Month: January 2022

Then Jesus told this story to some who had great confidence in their own righteousness and scorned everyone else;

 Luke 18:9

I was born into a Christian family, with this background I thought I knew something of the bible and that I was better than most, but the older I got I began to realize that I have been stuck in my own world not realizing that none of what I thought made me good was any good at all and I knew nothing of the bible in spite of reading it all my life.

As I read this verse God showed me 3 things that happen when we have great confidence on our own righteousness;

1. It distracts us from God given revelation or assignment:

Mark 10:20 21,22,23 depicts the encounter of Rich young man with Jesus, here his conversation with Jesus, underscores the fact that he thought his knowledge and obedience to the commandments could bring right standing whilst sadly he lost the revelation of putting God first.

• It disengages our alignment with God:

Judges 16: 20, depicts Samson, who put his confidence over his anointing and the strength it brought without aligning to God. Once he revealed the secret of his strength to Delilah, the Lord left him and he became like a normal person.

• It makes us disobey Gods calling or instruction:

In Lev 10:1 we see the sons of Aaron Nadab and Abihu who burnt a wrong kind of fire and 1 Samuel 13 talks about King Saul, where he disobeys by burning the sacrifice himself, which Samuel should have done. In both these instances we see that they lost their anointing and it led to their eventual destruction.

So, from these passages we come to know that we abide and have our being purely by the Grace of God, we need to constantly and consistently humble ourselves, 2 Cor 12: 9 says “that his power is made perfect in our weakness”. 2 Cor 4: 7-9 say “But we have this treasure in jars of clay (weak) to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us” and Mat 5:5 says that it is blessed to be meek (humble & submissive). Therefore, let’s follow Jesus’s example and live a life that constantly and consistently glorifies God alone.

Sol. Paul Hudson

But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’”

 Luke 15:32 (NIV)

This verse became realistic in my past life. The moment I read this scripture I could recollect my past life.

The last 2 years of my life was tough.  Every day I woke up with a heavy heart, and I don’t clearly remember the last time I was happy. I was emotionally drained and was trying to distance myself from everyone who loved me. I was depressed and miserably broken inside. There were times when I pretend to be happy for the sake of my loved ones. However, I wasn’t able to hold the overwhelming grief. I remember days I’ve wept lying on the floor helpless and desperate.  What more should I say?  Like the scripture above says, I was dead; I was dead inside.

Yet, the love of the Father that left the 99 has chased down my heart. (Matthew 18:12). Just as a shepherd is concerned enough about one lost sheep to go search the hills for it, so is God  concerned about every human being he has created.

The arms of the Father were wide open for me to rush into. (Luke 15:20) In this parable, The Father forgives his son when he repents and comes back. In the same way, if we repent for our sins, He will forgive us and welcome us back. The main message of the prodigal son is that it doesn’t matter how far we stray from our Heavenly Father or how much we wasted the talents He provides, He is always delighted when we come back to Him. His unconditional love is waiting for us to return home where He greets us with open arms. It is easier to confess to God than to man. God is gracious, compassionate, slow to anger, and merciful. The robe stands for honor, ring for authority, shoes were the sign of freedom, and the feast was made to rejoice at the wanderer’s return.

God told me the reasons for the pain that He led me through.  ’The Lord has called me to pour oil and wine into the wounds of people and bind their broken hearts.’ (Luke 10:34) (Psalm 147:3) Jesus heals the hurt people all by his blood, stripes, wounds by pouring in oil and wine, as the good Samaritan did. Jesus binds up the broken-hearted, heals wounded sinners and restores comfort to mourners; This is done by pouring oil and wine.

Oil represents the grace of the Spirit of God; The comparison is for its sweet smell, its cheering and refreshing virtue and efficacy, and its cooling and healing nature. “Wine”, the doctrines of the Gospel; such as free justification by Christ’s righteousness, and pardon through His blood.

God led me through so much pain so that I could relate to hurt people and understand them much better.

I could testify how the Lord had snatched me out from the fire.

