There will be and must be exceptions for every rule

 It is the general rule of this universe that there cannot be a general rule for all situations and individuals. There will be and must be exceptions for every rule. This is the rule that governs the universe – There may be some exceptions even for this rule! All the laws in the spiritual and physical realm are applicable situationally. All the moral and ethical laws are applicable dispensationally and situationally. An act or a deed which is allowed in one dispensation is counted as sin and crime in another dispensation. A thing which is an abomination in a given situation and dispensation will be highly revered and loved in another situation. This is the all embracing law of the universe. Many examples can be given to substantiate this statement.

   Under the Mosaic law of Old Testament it was prohibited for an ordinary Israelite to eat the bread that was in the Holy place of the Temple of God. But we know that David entered into the Holy place and ate the Holy bread of the Temple of God. On the surface level it seemed as though David was breaking and transgressing the law of God. But God accepted the actions of David and blessed him. David was an exception in God’s judgment and assessment. Many more similar examples can be given. God had deliberately commanded prophet Hosea to marry a Harlot. This was actually prohibited for any spiritual leader of Israel. The case of Hosea was an exception. Moses himself gave the commandment of the Lord to the kings and leaders of Israel that they should not marry a woman from gentile nations. But Moses himself had later married a Cushite woman. Moses was again an exception. The list will be long enough almost to write a small book.

   Apostle Paul wrote against the practice of circumcision among the Christians. But we know that he himself got Timothy and Titus circumcised!

   The Lord Jesus said – “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” but we know that the thief on the cross who repented and was saved was not baptized. The thief on the cross was an exception. It is good to see people who strictly want to keep the law of God. There is nothing wrong with that kind of an attitude. It can be even said that such an attitude is highly commendable. But we must also be mentally prepared to allow for some exceptions for every rule and law. All the rules and laws of God were given not only to restrict the freedom of mankind but to teach certain precious spiritual lessons. Let us learn to use the law of God to edify rather than cause harassment for people. May God give us the right perspective in this regard!

Ye believe in God, believe also in Me

“Ye believe in God, believe also in Me” (John 14:1) (Authorized KJV)

   Jesus is encouraging and admonishing us to have faith in God and in Himself. We are living in a faithless generation. Faith is an unpopular word today. The most popular word today is understanding or knowledge. People want to understand everything. A great majority of the intellectual section of the society maintain that they do not want to believe in anything which they do not understand. Such an attitude shows the pride and arrogance of the fallen human nature.

   The statement that they do not want to believe in anything unless they understand is not honest. The truth is that we believe in many things we do not understand. In other words, we all believe in many things which we neither understand nor can explain. The modern science pretends to understand and explain certain things but everyone knows that the explanations offered by science are not satisfactory.

   No one fully understands how we digest our food. The modern science may talk about our digestive system, the digestive fluids and chemicals produced in our belly in order to digest our food. But even that doesn’t explain the process fully. The digestive fluids and chemicals which can melt away the hardest food stuff don’t eat away our tender intestines. ‘What causes the difference?’ and ‘what forces guide those chemicals in our belly?’ are questions still unanswered.

   We board the airplane and fly without understanding how the mechanism makes the aircraft fly. We swallow a pill and get relieved from our headache or stomach ache without necessarily understanding how the pill works. The world is run by faith. People are living by believing in the unexplainable.

   But when it comes to God, people do not want to believe Him because they do not understand Him. Why is it that we can trust in the mechanism of the aircraft and risk our lives by boarding it and why is it that we do not want to trust in God just because we cannot explain Him? Such an attitude is definitely not fair to say the least.

   Let us have faith in God and in His only incarnation, Jesus Christ. He is definitely more trustworthy than the mechanism of an aircraft. Let us not continue making dishonest statements like “I will not believe if I cannot understand”. Let us be honest to confess that we can and we have to believe in many things which we do not understand. Faith is more powerful and essential than our reasoning. Blessed is the person who is honest enough to confess it. May God cerate in us such an honesty!

Under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield

“Under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield” (Psalms 91:4, KJV)

Everyone who has belief in God’s existence wants to take shelter under His Almighty Wings. The very thought or imagination of living under the mighty Wings of God gives us unspeakable comfort and confidence. But most of the Christians don’t know what it really means to be protected under the mighty Wings of God.

   Our present text gives us a beautiful definition of the concept of being protected under the Wings of God. The text tells us that our position under the Wings of God and our faith and beliefs in our mind are interconnected. The verse we have just quoted says, “His truth shall be thy shield”. Firstly, the verse speaks of having shelter under God’s Wings and then goes on to say that the truth of God shall be our shield.

   That means everyone who takes refuge under God’s Wings will automatically come into contact with the truth of God. It also implies that it is impossible for us to be under God’s Wings without being confronted by the truth of God. The truth will be the shield for everyone who comes to dwell under the Wings of God.

