We see a lot of people around us addicted to different habits. Where ever there is addiction, peace is lacking. Frustration, fear and dissatisfaction loom larger in life. Spending each and every day becomes a burden. spending a day seems like spending a year and such is the hopeleness of life for many. Is there hope in such a situation? Is there comfort and shelter? Is there a solution for depression and anxiety?
The answer is a big "Yes". We need not depend on alcohol, drugs and sleeping pills to aid us in our times of frustration. We need not dream of peace when peace is very much a reality and readily available. We need not gain sympathy from human beings when it is of no use. Some of us might have tried everything in the world to be peaceful, but all the efforts might have been futile.
If money, influence, drugs, sex, music, movies etc etc...cannot bring us peace, what else is there for us to try...?
The only answer to the problems of life is "Jesus". Try Jesus, and He is the answer to all our problems. He is the way, truth and life. Where there is truth there is deliverance and the truth is "Jesus Christ". John 8:32 says "know the truth and the truth shall set you free". Let us try Him today...We will never be disappointed. All that we need to do is earnestly ask Him to come into our life and take control of it.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
Overcoming life
Are we struggling with certain sins in life that we are not able to come out of them?. Is there some sins that we try to suppress for a while and then they come back with greater magnitude and destroys our peace completely. It makes us feel even more guilty. Is this the condition of our spiritual lives after being born again?. It means that we are still living defeated lives. God never wants us to live like this. He wants us to be overcomers in everything.
Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross of Calvary so that we can live an overcoming life. If we are not living such a life then we are defeating the purpose of God. There is a great news for all who are living a defeated spiritual life. Jesus Christ has already won us the victory. We need to believe this and apply this in our lives. We need to exchange our lives with Jesus.
It means we need to give all our weaknesses, worries, problems, temptations to Him and get His victory in return. This is the secret of a victorious Christian life.
We never realize this and try to overcome all the things on our own strength and we are defeated. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness". We need to surrender all our problems to Jesus Christ and forget about it. His grace and power will overcome all the uncertanities in our life. Only believe and all things will be perfect in God's own time. Amen!
Jesus Christ died for our sins on the cross of Calvary so that we can live an overcoming life. If we are not living such a life then we are defeating the purpose of God. There is a great news for all who are living a defeated spiritual life. Jesus Christ has already won us the victory. We need to believe this and apply this in our lives. We need to exchange our lives with Jesus.
It means we need to give all our weaknesses, worries, problems, temptations to Him and get His victory in return. This is the secret of a victorious Christian life.
We never realize this and try to overcome all the things on our own strength and we are defeated. The Bible says in 2 Corinthians 12:9 that "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness". We need to surrender all our problems to Jesus Christ and forget about it. His grace and power will overcome all the uncertanities in our life. Only believe and all things will be perfect in God's own time. Amen!
Saturday, June 27, 2009
Gaining the world
Mark 8:36
"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"
St. Augustine described soul as follows "a special substance, endowed with reason, adapted to rule the body". The soul is the seat of our personality, traits and intelligience. The soul was formed when God breathed his spirit into the nostrils of Adam when he was made of dust.
We live in a world which is very fast and fancy. It is very certain that our souls will be lost permanantly if we do not repent and come to Christ for salvation during the period of grace now. I believe things would always be fine till one day when disaster will strike us,and we will be left alone in the wilderness. The soul which found its happiness through the vanities of this world, would be tortured in the hell by satan.
We may gain everything in this world by our intelligience and abilities. We can become world renowned celebrities. We can accumulate money for generations to come. We may have the most powerful posts of this world. But yet if we have not met Jesus Christ and surrendered our lives to Him, everything is vain and would be like garbage on the day of judgement. Hell is a very cruel place to be in. It is not as easy and cozy as we may think. The very description of hell would run fear down our spines. Satan is in the process of accumulating people to be thrown into hell.
Let us never fall to satan's trick which blinds our eyes and thoughts from the need of salvation. Jesus Christ can give us the peace that we long for today. He can just blast away satan if we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives. Christ is too good a person to rule our lives without us inviting Him. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks all the time. We need to hear it and allow Him to come inside.
