God is the expert in turning your failure into His victory when come to Him in repentance!

“You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” Micah 7:19
“As far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
“For I will be merciful toward their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Hebrews 8:12
‘Come now, let us settle the matter,” says the LORD.
“Though your sins are like scarlet,
they shall be as white as snow;
though they are red as crimson,
they shall be like wool.” Isaiah 1:18

God says He would send our sins and iniquities very far away from us so that they can no longer there to condemn us. He says He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea. As far as the East is from the west, so far does He remove our transgression from us. Again God says I will remember their sins no more. Even after we know all these promises from God there are two groups of people still in existence today.

The first group is those who are sleepless in accusing and blaming other Christians. They even lose their nights of sleep, and their hearts are filled with jealousy and hatred because God forgave you and you are back again for God’s glory. I am here to announce to you today this vital truth of the Bible that has the power to free you from your past. If you have experienced failures in the past (all of us have failed God or failed someone else), our God is the God who delivers you from your failures and turns your life for His glory when we come to Him in repentance. God is an expert in turning your failures into success. Nobody can stop you from God’s love and plan for your life.

Corrie Ten Boom, who was a Dutch watchmaker and Christian who, along with her father and family members, helped many Jews escape the Nazi Holocaust during World War 11 by hiding them in her closet ( from Corrie ten Boom-Wikipedia) said like this, “God has taken our sin. He has thrown it into the sea of forgetfulness, and he has posted a sign that says, ‘No fishing allowed.” This is the power of repentance and turning to God. God will turn your failure into marvelous opportunities. God has done this in many Bible characters’ life. David, Moses, Samson, Peter, and Saul are just a few examples. However, there are people around you and me who want to fish right there on the spot, neglecting the warning signs of God. They are accountable to God for the evil deeds they are doing to God’s redeemed people.

The second group is the ones who acknowledge their sin, already agreed, and confessed to the Lord from their heart. Still, they carry the thought that they sinned against God and are not worthy to go forward in God’s plan. Where do we get such an idea? Not from the Bible. The source must be the enemy of our soul- the Devil. For some reason, even though God completely forgave and forgot their sins, they are not willing to forgive themselves. Please understand upon confession of our sins; God forgave our sins. Bible says, your sins are cast into the depth of the sea. The deepest part of the ocean is very deep beyond human imaginations. Experts say several hundreds of kilometers.

Additionally, suppose you lost something in an ocean. Do you think you can get it back? Wish you the best. You are not going to get it back or even see a trace of it. God says he cast his children’s sins into the depth of the sea. Children of God will also sin because we live on this sin-bound earth and move around with sinful people. However, we have a high priest in heaven who intercedes for us. If sin happened, we need to confess to the LORD immediately. Then God’s promise is he has cast those sins into the depth of the sea. The language used here is to let us know it will never come back to haunt us, period! Beloved, you need to acknowledge the truth, agree and confess your failures, and move forward. This is what Jacob, Moses, David, Peter, and Saul did. God will turn your past failures into marvelous success stories. The devil does not like it. Your own family won’t like it and friends won’t note like it. But you have to because God wants you to.

Bible says in Hebrews 8:12, “He will remember their sins no more.” We can go to God and try to remind Him of our past sins and other believer’s sins. God says, are you out of mind? are you jealous? What is your problem? What sin are you talking about? I don’t remember anything that you are talking about.

Beloved, the Bible says it is the blood of Jesus Christ, His Son, that cleanses us from all our sins. Nothing else can do this fantastic and marvelous job. No religion will do it. No gurus, holy rivers and holy places or anything else can wash away our sins and grant us salvation and eternal life. The only way to the Holy God, the only way for forgiveness and eternal life is the way of the blood of Jesus Christ that is poured out on the cross. No other lifeline was brought down from heaven that we must be saved. The name of Jesus Christ will do it. The blood of Jesus Christ will do it. Do not be deceived. Nothing else period!

Bible says in Ephesians 1:7, “In him (Jesus) we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace.”

Got a moment for today’s prayer? “Father in heaven, I thank you for today’s insight that God cast all my sins into the depth of the sea, that you will remember my sins no more. I believe Jesus Christ died and rose again for my sins. I confess my sins to you now Lord. I accept Christ as my savior and Lord. Please save me. Lord, help me not to accuse others because you cleanse people by your shed blood. How foolish I am if I blame others who are in your vineyard striving hard for your glory. It is only your love and forgiveness that motivates them. May I also be driven by your love and forgiveness? In Jesus Christ’s name, I pray, Amen.

