Worship as a lifestyle

Since the time I had an encounter with God I have been personally learning a lot about worship.

One of my favorite passages on worship is Genesis 22 where Abraham is tested by God to sacrifice Isaac. The word ‘worship’ appears for the very first time here, thus implying this story to be a significant pattern for us to follow on the topic of worship. Three major things that I have learnt from this passage about worship is:

1. Worship is about you and God. You can only take your offering with you.

Abraham said to his young men, “Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; and we will worship and return to you. (Genesis 22:5)

If Abraham had brought his servants along to the place of worship. they would have not allowed him to sacrifice Isaac. Similarly during worship we cannot bring anything or anyone with us to the altar. It is a personal time between us and God. We do not even need a mediator as we have Christ interceding for us.

2. Worship involves a sacrifice  

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” (Romans 12:1)

Worship is nothing less than a sacrifice. The whole of old testament talks about sacrifice being worship. And just like Abraham who was about to sacrifice Isaac or the sinful woman who brought her most expensive alabaster jar of oil, we are also called to offer the most precious things of our lives to God. And offering our bodies as living sacrifices should become a daily routine in our lives.  

3. Worship involves a two fold process

“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.” (Genesis 22:12)

Offering oneself as a living sacrifice is not just hard but impossible. Abraham was able to sacrifice because he loved God. Our love for Him automatically leads us to offer ourselves as living sacrifices. We love Him because He first loved us. (1 John 4:19)

Worship involves a two fold process:

1. Knowing God i.e His love, greatness, faithfulness and so forth
2. which automatically leads us to offer ourselves as sacrifices

My encouragement today to you if you are struggling with regards to worshiping God is to be soaked in His love. Do you know how much He loves you? Do you know how much He cares for you? The more you know God’s love you understand it better. The more you understand you are strongly convinced of His love. Worship will flow automatically when you are convinced of His love for you.

Samuel Thomas (Sam)

Sam is a Christian minister who is serving the Lord in various capacities. He is working through Cross Impact and also involved with Crossway Church. He can be reached on samvthom16@gmail.com

His grace is sufficient for us

Few weeks ago I was on a mission trip with a couple of my friends. And on our way to the city of Nagpur, we lost control of the vehicle and it overturned. Although there was major damage to the vehicle, nothing happened to us. We had experienced God’s protection and were grateful to realize that He hasn’t finished His work in and through us.

While we were completely stranded in a no man's land for about 16 hours waiting for help, I was dying to sleep as I just wanted to give my back some rest. Eventually after a couple of hours I got frustrated both physically and emotionally, as a result I vented it out all to my heavenly Father. Right there the Holy Spirit reminded me of 2 Corinthians 12:9 which says "my grace is sufficient for you". As I meditated on this verse, I realized that God had already done so much. In fact His work was finished at the cross. He has given us His very best. He loved us when we were sinners and brought peace into our lives. What more could I expect or ask? Can I ever compare my temporary hardship with the one He had to endure for my salvation?

So many times the cross becomes a cliche for us. A repeated story and less of a priority than our present needs or problems. I’m not saying that God is not our ever present help. But don't we need to prioritize? Don’t we need to assess what is more important to us. Do we even realize what God has done for us? Can we come to a point of surrender where we can endure our hardship like Jesus who for the joy set before him endured the cross? Can we surrender our pain and be satisfied in His ever sufficient grace? Can we still rejoice in our moments of lack knowing that ‘His grace is sufficient for us’?

Today you might be completely consumed by your problems and stressed out about your life. Your circumstances might seem more important than what God has already done at the cross. Life is pretty rough and everything is a struggle right now. Let me just remind you one simple truth that His gift of grace is adequate and enough. Would you be content?

Samuel Thomas (Sam)

Sam is a Christian minister who is serving the Lord in various capacities. He is working through Cross Impact and also involved with Crossway Church. He can be reached on samvthom16@gmail.com

Let us put on Christ

            There are numerous things that I have been contemplating about and among them I found Holiness to be the most relevant to my own personal life. I have heard a lot of sermons on holiness, studied about holiness and to an extent tried to practice holiness in my own strength.  Yet every time in the presence of the most Holy God, I find myself starkly naked and the verse from the scripture echoes in my heart "your works are but rags before my eyes". The consciousness of the presence of God first reflects to ourself the iniquities of our heart.

The word clearly tells me and you that we are all sinners in the sight of the most Holy God.  And we deserve nothing but his judgment. But in His great love we can never understand why He sent his only Son for our redemption. Whether we receive it or not, it will show our understanding of God's righteousness. And as we accept this gift of acceptance, what do we do next. Do we strive in our own might to fulfill his law? As Paul the apostle wrote "Praise be to God through Lord Jesus Christ who shall deliver me from this body of death". The body of death we live in constantly wars against our walk in holiness. How do we walk in some thing that is so alien to our natural man as fish out of water ? The only way out is to be a new creation . This creation is what Paul wrote about when he told the Corinthian church "now in Christ we are made a new creation". Are we living lives that resemble a new creation ? If not , why is it that we are not it is because in the life of a new creation we need to choose to live a new life or remain dead in sin.