I challenge that life would not be the same once Jesus is with us. He will give us all the needs of this world and eternity. We can live without fear, anxiety and confusion if Christ directs us. There is no safer place to rest than the rock Jesus Christ. Heaven is such a glorious place. A place of eternal joy and a place where there would not be any sorrow. Jesus Christ holds the keys to Heaven.
I would plead you to surrender your life now to Christ. Time is running by..and we never know when the period of grace would come to an end. There would not be any oppurtunity to repent after that. Once the doors are shut, it would be all over. Now is the time of salvation. Repent and enjoy life with Christ!. Remember all the greatness in this world is garbage when it comes to eternity.
"What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?"
St. Augustine described soul as follows "a special substance, endowed with reason, adapted to rule the body". The soul is the seat of our personality, traits and intelligience. The soul was formed when God breathed his spirit into the nostrils of Adam when he was made of dust.
We live in a world which is very fast and fancy. It is very certain that our souls will be lost permanantly if we do not repent and come to Christ for salvation during the period of grace now. I believe things would always be fine till one day when disaster will strike us,and we will be left alone in the wilderness. The soul which found its happiness through the vanities of this world, would be tortured in the hell by satan.
We may gain everything in this world by our intelligience and abilities. We can become world renowned celebrities. We can accumulate money for generations to come. We may have the most powerful posts of this world. But yet if we have not met Jesus Christ and surrendered our lives to Him, everything is vain and would be like garbage on the day of judgement. Hell is a very cruel place to be in. It is not as easy and cozy as we may think. The very description of hell would run fear down our spines. Satan is in the process of accumulating people to be thrown into hell.
Let us never fall to satan's trick which blinds our eyes and thoughts from the need of salvation. Jesus Christ can give us the peace that we long for today. He can just blast away satan if we surrender our lives to Him and allow Him to be the Lord of our lives. Christ is too good a person to rule our lives without us inviting Him. He stands at the door of our hearts and knocks all the time. We need to hear it and allow Him to come inside.
I challenge that life would not be the same once Jesus is with us. He will give us all the needs of this world and eternity. We can live without fear, anxiety and confusion if Christ directs us. There is no safer place to rest than the rock Jesus Christ. Heaven is such a glorious place. A place of eternal joy and a place where there would not be any sorrow. Jesus Christ holds the keys to Heaven.
I would plead you to surrender your life now to Christ. Time is running by..and we never know when the period of grace would come to an end. There would not be any oppurtunity to repent after that. Once the doors are shut, it would be all over. Now is the time of salvation. Repent and enjoy life with Christ!. Remember all the greatness in this world is garbage when it comes to eternity.
Bricks Of Life
I came across this wonderful story in the internet. Many a times, we too are very busy with all our fantasies and fancies in life, that something has to break us to grab our attentions.....Read on...
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh
was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too
fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months
old.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and
slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted
out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP! -- it smashed into the Jag's shiny
black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and
tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been
thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against
a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who
are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he
went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of
money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please...I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"
Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would
stop!" Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the
parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell
out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his
wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.
Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took
out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that
everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder
JaguarXKE-a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar.
He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone
has to throw a brick at him to get his attention... Some bricks are softer
than others. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has
positive answers
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
About ten years ago, a young and very successful executive named Josh
was traveling down a Chicago neighborhood street. He was going a bit too
fast in his sleek, black, 12 cylinder Jaguar XKE, which was only two months
old.
He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and
slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no child darted
out, but a brick sailed out and-WHUMP! -- it smashed into the Jag's shiny
black side door! SCREECH...!!!! Brakes slammed! Gears ground into reverse, and
tires madly spun the Jaguar back to the spot from where the brick had been
thrown.
Josh jumped out of the car, grabbed the kid and pushed him up against
a parked car. He shouted at the kid, "What was that all about and who
are you? Just what the heck are you doing?!" Building up a head of steam, he
went on. "That's my new Jag, that brick you threw is gonna cost you a lot of
money. Why did you throw it?"
"Please, mister, please...I'm sorry! I didn't know what else to do!"
Pleaded the youngster. "I threw the brick because no one else would
stop!" Tears were dripping down the boy's chin as he pointed around the
parked car. "It's my brother, mister," he said. "He rolled off the curb and fell
out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up." Sobbing, the boy asked the executive, "Would you please help me get him back into his
wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me." Moved beyond words, the young executive tried desperately to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat.
