The ‘distraction’ of wealth

Speak to many Christians today and they will be quick to tell you how blessed they are

because of the financial or material blessings they have. Many Christians actually pay their tithes or do charitable works just for that reason alone.  But do you know that wealth or material blessings can be a distraction instead of a blessing?

The Bible tells us in Matthew 4:1-11, that Jesus was tempted by the devil in the wilderness. One of those temptations was the offer of fame and wealth if Jesus would forfeit His purpose on earth and worship him (the devil) instead.

Why the Sheep got lost

It’s easy to blame the wayward sheep for getting lost. Many of us have said “serves you right” when someone ‘less holy’ got into trouble because of their sins. But does Jesus ever rejoice when that happens? Of course not! We see how He protected the Adulterous Woman who was going to be stoned to death as a consequence of her sin. I wonder why Jesus did not accuse her as harshly as the Pharisees. Why was He so forgiving?

‘Do-It-Yourself’ Christianity

Have you ever taken time to read the books of first and second Kings in the Bible? These books are basically a history of the different kings who ruled in Israel. But what I find rather interesting about them is the way Israel behaved under each king. 

If a king was good and obeyed God, then the people did the same, but if a king worshipped idols and committed all sorts of atrocities, the Israelites followed suit. These people could not decide to serve God for themselves, but used their leaders as their excuse. This however did not spare them from the consequences of their actions.

The enticement of destruction

The other day I was reading my Bible and stumbled across 2 Kings 17:1-23. That passage talks about the exile and unnecessary suffering the Kingdom of Israel experienced because of their constant disobedience to God. 

These people who were so privileged and hand-picked by God from all other nations of the earth forfeited the good plans and destiny God had marked for them because of their sins.

Their sins did not just include idolatry and getting entangled with pagan nations, they also committed the abominable act of human sacrifice of their own children to these idols.

Is success dependent on how much we have?

One of the ways our society determines how successful a person is, is by how much

they have. So if you have more money, you are deemed more successful than the person with less. 

If you have more church members, you are also more successful than the pastor with fewer members. The same thing is true when you are on social media: the number of followers, ‘Likes’, visitors and comments you get also determines whether you are popular (or successful in that regard) or not.

Enjoying the journey to your destination

Some months ago I decided to go back to paid employment. I got a couple of new work clothes and justified my shopping as an ‘investment’. After applying to a couple of places, I got invited for an interview in an organization I really wanted. I prepared hard, but sadly I didn’t get the job. The same thing happened over and over again in other organizations. 

One day as I was organizing my wardrobe, I decided to remove my new work clothes from the hangers to keep them in my suitcase, away from view. As I folded the clothes, I thought sadly to myself “I’ll leave them there until I get a job.”

The ‘Whispers’ of God

In the book of 1 Kings chapter 19 verses 11-12, God reveals Himself to Prophet Elijah in a still small voice. In the previous verses, we find Elijah feeling depressed and overwhelmed by the threat of death from Queen Jezebel. 

After getting refreshed by God, he journeyed to Mount Horeb, where God appeared to him. It is noteworthy that God did not appear in the mighty wind that tore the rocks to pieces. Neither did He appear in the earthquake or the fire that followed; but in a still small voice.