Oil Rallies, Weaker Dollar Helps

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil rose to about $132 a barrel on Friday, on a weaker dollar and on nagging concerns about stagnating output in Russia and other producers outside OPEC.

Oil prices fell more than 3 percent on Thursday after hitting a record high above $135 a barrel.

U.S. light crude for July delivery was up $1.51 at $132.32 a barrel by 11:22 a.m. EDT (1522 GMT). It surged to $135.09 on Thursday before slumping to settle at $130.81, the first time in five sessions that it settled lower.

London Brent crude was up $1.79 at $132.30.

Oil prices have climbed by around a third since the start of the year, driven upwards by worries about supply from non-OPEC producers and the weakening dollar which prompted investors to use oil as a hedge against the falling currency.

The dollar looked set on Friday for its steepest weekly fall against a basket of major currencies in two months, as the high oil prices left the U.S. economy vulnerable to slower growth and rising inflation.

Oil production from countries outside OPEC is stagnating and forecast to remain below 50 million barrels per day this year, at 49.56 million bpd, lower than earlier forecast, a Reuters survey of 12 analysts showed on Thursday.

"The severity of non-OPEC supply weakness stands out as a primary factor behind the strong run-up in prices through the year so far," said Barclays Capital in a research note.

An unexpected fall in Russian oil production was one of the main factors prompting forecasters to revise downwards projections of non-OPEC supply, the bank said.

The failure of non-OPEC producers to increase output significantly has also sent long-term prices even higher, at close to $150 a barrel, as concerns mount that supplies will not be enough to meet demand from developing countries.

OPEC Secretary-General Abdullah al-Badri on Thursday repeated the group's stance that it can do nothing to lower oil prices in a "crazy" market, blaming record prices on factors such as geopolitical tensions, speculation and the weak dollar.

High oil prices may be set to dent demand as major Asian consuming countries review costly fuel subsidies that cushion drivers from higher costs.

Indonesia is to raise consumer fuel prices as the cost of its subsidies soars. India is also set to raise gasoline and diesel prices.

"In many ways you are starting to see a demand response," said Lawrence Eagles of the International Energy Agency.

In a sign that Americans are curbing their driving in the face of high gasoline prices, U.S. data released on Friday showed that highway miles driven in March fell 4.3 percent from a year earlier.

The fall was the first March decline since the last major oil shock in 1979.

(Additional reporting by Maryelle Demongeot; editing by James Jukwey)

Source: NYTIMES.COM

UBS Moves to Raise $15 Billion

PARIS — The Swiss banking giant, UBS, said on Thursday that it would raise more than $15 billion by issuing sharply discounted shares as it tried to restore capital depleted by losses on mortgage securities.

The capital increase marks the second time that UBS has had to raise funds since the credit markets tightened last year with the collapse of the American subprime housing market. In February, the bank raised 13 billion Swiss francs, or $12.6 billion, in capital from the Government of Singapore Investment Corporation and an unidentified Middle Eastern investor.

The crisis has hit UBS harder than any other European financial institution. It posted a net loss of $10.9 billion in the first quarter. It also wrote down $19 billion of asset-backed securities in the quarter, bringing its total write-downs to about $38 billion since the credit markets began to tighten last summer.

Banks globally have written off more than $330 billion in losses since last summer and regulators have strongly encouraged them to shore up their capital.

UBS said it expected the to raise 15.97 billion francs ($15.5 billion). It is issuing 760 million new shares at 21 francs ($5.03) each, 31 percent below the Wednesday closing price of 30.64 francs ($7.34).

The discount was broadly in line with market expectations, though the capital increase was about $1 billion larger than analysts had predicted. The capital increases have become necessary as UBS’s shareholders equity fell to 16.4 billion francs ($3.92 billion) at the end of March from 51.3 billion francs ($12.2 billion)a year earlier.

UBS has been moving aggressively to shore up its balance sheet. On Wednesday it said it had moved a portfolio of $15 billion in distressed assets to a new structured investment vehicle to be run by BlackRock, an asset management company. The bank loaned BlackRock more than $11 billion to take on those debts, and remains on the hook if losses exceed $3.75 billion, but it was able to move some of that debt off its balance sheet.

“Appearances are very important in financial stocks,” said Peter Thorne, a banking analyst at Helvea in London. “And if that gives the market and investors and regulators confidence, then it’s got to be done.”

UBS also said this month that it would eliminate 5,500 jobs to cut costs and further reduce risk exposure in the United States, but it was also trying to restore investor confidence in its asset- and wealth-management businesses.

UBS said the rights issue had been fully underwritten by a syndicate of banks led by JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, BNP Paribas and Goldman Sachs.

Shareholders will have the right to purchase seven new shares for every 20 they already own.

Source: NYTimes.com

Our Approach to Ministry WITH Hoekstra

We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully, but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. (2Co_4:2)

God has made us His servants under the new covenant of grace. "God . . . made us . . . ministers of the new covenant" (2Co_3:5-6). Those who desire to serve the Lord by grace have a very distinctive approach to ministry. "We have renounced the hidden things of shame, not walking in craftiness nor handling the word of God deceitfully."

It is so sad that the many ministry approaches in the church world include motives and methodologies that are kept hidden, because their true character is shameful. Some of these dishonorable approaches involve "walking in craftiness" (such as, manipulating people through carnal enticements). Others involve "handling the word of God deceitfully" (such as, preaching what people want to hear, instead of what the scriptures actually say). If we are going to serve God by grace, we must reject such tactics.

Instead, we want to serve God "by manifestation of the truth." We minister by a candid declaration of God's truth, not by a deceptive operation of man's tricks. Also, we desire that our lives be a commendation of our message, not a contradiction of it: "commending ourselves to every man's conscience." As we proclaim God's truth, we humbly ask God to impact our lives by that truth, in order to become an example of what we preach. The Lord will use this to touch others deep in their consciences.

