HE who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of JESUS CHRIST-

Phillippians 1:6.

I’m so Blessed and filled with so much joy to share my testimony.

In my 8 years journey with the LORD one common verse had always be in my mind i.e. Hebrew 13:5 “Never will I leave you nor forsake you” and I have really experienced the faithfulness of the word, it makes me realise that GOD was always there even from the time that I was formed in my mother’s womb and also all those years before encountering GOD’S LOVE..

Second thing is that GOD Never gave up on me, and that strengthen me to keep Rising and Pushing forward, even when weaknesses or faults and guilt try to overcome me, Holy Spirit always reminds me of JESUS and HIS way to cross (JESUS when walking with that heavy Cross many times it felt from HIS shoulder but HE Rose, Picked and Carried the Cross enduring it )

“Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto JESUS, the faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”, it really shows that HE will never give up on me till the point of death.

Hebrew 12:1-3

I love how FATHER GOD showed HIS LOVE by sending HIS only begotten SON and how HIS SON JESUS gave HIS live for Us and it did not stop there but FATHER GOD gave HOLY SPIRIT unto us.

And now having HIS SPIRIT within me the Spirit leads me, guides me, teaches me and make JESUS more and more real to me each and everyday my life, it’s just amazing.
The enemy brings doubt and tries to discourage me through situations and things around me or with lies but one verse I really love and strengthen me is-

Roman-10:11 “Whoever believes on HIM will not be put to shame.”
Having Faith and Trust in HIM and believing and having confident of this very thing, that HE who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of JESUS CHRIST-Phil 1:6.

Sol. DaiahunTalang, AOJ

FAITH AND REWARD

And he said to him, Well done, good servant, because you have been faithful in a least thing, have authority over ten cities. 

Luke 19:17 

There are two important revelations in this verse
Our reward is directly proportionate to the labour we do in obedience.

The youngest of four siblings, I felt God called me to ministry at a very early age. When I started, I just wanted to be faithful, and I still want to be faithful. Through all the years the Lord has not only sustained me but has also given me the joy of seeing Him work in my life and through my life. Today when I look at His blessing, I can truly say, “It is only because of His faithfulness that I am still alive and blessed with all that I need for a life.”

When Jesus returns, His first order of business will be to call to account what has been done with the mina. In Luke 16:10,

Jesus said, whoever, can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much.

Our task as his servants is to faithfully surrender to His Lordship and put the mina given to us to work.

Faithful obedience is the only lifestyle for a follower of Jesus.

It is obedience in small matters that leads to commendation and greater blessings.

The apostle Paul talked about becoming like Christ in His suffering and death so that he (Paul) could also attain to resurrection from the dead. He alludes to the prize of the upward call of God for which he was straining ahead. (Phil. 3: 10-14)

As we strive in our daily lives to live for Jesus, we must remember that that prize set up for us is greater than the suffering of the labour in the present. It is eternal life.

Finally we are challenged by the question Jesus asked in Luke 18:8, when the Son of Man comes, will He find faith on earth?

Remember the reward we will have is directly proportionate to the faithful obedience we have displayed in putting to work the gifts and talents and resources God has entrusted to us.

Heavenly Father, I pray in Jesus Name that you will help me to be faithful to you in the work you have entrusted me with so that I will be able to labour in obedience. I pray that I will be faithful to the end and that Jesus will find me faithful when He returns. Holy Spirit come and increase in me and teach me the belong and be Loyal and work for Kingdom of God as is His desire. Help me to live for the glory of God. IN Jesus Name. Amen.

Sol. Pradeep Samuel Singh, Aoj

“ And he ran in front, and climbed up into a sycomore tree to see JESUS.”

Luke 19:4

Zecchaeus was very desirous for the LORD.
JESUS said “those who seek me  will find me”.We can picture the scene through our mind’s eye, eager, wistful, supplicating, faith, looking down from the green foliage and meeting the gaze of JESUS CHRIST.

Our Jesus Christ invited himself to Zecchaeus house where HE opens the heart and inclines it to receive him. “He who has a mind to know CHRIST shall be known of HIM”.
Those whom CHRIST calls must humble themselves and come down. Zecchaeus demonstrated this publicly. He became a true convert and he accepted JESUS. He did not look to be justified by his works as the Pharisees, but by his good works and through the grace of GOD. This shows the sincerity of his faith and repentance. Now he is happy and he turned from his sins to GOD. CHRIST came to his house and brought salvation with him. The story of Zecchaeus teaches us that when we make a solid effort to experience JESUS you are rewarded. The change happened in Zecchaeus life because of his eagerness for the good news that is the Gospel. He was ready for a new life through his repentance. Many things in our own life tries to pull us down i.e. our attitude, pride, anger, depression, jealousy, worries and many more. That stops us to come closer to LORD but here in the bible in verse Luke 19: 4 it tells us how Zecchaeus made haste and he saw JESUS.

