The Salt of Gratitude

A little boy said, "Salt is what spoils potatoes when it is left out." Using the same kind of negative definition, we can say, "Gratitude is what spoils life when it is left out." A disposition of continual thankfulness comes from an unshakable confidence in GOD's wisdom, power and goodness no matter what our circumstances may be, people who posses the quality of gratitude may be poor in this world's goods, but they are truly rich Spiritually.

Some of the most grateful people I know have few material possessions and little money in their bank accounts. A character in one of 'Charles Dickens' stories remarks, "My not knowing at one meal where I shall get the next is a great help to thankfulness."

Riches, on the other hand can be a handicap. A wealthy woman told her doctor she was frustrated by a restless desire to accumulate more and more things. He replied, "These are the usual symptoms of too much ease in the home and too little gratitude in the heart."

No matter what your circumstances, count your blessings. Psalm 105 reminds us, "Give thanks to the LORD...remember HIS marvellous works" (v-1,5). The salt of gratitude helps to make all of life taste better.

Now thank we all our GOD
With hearts and hands and voices
Who wondrous things hath done,
In whom HIS world rejoices. - Rinkart

A GOOD ATTITUDE BEGINS WITH GRATITUDE TO GOD.

DO YOU LOVE ATTENTION?

I am poor and needy, Yet the LORD thinks about me. Psalm 40:17

Years ago I heard an amusing story. A young man stood up in the crowded room and loudly said, “Excuse me, everybody! Excuse me! Could I please have your attention?” The noisy chatter stopped and everyone’s eyes turned around him. At that point, the young man grinned and said, “Thank you! I just love attention” and then he sat down.

This story reminds that while some people love the spotlight, all of us have legitimate needs, and only GOD can be totally attentive to them. HE alone has complete knowledge of us. In Psalm 139:1, David linked GOD’s attentiveness with HIS knowledge, and he personalized them in these words, “O LORD, You have searched me and known me.” Then he rejoiced in the realization that GOD was intimately acquainted with him and gave attention to everything about him – his actions, thoughts, and words (v. 2-4). GOD had designed him, created him and determined how long he will live. (v. 13-16). David concluded with this burst of praise: “How precious are YOUR thoughts to me O GOD!” (v. 17). GOD’s attentiveness is constant. Whenever you feel that nobody cares about you, meditate on Psalm 139 and be satisfied with GOD’S attention.

Whatever we do, wherever we go,
There’s nothing we could mention
That GOD is unacquainted with,
HE always pays attention!

KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE LORD
HE NEVER TAKES HIS EYES OFF YOU.

ITS AN ADVENTURE!

Last year me and my family had gone to Goa for vacation. Driving down to the capital city through Hubli. We witnessed beautiful beaches spread throughout the coastline. Every sight was thrilling and every hairpin bend opened a site for rich wild life and plantation with charismatic beaches all over. Not knowing what to expect next, made the journey memorable.

One of the many exciting aspects of walking with CHRIST is that we don’t know what is going to happen next. At times we may be uncomfortable with the twists and turns, but GOD reserves the right to lead us wherever HE wants. Paul and his missionary companions were making their way to Asia minor when GOD changed their plans (Acts 16:6-7). Instead of going to Bithynia they went to Troas. That night Paul saw a vision of a man pleading, ”Come over to Macedonia and help us. ” (v-9). Paul’s plans were changed when GOD revealed HIS.

As we prayerfully consider what GOD wants us to do, we can be confident that HE will lead us day by day through HIS Word and by HIS Spirit within us. (Psalm 139:10). Because HE is good (25:8)., we can trust HIM with our lives in this great adventure called the CHRISTIAN life.

YOU DON’T NEED TO SEE THE WAY,
IF YOU FOLLOW THE ONE WHO IS THE WAY.

Without JESUS in your life . . .

One evening, after the miracle of the five thousand fed, Jesus went to the mountain to pray alone, and the disciples got into the ship to go to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. Thought they toiled and rowed hard right from the evening, the ship was still in the midst of the sea in the fourth watch of the night, tossed about by the waves.

The absence of CHRIST is often the cause of our troubles, the disciples wanted to go to the other shore, but as JESUS was not in the ship, their labours were all in vain. Similarly, if we want to go to the heavenly shore, CHRIST should be in the ship of our lives as the Captain. If JESUS is not there in the centre of our lives, all our labours, however good they may be are fruitless.

As they were sailing, they faced a boisterous sea and a contrary wind. Without JESUS in our lives, we only face things that are contrary to our expectations and plans. In that hour, of great trial and despair, JESUS came to them walking on the boisterous sea, demonstrating that, “the LORD on high is mightier than the noise of many waters, yea than the mighty waves of the sea” (Psalm 93:4)

Dear Reader, if you will hand over your life to JESUS, He is willing to come near and demonstrate HIS mighty power in your life. Without JESUS in your life, you will never reach the heavenly shore. I am the way, the truth and the life. Without me, ye can do nothing.

Make sure, HE is in the centre of your life.

