Discerning the Love of God

Interesting title, ain’t it? Well, today I would like to shed light on why many of us are walking in the cities, in the fields, on the streets, with dissatisfaction in our hearts. There are far too many who can relate to the expression of turmoil and emotional pain. And before some of you shut this website off, calling me a legalist when I say that we should be discerning the love of God, I just want to let you know there is a mystery within these words. For those who don’t know of this prince let me introduce the mystery of this great prince’s love for you.

Does God Hate Sinners of Love Them?

I saw a recent clip that has gone viral. I don’t want to get specific, but it’s from the Reformed Christian movement and basically, they talk about the misunderstandings in the Church. These preachers remind us of the common saying, “God loves the sinner but hates the sin.”

They then explain that this saying is found nowhere in the Bible. And they go further to mention not only that this is not found in the Bible but that it is a completely false understanding of God.

Why… they say that God hates the sinner and the sin. So, not only does He hate sin, He hates the sinner. They further support their points with scriptures which are found in the Bible such as the following.

Psalm 5:4-6 (World English Bible)
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

What’s implied from this point onwards is that only born-again, believing Christians are loved by God. Now, I completely understand their point but I can discern that the full beauty of the Gospel was not shown. This is not where they should have stopped in their explanation because there’s so much more.

Not only do they harp on this idea as if it’s a huge revelation. And these clips fail not in garnering views for one main reason. People don’t understand how nondiscriminatory the love of God is.

Remember Jacob and Esau?

So, let’s actually look not only at what the scriptures say but at what they mean. Let’s bring back that frequently quotes passage of scripture in support of God’s hatred of sinners.

But wait a second, before anything, let’s include a bit more context…

Psalm 5:4-6 (New King James Version)
For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness,
Nor shall evil dwell with You.
The boastful shall not stand in Your sight;
You hate all workers of iniquity.
You shall destroy those who speak falsehood;
The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.
But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy;
In fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple.
8 Lead me, O Lord, in Your righteousness because of my enemies;
Make Your way straight before my face.

When King David was being inspired by the Holy Spirit, he prayed and wrote what is there in Psalm 5. And as you read verse 7 and 8, you realize that King David makes a distinction between the sinners who God cannot stand, and sinners like him.

Note here that he is not saying that he is perfect. On the contrary, He is saying that when He goes to God’s house, He recieves a multitude of mercy. So, what’s really being said here is not that God hates sinners, rather, it’s saying that there are sinners who refuse to know God and there are sinners who decide to go to God.

We see this same princple again with the following Bible verse

Romans 9:13 (New King James Version)
13 As it is written, “Jacob I have loved, but Esau I have hated.”

Does Romans 9:13 say that God hate Esau because he’s a sinner? Yes. But does that then mean Jacob’s a goody two shoes? Nope.

Discerning the Love of God

Jacob was not righteous when considered by his works according to the Ten Commandments (even though it would come later). Same goes for David. But, the difference between Esau and Jacob or the difference between the wicked people David talks about and David, is the heart.

The heart of Jacob was willing to have a relationship with God. The heart of David was after God. Esau rejected God all the time, rejected His inheritance for a soup, rejected God’s plan for his marriage, etc…

And so, God who by nature hates sin, will hate those who love sin. And there are certain people who have hardened their hearts so much so that nothing can ever convince them to turn to God. Therefore, if a person commits to rejecting the love of God without any room for change, then God’s anger will remain upon that sinner.

That doesn’t mean God doesn’t love them, but it means God hates them for not turning away from what they’re doing, and He is angry with their stubbornness. This is just like how an earthly father will be angry at his son if he grows up to betray his country and becomes an international criminal. But, deep inside, the father still has a remnant of love for the son and as soon as that son changes his ways, the father’s love will appear.

Ezekiel 33:11 (New King James Version)
11 Say to them: ‘As I live,’ says the Lord God, ‘I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live. Turn, turn from your evil ways! For why should you die, O house of Israel?’

Therefore, if you feel that bad because you think God is angry at you, turn to Jesus, accept His free gift of salvation. He paid the price for your sins on the cross so now you can enter into a relationship with God.

And when you believe in Jesus, you receive His righteousness so that He will never be angry at you again as He is with a sinner. Any sinner can become righteous if they come to Jesus. So, to conclude, God loves everyone. But, everyone has to make the choice if they want to reconcile their relationship with God or remain strangers.

Romans 5:8 (New King James Version)
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

To summarize, God ultimately loves the sinner but He hates the sin. God may be angry at a sinner for their actions similar to how a parent may be disappointed with their child. But, at the end of the day, He shows grace and mercy to those who trust Him.

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

Do you take God seriously? I’ve heard many people mention God. They sometimes talk about Him as if He’s okay with everything under the sun. Still others say there’s no hope for y’all because He’s gonna condemn you for your sins. And yet sometimes, I hear people who say He’s just one of many gods and that you can become a god too. After hearing all this garbage, I realized that people don’t take God’s name as seriously as they claim to. They’re not even willing to stand at the beginning of wisdom. If they did, they’d have kept their mouth shut about what they clearly know nothing about. So, this all comes to one bold yet important question we ought to ask ourselves, myself included, “Do I take God seriously?”

“I’ve Got More Time”

Newsflash! Time ain’t on your side 99% of the time (pun intended).

And yet, we all seem to think we can take time for granted and whichever God we choose is a choice we can make tomorrow. But what if it isn’t? Are you really capable of taking such a tremendous risk?

Arrogance…

Most of us haven’t been humbled. We’re so relaxed about everything, we just go with the flow and throw caution to the wind. It’s quite silly when you think about it.

And unfortunately, this mentality leads to people giving up on pursuing God. While for others, this mentality leads them to pursue any god but the God of the Bible.

For some reason, the character of the God of the Bible seems unattractive to some people. He seems too harsh, too old, too restrictive, too unreasonable, too unapproachable.

