Friday, August 29, 2008

Why do Christians go to church?

Didn't really thought about the question: why do Christians go to church?

With the little that I know, we go to church because we want to know more of our Lord Jesus. We want to know our heavenly inheritance through the finished at the cross. We want to be intimate with Jesus, our God and our High Priest. We want to see more of Jesus, to have a fresh revelation of Jesus and His finished work at the cross.

With the advancement of modern technology like portable MP3 and CD players, we can now listen to sermons anywhere and almost anytime. Nowadays, almost every phone has built-in music player and that enables us to hear sermons on the go. There are sermons which are streamed through the internet as well. Simply put, we can listen to the word of Christ anywhere and anytime.

Why then do Christians still attend church regularly? Christians go to church to take advantage of the corporate anointing that is only present in the multitude of counselors. A christian go to church to fellowship with other christian. He or she is there to share the joy and peace in the Lord. Also, Christians go to church to encourage each other in his or her walk with Christ.

It is a privilege and honour to be able to attend church. In times past, Christians had to congregate secretly from house to house to read the bible, which was rare to be found, for fear of been found out by the local authorities and subsequently prosecuted by them.

Take advantage of every opportunity to attend church. You will never know when your life is completely transformed when the grace of God touches your heart. Thank God for all His anointed preachers and teachers in the church. Hallelujah!

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Rest in the Lord

"Come to Me, all you who labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest... For My yoke is easy and My burden is light."

The Lord wants us to come to Him for our every need and be at rest within for He is able and willing to take care of our every need. Jesus is all that we need. He has our interests on His heart. It saddens Him to see us striving on our own efforts to go about meeting our needs. For He is more than willing to make sure we are well taken care of in this world.

Jesus is the Alpha and Omega, He is the Author and Finisher of our faith. He always has the last word in our situation. Trust in Him and everything will be alright. Rest in His finished work at the cross. For worthy is the Lamb who was slain on my behalf. I do not have anything to contribute at the cross for my sins to be forgiven and to be right with God. Only Jesus and His precious blood is able to take away our sins.

The work at the cross is completely complete. Nothing is left undone for our forgiveness of sins. Every rightful punishment that is due to us for all our sins has been met by Jesus at the cross. Our own selves have been crucified at the cross with Jesus. Lord Jesus was resurrected on the third day and I, through His resurrection, also have a resurrected Spirit. I am a new creation.

Rest in the Lord. Rest in the knowledge of the finished work. Shalom.

Sunday, August 24, 2008

Casting all your cares upon Him for He cares

Cast all your cares upon Jesus for He cares.

The bible says that we ought to cast ALL our cares upon Jesus for He is willing, and able to resolve all our problems. The bible also says that the accuser of the brethen goes about devouring those who he can devour. Who are those which he can devour? It is those who still, trusting their own effort to solve their issues, hold on to the cares of their hearts.

Sometimes, we think that we should only "bother" God with only the big issues that we have no resolution. We feel that we are more than capable to tackle the "simple" cares of our lives. We should cast ALL our cares upon Jesus for He is able. We honour the finished work at by Jesus when we cast all our cares upon him.

Maybe some of us are going through a challenging time dealing with marital issues. Maybe some of us are experiencing lack in our finances. Perhaps some of us are feeling the symptoms of a dreaded disease. Or it is something as simple as choosing where to eat for lunch. Whatever big or small the issue may be, we are to leave it at the feet of Jesus and allow Him to work miracle in that situation.

Nothing is impossible for God. He loves us so much that He wants us to have a Christ-filled life. Trust in the Lord who loves dearly.

Friday, August 22, 2008

Unbelieving believer

Many a times, we just know the truth that will set us free. However, there are many who know the truth that can set them free yet they find it so hard to believe.

It is like the word of God is too good too be true. The word of God is the truth. There is no falsehood in. When interpreted in its right context, we will have a deeper knowing of Jesus and His finished work at the cross. It is this knowing that will ultimalely set us free from fear and anxiety. It is this knowing that will set our hearts at rest cause we know Jesus is working miracle behind the difficult situations that we are facing.

However, some of us find it challenging to believe the word of God. The bible says we are made rich because Jesus was made poor at the cross that we through His poverty will be made rich. Yet some of us just can't believe this truth. Why is this so? We simply focus on our situations more than the finished work at the cross. We expect "instant noodles" solution most of the time and when we don't get what we had prayed for, we get dishearted and distrust the word of God.

The bible also says that Jesus had borne our diseases and illnesses and pain and by His stripe, we have been made whole and healthy. The instance we feel pain in our body, we focus on the pain straight away and magnify it in our body. And when the healing doesn't take place immediately, we don't believe the word of God. Isn't it interesting to know that we choose to believe our challenging situations, which can be changed, more than the truth of God.

