Do You Stay in Touch?

The touch is the most underappreciated one of our five senses. The definition of touch is “to cause or permit a part of the body, especially the hand or fingers, to come in contact with so as to feel”. When we touch someone it is a gesture of a relationship. In first time meetings, we shake hands as a sign of a new friendship or a new affiliation. In times of trouble, all that we long for is that one touch. In fear, a touch calms the heart. In sorrow, a touch comforts and heals the pain. A touch communicates more than a thousand words. Touch carves memories and touch overcomes doubt.

Writing about touch reminds me of Thomas (one of Jesus’ disciples). When the news of the resurrection of Jesus got to the disciples, Thomas refused to believe it. He said, unless he could touch Jesus and feel his wounds, he would not believe. That’s right, this is the same Thomas who walked and talked with Jesus. This is the same Thomas who saw Jesus walk on water, the same Thomas who ate the bread which Jesus multiplied for the multitudes. This is the Thomas who witnessed the resurrection of Lazarus when Jesus called him back to life from the tomb and the same Thomas who was amazed by the authority of Jesus when the waves and the winds obeyed Him. He saw the blind see, he heard the mute speak and he was there when the demons fled.

But in times like this rational and logic do speak louder than the TRUTH. His worries and problems clouded the past reality reducing them to dream-like experiences. His mind was confused by the many voices from all around and struggled to connect the present with yesterday. And then the unbelievable happened. Jesus appeared. Instead of condemning, Jesus called Thomas to reach out and touch Him.

When it seems like God has ceased to exist, all one needs to do is to reach out and touch Him. That touch will not betray your logic but will allow you to apprehend that there is another dimension of truth. It will help you to realize that this earth we live in is merely a shadow of a greater world of reality. You will discover not just that God is alive but that He is Life. It is not that hard to believe in God, after all, He is just asking us to stay in touch.

by Kater B

How do you judge others?

This is a very interesting commercial. I had tears streaming down when I watched it. Sometimes the people we less expect can bring about the greatest gifts in life. God can use anyone of us to be a blessing, just need to offer Him what we have, our talents, time or treasure. Not going to say much, enjoy the video.

Love’s Reaction

Do you remember the very first time when you fell in love? I still do…

I was in school then and she was sitting at the desk behind me. She was sitting there almost every day for past five months but I barely noticed her then the day came. It was a normal schooling day and like usual, we finished assembly and we walked back to our classes. I sat down at my desk and, as usual, was trying to think of excuses to tell the teachers why I could not finish my homework. As I was focusing hard on my creativity, I heard my name being called by the sweetest voice that I have ever heard. I turned behind to give her my full attention and there she was, in her usual light blue uniform and her hair tied the way she always did. She placed her hands on mine and said “Good morning!” Suddenly, in a fraction of a second, I felt electricity of a thousand watt rush thru my veins. An unexplainable emotional explosion took place in my heart. My brain stalled as it failed to compute this unexpected strange phenomenon that was rapidly escalating throughout my whole being. My eyes and neck lost its ability to turn away from her sight as my ears continued to recreate the melody of her voice. Her eyes were like a gateway to a whole new revelation of who I ever could be. For the next few days all I could ever think of or dream of was her. Her name began to surface in all my conversations as my life started to evolve around her. It was love’s reaction.

I can only compare this experience to one other time but the authenticity was multiplied by a million time. As real as this is to me, so was my experience with my Creator. I heard that same voice which called the world into existence, called my name. I felt the touch of the same hands that was nailed to the cross for me two thousand years ago. It was a blast of an incomprehensible power through my soul as I stood amazed in awe of Him not able to move a single muscle. I saw the revelation of who I can be in Him, my destiny and the purpose of my existence. Since then my mouth was filled with His praises as He becomes the center of my life in worship. It is love’s reaction.

It’s amazing how love proves the existence of God. I am real and so is my experience of love and that makes God the source of love and this experience real. To deny God is to deny love. To deny love is to deny my existence. One denies God only because of his lack of experience with God. But as for us who have experienced His love there is no denial that God is real and that God is Love. He is there near you always and all you need to do is to listen to Him calling your name and experience love’s reaction.

By Kater B

What About Grace?

Inspired by Luke 15:11-32

I have heard the story of the prodigal son so many times in my life. Growing up as an “active” church going Christian and serving in the fulltime ministry for more than 13 years, has always made me wonder, why the elder brother is labeled the bad guy in this parable. Come on and think about it... he is the good guy here. He was faithful in doing his father’s will; he had always stayed with his father and had never left his father to enjoy what the world had to offer. If this is the case why was there no celebrations for the elder son ever? (v29)

Sometimes it makes us wonder why people who have just heard the gospel experience more notable miracles than those who have been believers for ages, why there are more healings among the “newly converts” rather than church goers, why those who have left the Father are brought back with extraordinary testimonies. Does the Father love the prodigals more than His people who are totally devoted to Him? Do I need to be a “prodigal” to win the Father’s attention and favor?

The real issue here is the condition of the heart, the mind set, the attitude. The prodigal comes before the Father knowing that he has done badly, that he has failed the Father in every way and that he has destroyed everything and nothing that he has done nor nothing he does will regain the Father’s favor (vs. 18 - 21). This is the attitude that qualifies one to gain God’s blessings. One needs to understand and realize that it is the “unmerited favor of God” that releases God’s unlimited blessings.

Most believers, like the elder brother, unconsciously reason that their faithfulness and commitment win them the favor of God. And this is precisely the kind of attitude that disqualifies one from God’s blessings. We think because we serve Him or because we have fasted and prayed or because we obey His entire commandments we deserve God’s blessing. Sad to say but this is how the church has been programmed to think. Growing up in church, I have heard numerous preachers say that we need to do this and that to gain God’s blessings. The truth is, there is absolutely NOTHING we can do to earn the favor of God.

We serve Him because we love Him, not to gain His blessings. We pray because we have a relationship with the Father, not to secure His favor. We worship to exalt Him, giving Him what is due and not to manipulate Him into blessing us. Everything that we do must be founded and motivated by love. Love is an act of selflessness. It does not require anything in return.

The elder brother, like the Pharisees, disqualified himself from the blessings of the father because he thought that all his doings could earn him his father’s favor. Though everything was his, (vs. 31) he never enjoyed it.

Let us walk in this truth, that everything which belongs to the Father is ours and we have it because of whatJESUS has done for us on the cross not because of what we have done or can do or will ever be able to do. It is the grace of God, THE UNMERITTED FAVOR OF GOD. Grace is not just the point of salvation but it is everything after that, we are SAVED by grace and we LIVE by grace.

By Kater B