When Christ Becomes Your Portion in the Wilderness

There is often a profound sense of loneliness that overwhelms the Christian whose heart is set on seeking God and surrendering fully to His purpose. While others bask in the joys of good times and entertainment, this one walks through the shadows of solitude. Before him lies a dark night that his soul must press through, and behind him is the world whose riches no longer entice him.

He longs for understanding but finds none. He seeks assurance from others, but no one is in sight. Christ alone becomes his hope, and on His gentle shoulder, the weary Christian leans. With eyes of faith, he gazes into the darkness, for beyond it, he sees a glorious light that those who walk by sight cannot perceive. The journey is exhausting, and at times, he feels on the verge of giving up. Yet, he is compelled to press on by the tender hand of the Good Shepherd and the watchful eye of his Heavenly Father.

In the barren wilderness, a table is set before him. Here, he begins to experience Christ as his life supply. A rich feast is laid out, and he is encouraged to eat and drink of Christ, who has become his portion in the midst of darkness and desolation. This experience not only empties him of self but also leads him to a deeper enjoyment of Christ as the life-giving Spirit within him. His inner man is strengthened, enabling him to deeply apprehend the immeasurable love of Christ.

Drawn nearer to the Father, who dwells in love and light, he finds that all the Father is and has is being worked into his being. Finally, just as Gideon was instructed to go forth in the strength he had, this believer is also commissioned to strengthen the weak and offer hope to the hopeless. And through it all, he is never truly alone, for the Lord remains his sun and shield, guarding his path and illuminating his way.

You Are the Sweet Fragrance of Christ to God

For we are the fragrance of Christ to God... (2 Corinthians 2:15)

We often find ourselves drawn to those who wear a pleasant perfume. But have you ever considered how God feels when we approach Him? This verse clearly states that we are to God the very fragrance of Christ.

In Hebrews 4:16, we are encouraged to approach the throne of grace with boldness. Why? Because the One who sits on the throne takes delight in our coming to Him. But what makes us so pleasing to God? On our own, we have no merit before this Holy and Awesome God. However, the Bible tells us that God has united us with Christ. Everything Christ is and all He accomplished through His death and resurrection has been credited to us.

This reminds me of Noah, a righteous man, who offered a sacrifice to God after the flood (Genesis 8:20). The Lord was pleased with the sweet aroma. Noah's sacrifice was merely a foreshadowing of Christ's ultimate sacrifice for us .How much more fragrant is the sacrifice of Jesus Christ! There is no sweeter aroma to God than Christ, who became the perfect sacrifice for us on the cross.

Dear Christian, let this truth be the capstone of your daily life. Others may judge you based on your actions and achievements, but to God, your Heavenly Father, you are a sweet-smelling fragrance that brings Him great delight. Are you fully secure in this truth, or do you feel discouraged when your life seems less significant than others'? We must be grounded in our identity in Christ, not in our accomplishments.

Remember, whenever God smells a sweet fragrance, a blessing follows. After God was pleased with Noah's offering, He blessed him. Today, God blesses us by dispensing in us His very life and nature. He has given us His Spirit to dwell within us, providing a continual life supply and saturating us with Christ in every part of our being. What a blessing it is to have all that Christ is, fully imparted into us. God delights in giving Himself to us for our enjoyment. Because we are the sweet fragrance of Christ to God, may this truth give us the confidence to draw near to Him always and continually pursue a deeper walk with Him.

The Inward Life God Desires

As we journey on in the Christian life, have we ever considered what God truly desires? Have we reflected on the possibility that what we deem important may not hold the same significance in His eyes? Our Christian life can often be filled with outward activities and busyness, yet we may overlook the deeper, inward aspect of our walk with Him. It is easy to justify our spiritual efforts by focusing on external works, but God's focus is always on our inner life.

In Ephesians 3:16, Paul prays that the Ephesian believers would be strengthened with power through the Holy Spirit in their inner being. Similarly, Psalm 51:6 reveals that God desires truth in our innermost parts. But what truth is being referred to here? Since God Himself is the embodiment of truth, this truth speaks of the reality of God within us. His desire is to impart His life and nature into us, shaping us into the image of His Son. Through His Spirit,  He continually dispenses Himself into us so that we may experience the reality of His very essence within our being.

As we engage in spiritual disciplines—such as personal prayer, studying His Word, and Godly fellowship—we open ourselves to this divine infusion. If this is what God desires, it should become our desire as well. However, His work within us does not stop here. As we experience more of Him, His unsearchable riches begin to shape our character, producing divine virtues within us. This inward reality then manifests outwardly, enabling us to be vessels of His grace to others.

May we, as God’s redeemed people, continually receive His life within us, allowing His presence to saturate our entire being. As a result, we will bear much fruit for His glory, faithfully serving in His kingdom. 

Reflecting Christ This Christmas: A Heartfelt Challenge

As Christmas approached this year, I found myself hearing the familiar phrase: "It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas." And yes, in the place where I live, it truly did. Yet, in the midst of it all, a thought dropped into my mind that challenged me deeply: "It may be starting to look a lot like Christmas, but have I begun to look a lot more like Christ?"