Exodus 34:14 World English Bible (WEB)
14 for you shall worship no other god; for Yahweh, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God.

Well if that’s what you think of God, may I dare to say something a bit harsh? Nevertheless, I’ll say it for your sake.

Could it just be that God seems restrictive, jealous, unreasonable, and all these generally considered negative traits because He sees things for what they really are hence why He reacts so harshly? And maybe… you’re the one who really needs God to thump your head because you just can’t see what He sees?

I mean if He is the one who made you in your mother’s womb, wouldn’t He truly feel jealous when He sees you worshipping another so-called god? I’d tell you what I’d feel in His position. Absolute rage!

Yet, too many of us spend our lives serving other gods, some dedicate themselves to New Age ideas, others become slaves of alcohol, and others obey their lustful desires.

The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom

And that brings me to my main point, whether you’re Christian or not, you’ve got to take God seriously. And if you’re not Christian, take the time to reconsider your position because there’s only one way to Heaven and that’s through accepting Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

Proverbs 9:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom.
    The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The beginning of wisdom starts when you decide to fear the Lord. And fearing the Lord doesn’t mean you’re scared of him like you were of the boogeyman. It means you don’t take Him too lightly, and you honour Him in the highest regard.

Now, if you’re no a Christian, here’s what I mean by taking God seriously. Here’s your next step.

Just say a little prayer where you ask Jesus Christ to be your Lord and Saviour. Why should you? It’s because you in and of your own ability cannot pay the price for your sins. When you stand before God one day as we all must at some point, you’ll need someone to pay the price for your sins whatever they may be.

Sure you might have been a good person, but a good person still must pay the price for their sins, that’s the harsh reality of our existence.

Nothing we do is granted to us, it’s all just accumulated debt. And at some point, you’ve got to pay the moral debt you owe a sinless perfect God of Justice.

Now too bad for God, He’s too kind, He’s too loving, He’s too graceful. He couldn’t bear to let your sorry posterior carry the weight of your hell. He’s given you a chance to change your fate.

Over two thousand years ago, He wrapped Himself in human flesh and died on the cross for your sins. So instead of you suffering hell after Earth, He suffered your hell on Earth as He died on the cross. I talk more about it and righteousness here.

Reject Folly! Follow Wisdom! Who is Wisdom?

Now for the born-again Christian, I carry another message. Hold strong to the convictions we read in the Bible. I talk about it here also, but, this is the point.

The point is to dedicate your life to Christ Jesus as your Lord. He is not only your Saviour, He is also your Lord.

He is the main motivator for your existence. Like come on! He alone died on the cross for your sake, He suffered hell on your behalf, the least you could do is to treat Him rightfully as King He is.

Philippians 2:9-11 World English Bible (WEB)
9 Therefore God also highly exalted him, and gave to him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, those on earth, and those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Don’t just wait til you’re in Heaven to bow your knees before God, why not do it now?

Follow Wisdom, reject Folly. If there are temptations you face, overcome it through your Saviour, Christ Jesus because He is your Lord also.

You know, in the Bible, the Spirit of Wisdom is represented as a woman, she calls to the foolish that they may turn away from their foolishness and follow the Lord.

Proverbs 8:1-4 World English Bible (WEB)
1 Doesn’t wisdom cry out?
Doesn’t understanding raise her voice?

2 On the top of high places by the way,
where the paths meet, she stands.
3 Beside the gates, at the entry of the city,
at the entry doors, she cries aloud:
4 “I call to you men!
I send my voice to the sons of mankind.

And yet, the way we ought to start our journey on the path of the wise is by making sure to fear the Lord. So, worship the Lord, pray to Him, and read His Word. Live by His Words and follow His Spirit wherever He leads. Then, God will also grant your the Spirit of Wisdom as you start at the beginning of wisdom.

Proverbs 28:14 Young’s Literal Translation (YLT)
14 O the happiness of a man fearing continually, And whoso is hardening his heart falleth into evil.

By Andre Dillon Wijesekera

God Who Knew You From Before the Foundation of the Earth

This whole post finds its foundation on one Bible verse. This Bible verse is Ephesians 1:4. It very much reveals the heart of Lord Jesus Christ, the God who knew you from before Earth’s foundation. Unfortunately, most people today fail to understand this as seen by current reactions to new court rulings in America. And what’s hilarious is that I’m not talking about reactions in America, I’m talking about reactions in Canada. Nevertheless, let’s dissect what it really means in Ephesians 1:4.

Unwanted

“An unplanned child is an unwanted child” is a lie that soaks the mindsets of more than half the population today. And if you want my opinion regarding the legitimacy of that statement, it’s a resounding NOOOO!

John 8:44 (World English Bible)
44 You are of your father, the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and doesn’t stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks on his own; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

Very clearly, Lord Jesus spoke to the people of His day and age regarding their hesitation to align with the Truth. He pointed out that they were not children of God but were instead children of the devil.

A child resembles their father and in the same way, many people today resemble in nature their spiritual father, the devil. That’s why our culture is ripe with lies killing people from the inside out. But unlike Christ, the devil does not love his children as is more than obvious when observing the state of our world.

But Lord Jesus loves this world even if the majority hates Him to the core. Yes, He is not the father of those who do not believe in Him. However, He calls for them to be His children. He is more than willing to adopt people so as long as they surrender their lives to Him. They only need to accept Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour.

The God Who Knew You Very Much Loves You

And this ties into my initial point. Christ loves everyone so that even if a pregnancy is unplanned, that unborn child is dearly beloved by God. There is truly no one who is unwanted in God’s sight. That is why Apostle Paul was inspired by Holy Spirit to write the following verse.

Ephesians 1:4 (King James Version)
4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love:

To those who are willing to accept Christ as their Lord and Saviour, your destiny was already determined. God decided that He would select you, the Church to be His and that He would pay the wages.

