Hairs are Numbered

Saw myself in the mirror this morning and was reminded that the very (days) of my hair on my head are numbered.
March 8, 2012.

Prayer of Jabez

Some have been saying the Prayer of Jabez and getting it wrong,
It is not, "Oh that you would bless me and enlarge me..."
March 19, 2012

Deepening Divine Relationship

Task-Oriented prayers do not deepen Divine relationship.
March 21, 2012

Be Harnessed

For life safety, be harnessed from above.
March 20, 2012

Doubting is Good

We've castigated Thomas without cause and profiled him for years as "Doubting Thomas". Yet doubting is necessary when healthy.

We must bucket the kinds of doubt to be accurate. I am suggesting there are at least three types of doubts:

1. Sinful Doubt:      That scoffs at the idea on the basis of its spiritual flavour.
2. Foolish Doubt:   That rejects the evidence on the basis of its mental paradigm.
3. Healthy Doubt:  That seeks further evidence on the basis of its emotional appeal.

The Parable of the Good Sam, Harry, Tom...

Yesterday I passed a stranded car on a busy road. It sat there in the left lane by the intersection, refusing to budge even after the lights had turned green; Just another F.O.R.D- Found On Road Dead car, I thought.

I had seen the car from a distance with its hazards on and had moved myself out of the way, briefly alarmed at the risk it was posing to the traffic. I reasoned I should stop to help, but decided assistance must be on the way; besides I had already moved to the fast lane and it would be inconvenient to pull up and then back up. However, it was as I passed the car that I felt the slap of the label on my conscience with the impact not unlike the pending danger the driver would feel if left sitting there too long. The label read “The Priest” and then in separate lettering “The Levite”; just like in the parable, I had passed on to the convenient side, leaving the stranded alone in the car to nowhere.

Ironically, well if you believe in the Divine you would know there is no coincidence in matters such as these; my reading today was from Luke 10 on the Parable of the Good Samaritan.

The Priest and the Levite passed by chance; they were not getting to the temple, nor were they on an official engagement. True they may have had their Levitical garments on, and no one wants blood on official uniforms. Even their calling I would reason was not to minister to the wounded, but to stand in the high place between God and man in matters that are spiritual.

Really who am I kidding?

We pass by life or life passes us by, either ways it is no way to live.

If we back track we will notice many a wreck, where we passed over to the convenient lane. We want to be known as being neighbourly but are not willing to act one; we want to be known as being helpful but really to ‘love’, requires that we get off our self made heavens and come down to lowly earth. Anyone can be a good neighbour, whether you are Sam, Harry or Tom.

Be willing to get dust on our shoes, knees and hands and only then can we begin to grasp the wonder of what it meant for God to come down as man and be your neighbour (Jn 1:14).

Post-Modern Make-up

We have become Post-Modern in our make-up, though we might reject what it stands for. We have grown not to make commitments for fear of breaking them. Fear of failure has trumped our faith.

Read Nehemiah 5:13 to be reminded that God shows His men to be those who take a stand, and not falter from commitment.

A commitment to God, by God and for God.

The man of God knows that his commitment is based purely on the strength of Grace, which his God has already promised to provide.

A Prayer for the Ministering

God Bless the cold
sweat drops that often falls
on hot, hard Spiritual deserts.
For oft times it's what
washes dusty hearts,
softens hardened clay
and starts the rivers to flow.
25 Oct 2009.

Negatives Attract

I am learning that the real world is not scientifically accurate; for here the negatives attract ...and form a pity party.
Aug 19, 2010.

Ps 126:5

Psalm 126:5

Tears invested,
waters the seed,
softens the ground,
nourishes the grain,
and achieves a joyful harvest.

Agricultural comparison,
illustrates the need,
for toil and labour,
patience and discipline,
anticipation and hope.

God is the achiever
Christ is the assurance
Spirit is the comforter
that the harvest
is guaranteed.

16 Sept 2011

Happy Birthday

Because I forget if I thanked you already, here it goes again.
To all those who remembered to wish;
To those who wished they remembered.
And to those too old to remember....
well, I am getting there.
Thanks.

Fraud Freud

Fraud Freud followed the fiction that fear is the factor for the formation of a fatalistic faith.


 Foolishly forgetting "fear" is focussed not from foreign factors, but forever fixed in our frame by the Father(Ecc 3:11).

For the fear of the Father is the fountain of our faculty, foresight, foresightedness, flair and fullness.

30 Nov 2010.

Planet

There is a plan, no wonder it is called Planet Earth

Convincing or Convicting?

After a talk I often seek feedback on what I could do differently to improve the next time around. 


I asked the wrong questions, and received the wrong answers. 


I seek now not how convincing the talk was, but how convicting.


Did it touch the heart? 


Not what I will do differently, but what they will do differently. 


That is the true measure. 


