(An unorganized random thought)
I think that the greatest satisfaction, one can get in life is to know that you are fulfilling the purposes of God. Though God gets those lives submitted to Him to complete His perfect intentions, somehow the assurance that we are doing God's purposes occur to us very rarely. Atleast that's how it has been for me.
We were not created just to exist. God said that He had plans for us before creating us therefore HE created us only because HE had a reason for that.God has an assignment that He intends to finish through us.
The design of our character, our family circumstances, our finances, our resources, our skills,our friends and personality have been greatly influenced by the plans God has for your life.Plans for your life and plans for theirs.
So if you are looking at somebody else and wondering why you are not having theirs or wondering why they are not having yours, it is simply because our purposes are different.
I think that one of the deceitful strategies of the devil is to make you feel that what you have is no good.To make you feel that your talents, and resources can in no way help you accomplish anything.We therefore get distracted looking at others and instead of using our precious times with the Master, to get closer to His purposes, we pray hard asking for something that we have modeled based on somebody else's life and then attach a meaningless. "if it is your will" tag at the end of it.
God is not bothered about the words, it is the attitude and the heart that matters to Him.
The purposes of God is a complicated thing for me. The apparent purposes are not the implied purposes.Though I long every day to just a get a glimpse of what is in His mind, I guess I still have a very long way to go. However I wont give up.
I believe that God is more eager than me to tell me the things in His mind. But HE knows that I wont understand it, in my present state. So He works on my heart everyday neither slumbering nor sleeping, striving hard to saturate my mind and heart and entire being with His attitude and mind so that I can begin to understand the real purposes of God.
So instead of praying to hear God give his mission statement for me. I need to pray to make me more like Him everyday.
A difficult prayer indeed.
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Monday, July 20, 2009
Do you have an answer ?
Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
Colossians 4:5-7
Colossians 4:5-7
When we read the newspaper everyday, (I'm learning the habit with a lot of effort). We see different things and glimpse at different worlds. The law made, the law implemented, the law broken we get to read everything in there.
But do we have a Bible based Christian opinion about the things we read in the paper and exposed in the media ?
When two large democracies come together for a strategic partnership, God had the major say in it. Did we, the laborers in the kingdom seek to find out what it is ?
When war causalities rise in different parts of the world, and innocent civilians are killed, Do we spend time with God's word to find out what is God's answer to the pain ? No, we read and proclaim Psalm 91 for our protection.
When new tax , education and other civilian laws are being made, do we look for any precedences in God's Word ? or is our response to it based on majority popular opinion ?
When we read about the decriminalization of homosexuality in India, did we just raise our eyebrows and say, "These are the last days!!" or did we find out why God despises it and what is God's gracious response to them ?
When we read about the Naxal elements isolating certain zones under terror. Did we try to peek into their hearts with the help of the Holy Spirit to understand the reason for their frustration ?
Our eyes readily move, through every bit of the juicy rumours and gossips of the showbiz industry, but after reading and enjoying the whole of it, we make this face and become super righteous judges saying, "These people are living for their own lustful desires!! SHAME ON THEM "
Does it make sense when I say that we need to wait on God to ask Him to show us how to intercede for them ?
I believe that every Christian should have strong Bible Based opinions on every political ,economical ,social and cultural issue. This is a great tool for evangelism.
(I really don't qualify to talk about effective evangelism because I haven't yet led anyone to the Lord completely, but I am convinced in the truth of what I am saying)
It is easy to start a conversation from the day's headlines.When we talk to outsiders , unbelievers, are we taking enough effort to work on our conversations to lead them to an understanding of God's stand on the world He created?
Do we have an answer for everyone ?
When we do, we can lead them to the love of Christ.
Aspiring to read the Newspaper with the Bible in my heart and intercede for the horrifying reality that we live in.
But do we have a Bible based Christian opinion about the things we read in the paper and exposed in the media ?
When two large democracies come together for a strategic partnership, God had the major say in it. Did we, the laborers in the kingdom seek to find out what it is ?
When war causalities rise in different parts of the world, and innocent civilians are killed, Do we spend time with God's word to find out what is God's answer to the pain ? No, we read and proclaim Psalm 91 for our protection.
When new tax , education and other civilian laws are being made, do we look for any precedences in God's Word ? or is our response to it based on majority popular opinion ?
