Being Called – Fourth Sunday after the Epiphany

 

When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them authority to choose. Devil took advantage over it and made them to choose sin. Every human have the right to choose between right and wrong. Even most of the countries in the world give their citizens the right to choose. But if they choose something against the law, they need to face punishment.

Same way, even if you are called by God, He gave you the right to choose your path. Lord will provide you with His word and wisdom, but it is your authority to choose. We are living in an evil world. A man of God may get persecuted in this world. Even it happened to Jesus Christ.

Before starting His earthly ministry, Jesus was tested and tempted by Satan (Mathew 4). Jesus overcame it by the word of God. It shows us that we need to be thorough with the word of God. Children use to study and byheart the word for competition. Word of God should be kept in heart and when you face problems and temptations, it should be spoken against the problems to overcome it. If you are called by God, like Jesus, you will be tested continuously and you need to have the word of God in your heart.

When you walk with God and when God calls you, the people who comes against will be from your own family and neighborhood. Jesus went to Nazareth where he was brought up, and the people rejected him. They considered him as a son of carpenter. They were not able to digest the anointing of God upon His life. People consider you according to their plan. If God’s favor comes upon you the people wont be able to comprehend it and they will be the first one to hate you and be against you. When Jesus told about their attitude they got angry and even tried to kill him. But since God’s anointing was upon Him, he walked in the midst of them and went away (Luke 4: 21-30).

Jesus never stood there and challenged them. But He showed the maturity and walked away from them. As the follower of Christ, we are not here to challenge anyone or to debate with anyone. We are here to spread love of Christ to others. We need to show the same maturity Jesus showed where ever He got rejected and persecuted. For that you need to have a compassionate heart of love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul asks if you have all the gifts of the Spirit and don’t have love, you gain nothing.

If you don’t have the love of Christ in your life, the call of God is not going to do anything in you or around you. Luke 4 shows you how Jesus reacted to the ones who came against Him. Same way, flee from the temptations and be full of love and peace to be a role model and be a blessing to everyone. May The Lord’s grace be with you this week as you go ahead and face it with maturely and with love.

The World Hates You

 

If you are a man or woman of God, the people who are around you (Some may be Christians or not), they will make fun of you. The World around you hates you if you are a person of God. People may call you as Spiritual and all.

            Almighty God himself says in Psalms 22: 6-8 about him and his people “But I am a worm, and no man, a reproach of men, and despised by the people. All those who see me ridicule me, they shoot out the lip, and they shake the head saying. He trusted in Lord, let him rescue him, let him deliver him, since he delights in him.” In Isaiah 53:3 it clearly says about Jesus Christ, how people will behave at him... “He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not”.

            When Jesus Christ came to Earth we can see people making fun of him many times. For example in Mathew 9:24 “He said Make room for the girl is not dead, but sleeping, and they ridiculed him”. Before when Christ was crucified we can see in Mathew 27:29 “When they had twisted a crown of throne, they put it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And they bowed the knee before him and mocked him saying Hail, King of the Jews”.

            Bible also tells about the people of God who suffered in Hebrew 11:36 “Others had trial of mocking and scouring, yes and of chains and imprisonment”

            So when these kinds of insults comes in our lives there is no need of being sad, because we are the people of God and what ever happens to the people of God, God will take care of them. At the day of Pentecost when the disciples were filled with the sprit of God people said in Acts 2:13 “They are full of new wine”.

            Still now if we haven’t faced these kinds of problems in the future we will face these problems. Since the people of God will face problems, with the help of God they will overcome all the problems.

            A young man had many friends. When he was studying in the school, he was addicted to all kinds of worldly pleasures. But when he came to degree, he stopped and turned to godly ways. But other friends who were with him couldn’t believe that this man changed. When ever they see him they will make fun of him. What happened was that he didn’t care of what happened.

            If we take the example of Jesus calls ministry, many people don’t like this ministry. But they don’t care about that people instead they will pray for that people. So what happens … God is blessing that ministry.

            God speaks about the people who hate Gods people in John 15: 18-27

“ If the world hates you, you know that it hated me before it hated you”  So if someone says something against you he says against God. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, therefore the world hates you”

“If they kept my words they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for my name’s sake, because they do not know him who sent me”. “He who hates me hates my father also”. The person who hates you hates GOD. So we should pray for that people. Because that is our duty to make the kingdom of God comes, So that people should be free from their sins. But still God says “But when the helper comes whom I shall send to you from the father, the spirit of truth who proceeds from the father, he will testify of me” and God says we will witness there testimony because we are with him.

            When we face these kinds of situations we must pray for the people who did that so that one day they will also testify God. There is no need for any quarrel with them. Just pray for them and God will take care of the rest.

            May The Lord provide you His Spirit and strength to face these situations boldly and be focused in your vision in Jesus name

Conversion of St. Paul

 From the time of the birth, the Church had gone through persecutions. Even right now in many parts of world the followers of Christ are persecuted. But still believers are taking the gospel to the world. Even now if you are reading this message, it is written in the midst of persecution. Why is it like that? Even in the midst of persecution why the church of God is increasing in numbers?

