What are we doing with it?

How can we be sure that all of God's promises be fulfilled in our lives? The answer is with us . It depends on how we use them by faith. God's promises are like gifts that are given to us that are wrapped. So as long as we open the wrapper and use the gift it may remain unopened. Likewise God has given many wonderful promises in His Word so that our life in Him will be made full.

Yet the choice is ours.

As we continue to have a faithful and steady relationship with the Lord, He reveals to us His wonderful promises as per our life's need and circumstances. He also gives us the faith to use them. But it is in our hands to continuously claim those promises in prayer until we receive them. And we can be rest assured that God will fulfill it in His time...

2 Corinthians 1:20 (NIV)

For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God.

Comes with a thread?

We believers get excited when talking about God's promises. It is such a blessing to know that God has a promise to address every need of His children. Yet most of the times we forget that promises sometimes come with a commandment. When we look at the list of promises in Deuteronomy 7 it is so marveling. But when looked closely we can see that it is based on the outcome of obedience. Likewise most of God's promises are based on obedience to God's Word and some of them has a context. For instance when Paul said to the Philippians in Phil4:19 (NIV) "And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus", he was referring to believers who give graciously to God's work. So believers who claim such promises should be gracious givers.
So let us be careful in obeying God consciously so as to confidently claim His promises in our life. Amen.

2 Peter 1:4 (NIV)
"...he has given us his very great and precious promises..."

Wonderful Promises

What is the most powerful way to pray? Is it a desperate prayer or community prayer or an unwavering prayer? Though all these forms of prayer are effective, it is praying with the Word of God which is said to be powerful. Because God has given His Word to us so that it fulfills His purpose in our lives. So when praying for something desperately when prayed claiming God's Word then it comes to pass.

For God said in Isaiah 55:11

So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;

It will not return to Me empty,

Without accomplishing what I desire,

And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. (NASB)

God has given us a promise for every need in our life. It is there in His Word. All that we need to do is claim His promise and see His will fulfill in our lives.

Hope while waiting

One of the consolation which has always helped me in times of waiting period is that the Lord is working on my concerns. Though I know that I should not be worrying about the issue for which I am expecting an answer it is really difficult to be calm in the waiting phase. Time and again I submit my concern to God in prayer, but I find it hard to really compose myself in peace. Anxiety overwhelms me many a time. When nothing really seems working it is really a challenge to keep faith for a particular issue. But the Word of God in Ps 138:8 really encourages the waiting soul.

Psalm 138:8 (New American Standard Bible)
The LORD will accomplish what concerns me; Your loving kindness, O LORD, is everlasting;

I like the word accomplish here; which is a surety for an answer. Therefore there is no doubt that He will bring about a solution in His time. I believe it and my soul is keeps faith because of God's Word. So next time my heart fails when there are no clouds in the sky, I assure myself that He is working on my concerns... and the answer, I will receive. Hallelujah!

Waiting - The Most Difficult Phase

When we are waiting for an answer from the Lord, expecting God to work something for us and show us His will, many a time we get impatient. We may want to try out a few possible options to get a workable solution though deep within the heart we hear a small conviction which says 'Wait'.

Waiting is one of the most difficult phase in a Christian's life. It is the phase where God makes us wait purposefully so that our faith may be strengthened and we grow in obedience. And it is vital to help us grow in grace.

At times we may even think that God has forgotten to guide us or answer our prayers and we may just go our way to work things for us. But all that we would find is more frustrations and resentments. Frustrations and resentments can make us move away from God. But the happy news is that God has not forgotten us or our concerns. He will surely lead us and work things in His way. All that we need to do is to is ask His forgiveness, submit to Him and expect Him to work out His will for us. And our good Shepherd will not fail us...

Psalm 139:9,10 (NIV)

9 If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea

10 even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast.

When confused with God's will

Sometimes finding God's will is the most difficult thing. Preachers and writers give us guidelines saying that the most common way to find God's will is through the Word of God, the peace that fills our hearts and minds and through circumstances or the happenings. Yet at times in certain aspects of life finding God's will may be complicated especially when we are unable to find a clear picture either from the Word or peace.

Sometimes we may become obsessed or become indifferent to God's will. Both the attitudes are not right as they are two different extremes. But the right way is the spirit of humble submissiveness which is ready to accept whatever be the will of God irrespective of our likes or dislikes knowing that the will of God is good and perfect (Rom 12:2).

In circumstances when the will of God is unclear, the only option is to leave the matter with God instead of prevailing hard to find God's will. As long as we want to be in the centre of God's will we really need not be worked up to find His will. All that we need to understand is that God knows what we feel and think and He is equally concerned with our concerns. He is working on our concerns and will surely let us know what to do and will not keep us in dark. Amen.

Philippians 3:15b (New International Version)

And if on some point you think differently, that too God will make clear to you.

