(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph on 25.04.2010. Sorry for the late post...Happy Reading!)
King David was a man of poetic charm in words and verses. He wrote many Psalms. When he was joyful, he exalted God and sang praises to Him; when he was sad, he put down words of prayer and supplication; and when he was in distress facing difficult situations, he wrote psalms of assurance, trust, hope and victory. Psalm 37.is one such Psalm of David.
Psalm 37 is David’s response when he found himself in a tight corner and his soul is troubled and disquieted within him. Even for us today, it is of utmost importance to have a Godly response in every circumstances of life-whether good and pleasant... or the not so pleasant ones.
We certainly know that there are, and will be, times and seasons in our lives when we have to face unpleasant circumstances. It is one thing to show zeal and gladness and sing His praises in the church gathering, when ALL IS WELL with us. But what about the not-so-pleasant times in our lives? Are we willing to show up a Godly response, even when things are stacked-up against us?
We must know the strategy, the steps in our Christian walk that will lead us to victory. It is possible to always lead a victorious Christian life in every circumstance. Because we read in 2 Corinthians 2:14: “Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ…” Jesus Christ is gone before us, and we are marching in that triumphal procession after Him. Our God is a God of victory and He ALWAYS leads us in triumph!
What about you? Is the Sunday ‘effervescence’ reserved only for ‘good’ week-days…and disappears the moment some trouble erupts? Or does praises to the Creator depend on fulfilled desires?
Today let me share the secret of living a victorious Christian life. Psalm 37: 23, 24 goes like this: The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.
What a comfort to know that our circumstances are ‘ordered’ by the Lord and He holds us with His own hand! Psalm 139 talks about how even before we were formed, God saw us. V16 continues, “And in Your book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.” All the days we are going to here is filled with God’s purposes…We have a plan and a purpose for our lives all mapped out and ready. Do we have the entire map? No. Can we know His plan? Yes…in bits and pieces (How else will we learn to trust Him?)
This is the conclusion then- we don’t understand His plans fully…but that does not mean God has no plan…Even in the midst of circumstances of the most unpleasant kind, we can be sure of God’s great plan for our lives. Proverbs 20:24 goes like this: A man’s steps are of the Lord; how then can a man understand his own way? That settles it…we do not KNOW IT ALL…we are simply not called to know everything before-hand! Isaiah 55:8 confirms this. “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways, My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts…”
But today, my word to you is a word of encouragement… of how, in every circumstance of life, we can know that He is with us, He holds our hand. I have chosen to meditate on Psalm 37 and find there are six ways to respond to any unpleasant circumstance you may face in your life. Let me share them with you here…
1. Psalm 37:1 “Do not fret…”
Do not FRET; do not worry. Can we add anything to our stature by worrying? The Bible says that God has made ALL for Himself. Yes, even the wicked for the day of doom (Pro. 16:4). It is clear from the Bible that the thief will come to steal, to kill and to destroy; that the Tempter is allowed at times to tempt us…But God has promised that He will not allow us to be tempted beyond our endurance. God has promised His presence and His peace as OUR portion. So we can have the peace of God in all situations…
In the parable of the Sower, the Seed that fell among thorns is compared to those who are burdened with worldly worries that choke them. Worrying has this effect of choking the word of God in our hearts. Therefore we must be on guard and not allow ourselves to fret over anything…because our future is in His hands. I recently read a sentence in a book that says, Are you stuck in a seemingly dead-end? Do not worry, it is only a bend. No dead-ends here for us…just a bend! Hallelujah!
2. Psalm 37:1 “Do not be envious…
Do not envy; be not jealous of anyone – especially your neighbor! Imagine you are on to this new job in a company, and completing formalities with the HR department. You leave satisfied with your pay package, sign the necessary papers and ready to face the job; and there you meet your colleagues, and by and by you get talking and find out that their pay package is much higher for the same kind of job that you are called to do! Now, how do you respond?
When we compare ourselves with another, there are bound to be differences…but does that give rise to envy in you? Why should you lose your joy and peace over other’s wages? Jesus told a parable, in Matthew 20, of laborers working in a field. The landowner of a vineyard-farm goes and hires daily-wage laborers-some in the morning, some in the afternoon and few others in the evening. At even-time, the workers come to receive their wages. And the landowner starts payments with workers who had come in the evening – Imagine their surprise when they receive a full day’s wages just for about an hour's work! But you know what-the workers who had worked all day complained because they received only one-day wage. This is what the owner contends – I promised so much and you have received it. Whatever you agreed to in those terms of contract, I have fulfilled it…and am I not free to give to another, a wage, according to what I wish?
There is another instance in the Bible after Jesus’ resurrection: Peter asking Jesus about John, “But Lord, what about this man?” (John 21:21). Yes, Yes... it happens even now in believing, spirit-filled Christian folks all over the world. Jesus’ answer is as straightforward as at other times “What is it to you?” In other words, why don't you mind your own business?…Be wise, do not compare yourselves with others…Paul explains in 2 Corinthians 10:12 “For we dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.”
