Confession of St. Peter

Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” – Matthew 16: 16

The confession of Jesus’ disciple Peter help you to understand how Peter considered Jesus in his life. If someone tells Christ as his Messiah, it means they considered Him as the deliverer. The Jews at that time was looking for a deliverer to fight for them against the nations and free them. But Peter’s confession is on our spiritual deliverer. He understood Jesus is the Son of God who came to deliver him from the sins.

Jesus replies to him that it is the Holy Spirit who helped Peter to say so. In human understanding it is not possible to digest the supernatural things God does. Human understanding cannot comprehend a virgin giving birth to a baby through the Spirit of God. Same way Human mind cannot accept Christ as the savior of this world. It is revealed only through the Spirit of God.

It doesn’t mean that when you are filled with the Spirit of God, you will say right things and select perfect decisions. The same Peter got casted out by Jesus in Matthew 16 as “Get behind me Satan”. Peter denied Jesus 3 times before His death also. That is life. When a person is filled with the Spirit, it is the Spirit who does everything in that person. Other times, it will be a human effect.

In Acts 2 we see the Holy Spirit anointing upon the Apostles. After that Peter and other apostles got the special power and boldness to preach the gospel to the world, which was not possible before the anointing. So when the Spirit starts working in you, the boldness to go ahead comes in your character and you will walk along the path that Spirit guides.

In Acts 4 we can see Peter and John been jailed. As a result of arrest, Peter was able to preach a Spirit-inspired sermon before the Sanhedrin. The religious rulers could not escape the truth that these men showed a power and understanding far beyond their own strength and ability.

When you are in Christ and when the Spirit guides you, everything you do will be towards the glory of Jesus Christ. You will be guided to preach the salvation to others through your work, daily life and the way you mingle with others. Same way in Acts 4 Peter got the courage to proclaim the Salvation to the religious leaders. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved” – Acts 4: 12.

All this starts with a small confession. The confession that you have sinned and Christ came to the world as a Messiah to save your sins and your belief in this Christ. Peter did the same in Matthew 16: 16 and the Spirit of God worked in his life, anointed him and made him a bold person in Jesus.

You may be prosperous, healthy and in good position. But according to the creator you are not valuable because of your sins. You have a choice. You can live like this, or can confess your sins and accept the Messiah who died for your sins. If you confess Jesus as your savior, your name will be written in Heaven and you will be in Christ. You don’t need to let loose all your belongings. You can do much more, but this time by the guidance of Holy Spirit through love and compassion.

May The Lord help you to confess Jesus as Savior and be guided by the Spirit to do Supernatural things in Jesus name 

The glorious Future - Zechariah

Zechariah is a book of revelation of the Old Testament. He was the prophet of restoration and glory. Born in Babylon, he was priest as well as prophet. Zechariah, whose name means “Jehovah remembers”, prophesied for three years. The glorious future rather than the sad present was his message.

In Zechariah 1 we find Judah still a remnant, Jerusalem far from restored the gentile nations at ease round about it (Zechariah 1:14-16). He pictured God’s love and care for his people. He was a prophet to the remnant of the Jews who returned from Babylon after the seventy years of captivity. He tried to tell the people one day the Messiah would come and God’s chosen people would rise into power. Zechariah does not condemn the people, but presents in glowing pictures the presence of God to strengthen and help. He especially encourages the governor, Zerubbabel, who was conscious of his own weakness (Zechariah 4:6-10). Zechariah foretells the saviour more than any other prophet except Isaiah.

The prophet, looking far into the future, saw Messiah of the days to come as one Person, but in two aspects. First, he saw him in humiliation and suffering, and again, in majesty and great glory. Of the Minor Prophets, Zechariah majors in visions (Zechariah 1:1-6). The visions are followed by a symbolic act of crowning the high priest (Zechariah 6:9-11). We find a committee from Bethel waiting on Zechariah to ask him if the national fasts should be kept (Zechariah 7-8). The Jews themselves had instituted these fasts. They had been used to fasting on their anniversary days. Zechariah warned them against cold formalism in their religious observances. He urges them to change their fasts into feasts of joy and be practical in their righteousness.

