Counterfeit Blessings

Did u know that Satan also blesses. He is not deaf. He too hears when we ask God for some blessing which may or may not be His will for us.

The devil works with counterfeit information and what we have asked for, he will send us as a counterfeit blessing. Terms and conditions attached. 

The exact meaning of the word "counterfeit" is something made in exact imitation of something valuable with the intention to deceive or defraud.

And without knowledge and wisdom to discern, a fake, seems to be genuine. 

This is why it is wise to pray for discernment so that nothing passed us by surprise, and we miss what God really wanted for us. 

Stale Food and Soiled Currency

                                           

"Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts". Malachi 1 

When we have esteemed visitors over for a visit, we try and offer the best we can. Best crockery and cutlery, the best of foods, the best seat in the house and the best comforts.

When God knocks, in the form of a hungry person, what do we offer? Stale food? When asked by beggars -do we give soiled or unusable currency and keep the crisp notes for ourselves?

It's not what we give. It's how we give. Let's not put terms and conditions to our giving. Recognize the need and give honorably, thereby honoring God for there is God in each human. 

Give more or give less, but give with honor, not in boasting but in humility.

When God comes Knocking

“The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’

Reference: Matthew 25: Ver 35-40

If God comes knocking at your door today, what will you do? Seriously. What would someone do?

Would we be excited? Would we be afraid? Would we run around like chickens not knowing what to do?

Or would we turn Him away?

The fact is, God does come knocking at your door, at your car window or in your office. And every so often we turn Him away. The fact is, there is God in everyone. The hungry beggar, the homeless man or woman, the lame and the sick. He comes to our door in many shapes and forms, but we do not recognize Him.

So little is our faith in man that we judge: "oh why should I give? Can he not work?" Or "He will only go and drink it away". Or simply "this is another way of thievery".

Friends, we justify our apathy with judgements.

Yes, everything we think maybe true. They might drink it away or go gamble or whatever. If we gave in love, don't question and judge how it was spent.

Look at it this way: if we gave, we made God smile; and if he or she wasted it, they wasted a blessing. What I did was between my God and me. What they did is between their God and them. Let us look to our own relationship with God and not worry about theirs. Judgement belongs to God.

So next time God comes knocking, open the door.

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A Grateful Heart

A grateful heart is a beginning of greatness. It is an expression of humility. It is a foundation for the development of such virtues as prayer, faith, courage, contentment, happiness, love, and well-being.

James E. Faust

"Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you." (1 Thessalonians 5:18)

When Satan Laughs in Delight

In the 70s there was a very famous song called American Pie. It was a chart buster and remains popular till this day. A line in the song is very thought provoking and it says, "I saw Satan laughing in delight". 

Strange, isn't it? But think about it. What makes Satan delighted. Do you and I delight Satan?

We spend so much time on developing our lives to delight God and trying to follow it, we seldom stop to think what about our life delights Satan. Let's think about it today.

Possibly because we are a material society, we believe what we see, therefore we have a far-off belief in the spiritual wars we face and hence don't take the trouble to know our enemy - Satan. Big mistake because then we severely underestimate the tactics and character of our enemy.

In the ancient Chinese military classic, The Art of War (attributed to Sun Tzu), it is commented, "If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle."

Let us then prepare for battle and understand what makes Satan happy, because that makes God sad.

Delight no. 1

Blake Labaree says - "If we, being friends of God, can be moved against Him in action, word, or thought, the Devil will have accomplished something that he could never do by his own hand, chiefly, the disgrace of the child of God bringing reproach on God’s name". Most common reason: our pride.

Delight no. 2

Being unforgiving or holding a grudge against our fellow men. Gossiping, backbiting, judging. Common enough?

Delight no. 3

Giving in to Satan's pressures. Very common. We try and take the easy was out without pausing to think if that is the way God would want. Remember, Satan can cause a lot of pressure, so much so that we break and give in and turn away from our goal of delighting God our father or doing His work. This pressure can be at work, financial mountains, personal sickness, anything to break us. We are not the only ones. Remember 1Th 2:18 "Therefore we wanted to come to you--even I, Paul, time and again--but Satan hindered us". If he can hinder Paul, who are we?

To hinder is to impede. To not let it happen by cutting off the way. Satan is all about cutting off our way to the destination God planned for us.

Delight no. 4

Our will and way over Gods will and way. A very common act that most of us do without a second thought. Let's call it "unconscious rebellion". This state is so actively promoted by the devil and his cohort that it spares none. He uses temptation, fear, pride, ego as well as a fond memory of a past sin even though one asked for forgiveness. All this and more and every other weakness of man are in his arsenal.