Our sin earned us death. That’s why Christ suffered the death we deserved at the cross. He did it because He loves us! He truly is the God who knew you even before your birth. Your value as a human being predates your parents’ decisions, it lies in the heart of God.

Romans 5:8 (World English Bible)
8 But God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

The Scales Have Fallen!

Yet, our naturalistic and now-focused mentality as a generation has confused us. The god of this world aka “satan” has blocked the world from seeing the truth and freedom found in Christ.

2 Corinthians 4:4 (World English Bible)
4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

It breaks my heart when Christians have to be careful with their words so much so that they cannot speak the truth of God’s love. And I’m not talking of a wishy-washy love with no substance.

I’m talking of the love of God, the love that never ends, the love that stands in unison with the truth, upheld by godly conviction. This love shatters lies and yet its most rudimentary principles are so rejected by the world that we fail to agree on life’s sanctity.

To those who are reading this post and have not accepted Christ, please for your sake, pray to the God of Heaven and ask Him if He really is Lord Jesus Christ. Your prayer won’t be left unanswered. Behold the God of the Bible and when you see Christ in the New Testament, your Spirit will be revived.

All of a sudden, your spiritual eyes will see clearly, similar to what Saul experienced when He came to Christ.

Acts 9:18
18 Immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he received his sight. He arose and was baptized.

There is no greater love that can be found aside from the love of God revealed in the Holy Bible. And there, Christ stands with open arms yearning for you to realize your value in His eyes and to not only know He is the God who knew you but the God who knows you.

The God Betrayed Many Times Over

When it comes to betrayal and Bible, the first person who generally comes to mind is Judas Iscariot. He’s the one who betrayed Lord Jesus in exchange for money. But God did not have to come to Earth as a human being in order to be betrayed. He’s actually been betrayed many times throughout the Bible. Now, I’ve talked about how God conquered betrayal in this linked post, but, consider this post a sequel which will focus more on another aspect of betrayal.

A Wicked People

The people of Israel shown in the book of Exodus and the way they behave are generally thought to represent human nature. And the scary thing about human nature is that the human nature depicted in Exodus is generally not positive.

One observation that’s enough to summarize the fabric of people in Exodus is the following verse.

Jeremiah 17:9 (King James Version)
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?

The interesting thing noted in the above verse is not that the human heart is wicked. No, no, no… Rather, it’s the idea that the heart is desperately wicked. What this means is that the human heart by nature is doomed to be wicked, it has no choice but to be evil.

And so, that is why after God brought Egypt to its knees in order to rescue Israel from its slavery, they started participating in idol worship.

Exodus 32:1 (King James Version)
And when the people saw that Moses delayed to come down out of the mount, the people gathered themselves together unto Aaron, and said unto him, Up, make us gods, which shall go before us; for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him.

Betrayed Many Times

God was so angered with Israel that He told Moses that He should start over again by destroying them.

Exodus 32:9-11 (World English Bible)
Yahweh said to Moses, “I have seen these people, and behold, they are a stiff-necked people. 
10 Now therefore leave me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them, and that I may consume them; and I will make of you a great nation.”
11 Moses begged Yahweh his God, and said, “Yahweh, why does your wrath burn hot against your people, that you have brought out of the land of Egypt with great power and with a mighty hand? 

God used this opportunity to express His anger against Israel to the point of destroying them but He knew Moses would plea for Israel. Thus, even though God said He would destroy Israel, He also knew Moses would ask Him to not destroy Israel. This means that He was only expressing His rage at Israel’s betrayal.

Exodus 32:12-13 (World English Bible)
12 Why should the Egyptians talk, saying, ‘He brought them out for evil, to kill them in the mountains, and to consume them from the surface of the earth?’ Turn from your fierce wrath, and turn away from this evil against your people. 
13 Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, your servants, to whom you swore by your own self, and said to them, ‘I will multiply your offspring as the stars of the sky, and all this land that I have spoken of I will give to your offspring, and they shall inherit it forever.’”
14 So Yahweh turned away from the evil which he said he would do to his people.

Redeeming Love

However, God was betrayed many times and this was not going to be the last. Israel kept on complaining about God and were never truly appreciative of what He did for them.

Now, up until this point, it’s often misunderstood that God is just angered by Israel’s betrayal. Although true, this is not the only aspect of betrayal experienced by God. He also seems to be hurt by Israel’s betrayal.

Let it be clear, however, that whenever I say God was “hurt” by Israel’s betrayal, it means that He was disappointed in the love reciprocated towards Him despite His care for Israel. This perspective is made clear by the book of Hosea.

In the Book of Hosea, God tells Prophet Hosea to marry a prostitute in order to prophetically depict God’s relationship with Israel. And this is where God really shows Israel the emotional side of how their betrayal has affected Him.

Hosea 1:2-3 (World English Bible)
When Yahweh spoke at first by Hosea, Yahweh said to Hosea, “Go, take for yourself a wife of prostitution and children of unfaithfulness; for the land commits great adultery, forsaking Yahweh.” So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; and she conceived, and bore him a son.

Redeeming Love Continued

Furthermore, Gomer betrays Hosea and has affairs with other men. But, see the comparison God makes between Gomer and Israel in the following passage.

Hosea 3:1-3 (World English Bible)
Yahweh said to me, “Go again, love a woman loved by another, and an adulteress, even as Yahweh loves the children of Israel, though they turn to other gods, and love cakes of raisins.” So I bought her for myself for fifteen pieces of silver and a homer and a half of barley. I said to her, “You shall stay with me many days. You shall not play the prostitute, and you shall not be with any other man. I will also be so toward you.”

This passage shows God is hurt by idol worship as a husband is hurt by adultery. And even then, God still loves those who betray Him as He tells Hosea to bring Gomer back.

Now, as of the time this post is being published, a movie has been released called Redeeming Love. It claims to be a retelling of Hosea, but, according to the summary I read, it can’t be. This is because the movie is about a helpless girl who is forced to sell her body.

