Category: Discipleship

It is an annual practice of mine to clear the clutter at the end of the year. I go through my wardrobe and various cabinets and reorganise them. Inevitably as I do this, I discover things that I have forgotten and things that are past their “best use by” date. These laid dormant behind or under other more useful stuff. Even though most of these were not missed throughout the year, getting rid of say a pair of jeans can be quite a mental-emotional tussle!

But it is not just material stuff that clutters our cupboards and cabinets, our thoughts, emotions and certainly, schedule can be cluttered too. The problem with clutter is that it causes a lack of clarity in our lives. Just like you are never quite sure if you still have that baking flour that you have not used the last six months, you are never quite sure what you should think or do when you are all “cluttered-up.” 

While a new year might have begun, possibly things are still what they were last year. It is not the setting of goals and resolutions that changes our lives, it is the cultivating of better habits to achieve them. And that requires us to get rid of the old unusable stuff. What are some unusable stuff that you have carried over into the new year? Here are three key areas to declutter for greater clarity and focus. 

1. Declutter Your Calendar 

The most important decluttering is your calendar. First, if you want a life that is Spirit-led and God-blessed, ensure that you free up time for God. Take the biblical injunction to put God first in your life seriously. 

Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.

Mark 12:30, NIV 

If your current calendar is filled with unproductive activities and uninspiring people, especially those which take you away from God, it needs a redo! Go ahead and list those activities that you know are a waste of energy and time. One of these would certainly be scrolling aimlessly through social media or spending too much time creating the perfect post!

Prioritise time with God and make sure you avail yourself for spiritual activities that build and bless your life such as worship, prayer, fellowship, and serving. 

2. Declutter Your Workspace 

People with a cluttered workspace are generally less efficient and more frustrated than those who work from an organised space. Assign a proper place for all your essentials and get rid of the non-essentials at your workstation.

In decluttering, set the goal of doing excellent work every time you are at your workstation. Don’t just aim for getting your work done. Rather, set yourself up to work proficiently. An organised space that allows you to easily access whatever you need will help you to focus better and work faster.  

Do you see a man who excels in his work? He will stand before kings; He will not stand before unknown men.

Proverbs 22:29, NKJV 

3. Declutter Your Mind  

The inability to focus deeply has to do with the constant distractions we submit our minds to.

While curiosity is often thought of as a positive trait, in this current noisy social network culture, it has resulted in our inability to quieten down within. Our mind is not only constantly stimulated but filled with useless and unreliable information. Our many interests encouraged by an increasingly smaller world, have compromised the quality of our relationships and our ability to savour mindfulness.

Being easily distracted is an unconscious habit that many people have learned in recent times. 

One of the fastest ways to declutter your mind is to limit your social media consumption. The media you consume has a great effect on your mental and emotional wellbeing. Marriage counselors now list social media as a cause of marriage breakdowns! An overload of information not only clogs your brain but causes stress and anxiety. The endless media-related chat puts tremendous stress on your mind.  

Another effective way to declutter your mind is to talk to someone you are close to. Sharing your thoughts and emotions can clear up your scrabbled thoughts and pent-up emotions. It can also help you have a more objective perspective. It is crucially important to set our minds on the right things since our life goes in the direction of our minds. 

For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace.

Romans 8:5-6 (NKJV)

The goal of decluttering is to get out of the messy, distracted, and unprofitable way of living and get into a simpler, more focused, and blessed way of life. As you declutter your life, may you discover the joy and blessing of a God-focused life this year!

The Lord bless you and keep you;

The Lord make His face shine upon you,

And be gracious to you;

The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,

And give you peace

Numbers 6:24-26, (NKJV)

A new year makes all good things seem possible! There is something about the clock striking midnight on the last day of the year that ushers in a new beginning, and with that the hope for better days ahead. And this is why we make resolutions and set goals when a new year dawns. We do them in the hope that they will guide us towards a greater and happier year. 