Convicted not just convinced.

6 JAN 2010

Another Anniversary

Another Anniversary;
who do I thank?
as I stand at the cusp
of a second decade together.

I know, as you would,
I must thank God.
That I do most days
if not everyday.

Words aren't enough,
so I bought a card,
wrote a poem, and realized
the inadequacy of expression.

So even if I can't express it well
I am thankful for the reminder
that we're growing old together.
And that, I like most.
1.11.11.

Honey

Someone help me quick. I have been calling my wife honey for so long that I've forgotten her name.

Tender Hearted

Be tenderhearted but thick skinned; not the other way around. That's all I'm saying.
7 March 2011.

Obedience

Act of obedience is not just about doing what is being told, but in the immediacy and urgency with which it is carried out. Obedience therefore is not, about the convenience of the mind but the attitude of the heart.
16 March 2011

Cat has Nine Tails

‎::How to Prove Cat has 9 Tails::

No cat has 8 tails, and 1 cat has 1 more tail than no cat.
If no cat has 8 tails and a cat has 1 more tail than no cat.
One Cat has 9 tails.

You should laugh when you figure this one out.
Eye roll is not an appropriate gesture.

Going Uphill

I was told to go uphill
when the brakes fail.
I did, and now I am
on the top of the world.

8 June 2011

Not with your Prayers down

A very important lesson I learned:
Don't be caught with your prayers down?

2010.

King is the Subject

The King must be our constant subject. 


No pun intended.

16 July 2011.

Rapture

Rapture is that one backward bungee jump I am waiting for.

17 July 2011.

It is a sunny day in heaven

It's a sunny day in heaven,
though dark and dreary on earth be.
Stand up, and lift up your heads,
because your redemption is drawing near.

When heavenward I lift my gaze,
the King in His glory I see.
So I sing, Heaven came down,
and glory filled my soul.

6 Sept 2011.

It was a warm day as I headed for work. The commute is most frustrating during the festival; over a million Jews descend on Jerusalem to celebrate Passover. People, sacrificial lambs, merchants, street hawkers, shopping – it is a shopper’s paradise, but not if you are responsible for maintaining law and order. As a Roman soldier, I have been involved with the special Passover arrangements for so many years that I didn’t think much of this one; well at least not till much later, as I would look back on the events of the day.

Duty assigned for the day was to crucify three people, one of whom was a Jewish leader called Jesus. I had heard much about Him – His miracles, His teaching, His compassion, so when I saw that people wanted Him crucified, that on a Passover day, I was much intrigued.

Our band of soldiers wanted to check out how genuine this man really was and were particularly cruel to Him. They mocked Him, heckled Him, pulled his hair, hit thorns on His head. Yet, He was like a rock. His lack of any reaction infuriated them further. However, there was no denying there was something about Him.

On Golgotha, as the crosses were raised, quite a crowd had gathered. I realized not all the crowd had gathered there out of sympathy for Jesus – some were even there to mock Him. Then there were others; those who He had healed, raised from the dead, cast off demons, all sorts who benefited from Him! All these stood at a distance; stood as if expecting something to happen. I am not sure if they expected a dramatic rescue or another miracle. Sadly for them, nothing like that happened.

As soldiers, we normally divide up equally what belongs to the person crucified. In this case, Jesus had a seamless outer garment and dividing it up did not make sense, so we cast lots and I drew it. The seamless robe was mine, but I didn’t think much of it.

It was six long hours before Jesus finally gave up His ghost, and almost like a miracle the crowd started to leave. I guess, they figured the only hope of something happening, was while He lived. Whatever it was they had hoped would happen, did not happen. They must have been terribly disappointed. As the crowd was leaving an older woman walked up to me and asked if she could just hold the seamless robe for a moment. She held the robe with such care and affection, that I had to find out the reason. She explained that she had a blood disorder for twelve years that no doctor or money could cure, and that one day in faith she had sneaked up behind Jesus and touched this very robe to be instantly healed. Though she continued her story, my mind was whirring – did Jesus’ power lay with  this robe? No wonder, I began to speculate, He did not, or could not do anything to save Himself while on the cross.

These thoughts surrounded me, the robe tucked neatly and handled with utmost care, as I headed back home that evening.

Home that evening was a different story. My littlest one had fallen off the terrace and was bleeding badly. The whole family was in panic, the best doctors were already summoned, sacrifices to our gods were being made continuously, every cure was tried, but the bleeding would not stop. I was getting desperate, that’s when I remembered the robe-- The seamless robe. I was frantic and almost delirious with excitement that I had something that will make my little one okay.

I quickly brought the robe, made her touch the hem, but nothing happened. I made her touch the entire robe. In my desperation I made her wear it, but no miracle was forthcoming. I felt duped. I felt anger, frustration, desperation, fear.

