A RIGHT RESPONSE TO TRIALS

      We had done this study in our women's meeting a while back. As I was going through the notes again I was encouraged by the following verses.

      God brings trials in the Christian’s life for many different reasons. How we respond to it, reflects our view of God. The followings verses can help us think truth in our heart about God during our  trials.

         God uses trials in the believer’s life to:       

1.   Produce endurance in us.

 James 1:3 “For you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness”

   2.       To conform us to the image of His Son.

Romans 8:29-30 “For those whom He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son in order that He might be the first born among many brothers. And those whom He predestined He also called, and those whom he called, He also justified and those whom He justified, He also glorified.”

 3.       To make us mature and complete and lacking in nothing.

James 1:4 “And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete lacking in nothing.”

 4.       To produce greater fruitfulness in us as God prunes us. Remember how close the gardener is to us as He prunes us!

John 15:1-2 “I am the true vine and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit He takes away and every branch that does bear fruit He prunes that it may bear more fruit.”

 5.       To grow us in perseverance proven character and hope.

Romans 5:3-4 “ More than that we rejoice in our sufferings knowing that suffering produce endurance, and endurance produces character and character produces hope”

 6.       To teach us His comfort-so that we might comfort others with that comfort.

2 Cor 1:3-4 “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any affliction, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Prayer!

“Prayer does change things, all kinds of things. But the most important thing it changes is us. As we engage in this communion with God more deeply and come to know the One with whom we are speaking more intimately, that growing knowledge of God reveals to us all the more brilliantly who we are and our need to change in conformity to Him. Prayer changes us profoundly.”- R.C.Sproul

A good prayer!

Unmask to me sin's deformity, that I may hate it, abhor it, flee from it... Let me never forget that heinousness of sin lies not so much in the nature of the sin committed, as in the greatness of the person sinned against.

A good prayer by the puritans which clearly brings out the seriousness of sin and how much it offends our Holy God! It torments me to think how lightly I view sin. It is my sin that put Christ on the cross. A violent bloody death.

Help me dear God to have your perspective on sin and abhor it greatly!

Grant me never to lose sight of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, the exceeding righteousness of salvation, the exceeding glory of Christ, the exceeding beauty of holiness, the exceeding wonder of grace.

Weary soldier??

As soldiers of Christ, we must constantly remember, we are up against a lot of things. We are waging a war against the assaults of the flesh on our souls. "Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh which wage war against your soul." 1 Peter 2:11

Then, there are the onslaughts of the Enemy, the temptations, the various trials. As pilgrims, we get weary and tired. At times, discouraged! We need to remember that this is a good fight. The good fight of faith!

Jesus is the Captain of our salvation(Heb.2:10b) and the founder and perfecter of our faith (Heb.12:2a). We must look to JESUS, who for the joy set before Him, endured the cross, despising the shame. We must run the race that is set before us with endurance. We must lay ASIDE every WEIGHT and the SIN which clings so CLOSELY. (Heb.12:1-2)

Let us with the apostle together say, "But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus." Philippians 3:13b-14

New Job...New trials...Renewed Hope

Its been almost 3 weeks at my new job. I don't even know how the weeks have flown by. It was like just yesterday that i said good bye to my friends at MIT Design and here i am today in the IT industry. If you would ask me how the journey has been since then; I really don't know what to say.I have had mixed emotions. Times of joy and times of sorrow. I know that its the initial time and it will pass soon. But the journey seems so long.

The only thing that keeps me going is that my God is in complete control of every situation. He knows why He has placed me here. Sometimes everything seems so overwhelming that you you just want to run away. But to know that in any trial we are not alone,He is always with me and He never leaves me. At this new job I feel really lonely as its taking me a while to make friends and people here are more into their work. But at these times I have realized that its only my Lord Jesus who will be my faithful friend. I have sung the song “What a friend we have in Jesus” many a times. But the last few days the truths in those verses have been more dear to me.