Indeed, for the longest time ever, I faithfully made new year resolutions. The truth is they were inevitably the same list of stuff every year! So the last few years, exasperated by the recycled list, I moved away from resolutions to new year “hope”. Instead of resolving to do better in various areas and commitments, I state what I hope the year would bring as it unfolds. 

Then I pray for the Holy Spirit’s guidance and illumination. I think this way I am better able to partner with God to do what he has in store for me. Indeed stating our hope and entrusting them to God will help us to be more consciously dependent on him. The Bible is full of promises for those who hope in the Lord. 

Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the Lord their God.

Psalm 146:5, NIV

I wonder what you hope for in the new year. Whatever your list might be, remember to start with God himself. My first hope for this year is to be refreshed in my faith in God. What does that mean? I am unsure myself except that in my heart there is a desire for fresh faith like that of a child, an eager anticipation of what God could do when I choose to believe and obey. 

I have given up on trying to figure out everything. I have ceased trying to compel positive changes or strive for a happier life. Instead of enforcing a plan on the Holy Spirit, I believe surrendering to his tide and allowing to be led, will take me to where he wants me to be. So while hoping for a fresh faith that will unveil God’s many miraculous workings this year, I do not know exactly what these workings will be or where I might be at the end of the year. 

Like Abraham leaving Ur of the Chaldean, Moses Egypt, and Peter his nets, following Jesus wholeheartedly is an adventure to be discovered. The promises of God as they unfold are to be savoured and the joy of his fellowship to be cherished. Dictating to God too many desires, setting up too many goals, and pursuing endless accomplishments not only lead to frustrations but stifle the Holy Spirit in our lives. If the Spirit of God is to have his way in our lives, we need to clear the clutter of man-made good ideas.  Indeed, the world is full of good ideas of how we should live and what we need to accomplish, but following these only leave us unsatisfied year in and out. 

Too much resolving makes the heart weary! 

A true new beginning is not really about the turning of a calendar page. That turning allows us an impetus to start afresh. Yet, it is really God himself who could move us forward to better and greater things. And for that to unfold, we need to renew our faith. Perhaps you are disappointed at your lack of faith in the past year. Perhaps your prayers were unanswered, you did not receive the promises of God or experience the favour of God. But that was last year. A new year has dawned and it is the kairos time to renew your faith.  

Trust that the eyes of the Lord your God are continually upon you from the beginning of the year to its end. As you follow God wholeheartedly, may you be abundantly satisfied this year!

But the land you are crossing the Jordan to take possession of is a land of mountains and valleys that drinks rain from heaven. It is a land the Lord your God cares for; the eyes of the Lord your God are continually on it from the beginning of the year to its end. So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today—to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul— then I will send rain on your land in its season, both autumn and spring rains, so that you may gather in your grain, new wine and olive oil. I will provide grass in the fields for your cattle, and you will eat and be satisfied.

Deuteronomy 11:11-15 (NIV)

Vanity of vanities, all is vanity! So cried the writer of Ecclesiastes in the Bible.  He was beyond frustrated by the meaningless of life. There seemed to be no lasting satisfaction. What appeared to give happiness lasted only a fleeting moment. Labour was burdensome, and life had become like the grasping of the wind (Ecclesiastes 1:14). If we live long enough, inevitably, we will at some point share Solomon’s desperation over life!

Dating as far back as Aristotle and Plato, philosophers considered that there were two types of happiness. One termed hedonic happiness is found in the pursuit of pleasure and avoidance of pain. The other known as eudaemonic happiness is achieved by living virtuously, achieving inner harmony, and self-actualisation. Enough research has now been done to recognise that while the second type of happiness is linked to well-being, the first type is momentary and insatiable. Unfortunately, we often fail to differentiate between them.

So Solomon found himself lamenting. Everything was meaningless and he was insatiable. Riches, advancement, and pleasures left him empty. It so exasperated Solomon that he even came to hate life (Ecclesiastes. 2:17)! But by the goodness of God, wisdom prevailed over desperation and eventually, Solomon concluded that the best way to live is to rejoice, to do good, and enjoy the fruits of one’s labour. 