Straining, he lifted the young man back into the wheelchair and took
out his handkerchief and wiped the scrapes and cuts, checking to see that
everything was going to be OK. He then watched the younger brother push him down the sidewalk toward their home.
It was a long walk back to the sleek, black, shining, 12 cylinder
JaguarXKE-a long and slow walk. Josh never did fix the side door of his Jaguar.
He kept the dent to remind him not to go through life so fast that someone
has to throw a brick at him to get his attention... Some bricks are softer
than others. Feel for the bricks of life coming at you.
For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has
positive answers
You say: "It's impossible"
God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27)
You say: "I'm too tired"
God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30)
You say: "Nobody really loves me"
God says: I love you (John 3:16 & John 13:34)
You say: "I can't go on"
God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15)
You say: "I can't figure things out"
God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5-6)
You say: "I can't do it"
God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13)
You say: "I'm not able"
God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8)
You say: "It's not worth it"
God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28)
You say: "I can't forgive myself"
God says: I FORGIVE YOU (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1)
You say: "I can't manage"
God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19)
You say: "I'm afraid"
God says: I have not given you a spirit of fear (II Timothy 1:7)
You say: "I'm always worried and frustrated"
God says: Cast all your cares on ME (I Peter 5:7)
You say: "I don't have enough faith"
God says: I've given everyone a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
You say: "I'm not smart enough"
God says: I give you wisdom (I Corinthians 1:30)
You say: "I feel all alone"
God says: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5)
Friday, June 19, 2009
Slothfulness
I came across this article and found it to be an eye opener for me personally. I am posting it here and pray that it would open the eyes of many who read this.
Proverbs 19:15
"Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."
Slothfulness is doing a job s-l-o-w-l-y. It is d-r-e-a-d-i-n-g a job and resenting the effort it requires. It is a lazy attitude and effort toward work; and it starts a vicious cycle. Laziness saps your energy, slows you down, intimidates your spirit, and puts you to sleep.. Laziness begets more laziness, until you are a worthless bum. It leads to, “I’m too tired to do anything; I think I’ll take a nap.” Soon you are too “tired” to even eat (19:24: 26:15)!
What are the consequences of laziness? In a godly world, you would starve to death! The Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible does not allow lazy people to eat (20:4; II Thess 3:10)! An idle soul – a person not moving and working – shall suffer hunger! Because you are lazy, noble employers will not promote you or pay you very much; you will stay in lowly jobs and get poorer and poorer (10:4; 12:24; 13:4). You will soon not have enough to eat..
What is slothfulness? It is acting like a sloth! What is a sloth? The sloth is a mammal that lives in the trees of South America. They move very slowly – upside down. They are the slowest land mammals and travel very sluggishly on the ground (only 5 feet in a minute). When moving through the trees upside down, they travel at a quicker speed (about 12 feet in a minute). Sloths are very lazy animals and sleep an average of 15 hours per day.
Each day brings several tests to prove whether you are a sloth or not. One is in the morning, when it is time to get up. What do you do? If you roll over, cuddle yourself under the blankets, and wish you did not have to get up, you are a sloth. Solomon mocked your antics in bed as resembling a door on hinges, rolling back and forth in the comfort of your covers until poverty has fully destroyed you (6:9-11; 24:33-34; 26:14)! The diligent man is thankful for another day, a place to work, and things to do; he gets up and going!
Another daily test is when you face an unpleasant task, like a sink full of dirty dishes, or a large lawn needing to be cut on a very hot day. You will either, jump on the job and go at it with full strength, or you will tell yourself how miserable it is that you have to work so hard, and groan and moan all the way through it. Don’t be a sloth! Don’t think about how hard a job is! Think about how thankful you are for health, strength, sunshine, lawnmowers, grass, and having your own yard! Get out there and make it look great!
The hard worker gets done first, enjoys working hard, has a sense of accomplishment, and is rewarded by God and men. He is going somewhere! He drives his new car past the yard of the slothful and sees him trudging behind his mower. The slothful man finishes much later, complains about everything, is crushed by a defeated and exhausted spirit, and has his used car repossessed. Fire that bum! The hard worker is happy, promoted, and asking for overtime! The slothful man desperately just wants to take a nap!
