WHEN GOD DOESN’T ANSWER YOUR PRAYERS…

Do you think I cannot call on my Father, and he will at once put at my disposal more than twelve legions of angels? But how then would the Scriptures be fulfilled that say it must happen in this way?” (‭Matthew‬ ‭26‬:‭53-54‬ NIV)
Powerful words of Jesus and especially a phrase which stands out:’ DO YOU THINK I CANNOT….’
Almost daily we look at a situation and we whisper in our hearts: I DON’T THINK GOD CAN SET THIS RIGHT. We often feel that this specific scenario is too big even for God to resolve.
Jesus smiles and whispers back, ‘ I can, if I want to. I can in a split second set it all right the way YOU want it.’
But He continues His whisper- ‘But honestly, do you want it to be set right the way YOU want it or the way I want it? If I set it right the way YOU want it, there are great probabilities of long-term disasters happening. If I set it right the way I want it, though it looks like a disaster now, long term you will thank me for it. So choose…’
Two things for us to remember every time God doesn’t answer our prayers:
  • ONE:  God is more interested in fulfilling His eternal plans in your life than answering your immediate prayers.
  • TWO: GIVE SPACE TO GOD TO answer your prayers at His pace. Your space and pace could be a disaster.
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DON’T MISS IT…!

When we experience pain.

When we experience betrayal.

When we experience failure.

When we experience the worst season of our lives.

 

Worse than the experience itself is feeling that our circumstances has choked us and the people in our lives are responsible for everything we have experienced.

This feeling can lead to bitterness. Anger. Revenge. A lifelong desire to avenge the people in your life.

But Joseph knew something better than made him ride at a different level. Ask Joseph. Genesis 45.

 

Revealing himself to his brothers after 20 years was quite a dramatic event.

His brothers would have dreaded the moment, because if Joseph who had all the power and influence, could have ruthlessly destroyed them.

But Joseph lived very differently.

Genesis 45: 3-8:

3 “I am Joseph!” he said to his brothers. “Is my father still alive?” But his brothers were speechless! They were stunned to realize that Joseph was standing there in front of them. 4 “Please, come closer,” he said to them. So they came closer. And he said again, “I am Joseph, your brother, whom you sold into slavery in Egypt. 5 But don’t be upset, and don’t be angry with yourselves for selling me to this place. It was God who sent me here ahead of you to preserve your lives. 6 This famine that has ravaged the land for two years will last five more years, and there will be neither plowing nor harvesting. 7 God has sent me ahead of you to keep you and your families alive and to preserve many survivors. 8 So it was God who sent me here, not you! And he is the one who made me an adviser to Pharaoh—the manager of his entire palace and the governor of all Egypt.

 

He saw the finger of God in all that he experienced.

He saw the watchful hands of God guiding him at every step.

 

He repeated again and again:

‘It was God who sent me here…’

‘God has sent me…’

‘So it was God…’

 

DON’T MISS IT.

Seeing God’s blueprint in your pain prepares you for joy.

Seeing God’s blueprint through your betrayal prepares you for restoration.

Seeing God’s blueprint in your failure prepares you for success.

Seeing God’s blueprint in your worse season prepares you for your best season.

 

God’s blueprint makes your life. God’s blueprint remakes your life.

You don’t lose heart when things don’t go your way. Because you trust God’s blueprint to lead you to where you need to be.

You don’t lose heart when people seem to mess up your life. Because you trust God’s blueprint to set right what people had intentionally malfunctioned in your life.

Never fail to see the finger of God in all that you experience today.

 

 

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WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU ARE SIDELINED?

It’s not fair.

It is unjust.

It is painful.

The agony of injustice is more painful than any physical attack or verbal abuse.

 

Ask Joseph. Genesis 39.

 

Sold as a slave. By his own brothers. In an act of jealousy.

Thrown into prison. By his own boss. In an act of spurned lust by the boss’s wife.

