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Practicing Power

 “ and, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judæa, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. ” Acts 1 : 4 , 8 KJV The abiding presence of the Lord brought not just the peace from God; there is the benefit of a practicing power for everyone who waits in the presence of the Lord.  The limits of power from material riches, position of authority, and political privileges include the manipulation of other people’s will and opinions by the power of darkness. And those who absolutely depend on these naked powers have always overstepped their boundaries against the superiority and sovereignty of the Almighty God. Even David knew this danger in most of his dealings as a king, especially while struggling w...
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Lord’s Lamb

   “ This is now the third time that Jesus shewed himself to his disciples, after that he was risen from the dead. So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs .” John 21 : 14 - 15 KJV The post resurrection experience of Jesus Christ with Simon Peter exposes the fundamental challenge of the conflict of interest in every believer’s understanding of the subject of love. The pursuit of personal interests in life has always created a conflict of interest in our understanding of heaven’s focus in Christian service and discipleship. When Peter initially responded to the Lord’s call to the ministry as ‘fisher of men ’, he apparently didn’t envisage a point in time when his consecration would experience dryness, distraction and discouragement. And now, with the discouraging ‘disappearance of the Master’ , the urge for ‘I go a fishing ’...
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Practising Peace

   “ Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you. And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. ” John 20 : 19 - 21 KJV The major significance of John 20 is its focus on the restoration of peace to the troubled and scattered disciples of Jesus CHRIST. The unexpected end of the earthly ministry of their Lord had brought them into hiding, fear, and intimidation by the authority of the religious and Jewish practice system. Therefore, the resurrected Jesus came repeating “ Peace be unto you” , not just for mere greetings; the disciples needed a reassurance of the practice of peace to withstand the intimidation of the Jewish system. And when...
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Spirit Strength

  “ And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the LORD his God. And David enquired at the LORD, saying, Shall I pursue after this troop? shall I overtake them? And he answered him, Pursue: for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all. ” 1 Samuel 30 : 6 , 8 KJV Without the benefit of the spirit strength, everyone can relate to the complete emotional collapse of strategies based on sight strength. Prior to the discovery of the defeat and destruction at Ziklag, David had been disappointed by the failed trust by the armies of the Philistines. One of the resources of sight strength in life is the building of alliances, relationships, and social diplomacy; and a crack in this sight strength in the assessment of David must be a serious concern to his continuous dependence on the alliance with Achish. Therefore, it...
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Guiltless Guts

  “ And David said to Abishai, Destroy him not: for who can stretch forth his hand against the LORD's anointed, and be guiltless? David said furthermore, As the LORD liveth, the LORD shall smite him; or his day shall come to die; or he shall descend into battle, and perish .” 1 Samuel 26 : 9 - 10 KJV Lack of guts in life often makes many people appear to be pious and principled. Whereas, the true character of people is usually exposed when opportunities and privileges present themselves. But a man whose heart is graciously saved and sanctified for a glorious service of the Lord has got guiltless guts. For example, even the testimony that David is a man after the heart of God was scrutinized again with an express opportunity to kill king Saul, but he chose the guiltless part. Apparently, God sedated Saul and his guards to present David with the test pad for his guts; and he passed the test. Unfortunately today, believers do readily spurn several opportunities and privileges that ...
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Healthy Heart

   “ And it came to pass afterward, that David's heart smote him, because he had cut off Saul's skirt. And he said unto his men, The LORD forbid that I should do this thing unto my master, the LORD's anointed, to stretch forth mine hand against him, seeing he is the anointed of the LORD .” 1 Samuel 24 : 5 - 6 KJV The action of David confirms the basis of the Lord’s choice as his possession of a heart after God’s heart. It implies that a healthy heart will always keep God’s holy heart, irrespective of the provocation by its surroundings and the oppression from evil hearts. Like it is effort in futility for anyone to try to control the avalanche of oppressive tendencies and pressure-triggered psychosis in his homes, workplaces, and societies; everyone can focus on his daily aerobic exercises and discipline with good diets to control the tendency of his slipping into the regime of high-blood pressure. Here, David got smitten in his heart to prevent manipulation by Saul’s...
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Cult Cut

  “ Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest's servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant's name was Malchus. Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it?” John 18 : 10 - 11 KJV By “ the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? ”, Jesus teaches Simon Peter and all His disciples to be careful of the tendencies to cut divinely assigned cups for the fulfillment of purpose in life. Calvary or crucifixion is the cup ordained as the plan of redemption,  and it wasn’t up for cut in Christ’s consideration and submission to the will of the Father. And like the prayerless Simon Peter was unprepared spiritually for the moment, Christians are readily manipulated by their emotions in their moments of social, physical, and financial vulnerability to cut the cup, instead of cutting the cult of confederacies against the counsels of God. For example, the war of words o...
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