As the apostle says "let us put on Christ" which is said in a manner as a conscious choice . Do we put on Christ as a daily and .more essentially a constant choice of life ? Or is putting on Christ a choice we make only on Sundays? Are we putting to death the flesh and its desires in order for Christ to live in us. It truly is a difficult to crucify the flesh and its desires. It is a painful process. The name crucifixion gives birth to the word excruciating, I think now these terms are self explanatory. The pain to put to death our desires is extreme especially as we have indulged in them and taken pleasure in them. But the eternal pleasures at the presence of the Lord we need to be Holy as He is holy. We truly cannot comprehend the pleasures at His presence as our mortal minds are a till time and spatially bound. A taste of His presence will quench our hunger for other pleasures and leave us hungry for more of Him . A deep desire for HIS TOUCH which will drastically change the way we see and function in this day and age. As His touch transforms us, it will transform our image to His. 

Dr. Justin Paul

Justin Paul is a recent medical graduate, who is also involved in ministry with Crossway Church.

Brokennes a blessing

Brokenness a blessing

There are times when I have felt broken and I knew that I deserved it, as a result of the bad choices I had made. But then there are times when I 

have no idea why I have to go through so much of pain. Probably I didn’t do anything wrong this time as I was very careful. I did pray about it and asked God’s guidance in each step that I took.  Then why? Why the pain? Why the suffering? Why wait for so long for His promises to come true?

I am reminded of Joseph from the bible. He might have asked these same questions when he was thrown in the well by his own brothers and later sold by them. What did he do wrong to deserve the shame of standing naked in the markets of Egypt when Potiphar's wife chose him? Or when he was thrown in jail for integrity? But we know that in the end God worked it out well for him.

Did you know that when Jesus multiplied the 5 loaves and 2 fishes, he broke them ? (Luke 8) There were 12 basketful of broken pieces. Broken pieces. God uses our brokenness to be a blessing. Our times of being broken is a blessing. Isn't that wonderful? I guess this is what David meant when he wrote Psalms 51, 'a broken heart and a contrite spirit is all you need'.

If today you are broken or in a moment of despair, pain or heartache. Know for sure that He can use it as a blessing if you surrender to Him and trust Him.

Samuel Thomas (Sam)

Sam is an active Christian minister in various capacities. He is working through Cross Impact and also involved with Crossway Church. He can be contacted on samvthom16@gmail.com

The Gift

THE GIFT

Lord you often bring me to this place of solitude

In spite of knowing the truth I'm pretty rude

I exhaust all my possible options in vain

And come to you in the end after all to reign

I don't know how you feel about being my last option

I know how I'd feel if I was someone's refuge option

Yet you are so humble and loving that you accept me

Arms wide open, an everlasting smile you give me

I know Lord that you hear my cry

I know that you are with me in my trials

I know its you who is sustaining me

I need you more than ever beside me

For you have known me even before I was formed

For you knew my troubles before they were caused

You have provided everything in your grace to me

For your grace is sufficient for me

You have forgiven my sins at the cross

Gave me deliverance at no cost

Unmerited favor have I found in your eyes

Priceless is your love in my eyes

For your love I can never understand

Its depth or its width

For You love me anyways

In spite of knowing my ways

Samuel Thomas (Sam)

Sam is an active Christian minister in various capacities. He is working through Cross Impact and also involved with Crossway Church. He can be contacted on samvthom16@gmail.com

Secret of Success

The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man.

Gen 39:2

When the Joseph brothers sold him to Egyptians, Joseph would have lost hope, dreams, carrier and ambitions etc. As a young man he would have had many desires in his heart just as we have.

After Joseph was sold to Egyptians, He started his life as a ‘slave boy’ in an unknown city with unknown people and language. (Joseph was a Jew and Egyptians speak Egyptian language) Just imagine how his situation would be?

In the olden days of Egypt (almost till 18^th century in many countries), you could find a slave market where you can purchase slaves based on the price tag for a lifetime. And most of the slaves would stand literally naked to ensure that they had no leprosy (In those days it was a dreadful and contagious diseases with no cure). Just before the slaves were purchased, they had to go through a thorough body check.

Joseph was one among them who stood in a slave market with some price tag on his body, exposed to ensure that he has no leprosy. Standing in a busy streets where everyone looks at him feeling ashamed, humiliated and embarrassed.

Do you know what, the Lord had written in the Scriptures when his situation was like that “The Lord was with Joseph and he was a successful man?”

He had no job, food, bank balance, education degree, parents, friends Etc. Not even proper clothes to wear. But the lord had called him SUCCESSFUL man.

Dear friend, our success does not depends upon what we have or what we don’t have. But whom do we have? 