It is all about attitude. And your attitude is a choice. If you get up slowly and wish you were still in bed, you will sap your energy and put yourself in slow motion. If you start a job with a sigh and resentment, it will seem like a mountain and take forever. Every job to the slothful man has a hedge of thorns in the way (15:19)! But if you leap up in the morning, thanking God for another day to serve Him, you can be done with several jobs before noon, have a full sense of accomplishment, peace, and joy, and be a great success.
It is a choice. Don’t sit. Don’t think about what you need to do. Don’t think about it being hard. Don’t think about how long it will take. Start the first job now! Get at it! Don’t think! Work! Before you know it, the task is over; you are refreshed by the joy and reward of a job well done; you are rejoicing in your abilities; and men will promote you.
A street bum, a panhandler, who sits and sleeps all day near his park bench, began with a choice one day not to work hard. One day of not working hard made it easier to be slothful the second day. In just a few days, he had lost the habit, conviction, drive, and joy of hard work. He lulled himself to sleep, the sleep of a bum. Sloth! Open your paper bag and drink your cheap wine! Fall down in the gutter and sleep in your own vomit!
The cure? We could rid the country of bums by ending social assistance to such people and firing all slow employees. Our nation’s productivity would leap! Prosperity would abound much more than it does. Starvation is the best teacher of good work habits (16:26; 20:4). Men have a universal tendency to be thankful and motivated about working, when their belly button gets closer to their backbone! If our nation stopped protecting and subsidizing the slothful, men would learn to work, or starve! Either way, society and the workforce are purged of those unworthy of food and drink. What glorious wisdom!
The cure for yourself? Don’t make excuses (22:13; 26:13,16). Get to work! Learn that extra time in bed is a horrible waste (6:9-11; 20:13; 24:30-34). Get up! Attack your job with fiery zeal, as to the King of kings; and think about working for kings, for that may be your next promotion (22:29; Col 3:22-25)! Work is pleasure and a privilege to the godly man, and he will be content with whatever abilities and job God brings his way.
Parent, this is a great lesson to teach your children each day. It does not matter who discovered Bolivia, that the atomic number for titanium is 22, or that Spanish for nachos is nachos! But it does matter how children get up in the morning and attack their tasks for the day. Hard work and a zealous attitude are not the properties of any race, nationality, or temperament; they are rather the marks of the children of God. If you have learned the wisdom of God from this proverb, you will not subsidize or protect slothful children.
Christian reader, the lesson of this proverb applies to all areas of your life, not just employment, washing dishes, or cutting the grass. It includes your attitude and efforts in your marriage, in child training, in personal devotions, prayer, and the worship of God. Are you ambitious, committed, energetic, and fervent in all these duties as well? There is only one way to live and approach our responsibilities – all out for the glory of God!
Never think for a minute that this doctrine is unique to the Old Testament. Paul condemned slothfulness in the New Testament (Rom 12:11; I Thess 4:11-12; Eph 4:28). He ordered the churches not to let lazy people eat (II Thess 3:10-12). And he called for the exclusion of any church members compromising these orders (II Thess 3:6-15). The grace of God that converts sinners, and the proper preaching of His Word, will transform men from the slothful habits and thinking of this lazy and spoiled generation.
Our blessed Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul were diligent workers. Jesus often did not have time for leisure (Mark 3:20-21; 6:31). He didn't want night to come, because He would have to quit working (John 4:34; 9:4; 17:4)! Paul labored more diligently than the other apostles (I Cor 15:10). He preached during the day and worked at night; he preached during the night and worked during the day (Acts 18:3; I Thes 2:9; II Thes 3:8).
There is no room in the kingdom of heaven for lazy and slothful people (Matt 11:12; Luke 9:62; 13:24; I Cor 9:24; Phil 3:14). Neither Jesus nor Paul was slothful, and they are both our examples (I Cor 11:1). They put their hands to the will of God and did it with all their might, just as we should do the various duties God has given us (Eccl 9:10).