It is God's will that our ministries impact more than men's minds (which can be reached by mere ideas, concepts, or systems). It is His intention that our testimonies reach beyond men's emotions (which can be touched by exciting stories, condemning insinuations, or inspiring ideals). He certainly does not want us to appeal to people's pride ("let God make you someone others will envy") or to their covetousness ("give to our ministry, and God will give you ten-fold in return"). Rather, God desires to reach their consciences, that "image-of-God" imprint that convicts people of sin and of their need for God: "who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness" (Rom_2:15).

Lets Pray;

O God of truth and holiness, I long to serve You by grace. I want to reject manipulating people and distorting Your word. Make my life a vessel of honor that confirms Your truth. As I minister to others, touch them deep in their hearts, by the power of Your grace, stirring them to seek after You, Amen.

A PSALM OF GRATITUDE with Meyer

"Bless the Lord, O my soul; and forget not all His benefits."-- Psa_103:2.

THE PSALMIST is fond of addressing the soul, as though to arouse it from lethargy. Within is a whole choice of minstrels, let them all awake! All that is within should be attuned to God and His praise. Let us not repine for the past, or strain after the future. We often forget the rare benefits of the present moment, because we suppose that there is something more absolutely satisfying ahead. Here and now God is forgiving, healing, redeeming, crowning, satisfying, and executing righteous acts. Live in the present! Live in God, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever! It is enough. The past records of God's dealings with His people are an incentive to faith. What He was, He is. He is a fountain brimming to the full with pitying love, which flows over in mercy and forgiveness.

There are four comparisons and contrasts in Psa_103:10-18. "As the heaven....As the east....As a Father....As for man." The ancients thought that the sky was solid, a kind of blue ceiling. What an immensity of new meaning we can read in the words: "'As the heaven is high above the earth." There is an infinity of distance above us, but not more infinite than God's mercy. To the Eastern mind, east and west were the points at which the sun appeared to rise on earth's surface, "pillowing his chin on the orient wave," and drawing the curtains of the night. For us the telescope reveals the almost inconceivable distance of the earth from the sun, but this is the distance to which God has removed our transgressions. A father's pity for his weak and tiny offspring is very touching. The strongest plea with God is that of helpless weakness! The Son of God was made in the likeness of man, and "He knoweth our frame and remembereth that we are dust."

The last contrast was in our Lord's mind when He pointed to the flowers at His feet (Mat_6:30). Generations of flowers bloom and die in the broad expanse of nature--so frail, so beautiful, so transient. The generations of mankind are not more permanent. But the mercy of the Lord dates from everlasting and endures for ever.

The Psalmist's voice is heard, "Bless the Lord, O my soul!" We are reminded of the conductor of a vast orchestra and choir, whose trained ear missed the note of the piccolo. So God will miss your voice if you refrain from His praise.

PRAYER
O Blessed God, ever engaged in giving Thy choicest gifts to us Thine unworthy children, accept the gratitude for which we have no words. May we rejoice in all the good Thou sendest us.

Once More on Bondage versus Liberty with Hoekstra

May 14



Abraham had two sons . . . which . . . are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage . . . and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children — but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all . . . So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free. Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage. (Galatians 4:22-5:1)

In our present verses, the two sons of Abraham are in view. "Abraham had two sons." Although these boys (Ishmael and Isaac) were actual historical characters, they represent a spiritual allegory: "which . . . are symbolic." These two sons present a vivid historical illustration of law and grace. "For these are the two covenants."

Ishmael, the first of Abraham's sons, pictures a life of self-sufficiency under the law: "the one from Mount Sinai." Such an approach to life produces spiritual bondage: "which gives birth to bondage." The citizens of earthly Jerusalem are also given as an example: "and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children." When Paul wrote Galatians, the Roman Empire held the city of Jerusalem in oppressive bondage. Abraham and Sarah trusted in their human ingenuity, using Hagar to bear their child. Thus, Ishmael was born, a child of fleshly bondage.

This is what our lives are like when we try to produce a Christian life by our own sufficiency. We are placing ourselves under the law (performance-based living). This is a path of spiritual bondage. We can only bring forth "fleshly Ishmaels."

Isaac, the second of Abraham's sons, is a portrait of living under grace. God's sufficiency is now our source. Isaac was born by God's faithfulness in fulfilling His promises. Trusting in God's faithfulness produces spiritual freedom. Heavenly Jerusalem is the example here. "The Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all." We who follow Christ have been born again with new life from above. New Jerusalem is the "hometown" to which we are headed. Spiritual freedom characterizes such citizens from above. "So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman but of the free." The Lord calls us to live by the liberating grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, renouncing all inclinations toward the bondage of self-sufficient legalism. "Stand fast therefore in the liberty by which Christ has made us free, and do not be entangled again with a yoke of bondage."

Lets Pray;
Dear God of all faithfulness, forgive me for all the "Ishmaels" that I have birthed by trusting in myself. That has always produced bondage. I want to live by Your grace, trusting in Your faithfulness and walking in true spiritual liberty. Through Christ I pray, Amen.

Liberty to be Transformed with Hoekstra

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2Co_3:18)

Living day by day under the new covenant of grace allows the Holy Spirit to liberate us spiritually. "Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty" (2Co_3:17). Where the Holy Spirit is allowed to work, there is liberty to be transformed.

This transformation process is for every believer who is willing to live by the terms of the new covenant: "But we all." The terms are simple: renounce self-sufficiency ("Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves" — 2Co_3:5) and rely on God's sufficiency ("but our sufficiency is from God" — 2Co_3:5). Those who reject human resources (the flesh) seek God "with unveiled face." They come humbly, without any veils of pretense or self-justification.

Coming to the Lord in this manner brings an ongoing blessing: "beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord." Three mirrors reflect the glory of Christ from heavenly places into the experience of the redeemed here on earth: the creation, the church, and the scriptures. The universe declares His glory. "The heavens declare the glory of God; And the firmament shows His handiwork" (Psa_19:1). Also, the Lord can be seen living in His people. "For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus' sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh" (2Co_4:11). These two mirrors are helpful, but they can be distorted by sin. The mirror that reflects the Lord's glory flawlessly is His word. "The law of the LORD is perfect . . . these (the scriptures) are they which testify of Me" (Psa_19:7; Joh_5:39).