But, that is not what the book of Hosea is about, it’s about a man who loves His wife despite her willingly betraying him. It’s about God loving a people who willingly betray Him by worshipping other false gods.

Conclusion

Now, you may have been betrayed many times by other people. But you must know that God has been betrayed many times more than you. Even today, God blesses people and they forget Him once they’ve received His blessings.

Yet, the real question is if you have betrayed God? I know I have. I’ve done terrible deeds which prove the wickedness of the human heart. I didn’t love Him first, but He loved me first.

1 John 4:10 (World English Bible)
10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son as the atoning sacrifice for our sins.

And yet, He forgave me and He is always there for me even when I’m at fault. Moreover, I reciprocate His love as I love Him for how good He has been to me. Therefore, if you’ve betrayed God whether it be by idolizing money or other gods, the one true God, Lord Jesus Christ awaits your return to His loving embrace.

Feeling Valued by the Heavenly Father

Feeling valued is a privilege now that I think about it. Nevertheless, I am blessed with family who cares for and loves me. But, my mind always strays to think of those who don’t feel like they have any significance. Even more so, what about those whose parents mistreat them or those who are the object of deep betrayal by those whom they trusted most. Now, from what I can tell, most people have family who care about them. But, I feel that the Spirit of God wants me to write this post to address those who feel like no one cares about them. Even if not applicable to you, this post shows the Christian perspective and how God views it. So continue reading.

Why Do People Like Feeling Valued?

When I say “feeling valued” is something which people want, I’m saying people want significance. They want to be important to at least someone in this world.

And we see this motive manifested in all sorts of people. A lot of people go into romantic relationships and start a family just to have this feeling. Others do the opposite, they focus on their careers and sacrifice family time for the sake of building a legacy. And it is through legacy, that these people share their value with others, even future generations.

Even more, this feeling must be met by young children for healthy development. It is often said by psychologists and anyone who’s a good parent, that children need to feel loved.

All of the scenarios shows how people do things just to be valued by others whether it be one’s family members or society itself.

But why do we have this feeling? From where does this need arise? I believe this feeling comes from an instinct we need as highly social creatures.

It comes from the fact that we were created to have fellowship with Our Heavenly Father.

Genesis 3:8 (World English Bible)
8 They heard Yahweh God’s voice walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of Yahweh God among the trees of the garden.

After the creation of humanity, God walked in the Garden of Eden on what seems to be a regular basis. In fact, it seems he wanted to walk with Adam and Eve. God had created them with the intention of communion. He wanted to interact and have a relationship with us.

And so, God created us with this social nature. He designed us to have this desire to be wanted by others. He wrote it into our DNA.

What Does God Think of Me?

For most of us, the ultimate indicator of feeling valued comes from the people we first meet. Our parents. It is often our parents who show us that they love us. However, unlike most, there are some parents who are not emotionally expressive. And some rare cases are manipulative or abusive to their God-given children.

But even for these children, what does God think of them?

Isaiah 49:15 (World English Bible)
15 “Can a woman forget her nursing child,
    that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb?
Yes, these may forget,
    yet I will not forget you!

God rhetorically asks if a mother, the symbol of ultimate human affection, can forget her baby. And yet, God, responds to His own question that even though she forget her child, never can the heart of God forget that child.

Proverbs 22:2 (World English Bible)
2 The rich and the poor have this in common:
    Yahweh is the maker of them all.

No matter the condition you’re born in, no matter who loves you in this world, God loves you.

Feeling Valued by God

Let me share this one case from the Bible where God promised Abraham that he would have many children despite his old age. However, Sarah, Abraham’s wife, told Abraham to have children with Hagar, her servant so that he might have an heir. And Hagar did give birth to a child, Ishmael, but, so did Sarah and her child, Isaac is the result of God’s promise.

So, long story short, Hagar’s son was mocking Sarah but Sarah wouldn’t have it so she kicked both Ishmael and his mother out and into the wilderness.

Now, the point I want to make here is that Ishmael was ultimately what we would consider a mistake. He was the result of Abraham producing a child out of fear that he wouldn’t have an heir. Ishmael was the consequence of Abraham’s disobedience to God.

But what was God’s response?

Genesis 21:17-20 (World English Bible)
17 God heard the voice of the boy. The angel of God called to Hagar out of the sky, and said to her, “What troubles you, Hagar? Don’t be afraid. For God has heard the voice of the boy where he is. 18 Get up, lift up the boy, and hold him with your hand. For I will make him a great nation.” 19 God opened her eyes, and she saw a well of water. She went, filled the container with water, and gave the boy a drink. 20 God was with the boy, and he grew. He lived in the wilderness, and as he grew up, he became an archer.

God cared about what we as humans would consider a mistake. Even if that boy was the result of disobedience to His plan, God still loved the boy. And He blessed that boy, when Abraham couldn’t be a father, God became his father.

Psalm 68:5 (World English Bible)
5 A father of the fatherless, and a defender of the widows,
    is God in his holy habitation.

Let me conclude with this. No matter what’s your origin story, God loves you. Moreover, the real question is asked by Lord Jesus.

Matthew 16:15
15 He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?”

My answer is the same as Peter’s and if your answer is the same, then, I know you’ll get the same response as Lord Jesus gave to Peter.

Matthew 16:16-17
16 Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
17 Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

So if you like feeling valued, don’t hope in human beings to provide you that comfort. Rather, place everything in God’s hands and let Him love you. If God loves you, it doesn’t matter if the whole world hates you, when He’s on your side, that’s enough.

If you don’t already have a relationship with God, then, please read my advice concerning that here.

What Does it Mean to be Zealous?

Zeal is a strange word. Many people don’t know what it means. As a matter of fact, until I actually started reading the Bible, I didn’t really know what zeal meant. So in this post, it is my sole goal to reveal what does it mean to be zealous. I believe this will bless you and will prove useful to you in your life. Therefore, continue reading this post so you can enjoy the benefits of this newfound understanding.