3. Psalm 37:3 “Trust in the Lord…”
Trusting is ‘leaning’ on the Lord; the Bible commands us not to lean on our own understanding (Pro. 3:5). Consider the import of these words Do not trust your own understanding…But, how we love to lean on our own understanding! We love it when questions are answered to us in a scientific, systematic and logical way! But life’s questions may not be so simple to answer…The amplified Bible puts it this way: Leaning on the Lord is the leaning of the entire human personality upon God in Christ, in absolute trust and confidence-in God’s wisdom, God’s power and God’s goodness…
As the song goes …Learning to lean, learning to lean, I’m learning to lean on Jesus…To lean on someone is being fully dependent on that person…As you lean on God, you know He is all-wise, He is all-powerful and always good to lead you. Trust in the Lord and do good…Faith is not some abstract theory holding on to thin ice…it spurs us into action everyday and involves concrete steps in faithfully doing what is good. Faith is just holding on to God’s faithfulness! Faith and trust in God leads us to knock on closed doors, knowing the certainty of the outcome – God opens the door.
4. Psalm 37:4 “Delight yourself also in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart”
Delight in the Lord…be pleased, happy to please Him. Paul says in 2 Cor. 5:9, “Therefore we make it our aim, whether present or absent, to be well pleasing to Him.” Pleasing God became an ambition in Paul’s life; and we read in the Acts of the Apostles, how Paul was stoned, had beatings and stripes, was ship-wrecked and in death threats…yet his aim remained the same – to please God. God will make a way!
Delight yourself in God’s word! Psalm 1 talk about the blessedness of a man who delights in God’s word and meditates on it day and night…
5. Psalm 37:5 “Commit your ways to the Lord…”
Committing means ‘surrendering’: you have something in your hand – maybe your plans, your thoughts on how things should go in your life…Surrender it to the Lord and fit into His plans…that is why, in our singing, we lift our hands as a sign of surrender to the Lord and His ways-ways that are higher and thoughts that are greater than the heavens…Yes, we sometimes bow down in surrender to God…Philippians 4:6 says, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;”
So in praise we surrender our thoughts; in prayer we surrender our plans; in supplication we make our requests to God…but say “Your will be done”. Jesus, in the garden of Gethsemane taught us to pray this: “Nevertheless not Mine, but Your will be done”. Romans 8:26 says that we do not know what to pray for, but our Helper, even the Holy Spirit who knows the heart of God will help us to pray according to His will…
And as we pray, Lord, Your will be done in my life, we sometimes find God miraculously clearing our way and hurdles; other times God gives us the grace to walk through that valley experiences…
6. Psalm 37:7 “Rest in the Lord…”
Resting is waiting patiently…in the Lord and for the Lord to act. Even in the midst of difficulties, we can enter into God’s rest, here on earth. Patiently and through it all, we learn to trust in Jesus, we learn to trust in God…In Isaiah 40:31, it is written, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”
Imagine the plight of the eagle, as it waits to grow new feathers…pitiful to those who look at the eagle-bereft of feathers, weak and deprived of food; but the eagle waits patiently knowing that by and by, new wings would come. And when feathers grow, the eagle does soar again, renewing its strength. Much the same way is our wait on the Lord…our strength is renewed, our hope soars, our faith presses on and our works follow…they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint!
Thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ…When we respond, in these six ways, to life’s circumstances, we will prove what is good, acceptable and the perfect will of God. Jesus Christ is leading us in a triumphal march, everyday of our lives. Therefore, come-what-may, we will not fret or be filled with envy, but will trust and delight in God and His word. We will commit everything into His hands, and wait patiently…
May God help us to apply these principles and responses in every unpleasant circumstance that we may face in our lives. God Bless You. Amen.
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
'Grasp the Wind' Or 'Do His Will'
Labels:
abide forever,
pass away
(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph at NLF, Vashi on 18.04.2010. Blogging as best as I can...Happy reading!)
Let’s turn to 1 John 2:15, 16 and 17. It says: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has saved us – redeemed us from sin and given us life. But He has not taken us away from this world {yet!}; nor has He given us to live isolated lives… as in a cocoon or in a glasshouse; a sterile and conditioned ‘atmosphere’. We understand that we are in this world but we are not of this world. In this world-we live, and as human beings-are tempted. Yes, we are affected by our situations, circumstances and things that cause us, happiness and excitement, as well as grief, sorrow and pain. Yes, we ARE born-again, baptized and have the Holy Spirit within us; yet we are not immune to external influences and are tempted by what we see and hear. John has this to say about this world and its influences – “the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
What I understand from these verses is that we are confronted with a choice – a choice to follow the world-that is passing away OR to do the will of God and abide forever. Yes, a choice, within us, between the temporary pull of lust and the love of the Father: a temporary wealth or riches that abide for ever. Yes, we have a choice to boast about the things that perish or walk in humility to eternal life.
All the temptations in this world are classified into 3 categories – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.
Lust of the flesh
The first category of temptation is the lust of the flesh. This is the way of IMPURITY, seeking sensual pleasures in immorality. Last Sunday, we heard the word of God that calls us to be pure in heart. We, as the chosen generation, conduct ourselves in the fear of God and in the blessed hope of seeing Jesus one day. Therefore we walk in integrity of heart. Though tempted by what we see and what we hear, we make choices to walk in purity. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5)
Lust of the eyes
The second category is the lust of the eyes. This is the way of GREED – always wanting more and more and more…and never satisfied with what one has. If you have nothing in your pocket, you want to be a lakhpati someday; but when you work and earn and reach assets worth a lakh of rupees, you suddenly realize you want to be a crorepati…and the world pulls you on and on into the way of greed. Proverbs 27:20 warns us “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.”
