We are accountable for our words and deeds. We know that. In fact, that is precisely why the Bible advises us to be prudent, guard our hearts and minds, and avoid sin at all cost.

But what about the sins we commit when we are sleeping? I am talking about the things we wouldn't dare do when we are wide awake, but see ourselves doing (and dare I say enjoying) in our dreams. Are we accountable for those too?  

The people in church were talking about that recently. And some of them were obviously very worried about it. One woman, however, had a different take. She said (and I quote): “We certainly have enough waking sins to confess; I don't think God will hold us responsible for the ones we commit when we are asleep!”

She then confessed, in good humor, that she actually enjoyed those sins as sort of "free passes."

The people laughed and moved on. But I couldn't stop thinking about what she had said.

So, well, here’s my take.

God surely won’t hold us responsible for the sins we commit when we are asleep...but that does not mean they are entirely without consequences.

Let me put this as simply as I can.

Satan knows all our weaknesses and tries to use them against us. He wants us to fall. But God is watching out for us, and wants us to be better prepared. So, He allows certain dreams to show us exactly where we stand. Ever heard the axiom: "Whatever you can dream, you can do."?

If, in your dreams, you see yourself doing something you should not, you should get down on your knees and pray for the grace and strength to resist.... because temptation is on its way and you have been warned already.

Watch and Pray.

The Bible is an amazing book. It’s got something for everyone. And it’s quite riveting too. Deception, murder, envy, lust, seduction, war – the Bible covers every theme you would find a modern day thriller.

But the overriding premise is Love. 

Yes, I know, some parts of the Old Testament are hard to digest. It’s hard to comprehend how God, the very personification of love, the One who sacrificed His own Son for us, could order Israelites to annihilate the Canaanites, women and children included.

The Canaanites had lived in their land for centuries before Joshua and his people came to claim it for themselves. While some in Canaan fought against God’s people and were destroyed as a result (cf. the battle of Ai, 8:14ff), others did not attempt armed aggression against Israel. The people of Jericho, for instance, retreated inside their city walls and mounted no attack against the Jews. Nonetheless, following divine orders, the Israeli soldiers “destroyed with the sword every living thing in it—men and women, young and old, cattle, sheep and donkeys” (6:21).

Why this cruel, unfair, warlike attitude?

To understand this more clearly, we must look at things from God’s perspective.

Consider this hypothesis:

It is the early Sixties. Scientists have discovered a new species of monkey in the African lowlands. This species is extremely rare, with just about 200 individuals. People across the globe think they should be protected. There is just one catch. Although these monkeys pose no direct threat to man, they are known to carry a virus strain that WILL eventually jump species and cause what we know today as HIV/AIDS. Just so you know, as of today, HIV/AIDS has claimed 30 million lives. Now, think again. If it were up to you, what would you do? Would you cull the species right away? Or would you risk it and allow the virus to jump species and become a global killer?

Thousands of years ago, God found Himself in a similar predicament. He loved His people too much and did not want them to be infected with the sinfulness of other tribes. The inhabitants of Canaan were neither ignorant nor innocent victims. If anything, the Canaanite culture was a very wicked one! These people did horrific things and their religious observances involved both lewd sexual acts and child sacrifice. The infamous cities of Sodom and Gomorrah were both Canaanite cities. Though probably the worst of the bunch, their culture was very indicative of the land of Canaan in the Old Testament. In short, the Canaanites were infected. In wiping the Canaanites from the land, the Israelites would exterminate their wicked culture. So, God gave the order to have them culled.

Unfortunately, the Israelites did not obey God completely. They slaughtered most Canaanite tribes, but let a handful remain. Eventually, these people were absorbed into the fold and what God had tried so hard to prevent happened. Soon, the Israelites started engaging in all sorts of dubious activity. And some of these things go on to this day.

To sum up, during the Old Testament period, God called a physical nation unto Himself. He instructed them to take their promised land. He drove out the inhabitants and ordered for their culture to be razed. This physical nation had physical battles and possessed a physical land.

Today, God’s Kingdom is spiritual. It is “in the world, but not of the world.” Our battles are not physical, but spiritual. Christ Jesus has ultimately defeated our enemies (sin, sickness and death) and declared victory! Rather than warring against nations, we fight against fleshly lusts which war against the soul, and seek to live a life acceptable to Him.

God does everything for our good. He was willing to sacrifice a few to save many. When that failed, He sacrificed His own Son on the cross. Now, it’s up to us. When we accept Jesus, and acknowledge that He died for our sins, something happens… something that is both tangible and ethereal. The change begins somewhere deep within and ultimately gushes forth like a fountain, renewing mind, body and spirit. It changes people for good, causing the living “dead” to really come alive again.

