Into The Fray
He who is not with Me is against Me, and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad.” Matthew 12:30 Christianity is not for spectators. For the believer, there simply is no such thing as taking a neutral stand. There are no passive observers or ones who teeter on the fence. When Jesus encounters people, He does not give them multiple options to choose from. If He says, “Follow Me”, either you do or you don’t. Your feet move, […]
<strong>The Mark Of True Maturity</strong>
More than 90% of the New Testament addresses the spiritual growth and maturity of believers. In his letters to the Galatian Church, Paul addressed believers born again in Christ, exhorting them to spiritual growth. And to the spiritually-gifted Corinthian Church, he wouldn’t have called them ‘carnal’ and ‘babes in Christ’ if he was impressed with their ability to operate in spiritual gifts. Paul was emphasising that spiritual maturity is not a given, but must be an intentional pursuit in the […]
Stop Pretending
Recently, as I was reading the Book of Acts, the Lord began speaking to me in a very real and deep way. It was liberating but I felt the Fear of God in me at the same time. The Early Church was known for its exponential growth and power, but, did you realise that it was often messy too? Acts 4 revealed that the spirit of generosity was a public testimony. A disciple, Barnabas, was touched by the Lord and […]
Murmuring
Warning: Complaining is hazardous to your health. Despite it not being included among the notorious ‘seven deadly sins’, the unambiguous teaching of Scripture is – if it’s not checked, complaining can kill you. If you’re not convinced, I wish to direct you to the Levite tribal leader Korah and his entire family for their insights. Tragically, you won’t find them. While griping about Moses’ and Aaron’s misguided leadership was fresh on their lips, ‘the earth opened its mouth and swallowed […]
The Pilgrim Way
(Abraham) dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob… they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. Hebrews 11:9,13 The father of our faith was a nomad. When he chose to leave the land of his fathers, he had to leave lots of stuff behind. How many things could he carry with him on those camels? It’s doubtful his tents had much closet space! Those who follow the footsteps of […]
<strong>Until Your Hair Is White</strong>
I turned 61 last week and the first Whatsapp message I read was from my firstborn who, after wishing me a happy birthday, informed me that, since 61 is a prime number, I’m still in the prime of my life. What a happy message to set my eyes on first thing in the morning. I don’t know about you, but I love birthdays, and I’m quite enjoying growing older because, with each swiftly passing year, the reality of the GOODNESS of […]
The Pursuit of Holiness
God commands His people, “Be holy, for I am holy.” But what does that look like in everyday life, and what’s our part in holiness? The concept of holiness may seem a bit archaic to our current generation. Some associate it with an endless list of do’s and don’ts, while others associate it with a repulsive ‘holier than thou’ attitude. But holiness is a very biblical concept. The word ‘holy’ occurs in various forms more than 600 times in the […]
The Fear of God
Recently, I discussed with a father the subject of parenting teenagers. His interesting remark got me thinking – “It’s good that our children fear us.” As a father of three daughters, I’ve always made it my aim to progress from a fear to friend-based parenting style. So I asked my daughter, “Do you fear me?” To which she replied without hesitation, “No, I don’t.” What she meant was, “I’m not scared of you.” As I sighed with relief, I thought of […]
God’s Unwelcome Instrument
The global pain relief market is worth USD80billion. Analgesics, narcotics and other pain killers are used to treat conditions ranging from headaches to arthritis and other forms of chronic pain. Pain is uncomfortable and at times unbearable; and we’re conditioned to do whatever we can to avoid it. In a popular Korean drama entitled ‘Doctor John’, the lead, Dr. John Cha suffers congenital insensitivity to pain, a genetic disorder that prevents him from feeling pain. While a painless existence may […]
A Book About You
‘Those who feared the LORD spoke to one another. The LORD took notice and listened. So a book of remembrance was written before him for those who feared the LORD and had high regard for His name.’ Malachi 3:16 CSB Imagine for a minute what the library in Heaven looks like. Its shelves must stretch for miles and miles! The prophet Malachi is saying something here that’s not only profound but exhilarating. Whenever you or I or any of His […]