Zechariah 9 to 14 is full of promises of the coming Messiah and a worldwide kingdom. The prophet no longer pictures a city rebuilt on its foundations, but a glorious city whose wall is the Lord. It is not armed for war, but is a city filled with peace, for the Prince of Peace reigns. He shall come the first time as the lowly one, riding upon a clot, the foal of a donkey (Zechariah 9:9).

Chapter 11 reveals the shepherd who would seek to save Israel, but is rejected. He is sold for 30 pieces of silver, the price of a slave. This all foreshadowed Christ and his betrayal by Judas. Chapter 12 gives us the prophecy of the siege of Jerusalem by the Antichrist and his armies in the last days. Then we see the repentance of the Jews when they shall see him whom they have pierced. The foundation shall be opened to the house of David for sin and uncleanness (Zechariah 13:1). Then the return of the Messiah upon the Mount Olives, which shall cleave asunder by an earthquake (Zechariah 14:4), reminds us of the day when he left the earth at that same spot with the promise of his return (Acts 1:11). Finally he shall be King over the whole earth and all people shall be holy unto him (Zechariah 14:9-20).

We see prophet prophesying about a glorious future. But at the same time, we see about the fasting in chapters 7 and 8. I have seen people not eating non vegetarian foods at lent days. They claim they are on fast. They will be waiting for the Easter day. When the day comes, they will drink liquor as much they can and gets dunked. Don’t know why they fasted for the 40 days.

Fasting is only profitable as an outward sign of an inward confession of sin. Merely refraining from eating will never bring a blessing. God wants a humble and contrite heart. May God help you to understand his holiness and live a holy life, leaving all the worldly lusts to bring glory to the name of Christ Jesus.

Country Preacher - Micah

Micah was a country preacher who lived in the days of Isaiah and Hosea. He was a prophet of the common people. He prophesied concerning Samaria, the capital of Israel, and Jerusalem, the capital of Judah. He denounced the social sins of his day (Micah 2:2). He felt keenly these social evils. He saw the unfair treatment of the poor by the rich. He felt that these sins cried up to heaven.

Micah wanted the people to know that every cruel act to one’s fellow citizen was an insult to God. God is offended by the conduct of the people and the rulers. In spite of the state of things, the people tried to carry on their religious observances. Micah shows the uselessness of all this (Micah 6:7-8).

As the book opens we hear the cry, “Hear O peoples, all of you listen. O earth and all who are in it, that the Sovereign Lord may witness against you” (Micah 1:2). He further added God rebuked Samaria and Jerusalem for social injustice, unfaithfulness, dishonesty and idolatry (Micah 2:1-11; 1:6-9). He told them that Samaria, the capital of Israel, would fall (Micah 1:6-7). A similar judgement would come upon Judah. Judah’s sin is described as an incurable wound. The sins of the people ae stated in Micah 2:1-11. God will being suffering and shame upon them for their unscrupulous use of power.

In Micah 3 to 5 he gives a message to rulers concerning the coming of Christ. Even there he broken hearted tells of God’s judgement upon Judah for her sins. Jerusalem and its temple will be destroyed (Micah 3:12; 7:!3). The people of Judah will be taken captive to Babylon (Micah 4:10).

Micah was also a prophet of hope. He always looked beyond doom and punishment to the day of glory when Christ himself shall reign, when peace shall cover the earth. God gives the promise. Messiah will come. He will be born in Bethlehem (Micah 4:8; 5:2-4). In Micah 6, he gives a definition of religion. He tells to Act Justly, Love mercy and walk humbly with God.

Men and women are always trying to get back into the good graces of God with some outward religious service or some worldly rather than spiritual things. God wants righteous conduct and a real personal experience of him in each life. Because of unrighteous conduct, the people had to suffer unbelievable consequences. The best way to get back into God’s grace is to accept God’s grace.

May God help to walk with him and be victorious in your life through Romans 12:1-2.

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – this is your true and proper worship. Don not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will”.