Saturday, 12 January 2013
Thursday, 10 January 2013
Wednesday, 9 January 2013
A World Without War
“I will not take so much as a thread or sandal thong from what belongs to you” -Genesis 14:23
A World Without War
But how many times have we heard people use the words "Those are my human rights!"... and the conflict drags on and on and on? Backing down is not necessarily cowardice. It may actually be the bravest thing to do.
Yesterday we saw Abraham back down for his nephew Lot, but when Lot ran into trouble later on, he was right there to rescue him- twice over. "Blood is thicker than water". What's the point of us fighting each other? The conflicts between Israel and Palestine or in the conflict Syria are just two modern day conflicts where a little falling over could have prevented a lot of bloodshed. When former Egyptian president Mubarak was faced with a rebellion, he laid down his arms but when Gaddafi of Libya was faced with the same situation, he picked up arms instead. Who is the wiser of the two men now?
Isn’t it shocking that global peacekeeping missions are done with a barrel and a nozzle? How can guns and bombs and tanks achieve peace? And isn't it questionable that the same governments that are trying to broker peace are fuelling the conflicts by supplying arms?
To achieve peace, we need to give up some of our rights. Nations might even be willing to surrender some of their sovereign rights, for if we are interdependent on each other, these boundaries shouldn't really exist.
In a world without war, the idea of competition goes away and the idea of cooperation and cohabitation becomes the norm. There's no reason why we can't all be happy at the same time. Its a win-win situation.
Quick Read: Genesis 14; Memory Verse: Genesis 14:23; Further Study: Genesis 18:16-33; 19:29;
Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 23-24; Matthew 8;
Prayer: May mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you.
Tuesday, 8 January 2013
For We Are Brethren
“Let there be no strife between me and you...; for we are brethren” -Genesis 13:8 NKJV
For We Are Brethren
Ten years after Hiroshima, when we began to appreciate the magnitude of the threat arising from the invention of nuclear weapons, a group of scientists, under the leadership of Bertrand Russell and Albert Einstein, tried to warn governments and the public. In the Russell-Einstein Manifesto, they said “We are speaking on this occasion, not as members of this or that nation, continent, or creed, but as human beings, members of the species Man, whose continued existence is in doubt... Here then, is the problem which we present to you, stark and dreadful, and inescapable: Shall we put an end to the human race, or shall mankind renounce war?”
Where there are two or more people, there are always differences of opinion or interest. These differences spark conflict and conflicts lead to wars. We cannot eliminate conflict situations, but it is how we deal with them that matters.
When Abraham saw conflict developing between his herdsmen and those of his nephew Lot, he had to stop it. If the men continued to fight, they would soon exterminate each other, but the wells and the land for which they were fighting for would remain. Abraham realised that the bonds of brotherhood was far more important and beneficial than any material gains he could get from the land. For this he was willing to make a sacrifice- he let his nephew choose the most fertile parts of the land and happily moved to a less productive land. He backed down. What a man!
If we adopted the same attitude to most conflicts in the world today or conflicts in the home and our workplaces, we could easily achieve peace.
Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 20-22; Matthew 7;
Prayer: LORD grant that I shall always seek to be at peace with all men
Monday, 7 January 2013
Delayed Puberty?
“...When Shem was 100 years old, he became the father of Arphaxad”
-Genesis 11:10 NLT
Delayed Puberty?
When I read of the length of time the first people on earth lived before having their first children, I begin to wonder whether puberty in those days was delayed or whether it was a natural form of family planning instituted by God.
Imagine Seth living 105 years before giving birth to his first son, Noah having only 3 sons at 500 years and Methuselah living 969 years, but having his first son Lamech at 187 years of age? Absurd, isn't it? By the way, do you realise that Methuselah died in the same year as the Flood? It is possible he was killed he in the flood and could have even lived longer.
After the flood, the average age prior to having a first son dropped drastically to about 30 years and that was why it appeared Abraham was unproductive when he hadn't had a child at nearly 85 years of age. Of course it is possible these men all had daughters long before they could produce a son since the girls were not usually included in the family genealogies.
Whichever way we look at it, God is capable of surprising us at unexpected moments of our lives- when it suits him best. ‘Age and time’ is just a number!
Quick Read: Genesis 5: 1-32; 11; 10-26; Memory Verse: Genesis 11:10;
Further Study: Luke 1:5-25; 1 Samuel 1:1-28;
Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 18-19; Matthew 6;
Prayer: LORD teach me to wait for your appointed time and never doubt you.
