28 Nov 2017
Oil of gladness
Hebrews 1:9 You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions
This verse mentioned in the book of Hebrews is quoted from Psalm 45, a wedding song. Some say that this psalm is sung during the marriage ceremony of David with one of his wives and some say that this is an analogy of heavenly wedding wherein Christ is the bridegroom and church His bride. The psalm may or may not have been a wedding song of David but inclusion of this verse here in Hebrews affirms that Jesus Christ is the Messiah and that He is God and that His kingdom will be established forever.
Now if we look at the different keywords of the verse, anointed, anointing the body or head was a common practice with the Jews and some other nations during Old Testament time. Anointing head with oil is done to priests, to kings and to guests. Inanimate objects were also anointed to set apart for religious purposes. In New Testament anointing of oil is done to pray for the healing of the sick. In this verse anointing with oil of gladness means spiritual anointment i.e. the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Beyond your companions means exaltation above others. So Christ is the anointed one by God and God exalted Him to the highest place, and gave Him the name above all names, Philippians 2:9. Also God in His mercy did not limit the spiritual anointment to only His son Jesus but gave this privilege to even all those who believe in His son. And for believers spiritual anointment expresses the sanctifying influences of the Holy Spirit upon them who are priests and kings unto God.
The verse also says that He loved righteousness and hated wickedness. And because of that we can be assured that God does not allow wickedness to prevail but will certainly avenge His people in His righteousness. When Christ shall return, He shall rule this world in righteousness and justice. for he comes to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity. Psalms 98:9 and His kingdom is going to stay forever and ever.
So dear believers
- rejoice in this, the present sufferings and injustice of this world are going to last only for sometime after that when our Lord returns we will be part of new heaven and new earth where righteousness dwells and justice prevails. But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.2 Peter 3:13
- Rejoice in this that we are delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred into the kingdom of His beloved son Colossians 1:13
- And more importantly rejoice in the fact that because of Jesus the anointing of Holy Spirit is not limited to some chosen ones but available to all of us His children, we can all be clothed with the oil of gladness as promised in Isaiah 61:3 (...the oil of gladness instead of mourning, ...that they may be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he may be glorified) And because of this anointing of the Spirit we can lead a victorious life even here on earth. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.Romans 8:11
27 Nov 2017
The LORD will fulfill
Psalm 138:8 The LORD will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever.
Many of us believers know that God has a will and purpose for our lives and some of us even pray to God earnestly to reveal them to us. But how many of us has this confidence that God will fulfill his purpose for us? I mean it is one thing to pray to God and say that we will walk in a way that will enable us to accomplish His purpose in our lives and another thing to trust that He will fulfill inspite of us i.e. inspite of our weaknesses, disobedience and failures God is still able to fulfill His purpose for us. If we look at the life of Abraham we see that he did mess up at times by taking his own decisions instead of seeking Gods guidance and would have almost missed out on the promised child. But God did intervene and fulfilled His purpose. Similarly in the life of Samson God gave him one last chance and accomplished His purpose. Like these we can see many more examples in the pages of the Bible. A word of caution though, yes God is able to fulfill His purpose inspite of our failures but then we do have to suffer the consequences of our disobedience and sin. Like in the life of Abraham, his visit to Egypt and his marriage to Hagar brought so much of headache into his life and his family and even now those consequences are still bore by God's children. In case of Samson his disobedience costed him his life, he did not live to see his victory over the philistines.
Here in today's verse the psalmist, king David is confidently declaring that the LORD will fulfill his purposes for him. It is not because he is confident that he will never fail or he will never disobey God, no but his confidence rested in the character of God. If we see the later part of the verse it says 'your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever'. This is where David's confidence was hidden, because God's steadfast love endures for ever and because God is such a loving God He will not disown his people or give up on them half way but will finish what He has started and accomplish His will and purpose through their lives.
Dear ones, our calling and election is not based on us, it is God who chooses. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide God. John 15:16 Gods choosing and election, we can never comprehend. He chose a normal fisherman like Peter to build His church and He chose Paul, someone who hated Christians, to spread forth His gospel to the gentiles. He chose Daniel and he chose David. He chose Joseph and He chose Samson. So like apostle Paul mentioned in his letter to Corinthians God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.
So dear one, if God is calling you for something do not hold back in fear or if God has given you a vision on something do not be disheartened if it gets delayed, for whatever God has purposed He will fulfill. He has a purpose for your life and my life and He will fulfill it no matter what for His glory. Our job is to obediently walk before Him and then we and those around us can enjoy the riches of His blessings here on earth and there in heaven.
Many of us believers know that God has a will and purpose for our lives and some of us even pray to God earnestly to reveal them to us. But how many of us has this confidence that God will fulfill his purpose for us? I mean it is one thing to pray to God and say that we will walk in a way that will enable us to accomplish His purpose in our lives and another thing to trust that He will fulfill inspite of us i.e. inspite of our weaknesses, disobedience and failures God is still able to fulfill His purpose for us. If we look at the life of Abraham we see that he did mess up at times by taking his own decisions instead of seeking Gods guidance and would have almost missed out on the promised child. But God did intervene and fulfilled His purpose. Similarly in the life of Samson God gave him one last chance and accomplished His purpose. Like these we can see many more examples in the pages of the Bible. A word of caution though, yes God is able to fulfill His purpose inspite of our failures but then we do have to suffer the consequences of our disobedience and sin. Like in the life of Abraham, his visit to Egypt and his marriage to Hagar brought so much of headache into his life and his family and even now those consequences are still bore by God's children. In case of Samson his disobedience costed him his life, he did not live to see his victory over the philistines.
