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...

God's Purpose Will Stand Isaiah 46:9-11 Remember the former things, those of long ago; I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me. I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, 'My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.' From the east I summon a bird of prey; from a far-off land, a man to fulfill my purpose. What I have said, that I will bring about; what I have planned, that I will do. Regardless of terrorists' threats ...  I am God and there is no other. My purpose will stand. Regardless of the economic forecast ...  I am God and there is no other. My purpose will stand. Regardless of Supreme Court decisions ...  I am God and there is no other. My purpose will stand. Regardless of rogue rulers who make arrogant claims ...  I am God and there is no other. My purpose will stand. Regardless of nuclear arms buildups ...  I am God and there is no other. My purpose will...

Isaiah 40:11 He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young. The Good Shepherd cares for his sheep. He leads them where the grass is lush. He leads them to clear, fresh streams. He protects them from the animals that would attack and kill. He keeps his flock together. Not one sheep is ever lost. He leads purposefully and gently. Sometimes he picks up the weak ones and holds them in his arms. He carries them close to his heart so they can hear it beat. Maybe today you feel weak in body. The procedures and treatments have drained your strength. Your energy is gone. Maybe you feel weak emotionally. Anxiety has overtaken your thoughts. Worry has worn you down. Perhaps you are spiritually weak. You have given in to temptation . . . again. You are frustrated by constant failure. If you are exhausted in body, soul and/or spirit, ask Jesus to gather you in his arms. Ask him to hold you clos...

Enduring Hardship It is possible to be beaten until you are numb. You can smile and praise the Lord and say, "Jesus, I my cross have taken," for a while. But then you are slowly beaten until you are numb, and you get into a sort of a rut where you cannot fight back. Timothy had been with Paul a long time, and Paul had been in so much trouble so much of the time. Timothy was tagging along behind in the same trouble, and Paul had noticed a little temptation to be ashamed of the cross. Essentially, Paul was saying, "Don't be ashamed of the cross. Don't shrink from the affliction of the gospel. God has not given us the spirit of fear." Then in Second Timothy 2:3 Paul said, "Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus." It is as though he might have detected in the young man a little temptation to recoil a bit from the hard life he was called into. Paul knew that Timothy was basically a sound man. He knew Timothy had been rea...

Isaiah 26:3-4 You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD himself, is the Rock eternal.   Satan comes with the "What ifs?" He knows that questions fill our minds and hearts with chaos. He knows that chaos produces panic. And he knows that panic paralyzes.   God comes with the invitation, "Trust!" Trusting in the "Rock eternal" chases the chaos away. Trust replaces confusion and questions with a "perfect peace." Keeping our minds saturated with God keeps the waters calm even when the storm is raging all around us.   How do we keep our minds steadfast? Here are three suggestions:   1.  Read God's Word.  It is his love letter to you. Read through the psalms and highlight his promises. There is calm under the shelter of his wings.   2.  Listen to Christian music.  Load your smartphone with music that reminds you of God's u...

Psalm 103:17 But from everlasting to everlasting the LORD's love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children's children. "Love", says A. W. Tozer, "is an essential attribute of God." Tozer explains that all of God's attributes are always at work together. One is never held back in order to emphasize another. Let's think about what that means for us. God is self-existent, so his love has no beginning. There has never been a time when God wasn't existent, so his love has always been present. It is from everlasting. God is eternal, so his love has no end. There will never be a time when God ceases to exist, so his love will always be there. It is from everlasting to everlasting. God is infinite, so his love has no limits. There will never be a time when God stops loving us. His love has no ending point. God is holy, so his love is pure . On our best day, man's love is tainted by our sinfulness. By contr...

Psalm 16:7-8 I will praise the LORD, who counsels me; even at night my heart instructs me. I keep my eyes always on the LORD. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken. As I wrote this, a friend of mine (Edu aka Love Dr) just did a link on WhatsApp to me... It hit me direct to my thought line! The same time am just 7 months after my lady Lilian Mwikali said 'I DO' though it seems like yesterday's dream; though the journey might appear stralling. Perhaps each of us have moments in our lives when it feels like time slows down or the air becomes still and everything around us seems to draw in, marking that moment as one we will never forget. - The long post read this at a certain line. Do you ever have nights when you can't go to sleep? You toss and turn, and your mind begins to race. Then fear shows up. For those of you going through illness, nights can be the worst time. While others sleep, nights are lonely hours that invite your mind to entertain all the ...