Life gets to all of us at some point like it got to Solomon. On such days, instead of grasping at the wind and spiralling down the dark tunnel of desperation, we need to keep our eyes on God and remember that life is a gift that is best enjoyed virtuously, and rejoicing is a choice. 

I remember a dear friend of mine when I was a young believer. Her eldest son was autistic. While it was extremely difficult for her, she constantly chose rejoicing over lamenting. She taught me the tenacity of faith. One day when she was recovering from an emotional breakdown, she said to me, “It is incredibly painful. It is not easy at all but I choose faith.” Those words of wisdom that I too will have to choose faith come what may is strongly etched in my heart. 

Rejoicing is even more precious when we are facing tough situations.

The prophet Habakkuk declared, “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Saviour” (Habakkuk 3:17-18).

There are some of us who so desperately want to make sense of our life that our world has shrunk to the size of our desperation. Our pain causes us to retreat to our inner world of turmoil. And these days, many suffer from mental distress and emotional exhaustion. 

Over-analysing, over-reflecting, over-thinking, over-controlling all lead to exhaustion and we are no wiser about life. 

Do good, Solomon counselled us. Expand your world to include others. Happiness finds those who live beyond their desperation to do good for others. In healing others, we find our healing. In helping others, we are helped. In giving happiness, we receive happiness. 

It is wisdom to get out of that bad space in our head that drives us insane with insatiable drive and endless plotting for more pleasure, more possession, more fame, more wealth, more security. Why grasp at the wind? It is an exercise in futility that leaves us frustrated and empty.

If we have worked hard, then let’s rejoice over the fruits of our labour. Cease judging ourselves and stop beating ourselves down. Don’t set ourselves up for misery with comparison and hush the noisy inner talk that tears us down. Thus says the Lord God, the Holy One of Israel: “In returning and rest you shall be saved; In quietness and confidence shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). 

Life is a gift to be unwrapped with God and not a prize to grasp at. Rejoice, do good, and enjoy the gift of God!

Self-control has now become a popular subject as social psychologists and behavioural scientists try to understand human behaviour and help people live healthier lives. There is increasing recognition among the experts that most of the problems that plagued us have to do to some degree with the failure in self-control. Research indicates that the average person spends three to four hours a day resisting unhealthy desires! The result of this resistance struggle has a shocking correlation to a person’s success in life. 

The Dunedin Study is a 40-year investigation into the health and behaviour of just over 1,000 individuals born between April 1972 and March 1973 in Dunedin, New Zealand. It discovers that irrespective of the social background and IQ of individuals, childhood self-control strongly predicts adult success. Childhood self-control significantly predicted health issues, substance dependence, financial problems and criminal activities in adulthood. Children with weaker self-control suffer from worse health, less wealth, less parenting ability, and more crime as adults than those with stronger self-control. Furthermore, that pattern held at every point along the gradient of self-control. More devastatingly, the findings also reveal that one generation’s low self-control causes disadvantages to the next generation. 

Although many people constantly struggle with exercising healthy self-control, experts considered self-control a basic human faculty. 

The inability to exercise this fundamental capacity effectively in our fast-paced world today has disastrous consequences. Self-control is necessary not just for resisting negative behaviours but also in controlling thoughts, managing emotions, regulating performance and making decisions. The list of ills that befalls us from failure in self-control are substantial and ranges from addictions, overeating, crime, domestic violence, sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancy, debt to underperformance at school and work

Hence, we should take seriously the biblical injunction to exercise self-control. All believers irrespective of age, gender, position and status are to exercise self-control  (1 Corinthians 7:5, 1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 2:2, 5-6). Scripture likens a person who lacks self-control to a city whose walls are broken through (Proverbs 25:28). In fact, a person with self-control is to be esteemed more than a person who conquers a city (Proverbs 16:32)!