I can tell them with confidence that the Lord who saved me will save them too.

I’m overjoyed, for the Words God has spoken to me.

“Now, it’s appropriate to celebrate and be glad” for the Lord has turned my mourning into dancing. The days of grief are over for I am found.

Nothing makes me happier than seeing these promises that God has made fulfilled before I walked  into 2022. 

Sol. Alicia Mathew

MIND OF CHRIST

“For He shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked and spiteful entreated and spitted on”.

Luke18:32

While meditating on this verse a picture came to my mind, the death of an Australian Missionary Graham Staines, who worked among the lepers in Orissa, India, and his two small children, who were burnt alive in their van by the same people he served. His wife Gladys though in great pain forgave the killers and continued to work among them without any complaint. As Paul said in Philippians3:7 “What things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ”.

This is the mind of Christ.

Luke 18:32 is the fulfillment of Jesus’ prediction about His death. It is also in Mathew 20:18-19. He already gave an outline of the sufferings He has to go through, to the disciples before also, but never so clearly as in this verse. He even told them the manner of His end, and how His countrymen would give Him to the Gentiles, who will do all evil means to put Him to death, but on third day He will rise again. The victory over the enemy.

It gives us hope that whatever sufferings we have to go through, the final victory is ours, if Jesus is with us. We must become a living sacrifice for Christ as He became sacrifice for us. Romans 12:1. Our commitment must be a total surrender, dedication and devotion to Christ. As He told His disciples in Mathew20:22. We should be willing to drink the cup of suffering for His sake. We should have that mind of Christ, willing to suffer for His sake. Phil 2:5.

Due to my husband’s heart problems and paralysis I had to go through sufferings for twenty years. But I was not discouraged nor complained because I was strengthened by the word.  Eph 3:16. I began to saturate my body with the verses like:

Hebrew13:5 I will never leave you nor forsake you.

Isaiah 41:10 Fear ye not for I am with you

Isaiah 43:2 When thou pass through the waters, I will be with you…….

Even now it is a great testimony for me. As the Psalmist sings 119:71  ” It is good for me that I have been afflicted that I might learn thy statutes”.

Romans5:3-4 says that we can rejoice when we run into problems and trials, because they help us to learn patience, patience to character, character to confident expectation of Salvation. And this expectation will not disappoint us.

Prayer–Father God give us the grace to face sufferings for your glory.

Sol Gigi Jacob

In the same way any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my Disciple.

Luke 14: 33

Jesus commanded His disciples not to leave Jerusalem but receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:4,5)

The Holy spirit helps us to live a Spirit led life rather than a worldly life ( 2 Cor 10:3,4 ; Rom 8 )

So what is it to be led by the Holy Spirit?

It is living a life of supernatural healing, peace, deliverance, miracles, life transformed, not like the natural but beyond all rule and authority, power, dominion and beyond every title that can be given.

It is the life of miracles -People being healed of arthritis, asthma, allergy, fever, seizures, paralysis in the name of Jesus Christ in day-to-day practice, many delivered from worldly entanglement to freedom by His name.

I would like to give you an example of how I was led by the Holy spirit in my workplace.  Once I was called for a delivery. I was in my OPD and the hospital which called me was around 3 km away from my place.  As soon as I started from the OP there was another call from the same hospital saying that the baby has been delivered, but baby did not cry after birth.  So it took me 10 minutes to reach the hospital. By the time I reached there the baby was pale white and did not breathe. As a doctor I had to do the Resuscitation. Heart rate was very low but it improved with bag and mask ventilation but baby did not breathe spontaneously. It was around one hour after I started resuscitation but baby has not improved once I stopped bag and mask ventilation, heart rate dropped. There was no reflex in the eyes. So, I called the father and told him the situation of how the baby was dependent on ventilation and how the brain was then dead.  The father was devastated. I was sending all the attendants outside and suddenly; I saw the room from the view of a CCTV camera. I immediately sensed that God wanted to do something there. So, I asked God, “Lord, what do you want me to do?”.