But we can counter greed with a heart of contentment…a spiritual fruit. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 reads “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” As we gaze on a new-born baby with excitement, we also notice, within his closed fists, that he has brought nothing into this world. And when we attend a burial, we see the man going into the coffin, again, empty-handed; regardless of how rich or influential he was during his time on earth. That’s a sobering thought of contentment…whatever we have, it is enough and more! Understand the way of contentment; do not let the world deceive you into believing a lie of the lust of the eyes! Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Is it possible-to have the character, conduct and attitude of contentment? Imagine me speaking here in the financial capital of India these words of contentment…people of this world would exclaim that I’ve gone nuts! But we have His promise…The Lord shall supply all our needs…for He will never leave us nor forsake us. Hebrews 13:6 continues, So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Therefore, I will not be afraid, I will not worry about my financial future…He WILL help me; He WILL deliver me; He WILL rescue me.
Therefore, I will learn to be content. Paul has this confession to make in Philippians 4:11, 12, 13: …for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Yes, this is the secret Paul shares with us – the secret of contentment. Jesus said “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15).
Ecclesiastes 2:26 says, “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Have you ever tried to grab or grasp the wind? Can you do it? This is the way of greed – grasping for the wind. Solomon, blessed with wisdom from above, though he strayed, concludes that true riches are wisdom, knowledge and joy that God gives to them that are good in His sight.
Know therefore, the way of greed is the grasping for the wind. Are you going to live a fool’s life, knowing that you cannot take anything from here, and yet pursuing riches and possessions that perish? Or are you turning to the way of contentment and joy that abides forever? What is your goal – to have more and more …till all your barns are filled…and then not satisfied tear down and build larger barns? What will SATISFY you? David writes in Psalm 17: 14, 15 “With Your hand from men, O Lord, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”
So we again come back to our choices. All of us have a choice to make…either to pursue wealth or to pursue after God; to take after temporary treasures or to find riches that last all eternity. There is only ONE life…Solomon pursued after pleasures and riches and then found nothing…David pursued after God and found something that will satisfy him – God’s likeness.
Boastful pride of life
The third and the final category of temptation is the pride of life-a boastful spirit. There are people in this world who would only talk of themselves – they have this trait of bloated self-worth...that makes them convey how great they are, how many things they have and how much they do…But you know what? The spiritual man has no boasting. As it says, But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (2 Cor. 10:17). Humility is remedy for pride…the passion to say, “Father, Hallowed be Your name”. Not my name, not my will but Yours, O God. As mere humans, before God we acknowledge we are nothing. We will not boast in what we have…but we will boast in the God who gave us; We will not boast in our works and way but we commit our works in His hands and in all our ways acknowledge Him. We attribute all our successes to Him who prospered us in our way. We thank Him with a sincere heart for all things so richly given to us, a gift to us, from above.
So we will learn the humility of heart as Jesus said (Luke 18:14); the humility of mind as Paul said (Acts 20:19); the humility of spirit as Peter said (1 Peter 5:5). Jesus talked about the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18; both of whom went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee compared himself to the Publican and thanked God for his own greatness…while the Publican would not even look up to God, but cried “Have mercy on me, a sinner”. At the end of the parable, Jesus concludes “I tell you, this man {Publican} went down to his house justified rather than the other {Pharisee}; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
We can all learn a little bit of humility everyday…Philippians 2 says about Jesus, that He humbled Himself and became obedient {to God} to the point of death…therefore God also has highly exalted Him… Obedience to God is a result of humility. God’s word encourages us to consider others better than ourselves. I have seen in marriages, many a times the cause of rift between spouses is because pride has come into their hearts and no one is willing to step down…Pride controls them with the “Better than you” attitude…and mocking of the other. Beloved, this is in contrast to what the Bible teaches us.
Peter entreats us to clothe ourselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5). We can start in our own home, considering how we treat our spouse-the words we speak, the comparisons we make and do we, then, look to God with thankfulness that we are better than them? How about the church gathering-Do we compare and put down one another who are brothers and sisters in Christ? Or do we look for harmony and unity in our homes and churches? Do we seek and pursue peace with all men?
One thing is made clear all throughout the Bible: God is OPPOSED to the proud. (James 4, 1 Peter 5:5). Isaiah 2:11, 12 says, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of Hosts, shall come upon every one proud and lofty, upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low” (KJV). Who can save us, if God is opposed to us? On the other hand, if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8). God gives grace to the humble. God exalts the humble.
Purity, contentment and humility are the ways of abundant life and eternal life. Nothing can be compared to the spiritual riches of wisdom, knowledge of God and joy. These are the riches that will last forever. Only one life; and only one choice to make…Grasp the wind and pass away OR do His will and abide forever...
May God grant that your spiritual eyes be opened to help you make the right choice that will last forever.