Col 1:7 says in HIM all things hold together, have you observed, it dint say few things but all things like your job, carrier, wisdom, health, favor, love, sickness etc. I encourage you to seek Jesus as your success, you will end up like a prince one fine day , i.e., hope you remember the final story of Joseph in Genesis 41. J

Abraham Dhanyaraj

Abraham Dhyanaraj works with Microsoft and is an active member of Cross Impact. He can be contacted on abrahamdhanyaraj@live.com

The Lord had delivered me

The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the bear will rescue me from the hand of this Philistine." Saul said to David, "Go, and the LORD be with you."

1 Samuel 17:37

This is one of the verse the Lord had prompted me to meditate upon. When the young David was about to fight against the big Goliath, This is what the David was saying to the King Saul, The LORD who rescued me from the paw of the lion.. 1 Samuel 17:37

If the David was right in front of the paw of a mighty Lion, just imagine what he must have seen in front of his eyes,

“He saw a huge paw with sharp and long nails, its ferocious face, bone breaking long teeth, scary roaring sound, breath taking fur Etc. In a nutshell he has seen the hell nearby.”

But when the David was about to testify the Lord to the King Saul, isn’t it amazing that he did not described about the Lion and its attributes. But he spoke about the Lord.

I believe he would said with a bold voice “The Lord had delivered me“.  He was pretty confident that in between his face and the paw of the lion, He must have seen Gods hand.

In our lives, we daily encounter situations like the David had encountered, probably Debts to be paid, unbearable body pains, struggles, Job , Carrierand relationship problems. Etc. So what are we talking about?

Are we talking about how big the problem or the situation is or how big the Lord is?

Dear friend, the more you talk about Jesus in your circumstances situations will see pressure releasing from your thoughts, you feel relaxed knowing that Lord will take care of it.

Cultivate his presence in your circumstances, He is the VERY Present HELP in the times of need. PS 46:1.

Abraham Dhyanaraj works with Microsoft and is an active member of Cross Impact. He can be contacted on abrahamdhanyaraj@live.com

Receive & Serve

Few days ago one of my friends shared about his personal struggle in loving people (in general). He infact felt that he no longer had love for the ‘people’. I said in my heart then, “yeah I ‘ve been there and have done that”. Quoting John Maxwell here, “having experiences do not make us wiser, evaluated experiences do”. I began to evaluate why Christians usually go through this phase. The most amazing times of our christian journey for most us is usually the beginning. There is so much passion then. A phase of life when tears don’t stop falling from our eyes during worship, praying and reading the word is so effortless, there is so much of love for the people to serve them and help them and we just want to be soaked in the presence of God night and day. The sad part of the story is that as time progresses, the ‘passion’ is gone.

What happens to us? What happens to the freshness? Why does it become so stereotypical?

One of the answers that I figured is that as time takes it toll in our christian walk, ‘maturity’ hits us. Just like a child who learns to be self reliant, we feel as Christians we should also stop holding onto God’s hand and walk on our own. And in this walk of self righteousness, self reliance and pride, we eventually dry out.

The only hindrance in our personal walks with Christ is when we stop receiving from him. And this is one of the side effects of being self reliant. In Luke 10:42 Jesus mentions that only one thing was needful which was chosen by Mary. What we need to learn from Mary’s life (Luke 10:38-42) is to sit at the feet of Jesus and constantly receive from him. Martha was distracted in her preparations to serve Christ. Both of them loved Jesus, one served and the other drew from him. Matthew 20:28 says that the son of man came not to be served but to serve. And we need to allow Christ to serve us by receiving from him. I believe our eyes should be on the receiving part which will in turn direct us to serve. One thing that is needful as Jesus mentions is to sit at his feet and receive from him. 

Samuel Thomas (Sam)

Sam is actively involved in Christian ministry in various capacities. He can be reached on samvthom16@gmail.com  

Welcome Mr President

Former US President Richard Nixon is infamous for his place at the center of  the Watergate scandal. He disgraced both the office of the President of the United States and the United States itself in the eyes of the world. When Hubert Humphrey, a former US vice-president died, Nixon attended his funeral. Dignitaries came from all over the country and the world, yet Nixon was made to feel decidedly unwelcome. People turned their eyes away and conversations ran dry around him. Nixon could feel the ostracism being ladled out to him.

Then Jimmy Carter, the serving US President, walked into the room. Carter was from a different political party to Nixon and well known for his honesty and integrity. As he moved to his seat President Carter noticed Nixon standing all alone. Carter immediately changed course, walked over to Nixon, held out his hand, and, smiling genuinely and broadly embraced Nixon and said “Welcome home, Mr President! Welcome home!”
The incident was reported by Newsweek magazine, which wrote: “If there was a turning point in Nixon’s long ordeal in the wilderness, it was that moment and that gesture of love and compassion.”
Carter gifted Nixon with love and compassion. Nixon certainly had done nothing to deserve it. It was an act of pure grace on Carter’s part. When the bible speaks of God’s blessing it speaks in exactly the same way. Blessing is never a reward for good behaviour. It’s a gift, a gift of pure, unadulterated grace.