I Trust In The Faithfulness of God

You have to go through certain experiences to experience the faithfulness of God. The Christian journey is not just a walk in the park. Our adversary, the devil is always plotting and devising strategies to make us fail along the way. His aim is that we move from our right position with our Creator. He will use any trick in the book to ensure that we lose our balance and focus. But at the end of the day we should come out boldly and proclaim, "I will trust in the faithfulness of God."

I have come to realize that the devil will use two key instruments to attack us - trials and temptations. Remember, his aim is that we fall into sin which leads to death. He will either push you (through trials) or pull you (through temptations). What matters the most is not what the devil does, but is how you react or respond to his tricks. You need to resist him and stand firm. How do you stand firm if you to not trust in the faithfulness of God?

Isaiah prophesied (Isaiah 40:6-7);

"All flesh is grass, 

And all its loveliness is like the flower of the field.

The grass withers, the flower fades,

Because the breath of the LORD blows upon it;

Surely the people are grass.

The grass withers, the flower fades

But the word of our God stands forever"

God has promised not to leave us or forsake us. The sweetest words I always cherish from the LORD are often whispered in the midst of everything going on, when you feel you are alone or no one can understand what you are going through. He will come with that still voice and say, "I AM WITH YOU!" Sometimes it will make no sense but I choose to believe Him because I know He is faithful. Even when we are faithless, He remains faithful.  His word stands forever. I trust in His faithfulness!

This year has been a year of learning for me. In different aspects of my life I have been learning new things and being exposed to new settings. Above all, I have been learning to serve my Master. Listen carefully when Jesus says, "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls," (Matthew 11:29). What He meant was that we have to be His students, His disciples. In this instance the yoke symbolizes partnership with Christ and the Lordship of Christ. 

The learning process is not easy, but Jesus is faithful to be on your side - when you choose to take His yoke. This learning process calls for obedience and submission to the Lordship of Christ - but He is such a humble teacher. Sometimes you may feel like giving up because of the amount of trials and temptations you face during the learning process - but He is such a gentle teacher. He is faithful to remind you, "I AM STILL WITH YOU!"

God is actively involved in the affairs of His people - those who trust in Him. In a few weeks we will be celebrating the birth of our Saviour, our Redeemer, the author and finisher of our faith, the Captain of our salvation, Jesus Christ. His birth was announced many years before it actually happened and Matthew captured the prophecy, "Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel," which is translated, "God with us." (Matthew 1:23). Through His Son Jesus Christ, God chose to dwell amongst us and through the Holy Spirit, He is dwelling in us. He is with us everywhere we go and in whatever we are experiencing. He is watching the path of the righteous. He is faithful. 

My dear friend, I have been quiet for quite long in this space, but I have been listening and learning - still I am learning. The biggest lesson I have learnt so far is that I can confidently trust in His faithfulness. Even when I go astray, He is faithful to bring me back to His path. His everlasting Word is the lamp on my feet which gives light on my path. Each step that I take, the light continues to shine a step farther. In Him there is no darkness at all. 

Great is thy faithfulness!

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: Under 24 Hour Surveillance

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." 

- 2 Chronicles 16:9 

Walking past any property with the sign like the one above stating that the property is under constant surveillance you know that something important is being protected. Such a sign tells you that you can not enter that property without permission otherwise you will be treated as a trespasser and in some cases you will find a notice, "Trespassers will be prosecuted".

When you come across such a security notice you should know that the owner reserves the right to decide who is allowed into the property and who is restricted. The owner or authorized persons can decide when they can let people in and when they can 'chuck' people out. It is within their rights and authority to do so and you have to respect that, failing which you will face the consequences. 

To be allowed into the property, you should be known who you are. Sometimes you may be required to declare your mission or your purpose for the visit. When you enter such a property with ulterior motives, the owner of the property has the authority to give out an order that the security personnel arrest you. Every move you make is under surveillance and recorded to ensure that you do not engage in any other business other the one that you have come for. 

My dear friend, I just want to tell you that you are the Lord God Almighty's property. Your life is under 24 hours God's surveillance. "For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him..." (2 Chronicles 16:9 NIV). 