As we humbly seek the Lord in His word, we behold His glory therein. The wonderful consequence is we "are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory." From one area after another, from one degree to another, we are being changed into the likeness of the glorious one we are beholding. This process is carried on as only the Holy Spirit could do it: "just as by the Spirit of the Lord."

Lets Pray;
Dear Heavenly Father, I long to be more like Your Son. Forgive me for neglect of Your word. Please draw me consistently to the scriptures, that I might humbly behold the glory of Jesus. Thank You for the work of Your Spirit, who is able to transform me into a growing Christlikeness, Amen.

Liberty by the Holy Spirit with Hoekstra

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2Co_3:17)
As we have seen, the old covenant of law produces spiritual bondage in those who attempt to live under it. The great heavenly remedy for that bondage is the new covenant of grace, because it produces spiritual liberty. This liberty is a work of the Holy Spirit. "Now the Lord is the Spirit." The life-giving Lord of grace is the Spirit of God: "the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2Co_3:6).

Living by rules and regulations ("of the letter") has a deadening, binding spiritual effect on people. This is how the Pharisee's "ministered." "For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men's shoulders" (Mat_23:4). Jesus came to liberate people, to set them free. This is why Jesus ministered by the Holy Spirit. "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed" (Luk_4:18). As Jesus, the Son of God, humbly served the Father, the Holy Spirit empowered Him to rescue captives, to release the oppressed.

Rescuing people from sin and unrighteousness is the fundamental, liberating work of Jesus. "And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness" (Rom_6:18). Now, we are free to grow in a life of righteousness. Our newfound freedom is not for personal indulgence. It is for the serving the Lord. "As free, yet not using your liberty as a cloak for vice, but as servants of God" (1Pe_2:16). Now that we are free, we can use our freedom to lovingly minister to others. "For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another" (Gal_5:13).

Another wonder of Christ's rescuing, liberating work is that He wants to save us from self-dependent striving to develop a life of godliness and loving service. He accomplishes this by the work of the Holy Spirit. "For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death" (Rom_8:2). As we walk in humble dependence, the Holy Spirit imparts to us the life that is in Christ Jesus. This liberates us from the tendency to rely upon fleshly human resources, which are inadequate (due to sin and spiritual deadness).

Lets Pray;
Dear God of all spiritual liberation, I praise You for setting me free from sin and the service of self. Now I ask You to work in and through me by Your Holy Spirit, setting me free from self-striving in my service of You, in Jesus name, Amen.

More on Bondage versus Liberty with Hoekstra

But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament, because the veil is taken away in Christ. But even to this day, when Moses is read, a veil lies on their heart. Nevertheless when one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (2Co_3:14-17)

The new covenant of grace, which depends upon living by the Spirit of the Lord, produces liberty: "where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty." The old covenant produces bondage in those who attempt to live under it, because it provides no resource for meeting its demands. In our last meditation, we looked at the bondage of secrecy that results from living by man's sufficiency. Spiritual blindness is another bondage that comes from living under the law.

The Israelites were blinded by a veil that resulted from hardness of heart. "But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament [that is, the old covenant] ." This hardness was related to self-sufficiency. John, the Baptist, held forth the righteous standards of God and called the people to repentance for their sins. "And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luk_3:3). John was aware that many held a self-sufficient reliance in their ancestry (their blood-line link with Abraham). "Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father' " (Luk_3:8). Jesus also encountered this same hardness of heart as He preached. "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can you say, 'You will be made free'? " (Joh_8:33). Like the self-righteous Pharisee, these people thought they were better than others and had no need for repentance. "He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous . . . the Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, 'God, I thank You that I am not like other men' " (Luk_18:9, Luk_18:11). Many people today rely upon their religious heritage to give them an acceptable standing with the Lord.

Such hardness of heart leaves them blind. They cannot see as God sees. God tells them of their need, but they will not reach out to the Him for help. How tragic this is, because He alone is able remove their blindness. "When one turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away in Christ."

Lets Pray;
O righteous Lord, I repent of the self-righteousness in my life. I want my heart to be soft before You. I do not want to stagger around in a veil of blindness. Lord Jesus, I humbly turn to You, in Your holy name, Amen.

Meeting the sustainability challenge: HCL Technologies

Corporate India is just as committed as Europe and the United States to sustainability, asserts Vineet Nayar, CEO of HCL Technologies Ltd.

“Indian businessmen are global businessmen - they are not isolated in India,” he says. “And the entire economy is global so you just can’t say the economy is isolated.”

HCL Technologies, one of India’s leading global IT Services companies, currently employs 50,000 people and operates in 18 countries, and reports current annual revenues of approximately $1.5 billion.

Speaking to INSEAD Knowledge on the sidelines of the INSEAD Leadership Summit 2008 on sustainability, Nayar says India does have a peculiar problem. Average earnings are low, and energy and fuel consumption is far more inefficient than in the West. But, he points out, an Indian’s fuel consumption is fifteen or twenty times less than that of an American or European.

The easiest thing to do, he maintains, is to preach. Instead, he believes everyone should look internally and make incremental changes, and then the world will be a better place.

He has faith that technology will be able to resolve many of the problems facing mankind at the moment, as it has done in the past century.

He points out that technology has helped solve issues such as water and power supplies, geography definition, education and transport. And now significant research is underway on alternative and emission-less fuels and on fuel-efficient cars.

“So I do not think that the answer is to have fewer cars in China and India just because you have joined the party late (and say) you can’t have a car – no!”

Nayar says his company is growing at 40 per cent a year, and he firmly believes that successful business leaders must not only anticipate but beat customers’ expectations.

He says that long before companies such as BT took steps to persuade its suppliers to lower their carbon emissions, his services company was already on the path of sustainability.

“Far before any of the customers started talking about it we already had the initiative going so we are ahead of the curve,” Nayar says.

