Do Something But Not Everything

Sometimes we feel as if much of life is a waste of time.  There is so much that is lost amid our many preoccupations.  It seems impossible to make every moment count.  We procrastinate, we daydream and we "while away" the time.  So little of our attention is directed toward things that really matter.  Often our focus is diverted to that which is peripheral and inconsequential.  There is so much to do, and we do not have the time and energy to do it.  There is so much to say and not enough words to say it.  Where will we find the will to be all we are capable of being?  Where is the heart for the difficult task and the perseverance for the weary journey?

It is easy to give up when our vision exceeds our resources.  Discouragement sets in when we see so much and accomplish so little.  Often it is the cause for doing nothing.  Why should we spin our wheels and never make progress toward our destination?  If we cannot do everything, why do anything? Failure comes in different packages.  Sometimes it is an over exaggerated ambition.  We lose ourselves before we get started.  We bite off more than we can chew.  We focus on the finishing before we have prepared for the beginning.  Too much ambition can be as bad as no ambition.  Often the results are the same.

Our greatest achievements may not come in trying to do everything, but in doing a few things well.  Our greatest lessons may be in learning our weaknesses as well as our strengths.  The ability to accept our limitations may equip us to highlight our possibilities.  No one can be best at everything.  Everyone can enjoy being who they are and how their gifts define them.  Life is too short to be frustrated by the impossible.  It is long enough, however, to pursue the possible and celebrate the joy of doing our best.

We are blessed indeed when we find the power to persevere at the level of our personal performance.  Our most depressing sin is trying to do more than or less than we can do.  Our most promising virtue is to work and to put our work in a wholesome perspective as we leave the rest to God.

Based on an article by Pastor Calvin Metcalf

ON BEING CONSISTENT

One of the most imposing challenges of the Christian life is the ability to be consistent.  In many ways, we are all walking paradoxes.  There are often strange contradictions in our Christian behavior as well as our Christian conversation.  We study God's word and we try to hide His laws in our hearts, yet somehow we are never able to fully perform in keeping with His will.  Our spiritual ambition is to be Godly, but we often reflect that which is Satanic.  We tend to live in the tension of what we know is right and the reality of what we actually do.  Our conduct is characterized more by our selfish inclinations than by the sacrificial love of Jesus.  We want to be servants, but we act like masters.  We love the Lord, yet we despise some of His people.  We search the scriptures for eternal life and then use them as a vehicle for debate.  We want God to be patient with us in our iniquity, yet we harshly judge others who equally qualify for His grace.

The truth of the matter is we are inconsistent creatures struggling to be stable and compatible with God's will for our lives.  Even though, at times, our Christian talk and our Christian walk are not the same, there is hope.  The fact that we struggle to be consistent is evidence of the Holy Spirit's activity.  There is hope in the sincerity of our repentance as we share our frustrations with God.

Our Lord Jesus understands what it is like to be human and thus He longs to lead us "in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake."  Our Lord does not condone our fickle faith, but He does encourage us to believe that we can be more than what we have been.  Sometimes we feel like crying with the apostle Paul, "Who shall deliver me from the body of this death?"  His answer and our answer is, "through Jesus Christ our Lord."  To confess our inconsistencies is to discover divine resources and forgiveness.

PERCEPTION

Perception is a valuable part of our reasoning process.  It equips us to comprehend some things without being told.  It is the ability to sense the atmosphere of an occasion and to make proper responses.  It is insight into a set of circumstances which requires our best thinking.  Perception is the art of forming opinions and making evaluations based on what we believe to be the truth.

The problem is that sometimes perception and reality are not the same.  Because of our human limitations, we are quite capable of jumping to conclusions which are unfounded.  How often have we all formed opinions and made comments on the basis of what we thought was obvious only to learn later we had been mistaken?  For this reason, we have to constantly monitor our perception to make sure that which we perceive is consistent with that which is.  This is not an easy assignment, even for people of integrity, because we live in a world of confusing information.

Public perception is often marred by the mismanagement of facts.  Rumor and misinformation get mistaken for the truth.  This is why we must continually repent, rethink and recommit ourselves to Him who is the way, the truth and the life.  Only in Christ Jesus can our perceptions be accurate and our opinions Godly.  Only in Him, who strongly advised us not to be judgmental, can we make evaluations that are redeeming.  Through prayer and deep devotional activity, we are able to distinguish between wholesome perception and unfounded suspicion.

If indeed God has given us the gift of perception, it is not for us to be super-pious and critical, but to be intercessory in our relationship to others.  What goes around usually comes around.  Sooner or later we are all going to need the caring skills of others to help heal the wounds of our own lives.  Our most healthy prayer may be, "Lord, I honestly believe, help me now to properly perceive.  May the words of my mouth never betray the confession of my heart that you are Lord of lords and King of kings forever."

The measured tree overflows.