I praise God for saving me and giving me a new life. To know that I have hope and as it says in 2 Peter 1:3-4 that He has given me all things pertaining to life godliness. All i need to do is completely depend on Him.

This new place, new people and new trials are gonna reveal more of my weak areas which will show me every single day as to how helpless I am on my own and thus will make me go to the cross every day.

Thank you Jesus for a being a compassionate friend, patient, loving and always faithful. Thank you for your perfect sacrifice and that in you I have eternal life.

Waiting for Christ's return

“The true Scriptural source of consolation, in the face of all that troubles us, is to keep steadily before our eyes the second coming of Christ.

We must grasp and realize the blessed fact that the rightful King of the world is returning soon, and shall have His own again; that He shall put down that old usurper, the devil, and take away the curse from off the earth.

Let us cultivate the habit of daily looking forward to the resurrection of the dead, the gathering together of the saints, the restitution of all things, the banishment of sorrow and sin, and the re-establishment of a new kingdom, of which the rule shall be righteousness.”

J.C.Ryle-"Looking Unto Jesus"

Mighty possession!

In my morning devotions, while reading through the prayer of Hannah, some verses were directly pointing to God's character. (1 Samuel 2: 1-10)
v2 There is none holy like the LORD; there is none besides You; there is no rock like our God.

Think about it, our God ALONE is holy and there is no one in this universe or the entire galaxy who is like our God! And He is our God through Jesus Christ! What a great possession we have.

As His children, we are ..."heirs of God and fellow heirs, with Christ" Romans 8:17a. Hence, we can cry out with the prophet, "The LORD is my portion," says my soul "therefore I will hope in him." Lam.3:24

These Inward Trials- John Newton

I asked the Lord, that I might grow
In faith, and love, and every grace;
Might more of His salvation know,
And seek more earnestly His face.

I hoped that in some favored hour
At once He’d answer my request,
and by His love’s constraining power
Subdue my sins, and give me rest.

Instead of this, He made me feel
the hidden evils of my heart;
And let the angry powers of hell
Assault my soul in every part.

Yea more, with His own hand He seemed
Intent to aggravate my woe;
Crossed all the fair designs I schemed,
Blasted my gourds, and laid me low.

‘Lord, why is this?’ I trembling cried,
`Wilt thou pursue Thy worm to death?’
`This in this way,’ the Lord replied,
`I answer prayer for grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ
From self and pride to set thee free;
And break thy schemes of earthly joy,
That thou mayst seek thy all in Me.’

By John Newton

Unsearchable Riches!!

The following post is a devotion by Charles Spurgeon. Read and be blessed.

"The unsearchable riches of Christ." Ephesians 3:8

My Master has riches beyond the count of arithmetic, the measurement of reason, the dream of imagination, or the eloquence of words. They are unsearchable! You may look, and study, and weigh, but Jesus is a greater Saviour than you think him to be when your thoughts are at the
greatest.

My Lord is more ready to pardon than you to sin, more able to forgive than you to transgress. My Master is more willing to supply your wants than you are to confess them. Never tolerate low thoughts of my Lord Jesus. When you put the crown on his head, you will only crown
him with silver when he deserves gold.

My Master has riches of happiness to bestow upon you now. He can make you to lie down in green pastures, and lead you beside still waters. There is no music like the music of his pipe, when he is the Shepherd and you are the sheep, and you lie down at his feet. There is no love like his, neither earth nor heaven can match it.

To know Christ and to be found in him-oh! this is life, this is joy, this is marrow and fatness, wine on the lees well refined. My Master does not treat His servants churlishly; He gives to them as a king giveth to a king; He gives them two heavens-a heaven below in serving Him here, and a heaven above in delighting in Him for ever.

His unsearchable riches will be best known in eternity. He will give you on the way to heaven all you need; your place of defense shall be the munitions of rocks, your bread shall be given you, and your waters shall be sure; but it is there, THERE, where you shall hear the song of them that triumph, the shout of them that feast, and shall have a face-to-face view of the glorious and beloved One.

