God's primary purpose for your life

Myles in his book 'Reclaiming God's original Purpose for Your Life' talks about the misunderstanding of God's intent. He puts it this way, "Misunderstanding intent guarantees a waste of time, talent, energy, gifts, and resources. Unless we know what God intended, everything we do will be a waste of time. That is the problem with religion. Religion, at best, is humankind’s best guess at God’s original intent. Most religions focus on trying to get God’s attention, which is the wrong approach. We already have God’s attention. The key to life and purpose, however, is to get God’s intention.".  

God’s original intent—and His continuing purpose—was and is to extend His invisible heavenly Kingdom to the Earth, to influence Earth from Heaven through the rulership of His earthly children created in His image.

Now what do you think is the primary purpose for every individual who submit to His rulership?  One clear mandate is the great commission for all. But how many of us are able to influence others with this mandate. You need to, and that's your responsibility. Apostle Paul in his book to Timothy says, "Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season. .'2 Timothy 4:2 CSB. Is your heart burning with the desire to take the gospel everywhere?

Now let me narrow down the primary purpose of every individual which is found in Genesis where God articulates the primary mission for Abraham. It says, "For I have chosen him so that he will command his children and his house after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just. This is how the Lord will fulfill to Abraham what he promised him.” Genesis 18:19 CSB.

Hold on! Did you get it right? This should be such an eye opener for all of us. Your primary responsibility is raising your family in godliness, to help every member in your family do what is just and right. If you build your family in godliness you are actually making way for the Lord to sweep the nation with the gospel of redemption. In building your family you actually build a community. The Lord's greater vision depends upon the individual submission to influence, inspire and lead one's own family first. Your family knows who you are and if they see you holy, godly and Christ-like, then your message outside will definitely create an impact. Do not reverse the process. It should start with you and with your family first.

Blessings

Pure & undefiled Religion- Part 2 (Domestic violence)

Domestic violence is a heinous crime and rampant all over but sadly, the importance to address it with high priority remains missing. The term domestic violence often brings to mind the concept of a battered wife. It is also linked to child abuse. Even if the children are not physically injured, watching or hearing a parent being abused can have severe psychological implications. In most cases culture itself supports abandoning of the women and they have nowhere to go to. Diane Langberg comments this way “It is amazingly easy to be both anesthetized to the surrounding culture and blinded by it. Sadly, that can mean we do things, agree with things and even adamantly protect those beliefs simply because it is our culture."

The Bible strongly demands, "Speak up for those who have no voice; Open your mouth, judge righteously" (Proverbs 31:8-9). Ray Ortlund comments, “When we stand up for someone being mistreated, we make Justice a felt reality in a time of crisis. But if we decide to sit it out, play it safe, keep our heads down, we hand people over to misery and wrong. God is watching.”. Since the Church is a structured entity it can easily address these issues with proper training's and awareness and with the help of the Holy spirit.

It is important the Church understands this major area of concern and start addressing it in all possible ways. Talking about widows, let us know that ‘Widowhood’ is not a status by itself, it can be the result of multiple reasons. It may not always result by the death of a spouse. There are cases where spouses just desert them and never come back, cases where spouse is forced into prostitution, cases where they are physically abused beyond imagination and then there are cases where the fathers abuse their own daughters and therefore as a wife and mother of her own children, in many cases, part ways and result in a state of widowhood. But unfortunately, in our society women are the ones who are framed for unethical reason justifying the males.

Campbell Morgan comments, “When sanctuaries tolerate abuse and violence, in their midst we leave the abused without a taste of our God of Refuge. Sanctuary means not being complicit with those things that make a sanctuary a necessity.”. Church is the only hope to bring healing and protect such vulnerable people. When Apostle James talks about pure undefiled religion (James 1:27) he is not categorizing the widows based on situation. He strongly makes a point to look after them.

Diane Langberg Christian Psychologist for Trauma survivors makes this staggering comment, “Many women have been sent home by church leaders to be beaten, taunted, screamed at, humiliated, and used wrongly, sometimes to death.  The church must learn to recognize domestic violence for the evil it is and be an understanding agent of protection, healing and hope.”. How many Churches today are trained and prepared to handle this professionally? Can we the Church be conscious and sensitive to the vulnerable group around us? Isaiah while prophesying on the future glory of Israel compares the Lord's love and kindness to the deserted wife, Isaiah 54:6 “For the Lord has called you like a wife deserted and wounded in spirit. .” May we understand the heartbeat of the Lord towards the broken and vulnerable.

Blessings

Pure and undefiled religion- Part 1

Thousands of books are out there to define what and how a Church should look like. Every Church has their own definition and interpretation of their Church confining to the denominational framework. However, the theology may look like, God keeps the Church in the prime position to reach out to the dying souls. It is a mandate that every individual is supposed to be part of the Church fellowship which are believed to provide ample opportunities for believers in the work of the mission (not limiting to getting money for Church needs alone), then serving those who are in need and speaking for those who cannot speak.

Our twenty-first century world is filled with human conflict, religious stagnation, secular cynicism, and oppression by immorality. It is the responsibility of the Church to rise up and do something about it.