Sunday, 6 January 2013
When God Confused the Languages
“...The people are united and speak the same language. After this, nothing they set out to do will be impossible for them.”
-Genesis 11:6 NLT
When God Confused the Languages
How is it that we all speak different languages and fail to understand each other, even though the vocal cords and the sound reception and interpretation organs i.e our ears and our brains are basically the same in design and function? This question has never ceased puzzling me.
Yesterday we had a brief insight into the legend of Nimrod. One of Nimrod’s most ambitious projects was building the Tower of Babel, for in this he tried to teach the people to trust in their own strengths and wisdom and not rely on God? He also alo intended that should God ever have the mind to drown the whole world again in a flood, the tower would be too high for the waters to reach. The walls of the tower were very thick and It was built of burnt brick, cemented together with mortar, made of bitumen, that it might not be liable to admit water. The Tower of Babel therefore was Nimrod's version of the the Ark.
When God saw that they acted so madly, he did not resolve to destroy them utterly, since they had not grown wiser by the destruction of the former sinners in the flood; but he caused a tumult among them, by producing in them diverse languages, such that, through the multitude of those languages, they should not be able to understand one another.
Since then it has become impossible for the whole earth to ever be united in purpose again. There are over 7000 languages in spoken worldwide today. Really, it never ceases to amaze me what God did at the Tower of Babel when he confused the languages.
Quick Read: Genesis 11; Memory Verse: Genesis 11:6; Further Study: 1 Corinthians 14: 1-25; Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 15-17; Matthew 5:27-48;
Prayer: LORD help me to be an effective communicator
Saturday, 5 January 2013
Nimrod
“And Cush begat Nimrod: he began to be a mighty one in the earth”
-Gen. 10:8 KJV
Nimrod
When you hear the names “Jezebel” and “Nebuchadnezzar”, you quickly associate them with wickedness and idolatry respectively, but when you hear “Nimrod”, you think of a military jumbo jet- right?... Wrong!
Of all the great rulers of this earth, Nimrod is probably one of the most significant. Why? He is only mentioned 4 times in the Bible. The Bible only describes him as a great hunter and mighty warrior but he was a lot more than that! The influence of his legend can still be seen today in practices like Baal and Sun worship, Zodiac and horoscopes, the evergreen Christmas tree, the Easter egg (from Ishtar) and fertility, Queen of Heaven in Catholicism to mention but a few. Surprised? Search for yourself.
Nimrod was the great-grandson of Noah, a bold and strong man. His name originally means “the rebel” or “hunter”. After the flood, he systematically used tyranny to turn men away from the fear of God. He is said to have built the Tower of Babel which we shall read about tomorrow.
Sun worship has its origin in the legend of Nimrod and his wife (and mother!) Semiramus (also known as Ishtar). The story has it that when Nimrod was killed for his evil deeds, parts of his body were sent to various cities as a warning. Semiramus fled but spread the rumour that he had ascended to heaven, where he had become one with the sun. Semiramus later became a deity- mother of the sun god and “Queen of Heaven”. In the various cultures throughout history and around the world, the same basic deities have been worshipped under different names.
Quick Read: Genesis 10; Memory Verse: Genesis 10:8; Further Reading: 1 Chronicles 1: 1-10; Micah 5: 4-7 Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 12-14; Matthew 5: 1-26
Prayer: LORD, crush every form of rebellion in me
Friday, 4 January 2013
Each According To Its Kind!
“...And God saw that it was good.”
-Gen. 1:25b KJV
Each According To Its Kind!
God created diversity. Although each of us is different from the other, God calls it good... surprised?
In the animal and plant kingdoms, under the branch of science called Phylogeny, the diversity of creation and the beauty of it all are clearly seen. You will never be able imagine what uncountable different species of organisms God made. Yet when you come to individual organisms, even of the same species, no two are ever alike.
I am a Microbiologist by profession and I come across countless number of of similar, yet very different microbes everyday. Just as God did not make one basic type of tree or flower or one design of birds, sea creatures, etc, he made us all with different faces, abilities, temperaments and personalities.
We should never expect everybody around us to behave exactly as we do, even in church. If this were the case then, how possible is it that people so different, could function harmoniously as one?
