Confessing what we believe

There was once a man who lost his job and walked on the streets not knowing what to do. He had applied in many of the companies he knew and was waiting for some job to come through. As he walked he remembered the Word of God in Hebrews 13:5 (NIV)

because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you."

The man kept consoling his anxious heart by repeating the same verse. It didn't seem to have any effect on him. Finally he stood at the bus stop and prayed, "Lord, I know that by just repeating this scripture is not going to work like a magic for me. I believe this word, because it is something you have spoken. And you have spoken to me. Even in this situation you are with me and you will not forsake me. You will give me a job so that I can provide for my family and be happy". Saying so he boarded a bus, though he didn't know where exactly to go.

A passenger seated next to him on the bus casually chatted with me and asked what he was doing. When the man said he was looking for a job, the passenger offered the man his card and asked the man to meet him at his office the next day...The man went to meet his bus acquaintance the next morning and got a job in his company.

Saying bible verses as a norm will not work things for us like a magic. But true confession of what we believe as per God's Word is what is real faith is and God is always moved by such faith...

When He Speaks...

Luke 24:32-35 (New American Standard Bible)

32They said to one another, "Were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road, while He was explaining the Scriptures to us?" 33And they got up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found gathered together the eleven and those who were with them.34 saying, "The Lord has really risen and has appeared to Simon."35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.

When the men of Emmaus walked along with Jesus, their eyes were prevented from recognizing Jesus. The Lord did this to test their hearts. Yet when Jesus explained the scriptures to them, something was happening. Their hearts burned, meaning they were convicted of the truth; a revelation of the truth that applies to their lives directly.

Similarly during our prayer times, the Lord speaks to us through His Word. When the Lord opens His truth to us through His Word, it is not for knowledge gaining. It is the truth which speaks directly to our hearts for life application...Many a time even we would feel like the men of Emmaus, the Lord speaking to us directly to our heart with conviction through His Word. We need to be careful not to take such convictions light but apply it in our life with prudence.

Men of Emmaus

Luke 24:13-17 (New American Standard Bible)

13. And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14. And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16. But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17. And He said to them, "What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?" And they stood still, looking sad.

When I read this above passage from the Bible, I wondered why was the eyes of these men were prevented from recognizing Jesus and later were remarked by Jesus as slow of believing?

This incident happens on the day Jesus resurrected. Many of them had heard the Lord speak of His suffering, crucification and resurrection. Yet it was difficult for them to really believe it. At least some believed after seeing the empty tomb like the women who were assisting the Lord's work. The men who walked down the road of Emmaus, had heard about the empty tomb from the women and the disciples (Lk 24:18-24), but they did not to believe it. They heard the news but had lot of doubts in their hearts.

The Lord wanted to test them of their faith and help them see the truth. That was the reason why their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. And the Lord implores them with a simple question and they testify about what they heard from the women and the disciples. These men did not believe in the words of Jesus (which He spoke before all these came to pass) nor from the witness of the women and the disciples. That was the reason why the Lord remarks at them as foolish and slow of heart.(Lk 24: 25)

It the same with many of us, today. We have seen how the Lord had worked in our lives, we have read His words of promise, hope, and comfort for us. Yet we fail to believe that He can really keep up to it. Oh! how slow of heart we become to believe. May we never react like the men of Emmaus, but take God at His Word, believing that He is faithful to keep it...

Never Failing Word

There are times in our lives when things can be just opposite to God's promises and in spite of praying and claiming God's Word, nothing may seem to change. At such times when we coincidently get to read a promise of God (which we might be faithfully holding on), we may feel like sarcasm. The devil will use our minds to make us feel that the Word of God is mocking at us. He will make us believe that all that we are believing and holding on is a lie.

But we need to remember one thing. That the devil is the father of lies since his existence. The Word of God can never become a sarcasm or mock at us. It is the devil, who is the mocker and the accuser.

We need to believe only one thing, that the Word of God stands forever,

Isaiah 40:8 (New International Version)

The grass withers and the flowers fall,

but the word of our God stands forever.

God never failed those who held on to Him and His Word. We need to be careful not to fall for the devil's deceptions or our current trials, for God's Word will surely come to pass no matter the time...

Foundation for faith

Psalm 13:5-6 (New American Standard Bible)

5.But I have trusted in Your lovingkindness;

My heart shall rejoice in Your salvation.

6.I will sing to the LORD,

Because He has dealt bountifully with me.

It is so very easy to get disappointed, frustrated and angry when things don't go the way we expect. Having walked the Christian life for years, we may expect our prayers to be answered instantly and when there is delay, we can easily fall for negative feelings and sometimes even rebellious attitude.

But look at the way the psalmist reacts to his hopeless situation. The first 4 verses of Psalm 13 is full of despair and hopelessness. However, the ending note of the psalmist is something appreciable. In verse 5 and 6, we can see that his trust in God is based on God's character because of which he is able to have consolation. He also recollects how the Lord dealt with Him in the past, which enables him to have hope. God's faithfulness and His lovingkindness is the sure foundation of the psalmist faith and so shall be ours.

Fearing God

Exodus 1:16-17 , 20-21 (NASB)

16.and he said, "When you are helping the Hebrew women to give birth and see them upon the birthstool, if it is a son, then you shall put him to death; but if it is a daughter, then she shall live."

17.But the midwives feared God, and did not do as the king of Egypt had commanded them, but let the boys live. 20.So God was good to the midwives, and the people multiplied, and became very mighty. 21.Because the midwives feared God, He established households for them.

As we read from the above scriptural context, the cruel Egyptian Pharaoh asks the Hebrew midwives to kill the newborn Hebrew boys, when he sees that the Hebrews multiplied increasingly. He dares such an act assuming them as an internal threat. But the Hebrew midwives fearing God does not do so. The scripture says that God was good to them and He established their homes. What a wonderful outcome for fearing God.

Here we need to clearly understand what it means by fearing God. It is not just believing Him or being scared of doing wrong. The right understanding of fearing God is- doing things which is right in the sight of God, doing things that please God. Upholding justice, righteousness and integrity even in times of difficulty or trials. When we do so, the world may fail to see that. But our God sees it and He will reward us accordingly. The proof of this which is seen in the above scriptures.

People may say that justice, righteousness and integrity are dead in this world. But we as the children of God, can exhibit these attributes with a sure reward.

Understanding from my redemption

We will not completely appreciate God's plan and purposes for our life if we don't really know the depth of God's adoption of us into His family as His children. If we have a very insignificant view about our redemption, then we will live our Christian life with regrets, long-suffering and gloom rather than joy, hope and gratitude.

How are we to know the full value of our redemption, our selection into God's family? We need not search the whole Bible, but just understand depth of the following scripture...

1 Peter 1:18-19 (New International Version)

18.For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19.but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.

If God could go to the extent to shedding His most precious and imperishable blood to redeem a sinner like me, what more do I need as a prove about His passionate love for me? How can I afford to think of He giving me anything less or doubt His dealings in my life?...