GOD OUR AID!

Dear Friend, temptations are there out in the world everywhere. Most of the times lot of us get tired and frustrated by those temptations and struggles of life. The Scriptures reads like this in Romans 5:5, "Hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us." Yes, we have a hope in Jesus Christ. When the Spirit of God comes, He fill us with His immense love that we begin to develop a hatred towards the sin and become free in Jesus Christ. Therefore we are no longer slaves to sin.

In the first year of my college days, I had no real relationship with Christ. But my life was transformed by the Lord Almighty, at the end of first year holidays. From then on, I began experiencing the Lord in a very intimated manner. When the days neared for the reopening of the college for the next academic year, I cried to the Lord praying, 'Lord I submit my life into Your hands, I have to meet the same friends in the college. They will want to indulge me in all the past sinful activities. But Lord, I ask of Your grace to help me overcome all the temptations and from the lust of the eyes. Lord, help me to live before them as Your child.' Likewise,the Spirit of the Lord, descended on me and filled me with His Holy Spirit.

Even as I was riding the bicycle to my college, there where many temptations and lustful attacks that came by my way. And every time I cried out to the Lord, my Saviour came to my aid and the Holy Spirit filled me in a glorious way. The Spirit of God would whisper, "Paul, Your are not of the world, You belong to me." I was filled with the Spirit of Love. As, Mark 12:30 says, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." This love of God that is poured in us, takes away the sin in us. Yes, In the very same college the Lord enabled me to live a holy life and helped me come out with flying colors.

Friend, yes, being in a set up like school, college and work place you may have to face lot of temptations on a day today basis. You might be pushed into the situations where you will be bribed and even you need to bribe someone. But remember, there is the Spirit of God to help You in situations like this. He will come to your aid when you call in desperate moment and help you overcome those struggles victoriously. Remember, the One who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world (1 John 4:4). When you try to fight these struggles on your own, you loose the battle because of our incapabilities. But the Bible says, "The Spirit helps us in our weakness" (Romans 8:26. Therefore, seek His aid and become victorious. You are more than conqueror in Him.

All My plans will be fulfilled for I know the end from the beginning

Isaiah 46:9-10

9 Remember the former things of old: for I am God, and there is none else; I am God, and there is none like me; 10 declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done; saying, My counsel shall stand, and I will do all my pleasure;

All My plans will be fulfilled for I know the end from the beginning.

Our Elder Brother is known as the Alpha and the Omega. The beginning and the end. The Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit have always been and always will be. In today's promise, we read from Isaiah 46:10 that God knows the end from the beginning and all His plans will be fulfilled.

Many times in life, I feel like I can only see a few short steps ahead but it gives me such great comfort to know that my God and Father knows the end from the beginning. In Psalm 139:16 King David makes this declaration about God... Your eyes saw my body. In your book they were all written, the days that were ordained for me, when as yet there were none of them. (WEB)

God has a plan for your life. He knit you together in your mother's womb and ordained every one of your days, writing them in His special book before one of them ever came to be. We can rest in our God and Father's goodness to watch over us and fulfill the plans He has for us. For He is a good Dad and He knows the end from the beginning.

Give..!!

Once, a group of 50 people attended a seminar. Suddenly the speaker stopped and decided to do a group activity. He started giving each one a balloon. Each one was asked to write his/her name on it using a marker pen. Then all the balloons were collected and put in another room.

Now these delegates were let in that room and asked to find the balloon which had their name written, within 5 minutes. Everyone was frantically searching for their name, colliding with each other, pushing around others and there was utter chaos. At the end of 5 minutes no one could find their own balloon.

Now, each one was asked to randomly collect a balloon and give it to the person whose name was written on it. Within minutes everyone had their own balloon. The speaker then said ’This is exactly happening in our lives. Everyone is frantically looking for happiness all around, not knowing where it is. Our happiness lies in the happiness of other people. Give them their happiness; you will get your own happiness.’

Dear friend, the Bible says, ‘...whatever a man sows, that he will also reap’ (Galatians 6:7). Yes! The Bible gives us a practical word for us to follow in life. Next time when you are searching for happiness, first trying giving it to others then you will find great joy.

Wisdom

with humility comes wisdom (Proverbs 11:2)

KATIE’S DISOBEDIENCE

Katie was enjoying her holidays at her Grandma’s. Her house was wonderful! She had a beautiful room where she kept all her “special” things -- handkerchiefs, old dresses and hats that Katie would play dress up in. But what Katie loved the most was Grandma’s tea cups. Grandma had hundreds of old tea cups in white cupboards with shiny golden handles. The tea cups were decorated with colorful pictures. But her favorite was the ballerina. It was so dainty and beautiful! Every time she visited, she begged to hold the ballerina, but Grandma always said she was too young, that she might break it. Finally, Grandma said the next time she visited she would her hold it. And today was the day. She could hardly wait!

“I’m a big girl now; I can hold tea cups and not break them,” said Katie to herself. So she ran upstairs and took out the ballerina tea cup. Just as she picked it up she heard a noise. As she twirled around to see what it was, the tea cup fell out of her hands and crashed to the floor. “Oh, no!” cried Katie. She had broken Grandma’s favorite tea cup. What was she going to do? As she stood there looking down at the broken pieces, she heard Grandma downstairs. “Katie, I’m home,” called Grandma. Katie hurriedly picked up the broken pieces, put them in a box she found lying on the floor and ran downstairs. “I was just upstairs putting my suitcase away,” lied Katie. She knew she shouldn’t lie, but Grandma would be so angry with her, and she just knew she wouldn’t love her anymore. “I was thinking about a promise I made to you the last time you were here,” said Grandma. “I think it’s time that you get to hold the tea cups,” said Grandma as she smiled at Katie. “Oh, that’s okay, Grandma, I can just look at them in the cabinet. I wouldn’t want to drop one and break it,” said Katie. “No, a promise is a promise. We will look at them tomorrow,” said Grandma.

The next morning after breakfast Grandma said, “Well, let’s go look at those tea cups.” Maybe Grandma wouldn’t see the missing ballerina tea cup. After all, it was in the back of the cupboard and she would just get one from the front and she would never know. Grandma opened the cupboard. “My goodness,” she exclaimed. “I know it was here. I can’t seem to find the ballerina tea cup.” “Oh, Grandma, I’m so sorry! Please don’t hate me. I thought you forgot your promise, so I got it out myself, but I heard a noise and I dropped the tea cup and it broke,” she sobbed as she went to get the broken pieces. But the box was empty! “Katie, come here,” said Grandma. “I could never hate you. I love you!” “Even after what I’ve done?” sobbed Katie. “Even after what you’ve done,” said Grandma. “But I hope you learned a lesson.” “Oh, I have. I was disobedient and I lied to you. I should have listened to you when you told me not to touch the tea cups. You were right,” said Katie. “Yes, you were disobedient, but I know you are sorry and that you won’t disobey me anymore.”

Dear friend, sometimes even we disobey God like this. We think that He has forgotten His promise He has given us and do things in our own way. But, God never forgets what He has told us. He loves us so much, so He will fulfill everything for us. A promise is a promise for God. “...God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners” (Romans 5:8)