The Lord sovereignly assigns spiritual gifts and uses them to build up people in the church.

“To equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.” Ephesian 4:12.

Jesus said and it is recorded in Matthew 16:18 that, “I will build my Church.” Did you ever think of how He builds the church? Our insight says it is Jesus who ascended higher than all the heavens is the true builder of His enterprise called “the church”. Our insights answer this important question. He does build up His church by granting unique gifts and roles in the local churches. The only purpose why He gives spiritual roles and gifts is to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ as a whole may be built up.

To sum it up two results come out of the gifts and roles he assigns to the local churches. Number one result- people get equipped for the unique and divine works of service. The church is the place to get motivated and equipped for the works of services.

Jesus said I will build my church (Matthew 16:18). This means Jesus is the owner of the church and He only grants the roles to build his people for the works of service. The church is a place where the members get equipped for unique works of His service, God uniquely called them for. For this purpose, He grants gifts to individual members of the church. A church that prudently uses the gifts God divinely grants,  gets built up. A church that does not recognize or discern the gifts and roles Jesus granted to them, would not be able to build their people up the way he wanted. And this is the only way Jesus builds up His church. There is no other way He builds His church.

Remember, what gets promoted thrives. What gets not promoted eventually dies out. This is true about spiritual gifts and roles as well.  

Secondly, by the equipping works of the gifted servants of the Lord God assigned in local churches, there is a final outcome. What is it? The Body of Christ as a whole may be built up. The body of Christ as a whole would be built up- more than the local churches, the universal body of Jesus Christ is in view here. Many outside the church universally get built up by the gifts Jesus grants. 

The divine role of the local church and its leaders is to identify and use the spiritual gifts Lord uniquely in His love granted to them for the purpose of effective equipping for works of service. That is how we cooperate in building up the church of Jesus and bringing glory to the Lord.

Your problem does not escape His radar!

“For the eyes of the Lord move over all the earth so that He may give strength to those whose whole heart is given to Him. You have done a foolish thing.” 2 Chronicles 16:9

King Asa’s life history gives a solemn caution and warning regarding whom we trust in our daily needs and especially when we are faced with imminent dangers. Asa, the king of Judah, began his reign good and excellent. Asa did good and right in the sight of his LORD God. The LORD had given him rest on every side. His heart was set to fulfill God’s plan in his life. He was a man who trusted the LORD. When the Ethiopian army of a million men and 300 chariots came out against him, he called to the LORD God and said, “LORD, there is no one other than thee to help in a battle between the powerful and those who have no strength.” The LORD in heaven heard his prayer for help. The LORD routed the Ethiopians before Asa and before Judah and they fled before them.

After this incident, Asa did several spiritual reforms in Judah. But in his later years, when Basha, a mighty king of the north, who overthrew the dynasty of Jeroboam 1, advanced to the south against Judah and king Asa, he became afraid. Do you know what Asa did? He took the silver and gold from the LORD’s temple in Jerusalem to buy the support and help of the Aramean king Ben Hadad 1 in Damascus. Asa started leaning on human flesh. In his later years, Asa showed disloyalty to the Lord who helped him in the past. Of course, his treaty with Ben Hadad worked out okay temporarily, although it had long-term consequences because Basha stopped his advances against Asa and Judah. But listen to what the Lord said to Asa through Hanani the prophet, “Were not the Ethiopians and Libyans a mighty army with great numbers of chariots and horsemen? Yet, when you relied on the Lord, he delivered them into your hand. There appears our beautiful verse of the day. “For the eyes of the Lord move over all the earth so that He may give strength to those whose whole heart is given to Him. You have done a foolish thing.”

Instead of repenting over his foolish treaty and sins, Asa hardened his heart and compounded his sin by placing Hanani, the prophet, in prison and oppressed his people as well. You see, one sin leads to another sin if we harden our hearts to God’s correction and counsel in a timely fashion.

The lesson of the incident is this – Beloved, no problem or issue will happen without God’s foreknowledge. Because He is fully aware of all our problems and issues in advance, He is able and willing to deliver from them all, if we trust him in the midst of it. In essence, Prophet was saying, Asa missed another fantastic opportunity to witness the glory of the LORD. Ben Hadad being a friend of Basha, both would have come against Asa, and God would have given both of them into the hands of Asa and Judah.