Immediately I was reminded of two incidents.  One where Jesus sent out the attendants of a child who was dead, and how He brought back to life the girl child. Another instance where Elijah the prophet took the child to the upper room, prayed and brought it back to life. Again I asked the Lord, “Lord! what do you want me to do?” .

 The Lord said, “Prophecy life over the baby!”. So I prophesied over the baby to breathe in the name of Jesus Christ and immediately the baby took its first breath and it started to cry, following which I prophesied again, “Move!” Immediately the baby started to kick and move.  The baby now had spontaneous breathing. So I continued to resuscitate.

When I explained this to the baby’s father, he was furious saying, “What do you think of yourself? Once you said, my baby is dead! Now you are telling, baby is alive! What is this? Are you making fun of me? “

Then I told him that it was not my resuscitation but the power of the one and only true living God Jesus Christ who raised his baby from the dead. I asked him to make arrangements to take the baby to higher Centre for follow-up care so the baby was shifted alive to higher centres.

This starts to happen when we stop living a namesake Christian life (worldly life) and start living a life according to the purpose God ordained for us. (Spirit led life ). Worldly life is being a slave to the demonic principalities, authorities and dominions. They do not allow Christians see miracles in their lives.  

But when you are spirit led, you start to acknowledge (Philemon 1:6) the Word of God. You come to a point where the Word of God dominates you. You start working from victory, from the riches of His Glorious inheritance and from his incomparable great power for us, who believe.

 So, hold on to His teaching and give up everything which the world taught you. Then you will be His disciples! Then you will know the truth and the truth shall set you free (Luke 8:31)

Dr. Albert Jones AOJ

“…And behold, he is going before you to Galilee, there you will see him.

Mat 28 : 7

This news was told by the angel of the Lord who descended from heaven, to Mary Magdalene and another Mary when they went to see the sepulcher where Jesus was laid. Jesus was going to Galilee where He was to meet his disciples. Through the resurrection, Jesus has proved to everyone that there is life after resurrection. Apart from the resurrection of the body after death, while we are on this earth our spirit can have resurrection. 

Saul – Acts 9 : 3-20 : After the encounter with Jesus, Saul was resurrected from spiritual death (sins, hate and atrocities on Christians) and he went to Damascus. There he regained his sight back and got baptized and started proclaiming Jesus, saying “He is the Son of God” and preached in synagogues. He has written many epistles in the New Testament.

Zacchaeus – Luke 19 : 2-10 :After Jesus saw Zacchaeus on the sycamore tree and spoke to him, Zacchaeus was  resurrected from death (sins, defrauding the people by collecting more tax and accumulating wealth), got saved and led a normal life, helping the poor with his wealth.

Lazarus – John 11 : 1-45 : On hearing that his friend Lazarus was not well, Jesus went to Bethany to see him after some days. When he reached there, he was told that Lazarus had died and already been in tomb for four days. Jesus asked the stone to be removed and called Lazarus to come out. He came out with his hands and feet in bandages and his face wrapped in clothes.

In January 2005, at the age of 52, I myself was resurrected from spiritual death. I was leading a sinful worldly life and was running after money. I was given the grace to repent and started my life anew. After that, I started doing the Lord’s work and stood for the Lord. In 2013, I joined The Army of Jesus. Since 2005, I grew in doing Lord’s ministry. Till date I am doing what I could for the Lord and His kingdom to come.  Feel happy and proud to be so.

Prayer:  Lord, give us the grace to die for  sins  and attain resurrection  in my daily life so that I would be empowered to work for your  Kingdom.

Sol. Leslie AOJ

Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother trespass against thee, rebuke him; and if he repent, forgive him.

Luke 17: 3

We live in an age hostile to correction. “No” has become a four-letter word in the modern vernacular. Our non-Christian friends don’t want to be told their unbelief warrants God’s judgment. But often our Christian friends don’t want to be corrected, either. And that’s sad, because a rebuke can be good for the soul. “The wise of heart,” says King Solomon, “will receive correction” (Prov 10:8).