Heavenly Coach

Most of us when encountered with God’s Spirit get all excited and go on well in our spiritual walk. We encounter the Spirit of God’s intervention (as we rely on Him) daily through His conviction, correction, encouragement, guidance, teaching, edification etc. As we tend to get comfortable with our spiritual walk there is an impending danger by moving away from increased dependence on Him to independence. This may happen even without our knowledge while we may be getting comfortable by carrying along by our own strength.
That is why Apostle Paul warned the Galatians Church in Gal 3:3 I believe. So let us be careful not to fail to rely on our heavenly coach – the Holy Spirit of God, consistently.
Galatians 3:3 (New International Version)
Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Is it possible?

Have you ever wondered whether it would be possible for you to be and do everything that the Bible asks us to? I have come across many Christians who perceived that it was not fully possible to follow the Lord's commands or the Bible. It is the lie of the devil and many folks believe it. In one way it is true if we try to follow the Bible by our own strength. Jesus knew this fact and also God knew it. That's the reason why Jesus told us that He will give us another helper, the Holy Spirit to be and live all that God desires us to be. Even the heavenly Father confirms that in Ezk 36:27 where God says "And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws."(NIV)

So next time if you feel discouraged or feel guilty of not able to truly follow Jesus , remember who is with you and do not give in to the lie of the devil. Let's rely on God's Holy Spirit and He shall safely take us through in this life's journey...

John 14: 15-17 (NIV)

(v.15)"If you love me, you will obey what I command. (v.16) And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— (v.17) the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you."

Living to Please Him

We all as God's children desire to please God by being and living His way by following His Word. Yet at times we fail to... We fail by the choices we make and the decisions we take; we fail by our wrongful attitudes, perceptions and judgments; we fail by the way we handle emotions and relationships. Still we learn and relearn by His grace and make every conscious effort to do and be our best for Him.

Though we as God's children are trying our best to live spotlessly for God by His grace we should not forget the truth that the Holy Spirit of God is enabling us to live and be all that the Lord desires in us. He is the very reason why we desire to please God. He is the very reason why we live in Christ and He is the sole reason for the transformation that is happening in us so that we become more and more like Jesus in our beings and living.

So let us be thankful to God for His Spirit and be continuously filled with the Holy Spirit with whom we are sealed until the day of redemption.

Ephesians 5:8-10 (New King James Version)

(v.8) For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (v.9) (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), (v.10) finding out what is acceptable to the Lord.

I feel compelled...

When we say we love the Lord, it means many things to many of God's people. Some are of the view that loving God is to be an effective witness for Him. For some even going to church, reading the bible, and praying for others are perceived as loving God whereas in reality it is done for the wellbeing of one's own soul.

What it means to really love God? Does it end just with verbal expression or goes beyond that? Yes, it does and we all know that. Our love for God compels us to be all that God wants us to be, live the way He wants us to and do His perfect will in every aspect of our lives. For we no longer live for ourselves but for Him who died and rose for us; who is at God's right hand interceding for us and desires to reach out to others through us.

The next time when we say we love Him (Jesus), let's check ourselves whether we truly do? If we did ...then we will strive our best to do His will...

1 Peter 4:2 (New Living Translation)

You won’t spend the rest of your lives chasing your own desires, but you will be anxious to do the will of God.

Relishing His love

I had always wondered whether I loved the Lord well? Truly speaking I found that I had not. I only concluded that I could not love Him better, though that had been my prayer for years . I couldn't focus on just loving Him, worshipping Him on a steady basis. As years passed by it dawned on me that I failed to see His love for me. Only when I was able to comprehend His love for me did I realize that I was able to love Him expressively. My love for Him was a response to His love for me. I understood that I need not try hard to love Him but only need to live in the realization of His love for me. That was all which was required and my love would just overflow...

1 John 4:19 (NIV)
We love Him because He first loved us

We better not do that...

There are many born-again believers who read only those portions in the Bible that are pleasing to them. For instance they highly rely on God's promises, comforting words and something which they would like to hear from God. They seldom give significance to any word of correction, change, transformation that the Word of God may direct to implement. When they sit for prayer they come with the attitude saying, "Speak Lord thy servant heareth"; but their hearts are far from being open to any conviction that the Spirit of God may show them. If at all they come across any convicting portion while reading the Bible they do not apply it to themselves but rather choose to relate it to others .This sort of manipulation is the greatest deception a believer can do to him/herself. So let us not be like the false teachers whom Paul referred to at the Corinthian Church, who peddled with the Word of God for their profit. Let us be open to God's voice and to His Word whether it is correction, instruction, warning, direction, promise or consolation. Let us learn to take and yield to God's Word with sincerity and open spirit.

2 Co 2:17 (NIV)
Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, like men sent from God.