Where are you??

Well very much in Mumbai! or at Office/Home!! An obvious response when it comes to a question such as that. While living out our lives on this earth in whatever role and whichever place that we are kept in, it is necessary that we stop and examine where we truly are. Running back and forth and striving to achieve all that we have set out to achieve, we may not truly realize our current position.

"Where are you?" was a question that rang out to Adam in the garden of Eden. God asked Adam that question. Adam was given the rule over the garden of God!! But when that question came to him.... he really wan't found in that leadership position. Adam realized he was naked! He realized that he could no longer face God with the same boldness that he did every day in the cool of the evening. He knew that he could no longer walk with God and talk to him freely. Sin had separated him and his dear Creator. The punishment of disobedience, death had entered his life. He was found hiding behind the bushes.

Where is our spiritual life?? Is there anything that is taking away the joy of talking and walking with God? Is there anything that is hindering our communion with Him?

God slew the lamb in the garden of Eden to cover Adam. The lamb of God, Jesus Christ has been slain for us - both for our past, present and future. Let us draw near to God and He will cover us. And we can enjoy His presence again.

That’s what friends are for

Keep smiling. Keep shining. That’s what friends are for!! An old song which often reminds me of the qualities expected from friends around us.
In a village yonder years ago was a man who was paralysed from his neck downwards and was completely bed ridden. He had four friends. He could neither run nor join his friends in a walk in the park. He could not go hiking with them. All that he could do was cheer on the sidelines when his friends played a game of football. Years rolled by and he was resigned to his fate.

One day there came news of a man who entered their little village. His fame preceded Him. It was said that He had healed many who were blind, many who were deaf, many who were stricken with demons and raised even the dead. He entered the village and went straight to a house. On hearing of His arrival, the entire village descended into that house. The house was full and crowds spilled out into the streets all around the house to hear this great man’s discourses and to see Him.

The four friends ran to their paralysed friend and carried him up along with the cot on their shoulders and ran to that house. They hoped of healing for their friend. When they reached that house, there was no way they could enter the house because of the crowds. Did they give up?? NO.NIEN. They climbed up the roof. Remember these were houses constructed in the yonder years. No stairs. No lifts. Probably just a ladder. Now imagine four people carrying a cot with a paralysed man on it and climbing up. Not only did they climb onto the roof but broke open the roof to let the man down into the middle of the room. The room was full of people and with the roof being broken up, there would have been a whole lot shouting and cursing going up against the friends’ actions. But it did not deter them.
No wonder Jesus looked at their faith (note that it was the friends faith) and healed the paralysed man. (Mark 2: 1-12)

How many times do we come across friends who are spiritually paralysed. Many who are backslidden and living their lives in habits that keep them away from God’s presence. And as self righteous christians, we shun them and do not make any attempt at restoring them to God’s presence. We surely would have done some attempt and at the least show of resistance, we would have walked away and said that s/he deserves the condition s/he is in. We would have been hurt with the way s/he would have reacted to our effort of restoration and given up all effort. The paralysed person in this instance too would have shown dissent on being carried to the house for healing. He would have shown disbelief on being told that there was a chance of healing for him. He would have resisted efforts at being carried up to the roof. But Praise GOD for the four friends who persisted. They kept their chin up, smiled on in the face of resistance and kept shining through their faith in God. Their efforts and faith brought healing into the life of their friend.

What about you? Will you not persist with your friend? Will you not have faith in the healing ability of God? Will you not love your friend as much as God loved you???

Work - Curse or a Blessing?

When I was asked this question, I naturally reacted by calling work a curse. I have asked the same question many times over to hundreds of young people and the answer was the same. Whenever mom gave me a chore to do, whenever I had to catch the rush hour 8.05 local to Churchgate to reach office or was tasked with some assignment or the other at the place of work, I couldn’t but wonder if this was the result of sin. I remembered the garden of Eden and the wonderful way Adam could walk around the park, pluck fruits to eat, play around with lions and in the cool of the day have fellowship with God. A far cry from my current work filled existence. I reasoned that it was the disobedience of Adam that led to the curse of tilling the land and of bringing forth food to eat with sweat and toil (Gen 3:17). Work had to be a curse.
Then came into my life the wonderful verse from the word of God, “The BIBLE”. Genesis 2:2,3 – God rested from all his work!!! God Worked!?!
If God did work, how can it be a curse? God expressed his creativity and wisdom through His work – the creation of the entire universe, galaxies and of the human being. Psalmist cries out and says, “how fearfully and wonderfully am I made”. In the light of this word, work suddenly had a new meaning. It had to be an opportunity for God’s children to express their own creativity – whatever be the task. God saved us from the wicked world – while we were yet dead in sins and tresspasses, He made us alive in Christ Jesus. The word of God records that He has put His treasure in this earthern vessel. We have to express this hidden treasure through the work that we do. So go out, whatever be the task, however menial, however complicated, pray and seek God’s help in expressing the hidden treasure in you. God’s wisdom, Christ in you may be manifested.