Before Jesus ascended to heaven, He gave His disciples a command. In Acts 1: 8 is says, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witness in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth”. Jesus told them to proclaim the good news to all the ends of the earth.

When Christ was doing His earthly ministry, He gave a warning to His disciples, mentioned in Mathew 10: 17. “Be on guard, you will be handed over to the local councils and be flogged in the synagogues. On my account you will be brought before governors and kings as witness to them and to the Gentiles.”. Jesus already knew how his disciples are going to be persecuted by the world when they witness Him. So He is strengthening them. But at the same time He is promising them that Holy Spirit will come upon them and once that happens, they will boldly proclaim in front of people without the fear of persecution.

Same happened after Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in Acts 2. They started witnessing Jesus in Jerusalem. But they were staying only in Jerusalem and proclaiming good news. And then, a persecution happened which was led by a man called Saul. In Acts 6 we see a man called Stephen emerging as a leader and witnessing Christ. His preaching in the synagogue brought great persecution. In Acts 8: 1 we learn that those who killed Stephen laid their clothes at Saul’s feet. At the time of death you can see Stephan’s eyes were on to heaven. His face mirrored what he saw. Since persecution was high, believers fled to Judea and Samaria, same way Jesus commanded, and now to the ends of the world.

Saul thought he was victorious in persecuting Christians. So he took more responsibilities to destroy the Church of God. So he took authority from Chief Priest and was moving towards Damascus, when he saw a bright light from heaven. He fell on the ground and heard a voice telling, “Saul, why are you persecution me”. When he asked who you are, Lord told back it is me Jesus whom you are persecuting.

Yes, many people who want in search of God won’t like Church. So they persecute the church. Once they find Jesus is God, they become the carriers to take the gospel to the next level. Same story and history can be taken throughout the last generations. A man named Sadhu Sunder Singh, who persecuted Christians and burned the Bible, got touched by Jesus and then he took the gospel throughout India.

Saul became Paul and went to missionary journey and planted churches and encouraged them with letters which read in Bible as Epistles. After his conversion, he had to go through persecutions, being jailed, got almost killed, but still stood for the gospel and because of him, we are encouraged to take the gospel to our neighbours and friends around.

As we remember the conversion of Paul, let the Holy Spirit anoint you with His Spirit to walk in word and be a witness boldly preaching the gospel in the midst of your trials and temptations. May God bless you all.

Do your Role - Third Sunday after the Epiphany

 

When we look around, the world is so competitive that some people don’t know what they are supposed to do. If a person does something, there will be people around him who try to imitate, just to compete with the other person. If a person starts running / jogging, there will be somebody who tries to do the same thing and to prove himself better that the first person. Same is the case of studying, selecting a job, selecting a branch for higher studies etc.

It happens to the believers who does the will of God. They do things according to the will of God and the ones around them who don’t have an anointing, questions the believers and tries to demotivate them. Same thing happened when Nehemiah came to rebuild the wall of Jerusalem, people opposed him. Why people opposed him? They did because according to them, they cant do it, so they don’t want him also to do it. 

The same happens in every believers life. They does things others don’t do. But they will get demotivation and embarrassment from around them. At this time they need to do what Nehemiah did. He told the priest Ezra to bring the book of Law and read it before the people to keep them connected with God. You need to be connected with the word of God every time you need to do something difficult, even  other times. When the world comes against you, the word of God will provide you the faith, hope and belief to stay calm and go ahead (Nehemiah 8)

At the same time, if you are a believer in Christ, you need to accept the fact that everyone are members of a single body. So everyone has their own jobs to do. Your hands take the food and give it to your mouth and the mouth will accept the food. The food gives strength to your body. Same way you need to know that you have a role to play in the body of Christ. You don’t need to Xerox another member’s ministry. You stay close with God and He will provide you the role. As in 1 Corinthians 12, every one is being given the gifts and you need to use if accordingly for the benefit of the body of Christ. 

Stay simple to the calling of God and do it to your best

May The Lord help you to stay close with His word, get motivate from it in the midst of troubles from around, and do the ministry of caring the needy to salvation in the way God speaks to you.

Living for Jesus

 

“You were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body” (1 Corinthians 6:20)

     When problems surround our life, we believe our God has given up. We may even think of leaving every thing and end our precious life. Most of the people even me have been in these situations. I am taking about the people who suffer from pain from their relatives or from some diseases or some loss in Job or wealth or sudden death etc.

    Sadhu Sunder Singh, a great man of God once told – “Leaving a life for Christ is very easy, but to live a life for Christ is very difficult”. Yes if you want to die for Christ, it is very easy job as terrorists are there to help you out. But in this sinful world where trials and temptations are there, living a life for Christ is very difficult. But in that also, our faithful God leaves us his word – “The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them” – (Psalm 34:7)

Once a great man told, if you didn’t face any issue the whole day, that means you must be going in a wrong direction. Yes there are problems all around. But as people who trust in God, our comfort is not behind the worldly pleasures, but behind thy word.