Let’s turn to 1 John 2:15, 16 and 17. It says: Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life-is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has saved us – redeemed us from sin and given us life. But He has not taken us away from this world {yet!}; nor has He given us to live isolated lives… as in a cocoon or in a glasshouse; a sterile and conditioned ‘atmosphere’. We understand that we are in this world but we are not of this world. In this world-we live, and as human beings-are tempted. Yes, we are affected by our situations, circumstances and things that cause us, happiness and excitement, as well as grief, sorrow and pain. Yes, we ARE born-again, baptized and have the Holy Spirit within us; yet we are not immune to external influences and are tempted by what we see and hear. John has this to say about this world and its influences – “the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.”
What I understand from these verses is that we are confronted with a choice – a choice to follow the world-that is passing away OR to do the will of God and abide forever. Yes, a choice, within us, between the temporary pull of lust and the love of the Father: a temporary wealth or riches that abide for ever. Yes, we have a choice to boast about the things that perish or walk in humility to eternal life.
All the temptations in this world are classified into 3 categories – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life.
Lust of the flesh
The first category of temptation is the lust of the flesh. This is the way of IMPURITY, seeking sensual pleasures in immorality. Last Sunday, we heard the word of God that calls us to be pure in heart. We, as the chosen generation, conduct ourselves in the fear of God and in the blessed hope of seeing Jesus one day. Therefore we walk in integrity of heart. Though tempted by what we see and what we hear, we make choices to walk in purity. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. (Matt. 5)
Lust of the eyes
The second category is the lust of the eyes. This is the way of GREED – always wanting more and more and more…and never satisfied with what one has. If you have nothing in your pocket, you want to be a lakhpati someday; but when you work and earn and reach assets worth a lakh of rupees, you suddenly realize you want to be a crorepati…and the world pulls you on and on into the way of greed. Proverbs 27:20 warns us “Hell and destruction are never full; so the eyes of man are never satisfied.”
But we can counter greed with a heart of contentment…a spiritual fruit. 1 Timothy 6:6-8 reads “Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.” As we gaze on a new-born baby with excitement, we also notice, within his closed fists, that he has brought nothing into this world. And when we attend a burial, we see the man going into the coffin, again, empty-handed; regardless of how rich or influential he was during his time on earth. That’s a sobering thought of contentment…whatever we have, it is enough and more! Understand the way of contentment; do not let the world deceive you into believing a lie of the lust of the eyes! Hebrews 13:5 says, Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”
Is it possible-to have the character, conduct and attitude of contentment? Imagine me speaking here in the financial capital of India these words of contentment…people of this world would exclaim that I’ve gone nuts! But we have His promise…The Lord shall supply all our needs…for He will never leave us nor forsake us. Hebrews 13:6 continues, So we may boldly say: “The Lord is my Helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?” Therefore, I will not be afraid, I will not worry about my financial future…He WILL help me; He WILL deliver me; He WILL rescue me.
Therefore, I will learn to be content. Paul has this confession to make in Philippians 4:11, 12, 13: …for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. Yes, this is the secret Paul shares with us – the secret of contentment. Jesus said “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for one’s life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses.” (Luke 12:15).
Ecclesiastes 2:26 says, “For God gives wisdom and knowledge and joy to a man who is good in His sight; but to the sinner He gives the work of gathering and collecting, that he may give to him who is good before God. This also is vanity and grasping for the wind.” Have you ever tried to grab or grasp the wind? Can you do it? This is the way of greed – grasping for the wind. Solomon, blessed with wisdom from above, though he strayed, concludes that true riches are wisdom, knowledge and joy that God gives to them that are good in His sight.
Know therefore, the way of greed is the grasping for the wind. Are you going to live a fool’s life, knowing that you cannot take anything from here, and yet pursuing riches and possessions that perish? Or are you turning to the way of contentment and joy that abides forever? What is your goal – to have more and more …till all your barns are filled…and then not satisfied tear down and build larger barns? What will SATISFY you? David writes in Psalm 17: 14, 15 “With Your hand from men, O Lord, from men of the world who have their portion in this life, and whose belly You fill with Your hidden treasure. They are satisfied with children, and leave the rest of their possession for their babes. As for me, I will see Your face in righteousness; I shall be satisfied when I awake in Your likeness.”
So we again come back to our choices. All of us have a choice to make…either to pursue wealth or to pursue after God; to take after temporary treasures or to find riches that last all eternity. There is only ONE life…Solomon pursued after pleasures and riches and then found nothing…David pursued after God and found something that will satisfy him – God’s likeness.
Boastful pride of life
The third and the final category of temptation is the pride of life-a boastful spirit. There are people in this world who would only talk of themselves – they have this trait of bloated self-worth...that makes them convey how great they are, how many things they have and how much they do…But you know what? The spiritual man has no boasting. As it says, But “he who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (2 Cor. 10:17). Humility is remedy for pride…the passion to say, “Father, Hallowed be Your name”. Not my name, not my will but Yours, O God. As mere humans, before God we acknowledge we are nothing. We will not boast in what we have…but we will boast in the God who gave us; We will not boast in our works and way but we commit our works in His hands and in all our ways acknowledge Him. We attribute all our successes to Him who prospered us in our way. We thank Him with a sincere heart for all things so richly given to us, a gift to us, from above.