   We cannot ignore the truth of God and be safe under His Wings. There are so many Christians who want God’s protection but are not keen to believe only the truth. They believe that what we believe in our minds never interfere with our relationship with God. This is totally unbiblical concept. Anyone who neglects or rejects the truth of God will surely come out of God’s protection, because he cannot continue to dwell under God’s Wings without honouring God’s truth in His heart.

   We, Christians, must be careful about what we are believing in our head. Believing the right doctrine alone doesn’t guarantee our salvation, but it surely does affect our relationship with God and determines our status before God.

   It’s important for us to be right in our hearts but the perfect Christianity is being right both in our hearts and heads. Let us examine our hearts whether we truly hate the father of lies or not. If we hate the father of lies we will hate every false doctrine as well. Let us resolve right now that we secure our place under the Wings of God by establishing ourselves in the truth! God bless you! Have a nice day!

I hear my lover’s voice

“I hear my lover’s voice” (Song of Solomon 2:8)

   Christianity is not a dead cold religion of some lifeless philosophies, doctrines and dogmas. Christianity is a living relationship with the Creator and Redeemer of mankind. Christianity is not simply believing on the Lord Jesus but it is fellowshipping and walking with Him, talking to Him and listening to Him.

   In the book of Song of Solomon, we find two major characters. One is the shepherd boy who is a type of our Lord Jesus and the other one is the Shulammite girl who is the type of the Church. In our present text the Shulammite girl is testifying about her experience. She says “I hear my lover’s voice”. Every Christian must have this experience. The Lord wants us to hear His voice. We must hear the prophets and apostles of our Lord. But we must also have an experience of listening to His voice directly. I submit humbly that it is both necessary and possible for every Christian.

   If only we have the thirst and longing to hear, God is always willing to speak to us. In fact God is all the time speaking but unfortunately, we are unable to hear him. The reasons are many.

   God is articulate in the nature. If you have your spiritual ears open the nature around you constantly conveys the message of our Lord. Needless to say He speaks when we read His Holy Scriptures. Then He speaks to us when we sit silently in His presence and meditate upon Him. Every Christian can hear God’s voice in his own heart if all other inner noises can be silenced. There are too many noises in our hearts which hinder us from hearing His voice. It is important for us to maintain the inner calmness of our heart.

   In order to achieve the silence in our heart we must stop worrying about the unnecessary worldly issues. We must leave all our burdens on our Lord and maintain inner peace in our hearts by the help of the Holy Spirit. Only then can we hear the blessed voice of our precious Lord. It is so enriching and satisfying to hear God’s voice. No other joy can be compared with that experience. Only those who learn to hear the still small voice of the Lord can be confident to be raptured when the last trump sounds. May the Holy Spirit help us to hear God’s voice and walk accordingly!

Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with whom is the Spirit

“Take Joshua son of Nun, a man with whom is the Spirit” (Joshua 27:18)

   God had declared His determinate will that Moses should not lead Israel right into the Promised Land. God had decided that Moses should die and join his forefathers in Paradise before crossing the river Jordan (13v). Moses, the most faithful and obedient servant of God, had immediately submitted himself to God’s will. He did not try to convince God to somehow allow him to enter the Promised Land. He only prayed that God would raise another leader who is worthy and able to lead the people of God to take possession of the Promised Land.

   We have many lessons to learn from this instance. Moses had two sons, Gershom and Eleazer. Yet we see Moses asking God to show him the person who should lead the people of Israel after him. So the first lesson for us to learn here is that spiritual leadership does not and should not come as heredity to anyone. No one should be accepted and appointed as leader of God’s people just because he is the son of a great leader or preacher. Each leader must be selected and appointed by God according to His own sovereign will.

   Secondly, we must consider the first and foremost qualification required to become the leader of God’s people. God did not say “pick up Joshua and appoint him the leader - he is highly educated!” nor did He say “take Joshua and make Him the leader of my people because he is very strong and sturdy!” God did not even say that Joshua should be the next leader because he comes from a great family. None of these is the reason for God to choose Joshua as the successor of Moses.

   God said “take Joshua and appoint him the leader because he has the Spirit!” The first and foremost qualification to serve God is the anointing of the Holy Spirit.

   No man can serve God effectively without the anointing of the Holy Spirit. This truth is so important that it is impossible to over emphasize it. All the men who were used by God in a mighty way have been anointed men. Education, physical health, experience and training are good but they cannot be of any use in the ministry if the minister is not anointed.

   God wants all His children to be anointed. The precious anointing of the Holy Spirit is not meant only for the full time servants of God. It is not meant for evangelists and pastors alone. The leader cannot lead properly if he is not anointed and the followers can’t follow faithfully without the anointing on their heads.