“You must understand that at HCL we do not need to do things because the customers ask us to do it, we need to do it because I think as part of the society we need to do it.”

Business leaders, says the CEO, must set the tone. And, he argues, that just as with democracy, green issues will be on the agenda tomorrow. People were not born aspiring for democracy but, he points out, once they learn about it, they start asking for it. Democracy came about because some leaders said that was the right way to go.

“That’s a leadership trait. Don’t wait for customers to tell you something. You know it’s good: it’s good for business, it’s good for society, so go in and do it.”

Nayar is also promoting the sustainability issue in his company through education. HCL hired 25,000 new people this year and just as corruption globally has been tackled through education, Nayar hopes to make his employees socially responsible, aware that they live in a community and not in isolation.

The spin off is that HCL company buildings are energy efficient and employees are aware about green issues and conserving energy.

Nayar also believes that CEOs like himself should be more accountable to their staff. Traditional company structures, he explains, such as those in manufacturing, are of a ‘command and control’ nature similar to that found in the military. In manufacturing, the value is created in R&D laboratories and, possibly, on the manufacturing floor.

But, he asserts, in the services industry and in companies such as HCL, the value is created in the interface between the employee and the customer. As the interface is the most important value zone, it follows that the most important person is the employee.

“Now if that’s true, and the CEO hence is the last on the food chain, then the inverse accountability of the CEO to the employee is very critical for that value creation experience to be maximised.”

Source: INSEAD

Substantial Glory versus Excelling Glory with Hoekstra

But if the ministry of death . . . was glorious . . . how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. For even what was made glorious had no glory in this respect, because of the glory that excels. For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. (2Co_3:7-11)

These verses proclaim another significant difference between the glory of the old covenant of law and the glory of the new covenant of grace. This difference is seen in various contrasting phrases: "was glorious" versus "more glorious," "had glory" versus "exceeds much more in glory," "made glorious" versus "glory that excels," and "was glorious" versus "much more glorious." The old covenant of law is characterized by substantial glory, whereas the new covenant of grace is characterized by excelling glory.

It is certainly true that the law is glorious. That glory pertains to the holy character of God revealed in its standards. "Sanctify yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am the LORD your God. And you shall keep My statutes, and perform them: I am the LORD who sanctifies you. For everyone who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death" (Lev_20:7-9). This revelation of God's holiness in the law also exposes the unholiness of man. "Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God" (Rom_3:19).

When a person struggles and struggles with a major medical problem, it is agonizing to go on and on, not knowing what the problem actually is. It is glorious when someone is able to reveal what the problem actually is. Part of the glory of the law is that it reveals the basic problem of human struggles: sin. Yet, it is a far more glorious matter to have a remedy for a problem revealed. Grace is that remedy. "Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord" (Rom_5:20-21).

Lets Pray;
Dear Lord of glory, I thank You for the glory of Your law, revealing my sin problem. Yet, I praise You even more for the glory of Your grace, providing a remedy for my sin. Lord, as I humbly feed on Your holy scriptures, may the excelling glory of Your triumphant grace impart increasing righteousness into my daily life, through Jesus my Lord, Amen.

Fading Glory versus Remaining Glory with Hoekstra

For if what is passing away was glorious, what remains is much more glorious. (2Co_3:11)

The old covenant of law and the new covenant of grace both have a glory about them. However, the glory of one (the old covenant) is a fading glory, whereas, the other (the new covenant) has a remaining glory. One is related to man's sufficiency. The other is related to God's sufficiency.

The fading aspect of old covenant glory can be seen in Moses' experience: "But if the ministry of death [i.e., the law], written and engraved on stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not look steadily at the face of Moses because of the glory of his countenance, which glory was passing away" (2Co_3:7). The glory that shone from Moses' face (as the Lord revealed the law to him) began to fade away. It was never meant to be the permanent glory that God desired to shine upon lives. "In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away" (Heb_8:13).

The old covenant of law was not designed to remove man's problems. It was given to show us our basic problem of sin. Neither was it designed to bring the glorious blessings (forgiveness and life abundant) that God had for man. Jesus Christ alone could accomplish that. "For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh" (Rom_8:3) The weakness of the law was that it addressed man's flesh (natural human resources). Those resources are not able to live up to God's perfect standard of righteousness. So, Jesus had to come and deal with man's sin problem at the cross.

When we attempt to live by the old covenant of law, we are choosing to live by man's sufficiency. This can produce in us a fading glory. It is like the hype of a "religious pep rally" that soon fades away when the crowd is gone, and we are left to face the battle alone. This glory fades, because living by law depends upon man's sufficiency.

The new covenant of grace deals with man's problems. Grace forgives our sins, and then goes to work to transform the sinner. This produces a remaining glory: "what remains [that is, the new covenant of grace] is much more glorious." This glory remains, because it depends upon God's sufficiency.

Lets Pray;
Dear Father of Glory, the glory I often experience is mere natural enthusiasm concerning all that I promise to do for You. I confess that glory fades so quickly. Lord, I humbly look to You afresh for the work of Your grace within my life. By Your sufficiency, produce in me a remaining glory, Amen.

Ministry of Condemnation versus Ministry of Righteousness with Hoekstra

For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory. (2Co_3:6-8)

Here is another vivid contrast between living by the old covenant of law versus living by the new covenant of grace. God's perfect law is a "ministry of condemnation," which compels people to draw upon man's sufficiency. God's glorious grace is a "ministry of righteousness," which allows people to draw upon God's sufficiency.

When we try to live by the law, we walk in condemnation. When we try to minister by the law, we put others under condemnation. This is inevitable, since the law is a "ministry of condemnation." Living and ministering by the law depends upon human performance. The law demands righteous living. "You shall be holy" (Lev_19:2). The only resources available for law-performance are natural human abilities (the flesh). All natural abilities are flawed by unrighteousness. "We are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are like filthy rags" (Isa_64:6). This makes the flesh incapable of producing a righteous life. "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing" (Joh_6:63). Consequently, when we try to live by law (that is, attempt to meet God's standards by our resources), we sense condemnation. Others also experience condemnation, when we point them to the law for producing godly living.