The unsearchable riches of Christ! This is the tune for the minstrels of earth, and the song for the harpers of heaven. Lord, teach us more and more of Jesus, and we will tell out the good news to others.

On the discipline of commitment

While reading the book on 'The Discipline of Grace' by Jerry Bridges, there were certain things that deeply convicted me. It was on the discipline of commitment. The following sentences are taken from this book.

The Discipline of Commitment:
'I have taken an oath and confirmed it, that I will follow your righteous laws.' Psalm 119:106

"When we commit ourselves to the pursuit of holiness, we need to ensure that our commitment is actually to God, not simply to a holy lifestyle or a set of moral values."
'Therefore I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God- this is your spiritual act of worship'. Romans 12:1

"When we sin we are more vexed at the lowering of our self-esteem than we are grieved at God's dishonor. We are surprised and irritated at our own lack of self-control in subjecting ourselves to unworthy habits.....The first cause is self-love, which is unable to stand the disappointment of not seeing ourselves in time of trial come out beautiful, erect and admirable."

William Law in his classic, 'A Serious Call to a Devout and Holy Life, said, "And if you will here stop, and ask yourself, why you are not as [holy] as the primitive Christians were, your own heart will tell you, that it is neither through ignorance, nor inability, but purely because you never thoroughly intended it.

This doctrine does not suppose, that we have no need of divine grace, or that it is in our power to make ourselves perfect. It only supposes, that through the [lack] of a sincere intention of pleasing God in all our actions, we fall into such irregularities of life, as by the ordinary means of grace, we should have power to avoid."

Being gracious!

"Whoever covers an offense seeks love, but he who repeats a matter separates close friends." Proverbs 17:9

This verse took me by surprise. So much wisdom hidden in God's word. Truly, "The unfolding of Your word gives light." As sinners, we are bound to hurt/get hurt and offend/get offended by our fellow believers on various occasions. It takes much grace and humility not to hold it against the one who has sinned against us.

When we deliberately 'choose' to conceal another person's sinful act committed against us, we seek love in the truest sense. We need to be wise in order to estimate whether the offense against us need to be considered.

I think, this offers a great opportunity for the believer(sinned against) to exercise forgiveness and emulate Christ Jesus our Lord! Whereas the sinning believer learns how to receive mercy and helps him/her to reconsider his/her sinful ways.

There is power, tremendous power in forgiveness. It gives a chance for the person to change. Grace is magnetic in its influence! But, if we repeat that particular matter and make it a point of discussion, it brings about separation. Maybe, one might get the desired justice, but a friend is lost in the process.

What a heavy price to pay!!
"A brother offended is more unyielding than a strong city." Proverbs 18:19a

Where we Shrink to our True Size.

“Every time we look at the cross Christ seems to say to us, ‘I am here because of you. It is your sin I am bearing, your curse I am suffering, your debt I am paying, your death I am dying.’ Nothing in history or in the universe cuts us down to size like the cross. All of us have inflated views of ourselves, especially in self-righteousness, until we have visited a place called Calvary. It is there, at the foot of the cross, that we shrink to our true size.”

—John Stott, The Message of Galatians (London: IVP, 1968), 179

Called to Worship

Something that i personally don't like is the silence that lingers for a while after my pastor has called the congregation to worship God in song, prayer or Scripture. Just a minute back we are all singing as to how great our God is, but why do we fall silent and have no words to say to the same God that we were singing to.

Many people give lame excuses that they are shy or their command over the language is not that great. God looks at the heart and the motive of the worshiper.If we truly love God we will praise Him ALWAYS.If you do not spend much time in prayer, meditating on scripture and worshiping the Lord during the week; you wont be able to worship Him on Sunday morning either.

We can never fall short of reasons to worship God. To streamline your thoughts, meditate on scripture. Psalms are very helpful too, as it helps you to focus on His attributes(Eg:Ps 98,100,138,145 and many more).

So next time when you are hesitant to openly praise God, get the focus off yourself and put it on Christ. The words will flow out quite easily.

