God’s Revenge Unleashed

Numbers 31 (NLT) Then the Lord said to Moses, “On behalf of the people of Israel, take revenge on the Midianites for leading them into idolatry. After that, you will die and join your ancestors”… They attacked Midian as the Lord had commanded Moses, and they killed all the men. All five of the Midianite kings—Evi, Rekem, Zur, Hur, and Reba—died in the battle. They also killed Balaam son of Beor with the sword. Then the Israelite army captured the Midianite women and children and seized their cattle and flocks and all their wealth as plunder. They burned all the towns and villages where the Midianites had lived… But Moses was furious with all the generals and captains who had returned from the battle. “Why have you let all the women live?” he demanded. “These are the very ones who followed Balaam’s advice and caused the people of Israel to rebel against the Lord at Mount Peor. They are the ones who caused the plague to strike the Lord’s people. So kill all the boys and all the women who have had intercourse with a man. Only the young girls who are virgins may live; you may keep them for yourselves… “From the army’s portion, first give the Lord his share of the plunder—one of every 500 of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, and goats. Give this share of the army’s half to Eleazar the priest as an offering to the Lord. From the half that belongs to the people of Israel, take one of every fifty of the prisoners and of the cattle, donkeys, sheep, goats, and other animals. Give this share to the Levites, who are in charge of maintaining the Lord’s Tabernacle.”

Some chapters of the Bible like today’s reading make us as Christians wish they were never recorded because it seems to show God in poor light. What is God speaking to us through this horrendous bloodshed He ordered and was it recorded incorrectly?

Word Becomes Flesh

Exodus 36:2-7 Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work. They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary. And the people continued to bring freewill offerings morning after morning. So all the skilled workers who were doing all the work on the sanctuary left what they were doing and said to Moses, “The people are bringing more than enough for doing the work the LORD commanded to be done.” Then Moses gave an order and they sent this word throughout the camp: “No man or woman is to make anything else as an offering for the sanctuary.” And so the people were restrained from bringing more, because what they already had was more than enough to do all the work.

If anyone doubts God’s ability to know the hearts of His people, this passage clearly shows evidence that what God directed through Moses actually came to pass. God asked the Israelites to give specifically and they did, without ceasing, so much that Moses had to forbid them from giving anymore.

Is the purpose of today’s passage not clear and why then do we need Jesus if God the Father was all sufficient Himself?

A Worthy Lamb?

Revelation 5:1-5,12 Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”… In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

The imagery of majesty and supremacy continues in today’s chapter with God holding the scroll that refers to what is to come, then a question asked by a mighty angel about who is worthy to open the scroll and the answer coming from a lamb! In all the might, splendour, power and majesty of heaven, what’s a little lamb doing there? Should it not be Jesus?

One of the realities of the christian faith is that we are to the world nothing but a broken set of people who admit failure and defeat and operate in God’s strength alone. We are not a clan of intelligent, strong and wealthy people who have been chosen to fit God’s standards and furthermore what we become after God transforms us is for His glory and not ours.

To save us from our brokenness and poverty in spirit, God sent His own and only son Jesus Christ to come into this earth in simple human form, live a life of absolute simplicity, show us that only He could meet the requirements of the law and finally was sacrificed like the perfect sacrifice that could atone for every human’s sin.

This was the Lamb of God that took away the sins of the entire world by taking the curse of human sin on Himself and dying on the cross of Calvary for no fault of His. This lamb was raised up by God after 3 days and seated on God’s right-hand side to one day judge the living and the dead. This Lamb is the one who is worthy to open the scroll of God.

As we realize the significance of Jesus in our lives, I pray that we along with the countless hosts of heaven are able to sing praises unto Jesus’ name for only He is worthy!

In His Loving Service,
ServantBoy

John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

A Joyful Awakening

Revelation 3:1-2,8,15-20 I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your deeds complete in the sight of my God… I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name…

I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.

Today’s chapter was all the more meatier than I expected and therefore I apologize for selecting 9 verses to reflect on. This is a continuation of God’s message to the 7 churches and like yesterday’s messages, they speak to each of us at our situation in our spiritual walk.

God knows us, knows our situations and gives us the grace to cope with where we are at. That is obvious from the way He speaks to us in each circumstance or situation. What I wonder is why does God not simply save us from the trials of life and take us straight to be with Him after we accept Him as our Lord and Savior?

To answer that question, we need to look at Jesus’ own life here on earth. He never came with any pomp and never lived in splendor, spent most of His ministry time with the poor, sick, outcast and sinful, did not give Israel the prominence they hoped for, brought His gospel to all regardless of race and lived to see a death so painful caused by those He came to save.

The purpose of our lives in Christ is not to escape the realities of life but instead to live a life of victory in Christ. When we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior, we are transformed from the inside out by the Holy Spirit and are able to directly communication with Jesus.