Was it fair that Israel destroyed the residents of Canaan? If God were fair, none of us could see His perfect heaven. We are all spiritual Canaanites, saved from eternal wrath only by the love of our Creator. Think back to your last sin and admit that it warrants the judgment and condemnation of a holy God. Then, thank God that He is not fair.

So, what cause would you be willing to let your child die for?

Simple question.

Many take pride in a loved one who dies fighting for the country. Yes, that is a huge sacrifice. But I am not talking about the kind of sacrifice where your grownup kid joins the army, is sent to war with the hope that he’ll return soon, but does not.  I am talking about the kind where you have to send your kid to war with the understanding that he’s never coming back. Like a suicide mission. Except the decision is not up to your child — it’s up to you.

What cause would be worth that kind of sacrifice?

Turn around one time and look at your kid or loved one before you answer this. No need to hurry. Take your time.

There’s one more catch though. What if I told you the enemies are savages. A bullet to the head won’t do it. They’ll beat the living daylights out of your kid before they let him die. They’ll skin him alive. Torture him. Pull every bone of his body out of socket. It’s going to be gruesome.

What cause would be worth having your child go through that?

Come on now. You can decide. It’s your call after all.

What if your kid calls you from the warzone the night before his unit is about to be ambushed. He says, “Dad, they are closing in. I can turn back now while there is still time. But you asked me to be here and I won’t retreat until you say so. Please Dad. I want to come back. Just say the word. We can worry about this later. They are gonna kill me, Dad. And I want to live. I want to come home. Please let me come back...”  

What would you say in response?

If it was me I’d tell my child to get the heck out of there and keep running till he got home.

But I am asking you now. What would you do?

While you are thinking about that I want to tell you about a remarkable dad who took a similar call from his son. The amazing thing is this dad did not back down. Neither did the son. When the enemy was within sight, his buddies retreated and ran for their life.

But this kid did not.

He stood there… alone…because his father told him to.

And he went down.

You’ve probably heard of him. His name is Jesus.    

PS: I didn't tell you the cause he died for. It was you. Funny thing is all these years later both Father and Son still think it was totally worth it. And they would do it again if they needed to. As far as they are concerned, you are absolutely precious, someone to be held close and loved unconditionally. Yes! God still believes you are worth dying for.

My son was riding his bicycle the other day and was about the run into a parked car. I jumped in just in time, grabbed the handle and turned the bike around. No one commended me for my quick reflexes. No one even noticed. Frankly, I did not think much of it either.

And the other day, when the bakery ran out of hard bread, I drove 10 extra miles early in the morning just so that I could get it for my mother-in-law. She likes hard bread. But no one said, “Thank you.”

And this other time I was having a really long and hard day at work. And yet instead of driving straight home I went shopping to pick something my wife requested. I was really tired. But I got what she needed. No one said, “Gee! You’re so good.”

These are just some of the run-of-the-mill things I do every day. No one knows about it. It’s not recorded anywhere…except maybe in heaven.

And then there are these few instances when I mess things up. And, boy, do they get noticed.

Like that one time when I was trying to get my son dressed and his thumb got caught in the sleeve. It took my wife months to forgive me and let it go.

Truth is I am madly in love with my wife. And I love my kids like crazy. Sometimes, when my son goes to his grandparents’ house for a day, I am literally holding the tears back. I miss him so much.

But I am NOT the perfect dad.

I really want to be one, but I am not. I mess things up. I lose my cool. I yell. Sometimes I have to run away to be by myself, to collect my thoughts, to catch my breath…and pray. And it is only when I sit before the Throne of Grace, that I find the strength to rise and start over again.

The devil is happy when we give up and give in. That's why he constantly floods the mind with negative, defeatist thoughts. He wants us to be defined by our failures.

But that’s not the message of the Gospel.

The Bible says: The LORD upholds all those who fall and lifts up all who are bowed down. (Psalm 145:14) In fact, if we follow the ways of God but fail in some part of our life, God assures us that he will be there to assist us back on our feet. If the LORD delights in a man's way, he makes his steps firm; though he stumble, he will not fall, for the LORD upholds him with his hand. (Psalm 37:23-24) 

So, when we fail, the best thing to do is just pick ourselves up and start all over again. We must let go of past mistakes and think about how we can do better in the future.

To concentrate always on problems and to always think about the possibility of failure is self-destructive. The victory Jesus gained over sin would never have been gained if he had thought only of the struggle and the possibility of failure. Jesus set his mind firmly on the future and what would be achieved, and this helped him to overcome failure.

