LIFE

”… You will cause Your ear to hear, to do justice to the fatherless and the oppressed, that the man of the earth may oppress no more.” Psalm 10:18

There is something about God and His heart towards the fatherless, oppressed, widowed, poor and needy. The fatherless is what I want to talk about briefly here.

The fatherless may not necessarily just mean “without a physical father.” It can also mean having a physical father but not being fathered well; not experiencing a fuller love from one who is supposed to fulfil that role. I believe that many Young Adults have gone through a “fatherless” life. One that lacks emotional support, affirmation and warmth.

But isn’t it good to know that our God has a “soft spot” towards people who are fatherless? Psalm 146:9 says “The Lord watches over the strangers; He relieves the fatherless…”

I do not know what background you come from. There are many colleagues and friends of yours who perhaps are “fatherless.” That’s where they need God too. That’s where we know that God’s “soft spot” towards the weak can never go wrong when met with a “cry” for a father in you or your friends.

Many who come into ACTS also need fathering. Besides helping these precious lives see God as FATHER, the process of mentoring and discipleship also gives that needed fathering to them. J

“…For in You the fatherless finds mercy.” Hosea 14:3

Our God is the ultimate Father. He is the one we call Abba Father.

Be encouraged that God LOVES you more than your past seem to dictate. In fact, He wants to be ALL that your earthly father may not have been to you. Receive that in Jesus’ name!

Have a victorious week this week!

Love, Pr. Alex.
Young Adults Pastor of ACTS Church

INCOMPARABLE DEVOTION

“For the poor you have with you always, but Me you do not have always.”

Between Jesus and the poor, who would you choose? The clear “winner” would be Jesus. Or has it been the poor? But if Jesus, why Jesus? (in this context) And have we always chosen Jesus over the “poor”?

This statement made by Jesus (John 12:8) is not to reveal Him as uncompassionate towards the poor (And the poor could also mean a certain group of marginalized people, poor in spirit, the needy, and not necessarily just poor economically). Neither is it supposed to take our attention off such needy people.

In that period of time when Jesus spoke those words, He knew that He was about to be crucified and hence will not be physically present with his disciples for much longer. But we also know that He (God) would be there with the disciples in the form of the Holy Spirit after the death, resurrection and ascension of Jesus unto the Father. So how could we then apply “but Me you do not have always” to our current context?

This is what I caught from the Lord in application to my own life. Chew on this statement for a while: One may not always HAVE God with him or her even when one HAS God with him or her. To put it in another way, I may believe and commune with Him but may not necessarily HAVE Him with me all the time. I may do many things for the “poor” but I may not necessarily be totally devoted to the God of the poor! Needs will always be there for us to meet. We will always have the “poor.” But we must not forget total devotion towards Him!

A few verses up, we read of Mary who used her hair to wipe the feet of Jesus after anointing them with very costly oil. A few things that come to mind concerning total devotion to Jesus:

1. It is costly. It is the best that we give to the Lord! Our time, talent and treasure!

1. Humility. The hair and feet act! It speaks of the prized hair of almost anybody “meeting” with one of the dirtiest parts of our body; our feet.

1. Fragrance fills the House! When total devotion happens, OTHERS will be blessed by it; even the poor!

Young Working Adults, we must remain devoted to Him; totally! Total devotion covers the time spent with Him in His presence; the quality of our quiet time. It also covers how we give of ourselves to the things of His heart; how we are passionate about His House! As we give back to our community, as we serve Him by serving others, let us do it not without giving Him our best (the best costs us something!); not without humility, knowing that OTHERS will be blessed by our total devotion to Him!

Love,

Pr Alex