God will make things perfect in our lives in His perfect time, not our perfect time. His desire for us is to prosper and be in health as our souls prosper. He has our interest at heart. Trust in Him. Those who trust in Him will never be put to shame. Hallelujah.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

Believing believer

"Foolishness and slow of heart to believe."

These are the two indictment facing the modern churches. We are unaware of our inheritance in Christ and, even if we do, are slow to believe. We simply do not believe that God is good to us even though He is.

All the promises in the bible are ours to proclaim. Health and wholeness is our entitlement for Christ had finished the sacrificial work at the cross. Before Jesus was crucified, he had bequeathed His shalom peace to us. We are made rich through the act at the cross for you know, by the grace of God, though Jesus was rich, He was made poor at the cross that we through His poverty shall be made rich.

Yet, some of us Christians believe we should be poor to be "Holy". Some of us believe that we need to live a life of that is completely deprived of material possessions. The bible says God freely gives us all things to enjoy. For example, if we need a bigger house because of the expanding family, He will want to bless us will a bigger house. If we need to move around with ease because of young children in the family, it is okay for us to have a car to move around conveniently.

It is funny to hear Christians saying that they are suffering from a certain disease or illness because God is teaching them a lesson. If that is the case, why are they going to the doctors to get well? They are just disobeying God's instruction for them! By His stripe, we have been made whole. Jesus wants us to have robust health. Free from pain and illness.

We are the beloved in Christ. Believe His finished work at the cross. Believe in His love for us. Have a good opinion of God. Believe right and you will live right. Hallelujah.

Your new identity in Christ

"Old things had passed away. Behold, all things are new."

When one receives Jesus as Lord and Saviour, he/she has become a New Creation. All old things had passed away and all things are new. It is a new beginning in Christ. A born again Christian, for the old self had been crucified with Jesus at the cross.

At the cross, Jesus borne all our diseases, illnesses, curses, pains, sorrows, and our worrisome old self. He had conquered the grave and resurrected. He is now SEATED at the right hand of Abba Father. He is our tithe to God. Jesus had sent the Holy Spirit to dwell inside of all Christians as the other comforter till the second coming of Christ.

Greater is He who is in me than he who is of the world. The bible says that Christ in me, the hope of glory. Jesus had, technically, given everyone a new lease of life. However, only those who accept the gift of salvation are forgiven of all sins and to be reconciled with God.

Enjoy the new identity in Christ for His glory. Live life worthy of the high calling in Christ for He has a master plan for everyone of us. Hallelujah!

Friday, August 8, 2008

Good things happen when you behold Jesus

Casting all your cares upon Him for He cares. He cares about me more than I care about myself. When one casts all his cares upon Jesus, good things always happen.

There are many testimonies on how married couple just don't bother about trying to have a child and just enjoy each other's presence and the next thing you know the wife is pregnant with a child.

There are people who don't think about their diseases and just behold Jesus having all their diseases completely removed from their bodies. There are many testimonies on people who got healed of terminal illness.

There are also many testimonies where Jesus just take away a person's huge debt. Some of them are just simple miraculous. That's how Jesus will work in our lives.

Whatever difficult challenges that we are facing, behold Jesus. For He is Alpha and Omega, the Author and Finisher of our faith. He always has the last word in our lives and He is always having good thoughts towards us. The bible says He will never leave us nor forsake us.

Jesus is ever ready to take care of our cares, if only we will place those cares upon Him. Trust Him and good things will happen to us.

Friday, August 1, 2008

God has given us power, love and a sound mind

For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.

When we are griped with fear or depression, take heart, for they didn't come from God. We can be comforted that God has given us a spirit of power, love and a sound mind.

God has already given us the spirit of power. Use that power to believe unto Jesus and His finished work at the cross. When we meditate on the truth of the His word, there will be power rising up from within and strength to deal with the challenges of life.

God has already given us the spirit of love. When we focus on the finished work at the cross, we will experience the love of God for us. We can love for God first love us. He sent Jesus to be the sacrificial lamb of our behalf so that we are plentifully provided for.

God has already given us the spirit of sound mind. Jesus had bequeathed His peace to us. This is not worldly peace but the peace that come from the understanding that God is in control. There is nothing that He will not do for a Christian to turn his/her into a masterpiece which reflects the glory of Jesus.

Be at rest when the devil "roar" at you. He had been de-toothed. He goes around seeking whom he can devour. He can't devour a Christian who is restful within.

Use the spirit of power, love and a sound mind in all our situations. Relax and see the wonderful working miracles of God. Hallelujah!