fame but they do rightly have earned their place in the Hall of Faith.

“The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” – 1John 3:1.

 “… let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.” – Matt 5:16.       

“"With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." – Matt 19:26

^“7 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. ⁸ What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ ⁹ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in^[a] Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. ¹⁰ I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, ¹¹ and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.” – Phil 3: 7-10

May we not strive for the approval of men (Hall of Fame) but live for the praise of God (Hall of Faith) alone because he sees our in and out. We may not be famous in this world but surely God honors our commitment to follow him diligently. God knows greater than what our heart does. Let us not just be sitting Christians but I would like to encourage us to be walking Christians!

Man's Short Sight vs God's Perspective

It’s been quite a while since I shared my thoughts. Though I am right now lost in this ocean of thoughts there is one cymbal that’s been resounding in my mind. The yearning for discernment and longing for the slightest yet strongest hint of God’s will in my life has never been more intense than now. When life seems to be taking its own twists and turns I cannot but acknowledge that it’s just the Supreme Counselor and the Guide that I can bank on. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth” – John 16:13. I am most certain that each of us will or would have gone through this phase.

While God works on me to make me what He wants me to be, I am trying to figure out His perspective in every walk of my life. There are things at which man sees and there are things that God sees. “But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him; for God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."” – 1Sam 16:7 If God is looking at the heart where am I looking at? Is it His will that I am pursuing after or is it just the blind race to follow my selfish desires? Where is my focus?

The misplaced affections and wavering standpoints of my life have caused me to throw myself time and again on my knees and into the Creator’s hands. There is no better way to regain your lost strength and forgotten convictions back than to run into His presence and continue the journey only that this time you are beaten up and crushed yet much stronger and tougher. The Truth that sanctifies us daily strengthens us as we are molded into His image. “Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.” – John 17:17  I have learnt one undeniable fact that temptation and trial will be by our side till we leave this carnal life. But do I heed to that strong enticing and loud attractive persuasion of this world or to the still slow small voice that’s the very reason for my living. I found it important to prove not to anyone but to myself that I am in the acceptable will of the Almighty. “..trying to learn what is pleasing to the Lord.” –Eph 1:10 “Test yourselves to see if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?” – 2Cor13:5.

  

God’s plan for us to be perfect and holy cannot be comprehended by our worldly wisdom. “Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” –Matt 5:48. "You shall be holy, for I am holy."- 1Pet 1:16. Our shot sight only lets us see till the horizon where we merry by the blinded thinking that the sky and the earth meet  nevertheless when we look closer and think deeper do we realize that they don’t. Our wisdom at best cannot be compared to God’s wisdom at the least. I realized that I can experience the unexplainable joy of being in the centre of God’s will only when I am willing to fix my eyes beyond my sight. Though it is simple being said than living I think I have known God well enough that I can say with confidence “God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord”- 1Cor 1:9 He will never let me go and will shape me if I freely transfer to Him all the rights as my Potter. Even as the clay which is a worthless impure lump of mud goes through the entire  process of designing, pruning, purification and transforming, its beauty and glory can be appreciated only in the end! ^“But the vessel that he was making of clay was spoiled in the hand of the potter; so he remade it into another vessel, as it pleased the potter to make.”- Jer 18:4

I would like to end with something I read today at the Church.

“I am a disciple of the Messiah. I will not let up, look back or slow down. My past is redeemed, my future is secure. I am done with low living, small planning, smooth knees, mundane talking, chinchy giving and dwarfed goals. I no longer need pre-eminence, prosperity, position or popularity. I don’t have to be right, first, top, recognized, praised or rewarded. My face is set; my goal is sure. My road is narrow, my way is rough, my companions few. My God is reliable, my mission is clear. I cannot be bought, compromised, detoured, delayed or deluded. I will not flinch in the face of adversity, not negotiate at the table of the enemy or meander in the maze of mediocrity. I am a disciple of the Messiah. I must go until He comes, speak of all I know of Him and work until He stops me. And when He comes for His own, by the grace of God, He will have no problem recognizing me because my colors are clear.” – Unknown Zimbabwean Pastor.