   Let us recognize the importance of the anointing of the Holy Spirit, pray and receive it. May the Lord help us and guide us in our pursuit of this most precious blessing! Amen and Amen!

The Replica of God

"The Replica of God"!

   Man is the crown of God's creation. After creating innumerable galaxies and nebulae, all the stars and milky ways, God was still not satisfied. Because all these beautiful heavenly bodies like stars and planets can never be friends of God. God wanted intelligent beings with whom He could make friendship.

   The Bible tells us that God is love. God's heart is filled with love. He delights in loving others. But in order to love, the recipient of love must be an intelligent and emotional being. You cannot fall in love with a fan or a refrigerator! You may like it very much but you cannot say "I fell in love with my refrigerator"! In the same way God wanted children for Himself. He wanted some intellectual, emotional beings that could fall in love with Him and receive His love. For this reason God said "let us make man in Our image, after our likeness" (Genesis 1:26).

   We must never forget that God had a special purpose and plan for mankind. Even today after all the development in astronomy, scientists still do not know the boundaries of this universe. In this vast universe, man occupies a very special place. God is thoughtful of mankind and loves it in a special way. God has high and lofty purposes for mankind. Unfortunately a great majority of men and women do not realize this glorious fact. They live as though there is no purpose in their existence and there is no goal to be reached. The prime concern of their life is to earn bread and clothing, to fulfill their physical desires. Such an attitude towards life is not worthy of one made in God's image.

   We are made in God's image and in God's likeness. We are destined to be children and friends of God. Animals too are hungry and thirsty and need a creature of opposite sex. But men are more than animals and have a greater need, a hunger for God. Every human soul is thirsty for God. If we ignore the great maker of the universe we are insulting ourselves and degrading ourselves to the standard of animals.

   It may be argued that animals cannot make airplanes, spaceships, computers and automobile vehicles. May be you would like to argue saying "even if man doesn't care for God, he is still superior to animals because he is able to do so many things which the animals cannot". Of course man's intelligence is superior to that of the animals. With all his technological and scientific sophistry, man is still hungry and thirsty. Man, with all his wealth and scientific advancement is not satisfied. And that hunger will not be quenched until and unless he finds peace with his Creator.

   Our highest goal is to reach God. We are created with this purpose. The poorest of the poor who have found God, are happier and satisfied than the richest who have not found God. My dear brother and sister, whoever you are, you are a replica of God. Don't miss the greatest blessing in your life. Don't ignore the hunger of your soul. Don't try to quench the thirst of your spirit with money, physical pleasures and other amusements. Such an attempt is futile. Nothing else can satisfy your soul. You need God and it is possible to have Him as your best friend, through Jesus Christ! Come to God through Jesus. Your future will be glorious.

He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved

   It is the general rule of this universe that there cannot be a general rule for all situations and individuals. There will be and must be exceptions for every rule. This is the rule that governs the universe – There may be some exceptions even for this rule! All the laws in the spiritual and physical realm are applicable situationally. All the moral and ethical laws are applicable dispensationally and situationally. An act or a deed which is allowed in one dispensation is counted as sin and crime in another dispensation. A thing which is an abomination in a given situation and dispensation will be highly revered and loved in another situation. This is the all embracing law of the universe. Many examples can be given to substantiate this statement.

   Under the Mosaic law of Old Testament it was prohibited for an ordinary Israelite to eat the bread that was in the Holy place of the Temple of God. But we know that David entered into the Holy place and ate the Holy bread of the Temple of God. On the surface level it seemed as though David was breaking and transgressing the law of God. But God accepted the actions of David and blessed him. David was an exception in God’s judgment and assessment. Many more similar examples can be given. God had deliberately commanded prophet Hosea to marry a Harlot. This was actually prohibited for any spiritual leader of Israel. The case of Hosea was an exception. Moses himself gave the commandment of the Lord to the kings and leaders of Israel that they should not marry a woman from gentile nations. But Moses himself had later married a Cushite woman. Moses was again an exception. The list will be long enough almost to write a small book.

   Apostle Paul wrote against the practice of circumcision among the Christians. But we know that he himself got Timothy and Titus circumcised!

   The Lord Jesus said – “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” but we know that the thief on the cross who repented and was saved was not baptized. The thief on the cross was an exception. It is good to see people who strictly want to keep the law of God. There is nothing wrong with that kind of an attitude. It can be even said that such an attitude is highly commendable. But we must also be mentally prepared to allow for some exceptions for every rule and law. All the rules and laws of God were given not only to restrict the freedom of mankind but to teach certain precious spiritual lessons. Let us learn to use the law of God to edify rather than cause harassment for people. May God give us the right perspective in this regard!