When we read about the decriminalization of homosexuality in India, did we just raise our eyebrows and say, "These are the last days!!" or did we find out why God despises it and what is God's gracious response to them ?
When we read about the Naxal elements isolating certain zones under terror. Did we try to peek into their hearts with the help of the Holy Spirit to understand the reason for their frustration ?
Our eyes readily move, through every bit of the juicy rumours and gossips of the showbiz industry, but after reading and enjoying the whole of it, we make this face and become super righteous judges saying, "These people are living for their own lustful desires!! SHAME ON THEM "
Does it make sense when I say that we need to wait on God to ask Him to show us how to intercede for them ?
I believe that every Christian should have strong Bible Based opinions on every political ,economical ,social and cultural issue. This is a great tool for evangelism.
(I really don't qualify to talk about effective evangelism because I haven't yet led anyone to the Lord completely, but I am convinced in the truth of what I am saying)
It is easy to start a conversation from the day's headlines.When we talk to outsiders , unbelievers, are we taking enough effort to work on our conversations to lead them to an understanding of God's stand on the world He created?
Do we have an answer for everyone ?
When we do, we can lead them to the love of Christ.
Aspiring to read the Newspaper with the Bible in my heart and intercede for the horrifying reality that we live in.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
The Master Delayed
There are a few strands of silver on my head (I never obeyed my mother when when it came to gulping jumbo tea mugs!!). I think its that......or maybe the fact that I am now a graduate who is very conveniently 'occupied'.I don't really know what.....but there's something on my face right now, that makes people think that I can help them make decisions.
Appearances can be deceptive, and so is mine. My mind is always in a state of creative chaos, and before I make a decision, huge tornadoes take over my thinking faculties.
But I have a faithful Master. The slightest disturbance will bend me, but the even the greatest crisis can't break me. His Grace has always been sufficient.
I had an opportunity to speak to a younger girl, a few weeks ago. She was in a fix about her college education. She had decided to discontinue due to family circumstances, and really didn't know what to do next.
She thought I can help her and came to me for some advice.She came up with her problems, and within a few hours, she left my room with a solution.
A few days later, I was in a faith crisis. My prayers were reduced to silent sighs because my heart was filled with so many questions that I could never dare to ask.Doubts certainly make you sink, but they sure can't drive the Master away and my faithful Master came to my rescue.
He made me to recall the counsel that I had given the girl a few days back.The thoughts that were in my head that day rang back.
First, I listened to her situation.As I did so, I started taking mental notes of her limitations.Her personality faults, Her financial constraints, her lack of exposure, her family burdens and all the other things that have made her life so hard.
Second, I started looking around for the various options available for a person of her age and background.
Third, I began to map the options available to the limitations in her life. In another sense, I gave her a solution carved from within the painful circumstances in her own life. She had only this much, so this is all that she can expect for her life.This was my attitude.My solution.
My conscience knew that my solution would not give her the best life,however she could begin to see something immediately. I was more concerned about how fast she can settle in life, than how best she can settle in her life.
Fortunately, my Master's mind is so profound and honorable than my short sight and tunnel vision.
The human mind, is always looking at the finite. Looking for answers within boundaries.But God does not work within our boundaries. He does not give us an answer from our limitations. Rather He works to transform our disadvantages to our greatest assets.
There is something beautiful and perfect in God's design for each of His children. But we mess up allowing the adversary to eat up our potential and sap our energy.Then we allow cobwebs, boulders, thorns and weeds in our beautiful garden. Now, we get on our knees and ask God to help us bring forth a few wild berries, because we believe that that is all we are capable of producing now.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. John 15:16 [NIV]
But it was the Master who planted the garden.Only He knows the harvest you are capable of producing. Just because you asked, he wont give you just the few wild berries. He'll remove every weed, every rock and thorny bush and push you out of your boundaries and extend your borders and bring forth the huge harvest that He intended.
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2 [NIV]
Nothing in the hands of the Master is ordinary material.
"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. " 1 Peter 5:6 [NLT]
Waiting times, are not just times when your faith grows and your intimacy with God intensifies.But while you are waiting, it means God is working. He is working on your character, on your family, on your future,on your finances, on the wounds of the past, on the consequences of your wrong choices.......
He is working on His Masterpiece.
While He is working, it is a lot more easier when you are praising instead of grumbling, learning instead of idling, repenting instead of resisting and depending on the Master instead of running after the demands of the world.
" Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. " 1 Thess 5:18 [Amp]
At the end of it, you're not going to get what you asked for, but something more than your imagination.
" I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 40:1 [NIV]
P.S : You sure are worried about the girl I counseled. God didn't leave her to the mercy of my pathetic counsel. :-) He was her counselor, He intervened in her finances and led her to do a great course beyond all her perceived limitations.
Appearances can be deceptive, and so is mine. My mind is always in a state of creative chaos, and before I make a decision, huge tornadoes take over my thinking faculties.
But I have a faithful Master. The slightest disturbance will bend me, but the even the greatest crisis can't break me. His Grace has always been sufficient.
I had an opportunity to speak to a younger girl, a few weeks ago. She was in a fix about her college education. She had decided to discontinue due to family circumstances, and really didn't know what to do next.
She thought I can help her and came to me for some advice.She came up with her problems, and within a few hours, she left my room with a solution.
A few days later, I was in a faith crisis. My prayers were reduced to silent sighs because my heart was filled with so many questions that I could never dare to ask.Doubts certainly make you sink, but they sure can't drive the Master away and my faithful Master came to my rescue.
He made me to recall the counsel that I had given the girl a few days back.The thoughts that were in my head that day rang back.
First, I listened to her situation.As I did so, I started taking mental notes of her limitations.Her personality faults, Her financial constraints, her lack of exposure, her family burdens and all the other things that have made her life so hard.
Second, I started looking around for the various options available for a person of her age and background.
Third, I began to map the options available to the limitations in her life. In another sense, I gave her a solution carved from within the painful circumstances in her own life. She had only this much, so this is all that she can expect for her life.This was my attitude.My solution.
My conscience knew that my solution would not give her the best life,however she could begin to see something immediately. I was more concerned about how fast she can settle in life, than how best she can settle in her life.
Fortunately, my Master's mind is so profound and honorable than my short sight and tunnel vision.
The human mind, is always looking at the finite. Looking for answers within boundaries.But God does not work within our boundaries. He does not give us an answer from our limitations. Rather He works to transform our disadvantages to our greatest assets.
There is something beautiful and perfect in God's design for each of His children. But we mess up allowing the adversary to eat up our potential and sap our energy.Then we allow cobwebs, boulders, thorns and weeds in our beautiful garden. Now, we get on our knees and ask God to help us bring forth a few wild berries, because we believe that that is all we are capable of producing now.
You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit—fruit that will last. John 15:16 [NIV]
But it was the Master who planted the garden.Only He knows the harvest you are capable of producing. Just because you asked, he wont give you just the few wild berries. He'll remove every weed, every rock and thorny bush and push you out of your boundaries and extend your borders and bring forth the huge harvest that He intended.
"Enlarge the place of your tent, stretch your tent curtains wide, do not hold back; lengthen your cords, strengthen your stakes." Isaiah 54:2 [NIV]
Nothing in the hands of the Master is ordinary material.
"So humble yourselves under the mighty power of God, and at the right time he will lift you up in honor. " 1 Peter 5:6 [NLT]
Waiting times, are not just times when your faith grows and your intimacy with God intensifies.But while you are waiting, it means God is working. He is working on your character, on your family, on your future,on your finances, on the wounds of the past, on the consequences of your wrong choices.......
He is working on His Masterpiece.
While He is working, it is a lot more easier when you are praising instead of grumbling, learning instead of idling, repenting instead of resisting and depending on the Master instead of running after the demands of the world.
" Thank [God] in everything [no matter what the circumstances may be, be thankful and give thanks], for this is the will of God for you [who are] in Christ Jesus [the Revealer and Mediator of that will]. " 1 Thess 5:18 [Amp]
At the end of it, you're not going to get what you asked for, but something more than your imagination.
" I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry."
Psalm 40:1 [NIV]
Do you want a quick fix in your life ?
Or
Do you want the real Masterpiece in you to be revealed ?
WORSHIP , WORK and WAIT.
Or
Do you want the real Masterpiece in you to be revealed ?
WORSHIP , WORK and WAIT.
P.S : You sure are worried about the girl I counseled. God didn't leave her to the mercy of my pathetic counsel. :-) He was her counselor, He intervened in her finances and led her to do a great course beyond all her perceived limitations.
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