So we will learn the humility of heart as Jesus said (Luke 18:14); the humility of mind as Paul said (Acts 20:19); the humility of spirit as Peter said (1 Peter 5:5). Jesus talked about the parable of the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18; both of whom went to the temple to pray. The Pharisee compared himself to the Publican and thanked God for his own greatness…while the Publican would not even look up to God, but cried “Have mercy on me, a sinner”. At the end of the parable, Jesus concludes “I tell you, this man {Publican} went down to his house justified rather than the other {Pharisee}; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:14).
We can all learn a little bit of humility everyday…Philippians 2 says about Jesus, that He humbled Himself and became obedient {to God} to the point of death…therefore God also has highly exalted Him… Obedience to God is a result of humility. God’s word encourages us to consider others better than ourselves. I have seen in marriages, many a times the cause of rift between spouses is because pride has come into their hearts and no one is willing to step down…Pride controls them with the “Better than you” attitude…and mocking of the other. Beloved, this is in contrast to what the Bible teaches us.
Peter entreats us to clothe ourselves with humility (1 Peter 5:5). We can start in our own home, considering how we treat our spouse-the words we speak, the comparisons we make and do we, then, look to God with thankfulness that we are better than them? How about the church gathering-Do we compare and put down one another who are brothers and sisters in Christ? Or do we look for harmony and unity in our homes and churches? Do we seek and pursue peace with all men?
One thing is made clear all throughout the Bible: God is OPPOSED to the proud. (James 4, 1 Peter 5:5). Isaiah 2:11, 12 says, “The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down. And the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day. For the day of the Lord of Hosts, shall come upon every one proud and lofty, upon every one that is lifted up; and he shall be brought low” (KJV). Who can save us, if God is opposed to us? On the other hand, if God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8). God gives grace to the humble. God exalts the humble.
- Let us not walk the way of sinful pleasures, but walk the way of purity of heart.
- Let us go after the lust of the eyes, and the way of greediness, to buy all that we see and covetousness to have what others have, but know contentment-with God who is with us.
- Let us not walk the way of the proud and find God Himself in opposition, but learn humility and meekness, the yoke of Jesus, given to us.
Purity, contentment and humility are the ways of abundant life and eternal life. Nothing can be compared to the spiritual riches of wisdom, knowledge of God and joy. These are the riches that will last forever. Only one life; and only one choice to make…Grasp the wind and pass away OR do His will and abide forever...
May God grant that your spiritual eyes be opened to help you make the right choice that will last forever.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Blessed are the pure in heart
Labels:
blessed,
happy,
pure in heart
(Message by Pastor Philip Joseph on April 11, 2010. Happy Reading!)
Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount, the most treasured principles to Christian living - a life full of meaning and happiness. He started the Sermon with the beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and ended His Sermon in Matthew chapter 7 with the example of two men – one wise and the other foolish. The wise man built his house upon the rock; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat upon that house – and it stood firm. But, the foolish man built his house on the sand; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat on that house and it fell. And great was its fall.
We all understand and know that we have to face turbulence and storms in our lives. And this we ought to know, that obedience to Christ is what will make our life meaningful and our house to stand firm. Those who hear his words and do it are like that wise man!
Jesus taught them beginning with the beatitudes: BLESSED {HAPPY | REALLY TO BE ENVIED} are those who do these things…Yes, true happiness is found in following the simple rules – the beatitudes. Of all that Jesus spoke on that Mount, I would like to share just one this Sunday morning…It’s found in Matt. 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”
Pure? Me?
Yes. YOU! Blessed {Happy} are those who are pure in heart…What a contrast to the world system that teaches, worldly pleasures- desires and impurity bring you happiness. But are you content being pure in the body? Are you satisfied that you have preserved yourself from committing adultery? Hear what Jesus says in that same chapter – Matt 5:27, 28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Pure? How?
Well… as it is said, the heart of the matter is in the matter of the heart…Purity in heart. Blessed are those who are pure in heart. Jesus has raised the bar for moral standards that calls for purity in thought and purity in heart.
Proverbs 4: 23-27 says this: “Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil.”
Watch over your own heart. The passage implores us to keep a watch over what we speak, what we see, and where we walk. The matter of the heart is also found in our speech. It is written …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). Therefore we know that this is our Christian standard; a standard higher and superior to what we see around us in this world – Purity in heart, in what we speak, in what we see and where we walk.
Pure? But why?
2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” We are called to be people who have the fear of God in our hearts and therefore work in perfecting holiness.
1 John 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure”. Everyone who has this hope - of seeing Jesus again…purifies Himself. That is why it is written, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
God’s stand and will has remained unchanged over ages…from the Old Testament to the New, the same command echoes over and over “Be holy for I am Holy”. Among a perverse and wicked generation we are called to be the torch-bearers- the shining stars. We have a conscience in our own spirit and are convicted if we stray. Paul says that he lived a life with good conscience before God (Acts 23:1).
Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” The book of Proverbs abounds with the phrase ‘fear of the Lord’ (e.g. Prov 14: 26, 27). From Genesis to Revelation we are instructed in the importance of purity….and finally in Revelation we read a strange ending to the call to purity…He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still… (Rev. 22:11).
Pure? Possible?
