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Showing posts from January, 2016

Epaphroditus - A Brother, Servant and Soldier

Epaphroditus – A Brother, Servant and Soldier How do we see and view one another? I hope it is same as Apostle Paul embraced Epaphroditus as a brother, a fellow worker/servant and a soldier of Christ. Are you a brother/sister/servant/soldier? Recap. Paul is in prison under house arrest for preaching the Gospel of Christ. His beloved friends from Philippi were very concerned and sent Epaphroditus (Bro Epa) to check on Paul and bring gifts of refreshment and upkeep. Paul is now sending Epa back to the Philippians to report of his condition. Brother Epa is now the letter carrier of this Epistle of Philippians we are reading. Hear Paul tell it in Philippians 2:25-30: “25 Yet I considered it necessary to send to you Epaphroditus, my brother, fellow worker, and fellow soldier, but your messenger and the one who ministered to my need; 26 since he was longing for you all, and was distressed because you had heard that he was sick. 27 For indeed he was sick almost unto death; but God had m

Timothy - Tested Character

Timothy – Tested Character The only one that is impressed and should be impressed with my character is God. I can impress people with my personality (my charms and niceness) but not with my character. People will notice my character but my ultimate goal is to build my character in God and for God. Because my character is from God, it will take me to the highest altitude/attitude where my personality and wealth cannot take me to. My character is my fear of God. It is that which drives me to do what I do knowing that God is seeing and that He is my ultimate judge and not man. My character is the reflection of the nature of God in me. Today, we are studying about Timothy whose character has been tested and found impressive before God. Hear Apostle Paul talk about Timothy, his beloved son in ministry: “19 But I trust in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, that I also may be encouraged when I know your state. 20 For I have no one like-minded, who will sincerely care for y

Crushed and Poured Out

Crushed and Poured Out The process of wine making in the Bible times is very interesting. You may not drink wine but it is worth a lesson in understanding the process. The wine comes from grapes and grapes come from the grape vine. Grape is mostly grown for wine though we eat it as fruit in our time. To produce wine, the grape is crushed by feet at the Treading floor. The juice flows thru a hole into a lower level pool and it is collected in jars for subsequent fermentation. It is then distilled and served as wine. You get the picture? Today Apostle Paul uses this picture to describe his imminent/eventual martyrdom to show that his efforts in preaching and ministering to the Philippians are worth it. He was ready to be poured out as a drink offering. Are you ready to be poured out? Philippians 2:1-18: “14 Do all things without complaining and disputing, 15 that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generati

2016 - A Year of No Complaining and Murmuring

2016 – A Year of No Complaining and Murmuring Here we go again into a New Year given to us by God. It was a wonderful year of 2015. Many things happened – good, bad and ugly in our world and lives. In all we thank God for bringing us into the New Year. What does God have in stock for us this New Year? It is still the same plan He had from the beginning of time and beyond – i.e. to conform and transform us to the image of His dear Son Jesus Christ. Maybe you are looking for something else or expecting something else of God in 2016. Whatever it may be, I hope it is to make you one with the Father. If we stop spending too much time seeking His blessing we will have time to seek God Himself. Let’s seek God this 2016 above everything that is calling for our attention. Yes it is a new year and with new resolutions. Everyone wants to know the specifics of what God wants them to do. Let’s look no further, for we do not walk by sight but by faith in God. Here is what faith in God says for