And in the midst of all of this is our tendency to sin, "idolate", hate, prejudice, and judge.

How can we overcome?

Corrie Ten Boom, a holocaust survivor, who's story we talked about in an earlier post (you Can read it here) has this to say-

"When a Christian shuns fellowship with other Christians, the devil smiles. When he stops studying the Bible, the devil laughs. When he stops praying, the devil shouts for joy.”

These are reasons as well as the antidote to overcome the poison of Satan. Three very vital practices that every child of God can employ: Fellowship. Study of the Word and Prayer.

Today, can we identify areas of our life which delight Satan? Can we become actively conscious of them and use Corrie Ten Booms advice to overcome all those weaknesses which delight the devil.

A very relevant sermon on how we can overcome was given by Pastor Jolly Raj, of the Bethel Methodist Church in India, and we strongly recommend you hear it here.

In Case You Missed

 

Today we have chosen the theme of Faith and Hope and bring you a post and a song. We hope you enjoy these. 

Leap Of Faith can be read here 

King of Heaven a Paul Baloche song rendered by Voices for Glory, the Bethel Methodist Chruch Choir can be heard here 

Why Are We So Angry?

Have you noticed how angry so many people in the world seem to be? They are angry with themselves, with their jobs, with their governments, with other people, with stores, with products with life, with their surroundings, in short nearly everything.

According to the Gallup Global Emotions Report, anger around the world has been rising since 2016, with 23% of respondents now feeling angry on any given day. That's about 2 billion people being angry every day. Wow!

What makes people angry though?

Harvard Health says one of the main reasons is a sense of powerlessness. But a kind of overarching reason maybe the difference between what we expect and what we get in life. This is not to say one can't have dreams to work towards, dreams are goals, not expectations. Problem is the outcome of anger only leads to more trouble and holding it in causes health problems.

So what do we do? Let's see what the Bible says . The Bible showcases expectations not just as the anticipation of an outcome, but primarily as faith and trust in God’s plan, timing, and promise. See the difference? The Bible does not treat expectations as mere anticipatory behavior or wishful thinking. Instead, it ties them intimately to faith and trust in God’s timing and provision. Reading Gods word can bring peace, which is an antidote to the poison of anger.

While we do that, it maybe a good idea to do and remember the following -

1. Review and Change expectations - Review our own expectations to be in line with our own situation and reality.

2. Hope more. expect less. - a key message of the Bible is hope through faith. Job is a perfect example.

3. Build Dependence on God, not man - including yourself. Avoiding the usual and very common advice that God loves you; know that God does not hate you. Always remember that because that's the beginning of trust which is the very basis of dependence.

Psalms 91:4 says, He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. But He can do that only when we want to be covered. Remember, He gave us the power of free choice?

4. Expect the unexpected. That is the beauty of dependence on God. Borrowing from Isiaah, Gods ways and thoughts for us are way higher than our own thoughts and dreams for ourselves, as are our ways. So, when God delivers on hopes, according to His will and purpose, believe that it will be much different and much better than we had ever thought.

While life is what it is, we do have a fallback, and that is Jesus and God. 

Philippians 4:6-7 advises: "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus". The Bible also says - "Cast your cares on the LORD and He will sustain you; he will never let the righteous be shaken" (Psalm 55:22)

When we let go and cast our burden onto someone else who is stronger and mightier, we find peace, and when we find peace, we also let go of anger and disappointment. 

So, we must hold dearly to the truth and knowledge that we have been given about ..."him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us".

So, we need to remember all the time that God does not hate us. He cares for us, whether we know it or not. In the words of Ana Wilis, a cancer survivor, 
"Your problem is not too big for a God that is all powerful! El Shaddai is He. In Hebrew El Shaddai literally means God that is enough, sufficient… and is He not? YES, He is!
He is more than enough to meet ALL my and your needs".

So, Trust, Cast and lie back in peace. We have nothing to lose and everything to gain. 

God's Case Study

Remember Job? A character of much importance in the Bible. Some people joke and say that he innocently became the subject of a bet between God and Satan. Except that God does not gamble. 

God also does not need to give points, but He did point Job to His truths. Yet, even today, we humans want proof points. Proof of His creation, proof of His presence, proof of His love for us. We sure know about Him, but do we really believe in Him until he shows His presence?

Humanity needs case studies like that of Job to show others of things like faith, Gods love, Divine intervention etc. If you look at it, Job is a typical human and, in the story, God lists out all the proof points you and I need that He exists, and He is God the Creator. He also gives proof points that He is the nurturer and the provider; that he is the protector of His creation and finally that He is the power that keeps the balance in His creation.