Apostle James gives the best definition of what religion is, in fact what Pure religion is, “Pure and undefiled religion before God the father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself unstained from the world.”. James 1:27 CSB. This is fascinating, talking about undefiled religion? It is not a about, Baptist, Methodist, AG, Brethren and the list can go on. It is the body of Christ in spite of the differences.

The most important part of the verse that talks primarily about two major areas, 1. Looking after orphans and widows, 2. Keep oneself unstained and let me with all audacity make this point. A Church is not a Church if it is not caring for the most deprived people group. James is not just asking to take care of the poor, but to look after orphans and widows and deserted. To do this the Church needs to be well structured and intentional in its effort, and have a right understanding of the responsibilities of the Church.

Recently, I was shocked to hear the Pastor of a mega Church from India making this comment from the podium which said, if there are people who are divorced in the Church they should get out as the presence of God will not hover around in the Church and that was the most derogative remark you could ever hear from a pastor with large followers following him. It reminds me of what Cal Thomas writes, "The problem in our culture... isn't the abortionists. It isn't the pornographers or drug dealers or criminals. It is the undisciplined, un-discipled, disobedient, and Biblically ignorant Church of Jesus Christ." (Christianity Today, April 25 1994) When I quote Church, it is all of us. I am pressed to touch a little in my next article on domestic violence, abused and deserted single women.

The sanctuary of God is to be a holy place that provides a refuge from evil, as well as a place of refuge for the poor and oppressed. Diane Langberg Psychologist for Trauma survivors makes this comment, “Is the church of our Lord Jesus Christ willing to shed light in dark places and be a refuge for the brokenhearted and crushed?  If she is not then she is serving another god rather than the Holy One who became a babe.”. In Psalms 68:5 it says “God in His holy dwelling is a father of the fatherless and a champion of widows. ”. 

J D Greer puts it beautifully, 'I see many churches failing to play their part—either as cultural prophet, speaking truth to power, or as being the faithful citizens committed to blessing the “city” in which God has placed us (Jeremiah. 29:7). I think we run the risk of either being too political or not political enough.' May God bless you as you take up the mandate of the Church and make difference in the society.

Blessings.

Churches - Then and Now

If you have to discuss on Church effectiveness, you may not be able to explain it without referring to the early Church pattern referred in the Bible. The early church was established in the midst of extreme conditions, challenges from the political arena, legalistic community and also from Jewish community. Yet the fervor and high growth rate was remarkable.

If you notice, the early church never settled for mediocrity nor maintained status quo. Apostle Paul to 1 Thessalonians 2:14 remarks “For you brothers and sisters become imitators of God’s Churches in Christ Jesus that are in Judea. .”. The Churches of Judea are probably selected for example, not as being the oldest and best organized Churches but the most afflicted, both by want (Acts 11:29; 24:17; Romans 15:26), and primarily by persecution from the “Jews”.

Strong bonding and fellowship in the early Church is what stands as a distinguishable trait in the Church then, which is rare in the Churches now. The trust level was high, and they ensured that there is no one who suffers either spiritually or materialistically. It was the leaders and apostles that ensured the management of resources not to amass wealth for themselves but to take the contribution and charity gifts (Acts 15:17) to the suffering fellow saints.

Today there is something called “Know your customers” (KYC) in business corporate world. Every individual is required to submit a KYC to banks, mobile service provider, business entities and in any places of dealings that connects a person to a larger world. What about Churches? Does the Church leadership know the members well? Is there a database with complete information of the Church members? Or is it expected that the congregation should only know the pastor & leadership? In some cases, both the members of the congregation or the Church leadership are least concerned to know each other. Ray Ortund Puts it beautifully, “Church life can be immeasurably happy, humane, uplifting or unspeakably painful, brutal, degrading. I’ve seen both. When it is former, the gospel has sweetly subdued that Church, when the latter, worldly agendas have taken over and are defrauding and plundering that Church.”.

Let me state a view honestly with no intention to throw stones, but to help the Churches, leaders and individuals to think. Working with close to 100 Church denominations I have rarely seen Churches know the congregation well and have customized programs catering to the need of the poor in the Churches.  In mega churches you are identified based on the tithes you give and in some cases it’s the membership fee, these data for sure will be recorded. But what about your complete profile? What about your abilities? Does the Church have an effective outreach or social program where you can be part of? Or is it expected that you just give the money for the program and the Church takes care of it without you?  Does the Church have a social program catering to the need of the people? "The worst that can happen to a church is not catastrophic disaster but the tragic nothingness, the empty inconsequentiality, of dull "success" -- with a faithful doctrinal statement, good attendance, money flowing in, but it isn't for Jesus, and the Spirit has departed." Ray Ortlund

It is seen quite often people quote the book of Malachi to talk about tithes which says “Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. .” Malachi 3: 10 Great! ‘food in my house’, food for whom? Early church brought all their personal resources to share and meet the needs of people who were suffering. Therefore, they were called the “highly favored Church”. (Acts 2:47) There are many who come to the Church languishing in poverty loneliness and in pain. Do we even know them? Do we have food to feed them?

You may refer to my earlier blog on imitating the Church: Imitate me Imitate my Church

Blessings