Proverbs 19:15
"Slothfulness casteth into a deep sleep;
and an idle soul shall suffer hunger."
Slothfulness is doing a job s-l-o-w-l-y. It is d-r-e-a-d-i-n-g a job and resenting the effort it requires. It is a lazy attitude and effort toward work; and it starts a vicious cycle. Laziness saps your energy, slows you down, intimidates your spirit, and puts you to sleep.. Laziness begets more laziness, until you are a worthless bum. It leads to, “I’m too tired to do anything; I think I’ll take a nap.” Soon you are too “tired” to even eat (19:24: 26:15)!
What are the consequences of laziness? In a godly world, you would starve to death! The Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible does not allow lazy people to eat (20:4; II Thess 3:10)! An idle soul – a person not moving and working – shall suffer hunger! Because you are lazy, noble employers will not promote you or pay you very much; you will stay in lowly jobs and get poorer and poorer (10:4; 12:24; 13:4). You will soon not have enough to eat..
What is slothfulness? It is acting like a sloth! What is a sloth? The sloth is a mammal that lives in the trees of South America. They move very slowly – upside down. They are the slowest land mammals and travel very sluggishly on the ground (only 5 feet in a minute). When moving through the trees upside down, they travel at a quicker speed (about 12 feet in a minute). Sloths are very lazy animals and sleep an average of 15 hours per day.
Each day brings several tests to prove whether you are a sloth or not. One is in the morning, when it is time to get up. What do you do? If you roll over, cuddle yourself under the blankets, and wish you did not have to get up, you are a sloth. Solomon mocked your antics in bed as resembling a door on hinges, rolling back and forth in the comfort of your covers until poverty has fully destroyed you (6:9-11; 24:33-34; 26:14)! The diligent man is thankful for another day, a place to work, and things to do; he gets up and going!
Another daily test is when you face an unpleasant task, like a sink full of dirty dishes, or a large lawn needing to be cut on a very hot day. You will either, jump on the job and go at it with full strength, or you will tell yourself how miserable it is that you have to work so hard, and groan and moan all the way through it. Don’t be a sloth! Don’t think about how hard a job is! Think about how thankful you are for health, strength, sunshine, lawnmowers, grass, and having your own yard! Get out there and make it look great!
The hard worker gets done first, enjoys working hard, has a sense of accomplishment, and is rewarded by God and men. He is going somewhere! He drives his new car past the yard of the slothful and sees him trudging behind his mower. The slothful man finishes much later, complains about everything, is crushed by a defeated and exhausted spirit, and has his used car repossessed. Fire that bum! The hard worker is happy, promoted, and asking for overtime! The slothful man desperately just wants to take a nap!
It is all about attitude. And your attitude is a choice. If you get up slowly and wish you were still in bed, you will sap your energy and put yourself in slow motion. If you start a job with a sigh and resentment, it will seem like a mountain and take forever. Every job to the slothful man has a hedge of thorns in the way (15:19)! But if you leap up in the morning, thanking God for another day to serve Him, you can be done with several jobs before noon, have a full sense of accomplishment, peace, and joy, and be a great success.
It is a choice. Don’t sit. Don’t think about what you need to do. Don’t think about it being hard. Don’t think about how long it will take. Start the first job now! Get at it! Don’t think! Work! Before you know it, the task is over; you are refreshed by the joy and reward of a job well done; you are rejoicing in your abilities; and men will promote you.
A street bum, a panhandler, who sits and sleeps all day near his park bench, began with a choice one day not to work hard. One day of not working hard made it easier to be slothful the second day. In just a few days, he had lost the habit, conviction, drive, and joy of hard work. He lulled himself to sleep, the sleep of a bum. Sloth! Open your paper bag and drink your cheap wine! Fall down in the gutter and sleep in your own vomit!
The cure? We could rid the country of bums by ending social assistance to such people and firing all slow employees. Our nation’s productivity would leap! Prosperity would abound much more than it does. Starvation is the best teacher of good work habits (16:26; 20:4). Men have a universal tendency to be thankful and motivated about working, when their belly button gets closer to their backbone! If our nation stopped protecting and subsidizing the slothful, men would learn to work, or starve! Either way, society and the workforce are purged of those unworthy of food and drink. What glorious wisdom!
