theology

The closer I come to God the more He reveals

The Christian walk is not just a test of one’s commitment to endure trials and tribulation. It is also a learning curve. The further we travel and the closer we draw to God, the better equip we are to handle unexpected situations. However, perfecting the walk with God does not depend on years of service, or even how knowledgeable and bright we are. It has more to do with the relationship we have with God. The closer we are to God, the more He reveals those things which we would not normally understand.

One of the most fascinating and exciting aspects of walking with Jesus is when He brings us new insights, and deeper understanding of His Word. It is like unexpectedly finding a large golden nugget.

There are certain passages of Scripture that we may have read for years, but have not yet grasped their fullest meaning. In any given moment, the Holy Spirit can open our spiritual eyes to see something in those passages that have never seen before. For example, I have read James 1:2-4 (“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, and sisters when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops patience. Patience must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything”.) many times, but I have never fully understood how anyone could rejoice in suffering.

However, after reading “Why does God discipline us”? At http://watermyflowerslord.wordpress.com/ I finally understand what James meant. Sometimes suffering happens for discipline and correction. We also know that sometimes God allowed suffering to prove a point, as in the case of Job. God was confident that Job was steadfast in his faith, and it did not matter what the devil threw at Job he would not falter.

So my brothers and sisters, the next time you encounter trials and suffering, count it all joy, because you may never know whether your suffering is for discipline and correction, or God is just showing off on the devil about your steadfastness.

Still, “No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it” (Hebrews 12:11). Therefore, God has a reward waiting for you at the end of your suffering. He restored Job’s fortune twofold.

What did I do wrong?

English: Saint paul arrested

English: Saint paul arrested (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My failures and disappointments often move me to question God. Nevertheless, I never do. I am a man of faith and I have learned not to blame or question God. I heed the advice of the apostle Paul instead: “Count it all joy, my brothers and sisters, when face with trials of various kinds. Take comfort that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. So let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.

If anyone lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach. However, let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that the wind drives and tosses. For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways” (James 1:2-8).

Still, when I am face with disappointments, I engulf myself in the mire of my failures and short comings. I keep asking myself, “What did I do wrong?” I have dotted all my I’s, and crossed all my T’s, yet there are times when I feel hopeless and incompetent and unworthy. Even a sense of emptiness creeps up on me when I least expect. What did I do wrong? Could it be that the old cliché, “What goes around comes around,” is catching up to me?

I need answers and fast. So I fall on my knees before the throne of grace and have a little talk with Jesus. He turned to me and said. “Son, I know why you have come”. You need to make peace with your guilty conscience. “For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me nothing to drink. I was a stranger, and you did not invite me in your house. I needed clothes, and you did not clothe me. I was sick, and in prison and you did not look after me”.

“Then I say to Him, ‘Lord, when did I see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

“He reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me’. (Matthew 25:42-45)

Do you neglect the poor and needy? If you do, the Bible says in Matthew 25:46 you will go away in everlasting punishment.

Is condemning the fallen bad for the Church?

Christ and fhe Adulterous Woman

For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved (John 3:17).

Everybody stumbles and everybody fall sometimes; including the most pious among us. However, as Christians we routinely ignore these fundamental biblical facts, “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23)… “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Still many in Christendom and other religions too, have adopted the holier-than-thou personality and set themselves up as judge and jury. Consequently, instead of helping to strengthen and pick up the fallen, they selflessly unleash judgment base on their emotions. This is a dangerous practice, especially when the judge and jury themselves have bigger planks in their eyes than that they seek to remove from another person’s eye.

I have seen many young Christian women got thrown out of the Church because they got pregnant. Sometimes even the parents side with the draconian tribunal, leaving the victim feeling hopeless and abandoned. Everyone in the Church understands that salvation is a gift from God, which none of us deserve. The apostle Paul said it best, “For by grace you have been saved through faith. It is not by your own merit; it is the gift of God” (Ephesians 2:8). Hence, when a brother or a sister falls it is the duty of the Church to encourage and support the person rather than being judge and jury.

This premise that a sin committed publicly, deserves a harsher punishment than that  committed privately is a fallacy. Jesus debunk this argument when religious leaders brought a women caught committing adultery to Him. The religious leaders of the day were expecting Jesus to hand down the ultimate punishment–death by stoning, but He surprised them. Jesus did not condemn the woman or her accusers. As a matter of fact, He did not utter a condemning word.