It can be challenging to excel in self-control in today’s world of endless possibility, distraction, and temptation. How can we as believers practice better self-control? The Bible tells us that we need to yield to the grace of God. 

God knows that it is difficult for us as fallen humanity to choose self-control when we are constantly given the opportunities, and even the encouragement to choose self-gratification and indulgence. God has made his grace, his supernatural enabling available to us to resist that which would lead us down the path of regret, pain, and failure in life. 

Furthermore, self-control is part of the fruit of the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). This means that as we walk in fellowship with the Spirit of God, self-control becomes a part of our daily lives. We are enabled to make the right decisions, focus on the right priorities and find joy in righteous and wise living. 

Experts tell us that the power of self-control is found in conscientiousness, self-discipline, and perseverance. Practising these over time improves self-control. Social psychologists have found that self-control is like a muscle. The more we exercise it, the stronger our self-control becomes. 

As believers, God has not left us to marshal our will and self-discipline alone. Rather in his tremendous kindness and love, he comes alongside us and aids us through his supernatural power. As we yield to the Holy Spirit and lay hold of God’s grace, we will be better able to exercise self-control and live the successful life God wants for us! 

One of the first things that we are taught as children is to say ‘thank you.’ But as we grow into adulthood, this practice often becomes a formality. It is a social norm to say thank you. We say it without much thought or even without feeling thankful. In the Bible, however, thanksgiving is not just a polite gesture but a command of God. 

… give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 

I Thessalonians 5:18, NIV 

Give thanks in all circumstances! Does this mean that we are expected to give thanks even when we are in unhappy circumstances? Do we give thanks when we are sick, or when we lose our job, or when we are in financial need, or when we can’t see eye to eye with our spouse or our boss? Does God really expect us to be thankful during such exasperating situations? 

The answer is yes! God expects us to give thanks not for trying situations but in trying situations. Perhaps it doesn’t make sense to us. But you see, God isn’t responsible for our bad situation. God didn’t “make it happen” to us. God isn’t punishing us. God didn’t cause our suffering. A thousand things may have caused our bad situation but it isn’t God. 

Where is God in all our circumstances? He is where he always is. He is Immanuel — God with us! And that is why God expects us to give thanks in all circumstances. 

He is trying to get us to work with him so that he can work out all things for our good (Romans 8:28). He is trying to get us into the right attitude, to receive the solution for our bad situation. He is trying to get us to the right position to fulfil his good plan for us. 

Now just because God wants to work out everything for our good, doesn’t mean that we can receive the good that God has for us. We need to have the right attitude to receive the blessings of God. Gratitude gets us into the right frame of mind to receive from God. That is the power of gratitude! 

The truth is in our natural state we are better at grumbling than thanksgiving! We often think it’s justifiable for us to complain when we don’t like something. Complaining is actually an attitude of the heart.  It speaks of what is inside us and we have to be careful that our complaints are not merely a reflection of our self-centredness and arrogance. If we think, I deserve better, I deserve more and if I don’t get it, I am going to complain. I am important and if I am treated like I am not, I am going to complain, then we are in a bad place with God. 

The truth is grumbling rarely makes life better for anyone. Grumbling can cause us to forfeit the blessings of God. Often God will not act on our behalf if we are grumbling. In fact, grumbling can arouse the anger of God (Numbers 11:1). 

Thanksgiving says I am undeserving, but God has treated me better than I deserve. This attitude moves us forward to receive what God is doing on our behalf. But gratitude is not just an emotion. In fact, if you ask people if they are thankful, most people will say yes. But often their behaviour and their words say otherwise. We can’t justify our bad behaviour by our “correct feeling.” Saying we feel grateful but behaving like we are not is a mockery. Correct feeling and good intention are not thanksgiving. 

A key expression of thanksgiving in Scripture is through praise and worship. We sing to God, we raise our hands in worship, we jump in praise to express our gratitude to God! If you are grateful to God, then ‘make yourself’ act out your gratitude by worshipping from the depths of that gratitude. Stop fretting about the music or song, but focus on giving thanks to God. 