 

Just like Joseph, we might be slaving in our assignment or project or workplace. Because somebody’s jealousy stopped our promotion.

Just like Joseph, we might be isolated or ostracized because we refused to do something wrong.

Just like Joseph, our best years of our life might be living in the sidelines. Away from where we feel we should have been. Away from success due to us.

 

But God works in the sidelines.

Joseph’s success story is not about Joseph.

Joseph’s success is how God can use the worse circumstances to bring out the best in us.

In the midst of the most painful acts of injustice, Joseph always knew: ‘The Lord was with Joseph, so he succeeded in everything he did…’ (39:2, 5,21)

 

What we consider as sidelines, is God’s centerstage to reveal his love and faithfulness.

What we consider as unfair and unjust, are opportunities for God to reveal his glory and fame.

When it seems we are left out,  God is with us, drawing us close to Him.

Like Joseph, never give up when we are treated the worst.

Like Joseph, never give in when we are pushed to the corner.

Like Joseph, never let go of your relationship with God.

Because God is with you. Waiting. Watching. Working. To bring glory to Himself through you.

 

Your worst moments of injustice. Is never wasted by God. He uses it to bring glory to Him.

 

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WHAT DO WE DO WHEN PEOPLE POISON OTHERS AGAINST US?

“Paul and Barnabas went to the Jewish synagogue and preached with such power that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. Some of the Jews, however, spurned God’s message and poisoned the minds of the Gentiles against Paul and Barnabas. But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord. …”
‭‭Acts of the Apostles‬ ‭14‬:‭1‬-‭3‬ ‭NLT

What do we do when people reject our message or poison other people against us?
Often we end up wanting to leave immediately and go to another place.
Or we fight back and create greater confusion.
Or, we quit and give up.

But Paul and Barnabas refused to quit or feel or fight:
But the apostles stayed there a long time, preaching boldly about the grace of the Lord.

Firstly, they stood firm.

They did not give up. They did not run away. They stayed put. In fact, they stayed a long time. They knew God has called theme there and were faithful.

Secondly, they were faithful to their ministry. 

They were called to preach. They continued to preach boldly. They did not change their strategies or stay quiet. They kept doing what they were called to do.

Finally, they focused on God’s grace.

They did not allow the bitterness of people around them to make them bitter. They did not try to focus on ‘God’s judgment’ and put a guilt trip on people. They focused on the overwhelming grace of God and a God who never gives up on people.

What do we do when people make it difficult for us?
It’s not time to quit. Or flee. Or fight.
It’s time to stand firm.
It’s time to be faithful in ministry.
It’s time to focus on God’s grace.

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EAT THIS BOOK

“I am the bread of life… This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die.” JOHN 6:48-50 NRSV

Well-known author Eugene Peterson wrote a book entitled, Eat This Book, which encourages every Christ-follower to the vital practice of meditating on God’s Word daily. He draws the attention of every Christ-follower that the Bible, all of it, is livable; it is the text for living our lives. It reveals a God-created, God-ordered, God-blessed world in which we find ourselves at home and whole.

He invites us as Christ-followers to: ‘…feed on Scripture. Holy Scripture nurtures the holy community as food nurtures the human body. We don’t simply learn or study or use Scripture; we assimilate it, take it into our lives in such a way that it gets metabolized into acts of love, cups of cold water, missions into all the world, healing and evangelism and justice in Jesus’ name, hands raised in adoration of the Father, feet washed in company with the Son.’

Our time daily in God’s Word is not just a ‘drive-thru’ mobile facility where we ‘pick and choose’ from the Bible what is most convenient for us as we rush off for the day. We should seek to prepare for our time alone in God’s Word as we prepare to eat a major meal in a day.

  • Find a location that helps you concentrate the most and get the least distracted.
  • Physically and mentally prepare yourself to actively enter the world of God’s Word.
  • Avoid multi-tasking with other devices and activities while you read God’s Word.
  • Beware of the tendency of wanting to rush off to the next appointment while you read the Word.
  • Take a few moments at the end of your time of ‘Eating The Word’ to reflect on what you just read.