Another Very Astounding Dream

Approx time of dream between 1:00am -1:30am, 20 April 2014
I am not a person who usually dream big dreams or have visions where I dream about things to happen. It was like any other night. But I just had one if those strangest and terrifying dream.
Okay, just some things that happened before the dream. At around 11:00 PM, I was woken by the sound of a vehicle speeding down the slope of the building where we live, and my room is just one floor above the road. And seconds later, I heard the sound of a crash. I woke up. I tried to look from my grilled window, but I could not see anything. It was still dark. I woke up and went for my needs, meantime my boys were still watching IPL, KKR vs. DD. There was just 6 runs from 4, deliveries needed to win by DD. Just then Duminy hit a six to finish of the match. DD won by 4 wickets. Okay, some boys left the hostel without permission and didn't report that evening. I just enquired whether their friends returned or not. It was negative. And also asked them whether they have heard the sound of the crash. Even that they said they didn't hear.... I guess they were so much into the game of cricket. Anyway, it was around 11:30 pm and the match was over. I went to my bed and slept again.
Now my dream... I guess it took place in our hostel, but the place was quite unfamiliar. I was with my boys and some others. It was as though we came from the Worship Night organised by Sinai Ministry. There was a talk going around that something like an Antichrist was on the move simultaneously with the event. While people were turning to God in this event, somewhere in the town itself somebody (a man) was moving around converting them to Satan's followers, and he had such great power and urgency and started to carry out his work so quickly. It so happened that 'he' along with some members reached the place where we live. His followers (who were also Nagas) came up to our place and started creating fear. I went near them praying out loud using the Name of Jesus, rebuking the evil spirits inside them. What I did was, I placed my index and middle fingers over their foreheads and pressed them. Meantime I prayer in Jesus Name, and saying there is Victory in the blood of Jesus (I don't watch those gory horror flicks but something like what use to happen in the movies). What happened was, their skins burned and moments later they became normal and quiet (maybe be they were delivered and converted back). After I did that, I heard people talking about the praise and worship event, where it seems there are people in the programme who are not yet delivered, and the Satan was working his way out to take them away. And I heard from my boys that the main person responsible was approaching to my place. The main door was open. We were anticipating him to appear, meanwhile we were still praying for the rest. Just then, the man appeared. He tried to enter our room but we kept on praying and claiming victory in the blood of Christ. So he could not enter. He still made efforts to enter. I went near him and shouted in a loud voice, these people belongs to Christ. You have no right to be here! I command you in the name of Jesus, with the blood of Christ smeared in my hands, I pushed him away. He also tried to force himself in. But my prayers in Jesus' name was to powerful for him that he could not enter the place. He stood there outside helpless. Moments later he left. We all rejoiced at what just happened. After a while, I heard from my boys that four people on the streets have been already converted and taken away by the evil man. So we all went  out to the streets and started praying for the people. And I happened to call one of my senior mission worker at Impur named Bendangsunep. I guess it was just a symbolic name. In simple English, it would mean "giving peace/assurance to others or strangers or unbelievers". He received my call and I narrated what just happened to him. I believe it was Jesus to whom I was talking to.
I am also not quite sure what this dream means. Maybe it is God revealing to me the great sacrifice that His only son had made for us and we need to believe in Him to have peace and assurance of our salvation. It could be even related to the ongoing worship event Gloria Patri. I believe many are blessed and might have come to a personal encounter with the Father. But I am sure there are others who are opposed to this. Maybe some of us attending it might not have experienced the assurance of salvation. Or it might be concerning the Easter Sunday. Jesus rose from the death. The curse of sin is broken. He is alive to give us assurance of salvation and eternal peace. "That those whoever believe in Him shall not perish but have everlasting life." John 3:16. But whoever neglect His word already stands condemned and Satan will take over their lives.
I hope and believe that this Easter we will find out the meaning and purpose of Christ's ministry, death and resurrection.

PS. 1. The place where I live. The building we are staying is just behind the Pentecostal Church, Opp. to Immanuel College. It is situated just in the intersection where four roads meet. And my room is just one floor above the road where the intersection meets. (nothing to be scared of! He he. I sleep alone). You must have heard about tales about such location where many people passes through such intersections. It has become a routine and even normal to hear vehicles passing by after midnight. It is not a main road nor it leads to a big colony. Sometimes people still roam at wee hours and hears them chatting just outside.

2. Most of the time the Pentecostal believers cast out spirits while they pray.

3. My students (not the ones I have now) use to share experiences where they feel that somebody is pushing them (experienced by not just one) down making them difficult to breath... Stuffs like that. I am still wondering, why them and not me?,(I am not righteous, but its all because of God's grace). They stay just one floor above me, while I am supposed to be the one to experience them first. God be Praised. I would often go and pray for them. I would even carry the Bible and read scriptures and stand near the gate/shutter and pray for God's protection.

So far God has been so merciful to us. He has not allowed any kind of sickness, injuries, pain, sufferings, and deaths/suicides/murders etc. All Glory to God. "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge." PS 18:2.

Let's Kill Some Bandits!

     

      Oh! By the way, this is not some sort of a plot or a sequel to some Bollywood classic films where heroes and heroines serves as the protector of the village against frequent raids and robberies from bandits and dacoits. And don't even expect some disco breaks with some hero to heroine and vice-versa lip-syncing songs followed by some strenuous choreography! Well of course, it's about standing guard and keeping off bandits, and killing them in our lives, maybe not the real ones, but perhaps those bandits which controls our minds and actions...like the time bandits!