What Does It Mean to be Zealous?

Y’all must first understand the definition of zeal. I talk from the perspective of a Christian as there is no more important form of zeal than the zeal a Christian ought to have. Zeal is what makes a person enthusiastic/excited for the Lord. It describes the picture of a Christian who is motivated to seek God and to love Him with all their heart.

It’s the part of you which refuses to compromise your God-given morals/convictions. It’s the part of you which wants to walk and commune with God all the days of your life as His loyal child. Let me give some examples to clarify what I mean.

First, let’s look at the example of Lord Jesus flipping tables because it’s most commonly talked-about example whenever the topic of zeal comes up in sermons.

John 2:15-17 (World English Bible)
15 He made a whip of cords, and threw all out of the temple, both the sheep and the oxen; and he poured out the changers’ money and overthrew their tables. 16 To those who sold the doves, he said, “Take these things out of here! Don’t make my Father’s house a marketplace!” 17 His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will eat me up.”Psalm 69:9

To give some context, the pharisees (religious leaders of the time) were selling animals in God’s temple when they should have been ministering to the people. They thought to themselves, “it won’t matter much if we just pocket some money selling sacrifices to the people.” This error showcased their disrespect for the sacred; their sacrilegious behaviour disgusted God to the core.

Hence why Lord Jesus openly showed His anger at what they had done. Now, there’s something interesting which Holy Spirit included when writing this passage. He quotes Psalm 69:9.

Lord Jesus Christ is my God! Now the Question is Who’s Yours?

Psalm 69:9 (WEB)
For the zeal of your house consumes me.
    The reproaches of those who reproach you have fallen on me.

The Bible says that those who reproach God reproach the speaker. What this teaches us is that zeal comes when you understand that the God of the Bible, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, that God, is YOUR God!

And by being your God, He is the reason why you’re here. You answer to no one but Him. It is to the name of your dear Lord and Saviour alone, Jesus Christ, that you bow your knee.

So, whoever disrespects your God, disrespects you because you belong to Him. A small-scale example which I may include is when I was trying out a popular TV show a few weeks ago. It seemed very interesting and had quite a good storyline. But, it then had a scene where it openly disrespected my God, and blasphemed the name of Lord Jesus Christ. It was at that point, I turned it off and decided to never let myself be entertained by it again.

Now, zeal is by nature, an authentic expression of love towards God. You don’t fake it until you make it. Zeal is supposed to be genuine, it’s supposed to be authentic, it can’t be faked. If it’s faked to please others, then, it’s not really zeal, it’s deception.

The Danger of Being Lukewarm

Furthermore, Lord Jesus gave us a warning in the last book fo the Bible concerning the lack of zeal in the Church.

Revelation 3:15-19 (WEB)
15 “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were cold or hot16 So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of my mouth. 17 Because you say, ‘I am rich, and have gotten riches, and have need of nothing;’ and don’t know that you are the wretched one, miserable, poor, blind, and naked; 18 I counsel you to buy from me gold refined by fire, that you may become rich; and white garments, that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and eye salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. 19 As many as I love, I reprove and chasten. Be zealous therefore, and repent.

As it reads above, He says to not be lukewarm. Being lukewarm means you couldn’t care less about your relationship with God. It’s the type of person who’d let an insult to God slide. Now, don’t get me wrong, this person might not necessarily be bad.

Instead, this person might be a good person who’s zealous for others, who is zealous for human rights, the environment, and so many other important things. And as a human being, I do understand how many well-meaning people are trapped by complacency and lukewarmness.

The reason behind this is we take very few things for granted. We don’t take human rights for granted since we know the price paid for our freedoms and privileges, by soldiers. We don’t take the environment for granted because we’re scared of natural disasters and how they may worsen if we waste natural resources.

But, the odd thing is that we take God, the most wonderful, lovely, important person in the world, for granted. And we’ve got no excuse for this crime.

There would be no freedom, there would be no environment, there would be nothing without God. We’d be doomed to eternal suffering (Hell) if it were not for the grace, love, and sacrifice at the cross of Lord Jesus Christ.

And yet, we as a generation, have become prone to skipping Church, cancelling Bible-reading plans, and turning our precious Lord’s name into a cuss word. Lukewarmness is ugly and it’s disgusting and it happens when we become so comfortable with living our lives without God that we forget Him.

Therefore, my friends, don’t become complacent. Don’t forget the heavy price your loving God paid for you. Let there be no hint of lukewarmness and instead, set yourself ablaze with passion for the things of God.

If you know you’re lacking zeal for God, here’s what you should do. First, ask Holy Spirit to give you zeal for Him. He’ll put that desire in your heart through His Holy Spirit. Then, start reading the Bible consistently and regularly worship the Lord.

Jeremiah 29:13 (WEB)
13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

Furthermore, this ain’t an easter bunny egg hunt. You can’t call quits after spending a day seeking the Lord. You’ve got to seek the Lord with all your heart. This means it’s got to be a lifestyle. How that looks with regards to prayer, Bible-reading, and worship is between you and God. What matters is that you’re consistent and that you are putting in an effort to commune with Him. Zeal is the by-product of your relationship with God!

By Andre Wijesekera

Placing Your Roots in the Right Atmosphere

Everyone lives within a certain atmosphere. Now, when I say this, I mean it within a metaphorical context. Other people call it “environment,” some call it “social conditions,” but for the sake of this post, I’ll refer to it as one’s “atmosphere.” And at the end of the day, it is the atmosphere you decide to grow within, that determines the way you think as well as act. So continue reading to learn about placing your roots in the right atmosphere.

Tree?

I think I’ve mentioned it before, but, God has a keen habit out of likening humans to trees, vine branches, etc… in the Bible. So, as you read this post, you will notice my comparison of us, humans, to trees.