We know that we are not perfect

but when we come closer to JESUS HE comes more closer to us.

My life was messed up in worldly tuhings. Just like Zecchaeus,

I was not able to get out of the chains and sackers of the bondages but when JESUS came in my life, I was touched me by His presence and I denied all that was hindering me to reach out to HIM. HIS presence made me confess my sins and I got delivered. 

It needs a little effort and that is to obey HIM and deny ourselves. Even in verse 19:20 of Exodus people made haste and consecrated themselves by taking bath and GOD came down in mount Sainai to meet his people. So also my life changed completely when I encountered JESUS

FATHER I thank you for sending YOUR SON to die for my sin on the cross  which has opened the gate of salvation for a sinner like me, because I was once lost but now I can see. I pray that just like Zecchaerus who welcomed JESUS and his life changed and the salvation came in his house so also JESUS be welcome in our hearts. Amen !
 
SOL.CLARA BENEDICT AOJ

Therefore, Know That Jehovah Your God, He Is God, The Faithful God Who Keeps Covenant And Mercy With Them That Love Him And Keep His Commandments, To A Thousand Generations. And He Repays Those Who Hate Him To Their Face, To Destroy Them. He Will Not Be Slow To Repay Him Who Hates Him. He Will Repay Him To His Face.

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Deu 7:9,10 

Two characteristics of God are mentioned here.
Jehovah is faithful to a thousand generations of those who keeps His covenant and mercy

He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them.

Second characteristic of Jehovah, is emphasized, three times in verse no. 10.
Why should a person hate Jehovah?
Any child would naturally love his father and mother. He observes his parents doing everything for him, feeding him, clothing him, giving him bath, loving him, holding him in his hands, playing with him, wanting him to grow and always seek his welfare.

There is no chance of a child hating his father or mother until it grows and finds some serious faults with his parents.

Every human beings receive the gift of ‘life’ from God. Only God Jehovah has the power to give ‘life’ and take ‘life’ from a person. He has handed over this authority to Jesus Christ too.

No one takes it (life) from Me, but I lay it down from Myself. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it again. I have received this commandment from My Father. 

Joh 10:18 

How can a man hate the ‘giver of his life’? Of course he can not. But through a deception, he is not able to see his real father. His mind and heart is blindfolded. Just like a kidnapped child can’t recognize his father or mother, any human beings when they are born in this world, are in a kidnapped position.

2 Co 4:4 ‘……. the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving ones, so that the light of the glorious gospel of Christ (who is the image of God) should not dawn on them.” 

His blind eyes should be opened if he has to see his Creator and real Father. This can be done only through knowing the truth i.e. Word of God.

Those who come to know God Jehovah as their real Father, will start loving Him, obeying Him, and obey His commandments. God will show mercy to them for a thousand generations.

2.He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy them.

He will repay him to his face. 
All the destruction we see on the earth and in humanity can be traced out to this reason;

Hating God Jehovah’.

How can somebody hate God or express their hatred towards Jehovah?
By not believing in Jesus.

The Father loves the Son (Jesus) and has given all things into His hand.  He who believes on the Son (Jesus) has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him. 

Joh 3:35,36 

Not believing in Jesus is nothing but hating God Jehovah. God’s wrath will come upon those who do not believe in Jesus.
And today’s verse says, God repays those who hate Him, to their face, to destroy them.
The ultimatum of destruction for an earthly man, is killing and taking away life; But in Bible, it is more than that. They undergo a second death too. Second death is
Rev 21:8  But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death. 

Second death is casting a person after his death, into eternal hell.
Hell is a place explained by Jesus as a lake of fire and brimstone (Rev. 20:10,15) where there is tormenting by fire (Rev 14:10-11) everlasting burning, darkness, worms, weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Mat 8:12, 22:13, 25:30, Lk 13:28, Mk 9:44,46,48, Is 33:14

Luk 12:5  But I will warn you of whom you shall fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell. Yea, I say to you, fear Him. 