Faith test

Bible Reading – 1 Pet 1:7 – Test of the crucible of faith.

The trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ.

Many situations in our lives test our faith. God allows these tests to happen in our life as it produces a three fold fruit – Praise, Honour and Glory. It is difficult for us to understand the fruit when in the middle of the test. All that we can see is the unending pain and suffering that seems to envelop us. But the word of God tells us that we will be able to see the fruit at the appearing of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. When He appears, we also shall appear with Him in Glory. And to Honour and Praise. What a day it will be.

The trial is a very personal test. It is not plural in nature and you have to undertake it alone. The crucible of YOUR faith will be put through the trial of fire. Even in the case of Job we see that he had to endure the trial all alone. His three best friends came running when they heard about his suffering. However they turned out to be tormentors rather than be comforters. Each one of them judged him and said that it would be sin in Job’s life that was bringing about this pain and suffering. This was far from truth as God’s testimony about Job was that he was an upright man and that there was none like Job on the whole earth.

One’s wife is one’s only solace in the face of complete despair. When friends fail, a man turns to his wife for comfort. Job’s wife was no balm. She offered not comfort but instead had harsh words for Job. “Curse God and die” – Job endured even that.

Gold when put through fire becomes precious as it undergoes the process of purification. Our faith is already precious in the sight of God. Then why the trial of fire? Because it produces a far greater thing – Glory. May the Lord give us the heart of Job to be able to join and say “I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God”. Amen!

Looking up

When the Psalmist said "From whence comest my help?", he followed it up by acknowledging the maker of heaven and earth and that his helper was none else.

For 18 years the lady was bent down and could not see up. It was not some physical ailment but the spirit of infirmity which bent her down. She could not see the sights and sounds around her. The laughter of children around her would have spurred her to lift up and join them, but she could not. She could not lift up her face to the sky and have rain drop down on her face. She could not look up at the source of the bright sunshine around her nor the soft glow of the moon that played around her feet. All that she could see was the earth - the very earth that reminded her of where she came from and where she would return to. 18 long years. She surely would have sought help from all and sundry. But none turned out to be her helper.

One day in her life came Jesus. He called out to her. Touched her and she was healed. She could now stand straight. Her eyes now shifted from the earth to its very maker. She could behold HIS Glory.

Where are you looking? What are you bent down with? Which spirit of Infirmity is bearing you down?

Let Jesus into your life and touch you. And you shall behold the Glory of your Maker

In the Fire

Without being in Fire, one cannot expect to be valued. Gold is impure if does not go through the fire. Silver is not silver unless it goes through fire. Both these metals have no value unless they pass through the fire.
We have no value if do not pass through FIRE. The process of refinement comes only when once passes through fire. All those imperfections melt away when we pass through fire and that which is of value remains.
But FIRE is a painful experience. One hates to be through the FIRE even if it means for betterment.
Thankfully the process of refinement through the FIRE is managed by the refiner. He sits through the process of refinement. Never lets his eye off the metal even for a moment. Sitting close to the FIRE, experiencing the heat, allowing the right temperature, feeling the heat himself, watching over the metal and the refinement process, ensuring that all impurities are removed and resting from His work only when HIS image is relfected in the metal. Creating iternal value in us. Value that is acceptable in eternity. Unto Honor. Fit for the Master's use.
God our eternal Refiner. With the promise of "I will never leave you nor forsake you".

Do not fret, it causes harm

Fret is often associated with the Guitar. It is the metal strip grooved in into the neck of the Guitar and when the string is pressed down behind the fret, it causes musical notes to emanate. The fret this statement refers to, is the musical notes (rather the constant groaning) that we create when pressed down by a pressure filled situation. Caused either by colleagues at work, friends, family, circumstances or anything else. We come across these situations in our every day life. And we fret.
Psalm 37 is a perfect read for those who are fretting at this very moment. God is in control of all our situations. He is ruling above all and will make way for us in all our situations. Trust in HIM, relax and stop fretting. It causes HARM!