Nevertheless, onward we shall venture into this study!

Every tree requires a good atmosphere. If a tree doesn’t have the right soil, the right quality of air, the right amount of water, it fails to sustain itself.

But, what atmosphere do you put yourself in?

I can tell you right now, you are not superhuman to be free of what surrounds you. As a human being, it is impossible to have no attachment to what you consume.

If you spend your time listening to songs with aggressive lyrics and cuss words, it won’t be too difficult to find yourself swearing in your mind every now and then.

1 Corinthians 15:33 King James Version (KJV)
33 Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

Furthermore, as the Bible says above, “Be not deceived,” because it is quite easy for well-meaning people to fool themselves into thinking that they are strong enough to be unaffected by what they spend time with.

Like it or not, the analogy of human beings to trees is a very real image. We are just as easily affected by our social atmosphere as trees are affected by their physical atmosphere.

You take away a tree’s sunlight, it withers. And in the same way, if you expose your mind to the world’s filth, you will be affected.

For example, if you watch an anime, movie, or TV show that embraces vulgarity, your mindset will automatically become more and more tolerant towards that which is vulgar. Therefore, start placing your roots in the right atmosphere.

Placing Your Roots in the Right Atmosphere

As I said in the prior subsection, please, begin placing your roots in the right atmosphere. Don’t let this world fool you into following its flow lest it leads you to loss.

Now, behind that computer or phone screen, you may be asking, “But Andre, where should I root myself upon?”

My friend, root yourself in the love of Lord Jesus Christ. Lord Jesus Christ is the one true God who came down to Earth in the flesh of a human being. His ministry healed, delivered, and blessed everyone. But, the religious leaders of that day wished for nothing but harm towards Lord Jesus Christ.

So they forced the ancient Roman government to crucify Lord Jesus Christ. However, this was the plan of God for He had to die as an innocent man to pay for the sin of humanity. The precious blood of Lord Jesus Christ paid for every sin, curse, and suffering.

And as you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour, you are placing your roots in the right atmosphere, you root yourself in His love!

John 3:16 World English Bible (WEB)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

His blood is the water which you need and His heart is the soil from which you must sprout. He died on the cross a horrific death to grant your soul eternal life and He experienced a glorious resurrection within 3 days to grant you victory over every trial and challenge.

Ephesians 3:17-19 World English Bible (WEB)
17 that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith, to the end that you, being rooted and grounded in love18 may be strengthened to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and height and depth, 19 and to know Christ’s love which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

The Grand Gardener

John 10:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 The thief only comes to steal, kill, and destroy. I came that they may have life, and may have it abundantly.

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God who came down to Earth in the flesh of a human being as Lord Jesus Christ has set before you two crossroads.

Choose the path that He wills for your life. Make sure you start placing your roots in the right atmosphere because with God, you will blossom and bear good fruit.

Spend some time studying the Word of God. Pray to the Lord your God, and place all your anxieties on Him. He will most certainly bless you!

Galatians 5:16 World English Bible (WEB)
16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you won’t fulfill the lust of the flesh.

Let God be your gardener. He will water you, He will place you in fertile soil, and He will prune you so that you bear the best fruit possible. Under the care of God who loves you very much, you will grow and learn to love Him.

The sacred and precious heart of God beats with love for you. His words of care and concern for your well being are sincere and well-justified by the sacrifices He’s made for you.

You may not feel love for God, however, He only asks you to seek Him so that when you get to know Him more, you’ll fall in love with Him.

After all, what’s not there in God to fall in love with. He made you, He’s kind, He’s courageous, He’s valiant, He’s loving, and He’s so much more.

In conclusion, just spend time every day reflecting on His love and maintain a good relationship with your Heavenly Father.

Jeremiah 31:3 World English Bible (WEB)
Yahweh appeared of old to me, saying,

“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love.
    Therefore I have drawn you with loving kindness.

Are You Standing At the Crossroads?”

Standing at the crossroads.

“Crossroads” is defined as the intersection of several roads. This post will metaphorically surround the topic of crossroads because you may be standing at the crossroads. What that means is that there are different paths/roads which you can take as you journey throughout your life, but, you need to make a decision. The truth is that we all come to a point in life where we have to make tough decisions. And I get it, decisions aren’t easy to make, but that’s why I’m going to talk about how you should choose which crossroad to take.

Standing at the Crossroads?

As I mentioned earlier, whether you care about your life or not, you’ve got to make decisions.

You can live your life with absolute complacency or back-breaking self-discipline, but in the end, the decision is yours.

Your decisions can lead you down a dark crossroad, and may ultimately betray you…

Proverbs 14:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 There is a way which seems right to a man,
    but in the end it leads to death.

Or your decisions can bless your name and lead you down a crossroad of triumph!

Proverbs 2:20 World English Bible (WEB)
20 So you may walk in the way of good men,
    and keep the paths of the righteous.

The point I’m trying to get across is that your decisions matter. And the crossroad you take will make an impact on your life, I guarantee you that.

I’ll give you some examples of times when you might have to choose between crossroads. A personal example, is that very soon, I’ll have to make a decision as to what university I attend.

Another example, not relating to my personal life, is if one must decide between two careers. A different example of one stuck between crossroads is one imbued with a passion to begin a business yet is wary of the potential risk to such a pursuit.

I can give thousands of examples of major decisions we are all bound to make. But, you first ought to know that your decisions do matter because they ultimately lead to somewhere. Ten seasons from now, you’ll either be rejoicing or grovelling because of your decision.

There’s Someone Standing Next to You

However, you’re not alone. Rather, there is someone observing every step you make. He sees you as you stumble and He sees you as you succeed. You might have not taken notice of Him already, but, He’s there.

His name is Lord Jesus Christ. He is the God who came down to Earth in the flesh so that He may receive the divine retribution for your sins.