 

 

 

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Stop Making Your Plans!

Plans. We love making it.

We deliberate on it. We process it. We outline it.
We also worry about it. We lose sleep over it. We fight over it.
That’s because it is OUR plan. We are the sole creators and custodians of our plans.

But the psalmist has a greater realization for us:
“The Lord will work out his plans for my life— for your faithful love, O Lord, endures forever. Don’t abandon me, for you made me.”
‭‭Psalms‬ ‭138:8‬ ‭NLT‬‬

It is no longer our plan. It is God’s plan. This realization will dramatically alter how we live.

Firstly, God’s plans are way better than my plans. He has created me. He knows best what is needed for my life. It’s time to give up living out my plans.

Secondly, It is God-size plans. No longer wasting my time and life micromanaging my minuscule plans. God’s plans for my life are greater and infinitely awesome.

Finally, God is working out His plans in my life. I no longer need to fret about it. Fuss over it. Or be paralyzed by fear. God is 24/7 watching over what He wants to do in my life for his grander purpose. He loves me and will never abandon me.

Stop making your plans.
God has already designed His grander plans for you.
God is working out the details.

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How UNCOMMON are you?

We flip or scan our Bible to the Book of Daniel and we discover a man who experienced and interpreted uncommon dreams. Dreams that unraveled the secret lives of great leaders. Dreams that gave a glimpse of the destiny of kingdoms.
Daniel the uncommon dreamer was an uncommon man because of a few uncommon  qualities(Daniel 1-6):
  • He distinguished himself from every other leader around him with his exemplary lifestyle  
  • There was no corruption in his dealings
  • He was trustworthy in his responsibilities
  • He was never negligent in his roles
  • He was radically obedient to God
  • He faithfully prayed three times a day- filled with thanksgiving and asking God’s help in all things
  • He unwaveringly trusted  God in all things
  • He made intentional personal choices that would honor his faith in God.
We are called to be uncommon people who live out uncommon lives in our world.
Like F. B. Meyer said, ‘Don’t waste your time waiting and longing for large opportunities which may never come. But faithfully handle the little things that are always claiming your attention.’
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Why I Am No Longer Fully Convinced With A Biopic Or Biography…

I guess I was naive.

I expected Biopics to be historical documentaries.

Then I expected the same with biographies.

I lived in an idealistic world where biopics and Biographies presented the real lives of people.

As most Biopics had this interesting sentence at the start of the movie: Based on true events.

But the more I watch these Biopics. And read these biographies. I am discovering a curious trend:

Firstly, the onscreen or literary edition of life seems more colourful than our normal lives. Our daily lives doesn’t seem to have the unusual drama that seems to appear in ‘reel life’.

Secondly, it seems to magnify emphases that supports the world-views of the directors or producers. What is minimised or totally left out are events or moments that would conflict with what they would want to project.

Thirdly, embellished scenes or sections in the biopic/biography are outlandishly distant from real life of the person or event . It either never happened or it happened in someone else’s life.

Finally, and most dangerously, we tend to believe what we see or we read in the biopic/biography and we potentially forget the facts of the real event or person in history.

We are shaped by what we see. We tend to believe what we are ingeniously shown.

We are shaped by what we read. We tend to believe what is craftily presented to us in written form.

The truth seems to be secondary. The ‘agenda’ is primary.

What I want the world to believe is more important than truth itself.

The more we believe it, the more we mould ourselves to consider it as the truth.

There was guy called Dave. He did some great stuff. He also did some normal stuff. But then there was ugly dark stuff he ended up doing. But he was considered a hero in his time and honoured as a legend beyond his generation

Well, many years later there was a biography written about him. The biography covered everything about him. Yes, the good, the bad and the ugly. It covered everything that would make sense to the Author’s timeline and purpose. In the final analysis, it was not about Dave. It was how the Author wanted it. It was how the Author wanted the world to see Him through Dave’s life.

