P a r t 1
I enjoyed the business consulting work, but living in hotels 300 days out of the 365 days in a year was not a joke. Together with another consultant, we would work for a company, say in Lincoln, Nebraska, for one to two weeks, then on Friday evening, rush to the airport and fly home to Houston. Got a rental car and went home.
Then on Sunday afternoon, with the same rental car, I would drive back to the airport and fly out to another city for another assignment. I never used my own car for a year, which was in a way a good thing. The other really blessed thing was that on Sundays, I would be in the hotel watching TV most of the day and was introduced to the Sunday Church Services of Pastors Joel Osteen, Charles Stanley, John Hagee and many others. (Please see my prior posting “Stay Connected and Move Ahead).
And so, after a year as a traveling consultant, I resigned from the company and took a break. After a two or three weeks, I was offered to work as a Sales & Marketing Director of a Limited Service Hotel. Thank God for that.
In the meantime, the interesting thing was that I started to attend Sunday Church service in a Baptist Church and also attended its Bible class. It was a totally new experience for me. Accustomed to attending business classes, marketing classes, teaching marketing subjects and now attending Bible class. I was a total ignoramus if there is such a word.
The Bible !
I found out that the Bible has 66 books. That thirty-nine of the 66 books were written by about 40 prophets over a period of about 1500 years. (And wonder of wonders, the trend of thought never changed).
Twenty seven of the 66 books, known as the New Testament, covered the period from the virgin conception of Jesus to the book of Revelations which are prophecies of how the world, as we know it, would end.
As a newbie born-again, Bible Reading Christian, I was eager to learn as much as I could as quickly as possible. I realized how much I missed in terms of living a contented and calm life. What a waste. One of my Bible class friend said :
“Everything has its time. You had to travel the desert so you will learn the hard way what it is to be saved, what it is to be liberated from the bondage or slavery to the sinful lifestyle of the world. Just be happy and grateful at the fact that the Lord’s appointed time for you is now. Now is the time and the season for you. Just do your best and God will be with you always”. What else can I say, but Thank You Lord!
Following the advise of my new Christian brothers, I started reading the book of John, then the book of Romans and so on. During the past 10 years, I have come across so many, many great and profound verses that are priceless to say the least which makes me eager to share it with friends and strangers alike. Here is one of them:
Stay Connected.
“I (Jesus) am the vine, you are the branches, he who abides in Me , and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing. John 15:5.
“you can do nothing.” This is difficult to take. It is like someone wacked the back of my head. When we were a baby, we had to rely on our parents or nanny. But as we grew up, we had to look after ourselves. Some who are successful claim that they are “a self-made person”!! In reliability however there is no such creature. Even the air we breath is supplied by Him. Also the ability to inhale the free air was given by Him. So, honestly, I have to admit that I can do nothing without Him. Are you ready to admit that? Give it some thought. (We cannot stay healthy without His blessings. Everything has to be within His will).
Speaking about the will of God, - when Jesus was in the garden of Gethsemane, He fell on His face and prayed, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” Matthew 26:39. Jesus had in mind His imminent suffering and eventual death on the cross.
Jesus demonstrated to us that even He, the Son of the Father, adhered to, accepted, followed, obeyed the will of God the Father that He, Jesus, has to die on the cross to pay for the sin-debts of humanity . So, how much more we his little creatures. You and I have seen many people do things against the norms, against God’s principle and eventually stumble.
Over the years, I have seen many people, who were cocky, bullet-proof type, “superman” type, really smart type, eventually stumble and some end up in jail or worst, dead.
I hasten to add that even we, who adhere to the will of God, are still visited with problems. We, however, know that the problems are placed before us to make us tough and resilient. To learn how to persevere, and all for the glory of our Creator.
Since I turned over my life to the Lord, life has become calmer. I still have problems, but I am more confident that the Lord is with me and I will be successful in any good thing I do because I know God is with me.
Here is one nice thought: When I make my last trip, I will be travelling very light. No luggage, and no TSA to go thru. My passport to a life of eternity is all stamped “PAID IN FULL”, by my Advocate, Lawyer, Sponsor and Defender, no less than Jesus Christ Himself. Can you imagine that? Can you believe that?
He did not have Peter or John sign for Him. Nope, He did it Himself. The God who came down and be like one of us. He picked me up from the trash can and from the dumpsite. What more can I ask. Think about this for more than a minute. Here is another gem.
“If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you. John:15:7.
I have asked for things and I have received it. Some of the things I asked took time to arrive, but it did. Try it and observe. I must confess that what is difficult about asking the Lord for something is our lack of belief or trust that He will do it. IF it is for our good and if it is the right time for the blessing, we will receive it.
What takes time to acquire is that complete trust, total absence of doubt, that He is the Great Shaddai, the God who is the all-sufficient source of all of our blessings. None of our problems are too big for God to handle. I will say that again. NONE OF OUR PROBLEMS ARE TOO BIG FOR GOD TO HANDLE !
And here is one more:
“You did not choose Me, but I (Jesus) chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.” John 15;16. So, go ahead and ask the Lord.
Read the verse again: He chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit. . . . ., that whatever you ask the Father in His (Jesus) name, He (the Father), will give you.