And even Jesus and his disciples were not always successful in getting people to follow him as they traveled across the countryside. There was one particular time as they headed towards the next village where he sent out his disciples two by two and he said:

“If any place will not welcome you or listen to you, shake the dust off your feet when you leave, as a testimony against them.” (Mark 6:11)

Jesus seems to be saying, "Don’t be sidetracked by your detractors, your failures. Don’t allow defeat to stop you. Don’t let failure be the final word."

And that’s why you should never give up on yourself (or anybody else). Whatever your failure, believe that God is still at work, moving you out of the hardship to a new place. All you need to do is pray to Him and ask for help.

I came across an article in the New York Times today. The author wondered about all the instances of terrible injustice in the world and why a perfectly powerful and perfectly good God is not doing something about it.

Truth be told, I used to wonder about the same thing in the not-so-distant past. And I concluded that the reason why God's not showing up is because he does not exist.  

This kind of reasoning is simple and the conclusion is easy to arrive at because it appeals to our inherent human nature. We prefer to do as we please, but when we start facing the consequences of our actions, we subconsciously start looking for someone to blame. And when our search brings us to the mirror, we quickly turn around and try to find a suitable scapegoat. Ultimately, we blame God. It’s human nature to take credit for all the good and blame God for all the bad.

Scripture says: “The highest heavens belong to the LORD, but the earth he has given to mankind.” (Psalms 115:16). So, if God were really uptight, he could simply write us off saying “If you break it, it’s yours to fix.”

Fortunately, God is very open to the idea of helping us. The problem is not many of us are asking Him to. And the reason we are not is because deep down we know we may not like his solutions. We cannot be selective about when we want God to act and when we want him to back off. As it is, we don't like His way…so we’re on the highway. Alone. And just so you know, God does mess with freewill.  

Life is a book—every day is a new page; every month, a new chapter; and every year, a new series. And while each day can teach us something new about ourselves and the world around us, it is also quite possible to stumble through an entire chapter and get nothing out of it. Life’s like that. We waltz in and out of situations and sometimes emerge scratching our heads and thinking, “I wonder what really happened back there?”

Wisdom cannot be swallowed whole. And if you try to stuff it down people’s throats, they are likely to vomit it all out and leave with a bad taste. So, this book of quotes attempts to break down life’s lessons into simpler, smaller, easier-to-chew morsels. That way, you can relish the essence of life one bite at a time.

What we say says a lot about us. And our words determine our destiny. Therefore, we must choose our words carefully, especially when answering questions pertaining to faith. This is important because regardless of who is asking the question, God is listening to your answer. And if God is pleased with your answer, blessings follow.

Take the case of the Syro-Phoenician woman, for instance.

The woman’s daughter had an evil spirit. When she heard Jesus was in the vicinity, she ran to him, fell at his feet and begged him to force the demon out of her daughter. Jesus told the woman, "It is not right to take the children's bread and give it to the dogs. First let the children eat all they want."

But she answered, "Yes, Lord, but even the dogs under the table can eat the children's crumbs."

Jesus was impressed and said, "Because of your answer, you may go. The demon has left your daughter."

The woman goes home and finds her daughter lying in bed—the demon is out. (Look up Mark 7:24-30 for details.)

This woman was at the end of her rope. She had tried everything. So, when she heard Jesus was in town, she knew she had nothing to lose. And yet, the outcome she desired was ultimately tied to her own answer. And she answered well.

Let’s take another example.

A Roman captain’s servant is on his deathbed. Not wanting to lose him, the captain sends Jesus a request asking him to come and heal his servant. When Jesus is still quite far from the house, the captain sent friends to tell him, “Master, you don’t have to go to all this trouble. I’m not that good a person, you know. I’d be embarrassed for you to come to my house, even embarrassed to come to you in person. Just give the order and my servant will get well.”

Taken aback, Jesus addresses the accompanying crowd: “I’ve yet to come across this kind of simple trust anywhere in Israel.”

When the messengers get back home, the servant is up and well.

Now, we know that God is not a respecter of men. He plays no favorites! He is not easily impressed. And yet Jesus is impressed by this man—not because of who he is, but what he says.

Yes! It is true. All men are not equal. Many are called, but only a few are chosen. Only few standout… because they are willing to push the envelope and go farther than the others. They express faith. They stay focused. They speak wisely. They find favor with God.

And one day of favor is worth a lifetime of labor.

I bought my wife a big, brand new fridge today. And she is mighty happy, which is not surprising considering she waited almost four years for it. Of course, we did have a fridge all this while, but because we lived in a smaller house with a cabinet-sized kitchen until recently, I couldn't get her the type she really wanted.