When we live in total submission to Him the challenges of this life cannot shake us because we now have God’s strength on our side, His protection of our souls as an assurance, His Holy Spirit to minister to us, His grace to carry us through, His love to overshadow the hate of this world, His peace to comfort us, His joy to keep a smile on our face in adversity and His promise to take us to be with Him as our final reward!

Are we awake or asleep in the spirit, do we see the open door of God before us, are we lukewarm in our faith or have the thrills of this earthly life caught our fancy? I pray today that we awake from our slumber and hold on to the hope that once brought us on our knees to submit our lives to Christ. I pray that those of us who have never experienced Jesus will do so and life a life of victory in Him.

In His Loving Service,
ServantBoy

1 Peter 1:7 These have come so that your faith–of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire–may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

A Signpost For God

Hebrews 10:32-39
Remember those earlier days after you had received the light, when you stood your ground in a great contest in the face of suffering. Sometimes you were publicly exposed to insult and persecution; at other times you stood side by side with those who were so treated. You sympathized with those in prison and joyfully accepted the confiscation of your property, because you knew that you yourselves had better and lasting possessions. So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded. You need to persevere so that when you have done the will of God, you will receive what he has promised. For in just a very little while, “He who is coming will come and will not delay. But my righteous one will live by faith. And if he shrinks back, I will not be pleased with him.” But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who believe and are saved.

Yesterday I was convicted by the Lord of trying to seek wisdom from the world about Him when I had His word in my hands and His spirit in my heart directing me towards Him. My earnest prayer now is that I am remembered as a signpost for Christ directing people to Him rather than being a fountain of wisdom seeking people to glorify me and in the same way I learn to yearn for Christ from His word and be encouraged by His children, not the other way around. When I first encountered Jesus Christ, it was a momentous period of my life and I did not live for the pleasures of this world but to serve Him with my life. My goals and aspirations were centered on Him and all I wanted was more of Jesus in me at whatever the cost was. Where did I lose that yearning, how can I have it back and what is God saying to us today?

Christ Increases & We Decrease

John 3:25-30
An argument developed between some of John’s disciples and a certain Jew over the matter of ceremonial washing. They came to John and said to him, “Rabbi, that man who was with you on the other side of the Jordan—the one you testified about—well, he is baptizing, and everyone is going to him.” To this John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ but am sent ahead of him.’ The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. He must become greater; I must become less.

John the baptist certainly was no ordinary man and it is interesting how he deals with loss of respect and position. John (A disciple of Jesus and the writer of this gospel) captures the essence of the situation well in this passage above. The arguing parties were John the baptist’s own disciples with a Jew and how good it must’ve felt for him to note that his disciples were supporting him. However, without a moment’s notice, John the baptist corrects his disciples and the Jew that he is only a close associate of the groom, Jesus Christ, who is the long awaited messiah and his joy is to prepare the way for the groom to meet his bride, Israel. The last statement he makes, however, is the toughest one for any follower of Christ to make until they understand the inverted perspective of God’s kingdom. Less of us and more of HIM.

In life we are constantly battling situations to improve and enhance ourselves, our means, our position, our wealth, our comforts, etc. However, when we submit our lives to Christ, we recognize our brokenness and are testifying to God’s abundant grace (Unmerited favor) for our sinfulness and we are made a new creation in him. This new creation is purposed to serve God and not self. We are called to give God the glory and not ourselves. When we serve God in our lives, he will provide for our every need and will be the one who gives and takes away. God is no genie in a bottle who works for our glory but it’s the reverse. I pray today that we would live by the same motto, More of Jesus and less of me!

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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Distant Horizon

Are You Wealthy?

Luke 12:22-26
Then Jesus said to his disciples: “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat; or about your body, what you will wear. Life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap, they have no storeroom or barn; yet God feeds them. And how much more valuable you are than birds! Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his lifeb? Since you cannot do this very little thing, why do you worry about the rest?

Parable after parable, Jesus was teaching his significant following what God’s will for man was and is. Wealth was an area he spoke often about and it might seem depressing to most of us. Most of us devote our lives to providing well for us and our families and some of us are successful at it. To many, the safety in having wealth stored is more than the security of knowing we serve a loving savior. Wealth is measured in terms of money, possessions, jewelry, land, cattle and many other ways. Is the Lord saying that the pursuit of money is wrong then? Can we not build safety nets for ourselves here on earth to safeguard us and our families against difficult times like economic recessions?

In the verses prior to our passage today, we are reminded that if we put our trust in any wealth that is not scriptural, we may never be able to enjoy the fruits of it. Death may rob us of the chance of enjoying it’s protection and provision and our loved ones also may not get it. However, when we focus our lives on serving the Lord, we build for ourselves wealth in eternity and that is never perishing just as we are not when we are saved by God’s grace. Today the Lord reminds us that we are not to worry about our lives, our food, our physical health or clothes because he will provide and has been providing better than he does to even the birds of the air. We are considered God’s own children when we take his yoke upon our shoulders and we can rest in knowing that he has our best in mind. Now the pursuit of wealth is a joy because it is spiritual and all other wealth we acquire is from him and for his glory. Lets refocus our lives to serving him faithfully and building our treasures in heaven.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

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What's Your Destination?