When to Correct our Brethren?

Correct when the salvation of a brother or sister is in question.

            “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God” (Heb 3:12). Notice that this word is addressed to brothers. It’s those of us who call ourselves Christians who need to closely examine our hearts. But this kind of examination is not merely a call to private, personal self-analysis.

When you see a brother or sister continuing in a pattern of unbelief or a pattern that calls into question the genuineness of his profession of faith, you should speak up. It is your word of encouragement that the Holy Spirit may use to soften your sister’s heart, lead her into an attitude of repentance, and spare her from God’s wrath.

Jesus taught us to correct one another because he understood the danger of unrepentant sin. In Matthew 18:15-16 he carefully lays out a process of correcting a brother who’s sinned against another brother. Jesus doesn’t reveal the nature of the sin. However, he makes it quite clear that if the sinner doesn’t repent of that sin, he shouldn’t be treated as a brother or sister in Christ. But how will this sinner come to realize his/her fault? He needs a word of correction. Jesus tells us to provoke the sinner individually (v. 15). If the sinner’s heart remains hard, a few others should offer the corrective word (v. 16).

However, a word of caution is in order. There are times where no response is the best response. Consider the following verses:

• Proverbs 19:11, “Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.”

• Proverbs 10:12, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers over all offenses.”

1. 1 Peter 4:8, “Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins.”

Prayer:

            Our Gracious Heavenly Father thank you Lord for providing a heart to correct our brothers if they sin against you. Dear Lord grant us the wisdom so that our words of correction can be very sweet to renew the faith of weary saints. But our words can be unhelpful and hurtful, too. We need your wisdom to know when to correct and when to overlook in Jesus Name we Pray Amen.

Sol.Olivia Capitola J AOJ

“He who is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much”.

Luke 16:10

Let us take the parable of ‘talents and the outlook of the three servants who received them.  Matt: 25:21-25

The Master gave five talents to the first servant and two to the second servant, and one talent to the third servant. The one who has received 5 talents immediately started some business and increased it to ten talents. The second one also increased the talents to four. And the final servant who received one talent had not done anything with his money. He wasted his time also. When the master came back from his travel, he called all his servants and asked about the talents be gave. He was very happy with the first and second servants and he raised them to more responsible positions. But the third servant who had not used his talents wisely is sent out from his job and ultimately punished for being lazy. The moral of this parable is that the righteous, hard-working people will come up in their lives. Jesus Christ will bless such people for their faithful actions.

In Mathew 24: 45-51 we see a wise slave and in Luke 12:42-48 we see a sensible and faithful steward.

How these three parables affect our lives and what is the morale we can learn from this? Let us remember one thing that all these parables are narrated by our Master and Savior, Jesus Christ. Through these parables Jesus our Master is connecting our lives to eternity, faithfulness in life, sensibility, in life, righteous living, intelligent working etc, etc. And if we fail in our lives the end will be weeping and garnishing of teeth.

I definitely feel and think eternity is much more valuable than all the money we can make or have in this world.

Are we ready for the rapture?  If not, let us make the necessary corrections in our lives.

I was doing business. There was no fixed rule or norms for taking profit. Whatever came to my mouth would be my profit. At that time, I was collecting my profit share at a very minimum rate.  Sometimes, I used to think of myself  that  I was  a big fool; That is why I could not  take more profit like others who were in my field. I was righteous in taking profit from my customers. I still wonder what drove me to follow such principles. In 1980 it was a lucrative business. I was running an IATA, an approved travel agency. I had got an international license and only such agencies where able to issue tickets. The IATA people were authorised to issue tickets for all the airlines in the world at that time. At the age of 65 years in 2017, I was able to sell my business for a reasonable price. I did it because I wanted to be in the Lord’s work.  But in 2018 and 2019 in Kerala there were great floods. And by the end of 2019 Corona had started. The travel and tourism business in India and in the World itself came to a complete shutdown. Out of the 2900 IATA agents in India and about 275 IATA agents in Kerala, I think I was the only one escaped unhurt. I feel now that God has spared only me because I was righteous and faithful in little. I started my office with one staff and later developed (opened) three offices in different cities of Kerala with 21 staff altogether.