On the other hand, when we live by grace, we grow in righteousness. When we minister the message of grace to others, they can also grow in righteousness. Godliness results from ministering the new covenant of grace, because it is a "ministry of righteousness." The message of grace tells people that righteousness is available by faith. "But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed . . . even the righteousness of God which is through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe" (Rom_3:21-22).

In addition to this initial gift of righteousness (imputed, or credited to our account in heaven), grace also provides ongoing practical righteousness (imparted for our daily lives on earth): "That the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (Rom_8:4). As we humbly depend upon the Lord, the Holy Spirit brings forth a more Christlike life through us, by His grace.

Lets Pray;

Lord God of righteousness, I have often walked in legalistic condemnation. Also, I have pointed many others in that direction. Forgive me, Lord. Please teach me how to walk in righteousness, through humble dependence upon You. Equip me to minister Your righteousness to others, in Jesus name, Amen.

How do you finance your LBS Masters in Finance Degree?

London Business School has a number of ways to make your investment an altogether more manageable proposition. Above all, we recommend that you provide as much personal funding as possible through any investments, savings or sponsorship, before approaching any external funding organisations.

There are a variety of new scholarship schemes and finance options worth investigating. Follow the link below and you'll also find details of HSBC's loan scheme, offering participants preferential interest rates that are competitive compared to most high street banks. Click here for further information.

Visit our website to see how the Masters in Finance from London Business School can increase your opportunities for a global career in finance. The programme is offered in 10 months full-time and 22 months part-time formats and you can still apply for the September 2008 intake.

The final full-time deadline is on the 1 May 2008.
If you are in London tonight (Wednesday 23 April) we are running a Finance Information Session at the School from 18:30 - 20:30. Click here for further information and to register.

Kind regards,

Angela Rickey
Client Services Co-ordinator
Finance Programmes Office
London Business School

Correpondings with Cambridge Judge Business School

Is there a cut off point for the annual salary and/or benefits that a likely applicant should receive? Clearly, I will like to know if the program has a minimum salary limit that all applicants should have? Better still, do I have to be earning above US$2000 bracket to be considered for a place in the program?

Do the school has other options for a student who is unable to get visa within the short period of time for the admission interview? Clearly, does an applicant's inability to come to Cambridge for the admission interview lead to his or her failure to gain admission to the programme or are there options that the student can undergo to get interviewed?

Thank you,

Cobby.

Respond:


Dear Cobby,

None of our entry requirements is in any way related to an applicant's annual salary.

As for your other question, we can do telephone interviews with candidates who are accepted for interviews. However, this is then followed up by a face-to-face interview. For this, we might be able to offer a location which is closer to where the applicant lives than Cambridge (UK).


If you have any further questions please get in touch with me again.

Kind regards,

Kim Ohly

Interim Admissions Officer

Master of Finance (MFin)

Correpondings with Oxford Said Business School

Hello there,

I am very interested in the MFE programmed but I am bedeviled with issues on finances. Please address these questions:

1. How does the Said Business School assist students with  less than 4 years working experience who are not able to get scholarship(s) for the
MFE program?

2. Can a student apply for external Loans like the HSBC if he or she does not qualify for the Barclay's loan and does the school support the
student in this regard?

Thank you,

Repond:

Dear Cobby,

Thank you for your email.  The Business School currently only has the Barclays Loan scheme in place, so if you do not secure a scholarship
and do not meet the requirement for this loan then I am afraid we do not have any alternative funding assistance in place.

If you wished to apply for external loans then of course you are  welcome to do so.  The only assistance we could provide in this process however
would be to confirm if you have been offered a place on the course and the funds it would be necessary for you to have for the programme.

Best wishes,

Heather.

Heather Browning
MFE Admissions

Said Business School
Park End Street
Oxford
OX1 1HP

Cobby.

Princeton Masters in Finance

Master in Finance

The interdisciplinary Bendheim Center for Finance offers a Master in Finance degree. The distinctive feature of Princeton’s Master in Finance program is its strong emphasis on financial economics in addition to financial engineering and computational methods.

Graduates of our program have a solid understanding of the fundamental quantitative tools from economic theory, probability, statistics, optimization and computer science, all of which are becoming increasingly vital in the financial industry. To a greater degree than at any time in the past, there now exists a body of knowledge that is widely agreed to be essential for the proper analysis and management of financial securities, portfolios and the financial decisions of firms. A driving force behind these developments is a lively exchange of ideas between academia and the financial industry, a collaboration that is the closest parallel in the social sciences to the academic-private sector interactions routinely seen in engineering and the applied sciences.

The Master in Finance program is intended to prepare students for a wide range of careers both inside and outside the financial industry, including financial engineering and risk management, quantitative asset management, macroeconomic and financial forecasting, quantitative trading, and applied research. The program does not require prior work experience, although it can be a plus. The Bendheim Center provides extensive career assistance to students, including help with internships and job placement, and our placement record has been excellent (refer also to these recent newspaper articles).

The curriculum is designed to be completed in either two or four semesters, with students coming well-prepared able to complete the curriculum in as little as two semesters. The length of study is a function of the student's prior knowledge of the field and experience. It is determined on an individual basis.

Princeton’s Master’s program draws upon the combined strength of a variety of departments at Princeton, including the Department of Economics, the Department of Operations Research and Financial Engineering, the Department of Computer Science, and others.

The program has two major course components. First, required core courses will provide (1) the prerequisite skills in mathematics, economics, and probability and statistics necessary for the study of finance at a sophisticated level and (2) an integrated introduction to modern financial analysis. Second, a wide range of elective courses, drawn from many departments, will allow students to tailor the program to fit their own needs and interests. These courses will permit a range of opportunities for specialization and in-depth study of topics of interest to the student, along a number of coherent tracks.