While I was writing this, a kind of fear, no, terror came to me.
Can we take a count of the people in our Constituency, those who are doomed to hell without knowing Jesus? Don’t you think they should at least be given a chance to make a choice?

Sol. Ann Rose AOJ

Behold, I will bring it health and cure, and I will cure them, and will reveal unto them the abundance of peace and truth. 

Jer 33:6

On 08.12.2019, the Lord spoke the above verse to the Church in India.

The Church in India is spread across from Kanyakumari to Kashmir. Thanks to the mercies and benevolence of the Lord, He raised many pastors and evangelists in nation for the past 25 years. They worked hard and churches have been established throughout India, from head to toe, from South to North, from East to West, in all the States.

The then position of the Church in India was shown by two examples.

 ‘From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil.’ Isa 1:6

1. Church in India was compared to a human body. It was the Body of Jesus Christ, but it was full of sores. The Lord examined it and healed it.
2. The Church in India was compared to a building. In 0 A.D., Holy Spirit started building it on the foundation of ‘Jesus Christ’. For the past 2019 years, starting from the Apostles, Paul and others have on it. Innumerable people have worked on it. In this generation we are recruited for the same.

According to the grace of God given to me, like a skilled master builder I laid a foundation, and someone else is building upon it. Let each one take care how he builds upon it. 1Co 3:10 
‘Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— 
each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 1Co 3:12,13

For the Indian Church from 2014 are the days “fire test’.
The material with which each one has built, is exposed to fire test . Those portions built with worthless materials are to be demolished and removed from the building. Those portions built with straw and hay will be burnt with fire. Those Churches built on prosperity gospel and superficial teachings will be tested and will be removed if found worthless.
One pastor was sharing his experience with me,
‘I am running a Church for 23 years. The daughter of one of the believers ran away with a Hindu boy. He was the first believer of my Church and he has been with me all these 23 years. When I went to console the parents and pray in that house, to my surprise, the parents were justifying what their daughter did.
I think I have to make an analysis of my ministry I am doing.’
Let us humble ourselves and intercede for the Indian Church.

Let us surrender our Church to Jesus Christ with all its sores.

Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. Isa 1:5
The Lord is promising two things to the Church.

The Church will be cured of all its sicknesses.

Hereafter the Lord will see that the Church has enough resistance power.

Prayer:

Abba Father, Let our whole Church, each believer enjoy the peace and truth which you have promised. Amen.

Sr. Angelica AOJ

“But his subjects hated him and sent a delegation after him to say, ‘We don’t want this man to be our king.’

Luke 19:14

His citizens hated him

Graham Staines, was a 58-year-old Australian Christian missionary. Who worked among the lepers in India, with selfless work and dedication. The very people he served burnt to death Graham Staines along with his two sons – 10-year-old Phillip and seven-year-old Timothy – on the night of 22nd January..

His subjects or countrymen – the Jewish people, who professed to be subjects of the kingdom of God.

Hated him — despised him for the meanness of his birth, his crucifixion and for the holiness of his doctrine.

Sent a message after him —His discontented subjects, fearing what would be the character of his reign, sent an embassy to remonstrate against him being appointed as the ruler.

Matthew 2:22 Archelaus went to Rome to obtain from Augustus a confirmation of his title to reign over that part of Judea which had been left him by his father, Herod the Great. As this fact was “fresh” in the memory of the Jews, it makes this parable much more striking.

John 1:11. He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The Jews rejected Jesus Christ, would not submit to his government, and, a short time after this, preferred even a murderer to him. No wonder that those who murdered the Lord of glory should prefer a murderer, one of their own temper, to the Redeemer of their souls.

The nobleman is representative of the Lord Jesus Christ and the judgment at the end is worse than death — it is eternal judgment in hell and then the Lake of Fire. Rejection of Christ in no way changes who or what Jesus is. It does sentence the rejecter to eternal torment.

“To a graceless neck the yoke of Christ is intolerable, but to the saved sinner it is easy and light…. We may judge ourselves by this, do we love that yoke, or do we wish to cast it from us?” (Spurgeon)

Prayer: – Dear Lord I surrender myself to you. O Lord, help me that I may not be judgmental but understand the depth of your love.

Sol. Pratibha AOJ

Luke 19:7 

Word of God says that Jesus Christ appeared one arth to save the sinners.

Timothy 1:15

As far as Jews were concerned, in their flesh, they expected a Messiah who will appear as a king and save them from the captivity of Roman Empire.
Even John the Baptist seemed to have the same question within himself. Mat 11:3
Only those who have received the spirit of God can understand the plans of God..

