Friday, January 30, 2015

Go in the strength you have

Judges 6:12 Go in the strength you have.

God does not call qualified people. But he qualifies the called.

If God has entrusted you with only a cup of water, he will only ask that.

God only wanted the rod in Moses’ hand. That’s all he had and God was willing to use that. (Exodus 4:17)
David when he was kid was only good at using a sling. So with just one stone and a sling God gave him victory over Goliath. (1 Samuel 17:40) But for his latter life he trained his hands for war. (Psalm 144:1)

All God wants is that little oil and flour you have (1 Kings 17:12). If you just have five loaves and two fishes, he can work with that (Matt 14:17). With just water he was able to make wine (John 2:7). Nothing is impossible with God.
One woman was crying to Lord saying, “I can’t give you tithes, as my husband is refusing and he is the only earning member”. The Lord spoke to her and asked her to give tithe in what she has. She was wondering as to what she has. Then the Holy Spirit reminded about her prayer life. So she decided to give tithe in her prayer time – she decided to spend at least 2.4 hours per day in prayer.

Give God what you have with you and He will work with that. All he needs is a surrendered heart, a yielding heart, a trusting heart.
Some of us are not able to trust the Lord that he can fetch us a job with what is on our resume. We try to modify and add false things. This makes the Lord sad. He is able to fetch you a job with what is on your resume. No false additions are needed.

Many of us have read the following story via email or on the web. Though its author or origin is not known, it tells an incredible truth.

The cracked Pot

A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on an end of a pole which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master’s house, the cracked pot arrived only half full.

For a full two years this went on daily, with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots full of water to his master’s house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made. But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do. After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream.

“I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you.”

“Why?” asked the bearer. “What are you ashamed of?”

“I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master’s house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don’t get full value from your efforts,” the pot said.

The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, “As we return to the master’s house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path.”

Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again the pot apologized to the bearer for its failure.

The bearer said to the pot, “Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot’s side? That’s because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you’ve watered them. For two years, I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master’s table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house.”

If you give your brokenness to the Lord, His light will shine through it. He can even use your pain for His glory.

He told Gideon, to go in the strength he has. That is exactly what God is telling each and every one of us too. Let us go in the strength he has given us and achieve great things for our Lord.

 

Thursday, January 29, 2015

No More Excuses...Just Praises!


I am running out of excuses to praise my LORD
To exalt HIM!
To worship HIM!
To adore HIM!
To bless HIM!
To declare HIM!

I am running out of excuses to praise my LORD!

When my spirit is LOW
HE overwhelms it!

When my soul is dry
HE floods it!

When I thirst
HE quenches!

When I hunger
HE provides!

When I am faithless
HE is faithful!

When I am hopeless
HE lights!

When I am lost
HE finds!

When I wake up
HE is waiting!

When I am asleep
HE is watching!

These Lips of mine spill out words…Mere words can’t explain and exclaim HIS work!

Yet HE rejoices in my words of praise!

My breath of despair,..Simple Supplications
Are HIS Aroma

I am a dust,..
He crowns me

I am running out of excuses to praise my LORD!
You are too..

When stones would call out HIS name
Let us too…

Coz we are running out of excuses!!!
Yes, You & me!!

Praise the LORD!


Wednesday, January 21, 2015

Appointed Times and Marked Boundaries


Acts 17:26 From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
The one man referred to in the above verse is Adam. Let us focus on the appointed times and the marked boundaries God has set for us.

Appointed times: See from Adam till now, so many generations of people passed. But God chose you and me to be on planet earth at this time. Just think about it! We could have born during the time of Hitler or even during the time of Jesus Christ. But this time, year 2015 is marked out for us. He is the only one who knows our time of death also.
If he has appointed time for our birth and death, the in between of birth and death is also appointed by him.

Ecc 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. For every promise to be fulfilled there is an appointed time. Heb 6:18 says “it is impossible for God to lie.” The healing he promised, the restoration he promised, the promotion or raise he promised is on its way at the appointed time. Every promise of God is inherited through perseverance and faith (Heb 6:12). Those who sow in tears will reap in Joy. Gal 6:9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

Marked Boundaries:  The place of our dwelling is also marked out by our Lord. The country we live in, the State, the city, the apartment number even to the tiniest detail, it is marked by our Good Lord. Some of us are like the Israelites worrying about the Egypt that we left behind when God is taking us to a promised land a land flowing with milk and honey. We are like Lot’s wife turning back. May be you had a good life back home. You may feel so insecure, so lonely in this new place. But if God has appointed your dwelling here at this time, He will provide and he will meet your needs. The same God who fed Elijah will feed you, sustain you and guide you. The school you attend, your job and everything else is under His perfect control.
Some may be wondering that I am here in this place by my own mistake (or sin). Even then, if we yield to Him, he can turn it around for His glory.