Sin

It is always refreshing to read a book again. The one that I am reading is Finally Alive by John Piper where he describes in detail what exactly happens to us when we are regenerated by Christ. As I was reading a section this morning on “Why must we be born again?” he mentions a few points, which convicted and encouraged me at the same time. So  thought I’d put it up on the blog today.

Here are the biblical explanations of our condition apart from the new birth and why it is so necessary.

1. Apart from the new birth, we are dead in trespasses and sins. (Eph 2:1-2)
2. Apart from the new birth, we are by nature children of wrath. (Eph 2:3)
3.  Apart from the new birth, we love darkness and hate the light (John 3:19–20).
4.  Apart from the new birth, our hearts are hard like stone.(Ezek. 36:26; Eph. 4:18).
5.  Apart from the new birth, we are unable to submit to God or please God. (Rom. 8:7–8).
6. Apart from the new birth, we are unable to accept the gospel.(Eph. 4:18; 1 Cor. 2:14).
7. Apart from the new birth, we are unable to come to Christ or embrace him as Lord (John  6:44, 65; 1 Cor. 12:3).
8.  Apart from the new birth, we are slaves to sin (Rom. 6:17).
9.  Apart from the new birth, we are slaves of Satan (Eph. 2:1–2; 2 Tim. 2:24–26).
10. Apart from the new birth, no good thing dwells in us (Rom. 7:18).
    
    
    
    So after reading the above verses, what is your response? Is it of thankfulness unto the lord for His perfect sacrifice or do you still not see the deceitfulness of your own heart…
     

Suffering with The Savior

“It is clear from Scripture that suffering is a significant thread that runs through the story of God’s people. In Jesus and because of his resurrection, the saints long for the time when ‘there will be no more death or mourning or crying of pain’ and God ‘will wipe away every tear from their eyes’ (Rev. 21:4). But meanwhile, believers suffer as people united to the Savior, who endured suffering prior to his glory.”

- Michael R. Emlet, CrossTalk (Greensboro, NC: New Growth Press, 2009), 77.

Book Review

I read the book "The Gospel for the Real Life" by Jerry Bridges a while back I immensely enjoyed reading it. When I first picked up the book to read I was not so sure about it, coz I had an attitude that, how can the gospel change my daily living. The Spirit convicted me otherwise and by the time I finished the book, I realized that I need the Gospel everyday. The moment I wake up I need to preach the gospel to myself, to keep reminding what Christ has done for me. 

Each day is different, sometimes we are extremely joyful other days a little sober. So how do I practically live out the Gospel everyday? By focusing on Chirst and His character. Thus you will be transformed  more into his likeness. By living a life that that is obedient to God's word, people will see the difference. As regenerated people we have to be a light to the dark world. That light has to be bright, to remove the darkness.(Matt 5:16) Therefore our lives also need to portray Godliness.

As I read the book it was good to dwell on the character of Christ. Jerry Bridges has done a good job at it and I would recommend you to read it and rejoice in the fact that we know Christ.

The Heart

We are studying the book of Mark in church and last Sunday we went through Chapter 7 where Jesus talks about what makes us pure or impure. His main focus was about our heart attitudes. In verses 18-20 Jesus says,

"Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.)

Here context is where the Pharisees were accusing  the disciples that they were not following the traditions that were laid down( the ceremonial washing of the hands). Where as Jesus is addressing the heart issues. He says what goes inside a person body( what he eats) does not make him unclean, as the body in its normal funtioning gets rid of it. But what comes out  of the heart of man (from within)makes  him impure.

(20-23)And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him.For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.”

Sometimes we are so caught up in tradition that we forget to see what the Bible has to say about it. Therefore let us guard our heart and keep a close watch of sinful tendencies in our life. And the only way to do it is to go back to the Bible.

You are kept low for your own safety

“God blesses us all up to the full measure and extremity of what it is safe for him to do. If you do not get a blessing, it is because it is not safe for you to have one. If our heavenly Father were to let your unhumbled spirit win a victory in his holy war, you would pilfer the crown for yourself, and meeting with a fresh enemy you would fall a victim; so that you are kept low for your own safety.