YES! 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8 says, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, where there is uncleanness and sexual immorality that was even condoned. He exhorts them saying we who know God must conduct ourselves in sanctification and honor (v4, 5)…and Paul concludes saying we are not alone and helpless in our quest for purity; that we have a Helper who will help us in our sanctification – even God’s Holy Spirit.
Salvation is free; we have received the forgiveness of sins freely when we believed. And now we are called to live a holy life in Christ Jesus. Purity in our heart needs our effort. Paul writes to Timothy, “Pursue righteousness, godliness…” (1 Tim. 6:11).
Do you desire to be holy, but find no real strength to follow through? We can pray for God’s help. Jesus commanded his disciples to Watch and Pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26: 41). And we must remain alert – never to let our guard down… for the flesh to take over or to fall into temptation… Speak, see and walk with an alert mind and keep your foot from evil; that you may remain pure and holy.
David was a man after God’s own heart…He was passionate about the things concerning God and His Kingdom. He would compose and sing psalm after psalm, in his victory and in his pain; in his ups as well as downs of life…trusting, hoping in God. His life remained an exemplary exhibition of faith, courage and a deep love for God…except for one evening when he saw, spoke and walked the path to evil…and we know how he fell.
No one is exempted from the pursuit of holiness in the Christian life here on earth! I pray, that our hearts may be open to receive His word and that we may experience the blessedness that comes because of the purity in heart. The purest man who ever live on this planet earth – Jesus Himself says, “Blessed are the pure in heart…”; Surely He found the blessedness being pure and we now follow His example.
There is an adversary out there, to lure and to trap. But we will watch and be alert. We will stand firm, and not fall, for we do His will…We will keep our foot from evil and flee youthful lusts…God is watching over us and we will conduct ourselves in the fear of God…We are not alone but we have a Helper who will help us-Holy Spirit…We have a hope of seeing Jesus again and therefore we pursue holiness… Purity in thought and purity in heart is what Jesus called us to, and that is what we do…
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
May God help us to have a blameless conscience, before Him, all our days here on earth. Amen.
Jesus taught us in the Sermon on the Mount, the most treasured principles to Christian living - a life full of meaning and happiness. He started the Sermon with the beatitudes in Matthew chapter 5 and ended His Sermon in Matthew chapter 7 with the example of two men – one wise and the other foolish. The wise man built his house upon the rock; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat upon that house – and it stood firm. But, the foolish man built his house on the sand; the rains came, the floods rose and the wind beat on that house and it fell. And great was its fall.
We all understand and know that we have to face turbulence and storms in our lives. And this we ought to know, that obedience to Christ is what will make our life meaningful and our house to stand firm. Those who hear his words and do it are like that wise man!
Jesus taught them beginning with the beatitudes: BLESSED {HAPPY | REALLY TO BE ENVIED} are those who do these things…Yes, true happiness is found in following the simple rules – the beatitudes. Of all that Jesus spoke on that Mount, I would like to share just one this Sunday morning…It’s found in Matt. 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God”
Pure? Me?
Yes. YOU! Blessed {Happy} are those who are pure in heart…What a contrast to the world system that teaches, worldly pleasures- desires and impurity bring you happiness. But are you content being pure in the body? Are you satisfied that you have preserved yourself from committing adultery? Hear what Jesus says in that same chapter – Matt 5:27, 28 “You have heard that it was said to those of old, You shall not commit adultery. But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.”
Pure? How?
Well… as it is said, the heart of the matter is in the matter of the heart…Purity in heart. Blessed are those who are pure in heart. Jesus has raised the bar for moral standards that calls for purity in thought and purity in heart.
Proverbs 4: 23-27 says this: “Keep your heart with all diligence. For out of it spring the issues of life. Put away from you a deceitful mouth, and put perverse lips far from you. Let your eyes look straight ahead and your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, and let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or to the left; remove your foot from evil.”
Watch over your own heart. The passage implores us to keep a watch over what we speak, what we see, and where we walk. The matter of the heart is also found in our speech. It is written …for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks (Matt. 12:34). Therefore we know that this is our Christian standard; a standard higher and superior to what we see around us in this world – Purity in heart, in what we speak, in what we see and where we walk.
Pure? But why?
2 Corinthians 7:1 says, “Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.” We are called to be people who have the fear of God in our hearts and therefore work in perfecting holiness.
1 John 3:3 says, “And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies Himself, just as He is pure”. Everyone who has this hope - of seeing Jesus again…purifies Himself. That is why it is written, Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
God’s stand and will has remained unchanged over ages…from the Old Testament to the New, the same command echoes over and over “Be holy for I am Holy”. Among a perverse and wicked generation we are called to be the torch-bearers- the shining stars. We have a conscience in our own spirit and are convicted if we stray. Paul says that he lived a life with good conscience before God (Acts 23:1).
Proverbs 15:3 says, “The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.” The book of Proverbs abounds with the phrase ‘fear of the Lord’ (e.g. Prov 14: 26, 27). From Genesis to Revelation we are instructed in the importance of purity….and finally in Revelation we read a strange ending to the call to purity…He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still… (Rev. 22:11).
Pure? Possible?
