Lost Pages

To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen (Revelation 1:5, 6) Four important truths we can learn from these verses.  First , the love of Jesus is foundational to his shedding of blood on the cross for my sins. It was love that sent Jesus on the cross. Secondly , the aim of Jesus' shedding his blood on the cross was to free me from my sins. His goal was freedom for me not merely forgiveness from sin (very important)! Thirdly , the blood of Jesus does not just save me from sin but it brings me into a family of believers with a common Father. So I am no longer alone! Finally , the outcome of a person who has been loved and freed and welcomed into God's family is service. I am saved to serve as a priest before God. To these truths I am tempted to mention other major truths about adoption and open access to God. And of course the im...

Two weeks ago, as I was leaving the supermarket I was approached by a beggar who I knew very well was going to waste the money in my pocket if I gave it to her. So I said initially no, and headed to my car. I rationalised she was going to "waste it" or "feed the habit". As I sat in my car, God whispered quietly - "how many times have I given you something even after you have blown it? I never keep a record with you or ask whether Chola deserves to breath the air today after wasting it yesterday. So why don't you for once show the same grace to this woman?" I humbly repented while in my driving seat before turning the ignition. And lo and behold, the woman came to knock on my window. I rather was stunned. And gave her the money I had. I was thankful for her. Now of course the woman most likely conned me. But I also know God used that opportunity to teach me grace. What I have found even more interesting is how God has reinforced that messag...

A lesson from history : Joash the king did not remember the kindness that Jehoiada, Zechariah's father, had shown him, but killed his son. And when he was dying, he said, "May the Lord see and avenge!" At the end of the year the army of the Syrians came up against Joash. They came to Judah and Jerusalem and destroyed all the princes of the people from among the people and sent all their spoil to the king of Damascus. Though the army of the Syrians had come with few men, the Lord delivered into their hand a very great army, because Judah had forsaken the Lord, the God of their fathers. Thus they executed judgment on Joash. When they had departed from him, leaving him severely wounded, his servants conspired against him because of the blood of the son of Jehoiada the priest, and killed him on his bed. So he died, and they buried him in the city of David, but they did not bury him in the tombs of the kings. (2 Chronicles 24:22-25) A good start does not guarantee a goo...