When a man is sincerely humble, and never ventures to touch so much as a grain of the praise, there is scarcely any limit to what God will do for him. Humility makes us ready to be blessed by the God of all grace, and fits us to deal efficiently with our fellow men. True humility is a flower which will adorn any garden.”

- Charles Spurgeon, Morning & Evening, April 5

Jesus Draws Near!

Of First Importance

“[Jesus Christ] is the God who, in his holy love, judges humanity but who draws near in so doing, for he will not hold himself aloof from men and women; but he is also the man who in our place draws near to God and so submits himself to the divine judgment, offering himself in sacrifice to God. Jesus Christ combines both acts in himself, within the unity of his own incarnate personal life, so that he is himself propitiation acutely personalized in both its Godward and manward aspects.”

- Thomas F. Torrance, Atonement: The Person and Work of Christ (Downers Grove, Ill.; IVP Academic, 2009), 68-69.

The heart of the matter!

What is one of the toughest thing to do?? For me, it is biting my tongue....Ouch!!Yeah! I'm talking about the taming of our tongues!! My tongue is a dangerous piece of muscle lying in my mouth, capable of extensive activity. This activity brings more disaster than good!

My biggest activity is talking....words, words words!!!!!! And guess what?? My words are a clear and strong indicator of the condition of my heart!! :(

"For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." Matthew 12:34b.

So, in order to control my tongue, I need to understand the workings of my heart! Ok...The root cause is my heart!! Gotcha...

What does God's word have to say about the human heart?
"The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately sick; who can understand it?" Jeremiah 17:9 (Emphasis mine)
Whoa! That's a terrible verdict, a fairly bad diagnosis. But, take a look what it says further.......
"I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways according to the fruit of his deeds." verse 10

Only God knows and completely understands the workings of our sinful hearts!!

This was psalmist's genuine heart cry to God who sees it all!
"Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me and lead me in the way everlasting!"Psalm 139:23-24

One of the best ways to keep a diligent watch on our deceptive hearts is by obeying and continuously delighting in God's word alone!!
"Moreover, by them is your servant warned, in keeping them there is great reward." Psalm 19:11

Therefore, we can humbly ask Jesus Our LORD and Savior and seek His divine help in the taming of our vile tongues.
"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer. " Psalm 19:14

The goodness of God!

I have realized that it is good to pray. It is good to draw near to God. To experience His faithfulness in all things and be reminded that it is He who answers prayers! He is good and all His ways are good. To enjoy the benefits of seeking Him as our all in all. He is the true joy giver!

Jesus truly says in John 10:10b:
"I came that they may have life and have it abundantly."

" God is my helper and the upholder of my life." Psalm 54:4. He is my refuge and my strong deliverer.

"Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!" Psalm 34:8

Yes!! "It is good to give thanks to the LORD, to sing praises to your name, O Most High;" Psalm 92:1

Who are you, O man, to talk back to God?

(Thomas Watson, "Body of Divinity")

"I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion. It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy." Romans 9:15-16

God has a sovereign right and authority over man. He can do with His creatures as He pleases. Who shall dispute with God? Who shall ask Him a reason of His doings? "Who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it—Why did you make me like this?" Romans 9:20

"Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases." Psalm 115:3

"The Lord does whatever He pleases in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all the depths." Psalm 135:6

God sits as judge in the highest court, and is not bound to give a reason for His proceedings. "He puts down one, and raises up another." He has salvation and damnation in His power. He has the key of justice in His hand, to lock up whomever He will, in the fiery prison of hell!

And He has the key of mercy in His hand, to open heaven's gate to whomever He pleases! The name engraved upon His vesture is, "King of kings, and Lord of lords!" He sits Lord paramount, and who can call Him to account? The world is God's house, and shall not He do what He desires in His own house?

"My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please!" Isaiah 46:10

"Hallelujah! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns!" Revelation 19:6