Tuesday, January 13, 2015

But by My Spirit


Zech 4:6 ‘Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’ says the Lord of Hosts.
God wants us to get the victory through praying in the Spirit. We can slay giants through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In John 7:38-39 “He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.” But this He spoke concerning the Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive; for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified”
Sometimes, we wait for others to fight our battles. We wait for others to prophesy over us. We wait for others to lay hands on us and pray for our healing. But Jesus is saying that “out of your own heart will flow rivers of living water”. John explains to us that this living water is the Holy Spirit.
Sword of the Spirit is the only part of our armor (Eph 6) that is for cutting the enemy. The rest of the armor is only for defending ourselves.
In 2 Kings: 9, we read the conversation between Elijah and Elisha, before Elijah was taken up. It was a pivotal moment for both the prophets. One was taken up, and the other was taking over.  When they had crossed, Elijah said to Elisha, “Tell me, what can I do for you before I am taken from you?” “Let me inherit a double portion of your spirit,” Elisha replied.
Elisha did not ask for the power to bring fire from heaven as Elijah did, he did not even ask for boldness to speak to the kings as Elijah did. But he asked for a double portion of the spirit. He knew when the spirit is upon him, all other blessings like boldness, doing miracles come along with that.
You may be wondering that I do not have the talent to sing or not being eloquent or not being brave enough and the list goes on. If you keep all this on one side of the scale and keep the anointing of God on the other side, the anointing will surpass all others. God is saying that through His spirit it is possible. God is not looking for talented people, but people who yield to him, who completely surrender to him.
When we speak in tongues being filled with the spirit, we speak mysteries (1 Cor 14:2). We speak to God and not to men. Speaking in tongues is not just limited to our prayer or worship time. When we do dishes, when we drive, when we wait at the doctor’s office we can use it speak to God. Like any gift the more we use it the more we get better at it. Some have the gift of singing in tongues. Exercise it. When you pray in tongues, God teaches you how to pray, he guides you into all truth. He reveals hidden mysteries.
The mighty mountain you are facing will become a level ground (Zech 4:7) by His spirit.

Walking by Faith


For we walk by faith, not by sight. 2 Cor 5:7
As per Hebrews 11:1, the definition of Faith is “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen “
When God gives us a promise, our immediate questions are “How” and “When”.
HOW: In Luke 1:34-37, we read that Mary asks the same question to the angel, when he announced Christ’s birth. The answer to Mary is the same answer God gives us to our “how” question: “For nothing will be impossible with God”.
WHEN: In Acts 1:6-7, we read about the disciples asking the same question to Jesus. His response to them will be the same one that he gives us to our “when” question:  “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority”. Still, for the Christian, our best sense of timing isn’t found on our wrists but on our knees.
In Genesis 18, the Lord appeared to Abraham promising a son to be heir of God’s covenant. This wasn’t something God intended to do immediately, but “at the appointed time.” Who set the time? The Lord! He had His own schedule; the timetable was His; and things happened according to His agenda. To Abraham and Sarah, they were so old that Sarah laughed at it. But the Lord’s clock never missed a beat. He had His appointed times. Perhaps you’re looking at your wristwatch wondering why God isn’t moving more quickly. But He knows what He’s doing. Stop looking at your wrist, fall on your knees, and trust Him for His perfect sense of timing.” Turning Point with Dr. David Jeremiah.
May be God gave you a brand new promise in 2015, or there may be promises that he gave in the past that are yet to be fulfilled. Whatever the case may be, as Christ followers our duty is to walk by Faith and not by sight.
When God utters a word it is as good as done. “God is not human, that he should lie, not a human being, that he should change his mind”. Num 23: 19.
All God’s promise to you in the past years or in 2015 is yeah and amen in Christ Jesus. Visualize those promises and start praising him.