God

What if you gave God total control of your life ?

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Life could be much more interesting than it is, if we would yield the Master’s call and allow God to chart a course and direct our steps. It is well documented in Biblical history that those who had surrendered control to God lived more prosperous and meaningful lives than those who did not. Even so, most of us scoff at the idea, because we like to take all the glory for our achievements. We are like the leader of the pride—the thought of giving up control or sharing power makes us nervous.

So, even after we have confessed our sins and promised to follow Jesus, we still hesitate to give Him total control. It is only when our backs are up against a wall that we entertain any idea to give up control, but only temporary. Therefore, as soon as we have crossed the Red sea or the Jordan, or survive the storm we are back to business as usual—rebellious and disobedient..

Giving God control of your life means you are part of a team. God now becomes  team leader and director; you become a follower. Unfortunately, this is where the problem begins. Most people do not see themselves as followers. They think it is demeaning. In one of the most tightly contested presidential primary, a Journalist suggested that one of the candidates settle for running mate. The candidate replied with this: “You will never see me running for vice president”.

My friends, you can rest assure; there is nothing demeaning about following God and surrender  total control to Him. The prophets and the Patriarchs and the apostles did, and after more than 2000 years we are still talking about them.
Still, like it or not, God is already in charge, but He refuses to act until you ask Him to. The Psalmist David in one of his dialogues writes the following: “O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusted in him”– Psalm 34:8.

Sing for Jesus

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“When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. For you were buried with Christ when you were baptized. And with him you were raised to new life because you trusted the mighty power of God, who raised Christ from the dead.

You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins. He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross” Colossians 2:11-15).

Are you ready to meet with the Bridegroom?

imagesng3cik3l1.jpgJesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,” (Matthew 7:21). Even so, one would have to search long and hard to find a professing Christian, who does not think he or she is ready to meet the Bridegroom. 

The truth is, Just like unrepentant sinners; many people who have accepted Christ as Lord and Savior–are in danger of getting shut out of the banquet hall when the Bridegroom returns. Not that they are bad people, but humans like to do things their way and not God’s way. The prophet, Isaiah, talking to his country men and women, declared: “All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned everyone to his own way” (Isaiah 53:6).

Surely, many of us have intentionally detoured from the path that Jesus walked. We have turned to our own way. Then, we convince ourselves that we can get back on the right path in time to meet the Bridegroom. In fact, the five foolish virgins who went to buy oil for their lamps also thought they could get back in time to meet the Bridegroom. They were wrong..

Of course, one could argue that the five foolish virgins were not bad people. On the surface, it seems they did all the right things, and they were just as excited about meeting the Bridegroom, as the five wise virgins. However, they came up short when it matters most.

There is only one way to prepare for the Bridegroom, and that is, Follow the step-by-step plan that Jesus has laid before you. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man comes to the Father except through me” (John 14:6).

Therefore, friends, If one walk as Jesus walked, rest assure that a seat awaits you at the banquet table when the Bridegroom returns.

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!

Oh, sing to the Lord a new song!
Sing to the Lord, all the earth.
 Sing to the Lord, bless His name;
Proclaim the good news of His salvation from day-to-day.
Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonders among all people. Psalm 96:1-3

Have you been changed?

Every Christian strive to walk in Jesus’ footsteps, but I often wondered whether that is ever possible for many of us. It seems one cannot begin to walk in Jesus’ footsteps without first learning to walk in His shoes. The problem with that though is this: Too many of us who profess Christianity have not been changed. How do I know this? Many of us continue to hang on to bad habits, old culture and tradition long after we have accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Let’s be honest–the old man cannot walk in Jesus’ shoes. The person must go through a transformation process. The writer of 2 Corinthians 5:17 puts it this way:

“Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Saul, the notorious tax collector and Christian persecutor, never went back to his old ways after his transformation. As a matter of fact, he has some very good advice for us:

“Therefore, since a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith surrounds us, let us strip off every weight that slows us down especially the sin that so easily trips us up. Hence, let us run with endurance the race God has set before us” (Hebrews 12:1).