Born for a Purpose

Intellectual Humility  He came to Jesus at night and said, "Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God." John 3:2 (NIV)  IH is often described as an intellectual virtue, along with other perceived virtues such as open-mindedness, intellectual courage and integrity, and in contrast to proposed intellectual vices, such as pride and arrogance. Nicodemus' approach to Jesus has the ring of a detective on the trail of a suspect, more than a humble seeker after truth: "We know who you are." But his assessment of Jesus was inadequate,  Jesus was not a teacher who came from God; he was God who came to teach.   Nicodemus didn't know who Jesus was at all, but he thought he knew, and that is the important point. Jesus has to break through his intellectual confidence, and so he says to Nicodemus, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again" (3:3).   It is very interesting that throughout the c...

Where Is Your Allegiance? Do you sometimes devote more attention and energy to politics than you do to advancing the kingdom of God? What would happen if we expended the amount of energy we do on politics on advancing Christ’s kingdom on earth? And talking as a Kenyan, if your country (I realize I’m primarily talking to fellow Christians, but it could apply to anyone) was genuinely opposed to the kingdom of God in its policy and action, would you forsake your country to demonstrate allegiance to Christ? 13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram[a] caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son. 14 So Abraham called that place The Lord Will Provide. And to this day it is said, “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.” Genesis 22:13-14 God's instruction was unimaginable. The son born to Abraham and Sarah in their old age, the only hope of God's promise to make Abraham into a great nation,...

Yet I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand. You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me into glory. Psalm 73:23-24 God Is My Strength and Portion Forever. Asaph being a leader among the three Levitical Choirs, he got discourage; despite the fact serving the Lord... he envied the wicked. (Psalm 73:3)  " For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. " . Asaph (Psalm 73:16) said, "When I tried to understand all this, it troubled me deeply". But then he gained an eternal perspective. In contrast to the temporary and ultimately meaningless gains of the "wicked," Asaph noted the godly advantages. Check out four benefits found in the above passage. " I am always with you. " Presence! The personal relationship we have with God give us a treasure more valuable than any earthly possession. He [God] is always with us, living in us. Presence! " You hold me by my right hand. " Asaph...

Crashing Waves When I said, "My foot is slipping," your unfailing love, LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought me joy. Psalm 94:18-19 Sometimes we can feel it coming on. Like a person who loses their footing on a steep climb, we can feel our emotions slipping. The waves of anxiety build until they crash into our hearts and drench our souls.     Our teenager is late coming home on a stormy night.     Our boss wants to see us first thing in the morning.     The doctor wants to run some more tests.     Our mind swirls in the waiting room for news from the surgery.     The doctor says, "I'm sorry. There is nothing more we can do."     She was supposed to call to tell me if I got the job an hour ago.     The savings are gone.     He walks out the door. Life is filled with events that cause our emotions to slip and fear ...

Philippians 4:6-7 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Don't worry. It's easier said than done, isn't it? Anxiety penetrates my heart when I am . . . . . . waiting on the test results . . . . . . waiting on a teenager who is late coming home . . . . . . wondering if my job will be part of the downsizing . . . . . .  stretching the budget to make ends meet . . . . . . wondering if he will stay or leave with her . . . . . . battling a barrage of "what ifs" . . . God's instruction on worry is not "get ahold of yourself." Rather, God wants us to get ahold of him. Worry is the reminder to take our fears to God. Tell him that you're scared. Confess your doubts. Pour out your dread. Let him know your reser...

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. The fear of insignificance arises when we compare ourselves to the standard of the world. However, when we realize that we have "peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," that should change everything. All believers have been "justified!" That rich theological word is one we need to understand in order to grasp our significance. "Justify" is a legal term that carries two significant truths. "Not Guilty!" As a sinner, I stand before God without justification. I am guilty to the core but, thankfully, I don't have to stand before God alone. When I place my faith in Jesus and his work on the cross, he stands with me. Jesus died for all my sin and guilt. With Jesus, God pronounces me, "Not guilty." The payment for my sin has been settled in full by my Savior. "Righteous!" As I stand before God w...

The Sovereign Lord is My Strength Habakkuk 3:17-19 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 Savior. The Sovereign LORD is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. Strength is not found in possessions. In fact, there are times when our possessions are gone. Inadequacy may be the reality, but fear doesn't have to be the result.   Today's passage is one of my favorites. It shoots down the prosperity teaching that promises tenfold material return on my giving. Sometimes the fig tree does not bud, vines are fruitless, crops fail, pens and stalls are empty. That's reality, isn't it? However, there's another reality. Even when I am going through a tough stretch, "yet I [can] rejoice in th...