And the most important time you choose between crossroads is when you choose to either go down the path where He leads you or the path where you believe yourself to be the leader.

Psalm 119:105 World English Bible (WEB)
105 Your word is a lamp to my feet,
    and a light for my path.

In the above scripture, King David tells God that His word is a lamp to David’s feet and a light to his path.

And for a long time, I’ve been asking myself, “Who’s holding that lamp?” Well, I can say in my life, through every narrow escape I’ve made and every close call I’ll ever make in my life, it’s been Lord Jesus Christ who’s held that lamp.

I may have been ever so tempted to be unfaithful to Him, yet, it is Lord Jesus, who always motions the lamp in His hand to my eyes that I may see the crossroads ahead of me.

2 Timothy 2:13 World English Bible (WEB)
13 If we are faithless,
    he remains faithful;
    for he can’t deny himself.”

And as I gaze into His fiery eyes, I become confident that whatever path I take, I shall take for His glory. My question to you this day is do you have someone to hold the lamp for you? Do you know where you’re headed?

If not so, accept Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour; let Him guide you down the right crossroad!

Hesitation

I wonder what would happen if hesitation did not play such a glamourous role in our decision making. Either one of two things could happen.

We’d either be making more decisions that are terrible or more decisions that are beneficial. Therefore, I say to hesitate from making unwise choices yet show no mercy to the one who tempts you to be hesitant from that which is undoubtfully good.

An example of when hesitation is good is when it causes you to think for a second or two before making a business partnership. Think long and hard before you make any major decisions.

On the other hand, it is your responsibility to show no hesitation when God calls you to do something. When you absolutely know that God wants you to start some sort of venture, then, don’t let hesitation steal your opportunity to receive God’s blessing!

Luke 9:62 World English Bible (WEB)
62 But Jesus said to him, “No one, having put his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for God’s Kingdom.”

Let hesitation be your ally instead of your opponent for it is better to have it as a safeguard instead of as a tempter. Think twice before you make any major decision or investment of your resources, but, don’t look back once you’ve set out to do what God wants you to do.

If you’re not sure about what should be your next course of action, ask God for His wisdom. He’s not stingy when it comes to His counsel. You can be sure you will receive a response once you share your dilemma with Him because He never breaks His Word.

Isaiah 58:11 World English Bible (WEB)
11 and Yahweh will guide you continually,
    satisfy your soul in dry places,
    and make your bones strong.
You will be like a watered garden,
    and like a spring of water
    whose waters don’t fail.

In conclusion, as you stand at the crossroads, read His Word, seek Him in prayer, and let Lord Jesus Christ guide you down the path which He wills for your life!

Who Really Is the Captain of Your Boat?

You’ve got to know the captain of your boat. What I mean by this is that all of us are led to make the decisions we make, to feel the emotions that grip us, and to act the way we act. And if you don’t know who’s driving your life or who is controlling you, you’ll never be free to think or act the way that most benefits you. Please continue reading to find out who truly is the captain of your boat.

A Glance at Your Life

First, you may want to know that your life is controlled by someone. As I’ve already made abundantly clear in the introduction, your life is never out of control. It may be in chaos, but ultimately, there’s someone responsible for that chaos. Your life is always in control although potentially unsatisfactory.

Galatians 6:5 World English Bible (WEB)
For each man will bear his own burden.

There’s a responsibility that ought to be taken. If you find yourself in drug addiction, you didn’t just end up there, you made decisions that led you to that point. And the same goes for one who’s found financial success through discipline as well as wise decision making. So, look at your life, and you will clearly see who I call the captain of your boat.

Concludingly, it is quite easy to realize who is the captain of your boat by glancing at your life.

Everyone’s got a captain for their boat. And in this post, I want to focus on three sorts of captains. The three possible captains in charge of your life are the following: you, the devil, or the Spirit of Lord Jesus Christ.

And it’s time, you find out which of those three captains belong to you because until you know who’s your captain, you’ve got no control over where your life’s headed. Your life could be headed for disaster for all you know, unless you truly meet the captain of your boat.

John 13:16 World English Bible (WEB)
16 Most certainly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his lord, neither is one who is sent greater than he who sent him.

As the Lord Jesus Christ says in the scripture above, a servant is only as great as his master. In the same way, your ability is limited by the one leading your life. And it is absolutely imperative that you understand this lest you become ignorant of where you’re headed.

Two Phony Captains

Now, of the three possible captains, two of them come as a package. I label them as the two phony captains. And please make a note that these two captains come as a package, they don’t come separately.

These two possible captains are known as you and the devil. Unfortunately, it is quite the challenge to discern these two fellows. Most of the time, people mistake their captain as only themselves.

Furthermore, people often believe that their captain is them. These people often make statements such as, “I am the captain of my boat, I make my own decisions and I’m proud of them.”  or, “don’t tell me what to do because I’m capable of anything when I put my mind to it.”

However sincere these people may be, they are naive. They don’t understand that if they alone claim the rights to their life, they are actually under the influence of a demonic authority. And do you know why?

It’s because demonic spirits are extremely effective when it comes to convincing anyone that they’re on your side. The thoughts you hear in your head are all too often not yours. And so, there are two phony captains whom you can choose to be the captain of your boat. You, and ultimately, the devil.

No one ever actually says, “huh, I think it’s a good idea to ask an ancient demon to be my captain.” Rather, people fall into the trap of thinking that they alone control their life when in actuality, there’s much more going on behind the scenes.

Ephesians 6:12 World English Bible (WEB)
12 For our wrestling is not against flesh and blood, but against the principalities, against the powers, against the world’s rulers of the darkness of this age, and against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The One Worthy of Being the Captain of Your Boat

Therefore, I make my plea to you so that you ask one person to be the captain of your boat. Ask Lord Jesus Christ to be the captain of your boat. He alone should guide and uphold your life.

The Word of God promises you that Lord Jesus Christ will never lead you to disaster. Instead, He will lead you to peace, blessings, and an established legacy.

