Be RICH – in giving..!!

Let’s read 1 Timothy 6:17, 18 & Luke 6:38 in tandem

“Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share”

“Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you”

Mother Teresa once said “I have found the paradox, that if you love until it hurts, there can be no more hurt, only more love”. It is said that she had only Five Rupees when she first started her mission in Kolkata. She gave all that she had to the needy. She dedicated her whole life in response to the call from above. 

She was certainly RICH- in good deeds, in always being generous and in always willing to share what she had with the needy. The more she gave, the more she received (to give more). She endeavoured to provide basic necessities (food, shelter and clothing) to the poor and needy and was hugely successful in doing so for decades. But, her true motivation and strength to do what she did came from God alone. 

She only passed on the LOVE she received from God. She exercised this LOVE through charity and care. The more she LOVED others, the more she experienced the overwhelming AGAPE (divine) LOVE. So much so that this LOVE melted her hurt into PEACE..!!

For God so LOVED you and me that He gave his BEST (Jesus Christ) to us. Are you seeking to pass this LOVE onto others to glorify God by imitating Him??

Know THE WAY, to show THE WAY...!!!

Let’s read John 14: 5, 6, 7

Thomas said to Jesus, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know THE WAY?”Jesus answered, “I am THE WAY and THE TRUTH and THE LIFE. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him”.

All of us interact with “present day gentiles” (people who don’t know Christ) in whatever possible capacity on a daily basis. They could be your fellow students at school/college/ university or colleagues at work place. If you notice them carefully you will realise that they also ask you the same question that Thomas asked Jesus in the above passage:

“SO how can we know THE WAY?”

They may not SAY it out in exactly the same way. They may not even use words...!!! How can you hear them then?? First of all you need to separate yourself from the things of the WORLD and immerse yourself in the truth of the WORD. Then you will start seeing things from God’s perspective. Then you will start hearing the inaudible. 

Jesus Christ is the ONLY WAY. And to be able to show this WAY to others around us, we need to be connected to THE TRUTH and live THE LIFE of Christ through THE WORD.

If you call yourself a CHRISTIAN (follower of Christ), then you should be able to say “Follow my example, as I follow the example of CHRIST” (1 Corinthians 11:1), through your ACTIONS and your SPEECH.

Show THE WAY, by what you DO and SAY...!!!

Human HEART – WICKED by nature; SINFUL by stature..!

 Let’s read Jeremiah 17:9 & Psalms 51:5 in tandem

“The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”

Can you think of a few wicked and deceitful people you know of? “Bad” people from the history or the present can be easily identified and criticized. Jesus said - “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is recognized by its fruit” (Matthew 12:33). A man is deemed either “good” or “bad” based on his outward life (fruit). This “Fruit” refers to the human personality and “behaviour” is the expression for “personality”.

At times, “behaviour” could be stunted to hide the actual “personality” for social and moral acceptance. At times, even “personality” could be trained and shaped to hide the actual “nature” for the same reasons. But human “nature” can never be trained/shaped or stunted enough to stop it from being wicked and deceitful. The human “nature” is nothing but the human “heart”. This “heart” refers to the “root” of a man.

Your heart and my heart are beyond cure..!

What is done when a physical heart is beyond cure? It is replaced with a healthy one of course..!

What should be done when a spiritual heart is beyond cure? It should be replaced with a healthy one of course...!

You and I inherited this “wicked & sinful heart” through Adam’s sin. But, you and I can receive a “graceful & righteous heart” as a replacement to this “wicked & sinful heart” through the atonement of Jesus Christ...!

You may be very “well-behaved”, you may even have a calm & composed “personality” but are you really aware of the status of your heart?? read Philippians 2: 1-11

You were born SINFUL but you don’t have to die as one..!!

"HE is Magnificent, We are Insignificant...!!!"

Let's read Revelation 22:13 & Psalm 103:15, 16 in tandem

Jesus said: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End"

"The life of mortals is like grass, they flourish like a flower of the field; the wind blows over it and it is gone, and its place remembers it no more."

Did you ever go to a museum and see a fresh flower kept for viewership since ages??? Maybe a flower that is preserved with preservatives. But can a fresh flower last (live) for long? Of Course not..!! THE WORD of God says that our life is like grass. Our FLOURISHMENT on this earth is like the flower of the field.

What happens to a grass flower when wind blows?? What will happen to you if you suddenly DIE?? Compare your life-span with God’s. Your life-span is limited by time. God’s life-span is from “Alpha” to “Omega”. There is no beginning and an end to God. HE IS THE BEGINNING and THE END...!!

How many years do you expect to live? Although we know “anything could happen any time”, let’s say all of us live till we are 100. Now compare 100 years to eternity – incomparable..!! This immortal God is willing to be part our mortal/worthless lives and give us a LIFE of abundance and a LIFE eternal.

This eternal offer let us EMBRACE, and be thankful for HIS amazing GRACE...!!

STRAIGHT and NARROW PATH – the need of the hour...!!

Let’s read Proverbs 3: 5 & 6 and Matthew 7: 13 & 14 in tandem

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; IN ALL YOUR WAYS SUBMIT TO HIM, AND HE WILL MAKE YOUR PATHS STRAIGHT”

“Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life and only a few find it”

Our nature is such that we are more inclined towards ways which lead to death and not life. This is Adam’s nature. 

A simple example - After a long day’s work which one would you prefer? A hilarious/utterly entertaining comedy movie or some devotional time with your God? You will definitely opt for the movie if you still have Adam’s nature in you. The Adam in you would say – “I need to relax and rest; entertainment is the best antidote for tiredness and weariness...”  But, if you are over and done with Adam’s nature (read Romans 5: 12-20) and believe that you are made alive in Christ, you will definitely go for the second option i.e. seeking refreshment and rest from God. 

Jesus said – “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I WILL GIVE YOU REST” (Matthew 11:28).  

Adam’s nature will always dictate to you things which are contrary to the Word of God. For you to discern and choose the right way, you need to know the difference between the TWO WAYS..! 

Adam’s way is always BROAD and POPULAR. Jesus’ way is always NARROW and UNPOPULAR.

One with Adam’s nature leans on his own understanding. One with Jesus’ nature leans on God’s understanding. 

Do you really want to be among the FEW who find LIFE??

JESUS – God’s glorious RADIANCE on earth..!!

Let’s read Hebrews 1:3

“The SON is the radiance of God’s glory and THE EXACT REPRESENTATION OF HIS BEING, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven”

Did you ever place a mirror faced unto sun and try looking at it? I did. The reflection of sun’s radiance on the mirror is so vivid that it seems as though you are looking directly at sun itself. Similarly, JESUS CHRIST is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being. 

Jesus said – “If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him” (John 14:7). When you look at Jesus, you look at none other than the ALMIGHTY. When you know Jesus, you know none other than the EVERLASTING FATHER...!! 

1. Are you looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith? (Hebrews 12:2)
2. Are you aware of the fact that the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us? (John 1:14)
3. When you study the Word of God (Bible), do you realise that you are actually gazing at JESUS who is the very reflection of God?
4. Do you see the radiance of God shine through the Word of God?

If your answer is “NO” to any of the above 4 questions, then maybe you are just a namesake/cant-be-bothered “Christian”.

Look unto JESUS through the scriptures and gaze at the radiance of GOD’s glory..!!