Another central theme of thanksgiving in the Bible is to give thanks for people. The apostle Paul exemplifies this for us. Find ways to say thank you meaningfully to people who have been a blessing to you. Another powerful way gratitude is expressed is through giving. There are many kinds of giving in the Bible.  There is giving to God. There is giving to people who love us and have done us good. There is giving to the needy and the poor.  In the Bible, every celebration of victory or any kind of festival required the people of God to give to those in need. 

As we embrace the attitude of gratitude and practice the behaviour of thanksgiving, our lives will be happier. We will be working with God to move out of trying circumstances to better ones. We can be sure that we will experience God’s pleasure when we have the attitude of gratitude!

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts

Colossians 3:16, NIV

Scripture tells us that “godliness with contentment is great gain” (1 Timothy 6:6). In other words, if we are willing to pursue the character of God and at the same allow ourselves to experience a deep sense of meaning in our life, we will be greatly blessed.  

At its core, contentment is actually psychological well-being. It is knowing that it is well with our soul. The state or sense of contentment arises from finding meaning in life. People are not contented because they have an easy life. On the contrary, many people who are not facing challenges or stress in their lives are often the least contented. 

Contentment has to do with our perception of being engaged in our lives and managing it in a meaningful way. A contented person is not someone who is experiencing fewer challenges than others. Rather the contented person is someone who is living up to their own expectations, their internal moral values, accomplishing important goals, and doing their work well and properly. 

Contentment also has very little to do with material possessions or the accolades of man. In fact, experts believe that social systems can interfere with contentment by trying to replace natural internal contentment with prizes and praises that come from outside. By influencing us and even persuading us to look externally for affirmation and meaning, we lose the ability to focus on what is inherently important to us.

Natural contentment arises from personal judgment and values.

It is our soul knowing that we are living according to who God has called us to be and doing what God has called us to do. This I believe is what Jesus means when he tells us to take his yoke upon us so that we will find rest. His yoke is his divine design for us. His rest is the state of contentment we find ourselves in when we carry his yoke and walk in steps with him. 

 “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”

Matthew 11:28-30, NIV

If we have been weary, tired, and struggling, it is often because we have been living according to the standard and expectations of the world. If we carry the yoke the world put upon us, we will find ourselves bent out of shape. Life can eventually lose its meaning if we are careless with the yoke we are carrying. 

On the other hand, to take the yoke of Jesus and to learn from him is to grow in godliness and contentment. Because Jesus is gentle and humble, his yoke is perfectly shaped for us. He knows us and understands us intimately. Taking the yoke of Jesus leads to us recognising our purpose and place in the world. It is living our life well. We will not have to fear missing out on anything. 

Whatever we may think our purpose and meaning in life may be, we can be sure that we are not created for prizes and praises. The pursuit of material possessions and the accolades of man are not our goals in life. Rather, they are the byproducts of a life well lived. To make these the goals of our life is not only to forfeit true contentment but to risk ending up empty, desperate, and lost. Sadly, the emptiness and desperation set in late in the journey. We often discover we are on the wrong path when we are already deep in the forest. 

Another flawed understanding of contentment is that it results in complacency. While contentment is the satisfaction of doing our best in living our lives meaningfully, complacency is being so satisfied with our abilities or situations that we believe we do not need to do better. It is the value that we place on growth and improvement that differentiates between contentment and complacency. Being content does not mean not desiring to do better. It means that while we seek growth, we are at peace instead of feeling harassed. 

Contentment is birthed from doing our best wherever we find ourselves in life. It is the inner knowledge of fulfilling our purpose. Complacency is almost the direct opposite of that. It is settling for the less and not caring if we have missed our divine purpose. Where complacency exists, contentment is hard to come by. And where contentment is, complacency is unwelcome.

It is easy to be restless and harassed by all that is happening within us and around us. God, however, delights in the contentment of his people. He would that we find our rest and satisfaction in obeying him. As his beloved, let us then pursue godliness with contentment!

