While the lost humanity look for love, the 'restored' humanity look for community where they can share the love they have found. This blog sphere is a great community where we can share the love of God with each other and be encouraged.
I can’t tell how much I am blessed by the brothers and sisters who take time to share their thoughts here and also on their own respective blogs.
Though this is a two dimensional media, there are many advantages. People like me who are really introverts can really open up and be an extrovert behind the key board. Others can read/comment at their own convenient time and pace. This is more than practical!
Putting down the religious mask and being ‘real’ is so relieving and refreshing. I do not need to manufacture fake spirituality here. I do not need to invent ‘formulas’ to tap God and fake up encounters.
This is where I learn, this is where I think, this is where I can laugh and even cry.
We come out of the box here, share our deepest struggles; some times a new found wisdom, some times a joke, some times few lyrics of a favorite song. What a way of fellowshipping!
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Leaving people free...
Leaving people free and authentic is always a struggle for me. I have enough patience to do Bible study with them for couple of months and after that if I don’t see the ‘desired’ results, I get frustrated.
The good news is that I know what my problem is. I am so ‘result’ oriented. I find it hard to surrender the ‘results’ totally unto God. I am fearful that I don’t see any fruits at all.
If I do something due to His initiation, why would I care about the consequences?
There are only 2 possible answers – either it was not initiated by God or I am unable to walk by faith.
My flesh desires ‘instant’ results when God talks about ‘growing’. Growing requires time. We are curious (I believe curiosity is from the flesh) to know if the ‘seed’ is really growing. But by digging a sowed seed again and again, we could be very well disrupting its growth!
‘neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.’ I thank God for such lessons where I reconcile the fact that I am nothing and He is everything.
The good news is that I know what my problem is. I am so ‘result’ oriented. I find it hard to surrender the ‘results’ totally unto God. I am fearful that I don’t see any fruits at all.
If I do something due to His initiation, why would I care about the consequences?
There are only 2 possible answers – either it was not initiated by God or I am unable to walk by faith.
My flesh desires ‘instant’ results when God talks about ‘growing’. Growing requires time. We are curious (I believe curiosity is from the flesh) to know if the ‘seed’ is really growing. But by digging a sowed seed again and again, we could be very well disrupting its growth!
‘neither he who plants nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow.’ I thank God for such lessons where I reconcile the fact that I am nothing and He is everything.
Monday, November 12, 2007
Unstable
I have been unstable in dealing with people who do not receive the message of Grace. Hatred is easily aroused in me towards them and I know that shouldn't be the case.I see them as prideful as they don't receive it. I know that my intention shouldn't be to convert a person to my thinking pattern. My intention shouldn't be to force this message on someone, no matter how deeply I care for them.
It is the 'controlling spirit' which tells me to control people. It is the perfectionist spirit which takes the graceful tolerance from me. Am I growing upward or downward? Sometimes I wonder, where is my so called maturity? Why would I think arrogantly that I can love people irrespective of their beliefs? Why am I not able to leave the 'results' totally unto God?
It is the 'controlling spirit' which tells me to control people. It is the perfectionist spirit which takes the graceful tolerance from me. Am I growing upward or downward? Sometimes I wonder, where is my so called maturity? Why would I think arrogantly that I can love people irrespective of their beliefs? Why am I not able to leave the 'results' totally unto God?
Friday, November 9, 2007
Having it and putting it on are two different things.
You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires;
23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 5: 23-24)
For most of us after going through a process of tossing here and there on the matter of faith, we come to a conclusion that by believing and receiving Christ and Christ alone God gives us the authority to become His children. That is where spiritual life starts. It also means that we are a new creation, a new self. I think having a new self and putting it on are two different things. Having a new self is a gift from God and there is absolutely nothing we do to attain it. But putting the new self on is a continuous attitude of our heart. (Again, it is an attitude of heart, it is not a work.)
It is up to us to 'put on' the new self and 'put off' the old self. The fact is that the old self is gone for ever but we can still act as the old 'caterpillars' though we are butterflies. Here in Ephesians, Apostle Paul is encouraging us to 'put off' our old self, our former way of life, life of hopelessness, life as the children of darkness. He says, 'to be made new in the attitude of our minds' and to 'put on the new self' which is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Our new self is created to be like God! The imparted righteousness is no less that His own righteousness. It is amazing!
