Accepting His Sovereignty

It is so very easy for us to accept God's rule and sovereignty in our lives when things go well. However, it may be difficult to accept His will and sovereignty when life seems to be hard or while walking through times of trial. In any case be it glad times or tough ones, accepting His sovereignty is maturity. Though we may not be in a position to see life whole; though seeing future positive seems challenging, believing that God knows what He is doing and will turns things for our good is true faith...

And to hold on to such faith without becoming dejected is where courage is required.

Psalm 52:9 (Amplified Bible)

I will thank You and confide in You forever, because You have done it [delivered me and kept me safe]. I will wait on, hope in and expect in Your name, for it is good, in the presence of Your saints (Your kind and pious ones).

May we ask the Lord to give us the courage to see good times, to hope and expect good tidings in His name...

A Prayer of Thanksgiving

What can I give you Lord?

Except for a heart filled with Thanks

I am overwhelmed with the way,

You work in my life.

Be it good times or hard,

You are there to take me through.

As a captain of the vessel,

You help through the course.

And without you I know,

I cannot sail it well.

Thank you Lord that you are there

For me... all the while.

Help me just to know your worth,

And be thankful till my final breath.

Psalm 107:8 (New American Standard Bible)

Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness,

And for His wonders to the sons of men!

Thanksgiving

As the thanksgiving week is here and as our hearts reflect on it, each one us can surely recall to our minds the goodness of God towards us...

Psalm 86:12-13 (New American Standard Bible)

I will give thanks to You, O Lord my God, with all my heart,

And will glorify Your name forever.

For Your lovingkindness toward me is great,

And You have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol.

Yes, it is true that it is only because of Him, we can live with peace of mind. Even amidst storm or inner turmoil, which can greatly surge, to know that He is in control and will do the needful is the greatest rest.

Prayer: I thank you Lord for you are a living God in my life. I thank you that you are in sovereign control of my life and its course. It is by your grace that I stand and I thank you that I will not fall for your uphold me with your mighty hand...

God Pleaser

Christians are of various kinds.

Some believe in Christ, pray to Him and also to other saints whose faith allows them to follow any kind of doctrine.

Some pray to Him alone, yet carry on their life by their own knowledge.

Some pray to the Lord, read the word of God and live life without the word of God impacting their life in any way.

Some pray to Christ, do things in His name, preach the gospel, pray for others, quote bible verses and take only that part of God's word which pleases their minds (especially promises)

There are also rare kind of Christians who follow the Lord wholeheartedly like Caleb did (in the Bible), in whose life God's word is the foundation. That is why Jesus said...

John 8:47 (New American Standard Bible)

He who is of God hears the words of God...

These are the people who live life wholly by God's word. Be it promises or commandments, both are taken in the same way. They yield to God's discipline and correction with the same openness without compromise as with claiming God's promise.

May we become the kind of people whom God is pleased with, who takes His word wholly and not partially, who does not manipulate to take His word to shape our life...but allow His spirit to change our life to match His word.

Realizing His Sovereignty

Many a time we take a defensive mode when relating to people presuming that they are out to intimidate us, take advantage of us or criticize us. Whatever be the motive of the people we meet or relate, we should not approach people in a defensive mode. For when we become defensive we may unknowingly become harsh or arrogant. We should not assume that most of the people we meet are like the Pharisees or the Sadducee.

Though we may meet people who may not understand our faith or our honest motives, we are to show patience and tolerance towards them. Rev. Selwyn Hughes states that God is in control when we may be put in a scenario to relate to people who may be indifferent to us or against us. And that He will be able to uphold us even if we are rejected or betrayed by people.

Psalm 125:1 (New American Standard Bible)

Those who trust in the LORD

Are as Mount Zion, which cannot be moved but abides forever.

Good Intended Plans

It is good to make plans and develop ideas for our future, for without proper planning and creation of ideas, nothing can be achieved. However, it is also important as God's children that we do not talk about it in excess to others, to an extent where it turns into bragging. Talking of plans is no wrong. Yet there is a always a thin line which when not realized can become words of grandeur.

The Word of God says,

Proverbs 27:1 (New International Version)

Do not boast about tomorrow,

for you do not know what a day may bring.

James 4: 13-15 (New International Version)

13 Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” 14 Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. 15 Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”

Let us always be submitted to the Lord and expect Him to lead us as per His plans, though the best of our plans seem to be of good interest...

Letting go...

There are many causes for mental stress. One of them is our choice not to give up on those matters which we have no control. Mental health experts state that one of the main reason for stress is when people fail to have the ability to take control. We need to understand that there are always two aspects in life:- things which we can take control and things which we cannot. Things which we can take control are what we call 'responsibility'. Things which we cannot take control are those that are 'uncertain'.