2 Samuel 22:32 For who is God besides the LORD? And who is the Rock except our God?   When we place our trust and confidence in people, sooner or later we will be left alone and disillusioned. When we seek satisfaction in stuff, our hearts will crash like a person coming down from a heroin high. When we worship money, we run after a god who never quite quenches our thirst. False gods always leave us alone and afraid. As Alexis de Tocqueville recorded his famous observations on America in the 1830s, he wrote of a "strange melancholy that haunts the inhabitants . . . in the midst of abundance." Americans believed, and still believe, that prosperity brings happiness but, as de Tocqueville noted, "the incomplete joys of this world will never satisfy [the human] heart." David reminds us in today's passage that there is no God besides the Lord! There is no steady and secure refuge except the Rock! He alone is the remedy for the "strange melancholy" th...

Joshua 1:9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. The weight was heavy! Since his youth, Joshua had followed the great Moses. Scripture says that no one ever demonstrated the "mighty power or performed the awesome deeds" that Moses did. However, Moses was dead. Now the assignment of leading Israel into the Promised Land was on Joshua's shoulders. Maybe you are carrying your own burden today. God has given you a difficult assignment. Illness, grief, loss, fear and/or anxiety weigh down your heart. It is a load that never leaves. The mission is yours to carry out and you feel alone, even when surrounded by people. Read today's passage. Read it again. God's instruction is clear: "Be strong!" "Be courageous!" "Don't be afraid!" "Don't be discouraged!"  God's commands are not without a foundation. In f...

Matthew 26:27-29 Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Thursday was Christ's last day with his disciples before the cross. It was the Passover, a time when Israel remembered God's faithfulness in delivering his people from slavery. Jesus sent his disciples to prepare the meal knowing that from this point on, the bread and cup would have a new meaning for all who followed him. At the meal, Jesus told the disciples that he would not be with them much longer, but he left a way for them to remember him. This act was neither elaborate nor expensive. He simply took bread and said, "This is my body." Then he took the cup and said, "This is my blood of the cov...

Worship Matthew 26:6-7 While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table. On Wednesday before the cross, Jesus clearly told his disciples that he would be crucified. The religious leaders made plans to capture and kill him. Judas went to the high priest and bargained for the price of betrayal. One other event also took place that day. As Jesus reclined at the table with his disciples, a woman came quietly to him and poured a jar of expensive perfume over his head. Some say the cost of the perfume represented her life's savings. The disciples were "indignant" and asked, "Why this waste? This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor," but Jesus came to her defense. "Why are you bothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me." On Wednesday night, as Jesus lay on...

Pretenders Matthew 22:18 But Jesus, knowing their evil intent, said, "You hypocrites, why are you trying to trap me?" On Tuesday before the cross, Jesus had three groups of people come with questions meant to trap him in a contradiction or a statement that they could use against him. The popularity of Jesus was too much for the religious leaders, and they planned to put a stop to it. The Pharisees came to Jesus first with a question about paying taxes. Later, the Sadducees came with a question concerning marriage at the resurrection. Then the Pharisees sent a representative who asked Jesus to identify the greatest commandment in the law. Each inquiry was proposed with the intent to discredit Jesus and, in the best-case scenario for them, put him on the cross. Following the series of questions, Jesus started asking his own. In his most pointed and piercing responses to any person or group, seven times over he called these religious leaders, "hypocrites," ...

MY FAULTS Jesus told us to be careful in how we judge others for their having a toothpick in their eye compared to a telephone pole in their own eye, otherwise Jesus calls us a hypocrite (Matt 7:5). Solomon reminds us that “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense” (Prov 19:11). Only when it is sin that can hurt the church do you bring it to their attention (Matt 18:15). It’s like living in Kenya. There’re lots of faults, you just can’t dwell on them. BEARING BURDENS When you bear with one another and carry one’s burdens, you are lightening the load for them, as the Apostle Paul wrote, “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Gal 6:2) “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (Gal 5:14). Paul may have put it best when he wrote “We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves” (Rom 15:1). NO FAULT Sometimes peop...

John 8:12 When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." (NIV) Darkness describes a heavy blackness that hides a person's path. It stops progress, leaving a person paralyzed. Motion is halted in the drape of darkness. Light illuminates. The path is made clear. Brightness allows movement. Jesus is the light of the world. He reveals the way to God. Darkness is a cosmic cover-up. It hides God's creation and purpose. It keeps people in ignorance and fear. Light exposes. Whatever is around can be seen clearly. It gives understanding and wisdom. Jesus is the light of the world. He exposes error with the truth. Darkness confuses. Each path is hidden. Each crossway concealed. Direction is meaningless in darkness. Light explains. The way is made certain. The path is revealed. Decisions can be made regarding direction. Jesus is the light of the...