“Without Him, I could do nothing
Without Him, I’d surely fall,
Without Him, I would be drifting
Like a ship, without a sail.”

Yeild not !

When we begin our Christian life we may find life peaceful and without troubles. But as we grow, we find ourselves facing trials and temptations,and we tend to resist them. If one loses a few battles, one may even think of giving up. Carnal sinful thoughts takes over one's mind and the devil takes the upper hand. Such people lead a miserable life and make others life also miserable.

The devil is a theif; his plan is to steal, to kill and to destroy (Jn. 10:10). He wants to steal man's peace and joy; he wants to kill his body and destroy his life, even his Spiritual life. He wants to deprive man of all that GOD has created for him.

The devil had a plan for St. Paul, it was to destroy him. According to that plan, he was going to Damascus to destroy the Christians. But thank GOD, GOD arrested him on the way and revealed HIS plans HE had concerning his life. It is no surprise therefore that GOD's glorious plan prevailed !

Dear Reader, when we consider great men like Samson, King Saul and some others who were chosen by GOD, we can see how the devil managed to destroy their life and ministry. So let us be careful not to yeild to the plan of the devil.

"Fight, fight with courage firm,
Fight, fight, you will not fail,
Sure the foe in fear will flee,
By His might you'll ever prevail."

Cold Old Believer !!

Lo, these many years do I serve thee, neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment: and yet thou never gavest me a kid (calf), that I might make merry with my friends" (Luke 15:29).

This elder son could be a type of the modern 'Cold Old Believer'. He has a seniority of many years to boast about - "Lo, these many years do I serve thee."

He is full of himself - wrapped up in himself. Although his loving father 'entreated him' to come in and join the joyful fellowship, he argues with him. "...neither transgressed I at any time thy commandment," he says. How can anyone believe this arrogant statement of this elder broher seeing he refused even the entreaties of his caring father! Often, those who speak highly of themselves are as empty as this 'Pharisee.' Look at the complaint he makes (Cold believers are complainers too!) to his father - "thou never gavest me a kid , that I might make merry with my friends."

Dear Reader, if you cannot enjoy the fellowship of the saints, it means you have friendship and merriment else where. If you long for 'a kid' (worldly pleasures), you will never enjoy the fatted calf, music and dancing (great Spiritual blessings) in the Father's house, the church.

May be the elder son finally did go inside - as the music and the dancing were about to end and where the feast of the fatted calf was almost over and had only leftovers. Could this be the picture of the 'Sunday Christian' , who finally (toward the end of the singing session) reaches for the backseat?

Is There A Jonah In Your Ship?

Jonah 1:10 –Then the men were exceedingly afraid, and said to him, “Why have you done this?” For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them. (NKJV)

Jonah was a prophet of the LORD who lived in the land of Israel. He was sent by GOD to the Assyrian city of Nineveh.

The city of Nineveh was a great city in the once mighty kingdom of Assyria. Known for its mighty conquests and their riches, this city was a bustling hub of trade and commerce in the Middle East of the Ancient World. (See the map of the Ancient Assyrian Empire)

However, like all great cities famed for their wealth and splendour, this capital of the mighty Assyrian Empire was mired deep in sin, corruption, violence and every abomination, before the LORD. Our GOD being a Holy GOD had to destroy this city which had earned HIS wrath through their wicked practices.

To warn this city and to turn them away from their wickedness, the LORD GOD sent a prophet to them. He was Jonah. We read in verse 1 and 2 how the LORD tells Jonah to go and preach in Nineveh, warning them about their impending judgement. But Jonah ran away from the presence of the LORD (verse 3). He boarded a ship sailing to the city of Tarshish.

Tarshish was another bustling city of trade and commerce. In the Bible we read how the ships of Tarshish traded with the kingdom of Israel (II Chronicles 9:21; Isaiah 60:9). Jonah was going in a direction opposite to what GOD had asked him to go.

GOD needed Jonah to warn the city of Nineveh. But sadly, Jonah was running away from the LORD. Running farther and farther away from HIM…

Having boarded the ship bound for Tarshish, Jonah was now content and a happy man. He perhaps must have thought that GOD could perhaps reach him no more, and he would not be faced with the daunting task of preaching to that wicked city anymore. But, Jonah was soon going to be proved wrong. Read how …

Our GOD is an Almighty GOD. HE is the master of the wind and the seas (Mark 4:39). HE controls everything in this world, the Creator of all things (Colossians 1:16,17). And HE had a plan to turn around the rebellious prophet Jonah.

Jonah 1:4-5 (KJV)

4 - But the LORD sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken.
5 - Then the mariners were afraid, and cried every man unto his god, and cast forth the wares that were in the ship into the sea, to lighten it of them. But Jonah was gone down into the sides of the ship; and he lay, and was fast asleep.

We read how the LORD sent a wild wind into the sea, and there was a mighty storm. GOD sent it in lieu to Jonah's disobedience. The weather was so hostile and furious that the sailors of the ship themselves thought that their ship would be broken, and they would all have a watery grave. A great fear gripped them all, and we see them now crying out, each man to his own gods.