This question has stayed with me as the year draws to a close, compelling me to reflect on the true meaning of Christmas. At its heart, Christmas is about Jesus Christ who left His throne of glory to come to earth, to die on a cross for your sins and mine. This same Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and now sits at the right hand of God.

Yet, He is not distant from those who believe into Him and put their trust in Him. The Bible tells us that He became a life-giving Spirit, entering into us to infuse and saturate us with His divine essence. As the life-giving Spirit, Christ Jesus lives within our spirit, dispensing His unsearchable riches into our being so that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. He richly supplies us with the bountiful supply of His Spirit, enabling us to enjoy the triune God in subjective experience, reflect His likeness and represent Him here on earth.

Oh, how slow of heart I have been to grasp and live out this profound reality! I wonder if we all could pause and consider this truth. We are often asked, "What are you doing this Christmas?" But there is a far weightier question—one that will echo at the judgment seat of Christ: "What are you doing with Christ, the living reality within you?"

This magnificent Christ longs to have all of us, to make His home in our hearts, so we can partake of all that He is, be infused with His nature and become a proper expression for Him on this earth. May the Lord grant us the grace to respond to Him in love, allowing Him to live and shine through us.

Wishing you a joyful & Christ-centered Christmas!!

Enjoying Christ in 2024

Gracious Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth, how incomprehensible & unspeakably glorious are you in the beauty of holiness. Even though we didn't deserve it, you offered yourself to us for our enjoyment & our nourishment. We read in your blessed word that Christ became a life-giving Spirit dwelling in us and imparting to us the very life of God so that we can enjoy all that God is and become just as He is in Life & nature. What a glorious privilege it is - to partake of Christ, to feed on Christ the true bread, to drink of Christ, the living water, to be consumed by Christ, the all-consuming fire.  Lord, this is our prayer for 2024 - to savour Christ & Enjoy him. That as earthen vessels, we may have much of Christ as our treasure. That we will not live by ourselves but let Christ live in us. That we may always endeavor & strive that Christ be formed in us. That Christ be our wisdom—righteousness, sanctification, and redemption—our life within, and the One who is unsearchably rich towards us. That this rich and glorious Christ may be expressed in us and through us. That we will enjoy daily the abiding fellowship of the Triune God to receive the supply of all His riches & also be washed through the water in His Word. That we may excalim with the Psalmist who said : The Lord is my inheritance and my cup, the cup that overflows with unspeakable joy, peace, love & strength.  Amen!!

Choosing Christ Over Christmas!!

Father in Heaven, how great are your tender mercies towards us, how abundant your goodness & how incomprehensible is your love. We see the expression of your great love in offering up your Son for us, and who are we but an undeserving clan of sinners & outcasts.  In giving your Son Jesus Christ, you re-opened the way for us to be reconciled with you so that we could receive your life & all that you are as our glorious and eternal inheritance.  Because of the birth, the death & resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ, we are forgiven, cleansed & enriched with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places. Moreover, we receive the Triune God as our portion and our cup never ceases to overflow with abundant joy & peace. It is our humble prayer dear Father that we never lose sight of these divine realities in the midst of this festive season  of Christmas. That we may drink from this one cistern : Christ & Christ alone! That we may find our ultimate joy, ultimate pleasure & enjoyment in the glorious person of Jesust Christ. We may not make much of Christmas, but teach us through your Spirit to make much of Christ your Son.. Loving Father, even as the year draws to a close - we make our way towards this great eternal fountain - Our Lord Jesus Christ. We come to drink and be deeply satisfied we come to be cleansed, we come to receive grace, we come to cast our burdens, we come to receive light & encouragement. Above all, we come to worship Him who is the King of kings and the Lord of lords. To him be glory & praise forever and ever Amen!!

The Beauty of the Father's Love!!

O God our Father, thou who art infinitely glorious & filled with majestic beauty, who can comprehend your unchangeable  love for us. We, who are nothing but dust do not deserve even one drop of your infinite love. Yet O Father, you pour over us rivers of mercy, grace & love. You see our faults, you see how unfaithful we are, you see how easily we are entangled in the sin that ensalves us, you see how miserably we fail, yet your love for us is unchanging. As we stretch out our weary hands looking for someone to pull us out from the miry pit,  messed up on account of our own foolish choices, stained by the love of this world, ensnared by the lusts of our flesh, we get a glimpse of a Merciful Father with a loving smile, stooping down to lend us his mighty hand to lift us up. You wash and cleanse us in the precious blood of your Son our Lord Jesus Christ.  You take away our filthy rags and you clothe us with royal garments, the very righteousness of your Son, you fill us with your very own Spirit who leads us through green pastures & still waters to restore our soul. You reveal your glory to us, your eternal beauty that stirs our soul to unthinkable delight. As we behold your glory and beauty, we are being changed into that same image from glory to glory. In the light of your glory and grace, the temporal beauty of this world is lost, the flesh with all it's ungodly desires nailed to the cross & powerless over us. We now desire to behold the beauty of the Son of God, to be changed into his very likeness and filled with the fruit of true righteousness and holiness. May you be magnified O Lord, whether by our life or death. We so look forward  to the day we will see you face to face in unveiled beauty & eternal glory that will for all eternity never fail bring astonishing joy to our souls.

Where would I be Father, if not for your unchanging love & grace towards me. May your name be blessed for all eternity! Amen