The cure for yourself? Don’t make excuses (22:13; 26:13,16). Get to work! Learn that extra time in bed is a horrible waste (6:9-11; 20:13; 24:30-34). Get up! Attack your job with fiery zeal, as to the King of kings; and think about working for kings, for that may be your next promotion (22:29; Col 3:22-25)! Work is pleasure and a privilege to the godly man, and he will be content with whatever abilities and job God brings his way.
Parent, this is a great lesson to teach your children each day. It does not matter who discovered Bolivia, that the atomic number for titanium is 22, or that Spanish for nachos is nachos! But it does matter how children get up in the morning and attack their tasks for the day. Hard work and a zealous attitude are not the properties of any race, nationality, or temperament; they are rather the marks of the children of God. If you have learned the wisdom of God from this proverb, you will not subsidize or protect slothful children.
Christian reader, the lesson of this proverb applies to all areas of your life, not just employment, washing dishes, or cutting the grass. It includes your attitude and efforts in your marriage, in child training, in personal devotions, prayer, and the worship of God. Are you ambitious, committed, energetic, and fervent in all these duties as well? There is only one way to live and approach our responsibilities – all out for the glory of God!
Never think for a minute that this doctrine is unique to the Old Testament. Paul condemned slothfulness in the New Testament (Rom 12:11; I Thess 4:11-12; Eph 4:28). He ordered the churches not to let lazy people eat (II Thess 3:10-12). And he called for the exclusion of any church members compromising these orders (II Thess 3:6-15). The grace of God that converts sinners, and the proper preaching of His Word, will transform men from the slothful habits and thinking of this lazy and spoiled generation.
Our blessed Lord Jesus and the apostle Paul were diligent workers. Jesus often did not have time for leisure (Mark 3:20-21; 6:31). He didn't want night to come, because He would have to quit working (John 4:34; 9:4; 17:4)! Paul labored more diligently than the other apostles (I Cor 15:10). He preached during the day and worked at night; he preached during the night and worked during the day (Acts 18:3; I Thes 2:9; II Thes 3:8).
There is no room in the kingdom of heaven for lazy and slothful people (Matt 11:12; Luke 9:62; 13:24; I Cor 9:24; Phil 3:14). Neither Jesus nor Paul was slothful, and they are both our examples (I Cor 11:1). They put their hands to the will of God and did it with all their might, just as we should do the various duties God has given us (Eccl 9:10).
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The Holy Spirit Can Minister To All Your Needs
By Zac Poonen
In 2 Kings 4: 1 - 7, we read of a preacher’s widow who was in debt. It’s a sad thing when husbands die and leave their wives with a debt. That’s something all of us should avoid at any cost. And preachers especially should avoid getting into debt, because that is a bad testimony. Now the creditor had come to take away her two children as slaves to repay the debt. Elisha asked her what she had in her home. She replied, “Nothing, except a jar of oil.” She called the jar of oil “nothing” and yet the solution to all her problems lay right there. The Lord asked Moses something similar in the desert, “What do you have in your hand.” He only had a shepherd’s staff. That was enough. With that staff, he split the Red Sea, brought water out of the rock and led Israel right up to the borders of the promised land. The widow in Zarephath (whom Elijah visited) had only a small bowl of flour and a little jar of oil. But those contained the solution to all her family’s problems and saved her and her son from death. We too may have some ability that we don’t value and say, “I can’t do anything with that.” But that may be the very thing the Lord wants to use.
This jar of oil here is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes those who serve the Lord say, “I don’t have much money or knowledge. I am not gifted or clever. I don’t have any supporters to give me money. The needs are so great for the Lord’s work. What shall I do?” So you ask them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit?” “Yes.” “Then what else do you need?”
This woman did not realize that the solution to all her problems lay in that jar of oil. Elisha told her, “Go and borrow many large vessels from all your neighbours. Then go into your room, shut the door, and keep pouring from your jar into these vessels. They will all get filled up. Don’t let other people see this miracle. Do it in secret.” (2 Kings 4:3, 4). This was just like Jesus said, “Go shut the door and pray and fast and give your gifts. Don’t let anybody see you do these things.” (Mt.6:1-18).