But this was a different kind of Author. A different Director. This is God Himself.

The Bible is God’s Word. The Bible calls David(Dave), a man after God’s own heart. But the Bible covered everything that David did. Because when God writes a story He states it the way it is.

It was about truth . The real truth.

It was about justice. The real kind.

It was about faithfulness. Even in small things.

It was about fame. God’s fame.

What are you watching today?

What are you reading today?

Regardless of who shapes it or irrespective of the agenda you are unwittingly forced into, never let go of these essential core values:

⁃ Truth

⁃ Justice

⁃ Faithfulness

⁃ God’s fame

Enjoy the Biopic or the Biography, but never forget your core values.

There is one song(by the band 4Him)which I have treasured for the last two decades. The lyrics captures my heart’s cry:

From the time, time began You

Always chose a man

To lead the people safely by Your Way

To be a voice and echo what You say

Like David or Abraham

Your Word is full of such men

And if the Bible had no closing page

And still was being written to this day

I want to be a man that you

Would write about

Oh a thousand years from now

That they could read about

Your servant of choice in whom

You found favor

A man who heard Your voice

Generations away it is my prayer

That they will look back and say

“Oh to have that kind of faith

And love

What a solid man of God he was”

I don’t know how ‘solid’ I would become. Or would I ever have ‘that kind of faith’.

But this is my prayer:

Help me Lord, to live for your fame alone. In truth, justice and faithfulness.

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‘I AM SORRY’  

Prologue

They are everywhere. You find them on your street corners. School campuses. College canteens. Office cubicles. Everywhere.

Some are students while others are teachers and professors. Some are college dropouts while others are corporate team leaders or businessmen. They are everywhere.

They are hair stylists, graphic designers, air hostesses, actors, sportspersons, and choreographers.

They are farmers, carpenters, plumbers, electricians, auto-rickshaw drivers.

You find them in government offices. Shopping malls. Restaurants. Churches.

We are talking about 65% of the Indian population*. They are the youth and the children. They are our next generation.

Written below is my open letter to the next generation of India.

 

 

‘I AM SORRY’

(OPEN LETTER TO THE NEXT GENERATION)

 

Dear Young friend,

Today, as I write to you, I write on behalf of countless dads and moms. I write on behalf of countless educators and professors. I write on behalf of countless politicians and business tycoons. Celebrities, sportspersons, actors, artists. Everyone.

All of us, are the only role models you have ever had. You watched us and learnt from us at home, on the road, in school, on TV, on social media and everywhere else.

Based on what we said and what we did, you modelled your own lives.

Unfortunately, I am sorry, we have not been the best models. Some of us tried our best to be good models for you to follow. But most of us messed it up deliberately.

As you prepare to chase your dreams and prepare to change your world in the next 20 years, I am sorry we failed to show you the right things all the time. I am sorry we did not leave you with a world that you are really proud of.

What we said and what we did, often destroyed you and deconstructed your world.

I am sorry.

On behalf of my generation, I write this open letter to you. I write this letter to you as you prepare to chase the grander dreams in your generation.

I write this letter because I don’t want you to make the same mistakes that we did so that you might destroy your next generation.

Most of you are smart and you already figured out what’s wrong with us. But I want to spell it out so that you and your generation will live out the right values in your generation.

 

I am sorry- we taught you ITS OKAY TO CHEAT.

It’s okay to cheat on your taxes. Cheat on your office stationery. Cheat your wife.

I am sorry. Actually, it’s not okay to cheat anytime, anyone, anywhere, anyhow.

We wish we taught you to be truthful and honest at all times

 

 

I am sorry we taught you- ITS OKAY TO HATE ONE ANOTHER

Hate someone because they look different. Hate someone because they belong to another caste or religion. Hate someone because they belong to another group. Hate someone because you don’t like them.