Prior to my conversion, I had never given wisdom a second thought. But once I started reading the Bible, I became very intrigued and interested in wisdom. This is because it is mentioned often in the Bible. 

In fact, the five books right in the middle of the Bible comprising Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs are known collectively as Wisdom Literature. The Book of Proverbs especially has a lot to say about this attribute, and in reading Proverbs, one cannot help but to covert wisdom. 

After all, the blessings of wisdom are bountiful — everything in fact that one would need and want in life! Among the rewards of wisdom are “riches and honor, enduring wealth and prosperity” (Proverbs 8:18), and life and favour from God (Proverbs 8:35-36, 9:11).

But what exactly is wisdom? A common definition for it is the ability to use knowledge and experience properly to make sound judgments and good decisions. But wisdom is actually much richer than just the proper application of knowledge and experience. 

According to the Bible, wisdom gives us proper insights into life (Proverbs 9:6). It is associated with attributes such as prudence, discernment, unbiased judgment, self-knowledge, diligence, self-control, humility and benevolence. 

Instead of being anxious over many things in life, a better occupation of our mind is to pursue wisdom. If we were to seek to live our lives with wisdom instead of worrying about what tomorrow holds or what could go wrong, we will not only be rewarded with a happier and more successful life but we will also be a greater blessing to the world. 

How can we grow in wisdom? The Bible says, the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of God is understanding (Proverbs 1:7, 9:10). Wisdom, then, begins with a reverent relationship with God. As we get to know God more and honour him, our wisdom increases. In fact, wisdom is an attribute of the Spirit of the Lord. Hence, to be led by his Spirit is to walk in wisdom. 

The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

Isaiah 11:2-3, NIV

Wisdom is also a gift of God. God wants to give us wisdom (James 1:5). But in order to receive it, we must desire it. Our attitude is an important key to our ability to receive wisdom. It is likely to elude us if we are double-minded for it cannot be possessed by those who do not count it precious. Unfortunately, we often undervalue this critical virtue, and hence, fail to avail ourselves to it, albeit perhaps unintentionally.

Mockers and the wicked, the Bible tells us, forfeit wisdom, while the discerning and righteous add to their wisdom. If we price wisdom highly, we will prioritise it over our many distracting pursuits and misplaced commitments.

Choose my instruction instead of silver, knowledge rather than choice gold, for wisdom is more precious than rubies, and nothing you desire can compare with her.

Proverbs 8:10-11, NIV

There is also a tendency for us to confuse knowledge with wisdom. One can be knowledgeable without being wise. And this has indeed become the agony of our current world. The internet has opened up a world of knowledge, and many now consider themselves knowledgeable and qualified way beyond their education, training or experience in life. Potentially, an abundance of knowledge could lead to the demise of wisdom, if we can’t differentiate between them. 

The lack of wisdom is disastrous for our lives. Foolishness harms us and the hatred of wisdom results in death (Proverbs 8:35-36, 9:18). Knowledge puffs up and folly is often loud and showy, and both can tragically be mistaken for wisdom. 

True wisdom is gaining God’s insights into life and diligently applying them. Therefore, studying and meditating on God’s Word is a great way to get more wisdom (Psalm 19:7). The counsel of the wise also adds wisdom to us. This, in fact, is the very thesis of the Book of Proverbs (Proverbs 1:1-6). 

Valuing wisdom, praying for it, walking in the Holy Spirit and Scripture, being teachable and most of all, revering God are sure ways to multiplying wisdom in our lives. We are purposed as God’s beloved to grow in wisdom. It is a noble desire and a great pursuit to grow in this godly attribute!

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

Luke 2:52, NIV

In a stunning summary of his life’s mantra, the great Apostle Paul says, “ … I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Contented whatever the circumstances, contented whether his stomach was full or empty, contented whether in want or having an abundance! In other words, whatever life might visit upon him, it was well with Paul.

What could be Paul’s secret to this unshakeable contentment that could not be assailed by life’s circumstances? It was because Paul was the beneficiary of the supernatural grace of God.