God is always watching over you. Any person or situation that comes into your life without His permission will have to deal with the owner of the property, God Himself. Anyone who comes to your life without permission from God is the enemy and the enemy comes with the motive to destroy anything good. But we are not shaken because we know that Jesus Christ came to the world to destroy the works of our adversary the devil.

We are always looking for security but many of us do not realize the amount of security that the Lord has freely provided for us. When you doubt the security that you have, you will live in fear. When you hear any strange noise you panic thinking trespassers are already inside your premises. You will end up sending false alarms because of fear. Isn't that what we do at the slightest encounter with problems?

When you know that you are secured and you understand that you live without fear. You are free to do anything because you know that nothing will harm you because you have God providing security for you. No weapon formed against you shall prosper because your God is your shield.

It is only when you step out of your secured dwelling place that you will be exposed to danger and the enemy will laugh at the opportunity to finish with you. "We know that God's children do not make a practice of sinning, for God's Son holds them securely, and the evil one cannot touch them." (1 John 5:18 NLT). God protects those who are fully committed to Him, who trust in Him in everything. The only thing that takes you out of His secured place is sin. That is why Jesus would say, "sin no more!" 

God is everywhere and He strengthens those who are loyal to Him. As someone said, "Security is not the absence of danger, but the presence of God, no matter what the danger."

"Because you have made the Lord, who is my refuge, 

Even the Most High, your dwelling place,

¹⁰ 

No evil shall befall you,

Nor shall any plague come near your dwelling;

¹¹ 

For He shall give His angels charge over you,

To keep you in all your ways.

¹² 

In their hands they shall bear you up,

Lest you dash your foot against a stone.

¹³ 

You shall tread upon the lion and the cobra,

The young lion and the serpent you shall trample underfoot." 

- (Psalm 91:9-13)

INSPIRATION FOR THE WEEK: What Counts The Most?

"It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation." 

- Galatians 6:15 (NLT)

We spend most of our time and energy focusing on the things that count the least. We find ourselves arguing over issues that do not matter much. We become 'experts' on the Christian life, always identifying the wrongs and being the armchair critics of Christianity. At the end of the day this does not bring any value to us or to anyone else.

It is imperative that we start focusing our thoughts and energies on the things that count the most. The more we turn our focus on the things that matter, the more we experience the goodness of our Lord Jesus Christ. The more we consider what counts the most, the more we realize the great things that God is doing in our lives. The more we acknowledge and appreciate His amazing grace.

Paul says what counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. The mere mention of the word 'transform' changes our outlook. It opens our eyes that and we see that something must have happened. Transformation begins the day we accept Jesus Christ as our Lord and Saviour. This is only a beginning.

Being transformed means we were in a certain state and now we have assumed a new form. We were conformed to the world but now we have been transformed to be godly beings. The state of godliness is one that we are continually striving to achieve. We will continue until the Lord returns.

God's desire is to transform our character. Everyday, through the Holy Spirit, God is transforming us to be like Christ. It will be folly for us to think this transformation process is a nice experience all the time. At times it calls for us to endure the hardest of times. Until you understand the transformation process, you will keep on mourning over your circumstances instead of thanking God that He is forming 'Christ in you.'

Early in my Christian walk I used to pray, "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death," (Philippians 3:10). My God is a faithful God and He answers prayers. He answered this prayer (and I think He is still answering this prayer). 'Fellowship of sharing in his sufferings' sounds so sweet when you say it, but when you experience this fellowship it is a different experience. 

Later I realized that through my hardships the Lord was transforming me into the patience of Christ. So many times we get excited over the promises of God such that we do not realize that the Lord has to lead us through problematic experiences before He provides. He has to lead you through the wilderness before He takes you to Canaan.

The Lord wants to transform us into a new creation. He wants to transform the way we think. He wants to transform our attitudes. Ultimately, He wants to transform our character to be like Him. He is holy and He wants us to be holy. He wants to transform us from glory to glory! 

Let us not be worried about what is happening in our lives. Let us not be worried about who says what about us. Let us not be worried about the fact that we are going through trials and tribulations. It doesn't matter what we are going through right now. What counts the most is whether we have been transformed into a new creation.