Got a moment to pray today? You can pray after me:

Father in heaven, I know none of my problems escape your radar and eyesight. I believe you are able and willing to solve my problems- small and big. I trust in your power and deliverance, Lord. I believe my rescue comes in the most powerful name of Jesus Christ, who died, buried, and rose again for my sins. Please forgive my sins and save me. I present my problem to your hand Lord. Take it and solve it for me, please.  I pray in Jesus Christ’s name. Amen.”

The Need To Preach The Good News Called the Gospel!

But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this, I rejoice.” (Philippians 1:18).

May I ask you a question? Does it bother you if a person, apparently not acceptable in the sight of mere men, share or preach the Gospel? Another question. Does it bother you if a person shares the Gospel or preach the Gospel with false motives?

In today’s insight, let us give careful attention to the mindset of Apostle Paul. He says it is true that some preach Jesus Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others of goodwill. The latter do so out of love but the former preach Christ out of selfish ambition. They intend to stir up trouble for Paul when he is in chains. They are giving trouble to Paul by preaching the message of Gospel. But listen to his conclusion. He says, “Does it matter?” The important thing is that in every way possible, whether in good or false motive, it is Christ who is preached. And just because of this one thing, if not anything else, Paul says he rejoices. In essence, he says his goal is every person to know the Gospel and receive it. If Christ’s Gospel is heard in the world, through whomever person or whatever motives, he rejoices in it. At the end, of course, the Lord gives the reward for the work based on one’s faithfulness and good motives. Very true. But can we allow the Lord to determine who should be rewarded or who should not be rewarded? It is not up to us anyway, is it?

In Romans 15:21 Paul says he desires to take the gospel to places where they never heard it. In fact, he was very successful in achieving this goal during his lifetime, wasn’t he? He says, “It has always been my ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not known so that I would not be building on someone else’s foundation.” Regardless of the person who shares the word of God and regardless of the intentions (true and good or false), He rejoiced in the message of the gospel. Do you share the Gospel? Do you preach the gospel? Do you pray, help, support or encourage someone who shares the Gospel and toils in it? Do you have the willingness to partner with them in reaching out? Or do you view them with an eye of doubt and suspicion in your heart? May the Lord help us. Remember our Lord Himself said apparently in a sad tone, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (Luke 10:2).

Beloved, do you love God who loved you so much that He gave His only one begotten Son that whoever believes in Him will no, never perish, but have eternal life in heaven with Him? God loved you and gave Jesus Christ for your sake so that by believing and trusting Him as your savior, you will be granted forgiveness of all your sins and eternal life in heaven. By placing faith in Jesus Christ, you have the privilege and blessings to born again into God’s family as God’s own precious child. This is the good news or gospel. Would you believe in this simple and straightforward good news today?

So does it matter? What matters is rejoicing in the Lord and His good news. What matters is you also become a laborer in Lord’s harvest rather than being an on-looker and doubter, who typically causes only delay and confusion. It is marvelous God uses different types of people to share His Gospel to the unreached in this world. May the good Lord open our eyes to see the need to preach the gospel because millions are going to Christless eternity. Come on let us together do the beautiful work of our Master.

Beloved, got a moment to pray? Let us pray.

“Father in heaven, I believe you loved me and gave me your only begotten son for the forgiveness of my sins and to come and live with you eternally in heaven. I rejoice in the good news of the gospel. What a marvelous love and grace of God revealed in the message of the Gospel! Help me to share this gospel with others around me. I surrender my life to you. I believe Jesus Christ is my savior. Help me to become a laborer for you.” Amen.

Work Hard! And Be Wise With the Money God Gives You!

“You lazy fool, look at an ant.
Watch it closely; let it teach you a thing or two.
Nobody has to tell it what to do.
All summer it stores up food;
at harvest it stockpiles provisions.” Proverbs 6:6-8 (MSG).

Bible portrays the picture of a hard worker who is not lazy at all and says watch it closely and let it teach you a good lesson for all of us. The industrious, working, and saving nature of a little ant is here contrasted with a lazy man who does not plan and save for tomorrow’s needs. Unfortunately, we come across people who do not want to work and rely on a support system although they are able to work. The hard work of an ant gives a lesson if people get lazy and avoid work.