YES! 1 Thessalonians 4:7, 8 says, “For God did not call us to uncleanness, but in holiness. Therefore he who rejects this does not reject man, but God, who has also given us His Holy Spirit.” Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica, where there is uncleanness and sexual immorality that was even condoned. He exhorts them saying we who know God must conduct ourselves in sanctification and honor (v4, 5)…and Paul concludes saying we are not alone and helpless in our quest for purity; that we have a Helper who will help us in our sanctification – even God’s Holy Spirit.
Salvation is free; we have received the forgiveness of sins freely when we believed. And now we are called to live a holy life in Christ Jesus. Purity in our heart needs our effort. Paul writes to Timothy, “Pursue righteousness, godliness…” (1 Tim. 6:11).
Do you desire to be holy, but find no real strength to follow through? We can pray for God’s help. Jesus commanded his disciples to Watch and Pray, lest you enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing but the flesh is weak (Matt. 26: 41). And we must remain alert – never to let our guard down… for the flesh to take over or to fall into temptation… Speak, see and walk with an alert mind and keep your foot from evil; that you may remain pure and holy.
David was a man after God’s own heart…He was passionate about the things concerning God and His Kingdom. He would compose and sing psalm after psalm, in his victory and in his pain; in his ups as well as downs of life…trusting, hoping in God. His life remained an exemplary exhibition of faith, courage and a deep love for God…except for one evening when he saw, spoke and walked the path to evil…and we know how he fell.
No one is exempted from the pursuit of holiness in the Christian life here on earth! I pray, that our hearts may be open to receive His word and that we may experience the blessedness that comes because of the purity in heart. The purest man who ever live on this planet earth – Jesus Himself says, “Blessed are the pure in heart…”; Surely He found the blessedness being pure and we now follow His example.
There is an adversary out there, to lure and to trap. But we will watch and be alert. We will stand firm, and not fall, for we do His will…We will keep our foot from evil and flee youthful lusts…God is watching over us and we will conduct ourselves in the fear of God…We are not alone but we have a Helper who will help us-Holy Spirit…We have a hope of seeing Jesus again and therefore we pursue holiness… Purity in thought and purity in heart is what Jesus called us to, and that is what we do…
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.
May God help us to have a blameless conscience, before Him, all our days here on earth. Amen.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
He is risen!
(Message by Philip Joseph on April 4, 2010)
My message today is on the Resurrection of Christ. Many tourists go to Jerusalem to see the tomb of Christ. On the door of His tomb, are the words of the angel to Mary Magdalene “He is not here, for He is risen” (Matthew 28:6). His tomb is unique! Christ’s tomb is the only tomb in the world that is empty! In the early church, they often used the words “He is risen!” as a greeting, just like we use the greeting ‘Praise the Lord!”. The fact that He rose from the dead, set the early church ablaze with awe & excitement. Their hopes & aspirations which seemed lost when He died, was set ablaze after His resurrection. The New Testament abounds with over 100 references on Christ’s resurrection.
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:4-6 : “and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time.”
Jesus appeared ten times over 40 days to His followers. He appeared to Mary Magdalene & some other women, Peter, 10 disciples (without Thomas) & then later to the 11 disciples (including Thomas). He even appeared to over 500 people. There was absolutely no doubt in the early church that He rose again. It was something the early church was even willing to die for. Jesus talked with them, walked with 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus & even ate & drank with them. (Acts 10:41).
At Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
The Resurrection of Christ is pivotal to the Christian faith. Our salvation depends upon it. As the scripture says in Rom 10:9 : “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
I would like to share the following 4 things concerning the Resurrection of Christ :
1. Confirms the truth & validity of Christ’s teachings
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:16-17: “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
Many sages has come in the world & taught wonderful things. But Christ is the only one who died & was raised again! This confirms the truth of all that He said & did. We can now firmly hold on to all that He said. Truly heaven & earth can pass away, but His words will never fail.
2. First fruit of our own resurrection
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:20 “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”
With Christ being resurrected, we know that we too will be resurrected. We now have a living hope, as the scripture says in 1 Pet 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. We know that death is not the end, but only a beginning of a wonderful life with God. When we die, immediately our spirit goes to be with the Lord in paradise. Our body is buried in the grave, but at Christ’s 2nd coming, we shall experience the resurrection of our body. (1 Cor 15:23)
Like Christ’s resurrected body, we too will be able to talk, walk & interact with our resurrected body.
3. Living presence of Christ
After Christ rose again, He promised us in Matt 28:20 “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
We serve a living Christ! We don’t follow a religious leader who is dead & gone, but one who is alive forevermore! He will never ever desert us nor will He forsake us. He is with us always right upto the end of this age.
Whenever we experience tumults in our lives, we must learn to "Cease {striving} and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.” (Ps 46:10-11).
When Christ is in our boat, it can never capsize! Once His disciples who were experienced fishermen, panicked in the storm, even though Jesus was there in the boat. But the Lord rebuked them & asked “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). At times all our past experience doesn’t help us, but His presence gives us the strength to go through the storms of life. Let us never panic, because Christ is always with us. I’m not saying that we will not experience trouble & hardships. All I’m saying is that with Christ with us, we shall overcome every trial we face. As Paul said in Rom 8:39, nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.
4. Living power of Christ
Paul said in Phil 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection”. We must increasingly know the power of His resurrection. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in us! (Rom 8:11). His resurrection power is available to us. Whenever we face dead situations in our life, we must look upto the Lord & seek for the power of His resurrection. With God all things are possible! All things are possible with them that believe!