Isaiah 46:4 World English Bible (WEB)
Even to old age I am he,
    and even to gray hairs I will carry you.
I have made, and I will bear.
    Yes, I will carry, and will deliver.

But, to make Lord Jesus Christ your captain, you’ve only got to do one thing. It’s simple and let’s not complicate it. That one thing is to surrender to Him.

God came down to Earth in the form of a human being, Lord Jesus Christ. He healed the sick, showed God’s heart for people, and blessed everyone He interacted with. Religious leaders could not tolerate His truth nor His goodness and so, decided to twist the ancient Roman government’s arm to crucify Lord Jesus Christ.

Moreover, God decided to let Himself experience hell on Earth by being crucified in the flesh so that when you put your trust on Lord Jesus Christ, the hell you deserved would no longer await you.

Lord Jesus Christ died for you to give you hope and a new life. And when you entrust Him with your life, He will not disappoint. Just accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour and surrender all of your life to Him.

James 4:10 World English Bible (WEB)
10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he will exalt you.

Allow His Spirit to lead you and be sensitive to what He says in the Bible. To every gentle steer, He makes, yield to Him.

Romans 8:14 King James Version (KJV)
14 For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.

Forsaking All Enticements The World Offers

Over the past millennia, human society has invented new ways to distract its members. As human beings, our world is full of enticements and distractions. Yet, you may be oblivious to any of the temptations or enticements holding you captive. If you want to know the litmus test to determine what is enticing you, look at what behaviours, habits, or desires hinder you in either your physical, emotional, mental, or spiritual health. Continue reading to learn how to begin forsaking all enticements that may come your way.

Don’t Entertain Any Bad Habit

Before continuing on how to forsake the enticements of the world, you must be able to identify what they are. There must first be a diagnosis before there is a treatment.

And, you must first be confident in your relationship with God. Too often, do I hear people claim to have a good relationship with God yet not know who is God. But, to clear all misunderstandings, let’s set the record straight.

The God of the Bible knew how all humans sin. Therefore, no one is fit to enter Heaven as Heaven is only for those who haven’t sinned.

So, God came down in the flesh as Lord Jesus Christ with a ministry of healing, deliverance, and more. Yet, jealous religious leaders decided to pressure the ancient Roman government to crucify Lord Jesus Christ.

But, it was God’s plan to let Himself, Lord Jesus Christ, suffer humanity’s punishment for sin on the cross. In this way, God transferred His righteousness to those who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour.

Therefore, accept Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Saviour.

Romans 10:9 King James Version (KJV)
That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.

Moving on, in the case of distractions or enticements, one can identify it by seeing how its nature affects you. If you notice that behaviour, habit, or idea comes in-between you and Lord Jesus, then, get rid of it.

Matthew 5:30 World English Bible (WEB)
30 If your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off, and throw it away from you. For it is more profitable for you that one of your members should perish, than for your whole body to be cast into Gehenna.[a]

In fact, Lord Jesus Christ said in the above scripture, to cut off whatever causes you to stumble. So, when you see a sinful behaviour or an act of the flesh within your lifestyle, forsake it. Now, when Lord Jesus Christ said to cut off one’s hand if it causes one to stumble, He did not literally mean amputating a God-given part of your body. He just meant to immediately get rid of any sinful behaviour immediately.

Crucified with Christ for a Reason

This means that if you see drug addiction within your life, then, stop it, pray to Lord Jesus Christ, and seek the proper help. I also talk about addiction in this post. If you see a tendency to get angry very easily within your life, then, stop it, ask Lord Jesus Christ the grace to come out of it, and seek His counsel through the Holy Bible.

Start forsaking whatever appears to be against the nature of God within your life. That’s why the Bible says to flee anything so as long as it appears to be evil.

1 Thessalonians 5:22-24 King James Version (KJV)
2Abstain from all appearance of evil.
23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

Flee all appearances of evil!

Furthermore, the Bible makes it clear to have a fear of the Lord. I talk more about the fear of God in this post. And the main thing to know about the fear of the Lord is that it is when one respects God enough to know that he/she ought not to do certain things which displease Him.

When you honour God with your entire being, you know that He loves you and by nature, it hurts you to hurt God. Since you love God, prioritize Him over all things. If He says not to hold unforgiveness towards anyone, then, start forgiving. Or if He says we ought to be kind to others because God is kind to us, then, start showing kindness to those around you.

The bottom line is that when you have the fear of the Lord, His love develops a desire within you to please Him through whatever you do. And to get that fear of the Lord, you should ask Him for it.

Proverbs 1:7 World English Bible (WEB)
The fear of Yahweh[a] is the beginning of knowledge;
    but the foolish despise wisdom and instruction.

Forsaking all Enticements

In conclusion, stay away from evil because you know that God loves you and you should make it your utmost priority to do what pleases Him. If there’s something that pleases you but displeases God, then cut it off, because, it will not benefit you.

Rather, do what is good and what you know is not going to hurt you physically, mentally, emotionally, or spiritually.

1 Corinthians 6:19 World English Bible (WEB)
19 Or don’t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God? You are not your own,

So, make it a constant habit to start forsaking everything you do which ain’t right.

We’re all not perfect, but as children of God, it should be our goal to focus on Lord Jesus Christ and begin forsaking every evil that distracts us.

Hebrews 12:2 King James Version (KJV)
Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

The scripture above perfectly summarizes what ought to be our mindset concerning worldly distractions and temptations. What the above scripture means is that we should fix our eyes on Lord Jesus Christ because He fixed His eyes on the joy set before Him. His joy was to see us saved, blessed, redeemed, and His as He suffered the pain of the cross.

Remember that you were crucified with Christ and that whatever distracts you now has no foothold on you because Lord Jesus Christ already defeated every temptation on the cross.

Galatians 2:20 King James Version (KJV)
20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

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