Nobody has to give planning counsel to ants. All summer days it stores up food. At harvest times it stockpiles for the wintertime. Do you know God wants us to plan and save for future needs? First of all, we need to work hard. Laziness is foolish. Hard work is smartness. Now when we earn money by work, we need to give a portion of it (at least a tithe) to God because he gave us the strength and opportunity to earn our wages. Proverbs 3:9 says, “Honor the LORD from your wealth and from the first of all your produce.” Deuteronomy 8:18 says, ‘But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth.”

Secondly, a portion of your wages you must save for your and your family’s future financial needs. Summertime is the time God gives you to earn money. Summer means the time you can work. Because there is a future when you would not be able to work. Your strength, health, and skill would also diminish when you grow old. You must save at least a tenth of your wages for your future needs.

Thirdly, you spent the rest of your income (1 Timothy 5:8, 1 Thessalonians 2:9). The Bible says in Philippians 4:19 (c) gives a rule that each healthy (able to work) person should keep in mind and that is this – “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.” Apostle Paul, the greatest missionary set an example in this regard as He himself wrote in chapter two of the 1st book of Thessalonians. Therefore, hard work, taking care of personal food and bills, and family needs are God-given responsibilities.

Sadly, In today’s culture, people want to spend all of their income on bills and purchases. However, if you spent all your income, where is the money left to honor God with your money? How can God bless you more if you do not honor Him? Now, if you spent all your income where is the money left for your future needs when you would not be able to work? Honoring God with your tithes and saving a portion for your future needs is God’s secret for success in life.

Do you remember what Joseph did when Pharoah appointed him as the chief in Egypt? He said to Pharoah seven years of abundance to the land followed by seven years of famine. Famine was going to be severe. Joseph, in whom was the divine spirit God, gave counsel to the king and said, take action in the time of abundance and exact a fifth of the produce of the land and store up the food and guard it safely under the authority of Pharoah by which there would be sufficient food when severe famine hits the land. (Genesis 41). Genesis 41:55 says when the famine came, it was in all the nations. However, in the land of Egypt, there was bread because of the wise and Godly steps of Joseph. People of all the earth came to the land of Egypt to buy grain from Joseph.

Be wise with what God gives you. Use a portion to honor God. Use the next portion to save for your future needs. The rest is for your bills and current needs.

 

The Basis of Human Value and Respect For One Another!

“So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them”. Genesis 1:27.

We learned yesterday that Bible affirms in Genesis 1 that God created all things around us. Today we will think about the creation of mankind by God. God is the creator of all is the fundamental truth the Bible declares. Science and people who refuse the fact that God is the creator of all can try their best to argue and make their baseless points. However, the truth is that God created all. Nothing came into being apart from God. It is not the big ban that made the universe come into existence. On the contrary, it was the word of God that brought all into existence (Genesis1). However, our children are forced to learn the unproven and baseless hypotheses like the big bang and evolution in their schools.

Beloved, even people’s conscience attests to our innermost being that there is a God and He created all. When we look at the sky, stars, and the sun coming everyday morning to give us light and setting everyday evening as we go back to sleep, we know there is a God who planned and organized perfectly all this all for us. Appearance and disappearance of the sun are like turning on the light and turning off the light in your house.

Now the Bible says “God created mankind in his own image.” Then it repeats for a re-affirmation of this truth and says a second time, “in the image of God he created them.” God created mankind in his own image sets us apart from the animal and other creatures world. Image means something looks like or represents another one. In this sense, God created humankind to look like him on this earth and to represent him as his vice agent to rule over the earth. The very next verse underlines this idea, “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” (Genesis 1:28). First man and woman were created by God -Adam and Eve were commanded by Him to fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over all living creature that moves on the ground. This is a big responsibility that God gave to mankind. To successfully and righteously rule overall and to accomplish this purpose, we need to be the image-bearers of the creator God.

When it says ‘God created mankind in his own image,’ it means all other creatures on the face of the earth are not created in God’s image. This is something unique only in people. Psalm 139:14 says God fearfully and wonderfully made us and His work in us are magnificent, and we know that truth, fully well. Humankind has the intellectual capacities and moral qualities which is part of God’s image in us. The man has material and immaterial parts in him. God’s image is mainly implanted in our immaterial parts. This includes we can think intellectually, capacity to choose, etc. Man’s wonderful discoveries in aerospace, medicine, the internet, and ability to birth new and great ideas, and the ability to implement those great ideas victoriously are all part of the fact that we are created in the image of God. Besides, we also have a spirit inside us by which we can communicate with God and understand His plans and purposes for our life and fulfill it. God does not have a physical body like us because God is spirit. (John 4:24).