I am sorry because of this hatred we taught you it’s okay to kill each other.

I am sorry. Because it’s not okay to hate someone anytime anywhere anyhow.

We wish we taught you to love a human being regardless of his or her background

 

 

I am sorry we taught you ITS OKAY TO DESTROY YOUR ENVIRONMENT. 

We cut down more trees because we wanted bigger business. We build larger industries which spread more smoke than health. We destroyed all your play area because we wanted bigger roads to navigate our multiple vehicles.

I am sorry because we have not left you with much place to have fun and breathe fresh air.

I am sorry.  Because it’s not okay to destroy your environment anytime anywhere anyhow for anybody.

We wish we taught you to care for our environment just as we care for our homes.

 

I am sorry, we taught you it’s okay to FLIRT WITH JUST ANYONE

It’s okay to flirt with someone who is not your wife or husband. Flirt and get cosy with someone for just one night with no intention of marrying him or her. It’s okay to flirt with anyone to just get a bigger pay package in the office. It’s okay to flirt as many times as you want without feeling anything about it.

I am really sorry. Because many of you lost your parents, you were left orphaned and rejected at a very young age.

I am sorry because it was not your fault and all your life you carried this pain wanting to somehow grapple with this hurt and frustration

I am sorry because it’s not okay to flirt with anyone anytime anywhere anyhow

We wish we taught you to be faithful in our relationships in all circumstances.

 

I am sorry, we taught you it’s okay to SELL YOUNG GIRLS FOR THE SEX TRADE.

It’s okay to kidnap them, threaten them, abuse them. It’s okay to get them out of their schools destroy their dreams treat them like trash. As long we could get pleasure and money at the end of the day.

I am sorry because no generation ever has been more guilty of this heinous crime than ours.

I am sorry because it’s not okay to sell anyone anywhere anytime anyhow

We wish we taught you to honour the women in our world with all sacredness and purity.

 

I am sorry we taught you it’s okay to GIVE UP ON LIFE IF NOTHING WORKS OUT

It’s okay to destroy your own body with drugs. It’s okay to cut and hurt yourself. It’s okay even to kill yourself. Because it’s okay to give up on life when nothing works out right.

I am sorry because that’s actually not true. When nothing works out, you don’t give up on life, you press on and hang in there.

I am sorry because it’s not okay to give up on life anytime anywhere anyhow.

We wish we taught you to treasure your lives as God’s gift and seek to live for His glory at all times.

 

 

I am sorry our generation failed to be there when you needed us the most. We were too busy climbing the success ladder. Making more money. Becoming more famous. But we did not have time to play with you. Pray with you.

I am sorry for what we failed to be and do.

I wish we taught you how to be more faithful. More loving. More real. More clean. More courageous.

My prayer is that by the time you teach your next generation, you won’t make the same mistakes we made.

I am sorry.

 

Sincerely yours,

On behalf of my generation,

 

Jacob Mathew

 

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CHANGE THE GAME

Thomas Edison. Martin Luther King Jr. Wright Brothers. Nelson Mandela. Mother Teresa.

What was one quality common among all of them?
They decided to do things differently. They broke the status quo. They challenged the existing rules of the game(in a good way!)
In the 21st century, they are called game-changers. People who changed the game.
Abraham. Moses. David. Esther. Daniel. Peter. Paul.
In the Biblical world they were all game-changers. Men and women who changed the game. People who significantly  changed the spiritual and moral landscape of their world within their lifetime.
There were 3 things common about all of them:
– They were ordinary people. They were living ordinary common lives following their own professions.
– They were obedient people. They obeyed the voice of God to do whatever He wanted them to do.
– They were ‘outrageous‘ people. They decided to do things that was considered ‘outrageous’ in their world.
Regardless of where we are, we are all called to be  game-changers.
My prayer is that God will raise a young generation of Godly game-changers who will do something significantly grand for God and make Jesus famous in their lifetime.
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