Here, is John’s account of the incident: Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman caught in adultery. Furthermore, when they set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, we caught this woman in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. What do you say” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accused Him. However, Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear.

So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” Again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, became convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. Then Jesus was alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had straightened Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has not anyone one condemned you?”

She said, “No one, Lord.”

Then Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” (John 8:3-11).

RELATED ARTICLES

Do you have what it takes to meet with the Bridegroom?

Patrick Ewing, John Stockton, Carl Malone and Charles Barclay are among the 50 Greatest Basketball Players of All Times. However, not one of these gentlemen have ever won a Championship. They have had their chances, but none of them had the necessary pieces in place to push them over the hump.

As I look back on the illustrious careers of the afore mentioned gentlemen, I think through the story of the ten virgins. Five were wise, and five were foolish. The sage virgins put all the necessary pieces together that would make sure they are meeting with the Bridegroom at the banqueting Hall, but the shortsighted virgins were superficial in their preparation. They did not pay attention to details, and as a result, they overlooked an extremely critical component—they did not have enough oil for their lamps.

Brothers and sisters in Christ, not everyone will meet with the Bridegroom when He comes. Some of us will be out shopping for things we knew we needed well in advance of His appearing. Now is the time of Salvation. This is the time to plan and prepare. For if we do not have all the pieces in place when the Bridegroom comes, we will hear a voice say, “Depart from me, I never knew you.”

Do you have enough oil for your lamp?

The Parable of the Wise and Foolish Virgins: Matthew 25:1-13

“Then the kingdom of heaven shall be likened to ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Now five of them were wise, and five were foolish. Those who were foolish took their lamps and took no oil with them, but the wise took oil in their vessels with their lamps. But while the bridegroom was delayed, they all slumbered and slept.

 “And at midnight a cry was heard: ‘Behold, the bridegroom is coming; go out to meet him!’  Then all those virgins arose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘No, lest there should not be enough for us and you; but go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves.’ And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding; and the door was shut.

 “Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, ‘Lord, Lord, open to us!’ But he answered and said, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.’

 “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming.

The race is not to the swift nor the battle to the strong

David and Goliath, a colour lithograph by Osma...

David and Goliath, a colour lithograph by Osmar Schindler (c. 1888) (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

“You come to me with a sword and with a spear and with a javelin, but I come to you in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom you have defied. This day the Lord will deliver you into my hand, and I will strike you down and cut off your head. And I will give the dead bodies of the host of the Philistines this day to the birds of the air and to the wild beasts of the earth, that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel and that all this assembly may know that the Lord saves not with sword and spear. For the battle is the Lord’s, and he will give you into our hand” (1 Samuel 17:45-47).

Those are the words of David, a shepherd boy staring in the eyes of Goliath, the mighty Philistine. Goliath was a strong and powerful member of the Philistine army that was lining up to do battle with King Saul‘s army.

Cocky and bubbling with confidence, Goliath shouted to the ranks of the Israeli army and requested a duel. “Why have you come out to draw up for battle? Am I not a Philistine, and are you, not servants of Saul? Choose a man for yourselves, and let him come down to me. If he is able to fight with me and kill me, then we will be your servants. However, if I prevail against him and kill him, there after you shall be our servants and serve us.” And the Philistine said, “I defy the ranks of Israel this day. Give me a man, that we may fight together.” When Saul and all Israel heard these words of the Philistine, they were dismayed and extremely afraid” (1 Samuel 17:8-11).

But God had a plan for Goliath and his army. He chose the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; likewise, He chose the weak things of the world to confound the things which are strong. He would use David to destroy Goliath.

The mighty Goliath was furious when David appeared before him. He disdained David for he was just a youth who had kept  his father’s sheep. “Am I a dog that you come to me with sticks?” He asked David. “Come to me, and I will give your flesh to the birds of the air and to the beasts of the field.” He exclaimed. Nevertheless, all that cheap talk, never ruffle David. Just like Daniel in the lion’s den, He was calm cool and collected.

The bloodthirsty Goliath was confident he would tear David to pieces. He was wrong. The battle was not David’s. It was the Lord’s. David did not rely on his strength. He knew he was no match for Goliath. However, with God fighting the battle for him, victory was assured. David slew Goliath with a sling and a stone.

Like David and Daniel and so many others in the Old and New Testament, victory is guaranteed for you and I my friends; but only if we allow God to fight our battles for us.