Rom 8:5

Today those who are called by God miserably failed in understanding God’s mind and His plans.
We, God’s people have not fully understood what we should do to establish God’s Kingdom on Earth. This is the reason why there are still vast areas on the earth where Gospel has not been proclaimed.
Through the Army of Jesus the Lord revealed His plan to start a training for the drug addicts in a Rehabilitation Centre called Redemption Recovery Care. Some of them questioned this plan of God and concluded that it would be useless. They thoughts were like this.
1.The drug addicts cannot understand Bible
2.Most of them are uneducated
3.Their mindset will not be conducive to sit and concentrate on the deep truths of Bible etc.

But as per the plan of God, I was appointed as the Coordinator for this training.
The Lord miraculously did a lot of things among them.

 A great change happened in their lives. Many were convicted by the Holy Spirit, repented and confessed that they had spoiled their own lives and they wanted to be restored.

The classes in the syllabus would start from 5.00 am till 10.00 in the night. The syllabus covered Bible from Genesis to Revelation. Many who did not know true God came out of their bad habit, drug addiction . Even some became teachers who could teach Word of God to others.

Let’s take John 4:1-14. Here Jesus was sitting at a Christian traditional well. . As per God’s plan a Samaritan woman who was an outcast in the society came to draw water . Through her the whole village came to salvation.

Human mind cannot understand the people whom the Lord chooses.

Only those who have the Spirit of God can understand His plans.

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In this last days, God’s Kingdom will be established through many who have been branded as outcasts, sinners, and thus rejected by the society.

Sol. Paul Vasanthan AOJ

For because you did not do it at the first, Jehovah our God made a break on us, since we did not seek Him in due order. 

1Ch 15:13

The Lord made 3 accusations against His children here.

1.They did not carry the Ark of the covenant. (1 Chro 15:12)
2.They did not seek God
3.They did not seek Jehovah in due order.

In another version, the words used are “God attacked us’ instead of God made a break on us.
Will the loving Heavenly Father attack us?

The Word of God says ‘Yes’ when we fail in duty. 3 duties of human beings are mentioned here.

Jesus Christ is living in us and we are the carriers of Jesus. As the donkey carried Jesus when He entered into Jerusalem, we are carrying Jesus wherever we go. He said this to the Samaritan woman in the following words,

“Believe Me, the hour is coming when you shall neither worship the Father in this mountain nor yet at Jerusalem. God is a spirit, and they who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth”. Joh 4:21,24 

Now is that hour. Without knowing this, I continued worshipping Him in statues, holy places, holy articles, (relics) even believing in holy men, holy river, holy pilgrimage, holy land etc. ‘Holy’ the name was associated with only with heaven and God Almighty till the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. From Rev. 5:10 onwards, the word ‘Holy’ is associated with the 2nd person, the ‘slain Lamb’.
Nothing else is ‘Holy’ in this world. It should never be attached with human beings.
We, carry this Holy God, Father and Son within us (Jn 14:23) wherever we go. Visit your Constituencies, when you are carrying Jesus and Father, their thinking, insights, outlook, hopes, expectations, likes and dislikes will be manifested through you. They will use your eyes to see, your ears to hear, your mind and heart to perceive et. The truths and facts about your constituency will be revealed to you.

Is there a punishment for not seeking God? Yes. Seeking Him is the primary duty of human beings. Seeking Him in everything, every minute,
seeking His opinion, His likes, His wishes, His decisions, His plans, His expectations, His ways, His orders, His ambitions, etc. For many people Jesus is medicine. When they become sick or meet with danger, they seek Him. One boy studying 12thstd asked me in one of the classes, “Why should I worship Jesus and Him alone’. I could not answer it to my satisfaction. Anyway Jesus spoke to him that night. He explained it to him through the example of a mixy. If the mixy does not work properly, we throw it and get a new one. Just like the purpose of a mixy is grinding,

Human Beings Are Created Only To Worship Him And Him Alone.

If they don’t do, they are of no use to Him, the Creator has every right to throw him away.

Many of the prayers done in our Churches or prayer rooms are not answered. What is surprising is, believers are not bothered about it. Whether they get an answer or not, they go on praying.

Just like a child talks to its father, and the father answers positively or negatively, every prayer should bring an answer, positive or negative. But some of our prayers don’t because they are displeasing to God.