In 2017 1 was not able to see the worst scenario waiting from 2018 onwards. I fully believe now that God only spared me from the huge losses which others are suffering now. When I look back, I am amazed how God protects HIS children from all crises. Hallelujah.

Sol. John Philip

FAITH IS A GIFT; PRAY FOR ITS INCREASE

The apostles said to the Lord “Increase our faith…

Luke 17: 5

Romans 1:17 says that the righteous shall live by faith and Hebrew 11:6 says it’s impossible to please God without faith.  According to Romans 12:3 each one of us is blessed with a measure of faith which we can maintain, lose or keep it increasing. There are certain things that we should do to keep our faith increasing.

We have to maintain a register recording all the miracles we experience every day; so that we can remind ourselves of his Omnipotence which is sufficient for us to overcome any threat that comes to test our faith.

Even before I got married in 1989, I had committed my life to the Lord and was praying for a man of God to share my life with. But after our marriage I found that my husband was more like an atheist and had nothing to do with God. I was heartbroken but the Lord strengthened me and spoke to me through His word, not to give up but to hold on with faith.

I never had expressed my disappointment but tried to be an affectionate and understanding wife, all the time praying and believing for his salvation. After 25 long years, God touched him and his life got totally transformed. Now we are serving the Lord together with great joy. God helped me to hold on to my faith and honoured His words.

Also when we start looking at the circumstances our faith may falter. Peter could walk on the sea as long as his eyes were on Jesus. Once he looked at the boisterous sea he started to drown. Whatever the situation may be, we should strongly believe thatGod is in control of everything, to keep up the level of our faith.

Giving importance to God’s word will surely increase our faith. We have to keep on meditating the word of God and if possible memorize as much verses as we can. Bible is a great resource to fill our faith reserves.

Praising God and worshipping Him in Spirit shall surely help us to build a strong unwavering faith. When we believe we shall see the glory of God and our faith shall surely overcome the world.

Prayer: Our loving heavenly Father, we thank you for you are the author and finisher of faith. Help us to be strong in faith putting our trust in you alone, giving more importance to your word in our life and always to remember the mighty miracles you’ve done in the past for us. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Sol. Jeslyn Jeyakumar

“During death angels will come to carry the soul away.”

Luke 16:22

“The poor man died and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s side. The rich man also died and was buried.”

Yes, the Bible indicates that when we die, we will not be alone, but angels will accompany us on our journey to heaven (if we deserve).  In the above parable, Jesus talked about a poor man who had suffered much during his time on earth.  When he died, Jesus said, “the angles carried him to Abraham’s side-to heaven – a happy and joyful state where he was comforted.

That has to do with the ministry of angels at the time of death of a believer.

John-11:25-26 “Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he dies, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die.”

He is with us right up to the moment of our death.

We deserve nothing less than hell because of our sins but Jesus took upon himself the judgement and hell that we deserve.  Now he offers us the gift of eternal life and all we have to do is receive it.

John 5:29 says “those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.”

In Luke 16:19-31 speaks the death of a rich man and a poor beggar named Lazarus.

In Luke 16:22 We see the experience of both like one moment poor Lazarus was collapsed at the gate of a very rich man, a dying beggar and the next moment he was being carried by angels to heaven.  In this physical life his companions were dogs licking his sores but in death, mighty angels came, swept him into their embrace and carried him into paradise with Abraham.

And the rich man being carried by angels not by the good but by the evil angels and not into Abraham’s side, but to hell.