Moreover, the LORD God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) KJV. And one day when we die, our spirit leaves our body, returns, and lives with God (Ecclesiastes 12:7 and 2 Corinthians 5:6-8) with a glorified, heavenly body in heaven (Philippians 3:20-21) if we accept God’s offer of salvation and forgiveness in and through Jesus Christ, the savior of the world. (John 3:16).

My friends, your value and respect come from the truth that you are created in the image of God. The other person also bears the same image of God that you carry. This knowledge motivates us to respect and honor one another regardless of race, color, language, poor/rich, or any such differentiating thing.

Got a moment for today’s prayer?
“God, I know I am fearfully and wonderfully made by you. I acknowledge you are the creator of God. I also know you are a holy God and I am sorry for my sins. I know the Bible says Jesus Christ died, was buried, and risen again for my sins. I know I can be created as a brand new person in Christ when I trust in Christ Jesus as my savior. I worship you and praise you, My wonderful Lord. Please talk to me every day and guide me in your truth. My Lord, help me to respect and love others who are also created in your wonderful image. I pray in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.”

“In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Now the earth was formless and empty, darkness was over the surface of the deep, and the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters.” (Genesis 1:1-2).

God births beauty from chaos.

Bible, the only authoritative Word of God, says the living God created everything we see around us – earth, heavens, people, animals, birds, fish, various types of trees, and fruits. Our today’s insight also says the earth was formless and empty and darkness was over the surface of the deep. The Spirit of God was hovering over the deep waters. This means the land was not yet inhabitable for humankind. The remaining verses of the 1st chapter of the book of Genesis say how God prepared the land for the inhabitation of the first man and his wife-Adam and Eve. Verse 2 describes the role of God or the Spirit of God in the creation history. God formed the land into a beautiful place to live in by his powerful word, and it is illustrated in the following verses of the first chapter.

The same God who prepared the earth from formlessness, emptiness, and darkness to beauty, form, and order is the God who wants to have friendship and fellowship with you. Beloved, He can do the same thing in our lives as well. Beloved, are you confused, broken-hearted? Are you facing darkness, chaos, and problems in your life today? As much as my heart goes after you, I also want to remind you that you are not alone. Many people face different types of agonies and difficulties. However, do you know the creator God is the perfect solution for all our problems? Bible says in Psalms 34:15, “GOD keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan.” (Message).

The loving God asks you to come to Him in prayer with your problems. The LORD God can speak a word, and all will go away like a flash. Remember He called all into existence by His word. He can also start a fresh breeze of restoration and healing process in your life. He knows how to refresh and restore your troubled soul with His power as He did to King David. David testifies in Psalm 23:3, “He restores my soul.” Such is the power of our God and His Holy Spirit.

The restoration and healing of God are available in and through Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Bible says, in Isaiah 53:5. He was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds, we are healed.

It is simple -God heals you and restores you when you come to Jesus Christ who died in your place for all of your sins. Yes, God is the expert to birth beauty from chaos. He did at the beginning of creation. He still does it in your personal life.

Got a moment for today’s prayer?

“Father in heaven, I understand you created this universe, in this beautiful and organized manner, by your all-powerful Word. I believe and trust in you and your power. I know Bible also says Jesus Christ came into this world to rescue me and grant me forgiveness and eternal life. I know in Him there is healing/restoration for my soul. Lord, I bring my problems to you today. (describe the problem you are facing in your own words). I pray Lord to help and deliver me from my problem with the same almighty power you exercised to create this universe from nothing. Thank you, Lord, for helping and delivering me. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen. “

The High Priest who sympathizes with your weakness!

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22:31-32.

The above-cited verse is what Jesus said to his dear disciple Peter just before his epic failure in his faith life.

Jesus said to him- Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. You see, Satan wanted to sift Peter with temptations and trials. Jesus also said this – I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren. 

Beloved, aren’t you glad that Lord Jesus Christ won’t leave you abandoned at your failure? He knows all about us- even our sins and failures and has a beautiful plan. Jesus says he prayed for Peter so that his faith would not fail. His faith will stand despite Peter’s soon-approaching failure during the time of Jesus’ arrest. Peter denied his beloved savior and Lord Jesus three times. However, he wept bitterly over it and repented about it. 