A man of God must have a secret walk with God where he has dealings with God, before he can stand up in public. Shut the door and you can experience the Holy Spirit ministering to all your needs. Then open the door and share that with others. Thus you can clear your debt.
We have a debt to the whole world – to give them the gospel. Paul said, “I am a debtor to Jews and non-Jews, to the cultured and to the barbarians - to everybody - to give them the gospel of God.” (Rom.1:14)
We also have a debt to the whole church – to every believer – to show them love. The Bible says “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.” (Rom.13:8).
How are we to clear this two-fold debt – to share the gospel with the world and to love every child of God? Is it money we need or human abilities primarily? No. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. That was what Jesus told His disciples to wait for (Acts 1:8). That is what Paul told Timothy to kindle afresh within him (2 Tim.1:6)
Shut the door and seek God in secret. Pursue after love and seek earnestly for the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit and especially for the gift of prophecy (1 Cor.14:1). You can then go forth and clear your debt. That is the message of this passage of Scripture.
That widow filled every vessel she could find. She not only cleared her debt with that oil, but blessed and enriched her neighbours too – for she must have sent those vessels back to them full of oil. That is our calling too – to bless our neighbours and everyone we meet. This is why we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
In 2 Kings 4: 1 - 7, we read of a preacher’s widow who was in debt. It’s a sad thing when husbands die and leave their wives with a debt. That’s something all of us should avoid at any cost. And preachers especially should avoid getting into debt, because that is a bad testimony. Now the creditor had come to take away her two children as slaves to repay the debt. Elisha asked her what she had in her home. She replied, “Nothing, except a jar of oil.” She called the jar of oil “nothing” and yet the solution to all her problems lay right there. The Lord asked Moses something similar in the desert, “What do you have in your hand.” He only had a shepherd’s staff. That was enough. With that staff, he split the Red Sea, brought water out of the rock and led Israel right up to the borders of the promised land. The widow in Zarephath (whom Elijah visited) had only a small bowl of flour and a little jar of oil. But those contained the solution to all her family’s problems and saved her and her son from death. We too may have some ability that we don’t value and say, “I can’t do anything with that.” But that may be the very thing the Lord wants to use.
This jar of oil here is a picture of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes those who serve the Lord say, “I don’t have much money or knowledge. I am not gifted or clever. I don’t have any supporters to give me money. The needs are so great for the Lord’s work. What shall I do?” So you ask them, “Have you received the Holy Spirit?” “Yes.” “Then what else do you need?”
This woman did not realize that the solution to all her problems lay in that jar of oil. Elisha told her, “Go and borrow many large vessels from all your neighbours. Then go into your room, shut the door, and keep pouring from your jar into these vessels. They will all get filled up. Don’t let other people see this miracle. Do it in secret.” (2 Kings 4:3, 4). This was just like Jesus said, “Go shut the door and pray and fast and give your gifts. Don’t let anybody see you do these things.” (Mt.6:1-18).
A man of God must have a secret walk with God where he has dealings with God, before he can stand up in public. Shut the door and you can experience the Holy Spirit ministering to all your needs. Then open the door and share that with others. Thus you can clear your debt.
We have a debt to the whole world – to give them the gospel. Paul said, “I am a debtor to Jews and non-Jews, to the cultured and to the barbarians - to everybody - to give them the gospel of God.” (Rom.1:14)
We also have a debt to the whole church – to every believer – to show them love. The Bible says “Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another.” (Rom.13:8).
How are we to clear this two-fold debt – to share the gospel with the world and to love every child of God? Is it money we need or human abilities primarily? No. We need the power of the Holy Spirit. That was what Jesus told His disciples to wait for (Acts 1:8). That is what Paul told Timothy to kindle afresh within him (2 Tim.1:6)
Shut the door and seek God in secret. Pursue after love and seek earnestly for the supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit and especially for the gift of prophecy (1 Cor.14:1). You can then go forth and clear your debt. That is the message of this passage of Scripture.
That widow filled every vessel she could find. She not only cleared her debt with that oil, but blessed and enriched her neighbours too – for she must have sent those vessels back to them full of oil. That is our calling too – to bless our neighbours and everyone we meet. This is why we need to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Proverbs 15 :16
Better is little with the fear of the LORD than great treasure and trouble therewith.
