He is here for you!

Over the past few months, I've toyed with a thought in my mind trying to concretize it. It is the thought that 'God exists for us'. Yes, that might sound counter intuitive but just hear out my warped logic :-) .

Personally, time and time again, I have experience God step in and literally pull me from the edge of the fire. Many times I was on the brink in diverse circumstances and he just shows up and saves the day even though I've ignored asking for his help. Gently, he nudges to remind me that 'I am here for you. Call on me'

The bible tells us that it is in him we live and move and have our being (Acts 17:28). We are also told that it's in him that everything holds together (Colossians 1:17). Friends, God is here for you. He exists to keep your life together. Another scripture tells us that Jesus lives forever to make intercession for us! (Hebrews 7:25).

How then can we go about life ignoring the very essence of our life? How can we ignore the mighty power that God makes available to us in himself and rather decide to live life being harassed by the devil? The only sane reason I can give is, IGNORANCE. The bible alludes to the fact that ignorance kills (Hosea 4:6).

In case you didn't know, or in case it slipped your memory, let me tell you: God is here for you! Quit struggling in the dark alley of life! Stop dwelling on your guilt! Stop measuring your future by your present! GOD IS HERE FOR YOU!! Waiting, knocking, longing for you to call out to him.

Let's stop this cycle of defeat. Decide today that henceforth, it's no longer back and forth but on and on! For if God be for you, who can be against you!! (Romans 8:31)

Selah.

The Power of Fear

There is the common cliché acronym that goes like this: Fear= False Evidence Appearing Real! If you think about it a bit, you'll get the point.

One of the symptoms of fear is worry. A lady who was given to worrying a lot was once asked, 'why do u worry so much'? Her reply: ' Well someone's got to worry about things. If I don't, who will?' She went on to add, ' and half the things I worry about don't happen. So, I must be doing something right!' What do you think of that?
Fear has a great impact on our mind. Take the phobias for example. A phobia is an irrational negative reaction (fear) to certain things or situations. Fear incapacitates us! Phobias are particularly powerful. They are so strong that a person can put himself in greater danger just to escape his phobia. For example, a person with arachnophobia (fear of spiders) will not hesitate to jump out of a moving vehicle if he sees a spider on board!
That's the power of fear! It completely blocks our rational thinking. It counteracts our power of self will! It simply holds us bound!!
If you think about your life, maybe you can find some fears you have harboured in the past, and some that are still present. Our fears may affect others. For example, a parent can fear his child being injured and thus deny the child of stepping out of the house. A boss may fear his subordinates not getting a job done well and thus, holds back from delegating.
The mental attitude of fear, takes a heavy toll on our whole being. It has been linked to many heart and brain problems and even death!
We all have fears. We all come in contact with fear. How can we overcome its incapacitating power?

1. Admit that you are afraid.
2. Answer the question, Why?
3. Decide that you are not going to allow fear push you to inaction or avoidance.
4. Take little steps towards conquering your fear.
5. Ask a trusted friend to help you overcome your fear.
6. Picture yourself free. Think of what you could achieve if you let go of fear.
7. Live life to the fullest!!

Selah

Jesus Healed Only One!!??

Scripture: John 5:1-23

Afterward Jesus returned to Jerusalem for one of the Jewish holy days. [2] Inside the city, near the Sheep Gate, was the pool of Bethesda, with five covered porches. [3] Crowds of sick people-blind, lame, or paralyzed-lay on the porches. [5] One of the men lying there had been sick for thirty-eight years. [8] Jesus told him, "Stand up, pick up your mat, and walk!" [9] Instantly, the man was healed! He rolled up his sleeping mat and began walking! But this miracle happened on the Sabbath, [10] so the Jewish leaders objected. They said to the man who was cured, "You can't work on the Sabbath! The law doesn't allow you to carry that sleeping mat!" [11] But he replied, "The man who healed me told me, 'Pick up your mat and walk.'" [16] So the Jewish leaders began harassing Jesus for breaking the Sabbath rules. [17] But Jesus replied, "My Father is always working, and so am I." [19] So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does.
(John 5:1-3, 5, 8-11, 16-17, 19 NLT)

Have u ever noticed from the story above that Jesus healed only one person out of the multitude we are told are gathered there? I didn't notice either until today.