Source: PBCF website

Oxford Masters in Financial Economics

The Oxford MSc in Financial Economics (MFE) is a full-time nine-month programme that will provide outstanding training in the tools of financial economics sought by financial institutions, companies and public organisations. It combines a rigorous academic core with tailored practical application, designed in consultation with leading financial recruiters. Our students are placed within top investment banks, financial consultancies, and government finance ministries. There is also a research track for those interested in pursuing doctoral research in financial economics.

The MFE is run jointly by the Saïd Business School’s finance faculty and the University’s Department of Economics. The finance faculty at the Business School is one of the fastest growing and most prestigious in Europe, and works alongside the most diverse and well-known groups of economists in the world. Together they publish prolifically in top journals, speak at academic and practitioner conferences, and advise companies, financial institutions and governments.

The Saïd Business School is also the founder member of the CFA Institute Educational Partnership Programme. The curriculum of the MFE programme covers more than 70 per cent of the study required for all three levels of the Chartered Financial Analyst Programme.

This course combines:

• The intellectual rigour of a graduate programme with the delivery of a business school.
• Thorough grounding in economics with practical applications to finance.
• Quantitative training in finance with sound theoretical principles.
• A global alumni network and a first-rate careers service.
• Collegiate structure within one of the world’s great universities.
• A state-of-the-art business school within an ancient university.

A year with us will challenge and inspire you.

Source: SBS Website

Ministry of Death versus Ministry of Life with Hoekstrad

The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. But if the ministry of death, written and engraved on stones, was glorious . . . how will the ministry of the Spirit not be more glorious? (2Co_3:6-8)
These verses contain another contrasting choice that results in people either living by bankrupt human resources, or by bountiful heavenly ones. This contrast is "the ministry of death versus the ministry of life." These terms come from correlating four phrases: "the letter kills . . . the Spirit gives life . . . the ministry of death . . . the ministry of the Spirit." Of course, the old covenant of law is the "ministry of death," and the new covenant of grace is the "ministry of life" ("ministry of the Spirit . . . the Spirit gives life").

When people attempt to minister by the law, spiritual deadness results. Since the law sets forth a perfect standard, but offers no assistance, it "kills" those who try to live by it. Only those who minister by grace can hold forth life to people, because grace alone can provide the life that God intends for humankind to experience. Ministry is to be engaged in by individuals, families, and churches. Every ministry will either be characterized as a "ministry of death" or a "ministry of life." Contact with ministries either brings spiritual deadness to people, or it brings spiritual vitality.

What would people encounter if an individual, family, or church were a "ministry of death" (that is, a law-based ministry that left people relying upon their own sufficiency)? They might encounter judgmentalism or fleshly striving. They might find self-righteousness or self-confidence. They might discover hypocrisy or frustration. They might detect harshness or coldness.

Conversely, what would people encounter if an individual, family, or church were a "ministry of . . . life" (that is, a grace-oriented ministry that encouraged people to rely upon God's sufficiency)? Instead of judgmentalism and fleshly striving, they would encounter love and peace. Instead of self-righteousness and self-confidence, they would find humility and confidence in God. Instead of hypocrisy and frustration, they would discover genuineness and fulfillment. Instead of harshness and coldness, they would detect gentleness and warmth.

Our God is a God of life. God's loving plan of salvation was that the Son would die to bring us life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (Joh_3:16). The Lord has life for us, and He wants us to minister life to others.

Lets Pray;

Dear Lord of life, convict my heart when I am bringing to others a law-based ministry of death. Please develop in me a grace-oriented ministry of life, by the work of Your Spirit, Amen

Why a London Business School Masters in Finance?

In an increasingly competitive market, top finance jobs are demanding sharp decision-makers; professionals able to grasp the finer details and appreciate their significance in the bigger picture. At London Business School, our Masters in Finance (MiF) programme couples rigorous academic frameworks with real-world relevance and practical application, so that you can excel in the workplace and fast-track your career in finance.

• Flexible customised learning is key to our MiF programme. Our rigorous curriculum is broad but specific, with an extensive range of electives to choose from. You can tailor the programme to your needs, with a concentration in investment management, quantitative finance or corporate finance to help propel your career.
  
  
• Our graduates have an excellent employment record. 96% of our 2007 full-time MiF participants secured jobs within three months of graduating. An extensive and tight-knit network of more than 27,000 London Business School alumni worldwide means you have exceptional corporate connections. In fact, School alumni are working in each of the top-ten Fortune 500 companies in Europe and the US.
  
  
• More than 30 world-renowned finance faculty are brought together in what is one of the largest concentrations of finance faculty worldwide. As thought-leaders in their field, they bring cutting-edge research to the programme backed by real-world experience and a willingness to share their knowledge. An open and interactive learning environment provides the opportunity to engage with these top finance minds.
  
  
• The London advantage is a powerful one. Our location in the world's thriving financial centre gives us – and you – superb access to recruiters from international banks and top finance companies, many of whom regularly visit our campus. This proximity also allows faculty to stay attuned to ongoing developments in the business world and attract leading industry guest speakers to share their learnings, views and thinking with participants.
  
  
• Practical application of learnings is vital. Our Masters in Finance is a CFA Programme Partner, and equips you with a life-long financial tool kit – everything you need to make sound financial decisions. It's academically rigorous yet closely aligned with professional practice, and designed to get the best out of you and your peers.
  
  
• A stimulating class dynamic is essential to our MiF programme. Working alongside individuals from around 40 different countries gives you global capabilities and the skills required to do business anywhere in the world. We ensure that all MiF participants are like-minded peers with a similar breadth of professional experience, so as to match you in study groups and push you to perform at the top of your game.
  

Source: LBS website.

The Letter versus the Spirit with Hoekstra

[God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit. (2Co_3:6)

The "letter versus the Spirit" is another contrast between living by the old covenant or by the new. This is another choice that determines whether we are functioning by man's sufficiency or by God's.

A life that is being developed "of the letter" is one that is built on rules and regulations. We cannot become a child of God by rules. We cannot develop our lives as God's children by regulations. No list of demands (including even the law of God itself) could ever bring us, or develop for us, a life with God. All rules and regulations (including God's law) come without resource. They are a list of requirements, not a supply of adequacy. They call for an observable response. They provide no power to produce the required effect.