When we try to take control of uncertain events, situations, expectations or even people in life, that is when we loose our cool and become overly stressed. Instead of struggling inwardly by trying to take control of uncertain things or tomorrow , it is better that we give it up into the Lord's hand and accept the outcome believing that to be God's will. This way we will be more at peace than unnecessary mental stress...

Psalm 46:10 (New American Standard Bible)

Cease striving and know that I am God...

When we cease from trying to take control of things or people and live with the realization that God is in control, rest assured we can live our days with peace.

Light for each step

Many a time we make so many plans regarding our future and for the present hoping that they should happen without any problems or risks. Planning is good and an essential part of life. However, the book of Proverbs suggest that we submit our plans to God and not to depend just on our limited knowledge and understanding...

Proverbs 3:5-6 (New International Version)

5 Trust in the LORD with all your heart

and lean not on your own understanding;

6 in all your ways submit to him,

and he will make your paths straight.

As we submit our plans, thought process to God, we need to wait until the Lord gives us directions or indications to move forward. One may wonder how does the Lord show any sign? It may come as arrangement of circumstances or even with human intervention throwing light to our plans or thought process. Whichever way it may be, the Lord has His way of revealing to His will to children, especially to those who wait for Him...

Walk the talk

We all live in an age where knowledge has greater power and influence. People who display knowledge in their speech gain popularity and better control of the hearers. However, mere knowledge profits to no one. Unless we are able to demonstrate and live what we speak it has no meaning. People who gain fame through their knowledge display will soon lose their crowd of hearers and even earn some back biters.

Believers in Christ too are following this pattern these days, believing that display of their biblical knowledge may benefit the hearer. However, the world is watching our life and conduct without our realization. Unless the world sees that we are people who walk the talk, our knowledge display has no significance to others. At the same time we may be portraying a wrong picture about ourselves and the faith we follow...

Let us be like Apostle Paul who was always cautious to follow what he preached, whose letters edify and build the Church even to this day...

1 Corinthians 9:27 (New American Standard Bible)

but I discipline my body and make it my slave, so that, after I have preached to others, I myself will not be disqualified.

Broken Cisterns

Right from the time I was a teenager, I longed for a friend who would be my soul mate...And the soul mate who came into my life was my Lord Jesus who became my savior friend. All these years, I experienced Him as my Lord, friend, brother, Father and mentor. Yet, I longed for a human friend who would stick to me like glue...

I have had good friends in life who shared with me platonic relationship with good intentions and motives. However, due to distance or change in life's course we have departed whose memory alone is my treasure.

My longing for a true friend still remained at the corner of my heart. And I hoped that I would find one during the middle years of my life...As I spent time with the Lord this afternoon, a thought process came across my mind which bought tears to my eyes. All these years I had been longing for a soul mate, in spite of having my Lord right at my side. He was the One who remained the same in His love and faithfulness towards me. Yet, I was a fool to look for a human soul mate when I had the One who loved me and gave His life for me...

With tears in my eyes, I repented for my mistake. I realized suddenly that my heart was contented with my One real soul mate-Jesus. I assured myself that He was more than enough for me and that I need not look for someone more fulfilling than Him...

Jeremiah 2:13 (New American Standard Bible)

For My people have committed two evils:

They have forsaken Me,

The fountain of living waters,

To hew for themselves cisterns,

Broken cisterns

That can hold no water

Sometimes we may not forsake the Lord, yet we may be looking for cisterns believing that it has water to quench our thirst. We need to remember that only our Lord can quench our deep thirst to be loved and feel belonged. All other cisterns may never have water to quench those deep thirsts.

The Lord's Battle

Many a time when we relate to others with best possible intentions, there may be people who would want to create problems to us out of jealousy, or hatred or bitterness. We as God's children sometimes may fear or we may retaliate in anger. However, we need to understand that we need not do either of these. There is no need to fear or retaliate in anger as they are not God's ways.

The only thing we need to do in times of adversity is to trust the Lord to fight the battle for us. And many may assume that God may fight the battle by punishing those who may rise up against us. God has His own ways to deal with different kinds people. We may not know His ways. There are instances in the Bible where God put into confusion the plans of the enemy. There has been times when the enemy has been afraid to go against God's people. Yet there are times when the enemy has changed his mind to forsake his wrong ways and be reconciled...

That is why King David said in Psalms 23:5

Psalm 23:5 (New Living Translation)

You prepare a feast for me

in the presence of my enemies.

You honor me by anointing my head with oil.

My cup overflows with blessings.

A feast is prepared before an enemy when the enemy changes his mind and desires to reconcile. What power it is when the enemy reconciles to the people of God.

Let us not fear those who conspires against us, for the Lord will prepare a table for us in the presence of those who rise up against us...