This would mean that when Paul couldn’t do it on his own anymore that God’s power was all the more manifested. Indeed, the grace of God was more than sufficient for Paul (2 Corinthians 12:9). It had often carried him through intense sufferings as he served God.

In a poignant testimony, Paul summarised what divine grace had brought him through, “I have worked much harder, been in prison more frequently, been flogged more severely, and been exposed to death again and again. Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches” ( 2 Corinthians 11:23-28).

Paul’s resume is not one that any one of us can copy! But the divine grace that carried him through is as available to us as it was to Paul.

However, we may not know how to avail ourselves to it. I often suspect that maybe we are just too strong for God’s power to work on our behalf. Possibly we are unaware of our need for it. Or perhaps we have no true need for supernatural grace since we hardly venture out of our comfort zone.

When Jesus went through the countryside of Judea, hundreds, perhaps thousands desperately needing the grace of God thronged him. Tailing him, sometimes begging to touch even the hem of his garment, often listening for hours as he preached, these were aware that they were not sufficient for the challenges of life. Hungry for truth and divine intervention, desperate for strength,  healing, provision, and transformation, they humbled themselves before Christ.

How about us? Are we sufficient for the call of life? Probably yes if we were to stay in our comfort zone. And we so desperately want to be strong and sufficient that we would rarely risk our comfort zone for God. 

But only when we are insufficient do we experience the power of God.

If we were to be all that God purposed us to be, if we were to get to where God calls us, we will need to let go and fall into the net of divine grace. Only from there can we soar on the wings of eagles. And learn that contentment is possible because it is a divine gift wrought by grace.

God invites us into a life greater than the circumstances that would hem us in. He calls us to a greater dream for his glory. He nudges us out of our comfort zone to make a difference so that we could truly be ‘salt and light,’ promising us that his grace is sufficient and his power will accomplish what we can’t!

Let’s take the hand of our Lord and obey his leading. Be assured that he will never cease to carry us by his grace when it becomes too much for us!

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me.

2 Corinthians 12:9, NIV

The one eschatological doctrine that orthodox Christianity most agrees on is that of the Second Coming of Jesus. The ancient Nicene Creed states, “He will come again in his glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end. ..” Likewise, at Audacity Malaysia, we believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is coming back again as he promised.

The Second Coming also known as the “Second Advent” or by the Greek word “parousia” meaning “presence” is clearly and emphatically asserted in Scripture. It was part of the apostolic message and one of the most widely taught doctrines in the New Testament (Acts 3:19-21, 1 Thessalonians 4:15-16, 2 Thessalonians 1:7, 10, Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28, James 5:7-8, 2 Peter 1:16, 3:12). Jesus himself promises that he will come again (Matthew 24-25, Matthew 26:64, John 14:3).

“Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory.”

Matthew 24:30, NIV

The Second Coming of Jesus is THE event that will usher in the beginning of the end. When Jesus comes again, he will come in power and great glory. He will judge the nations and will divide the righteous from the wicked (Matthew 25:31-36). At that time, the wicked and all that are corrupt will be destroyed. The Second Coming will also usher in the Millennium, which is the thousand-year reign of Jesus on earth.  

Believers who have died in Christ will be resurrected while believers living at the time of the Second Coming will be transformed into their gloried body ( 1 John 3:2, 1 Corinthians 15:51-54, 1 Thessalonians 4:14). Our physical imperfections will disappear and our everlasting bodies will know no pain, illness or death.

Just as Jesus ascended into heaven, he will descend personally and visibly into the earth (Acts 1:11). His Second Coming will be a sharp contrast to the lowly and humble circumstances of his first coming. He will come on the cloud with great power and great glory accompanied by his angels and heralded by the archangel (Mark 13:26, Luke 21:27, 1 Thessalonians 4:16).

For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.