Jesus advised him in advance and said, “and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Returning to Jesus means repenting of our sins and mistakes. Once Peter repents and thereby returns to Jesus, Peter has an assignment to fulfillment in his life. That is strengthening his brethren who would face failure in their life. You have the same divine appointment once you repent and turn to Jesus in prayer.

You see, Jesus is now our intercessor in God’s presence. He is our advocate who intercedes on behalf of us so that our faith will not fail. The Bible says in Hebrews 15-16, “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us, therefore, come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” 

Jesus Christ, our savior high priest, who intercedes for us in the heavenly court, was tempted as we were when He lived on this earth, but being fully God and man, he did not sin. However, He knows our human frame and is well familiar, as He experienced it in his incarnation. Therefore, the Bible says we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses. So come boldly to the throne of His grace, repent, and turn to him for help and forgiveness. 

If you do not know Jesus as your savior yet, may I tell you God loves you, want to forgive you, and appoint you with His divine assignment to strengthen others? Jesus Christ is the savior who would forgive you, and give you salvation and eternal life in heaven when you close your eyes on this planet earth. 

Pray now.

“God, I need Jesus Christ. I believe He carried my sins on his shoulders and paid it all for me. I accept Jesus Christ as my savior and Lord. Please save me and bless me with salvation and eternal life. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”

A Better Way to Conduct Life-Look For God’s Approval than Men’s Approval!

 

“For they loved human praise more than praise from God.” John 12:43.

Remember if they haven’t approved you as of yet, they are not going to do it in the future. God says you move with  my sovereign plan for your life and I can deal with them at the opportune time.

Do you know there are people who look for people’s approval even when they make spiritual decisions?  This happened to Jesus and to Apostle Paul. Many did not accept Jesus Christ fearing they would be put out of their spiritual assemblies called synagogues. Their name and their acceptance in front of other people were more important to them. Apostle Paul wrote this in Galatians 1:10 regarding those who purposely opposing His divine call – “Am I now trying to win the approval of human beings, or of God? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still trying to please people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

You see, if you constantly look for the approval of people in your circle, you cannot be a true servant of God. 1 Thessalonians 2:4-5 says, “ our purpose is to please God, not people. He alone examines the motives of our hearts.  Never once did we try to win you with flattery, as you well know. And God is our witness that we were not pretending to be your friends just to get your money!  As for human praise, we have never sought it from you or anyone else.”

Do you know there are people in my life who would not give their approval no matter what good I did to them, their families and children with the gift the Lord granted me? Does this mean I must not be happy and live in defeat? No, not at all. The same is applicable to you. No matter what good you have done and contributed to the spiritual wellbeing if they have not granted their approval, I can almost say this- they are not going to approve you in the future. So what would you do? Leave it in the hands of the Lord and you move on with what God called you for. God knows why people do what they do in real terms. He only examines the hearts. He can handle it in a far better way. I experienced firsthand how God is good in dealing with them in the past. Praise God. Our Lord is righteous, just and knows how to ask for accounts. He will in the due time.

Beloved, there are so many friends I have in my teach bible circle who sends me encouraging words and comments. I am so thrilled to hear from them. I never met them. But I thank God and pray for them. I praise God for the opportunity to serve him in this platform called ‘teachbible.org’. However, I had people in my immediate circle who looked and even looking at me now with a ‘face’. It does not matter. I am working for my master with the gift He granted me as long as I can. This is the only motivation I have. Work for my Master with whom He had entrusted me. Jesus said and it is recorded in John 9:3-4, “As long as it is the day, we must do the works of him who sent me. The night is coming, when no one can work.” He warned us night is coming when no one can work. Now it is the day. We can still work for our good master who would reward us abundantly in the future when we are going to be with him. Bible says Jesus would say, “’Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!’ Matthew 25:23.

Instead of looking for approval from people, I will show you a better way to conduct your life. Bible says in 2nd Timothy 2:15, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” You look for God’s approval by faithfully doing what God called you to do. Do work with the talent He gave you to gain more talents for the Master.

“Father in heaven, I know at the end of the day what matters is Your approval. I pray Lord instead of looking for people’s approval, give me the courage to move on with your plans and  purposes. I know it is some time discouraging the way people discredit you. But it is ok. God know the motives of people’s hearts and He can better deal with it at His opportune time. May I serve you faithfully until you call me home? In Christ’s name, I pray. Amen.”

The Great and Terrible Day of the LORD is No Comparison to the Current sufferings.

