15 December 2008
' Trust the Lord with all your heart, and don't depend on your own understanding. Remember the Lord in all you do, and He will give you success' Pro 3:5-6
The moment we turn our eyes from Him and we trust ourselves more than Him, we are heading toward a spiritual decline in our walk with Him. It cuts both ways.
1) Pride: it is unhealthy and when such arrogance slips into our thinking, we become convinced that we are in control of our own world and this will affect our behaviours, our attitudes, and our relationship with people around us. Pride stinks the nostril of our God.
2) Despair: this happens when we face inevitable difficulties and setbacks of life that are outside of our control - illness, a difficult relationship and an economic downturn.
To have strong defense against these 'odds' , the bible tells us to daily trust in Him for He is the source of all good gifts, provisions, the only safe refuge. When life becomes difficult, he steers us from the twin dangers of pride and despair.
Psalms 40:3-5 , God reminded us that he is always thinking of us despite our disobedience and rebellion against Him. It is a privilege to know that He is thinking of us. The prophet Jeremiah tells us that His thoughts toward us is for our well being and it is the thought of peace in us and we will have an expected end.
Take heart, God will not abandon us. It is us who abandon Him.
The Lord's Vineyard
20 November 2007
'What more could have been done to My vineyard ,That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?' Isa 5:4
The prophet Isaiah told the story of a man with a vineyard on a fertile hill. The man cultivated the ground and removed the stones so that nothing would hinder the vines’ growth. He planted only the best quality vines. He built a tower in the middle of the vineyard so he could watch for wild animals and intruders. He constructed a wine vat so that he would be ready for the ripe grapes.
Then he waited. Rather than producing good grapes, however, the vineyard produced worthless ones. The story illustrates the relationship between God and His people. God has done everything necessary for us to produce an abundance of spiritual fruit in our lives. He saved us when we were without hope. He gave us His Holy Spirit to produce fruit in our lives (Ga 5:22-23). He removed our sin so that we are free to serve Him. We have the Bible in numerous translations. We have access to more Christian books, music, videos, conferences, schools, radio and television stations, magazines, and seminars than ever before. There are churches of every kind and size. We have teachers and pastors to instruct us and encourage us. Most of all, we have direct access to God through prayer. Jesus said that to whom much is given, much is expected (Lk 12:48).
One day God will hold us accountable for all that He has done for us. He will ask us to show Him the fruit of all of His bountiful provision for our lives. What will He find?
'What more could have been done to My vineyard ,That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?' Isa 5:4
The prophet Isaiah told the story of a man with a vineyard on a fertile hill. The man cultivated the ground and removed the stones so that nothing would hinder the vines’ growth. He planted only the best quality vines. He built a tower in the middle of the vineyard so he could watch for wild animals and intruders. He constructed a wine vat so that he would be ready for the ripe grapes.
Then he waited. Rather than producing good grapes, however, the vineyard produced worthless ones. The story illustrates the relationship between God and His people. God has done everything necessary for us to produce an abundance of spiritual fruit in our lives. He saved us when we were without hope. He gave us His Holy Spirit to produce fruit in our lives (Ga 5:22-23). He removed our sin so that we are free to serve Him. We have the Bible in numerous translations. We have access to more Christian books, music, videos, conferences, schools, radio and television stations, magazines, and seminars than ever before. There are churches of every kind and size. We have teachers and pastors to instruct us and encourage us. Most of all, we have direct access to God through prayer. Jesus said that to whom much is given, much is expected (Lk 12:48).
One day God will hold us accountable for all that He has done for us. He will ask us to show Him the fruit of all of His bountiful provision for our lives. What will He find?
Wait on the Lord
19 November 2007
'Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Ps 27:14
Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be people of action. We feel better if we are doing something to address our need, but waiting forces us to rely on God. David learned what it meant to wait. He was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel, then spent years waiting for the day God's Word would come to pass in his life. As he waited, a paranoid, egocentric king occupied the throne that had been promised to him. David spent his time hiding in caves and living among his enemies. As he waited he saw good friends murdered and his family and possessions taken. He saw Israel's enemies wreak havoc on his nation. Perhaps no one ever faced greater adversity while waiting upon God's promise than David did. He certainly understood what it meant to become discouraged and fearful.
But David also enjoyed the reward for waiting upon the Lord. He became the greatest king in Israel's history, and, more importantly, through his trials he became a man after God's own heart. The psalms David wrote during his days as a fugitive have been cherished words of encouragement for millions of people through the ages. Through David's descendants came the Messiah. David's willingness to wait has blessed us all.
Times of waiting on the Lord can be some of the most precious moments in your life (Jn 11:1-6). If you are waiting on God for something, read Isa 40:31 and find encouragement as you wait for Him to fulfill His promises to you.
'Wait on the Lord; Be of good courage, And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord! Ps 27:14
Waiting is one of the hardest things to do. We want to be people of action. We feel better if we are doing something to address our need, but waiting forces us to rely on God. David learned what it meant to wait. He was chosen by God to be the next king of Israel, then spent years waiting for the day God's Word would come to pass in his life. As he waited, a paranoid, egocentric king occupied the throne that had been promised to him. David spent his time hiding in caves and living among his enemies. As he waited he saw good friends murdered and his family and possessions taken. He saw Israel's enemies wreak havoc on his nation. Perhaps no one ever faced greater adversity while waiting upon God's promise than David did. He certainly understood what it meant to become discouraged and fearful.
But David also enjoyed the reward for waiting upon the Lord. He became the greatest king in Israel's history, and, more importantly, through his trials he became a man after God's own heart. The psalms David wrote during his days as a fugitive have been cherished words of encouragement for millions of people through the ages. Through David's descendants came the Messiah. David's willingness to wait has blessed us all.
Times of waiting on the Lord can be some of the most precious moments in your life (Jn 11:1-6). If you are waiting on God for something, read Isa 40:31 and find encouragement as you wait for Him to fulfill His promises to you.
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