And yet, neither did the wind cease nor did the storm abate…

In the middle of this frightful scenario, where was Jonah? How could he have possibly kept himself safe from this raging storm? Where was he?

Well, Jonah, the prophet of the LORD, running away from the presence of the LORD, was comfortably asleep in the ship’s hold. No wind, no storm, no tossing about of the ship could waken up Jonah from his blissful sleep. From the heights of heaven above, GOD saw Jonah asleep in the depths of the ship. And HE wanted to wake up Jonah. HE did…

The shipmaster finding out that Jonah was asleep and woke him up and asked him to call upon his GOD. Meanwhile, the sailors aboard now began to think that perhaps this situation has come upon them because of one man in their midst. And they decided to find him out.

The ancient civilizations had a practice of casting lots. They cast lots for arriving at many decisions. This practice was even followed in the Bible in various instances (read I Samuel 14:42; Acts 1:26i. Even in this situation, the sailors cast lots among themselves. They deemed that this calamity has happened because there was one fugitive among them. By discovering him and convicting him, they thought that perhaps the storm would cease.

Jonah 1:7, 8 (KJV)

7 – And they said every one to his fellow, Come, and let us cast lots, that we may know for whose cause this evil is upon us. So they cast lots, and the lot fell upon Jonah.
8 – Then they said unto him, Tell us, we pray thee, for whose cause this evil is upon us; What is thine occupation? And whence comest thou? What is thy country? And of what people art thou?

Jonah is now forced for an explanation. The sailors had now found him out, and they had realised that he was the wrong-doer, the culprit because of whom they were all suffering. Jonah, now being repentant makes his confession.

Jonah 1:9, 10 (KJV)

9 – And he said unto them, I am an Hebrew: and I fear the LORD, the GOD of heaven, which hath made the sea and the dry land.
10 – Then were the men exceedingly afraid, and said unto him, Why hast thou done this? For the men knew that he fled from the presence of the LORD, because he had told them.

Jonah now realised that he was responsible for this calamity. His disobedience against the voice of the LORD has now jeopardised the lives of all the men on board with him. He had to save the lives of all the sailors on the ship. The situation was on a knife-edge, and Jonah instantly knew what he had to do. Jonah now asked the sailors to throw him into the sea (Jonah 1:12 - And he said unto them, Take me up, and cast me forth into the sea; so shall the sea be calm unto you: for I know that for my sake this great tempest is upon you.) Jonah told the panic-stricken men that he had to be thrown overboard, if they all had to be saved. After a lot of deliberations among them, they decided that they had to go by what Jonah had said. He had to be thrown into the sea, ere they all die.

Jonah 1:15 (NKJV)

So they took up Jonah, and cast him forth into the sea: and the sea ceased from her raging.

What a powerful solution to all their troubles! The answer to the storm lay in this man, Jonah’s words. And when they obeyed, the storm ceased instantaneously!

To the common man, it may look that the sea seemed to bay for the fugitive prophet’s blood. But reading the last verse, and the next two chapters (read here), we see how GOD had a plan for bringing back Jonah to fulfil the mission he was assigned to.

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Dear friend, pause a moment to imagine this scene in your mind. A ship tossed by mighty waves, at the verge of being broken. The man because of whom this evil had befallen them is now found out. The sailors, after much deliberations decided to throw him into the sea. The moment he hit the waters, the storm ceases and the wind dies. Then a still weather and the sailors safely reach their destination.

Is there some failure in your life that has been nagging you for a long time? Despite your tears and your prayers in the presence of GOD, has there been no solution so far? Everybody around you keeps encouraging you that GOD will not let you down, but deep in your heart is there a doubt and a fear glued? Are you telling yourself, “This life is becoming harder and harder. I don’t understand the reason behind all these failures. I have prayed so hard. Yet, there seems to be no answer from anywhere. GOD is not telling me anything. What shall I do?”

This article is written just for you.

Spend a few minutes with a broken and a contrite heart, in the presence of the LORD. Examine your life and see if there has been any wrong that you committed. Something you did which you knew GOD would not approve. Maybe it is a secret sin, hidden deep within your heart and no man ever knew about it. You could have covered it up, and many days would have passed. But GOD is watching that Jonah asleep within you. HE wants to make you realise that, that Jonah must first be cast into the sea if your ship must be at peace. That particular sin, that particular tussle between you and your GOD must first be rectified, if your problem must have a solution.

Right now, get down on your knees and pray. Get right with GOD. Throw that Jonah out of your ship. With true repentance, go back to your LORD and HE will forgive you. Surrender yourself into HIS hands. And HE will never fail you.

There is hope, my friend. Right now, right away, get back with GOD. And you will be amazed by the solution that comes from HIM. Before your GOD, the mountains will melt like wax, and the hills will flee away. There is nothing too hard for HIM, that HE cannot do.

But first you need to get right with HIM, before HE can solve it for you. You do your part faithfully. HE is ever-faithful and loving to take care of your painful problem.

GOD bless you.