We enter God's tapestry, we are His children who are truly righteous and holy. There is nothing we can do to add or subtract from it. It is a done deal. But we still have the potential to act as the 'old person'. It is the attitude we develop over the time by the renewing of our mind, enabling us to set our heart on the things above. Romans 12:2 reminds us about the continuous transformation by renewing of our mind.
NLT says to 'throw off' the old self and 'put on' the new self. NLT also does a good job on verse 23: it says, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. So it is the Spirit who does it or we allowing the Spirit to do it, we allow the Word of God to do its work in us on a daily basis.
AMP says, Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.
We have the coat, it is ours but we can still hang it there in the closet or wear it. it is up to us! No matter what we do coat is always ours.
Having a 'fresh mental and spiritual attitude' about who we are in Christ is so refreshing, so uplifting, so relieving, so peaceful, but we keep forgetting it. CS Lewis once said, "people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."
23to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. (Ephesians 5: 23-24)
For most of us after going through a process of tossing here and there on the matter of faith, we come to a conclusion that by believing and receiving Christ and Christ alone God gives us the authority to become His children. That is where spiritual life starts. It also means that we are a new creation, a new self. I think having a new self and putting it on are two different things. Having a new self is a gift from God and there is absolutely nothing we do to attain it. But putting the new self on is a continuous attitude of our heart. (Again, it is an attitude of heart, it is not a work.)
It is up to us to 'put on' the new self and 'put off' the old self. The fact is that the old self is gone for ever but we can still act as the old 'caterpillars' though we are butterflies. Here in Ephesians, Apostle Paul is encouraging us to 'put off' our old self, our former way of life, life of hopelessness, life as the children of darkness. He says, 'to be made new in the attitude of our minds' and to 'put on the new self' which is created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness. Our new self is created to be like God! The imparted righteousness is no less that His own righteousness. It is amazing!
We enter God's tapestry, we are His children who are truly righteous and holy. There is nothing we can do to add or subtract from it. It is a done deal. But we still have the potential to act as the 'old person'. It is the attitude we develop over the time by the renewing of our mind, enabling us to set our heart on the things above. Romans 12:2 reminds us about the continuous transformation by renewing of our mind.
NLT says to 'throw off' the old self and 'put on' the new self. NLT also does a good job on verse 23: it says, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. So it is the Spirit who does it or we allowing the Spirit to do it, we allow the Word of God to do its work in us on a daily basis.
AMP says, Be constantly renewed in the spirit of your mind [having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude], And put on the new nature (the regenerate self) created in God's image, [Godlike] in true righteousness and holiness.
We have the coat, it is ours but we can still hang it there in the closet or wear it. it is up to us! No matter what we do coat is always ours.
Having a 'fresh mental and spiritual attitude' about who we are in Christ is so refreshing, so uplifting, so relieving, so peaceful, but we keep forgetting it. CS Lewis once said, "people need to be reminded more often than they need to be instructed."
Wednesday, November 7, 2007
Millions and billions
In the letters, Grassley asks for everything from Hinn's hotel bills and food costs to an explanation of why Copeland's Eagle Mountain International Church, with assets of $20 million, needed to borrow about $1 million from Copeland's wife, Gloria.
While Hinn's financial headquarters is in Grapevine, his parsonage is at 35 Ritz Cove in Dana Point, Calif. It is valued at $2.3 million, according to Orange County treasurer-tax collector records.
Copeland's parsonage, identified in Grassley's letter as being located at 6000 Indian Creek Road in unincorporated Tarrant County, is valued at $4.1 million, according to Tarrant Appraisal District records.
Copeland's use of aircraft, including a Cessna Citation X jet, is also at issue. The current price for the jet, the fastest nonmilitary aircraft made, is $20.16 million, said a spokesman for Cessna, based in Wichita, Kan.
Read full article at: http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/294870.html
What I am wondering is this:
Where is Jesus of the Bible in the middle of all these millions and billions who said:
"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."?
While Hinn's financial headquarters is in Grapevine, his parsonage is at 35 Ritz Cove in Dana Point, Calif. It is valued at $2.3 million, according to Orange County treasurer-tax collector records.
Copeland's parsonage, identified in Grassley's letter as being located at 6000 Indian Creek Road in unincorporated Tarrant County, is valued at $4.1 million, according to Tarrant Appraisal District records.
Copeland's use of aircraft, including a Cessna Citation X jet, is also at issue. The current price for the jet, the fastest nonmilitary aircraft made, is $20.16 million, said a spokesman for Cessna, based in Wichita, Kan.