     

     Well actually, I bought this book a couple of years ago, Time Bandits Written by Stuart Briscoe. The book talks about establishing our priorities; putting first things first. It was hell of an eye-opener for me too. What's our biggest problem today? Time management isn't it? The author recollects himself of a point where he had been forced into a situation where the demands of life exceeds the supply of time. Yes! it the time bandit!

      

     Stealing away all the good hours of the day that goes into days and months and eventually years, totally wasted without having done anything essential during the given opportunity. Each day we are given a set number of hours that could be used, abused, invested, or wasted. Each day, there are things we know that have to be done. Then there are things we really ought to do, plus things we desperately want to do. The question is, But how do we find time for it all? The most important thing to do against all the other so-called important things is, first seek the kingdom of God. and everything will be given to us as well [Matthews 6:33]. It was that simple. Briscoe calls Christians to boldly address any areas of selfishness and to begin to see life through kingdom eyes. When we do, our priorities will change to focus on goodness, righteousness, and truth.

     

     In fact, I was not planning to give a detailed review of the book. I am motivated to share some of the wonderful stories that really inspired me to stand on my feet against the time bandits. So, eventually I shall be sharing them with you.

     

     Since the central theme of the book is about Seeking The Kingdom, I shall share an illustration, not actually a fiction...but perhaps is a real story during the era of the kings and the queens...

     The battle was fierce and bloody at Bosworth on 22 August 1485. The forces of Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, had engaged the much larger army of King Richard III of England and had prevailed. Many of Richard's soldiers, sickened by his deceit, treachery, and murder, had deserted him. He had fought bravely, but in close-quarter combat, his horse had been slain beneath him. Horseless in the midst of battle was no place for a king to be. Seeking to make himself heard in the din of war, he shouted above the fray, "A horse! A horse! My kingdom for a horse!" [At least, in Shakespeare's dramatic version this is what he said.]

     Gaining the kingdom had been Richard's inglorious obsession. He had schemed, betrayed, and deceived. He had committed murder - some said he murdered his own wife. He was probably guilty of infanticide - he was widely suspected of being responsible for the deaths of the young princes in the Tower. He had hacked and hewn his way to the throne. And his hands were incredibly stained with the blood of countless innocent victims.

     But now his pursuit of a kingdom glorifying himself was rapidly arriving at a terminus. And suddenly the kingdom was negotiable. At that moment he needed a fiery charger. Failing that, any old hack would do. If anybody would give him a horse so that he could save his own skin, they could have the kingdom. For what good is a kingdom to a corpse? In fact, the kingdom was more than negotiable; it was expendable. The possession of a kingdom that had dominated his adult life and driven him to unspeakable excess was now of no consequence. A horse was all he wanted. To get away and save his skin. He had sought a kingdom and won a kingdom, but now it was utterly valueless.

     By way of contrast, let me share a couple of stories told by that master storyteller-Jesus. We are all aware of the fact that in Jesus' day, before radio, television, newspapers, or paperbacks, a good storyteller was a huge attraction. He not only filled many a long hour in the dark evenings [and I guess they were hot and humid], but also passed on traditions and functioned as a teacher and moral guide. Well, you might be thinking I am giving out a less influential picture of Jesus here, but I am not! Now, Jesus was a master storyteller and delighted in telling parables enlightened the concerned and did little more than entertaining the curious. There was a Sunday school teacher who taught a small group of children that a parable is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. After a while, he asked a little boy who was disturbing his friend what is a parable? He replied, "I think it's a heavy story with an earthy meaning." Not quite!

    Anyway, Jesus told lots of stories and parables. And many of his parables-stories started with the same formula, "The kingdom of heaven is like..." As you can see in the Bible, some were quite lengthy and detailed and others remarkably brief and straight to the point. I would like to share two and both are short and unambiguously pointed!

    "The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field. Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant looking for fine pearls. When he found one of great value, he went away and sold everything he had and bought it." [Matthew 13: 44-46]

    Taking us back to the scene where king Richard is, stranded without a horse in the middle of a battle, the kingdom of England was worth no more than a horse. But to the two men in Jesus' parables, the kingdom of heaven, rather the kingdom of God, was worth everything.

    The value we place on something will determine the degree of passion we show for that thing. As we see from the first story, something of limited value is readily made negotiable, and once that happens, it becomes quickly expendable under the right circumstances. While on the other hand, from the two short stories we can understand that something of infinite worth is deeply desired and tenaciously held on to through thick and thin.

    The reason why Jesus told those two stories, was because he expects people to see the possession of the kingdom as of such worth that it becomes all-important to them. And that they pursue it with a passion.

   Now, I like this. After all has been said about the kingdom of God, that leads us to the very obvious question-what is it about the kingdom that makes it so valuable that people pursue it with a passion?

    Let me take us to Colossians 1:11-14 "joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For He has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son He loves, in which we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins." Yes! That's why God is making it a BIG DEAL!