‘Their worship of me is worthless, because they teach human rules as doctrines.’  You abandon the commandment of God and hold to human tradition.”

Mar 7:7,8 

Abba Father, Teach us these 3 things. To carry Jesus throughout India, from one end to the other. To seek Him and worship Him the way He wants.

Sol. Teena

SALVATION

Jesus said to Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house, because this man, too, is a son of Abraham”.

Luke 19:9

Zacchaeus believed in the Lord Jesus and repented for all his sins. He then showed the works of repentance by giving half of his possessions to the poor and if he cheated anyone, he would pay them back four times.

Jesus then told Zacchaeus that the Salvation had come to his house.

How do we get Salvation?

Believe in the Lord Jesus and you will be saved.

Acts 16:31

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith.

Philippians 2:12 Continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling.

We are once saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, however to continue that salvation, we will need to work towards it.

James 2:26 Faith without works is dead.

Faith = Belief in Jesus + Works

James 2:19 Even demons believe that Jesus is Lord.

What is the difference between the belief of a demon and a child of God?
Demons believe that Jesus is Lord but will not have any works accompanied to its belief.
Wherein the child of God has the works accompanied to his/her belief.

What works should we do?

1. Sitting and learning at the feet of Jesus
2. Great commission – spread the gospel – spread the troop churches – train people in the gifts of the Holy Spirit, etc.
3. Love one another
4. Help the poor

Zacchaeus showed the works of salvation by being generous to the poor and taking a strong decision in not going back to the old life.

That was the reason, Jesus said he got salvation and he was called the son of Abraham. Abraham also obeyed God and did everything what the Lord had told him and this had made him called the Father of Faith.
So, we also need to do the works of our salvation just like Zacchaeus and Abraham.

When we were in the institutional church a few years ago, we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ but we never used to do any works for His kingdom. Every Sunday we used to spend one hour in the church and the rest of the days we lived according to the world.
We came to AOJ in 2016, since then we started doing works for the Kingdom of God through Troop Churches, gift schools, etc. Now we can see the real salvation in our lives.

Our Father in heaven, please help us not only just believe in you but also to do the works of salvation also. In Jesus name. Amen.

Sol. Theodore AOJ

THEN IT HAPPENED THAT HE COMMANDED THESE SERVANTS, TO WHOM HE HAD GIVEN THE MONEY TO BE CALLED TO HIM.

Luke 19:15

The servants mentioned here is the disciple, who must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; and give an account of themselves to God.

Money mentioned here is a gift or talent given to us by God.
When you read 1 Corinthians 12:8 – 11 and GALATIANS 5:22-23 as he wishes, he gives a different gift to each person.
Angels will be employed in gathering all the people to him.
Responsibility of the servants is to spread the gospel to all the people as mentioned in the words

Mathew 28:19
GO, THEN, TO, ALL PEOPLES EVERYWHERE AND MAKE THEM MY DISCIPLES…
God will guide us in this process, as he said in

Mathew 28:20

I HAVE COMMANDED YOU AND I WILL BE WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE.

It is the testimony of Apostle Paul that he has fully preached the Gospel of Christ. Just imagine there were no means of transport available in those days. Think about ourselves. We are standing at the last moment of the end of the world. We should give an account to our God. Why did the Master call the servant? To find out how much he has earned.

Luke 19:15 He assigned three of his servants to invest his money. Luke 19:13 Among them two of them took the risk of investing their master’s money. They earned handsome returns. So he rewarded the two servants who multiplied the money for him. He promoted them to high positions. In the same way, the Lord our God also will reward his true disciples in heaven. The third servant was afraid to take risk, so he put the money in a safe place. So the master punished the servant who kept the money safe but unproductive. In the same way, the Lord also will punish the false disciples who are un[productive who does not engage themselves in the Kingdom work. They are the disciples who are not bothered about the Kingdom work. From them God will take away all the gifts and it will be given to the true disciples as in Luke 19:24. 

When you are planting a tree initially we should care for it daily and later it produces fruit of its own. Same way if you live for Jesus and for His Gospel, your family and society will grow and keep growing after you have gone. In order to live with Jesus Your mind should be filled with good thoughts. Should be filled with verses from scripture. Should be filled with the Spirit of prayer. Should be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER :

Abba father, make us good servants of Yours. We should not run for the worldly things . Help us to run for our eternal life. Make us always remember that we have to give an account of Your gifts given to us, Lord.

Sol. ANU (AOJ)