So, she prayed and waited and prayed and waited and prayed and waited a little more… And like an answered prayer, the fridge is finally here now.

In the hours preceding its arrival, my wife spent time making room for it by moving some kitchen furniture around and sweeping the place clean. And when the delivery guys finally arrived at the door, she opened it wide so that they would have no problem getting the fridge to the place she had specially prepared for it.

The kid couldn't care less as long as he is fed, but the wife is happy. And I, too, am content. Life is good.

In fact, this is exactly how things work out in all aspects of life. God answers every prayer—either He says “Yes” and gives you what you asked for, or He says “No” and gives you something better, or He says “Wait” and gives you the best.

However, there are countless others who never get what they prayed for…not because God has not granted their request, but simply because they don’t know how to receive it.

Like, for instance, you can pray all you want for a bigger house, and God may cause you to receive an increment in your salary. But if you spend every dime of that extra cash on fast food, fancy gadgets and other junk instead of saving it to make a down payment on the house, you are never going to make it.

Similarly, you can pray all you want for good health, and God will grant your request. But if you never stop eating like a pig, or boozing like an elephant, or smoking like a chimp, sooner or later, your body will give in and you could suffer multiple organ failure.

So, those who pray for things must also, in faith, prepare to receive what they asked for. The key word here is “faith”. By faith, Noah built a ship in the middle of dry land even though he couldn't see the storm coming. The result? His family was saved. By faith, Abraham said yes to God's call to travel to an unknown place that would become his home. When he left he had no idea where he was going. But he obeyed and became extremely rich. By faith, barren Sarah was able to become pregnant, old woman as she was at the time, because she believed the One who made a promise would do what He said. (Hebrews 11 has all the details.)

That's why we are encouraged in the Bible to exercise our faith and stop “worrying our prayers”. Some folks do that. They get down on their knees and pray, “God, want one thing and one thing only. Give me a car.” Then, even as the angels of God are working on the answer to that prayer, the bloke comes back and says, “God, I need a house! Fast! Help me.” A little while later the dude returns and says “God, it’s okay if you don’t give me a house or a car, just get my wife to stop nagging me.”

This kind of praying will get you nowhere. “If you are like that, unable to make up your mind and undecided in all you do, you should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.” (James 1:7,8)

So, if you are praying, be resolute and then pray with firmness. And when you pray, you must believe and not doubt at all. (James 1:6) In other words, if you prayed for something, trust God to do it for you, act in faith and prepare wholeheartedly to receive what you prayed for.

If you prayed for a house, act in faith and do the groundwork. Go see some houses. Speak to various banks about a home loan, work out the interest rates, and start saving for the down payment. That way, when God finally leads you to the house He has chosen for you, you won’t be caught unprepared.

Similarly, if you prayed for healing, allow yourself to be healed too. You don't go the see the doctor about a bad cough with a cigar in your hand, do you? It’s the same principle: Want healing? No problem. Stop smoking. Stop overeating. Give the bottle a break (or break the bottle). Stop indulging yourself ever so often. Wind down. Breathe. Rest. Most importantly, keep praying. Don't let yourself be tricked into thinking that nothing is happening. Your body suffered years of abuse at your hands, so don’t expect the healing to happen overnight. Only Jesus offers instant healing. Only He can. And He says “I stand at the door and knock.” (Revelation 20-21) If you want instant healing, you’ve got to open the door of your heart – and open it wide – so that Jesus can come in take His rightful place. You’ve got to make room for Him in your heart. And once Jesus is in, I guarantee you this: There is no sickness on earth or demon in hell that can withstand His majesty. You’ll be free of all your afflictions before you can say “Amen”.  

That’s the beauty of our God. Our Creator is a prayer-answering Father. And He knows what we need even before we ask Him. But since God is a gentleman and does not like messing with our free will, He patiently waits for us to voice our needs. In fact, God is so eager to grant our requests that it’s a pity some of us never bother asking. I can imagine God looking down on us and thinking, “Just say a word. Say it! Say it! I can’t infringe on your right to choose. But I’d like so much to help if you just called out to Me once. Come on, man! I am here for you. Ask Me. Say what you want. Say it! Say it!”

Too bad so many people swimming in so much shit are so cut off from God (and by choice, may I add) that they don’t give Him a chance…ever!

If you are one of those people, today is your day. Take a stand. Raise your hand. Pray for what you need. Then, go one step further and invite Jesus in. And I promise you this: You Won’t Regret It. Ever!

“Smile…It improves you face value.” There is a lot of wisdom behind this popular quote.