Consider circumcision, which was required by the law of God for the Israelites. "And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised" (Lev_12:3). This was to be a sign acting as a reminder to God's people that they were His. Implementing that regulation did not inherently change the life of any Jew. Physical, external circumcision (that is, circumcision "by the letter") did not make a change in the heart of the one circumcised. It takes an inner working of God to produce a true child of God (in Romans 2 language, a "true Jew"). "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter." (Rom_2:28-29). God births His children and develops their lives through a work in their hearts by the Holy Spirit.

The kingdom of heaven is "of the Spirit." It is not about external "do's and dont's" (such as, whether to follow the standard of God's law concerning certain foods). "For the kingdom of God is not food and drink, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit" (Rom_14:17). Entrance into God's family, as well as development as God's children, does not hinge on following various regulations. Rather, it is about the Holy Spirit supplying heavenly blessings in the hearts of those who trust in the Lord. Life with God is always "of the Spirit " (God's sufficiency), not "of the letter" (man's sufficiency).

Lets Pray;
Father, I admit a tendency to reduce life with You to following regulations. Help me to live by the work of Your Spirit within my heart. Through Christ I pray, Amen.

The Cambridge Master of Finance

The Cambridge Master of Finance is a new degree for 2008 and provides finance professionals with an academically rigorous and commercially relevant programme through which to consolidate their existing experience and develop their future career in finance.

Students will benefit from interaction with leading academics and practitioners in finance, and will build new networks amongst likeminded peers.

All of this combines to produce an exciting array of opportunities through which to develop your career in the finance industry.

The Cambridge Master of Finance is an exciting new programme providing a first-class training for ambitious and successful finance professionals wishing to strengthen their existing knowledge of finance.

The programme draws on existing strengths in finance and related disciplines, for which the University of Cambridge is world-renowned. It builds on the academic faculty, corporate networks and dedicated programme support of a world-class business school.

Source: JBS website

33 Days to the June 2008 CFA Level I Exam

Hmm, feeling the edge! I have some few days to take the CFA exam and I feel confident and resolute in my preparation.

Today, I intend to focus on reading materials covering the Testing Policies, which I found in the CFAI website and work more questions on Financial Statement Analysis and Corporate Finance. I intend to answer sixty questions each in these two areas, which constitute 28% of the entire percentage makeup of the CFA Level I exam. I will carefully review all questions and stress more on questions that I had wrong and those that I had to educationally guess.

Attention will be channeled on Derivatives and Portfolio Management tomorrow.

Tablets of Stone versus Human Hearts from Hoekstra

May 4


You are manifestly an epistle of Christ . . . written . . . not on tablets of stone but on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart. (2Co_3:3)

The old covenant of law was written upon "tablets of stone." The new covenant of grace is written upon "tablets . . . of the heart." This is another vital contrast between the old and new covenants. This difference again decides whether we draw upon man's sufficiency or upon God's.
The old covenant message of God's law was written on stones. It called man to holiness, as measured by the character of God. "You shall be holy, for I the LORD your God am holy" (Lev_19:2). The message is magnificent. However, its impact would be limited (by design), since it was written on "tablets of stone." It was inscribed upon an inanimate object that was external to human lives. Consequently, it could not bring life or any provision for transforming lives. The law would function as a perfect standard, revealing our unholiness and convicting us that we needed the help that only Jesus Christ could offer. We needed some means to get the perfect message of the law (holiness) into our innermost being. This is what the new covenant of grace accomplishes.

The new covenant message of God's grace is written on human hearts: "on tablets of flesh, that is, of the heart." Grace not only forgives our failure before the law, but it goes to work to develop personal holiness at the very core of our being. This was the promise God gave through His prophets of old, that He would put His holy law into peoples' hearts. The book of Hebrews applies this promise to all believers in Jesus Christ. "This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws into their hearts" (Heb_10:16).

What hope we have through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ! Now, God brings His holiness from an outside standard to an internal resource. Now, the Lord is making His holy demands an internal part of our being. God is stirring holy desires in us. God is developing holy priorities within us and providing spiritual strength within us to walk in more and more godliness. "It is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure" (Phi_2:13).

Lets Pray:

O Holy Father, I would be hopeless, if Your perfect standard remained outside of me, demanding holiness by my performance. Thank You for bringing Your holy will inside of my life, providing internal resource for living and growing in godliness. Lord, I look to You to transform me from the inside out, in Jesus name, Amen.

Old Covenant or New, Man's Sufficiency or God's with Hoekstra

(God) also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit . . . But their minds were hardened. For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament [old covenant], because the veil is taken away in Christ. (2Co_3:6, 2Co_3:14)

We have seen that godly characteristics develop in our lives through the working of God's grace within us. We now begin a closely related subject: a contrast between living by the old covenant or the new (by law or by grace). The ongoing choices we make here determine whether we will be living by man's sufficiency or by God's. Various contrasting terms that describe these significant choices are set forth in the third chapter of 2 Corinthians. Verses 6 and 14 set the basic context, differences between the new covenant and the old: "[God] also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant . . . For until this day the same veil remains unlifted in the reading of the Old Testament [old covenant] ."

One of the drastic differences between living by the old covenant or the new is seen in verse 3: "You are manifestly an epistle of Christ . . . written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God" (2Co_3:3). People write letters on paper, using ink to record the message. God writes His message in people's lives, using His Spirit as the instrument. What a vivid contrast, "ink" versus "the Spirit of the living God." Ink is a natural resource. It is available to all humankind, regardless of their relationship with God. Ink is not a life-giving or life-developing entity. It is a mere element of the kingdom of man. When we chose to live by the old covenant (the law), the only resources we have to draw upon are natural human resources. We are writing our own letter of life, and we have selected man's sufficiency, not God's. Such resources are as spiritually powerless as ink.

On the other hand, those who live by the new covenant of grace have the Holy Spirit as their supplier to bring forth the mighty, heavenly, sufficiency of God. Think of the radical difference, ink versus the Holy Spirit. God wants us relying on His Spirit. He wants us living by God's sufficiency, not ours.