“Yet even now,” says the Lord, “return to Me with all your heart, crying in sorrow and eating no food. Tear your heart and not your clothes.” Return to the Lord your God, for He is full of loving-kindness and loving-pity. He is slow to anger, full of love, and ready to keep His punishment from you.  It may be that He will turn and have pity, and leave good behind for you.” Joel 2:12-14 (a).

When you read the book of Joel in the Bible, which is part of the prophetical section of the Bible, you would understand the main theme of the book is the great and terrible Day of the Lord. He surveys the terrible event that happed recently in the history of Judah in a retrospective way. The severe and destructive locust plague was a judgment of God upon the sins and disobedience of His people. Their moral, social and spiritual deterioration was partly due to the prosperity and luxury and the resultant lack of fear and gratitude toward the living God in heaven. He used the recent bad events to explain the coming more terrible day of judgment when God would deal in special with the nation Israel who rejected the savior of the whole world who came as a fulfillment of the prophecies of the Bible and in general with the wickedness and sinful lifestyle of the people of the whole world.

Joel asks the question has anything like this happened in your days or in your father’s days? Go ahead and speak to your children about it. Then let your children tell their children and their children to the next children to come. This is what they should inform about the devastation and disaster caused by the locusts. “What the chewing locust has left, the flying locust has eaten. What the flying locust has left, the jumping locust has eaten. And what the jumping locust has left, the destroying locust has eaten”. (1:4) Locust plague completely destroyed harvest, fruits, vegetables, fruit trees. A severe recession because the economy came to a standstill. The food channels and supply channels were cut off before their eyes (1:16). The gladness and joy of the House of The Lord were also cut off (1:16), the stores and stores’ house was dried up (17) and barns were barren. Consequently, the joy of the people dried up (1:12©).

God seeks true worshippers who worship God in spirit and truth. (John 4:23). Mere external conformity and worship with no brokenness or change inside would not cut it. They used to rend their outward garments to show forth their piety. However, God asks to rend their heart not their clothes. (2:13). God says “let the priests and the Lord’s  ministers weep between the porch and the altar.”

Lord calls His people and says, “Yet even now, return to Me with all your heart, crying in sorrow and eating no food. Tear your heart and not our clothes. The prophet of the Lord says, “return to the Lord your God, for He is full of loving-kindness and loving pity. He is slow to anger, full of love, and ready to keep His punishment from you. It may be that He will turn and have pity, and leave good behind for you.” What a terrible reminder to all of us when we face God’s worldwide judgment on sins and rebelliousness? The day of the Lord can have multi fulfillments. Joel the prophet talked in retrospect about God’s judgment over the sins of His people in 586 BC. It had other fulfillment also like the one in AD 70 and later in history. However, all these would be much smaller when compared to the great and terrible Day of the Judgment coming in the near future. Joel uses the locust judgments in a prospective way to illustrate the coming terrible worldwide judgment of God. The events that would happen just prior to the coming terrible judgment are explained in chapter 2 especially in verses 28-32.

However, the call of the Lord and His offer of grace and forgiveness should not fall on deaf ears. The sad consequences of God’s judgment that we face now are no comparison to the terrible Day of the Judgement coming on the whole earth in the near future. God loves you and He gave His one and only Son, Jesus Christ, to die in your place for all of your sins and shortcomings. The future terrible day of the judgment would be based on what individuals and nations have done in response to the indescribable gift of Jesus Christ God gave for the remission of sins and eternal life. He says in 3:32, “whoever calls on the name of the LORD will be delivered.”

Bible says in Romans 10:9, “if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you shall be saved.” Then it says in verse 11 that “whoever believes in Him (Jesus) will not be disappointed” and “whoever will call upon the name of the LORD will be saved.” 10:13.

Through these worldwide incidents God talks to us – call upon the name of the Lord Jesus to be delivered from the coming severe and terrible judgment of God. Would you listen and call the name of the Lord Jesus Christ? Understand that the day of  judgment may have multi fulfillments. Whatever judgment of God we face now due to people’s sins and rebelliousness to Him is no comparison to the coming judgment of God. The terrible judgment of God on the whole world who rejects the only savior of the world – Jesus Christ.

 

Would you pray? ” God, I know you said whoever calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved from that great and terrible judgment and they will never be disappointed. I call upon the name of the LORD Jesus Christ for deliverance and eternal life with you in heaven. I believe Jesus died and rose again to save me from my sins and shortcomings. In the name of Jesus Christ, I pray. Amen.”