Are You Wealthy?

Mark 10:21-25
Jesus looked at him and loved him. “One thing you lack,” he said. “Go, sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me.” At this the man’s face fell. He went away sad, because he had great wealth. Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the kingdom of God!” The disciples were amazed at his words. But Jesus said again, “Children, how hard it ise to enter the kingdom of God! It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

6 key events are recorded in Mark 10 and this was the one that spoke to me this morning. At first, it seems like wealthy people are the ones who may not make it into heaven because of their love for their wealth which supersedes their love for anything else, even God. However, there seems to be a lot more Jesus is talking about here. Wealth as we know if is understood differently by different people across the world. To some it might be cattle, land, money, power, position, intelligence, strength, children, cars, gadgets, etc. Some of these are physical and some may not be but all of them are considered as signs of wealth to us and most humans strive to achieve some if not all of them.

Jesus is speaking to those of us who are ‘wealthy’ in this world and want to hold on to our Earthly wealth, seen or unseen, even if it comes at the cost of loosing our salvation. Salvation is free and open to all who are willing to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior but to those who will not give their all to gain Christ, they will not gain salvation. So like the rich young ruler, they can continue to do good but hold on to their wealth and it will amount to nothing on the day of judgment. Are you willing to give up everything and submit yourself to Christ? I am and the Lord has been so good to me in many ways when I submitted my life but the real blessings are after this life when we get to share eternity with Christ! Lets share eternity together with our Lord!

In His Loving Service,
Vineet

Little Rivulets

Where Are You Headed?

Matthew 27:27-31

Then the governor’s soldiers took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole company of soldiers around him. They stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on his head. They put a staff in his right hand and knelt in front of him and mocked him. “Hail, king of the Jews!” they said. They spit on him, and took the staff and struck him on the head again and again. After they had mocked him, they took off the robe and put his own clothes on him. Then they led him away to crucify him.

After 27 days of following the life of Jesus Christ through the gospel of Matthew, we seem to have reached the end of his life. All those years of humble selfless service and the one eternal sacrifice of his life penned in a few chapters seems so little but amounted to an event that would be etched into the hearts and minds of billions of people over the years. Many would never believe that Jesus was anything more than a great teacher, a prophet maybe and at most a saint but few would actually be able to believe in him and be willing to submit their lives in his service. What is the mystery to this man and his life? If he was the son of God, why would we, the world, find it difficult to accept him as God’s son?

To answer that question, we need to ask ourselves what is it that we are looking for? To me it seems like everyone of us are seeking something which we can never find in our own strength and therefore refocus our attention to things we can work towards like careers, wealth, family, friends, status, power, prestige, respect, etc. However hard we try and however successful we are, there never seems to be the satisfaction of having achieved. In Christ, the pyramid of success is reversed because we are called to serve him and work towards his glory, not ours, because that was the purpose of our lives. We are called to bless those around us with all that we have and share the good news and in everything seek God’s glory, not ours. In this we have the most amazing gift of sharing eternity in God’s presence much after our earthly bodies rot into dust on this earth and we are a forgotten. Are you satisfied with where you are heading?

In His Loving Service,

Vineet

 

Seasons of Change

 

The Inverse Hierarchy of God

Matthew 5:3-12

“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

As Jesus continued to teach in Galilee, these were some of his words that to me stood out in chapter 5. They stood out because these were a preamble to his teaching on murder, adultery, divorce, oaths, revenge and loving our enemies. What specifically got me again and will never stop is the fact that Jesus is talking not to the rich, the strong, the wise, the faithful, the righteous, the saints or the people we perceive as the ones whom he would recognize among us but instead, his words were to the poor, the sick, the broken, the frustrated, the suffering, the weak, the hungry or in essence the ones who realize that they need help, over and above anything they can get from this world or the powers and authorities of this world.

Jesus spoke then and still speaks now in the same language. He does not want our wealth because he has more and he does not want the ones who have achieved a lot because they believe in themselves and their own efforts and feel no need for a God and savior. Therefore, whenever I hear people saying ‘Believe in yourself; Mind over matter; self realization; power of inner self; etc’, it worries me because these people are capitalizing on the one thing we all desperately need, a SAVIOR. When our savior becomes anything but the Lord Jesus Christ, we are serving no one else but the devil whose only goal is to steal us from God and ruin our lives. Are you in need of saving? Turn to Jesus and know that you can have newness of life, unceasing joy and peace in his him and through his love and sacrifice for us.

In His Loving Service,
Vineet