Some people when faces with tough situation will go for other options, like seeing an astrologer to see whether their time is going good or not. You see, Astrologers are calculating every thing according to the rotation of Earth and Planets and Moon around the Sun. Their main reason for the calculation depends on the Sun. For them Sun is the center of everything. But my dear brother and sister, the God whom I serve is the creator of this Sun, Moon and all the planets, even the time. In his word, when Joshua prayed to stop the sun and moon for sometimes, God answered his prayer. (Joshua 10:13-14) (2Kings 20: 9-11). NASA computers performing the astronomical calculations have also found that a day is missing (http://www.christiananswers.net/q-aig/aig-a001.html). So I don’t need to go to an astrologer to see whether my time is bad or where the Sun is, but I will go to my God who made time and the universe. He takes care of me and makes a way for me from no way.

Even in this world when Jesus was there, he had to go through lost of trials, temptations and persecutions. But he was not moved by anything; instead he fasted and prayed to God for everything. When you see his disciples, every body had gone through tough pain and trials in their lives. But they stood faith in the highest one, even to their death. When we have any problems we go and see the men of God, servants of God. They will comfort and console us and council us. Have we ever thought of how their life is? To your information, ask any servant of God personally, and they will tell how much problems they are going through in this world.

Devil is the toughest hard worker in this world. So it will try to defeat a man of God through various situations. They might get problems in family, Job or from any one. But the true servants of God, still in the midst they will keep their faith in God and they will continue their glorifying God with more strength from the Holy Ghost whom they ask.

Yes dear friends, problems will come to our life, but their will be a way to come out of it. Just be in the presence of God alone and pray to God in Christ Jesus name who took all our problems in the cross. Cry to God and he will comfort you with his powerful spirit. Just wait and think how you can with his help overcome the situation. Just think what things you are doing against his will. Stop all and pray to him for the help. Surely he is a merciful God and you will get his mighty help from above. As the psalmist says, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise him, my savior and my God” (Psalm 42:11).

Now don’t ever think of ending your life because of problems as that is not a solution as you are sinning against your God. Your body and soul belongs to him and you are the temple of his spirit. “Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s spirit lives in you? If any one destroys God’s temple, God will destroy him; for God’s temple is sacred, and you are that temple” (1 Corinthians 3:16, 17). When you are God’s temple, remember to keep your self clean even in midst of all your problems.

Let his presence fill you and read thy word and lead a life which pleases God instead of a worldly one. Just trust in him and believe that he will make a way from no where. That is our God. Praise be to him only.

Blogged on March 2010

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 

GIFTS - Second Sunday after the Epiphany

 

In the book of 1 Corinthians 12, Paul mentions about some spiritual gifts that is been given to the body of Christ. It is been given to the members of the body of Christ. If you are a member of a church, you may not receive it. Only way to receive the gifts is that you should be a person who has repented your sins before Jesus and accepted Him as your personal Savior. He died for your sins, and as you have repented and accepted Him, you are a new creation.

When you join a club or a new company, they give welcome gifts to welcome you. Same way, once you are in the family of the body of Christ, God has special spiritual gifts for you. Keep in mind the gifts are not any money of anything to eat. The gift is not between you and another person. No other people are involved in the gift God is going to give you. It’s all between you and Almighty.

Before receiving the gifts, you need to understand that Christ is the head of the body of Christ. We cannot live without head. Our head directs our body into meaningful activity. Christ guides us into all activity (1 Colossians 1: 15-18; Ephesians 1: 22-23; 4: 15-16; 5: 23).

If Christ is the head of the body, believers of Christ are the body. As a believer you are part of the body (Romans 12: 5). Believers from every race, color, land and nations are all part of the same body.

In our human body, if one part or member is not working/ paralysed, it affects the entire body. Similarly every member in Christ’s body is very important to Him. Every member in Christ’s body is a share of that body (1 Corinthians 12: 27). As in our human body each member has a particular function. All members do not have the same use. Every member has his own function.

Each part of our body is different from each other. Same way God made each of us different from anyone else. God made us who we are and placed us where we are for the good of the whole body for His own glory. So being unhappy because our gifts are not the same as another person’s make us judges of God. Our gifts may not seem as important as another’s gifts. Always understand the gifts God has for you are just right for you. Each of us should benefit from the other’s gifts (Romans 12: 5). Our feet carry us to our food. Our hands carry the food to our mouth and our mouth eats it. But the whole body profits.

Gifts received are to be used for the purpose for which they are given (Mathew 10: 8). The purpose is not fulfilled when the believers fail to use the gifts and if they use them selfishly and without love. Faithful use of spiritual gifts brings glory to the giver and blessing to the body (1 Corinthians 4: 2).

May The Spirit of God provide you with the gifts as you live a life with love and peace in Jesus name