Lets Pray:

Dear Lord, You know how I often rely upon that which has no more spiritual power than ink. I hope in my ingenuity, my resolve, my personality, my tenacity - - myself. Lord, I want to be in Your word regularly, learning to rely upon You to work powerfully in my life by Your Holy Spirit, Amen.

One Month to June 2008 CFA Level I Exam

The CFA preparation is a truly a great experience that will bring all the best out of you. The CFA is a professional certificate that gives me the professional and ethical content that I really need in the business world. The CFA is different from the other finance programs and the MBA, I believe, because of these two pivotal issues.

My preparation for the CFA started somewhere in November 2007 and I started with the Ethical and Professional standards. I sent a week in the this area, solved some cable of question form Schweser 2007 Book 1 and the CFA Level I 2008 Program Curriculum vol 1. The strategy was to spend a week for each study session. Principally, I completed the entire study session in March 2008 with two months to bath in to practices. I had to break in April to finalize my studies for the PRM Exam II paper. My attention is switch to finalizing my preparation for the CFA Level I June exam.

I used the first two days of May to generally summarize my readings on the CFA Level I. Here, I tried to assemble all the notes, questions and the thoughts that I have used for all these months of preparation for the paper. I now planned to have model CFA exam every day from the first Saturday of May. I take Schweser Book 6 practices where I take the Morning Session from 09:00 - 12:00, break for an hour and take the Afternoon session from 13:00 - 16:00. I carefully and tactfully review all the questions from 18:00 until I believe I got full grips of all the questions I got wrong, why I got them wrong, questions that I got correct, why I got correct. Here, my strong focus is on the questions that I got wrong and those I got correct but I have to guess all through the way. The schedule for Sunday is slightly different with the exercises starting an hour later in the morning. Hey your may ask what about the weekdays, my Monday to Friday is exercises were entirely different, here the preparation starts petty early, around 0:00 in the morning all the way to 7:00. I bath and go to work.

In the nutshell, this was the way I am preparing for the exam.

Making the Most of Your Study Time !!

The Study Plan - How to Schedule your study?

Here is a very short article about how to managing your time and setting goals on your study. It really helps. Read it now!!

In short, you have to schedule your study in the way that:

Study difficult subjects first. It's easier to tackle the tougher subjects when you're fresh.

Making your study a habit

Set a daily study schedule

Keys to Success

Give yourself a month for practising the past papers. Do it twice!! That is the KEY TO WIN!! - In the essay-type questions of both L2 & 3, you will find some hot topics that always come up in the past papers. They are even presented and asked in similar format as they did in the past. More you are familiar with those frequently test areas, more the chance you pass the exam.

Remember to get the cheat sheets from Schweser and Stalla - The two course-providers each gives their own list of so-called "most probable exam topics" every year. You can download the list from their webs. Stalla usually gives the list in January and Schweser gives its own one several weeks before the exam. I have found that they usually can hit some topics for the past 2 years. I just wonder why they are capable of that..... For example, in 2001, L2 gives a question on convertible bonds that never come up in the past 5 year's examine and I can't imagine why both Stalla and Schweser have that gut feeling of CFIA will put it in the exam. The topic on convertible bonds is very simple, but if you don't have the hints , you may lose some marks on that question.

Note: Never bank on the most probable list to sit the exam. They also give many wrong tips on the "probable exam topics". But you can use their hints as your check list for study.

Prioritize Your Study - If we can quantify our study effort, we have to deal with the problems of cost and benefit. That is, not every single unit of your study effort give the same reward.... Trying to maximize your return on your study effort, you have to prioritize your study. Give priorities to followings:

1) Topics that frequently come up in past exam. Say, Equity section must be part of the asset valuation of L2, and they are asked in similar formats each year. Put more time on it. you can get a better than average return from the section.

2) New Topics that are not yet tested in recent exam.

3) Difficult areas that always nail the candidates.

The Exceedingly Abundant Ability of God with Hoekstra

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen. (Eph 3:20-21)

In light of God being our sufficiency for the development of godly characteristics, this benedictory prayer in Ephesians 3 becomes an appropriate and instructive response.

It begins with the most critical issue for living the Christian life: the ability of God: "Now to Him who is able." Natural religious thinking would consider the ability of man as the most vital matter in developing a godly life. Such an approach would leave us striving vainly under the law, attempting to live up to God's perfect standards by our own inadequate resources. Praise be to God, there is a heavenly, effective option: relying upon God's ability.

Think of the immeasurable ability of the Lord. "Ah, Lord God! Behold, You have made the heavens and the earth by Your great power and outstretched arm. There is nothing too hard for You" (Jer_32:17). He created the entire universe. Certainly, by His power He is able to strengthen us. "Behold, I am the LORD, the God of all flesh. Is there anything too hard for Me? " (Jer_32:27). Our Lord rules over all of humanity. Surely, He is able to manage our lives. Actually, our God is "able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think." Everything we could ask concerning His will, He is able to do far beyond that. Whatever we might contemplate but hesitate to ask, He is able to surpass that.

The most amazing aspect of God exercising His ability on our behalf is that He unleashes His power within our lives: "according to the power that works in us." This is exactly how the Lord wants to develop godliness in our lives. He Himself desires to work by the power of His grace deep within our hearts. "For it is good that the heart be established by grace" (Heb_13:9). Again, the Christian life is not affected from the outside in, hoping to modify our behavior by external religious pressures. Rather, it involves a true change of character within, affected by God Himself. This is how God is ultimately glorified in the lives of His people: "to Him be glory in the church." He works a genuine transformation of life in and through us. Then, we give Him the glory for His exceedingly abundant ability.

Lets Pray;
Lord God of exceeding abundance, I worship You as the one who is able to do all things well. Forgive me for repeatedly turning to my ability. Lord, as I seek You in Your word, build my faith. Unleash the powerful life of Your Son within my heart, making me what You want me to be, through Christ I pray, Amen.