Don't Worry, Be Happy?

Many a times, when a person is worrysome, he is seldom happy. His constant thoughts are those revolving around those challenging issues that are yet to be resolved. His whole being is sucked into a whirl pool of negativity. The person is probably thinking there is no light at the end of the tunnel.

More importantly, when a person is in a constant state of worry, his heart is probably not restful. When the heart is stressed in a negative manner and left unattended, the result is usually fatal. Even when good things are happening around the person, the person will fail to see these good things and rejoice in the fact that good things are happen.

The bible tells us that a sound heart is life to the body. A tranquil heart is life to the body. When a heart is restful, even the perfect storm will not be able to cause it to ruffle! When a person's is at rest, he will not sense heat even when heat comes. Meaning, even if bad things happen, a person whose heart is at rest will not feel the impact of those bad things.

Now, if a person doesn't worry, does that mean that person will be happy? Happiness is a choice, not a matter of circumstances. If a person choose to be happy, he will be happy even there are things that are bothersome. He can be merry and be at rest even facing the adversity head on.

Jesus had bequeathed His Shalom peace to Christians. We have the Shalom peace of God. Be conscious of this Shalom peace. Be conscious of the finished work of Jesus Christ at the cross. The more we are conscious of that, the more we can rejoice being alive and be happy! Hallelujah!

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.

The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not be in want.

Jesus is the all providing Shepherd. He had already provisioned all things that we need in our lives. At the cross, He had borne all our sins so that we can be made righteous before God. He was striped, pierced, and burnt on our behalf so that we can have robust health. At the cross, He was stripped of all material possessions so that we are made rich in all things.

The bible also says that the Lamb was slain before the foundation of the earth. Jesus knew He was going to be the sacrificial Lamb on the cross, for cursed is anyone who is hanged by a tree. Christ was resurrected on the third day after His crucifixion. Together with Christ, Christians are also resurrected in the spirit. The resurrected life of Christ now dwells in every Christian.

The resurrected life of Christ gives us His shalom peace. It gives us joy in the Holy Spirit. Christian can rejoice for the good that Christ had done. Long before we face a challenge, Jesus had already implemented a way for us to be victorious. He will always make a way of escape in our trials for He had completely completed the work at the cross.

The word of Christ says that He will prepare a table for us in the battle field. During the olden days in the old testament, a blood covenant was cut between two persons. When one is in trouble, the other one will step in to rescue the one in trouble. When Jesus lays a table for a Christian in a battle field, He is telling the enemies to flee as He is the other covenant party in the blood covenant.

Jesus will always lead us to victory. He will never put a Christian, whose trust is in Him, to shame. He will never play a Christian out. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. He is the all providing Shepherd. In Him, I shall not lack. Hallelujah.

Only Jesus had died for me

Some 2000 years ago, a lone solitary figure was crucified on the cross. He was there because of my sins. He was there to take my place of punishment so that I could take His place of righteousness. His name is Jesus.

Only Jesus' sacrifice was needed and the only sacrifice that was completely complete. No other sacrifices can make it: God is not satisfied with those sacrifices. In the old testament, children of Israel will sacrifice bulls and sheeps to atone for their sins yearly. Jesus' one sacrifice is all that is needed. His one sacrifice fully satisfied God.

His death at the cross had made me righteous. His death had made me rich and healthy. He had bequeathed His Shalom peace to me when He ascended to Heaven. His words tell me not to worry about what to eat and drink and what to put on. The bible tells me not to worry about tomorrow but to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness.

Trust in His finished work at the cross. Believe in His unfailing love for me. Do not doubt His word. Give praise to Him and worship Him every moment that I am conscious of His presense. Give thanks to Him for the completed work.

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.

What are you conscious of today?

When we wake up today, what are we conscious of? Are we conscious of the difficult challenges that lie ahead? Are we conscious of the pain and symptom of our bodies? Are we conscious of the meagre balance in our bank account?

What are we really conscious of each day when we wake up? Or, Who are we conscious of when we wake up each day? The bible tells us to be Christ conscious. When we are Christ conscious, the challenges shall be resolved. When we see Jesus at the cross and realised that we're the healed of the Lord, the pain and symptom will be no more. When we know that the Almighty God was made poor that we through His poverty might be made rich, we shall be poor no more.

At the cross, Jesus died to take our place of sin so we might take His place of righteousness. At the cross, he took all our sicknesses and diseases that we might be whole and well. At the cross, He had nothing that we will have all things to enjoy, today.

The more we are conscious of Christ in me, the more we will experience the life of Christ in me. Be at rest for He had bequeathed His shalom to us. Be Christ conscious today, for He is the author and finisher of our faith.