Weblog » Archives » September 2006
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“Believing in Christ and Suffering for Christ”
“For it has been granted to you on behalf of Christ not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for him.” Philippians 1:29 In our youthful culture in which suffering and pain are supposed to be excluded from life, the… -
“ Conduct yourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel” Philippians 1:27
Christians are ambassadors to a world that has its own values and ethics. Unfortunately, society seems to be shaping Christians in its mold. This is nothing new, because Christianity was birthed into a culture that was h… -
“ For me to live is Christ and to die is gain” Philippians 1:21
What does it mean when one says God will deliver? What does it mean when one expects God to be exalted in their body? Most often we understand these to mean that things are going to turn out the way we anticipate. What h… -
“I will continue to rejoice, because I know how it is going to turn out” Philippians 1:18-19
When one knows how things are going to play out they are not anxious. When one has read the last chapter of the book, they do not panic when events turn sour. When one knows the final score of the game, they can enjoy th… -
“Why do we do what we do?” Philippians 1:15
It does not take rocket science to observe that people have different reasons for doing what they do. But what is surprising is to discover the motivation that underlies what people do. Human beings are very complex and … -
“I am in chains for Christ” Philippians 1:13
Some things happen to us and we ask why. Humanly speaking we are not able to find any reasonable explanation for the series of events that have been thrust upon us. Paul found himself in prison for no apparent reason apa… -
“That your love may abound more and more” Philippians 1:9
Abounding love for all! This was the prayer of Paul for the Christians in the first century and nothing has changed in our days. The early church was distinguished from all other communities by their love for one another… -
“In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy” Philippians 1:4
What does it mean to pray with joy always? I can understand praising the Lord with joy and giving thanks with joy but praying always with joy is a challenge that I have to think about seriously. There has to be a reas… -
“He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion” Philippians 1:6
It is heartening to know that God has started a good work in each one of us. Someone will ask: what is this good work? The writer is thinking of the saving work of Jesus Christ. The work has at its core the forgiveness o… -
“But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength.” Isaiah 40:31a
What does it mean to hope in the Lord? When youth are stumbling and falling by the way side. We are encouraged to hope in the Lord. The word hope has been translated “wait” on the Lord. There are many of us who do not li… -
“Reality has a way of catching up to us”
“Even youths grow tired and weary, and young people stumble and fall” Isaiah 40:30 Not too many years ago I thought I was invincible, because youthfulness was on my side. I remember the days when testing the limits of th… -
“God gives strength to the weary and increases the power of the weak” Isaiah 40:29
Yesterday, we looked at the fact that God does not grow tired or weary. Today, the Prophet turns the table around and affirms the might of God. The notion of God as the giver of all things tangible and intangible is at t… -
“God will not grow tired or weary?” Isaiah 40:28c
I was with a group of Church members at a retreat on Friday and Saturday. Some of us stayed up late on Friday night talking and praying. Then I woke up very early in the morning as I always do. By mid afternoon my body s… -
“Do you not know? Have you not heard?” Isaiah 40:28
Situations do arise which can cause people to overlook the obvious. The prophet Isaiah is wondering how God’s people can even think that God is not interested in their cause. But that can happen not only with a community… -
“May your glory shine over all the earth” Psalm 57:11b
When one has tasted of the goodness of the Lord, they cannot help but broadcast what the Lord has done for them. The psalmist is making a wish in this verse. The wish is that the glory of the Lord will shine over the who… -
“I have hidden your word in my heart, so that I might not sin against you” Psalm 119:11
What does it mean to hide the word of God in the heart? After all we all read the word of God or hear it preached from the pulpit. The Psalmist sees the word of God as a treasure which can be hidden and retrieved at the… -
“Then you will rejoice, and no one can rob you of that joy.” John 16:22
What is the occasion that is being described as “then”. Jesus is describing a time when the disciples will see him again. In the discourse in John 16, the disciples of Jesus were being prepared for the events of his deat… -
“God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble” Psalm 46:1
Five years ago, this nation was hit very hard by an unprovoked attack on several sites. We will not forget this attack because it has left several scars on thousands of families. How can we forget the damage which this … -
“No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” Romans 8:37
How does one who is besieged day in and day out with challenges of life become a conqueror? Being a conqueror is not a matter of military might, nor does it have anything to do with ancestry. In the book of Romans Paul i… -
“Lead me to the rock that is higher than I” Psalm 61:2
These are the prayers of one who has abandoned self on the Lord. Sometimes it takes many tries on our own to reach the safety of rocks that are within our reach. But after we have reached these attainable goals we still … -
“The name of the LORD is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe.” Proverbs 18 verse 10
I spent this past summer in West Africa; a region where towers, castles and forts are scattered along the coast. Most of these castles and towers have a history that one cannot be proud of. These were the stronghold of e… -
“Be doers of the word, and not merely hearers” James 1:22
This sounds like something my Dad will say to his children, after coming home from work on several occasions to find us playing with our chores not done. Our response to whatever he says is simply yes Dad. We say we are … -
“Anyone who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is not fit for the kingdom” Luke 9:67
There so many unfinished projects around us, because it is easy to start and not finish, unfortunately many of us lack the follow through. The result is obvious all around us. One of the reasons for this state of affair … -
“Give thanks to the Lord, For He is good! His faithful love endures forever.” Psalm 107:1
Today is a day to give thanks. Those who have jobs have to give thanks and those who are challenged in their jobs and in finding jobs should give thanks. Thanksgiving is an attitude. We can always find something to give … -
“You are the one who holds my head high” Psalm 3:3b
“But you, O Lord, are a shield around me; you are my glory, the one who holds my head high” Have you been in a place where it seems you are surrounded by events that want to hem you in? You are not alone. Some will call … -
“We fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen,
Where do we fix our eyes? Where we fix our eyes is very important because it helps to determine our destiny. There are many temporary things and issues that are capturing the attention of many. Very often these issues se… -
“Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances;” 1 Thess. 5:17-18
Pray, Pray, without ceasing! I have always wondered why Paul will give this admonition. I am sure Paul will concede some bathroom time out and some time for food and probably a lot of time to get some work in. This will …
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