Why would Jesus go to a place filled with sick people and heal only one? Is there a subtle message in that act?

Jesus arrives at the pool of Bethesda, home to multitudes of sick people awaiting the stirring of the water so they could jump in first and be healed. No doubt, many would have been there for many years because the water was stirred only once a year, and that could heal only one person!

We are not told what drew Jesu's attention to the man in the story but, we are told Jesus knew he had been there a long time! Thirty-eight years precisely. Had he been the longest there? We can't say. However, we know the man also 'had no one'. He was completely helpless. He was at the brink of a miracle, but he had no one to help him with the final stretch to reach it.

On this day however, time was collapsed as Jesus zoomed in on his case! Nothing could hold him back from his healing. Indeed, the stirring of the water became inconsequential!! That is, the natural and expected process, a process he had queued up for, for thirty-eight years no longer mattered as Jesus issued a command: 'Stand up, pick up your mat and walk!!' (Verse 8).

Why did Jesus break the protocol? Why didn't he just encourage the man and say, 'Don't worry friend, I will stand by you and when the water is stirred,  make sure you get in first!' ? And moreover, it was a Sabbath day!! You don't work on Sabbaths as the Jewish leaders were all too anxious to point out! (Verse 10).

Some of the answer lies in verse 17 and 19 of John chapter 5: [17] But Jesus replied, "My Father is always working, and so am I." [19] So Jesus explained, "I tell you the truth, the Son can do nothing by himself. He does only what he sees the Father doing. Whatever the Father does, the Son also does. Jesus was saying in effect that he had no option but to break protocol because he had to follow his Father! Jesus saw his father opening this man's file so he had no option but to zoom in on him! He saw his father healing this man (possibly out of turn) so he could not but issue the command to perfect the healing in the physical!!

Simply put, the man's day had come!! The books of remembrance had been opened. His long years of waiting had come up for a memorial before God. And nothing on earth could stop him! Not the protocol and not even the legislation!!

Dear friends, God is up to something in your life! It may look like you've been there for thirty-eight years but hold on, God may just be about to break protocol and overturn legislation for your sake!! So, get ready to: Stand up, take up your mat, and walk!!! Hallelujah!!

Get behind me satan!!

Matthew 16:21-23 NLT
From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead. [22] But Peter took him aside and began to reprimand him for saying such things. "Heaven forbid, Lord," he said. "This will never happen to you!" [23] Jesus turned to Peter and said, "Get away from me, Satan! You are a dangerous trap to me. You are seeing things merely from a human point of view, not from God's."

More often than not, in today's Christian context, the phrase 'get behind me Satan' will be used to rebuke a negative word or circumstance.

Though we as Christians are called to have dominion over the earth and subdue it (Genesis 1:26), we are also called to have many tribulations. In fact these tribulations are called the trial of our faith (1 Peter 1:7). Our faith is not one that is ready made in heaven, but one that matures daily here on earth. We are encouraged to endure persecution as a true soldier of Christ! (2 Timothy 2:3). It is in the process of this endurance that our faith grows.

The issue then, is to be able to pick our battles correctly. Though Peter seemed to be showing his love for Christ by rebuking him for succumbing to, and indeed embracing the prospects of an untimely death, Jesus looked beyond the human point of view. We are told later in Hebrews that he endured the cross and the shame because he was able to see the joy set before him (Hebrews 12:2).

It's great to be able to show off our trophies and shinning gold medals. But I feel that God is more excited about our scars; for in the process of acquiring them we more often than not 'acquired' God. This is his sole delight. Just as Paul affirmed in Galatians 4:19 (KJV)
'My little children, of whom I travail in birth again until Christ be formed in you'.

So when you are going through the grind that's supposed to build you up, and you are offered a cheap escape, turn to it and say, 'Get behind me Satan,... You are seeing this merely from the human perspective'!!

Selah