SippingFromWithin

Every child of God has received in his spirit the nature and life of God. This nature and life has changed our very being; it has linked us up with God; linked us up with life (Eternal life), with love.   In John 15:5 Jesus says, “ I am the vine; you are the branches. ” The illustration of the branch and its limitless benefits to believers is astonishing. The branches are a part of the vine, and it’s beneficial for the branches to be connected to the vine, for only when they are connected can they blossom and bear fruits. For the vine and branches is one. Like the illustration, the believer is united with Christ in the same way. It is the union of life in life, of love in love, of nature in nature. The believer is utterly one with Him. All that He is is yours. All that you are is His. Jesus is life; we are a branch of life. Jesus is the unveiling of love; we are a branch of love. Jesus brought this new kind of love and He demonstrated it in His earthly wa...

This topic was sort of difficult to write, for the more I thought about it, the more I felt I had in some way contributed to the problem. However, self-pitying about the past is no solution. So instead, I thank God for what He has opened my eyes to, and have decided to move ahead by sharing the bit I can, and trust that the Holy Spirit would expand what’s expressed within you. While reading the book titled “The Hidden Man” by E. W. Kenyon, I learnt that, most of the things learnt are via our five senses, and from the knowledge collected and classified, various creeds and doctrines have been formulated. Although these may be formulated with the intent to guide, the cruel (permit me to say) thing about it is that these things expressed by our senses (sense knowledge) largely springs forth from selfish interests, not Love. For if Love dominated the hearts of writers that wrote certain creeds and doctrines, they would have focused on the truths that unite the Body of Christ,...

At times words or actions motivated by intermittent emotions don’t always have pleasant endings. A biblical instance of this is seen in the life of Herod the Tetrarch. For it was his birthday and the hall used to for the event was filled with nobles who engaged in loud chatter and laughs, and each table was filled with the guest’s choice. The party was lively and the entertainments were provided by top performers but unlike the other announcements for previous performances, this next performance was made with honorifics that indicated royalty, for she was the daughter of Herodias and a significant performer.  As the young dancer gradually makes her way to the spotlight, surrounding chatters and laughs gradually fade away. All who are present are spellbound by the performance before them. And at the stop of the last beat, emotions run high and a wild applause is given to the young performer. Pleased with what he had seen, the king gives his word to the young girl who had ...

Variants of this theme have been written over time to celebrate this day and I may not be able to fully express it as to resonate with the moment. And though I may barely be able to express my gratitude, and although all I have to say might seem really small when expressed in writing - as I currently do. I can assure you that within me are welled up an ocean of gratitude for all you have done for me Dad. For you encourage me whenever I fall to get up; You support and disciplined me whenever I strayed; And with words of love you patiently directed me; You provided me with nuggets of wisdom to stay the course, even when the current seems overwhelming; You sacrifice and endured challenges in order to support me; You showed me the value of patient when needed, as well as aggression when required; And in your own way you encourage me to trust in God by practicing what you preach; These and more I will always appreciate and cherish. And yes variants of this theme h...

Have you ever found yourself stuck in a situation or task, but are suddenly excited when you see someone you know that can handle it? I guess most people can relate to this. Well, that sense of excitement arises because you are confident in the abilities of that individual, and you are aware that the challenge is not something alien to him. Also, you can be rest assured that once the person intervenes you can finally make progress on the task or move past that situation that initially got you stuck.   The disciples found themselves in a similar situation in Matthew 14: 24 - 26. Their “ boat was a considerable distance away from land, and was buffeted by the waves because the wind was against it. ” They were terrified by the turbulence that surrounded them and that fear left them at the mercy of the situation. But thank God for his mercy, Jesus immediately said to them, “ Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid ” - Matthew 14: 27. For as these words reached these terrified...