Paul explains this in 1 Corinthians 12. In our diversity, each of us is endowed with different gifts. Our efforts should be geared towards harvesting our individual gifts for the purpose of spreading the gospel. We should equally make efforts to strengthen one another’s strong points and overcome one another’s weaknesses.
Quick Read: Genesis 1:21-27; Memory Verse: Genesis 1:27; Further Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:1-31;
Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 9-11; Matthew 4
Prayer: LORD, help me to see the strengths and not the weaknesses in others
Thursday, 3 January 2013
When the Tsunami Struck!
“...Come thou and all thy household into the ark; for thee have I seen righteousness before me in this generation.”
-Gen. 7:1 KJV
When the Tsunami Struck!
On December 26, 2004, a terrible news hit the airwaves- there had been a magnanimous earthquake measuring 9.3 on the Richter scale at the bottom of the Indian Ocean (off the coast of the Indonesian island of Sumatra), between the Australian/Eurasian tectonic plates. A quake at sea? One wouldn't have thought this was of any immediate danger but within seconds, the oceans rumbled and erupted. Mighty waves as high as 25 metres surged towards the land and in a twinkling of an eye 6 major countries around the the disaster area were overridden- India, Sri-Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Australia- all overtaken in one great flood! Even African countries like Somalia and the Seychelles were not left out.
By the time the disaster was over, nearly 300,000 people were dead and millions more rendered homeless. Many of those who lost their lives that day were still basking in the euphoria of the Christmas celebrations the day before. Actually, seismologists had predicted there was going to be an earthquake, but no one had imagined the extent of the resulting damage.
This quickly reminds me of our scripture for this morning. Just as it was in the days of Noah, many of the 300,000 dead must have been eating and drinking and giving away their daughters in marriage, each least expecting that disaster would strike soon.
If a tsunami were to strike your life soon, will you be prepared or will you be caught unawares? “Except a man be born of the water and Spirit, he cannot see the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). Let Jesus come into your life today.
Quick Read: Genesis 6-8; Memory Verse: Genesis 7: 1;
Further Study: John 3-4:1-42; Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 6-8;
Prayer: LORD protect me from the storms of life and help me to be prepared always.
Wednesday, 2 January 2013
Where Are You?
“Who told you you were naked?... Have you eaten of the fruit I commanded you not to eat?”
-Gen. 3:11
Where Are You?
Have you had a strained relationship in the past year? Strained relationship with your family? Strained relationship with your business partner? Strained relationship with your Christian brethren? And more importantly, a strained relationship with God?
This morning, God calls out to you: “Where are you?” Will you answer the call or will you hide yourself like Adam and Eve did? God seeks your hand back in marriage. He wants to use you for a great task this year. When Jesus chose his disciples, he called and the twelve left whatever they were doing at once and followed him.
This is a time to mend broken relationships- between you and your wife, between you and your friends, between you and your neighbours. You need to act quickly. Seize the opportunity now. You can never tell what difference you may make in somebody’s life.
God shall be glad when you shall answer him- not like Adam “I heard thy voice in the garden and so I hid myself”, but like Isaiah “Lord here am I. Send me”.
Quick Read: Genesis 3; Memory Verse: Genesis 3: 11;
Further Study: Isaiah 6; John 1: 19-51; Through the Bible in 1 year: Genesis 3-5;
Prayer: I am an empty vessel. LORD use me for a fitful purpose
Tuesday, 1 January 2013
Let There Be Light
“Let bright lights appear in the sky to separate the day from the night…. Let their light shine upon the earth.”
-Gen. 1:14-15
Let There Be Light
Today marks the beginning of the New Year- New Hopes, New Beginnings, New Aspirations. I am quite sure many of you have prayed for and awaited the coming of this day. Here it is at last- HAPPY NEW YEAR!
Many people often use this day to make resolutions (which they never keep in most cases) and set targets for themselves. As you go about making plans for the year as a Christian, do you have God in your plan?
Just as God took time to hover over his creation before he uttered the first words- “Let there be Light”, so should you hover carefully over your plans for this year.
A chief ingredient of your plan should be to be a light to the world. Let your light shine down upon the darkness of the earth, for no one lights a candle and hides it under a bushel (Matthew 5:15). “The light shines through the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it” (John 1:5).
There are souls hungry for your love, your assistance- financially, morally, emotionally and otherwise. This year, help create a new man out of somebody. Let your light so shine among men. Brighten that corner where you are!
Prayer: LORD, help me this year to be a light to everyone who crosses my path.
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