The face indeed says a lot about the individual, and the eyes are a window to one’s soul. Those who are touched by the Lord know from experience that once you become God’s friend, the world will start treating you as “the enemy.” Yes! The Spirit of the Lord can and will take you to great heights. But you will also have to deal with some really twisted, angry people with faces that match along the way. Nevertheless, while you are on your way to where you really want to be, the best thing you could do for yourself and every other human being you meet is keep smiling—a smile that is actually rooted in sincere love and care, and not something superficial.

But why should you be good to someone who is giving you crap? The answer is simple: God cares about them too.

When God put His light in you, He made you His ambassador. Although formerly an “outsider” to the things of God, you are now a reinstated member of God’s extended family. You are an “insider” now. And God expects you to reach out to the people who are lost because you know what they are dealing with firsthand; after all, you were there yourself. You know things about the people in your life that nobody else does. And although they might think you’ve lost it, they are still more likely to trust what you have to say rather than some hot-shot preacher they don't know.

So, if you are one of those who have been touched by God, you need to get on with it. This is the “Great Commission”. You were not brought into the light so that you could hide under a blanket. God put His light in you so that you can shine as beacon to the ones still in the dark. You need to emerge out of the shadows and start reaching out. (Matthew 5:15)

If we who know God would make Him known, not so much by preaching but simply “outreaching” (or reaching out) to those in need with a kind word here, a helpful hand there, a hug, a warm smile—Oh! What a difference we’d make. If we become channels of God’s love, the world would be flooded with His grace.

Live simply. Speak kindly. Love seriously. Help readily. Give generously. Do random acts of kindness. But above all else, Smile. A lot.

God is abounding in love, mercy, compassion, grace, kindness…we hear that ever so often. And some of us know this to be true from personal experience. But if God’s love is really so abounding, why do so many people completely miss out on it? Why have so many never felt it?

The answer is simpler than you imagine.

Let me put it this way. There are some extremely dry places on earth. Nothing grows in these parts. There is no life, no vegetation. And this is not because the soil is infertile. It’s just that water, the catalyst for life and growth, is in extremely short supply in these areas. But that does not mean that there is no water on earth. More than 70% of our planet’s surface is water. In fact, there are hundreds of rivers and lakes, both big and small, on every continent. If water could somehow be channeled from the nearest source to some of these areas, it is reasonable to assume that there would be some sort of vegetative resurgence almost instantly.

It’s the same with God. Just because some people don't feel His love, mercy and compassion, does not mean it is not there. If anything, God’s love is more than abounding. The truth is some people have strayed so far away from the Source of all Good Things that they don’t even recognize it anymore. (I can vouch for that coz I was living in the “desert” myself in the not so distant past. But, as I found out, there is hope. Even the lost can be saved…if the “saved” reach out to the lost.)

Yes! God is love. His love abounds much more than all the water in a trillion oceans. Yet, so many people are living in “dryness”. But if God’s love could somehow be channeled from the nearest source, it is reasonable to assume that there would be a resurgence of “life” almost instantly.

If someone who really “knows” God would just reach out to the homeless man living at the end of his street…

If someone who “knows” Jesus would just make Him known to the kid who thinks life is all about fast cars, fancy gadgets and cheap thrills flowing at the end of a needle…

If someone would just put an arm around the newly widowed woman with small kids and say, “Don’t worry. I got your back.”

If we who know God would make Him known, not so much by preaching but simply “outreaching” (or reaching out) to those in need with a kind word here, a helpful hand there, a hug, a warm smile—Oh! What a difference we’d make. If we become channels of God’s love, the world would be flooded with His grace.

And what a blessing that would be to us too. For the channel through which the water flows to the dry desert gets soaked first. The flood of God’s love rejuvenates everyone in its wake, starting with the person acting as the channel through which His blessings flow. That’s why I am not surprised to see so many pastors, who have been preaching the Word of God, doing so well in life. They are drenched in the blessings flowing out to the masses through them and the work they do. I admire them. But it is not them I am really looking at because I know they are just a medium, a channel. I’ve got my eyes on the Source. And I know that He is still looking for laborers to work in His vineyard…because the harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. (Matthew 9:35-38) And God will not hesitate to reward the ones He hires last the same as He did the ones he hired earlier. (Matthew 20:1-16)

So, if you are one of those who have been touched by God, you need to hear this. You were not brought into the light so that you could hide under a blanket. God put His light in you so that you can shine as beacon to the ones still in the dark. You need to emerge out of the shadows and start reaching out. (Matthew 5:15)

Live simply. Speak kindly. Love seriously. Help readily. Give generously. Do random acts of kindness. And I guarantee this: You’ll be drenched in God’s love and His blessings before you can say “Amen”.