Angels are ministering spirits given for us. Few months back, in Punjab, one young believer boy named Moses met with an accident and had a severe head injury. It was just next to impossible for him to survive but a miracle happened. The Lord released His resurrection power on Moses and he got a new life within 10 days. This was according to the Word given by heaven for him and so many other patients were also discharged that day. I believe that it was the Lord who sent His angels in human form to take care of his hospital admission, treatment, fee payment etc. Two believers (attendants) released Word of God (Rev  2:10)  all the time there where he was admitted. All glory to the Lord.

Mathew-25:46 “And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

Our life is not a bed of roses but ahead of us is heaven, where we will be safely in God’s presence forever.  Let that great truth encourage and strengthen us every day.

Sol. Poonam Batra, AOJ

… ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME, BUT I WILL NOT BE BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF ANY.

1 Corinthian 6: 12

Some say, “ALL THINGS ARE LAWFUL FOR ME”

YES; BUT NOT EVERYTHING IS GOOD FOR YOU.

I could say that I am allowed to do anything, but I am not going to let anything make me its slave. I MUST BE AN OVERCOMER

Christian teaching about God’s grace can create uncertainty for believers about WHAT IS OR IS NOT ACCEPTABLE BEHAVIOUR.

On one hand, Scripture is emphatic that those who are in Christ are not subject to the law of Moses. Christians are free to eat old-covenant- restricted animals, for instance, and not to participate in all the special holidays required for religious Jews.

Moreover, Apostle Paul has written in the previous verse, 1 Corinthians 6:11, that those in Christ have already been washed of their sins, sanctified in Christ, and declared justified by God.

That transaction is complete. We are saved. Why not continue to do whatever we want, then?

Why not participate in what we call sexual immorality?  Why not do whatever comes naturally, whatever our bodies desire?

That’s the question Paul seems to be answering in this and the following verses.  In this verse Paul tells us “All things are lawful for me.”

But all things are not helpful: The Corinthian Christians used their “liberty” as a license to sin.

See the reference to the harlot in 1 Corinthians 6:15

1 Cor 6:15 You know that your bodies are parts of the body of Christ. Shall I take a part of Christ’s body and make it part of the body of a prostitute? Impossible!

Corinthian Christians thought they had the liberty to use the services of prostitutes. This was culturally accepted in the city of Corinth.

It is true that nothing- including sin- can ever separate a forgiven Christian from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus

Romans 8: 38- 39 says- 38 For I am certain that nothing can separate us from his love: neither death nor life, neither angels nor other heavenly rulers or powers, neither the present nor the future, neither the world above nor the world below, there is nothing in all creation that will ever be able to separate us from the love of God which is ours through Christ Jesus our Lord.

So does this give the right to justify our actions for sinful activities?

Paul writes this is a wrong standard for believers.

CHRISTIAN LIBERTY IS NOT AN OPEN EXCUSE FOR ANY BEHAVIOUR OR ATTITUDE.

Paul is urging the Christians to live up to who they are now in Christ. He is encouraging all Christians to make this the standard for their choices.

Paul insists that the standard for Christian behaviour must be whether a practice is helpful or enslaving.

Sex is more than a mere bodily function; God designed it to unite two people into one body in marriage. That union with another person includes Christ, to whom we are also united, into union with us. Our bodies will be resurrected and are meant even now to bring glory to God.

I WILL NOT BE BROUGHT UNDER THE POWER OF ANY: In this phrase, Paul is saying I will not be brought under the power of anybody (as in the body of a prostitute).

A PRINCIPLE FOR SEXUAL PURITY AMONG CHRISTIANS IS NOT THE SAME AS FOR FOOD.

“My body wants food, so I eat. My body wants sex, so I hire a prostitute. What’s the problem?”

The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body:

Paul warns us not to take that slogan, which applies to irrelevant food restrictions, and apply it to sexual immorality.

Because of our lustful sexual appetites, it may seem that God did make our bodies for sexual immorality. But God did not make our bodies that way; sinful Adam did. The body is not for sexual immorality.

Our bodies will be raised up by the Lord at the resurrection. So what we do with our bodies in regard to food does not affect us in the same way as what we do with our bodies in regard to sex.

Sol Dr Gita