Read full article at: http://www.star-telegram.com/metro_news/story/294870.html
What I am wondering is this:
Where is Jesus of the Bible in the middle of all these millions and billions who said:
"Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head."?
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
Man cannot fix man.
As Bob George says, man trying to fix man is like a Chevrolet trying to fix another Chevrolet.
Man has a problem - spiritual death. He is born spiritually dead in the nature of Adam. Death is the absence of life and the only person who can restore that life is Christ Jesus.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
I am the bread of life.
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
I have come that they may have life.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way and the truth and the life.
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Many people do not realize that their root problem is spiritual death and then we have the so called psychologists who can convince us that they can fix us using drugs and worldly philosophies. It is like putting a band-aid on the lit 'check engine' light on the dashboard of the car!
Man has a problem - spiritual death. He is born spiritually dead in the nature of Adam. Death is the absence of life and the only person who can restore that life is Christ Jesus.
In him was life, and that life was the light of men.
Yet you refuse to come to me to have life.
For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.
I am the bread of life.
I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.
I have come that they may have life.
I am the resurrection and the life.
I am the way and the truth and the life.
But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.
Many people do not realize that their root problem is spiritual death and then we have the so called psychologists who can convince us that they can fix us using drugs and worldly philosophies. It is like putting a band-aid on the lit 'check engine' light on the dashboard of the car!
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Nothing will work other than Christ Himself.
Follow up of the previous post Christianity is not working for many, even for pastors!
I come from a place where communism still exits not only it exists but has a tremendous impact on people’s lives. There are many who have been martyred for that man made ‘ism’. There are many who are still ready to die.
When we see Christianity just as a belief system, a technique for living in peace, an organization for having companionship of others, a place for children to grow morally acceptable, then it is nothing but another ‘ism’ or 'ology' which outwardly looks very attractive but never works in the practicality of being connected to the creator.
Jesus did not invite us to an organized set of principles to hold on to improve life in this world. He invited as to ‘Him’, to that person of Christ, to the living Word who had been made flesh. He did not point out a way for us to try and fail. He said He IS the way. He did not explain the secrets of being happy and harmonious by being a blind follower of certain existing natural truths. He said He IS the truth.
When Yonggi Cho of South Korea borrowed the ‘name it and claim it’ philosophy from ‘Buddhism’ he thought that is going to be a version of ‘working Christianity’ and it soon spread all over the world like a wild fire. It sounds attractive, it produced a new generation of ‘positive thinking’ and ‘positive talking’ people. Is it working? Not really! But people are trapped. They give themselves for their belief system though it doesn’t work.
The pride of man does not let him proclaim the fact that it doesn’t really work.
Nothing, absolutely nothing will work long term other than the truth, the way and the life which is Christ himself. That is a guarantee like the death.
It is Jesus who forgives us, saves us, sustains us, gives us blessed hope, securing us in Father's hands, intercedes for us, He is our very life and it is He who lives in us and through us.
I come from a place where communism still exits not only it exists but has a tremendous impact on people’s lives. There are many who have been martyred for that man made ‘ism’. There are many who are still ready to die.
When we see Christianity just as a belief system, a technique for living in peace, an organization for having companionship of others, a place for children to grow morally acceptable, then it is nothing but another ‘ism’ or 'ology' which outwardly looks very attractive but never works in the practicality of being connected to the creator.
Jesus did not invite us to an organized set of principles to hold on to improve life in this world. He invited as to ‘Him’, to that person of Christ, to the living Word who had been made flesh. He did not point out a way for us to try and fail. He said He IS the way. He did not explain the secrets of being happy and harmonious by being a blind follower of certain existing natural truths. He said He IS the truth.
When Yonggi Cho of South Korea borrowed the ‘name it and claim it’ philosophy from ‘Buddhism’ he thought that is going to be a version of ‘working Christianity’ and it soon spread all over the world like a wild fire. It sounds attractive, it produced a new generation of ‘positive thinking’ and ‘positive talking’ people. Is it working? Not really! But people are trapped. They give themselves for their belief system though it doesn’t work.
The pride of man does not let him proclaim the fact that it doesn’t really work.
Nothing, absolutely nothing will work long term other than the truth, the way and the life which is Christ himself. That is a guarantee like the death.
It is Jesus who forgives us, saves us, sustains us, gives us blessed hope, securing us in Father's hands, intercedes for us, He is our very life and it is He who lives in us and through us.
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