There was no magic in the robe, absolutely no magic…

It’s only then that I seriously started to think about the events of the day. I played out in my mind, over and over again everything that happened – the things that Jesus said on the cross, the darkness, the earthquake, the torn veil at the temple that was reported. Seeing all that even my boss, the centurion, honestly admitted Jesus was a righteous man.

If I learnt anything today, I must say it is this. I was foolishly excited about brining the seamless robe home, but in my excitement I left Jesus on the cross.

Now I know, it was not the robe but it was Jesus who made the difference. I told you there was something about Him! Now I know, He is the Messiah and I know it with all my heart and I hope today you also will find Jesus to be your true Messiah.

God Bless

As most of you may be aware I have been looking for a job since my position was made redundant in September 2005. On Monday, 12 December, I would have completed three months of the job search, however, that is also the day I commence work with the InterContinental Hotel. A job in my field and line of work.

Things that seem bizarre and unexpected are never a surprise to God and here is an account of what I learnt during this time.

::God has a sense of Humor::

Prior to the job loss, I had taken a bank loan in July for home improvement, and was praying that I would be able to make all the payments by my birthday in November.

Knowing fully well that God is able; I imagined winning a jackpot, or that my loss-making shares would suddenly take an upswing. You can well imagine the twist, when I lost the job and with the severance, pay the loan up before November. I almost thought I saw the twinkle in God's eye; but He wasn't kidding me, there were important lessons I

was meant to learn in the next three months. I want to share just a couple.

::Lesson 1: Keep knees bent not fingers crossed::

Confidence on one's achievements slowly moves dependence away from God's grace. It is only when faced with challenges that our arthritic knees willingly bends, seeking guidance from above. I learned that crossing fingers only prevents blood circulation, but bended knees gives strength and that reality checks once in a while, helps keep the

spiritual heart beating

::Lesson 2: Strength is not an individual trait::

Ninety six applications and many rejections later, I felt like I had Acute Identity Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS). Almost as if no one was willing to touch me, at least in the recruitment world; wonder if you ever felt that way?

That's when all you friends and family rallied together and I am so grateful for you all. You made me hope and hold on; never could I have done that on my own. Strength comes when friends come together and channel God's care for those who need them most. About Lord Jesus, the greatest friend, it is written, "For we have not a High Priest, who

cannot be touched by the feeling of our infirmities." He knows it is the feeling that gets us down; the shadows that plague our mind, and that our eyes are hazy in differentiating reality from the feelings.

So as I commence work at the end of a three-month wait, I am also reminded of the nation of Israel who left the land of Egypt after four hundred and thirty years of slavery and bondage. They left on the selfsame day as God had promised Abraham many years ago. God trains us through experiences and difficulties but never longer than what's

required, not a day more, not a moment more. I only pray I have learned my lessons right and learnt them well.

God Bless!

I had a dream, and I don’t use this tweaked famous phrase to shore respectability to what I have to say. I really had a dream, in fact, I had one last night.

In my dream, my friend and I were gazing on to a highway from the window of a high rise. And there playing out in front of us was a road rage. A blue Sierra almost side swiped a burgundy Buick, and so the Buick stepped on the gas to get even with the Sierra. Since the highway stretched straight ahead, we were able to get most of the outrageous action; enjoying vicariously, even taking sides, he the blue, and I the burgundy.

In the middle of this high speed rage, my friend turns to me and says that that burgundy Buick has been sold, and that the family of three is heading back to India. Before I could ask the reason for his pontificatory smugness, he shows me on his iPhone the details. He had zoomed in on the license plate, did an advanced search and zoned in on the family blog, all during that brief period I was taking in the vehicular depravity of the modern man.

I was intrigued, and wanted to see what else their license plate revealed. I was surprised to find that YouTube already had a video with seven ‘likes’ of the very chase we had just witnessed. My technological baldness was showing up in spite of the comb over. He confessed rather magnanimously he had just posted it and twittered it all his friends. That explained the ‘like’, but I wasn’t sure if I liked the information process flow of all this.

I wanted to check how pubic our private lives really were.

You bet I googled my own license plate, and I guess you will too; only to realize that ignorance is still bliss in this 21^st Century era of post-ignorant world.  Closets long forgotten were being magically opened, in spite of lost keys and forgotten passwords. As the contents spewed out of control, I couldn’t help in spite of my embarrassment wonder at the ‘Googlization’ of my private world.

My thought was Google knew.

The visual helped clarify that if Google knew, more so my LORD.

So what do I make out all this?

It wasn’t Google that makes closetless living necessary, it only helped in visualizing it. This has always been true of mankind before God, since sins began.

Bible says, “Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if [there be any] wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. Psalm 139: 23-24.

I understood here that it is better for God to search and clean than for Google to search and publish.

LifeLight Ministries Info Page: Offering New Life

LifeLight Ministries Info Page: Offering New Life