Get your priorities right! Solomon, who tried everything life can offer, compared things for us, so we can avoid perplexity and the pain of wrong priorities. What is better – being poor with the fear of the LORD, or being rich without it? The answer is simple! Make the fear of the LORD most important in your life, for it has great reward and will save you from trouble. In other words, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim 6:6).
Who cares what’s in the bank, if you know the living God and His Son Jesus Christ? It does not matter what you are eating or wearing, or where you live! The fear of the LORD is a gift from heaven in your soul, for the world has none (Rom 3:18). Many thousands of martyrs burned slowly and painfully at the stake with great hope and peace, for their hearts were filled with the fear of the LORD. They would not bow to any man, confess any heresy, nor defraud their Savior or His scriptures of even one jot or tittle of glory.
What did Solomon conclude after testing every possible means for human happiness and purpose in life? Read it: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl 12:13). There should be no questions in your mind. This is the most important thing for you to find and keep.
This is no servile fear of miserable anxiety and debilitating intimidation – this is the awestruck reverence and overwhelming affection for the blessed and glorious God that fills the soul with confident joy! It leads to angry hatred for sin and passionate craving for holiness. It causes sober trembling before His blessed word and eager desire to learn more. It leads to a life of godliness and love with fruit the world can never bear.
The real issue here is the fruit of fearing God – godly living in truth and wisdom. Note the contrast with “trouble.” And compare these similar statements: “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right” (16:8). “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich” (28:6). “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked” (Ps 37:16).
Fearing God will bring peace and joy, confidence and contentment, and all the blessings of heaven (10:22; Ps 112:1-3; 115:13; 128:1-6; 147:11; 145:19). Guaranteed! Why would you want anything else? Treasure by itself is vanity and vexation of spirit, as Ecclesiastes describes in detail; but it is even more so with the trouble that comes from not fearing the Lord (12:21; 19:23). Even poverty can be okay, if you fear the Lord. If all this is true, and it is; then great care must be used to marry and live with one fearing the LORD (31:30).
Get your priorities right! Solomon, who tried everything life can offer, compared things for us, so we can avoid perplexity and the pain of wrong priorities. What is better – being poor with the fear of the LORD, or being rich without it? The answer is simple! Make the fear of the LORD most important in your life, for it has great reward and will save you from trouble. In other words, “Godliness with contentment is great gain” (I Tim 6:6).
Who cares what’s in the bank, if you know the living God and His Son Jesus Christ? It does not matter what you are eating or wearing, or where you live! The fear of the LORD is a gift from heaven in your soul, for the world has none (Rom 3:18). Many thousands of martyrs burned slowly and painfully at the stake with great hope and peace, for their hearts were filled with the fear of the LORD. They would not bow to any man, confess any heresy, nor defraud their Savior or His scriptures of even one jot or tittle of glory.
What did Solomon conclude after testing every possible means for human happiness and purpose in life? Read it: “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man” (Eccl 12:13). There should be no questions in your mind. This is the most important thing for you to find and keep.
This is no servile fear of miserable anxiety and debilitating intimidation – this is the awestruck reverence and overwhelming affection for the blessed and glorious God that fills the soul with confident joy! It leads to angry hatred for sin and passionate craving for holiness. It causes sober trembling before His blessed word and eager desire to learn more. It leads to a life of godliness and love with fruit the world can never bear.
The real issue here is the fruit of fearing God – godly living in truth and wisdom. Note the contrast with “trouble.” And compare these similar statements: “Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right” (16:8). “Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich” (28:6). “A little that a righteous man hath is better than the riches of many wicked” (Ps 37:16).
Fearing God will bring peace and joy, confidence and contentment, and all the blessings of heaven (10:22; Ps 112:1-3; 115:13; 128:1-6; 147:11; 145:19). Guaranteed! Why would you want anything else? Treasure by itself is vanity and vexation of spirit, as Ecclesiastes describes in detail; but it is even more so with the trouble that comes from not fearing the Lord (12:21; 19:23). Even poverty can be okay, if you fear the Lord. If all this is true, and it is; then great care must be used to marry and live with one fearing the LORD (31:30).
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