The Story of Job is an important one for us. Not because it teaches us how to suffer (nobody wants that anyway) and sustain but more importantly how and why to trust in God. It also explains the greatest mystery of life: why do bad things happen to good people.

At different times Jobs story can message different things. But perhaps the most important messaging is in Chapter 38 and 39 where God challenges man. At the end of it we realize we are not the mighty tower of knowledge we thought we are or think we are we are merely ants. We are still debating if there are aliens; or that who we think are aliens are angels; we still try to figure out nature and creation; we still even haven't been able to get the timeline right! Thus, if we know nothing, are powerless by ourselves, who are we to question God?

Right Time. Right Place.

"For if you remain completely silent at this time, relief and deliverance will arise for the Jews from another place, but you and your father's house will perish. Yet who knows whether you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” - Esther 4:14

What a profound ultimatum was given to Esther! 

But in  Esther we find a powerful message of courage and divine providence. Esther found herself in a powerful position as a queen. She used her position to save her people from a terrible fate at the urging of her cousin Mordecai, who is quoted above as well. In fact, till this day the Israelites celebrate Purim, to commemorate the defeat of Haman's plot to massacre the Jews as recorded in the book of Esther. 

Like Esther, have you ever felt you were in a certain situation for a reason? That perhaps, like Esther, God has orchestrated events in your life to fulfil a special purpose? It can be easy to feel insignificant and powerless, but God often places us exactly where we need to be for such a time as this. 

We may not face the same dramatic circumstances as Esther but we all encounter moments where our choices can make a difference. It maybe a time when speaking up could bring about justice and healing. it maybe an opportunity to extend grace and forgiveness to someone in need. Whatever the situation, we have the choice to step into our God given role and purpose and make an impact.  

Like Esther, we must have the courage to step out of our comfort zones and trust in God's provision. When faced with fear or uncertainty, let us remember Esthers example and lean on our faith to propel us forward. 

Then think about Noah and his family. They  must have felt pretty isolated. For forty days the rain fell, and the flooding persisted for months beyond that. But the scriptures remind us that God had not forgotten Noah—or even the animals. 

Sometimes when we feel like we’re left out, we are exactly where God needs us to be, so that we may be ready when His plan comes to fruition.

So, embrace the call of God on your life. Be bold and courageous, knowing that you are here for such a time as this.  

The Terror of The Night

Imagine you are being chased by violent robbers who not only want to rob you but do bodily harm. You run here and there, trying to find an escape route but they are relentless. There is a whole bunch of them, brandishing knives and pistols, shouting and screaming about what they will do to you when they catch you. You run and run, hard and fast but they are catching up. You know it's only a matter of a couple of minutes before they catch you. As you run you think of your family, friends. You also think of who or what can help you. You rue the fact that you did not put emergency on fast dial on your phone, because you know when they do catch you, they will take away the phone. Suddenly as you zig zag you see an alley... though it's dark but it does provide you with an escape route. You duck into it hoping to find escape. The robbers are right behind you. As your eyes focus in the dark you see that it's a dead end. A 20 feet fall blocks any thought of escape. You turn to face the robbers. To face possible death. Your heart is beating, fear is making you cringe, paralysed. You think of your family, their images fleet before you. You know it's the end of the road. You tried but failed. You fall, defeated.

Can you feel the fear and defeat? What would you feel and do if you ever came into such a situation?

Back to our story.

As you lie there hopeless and helpless, you see the robbers closing in. As their eyes adjust to the dark, suddenly a door opens behind you; strong hands reach out and pull you in and lock he door again. You see that you are in a room with many people, all smiling and comforting you. They offer you water and make you sit. You start to feel safe.

If this happened to you what would you feel? Do you think this can never ever happen to you?

This story is fictional of course. What is not fictional is that the same situation actually befell the Hebrews as they tried to escape the Pharoah. Before them was the red sea and behind them was Pharoah. While a lot has been written about what happened after their experience, no one really thinks about what they felt prior to the event. What fear and hopelessness they may have felt. They may even have said farewells to each other, knowing surely that some, if not all, would die. They would not know then that God would fight their battle that day. He would use His weapons of the wind and the waves to give the Pharoah a final defeat. What sword can fight of the wind? What shield can protect against a tsunami wave? What human can outrun a tsunami?

Today, our battles are as real as they were for the Hebrews that day. What protects us against known and unknown dangers? Only the Almighty. (Remember the pandemic).

You will not fear the terror of night,
nor the arrow that flies by day,
6 nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness,
nor the plague that destroys at midday.
7 A thousand may fall at your side,
ten thousand at your right hand,
but it will not come near you.
Isaiah 54:17