Ancient Words Ever True

Just when I thought I have been able to love and do so correctly, I realized I don't even understand its stance. It unveils itself in new dimensions daily, making it difficult for it to be understood in full, yet we are obliged to owe no man nothing but love (Romans 13:8). Romans 5:6, "While we were yet sinners, Christ Jesus died for us" . Jesus happens to be the only one I have known (there are possibly others whom I do not know) with such practical mode of love expressing all the qualities of love as stated in 1 Corinthians  13. We humans have no form of beauty or ability to repay Him for this kind gesture / love, yet He chose to love us. Humans tend to love (only) people who are related to them, who has profited them or will profit them and who wins their heart. Will you still be committed to love and fulfill your plans for a girl who turns down your proposal and vice versa? There will come a time when all that you based your love upon will fall apart, at that p...

The theme, New Creation Realities , is one of the more popular preaching themes in recent times. Usually, teachers of this theme fall into two categories: One: those who promote our new reality in Christ in such a way that it appears that Sin and Backsliding are no longer things to worry about in this era of Grace. The other: those who, in a bid to counter or correct the perceived errors of the first group, promote the reality and consequences of Sin and Backsliding so much that Grace is only given lip service. There is - or ought to be - a third category. This category, which I consider most important and most relevant for us believers, focus the light on what we ought to do. The first category focuses on what God has done and suggests - intentionally or not - that we have nothing else to do. The second category tries too hard to correct the first, thereby making it look like what Christ did nothing. In the past few years of contact with Christians, I'm willing to bet tha...

Normally we don't imagine God will ever get fed up by the callousness of His (chosen) people. Sure we have this idea that He will punish evil eventually, but the overriding thought is that we can always come back to Him if we stray away. So we stray - happily - for as long as we like, without worrying about restitution: all we need is to say, "God I'm sorry." Right? Or maybe not, for "God has forgiven our future sins"; so why bother? Regardless of what we think about God, the testimony of Scripture is that God does get fed up with the callousness, faithlessness and hypocrisy of His people; and when that happens, He unleashes His fury - unless someone does something about it to stop Him. Eli was quite naive, never mind that he was a veteran priest. When the word came to him (the second time) that God was fed up, he simply said "“He is the Lord. May He do what He thinks is right.” In fact, his naivety is best seen in the 'counsel' he...

"One thing I ask from the Lord, this only do I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze on the beauty of the Lord and to seek him in his temple." - Psalm 27:4 NIV No doubt, everyone who has had some real encounter or experience with God will have the same desire and request David had, and will want to do whatever it takes to fulfill that desire. Unfortunately, God is not going to grant that request because He has a different plan for us. There's absolutely no value in God having us dwell in His House all the days of our lives gazing at His beauty, neither is there any value in us building "three booths" so we don't have to leave the "mountain of transfiguration." What God really wants is for us to get out there, into the world. He needs ambassadors out there to represent Him and help show the world what the Kingdom of Heaven is like. He needs witnesses out there to tell of His goodness, power and ...

“The thing that hath been, it is that which shall be; and that which is done is that which shall be done: and there is no new thing under the sun.” - Ecclesiastes 1:9 When you’ve been around as long as I have, you can look back over your life and note the events that changed your perspective and influenced how things turned out for you. They’re called turning points. They’re few and far between, and with good reason. Too many and your life would be one big chaotic mess. Of maybe five or six major turning points that truly influenced the outcome for me, one stands apart. And I’m going to share it with you because it just might make a real difference for you, as it did for me. I’m not exactly a bible scholar, but I do have a thing for the simple poetic wisdom of the Book of Ecclesiastes. I actually have my own versions of some of its key messages that I recite from time to time, including this one: The longer you live and the wiser you become, the more you’ll realize how littl...

"And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born?" - Acts 2:8 NASB Today is Pentecost (aka Whit Sunday)! Being in a highly multi-cultural environment, we utilized the opportunity to act a little drama in church - getting as many people in the congregation as possible to read simultaneously Acts 2:1-21 in languages other than English. It shed a little light in our hearts on what happened that day when people from 16 different countries were gathered in Jerusalem for the (Jewish) feast of Pentecost and the Holy Spirit showed up in the Upper Room. One miracle on that day was that everybody gathered could hear the disciples speak in their own native language. No translations or interpretations were necessary. It was direct, clear and undeniable. Reflecting on the theme of the day, I submit that we will have a stronger impact in our world when we are able to "speak" to people in the language to which they were born. And I am convinc...