Paul prayed for the Ephesian church that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what ..is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. {These are} in accordance with…His might.. when He raised Him from the dead” (Eph 1:18-20)
May God enlighten our eyes. We should not go through life with our spiritual eyes closed. Elisha’s attendant was distraught at seeing the army of Aram encircling the city. But Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his attendant’s spiritual eyes. After his eyes were opened, he could see the spiritual protection around them. (2 Kings 6:17). Indeed greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Let us not fear. When faith enters our heart, fear disappears! We can look to our future with hope, knowing that His resurrection power is available for us who believe.
May the knowledge of His resurrection not merely be some abstract theology. But may the Lord enable us to understand the practical implications of this wonderful truth in our day-to-day lives. Amen.
My message today is on the Resurrection of Christ. Many tourists go to Jerusalem to see the tomb of Christ. On the door of His tomb, are the words of the angel to Mary Magdalene “He is not here, for He is risen” (Matthew 28:6). His tomb is unique! Christ’s tomb is the only tomb in the world that is empty! In the early church, they often used the words “He is risen!” as a greeting, just like we use the greeting ‘Praise the Lord!”. The fact that He rose from the dead, set the early church ablaze with awe & excitement. Their hopes & aspirations which seemed lost when He died, was set ablaze after His resurrection. The New Testament abounds with over 100 references on Christ’s resurrection.
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:4-6 : “and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time.”
Jesus appeared ten times over 40 days to His followers. He appeared to Mary Magdalene & some other women, Peter, 10 disciples (without Thomas) & then later to the 11 disciples (including Thomas). He even appeared to over 500 people. There was absolutely no doubt in the early church that He rose again. It was something the early church was even willing to die for. Jesus talked with them, walked with 2 disciples on the road to Emmaus & even ate & drank with them. (Acts 10:41).
At Lazarus’ tomb, Jesus said "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die” (John 11:25-26).
The Resurrection of Christ is pivotal to the Christian faith. Our salvation depends upon it. As the scripture says in Rom 10:9 : “that if you confess with your mouth Jesus {as} Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”
I would like to share the following 4 things concerning the Resurrection of Christ :
1. Confirms the truth & validity of Christ’s teachings
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:16-17: “For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.”
Many sages has come in the world & taught wonderful things. But Christ is the only one who died & was raised again! This confirms the truth of all that He said & did. We can now firmly hold on to all that He said. Truly heaven & earth can pass away, but His words will never fail.
2. First fruit of our own resurrection
The Bible says in 1 Cor 15:20 “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.”
With Christ being resurrected, we know that we too will be resurrected. We now have a living hope, as the scripture says in 1 Pet 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”. We know that death is not the end, but only a beginning of a wonderful life with God. When we die, immediately our spirit goes to be with the Lord in paradise. Our body is buried in the grave, but at Christ’s 2nd coming, we shall experience the resurrection of our body. (1 Cor 15:23)
Like Christ’s resurrected body, we too will be able to talk, walk & interact with our resurrected body.
3. Living presence of Christ
After Christ rose again, He promised us in Matt 28:20 “and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."
We serve a living Christ! We don’t follow a religious leader who is dead & gone, but one who is alive forevermore! He will never ever desert us nor will He forsake us. He is with us always right upto the end of this age.
Whenever we experience tumults in our lives, we must learn to "Cease {striving} and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth. The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold.” (Ps 46:10-11).
When Christ is in our boat, it can never capsize! Once His disciples who were experienced fishermen, panicked in the storm, even though Jesus was there in the boat. But the Lord rebuked them & asked “Where is your faith?” (Luke 8:25). At times all our past experience doesn’t help us, but His presence gives us the strength to go through the storms of life. Let us never panic, because Christ is always with us. I’m not saying that we will not experience trouble & hardships. All I’m saying is that with Christ with us, we shall overcome every trial we face. As Paul said in Rom 8:39, nothing can ever separate us from the love of Christ.
4. Living power of Christ
Paul said in Phil 3:10 “that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection”. We must increasingly know the power of His resurrection. The same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead, dwells in us! (Rom 8:11). His resurrection power is available to us. Whenever we face dead situations in our life, we must look upto the Lord & seek for the power of His resurrection. With God all things are possible! All things are possible with them that believe!
Paul prayed for the Ephesian church that “the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what ..is the surpassing greatness of His power toward us who believe. {These are} in accordance with…His might.. when He raised Him from the dead” (Eph 1:18-20)
May God enlighten our eyes. We should not go through life with our spiritual eyes closed. Elisha’s attendant was distraught at seeing the army of Aram encircling the city. But Elisha prayed that the Lord would open his attendant’s spiritual eyes. After his eyes were opened, he could see the spiritual protection around them. (2 Kings 6:17). Indeed greater is He that is in us, than he that is in the world! (1 John 4:4) Let us not fear. When faith enters our heart, fear disappears! We can look to our future with hope, knowing that His resurrection power is available for us who believe.
May the knowledge of His resurrection not merely be some abstract theology. But may the Lord enable us to understand the practical implications of this wonderful truth in our day-to-day lives. Amen.
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