Here in today's verse the psalmist, king David is confidently declaring that the LORD will fulfill his purposes for him. It is not because he is confident that he will never fail or he will never disobey God, no but his confidence rested in the character of God. If we see the later part of the verse it says 'your steadfast love, O LORD, endures forever'. This is where David's confidence was hidden, because God's steadfast love endures for ever and because God is such a loving God He will not disown his people or give up on them half way but will finish what He has started and accomplish His will and purpose through their lives.
Dear ones, our calling and election is not based on us, it is God who chooses. You did not choose me but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide God. John 15:16 Gods choosing and election, we can never comprehend. He chose a normal fisherman like Peter to build His church and He chose Paul, someone who hated Christians, to spread forth His gospel to the gentiles. He chose Daniel and he chose David. He chose Joseph and He chose Samson. So like apostle Paul mentioned in his letter to Corinthians God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong. God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to things that are so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:27-29.
So dear one, if God is calling you for something do not hold back in fear or if God has given you a vision on something do not be disheartened if it gets delayed, for whatever God has purposed He will fulfill. He has a purpose for your life and my life and He will fulfill it no matter what for His glory. Our job is to obediently walk before Him and then we and those around us can enjoy the riches of His blessings here on earth and there in heaven.
24 Nov 2017
Beautiful in its time
Ecclesiastes 3:11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.
The first part of this verse is used as a promise verse in wedding cards. It is apt there because a wedding is a beautiful time of merry and rejoicing. But then the key word in the verse is 'everything'. King Solomon the author of this book Ecclesiastes starts the chapter saying For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: Ecclesiastes 3:1 then he goes on explaining what those different things are ..a time to be born and a time to die....a time to weep and a time to laugh....a time for war and a time for peace Ecclesiastes 3:2-8. And in verse 11 he says that God made everything beautiful in its time.
Facing a death and wedding on consecutive days this week I realized how apt this verse is for a human life. Both these days of mourning and dancing God ordained and appointed before itself. Many times we may not understand why, especially the sad times that we go through but as per His word He has made everything beautiful in its time. If you are waiting for a job or waiting for a life partner or waiting for a breakthrough in your career or marriage or something else, whatever it is that you are waiting for, I cannot say that your waiting is going to end in so and so time no but I can say this with confidence that even this waiting is made by or allowed by God and it is beautiful.
Gods word also says that He made everything for its purpose Proverbs 16:4 and everything created by God is good 1 Timothy 4:4. So the sorrows we face and the joyful times we experience, the pain and suffering we go through and the blessings we receive everything is made by God and it is good and it is beautiful in its time. Indeed there is a time and season for everything in a human life and all of these times and seasons are beautiful because they are made by God.
And the second half of the verse says that God has put eternity into mans heart even then he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end. There goes this famous saying that every human heart is a void which only God can fill. It is so true...until our hearts find Jesus they are restless. No matter how much successful a person is or no matter how much of prestige and power they earn if they have not found God their hearts will never experience true rest. We are made in the image of God and until we find our creator and invite Him into our hearts there is no true fulfillment. At the same time "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things that are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this law. Deuteronomy 29:29 that's why we cannot understand everything that God does. But one thing we can be assured of is that all things work together for good for those who love God and called according to His purpose Romans 8:28.
If you are someone who has not accepted Jesus into your heart then no matter how much ever you try to distract yourself with pleasure or success or work or any thing apart from God for that matter, your heart will never find true rest or peace or fulfillment. Take a step of faith and invite Jesus into your heart today itself for Today is the day of Salvation. 2 Corinthians 6:2c
23 Nov 2017
On things above
Colossians 3:1-2 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.However rich we are and how much ever luxurious life we live here on earth one day we have to leave all this and go to be with the Lord. As humans we work hard and store up treasures on this earth for making our life and our children's lives more comfortable. Even though we know nothing on this earth is permanent we still strive for making our lives better as long as we live on this earth. If we work and strive for things that are going to remain for short how much more we need to strive on things that are going to remain eternal.
Especially we believers who are raised with Christ we need to seek things that are above where Christ is seated. In our verse today, what apostle Paul mean by seeking things above is we need to set our hearts on heaven. We need to seek God's kingdom and His righteousness for these are the things that are going to remain forever. We need to work on developing our relationship with the Lord because it is the one thing that is going to matter in the end. We are not going to carry any material possession or even for that matter any gifts/talents to heaven with us. Personally I believe except for the gift of singing we will not need any other spiritual gift there in heaven, yup not any healing, not any prophecy or not any speaking of tongues none of these we need there in heaven.
So what happens when we seek things above? When our focus shifts from the things of the earth to heaven then we will not feel the sufferings and pains of the world to be very burdensome. For we know that these are just a drop in the ocean compared to the eternal joy we are going to have. When we understand how delightful heaven is going to be we will not be concerned about what we have and do not have on this earth. For we know that on heaven we are going to enjoy the presence of God forever without any shadow and there will be no more tears and no more pain. Any sickness will not feel unbearable and any kind of unmet need will not look so important for we know that in heaven we are going to have glorious bodies and that we will not carry anything or any relation to heaven with us.
Also when we seek things that are above we will not hold on to any material things or any person of this world. When we hold things very loosely and when we have zero expectations from people around then we will have less disappointments even in this life. And instead of focusing on how to preserve and enlarge our possessions of this world and how people treat us our focus will be on how we can please the Lord and how we can spread this good news to others so that they also can enjoy this eternity with the Lord.
That's why dear ones set your hearts on things above not on the things of this world (v 2). For the things that we see are transient and things that are unseen are eternal 2 Corinthians 4:18b
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