1 Thessalonians 4:16, NIV 

When Jesus was born, very few people knew that the Saviour of the world had come. He was born in a lowly stable and laid in a manger of hay. He was rejected and crucified. But when he comes again, there will be no doubt who he is! He will be acknowledged as the “Lord of Lords and King of Kings” (Revelation 17:14). 

Although God has set a definite time for the Second Coming, that time has not been revealed to us. It is important to understand that the Bible states clearly that no man knows the day or the hour when the Second Coming will take place (Matthew 24:36). Jesus, however, indicated that his return will be preceded by several signs such as desolation and the darkening of the sun (Matthew 24:21, 29). Yet for many believers, it would be unexpected because the long delay has lulled many into inattention.

The impending Second Coming of Christ is a motivation for us to live in obedience to God. It is also a source of comfort for us because history will not simply run its course. Rather it is marching toward the consummation when God’s purpose will be fully realised.  While wickedness may run rampant on earth now, a time is surely coming when evil will be punished and faithfulness will be rewarded. 

 When parousia finally occurs, it will happen so quickly that there will be no time to prepare (Matthew 25:8-10). As believers, we should watch for and live in anticipation of the sure return of our Lord. 

When we are walking faithfully with God, we can look forward to the Second Coming of Jesus with confidence, joy and excitement!

And now, dear children, continue in him, so that when he appears we may be confident and unashamed before him at his coming.

1 John 2:28, NIV

References:

1. Erickson, Millard J. Introducing Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 1997).

It is my conviction that the church is the most important institution in the world. This conviction has helped me serve it wholeheartedly for over 30 years through varied seasons. Yet after more than 30 years, I still often feel that I have not done enough for the church of God.

But why is the church so important or significant that it would demand the unwavering service and commitment of the followers of Christ? 

The short answer is that it is the Body of Christ, it is the family of God, it is the kingdom of God on earth, it is the bride of Christ. The church is not a social phenomenon. It is not a man’s idea or a good idea. It is much more than a human institution. It is a divine movement. 

Ultimately the true significance of the church lies in its relationship with the Triune God. Born out of the death and resurrection of Christ, empowered by the Holy Spirit, it is the body through which God currently works in the world. 

The NT Greek word for the church is “ekklesia” which means “assembly.” In essence, it is the gathering of God’s people called out to do God’s will on earth.

That the church constitutes the people of God has important implications. Firstly, there is a mutual belonging between God and his people. God’s people belong to him and God, in turn, belongs to his people. Secondly, God’s people belong together. It is only when believers are together that they constitute the church. 

This ‘belonging to God and to each other’ means God expects his people to assemble to worship him and to pray together. Furthermore, Jesus expects his people to observe his commandment to partake the Lord’s Supper together (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). God also expects his people to fellowship with each other. He expects them to obey his many commandments to serve one another, to encourage one another, and to love one another.

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV

The most extended image of the church in the Bible is that it is the body of Christ. The body is to be connected by genuine fellowship and care. The church in the Book of Acts even shared material possessions with one another (Acts 4:32-36)!

This image does not only emphasise the close connectivity of the church but also reveals the church as the focal point of Christ’s activity on earth.  As the body of Christ, the church is the continuation of Christ’s presence and the extension of his ministry. 

While the church is a divine creation, it is made of imperfect human beings. It will not reach perfect sanctification or glorification until the Lord’s return. Nonetheless, its significance and importance as the assembly of God’s people called out to worship God and extend Christ’s work on earth cannot be overstated. God takes pride in his church. He provides for it and protects it. Therefore, nothing — no power on earth or in hell — can overcome the church of God (Matthew 16:18). 

While the church gathers and serves God on earth today, in the future the church will gather and serve God in heaven. 

Jesus will return for his church and the wedding of Christ and His bride will take place at the end of the age. Until that time arrives, all true followers of Christ ought to cherish and love the church as God does. God expects us to fully embrace our identity as his church on earth and to wholeheartedly serve him as his gathered people. 

References:

1. Erickson, Millard J. Introducing Christian Doctrine (Grand Rapids: Baker Book, 1997).