Zechariah 10:1
Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.
Last sunday night this verse was shared in the 80 A/G anniversary dinner. It was an eye opening and factual encounter as I revelled in this available promise - To ask for rain in the time of the latter rain.
In the bible we hear about former and latter rain. The former refers to rain during autumn, which allows the farmer to plow the land and plant the seed. The latter rain is the rain that falls in spring and wets the ground, allowing the seed to break out of its shell and germinate.
Why ask for rain during the slated raining season? For us who often live through the wet monsoon days of december, it's really akin to asking for more rain in the ever rainy days. In the logical, we can only imagine it as a superfluous request since the monsoon will naturally already have lotsa rainy days.
When I heard this verse, a positive kiasu mentality took over me. Why didn't I think of it? How often it is that we in a contented mode assuming that things will happen the way it is meant to, afterall many times what more can we do? Like the song in "my fair lady' says : without your pushing and the tide comes in, without your twirling and the earth will spin.
However, in the things of God everything works differently. Especially when we see ourselves as a farmer awaiting the seeds which we have planted anad hope will come to complete fruition. Perhaps it is a life which we are interceeding for God's salvation, or it may be a promise of excelling well in life even as we faithfully do what we are called by God. I'm sure there are heaps of good stuff which we scatter like seeds and hope that it'll all come to pass someday and we can excitedly praise God for.
In this verse, I am reminded to not have a complacent attitude but rather to always have a persistant asking attitude. Afterall this verse clearly states our entitlement to ask the Lord for rain in the latter rain days. Don't get me wrong, it's not a bless me verse of asking and asking for everything under the sun and what we want. It's about us who have already done the "farming", "plowing" and "scattering" and are just now waiting. Don't wait passively and assume it'll be done. Let us open our mouths to ask for the Lord to bless all that has been done. For him to pour forth rain that would shower every single blade of grass in the field. Don't worry, there can never be so much rain from the Lord that it would drown/destroy the labour we have done.
May you learn to take up the due inheritance due to you and ask God to rain down on the works and promises which you are awaiting.
blessings,
M.
"Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain." ( James 5:7)
25 January 2008
15 January 2008
Worship comes first.
Matthew 4:8-10
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
Again, the devil taketh him unto an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;and he said unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
I read this in a email devotional snippet and it raise one interesting point. That all service for Him is to flow out of worship. No worship=no service.
In Matthew 4, when Jesus was alone in the wilderness, the devil tempted him with all the material wealth and power. It must have been a tempting option as the journey Christ was to walk was one of servanthood and to serve and not be exalted. He could have been distracted by the promises but Jesus examplified to us the way out of life's distraction is to worship the Lord our God.
Worship lifts us from the miry perspective of our condition and self. As we lift our hands in surrender and choose to exault God above our situation and issues, nothing else on earth matters more. In fact, the soul feeds on glamour, pride and achievements, but during worship, our spirit in renewed and the soul's desire is religated.
As we move onwards into the weeks of this year, let us remember to come back to worship frequently - if possible, daily. Before we can serve God or even live through the secular days, worship must always come before. When the worship wanes, service to God and life becomes a drag and takes it's toll on us. We sigh more, sulk more, feel exhausted easily and walk with weary feet. Why? simply because the Holy Spirit does not energize our vision and persepective.
May you and I choose to life our eyes and hands in daily surrender as we worship the Almighty God. Then will we serve God and live life with vigour.
blessings,
M.
"He is your praise and He is your God, who has done these great and awesome things for you which your eyes have seen. "(Deuteronomy 10:21)
01 January 2008
Don't neglect the house of God in 2008
Nehemiah 10:39
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)
The people of Israel, including the Levites, are to bring their contributions of grain, new wine and oil to the storerooms where the articles for the sanctuary are kept and where the ministering priests, the gatekeepers and the singers stay.
"We will not neglect the house of our God."
In a flash 2007 has gone and this is the first day of the new year. I'm not clear what the next 364 days would bring and how it would impact my life, but one thing I'm dead sure about 2008 is the numerous challenges, and the ups and downs which will follow suit.
Hindsight is always perfect, but when we are in the midst of the storms of life in 2008, like any other year, it'll seem to be a long and dreary struggle. Not to find ourselves jaded even before we attempt to walk into the early days of the new year, I really like for us to embrace the ending part of the verse in Nehemiah 10:39 - that we will never neglect the house of God.
There are 2 ways which I interprete the verse to apply it to us this year. The physical house of God (the church), and the living house of God (our bodies).
In Nehemiah 10, God’s people made an oath, vowing to follow all the commands, laws, and regulations of the Lord. There's a lot of things which the people promised that they would do and it is really similiar to what you and I aspire to accomplish as we desire to keep close to God. However, we're really people of short term memory and often our fallen nature results in us stumbling and struggling through life. In spite of this, I pray that in 2008 we always remember to never surrender the inheritance that we have as children of God. We may be downcast by life's problems, but we are never destroyed because God is our Hope and strength.
Similiarly, from studies, projects, ministries, work, projects, activities and even recreation, we'll surely be busy doing all the tasks and stuff of life. So I pray that we inscribe it in our heart the need of remembrance to not neglect coming every week to the house of God to find rest. The world will surely wear us down, but only in the house of God can we find solace and strength that would restore our soul. Remember that our journey in life is only transient and we are made for greater purpose. May you recognise the thruth that our soul yearns, even faints, for the courts of the LORD; our heart and my flesh cry out for the living God and only He can satisfy.
The journey is only beginning. May the Lord strengthen our footsteps as we quicken the pace and live as overcomers in 2008. May we never neglect the house of God.
blessings,
M.
"My feet have closely followed his steps; I have kept to his way without turning aside." (Job 23:11)