Month: April 2023

RESURRECTION 

Him, God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

Acts 2:24

Yes it is  impossible for grave to hold Christ Jesus. Death came with sin and Jesus is sinless, but He became sin when He bore the sin of the entire world on Him. The wrath of God is so severe on sin and Jesus bore it  and freed us from eternal punishment. He conquered sin and  it’s sting and freed us from eternal punishment; us means  all who believe in His crucifixion and resurrection.

The crucifixion of Jesus and His resurrection from death is the pivotal point of Christian faith. His physical suffering was so horrible and His Spiritual agony was more unbearable as He cried out, “O God, why have you forsaken me” Being God Himself He was torn apart from that Oneness for a time and the pangs of death  was unbearable.  He was buried as His death was confirmed at the cross and His resurrection was witnessed by  many. His death, burial and resurrection, every event was according to the Scripture, and nothing happened at random. All these events are marked in history.

Paul writes in 1cor 15:3-4

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures,

I Corinthians 15:3-4

and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.

I Corinthians 15:5-6

As Christ is risen we also will be raised from the dead. That’s the Christian hope. If we do not have this hope of resurrection our Christian life is futile. We can’t eat drink and live as we wish, for tomorrow we will have to face the Lord and stand before His judgment. And for those who are in Christ there is no condemnation. Jesus has risen as the first fruit from the dead and all of us who believe in Him will follow Him.

 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

I Corinthians 15:13-14

For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.

I Corinthians 15:16-19

It’s our blessed hope that we are saved by faith, that too by grace alone.

But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

Ephesians 2:4-6

Apostle Paul proclaims that he has considered everything of this world and all human achievements as waste when he realised the value of resurrection.”if, by any means, I may attain to the resurrection from the dead.”

Philippians 3:11

^{We are placed with our Lord and Master in the heavenly places through faith in Him and with  Apostle Paul we too should strive hard to lead a good Christian life by keeping ourselves away from sin to reach that position the Lord has kept  for us through eternity.}

Prayer

Loving heavenly Father, thank you for giving your Son for saving us from eternal punishment. Thank you for raising Him up from the grave through the eternal Spirit. Thank you for the unending love. Keep us in your love and union and help us to live worthy of you.. Wash us in the precious blood of Jesus. Praise God. Amen

Sol. Salomi Kurian

The will of God for us to live in Sanctification and Honour

For this is the will of God, your sanctification, that you should abstain from sexual immorality. I Thesa 4:3

As believers we are called to walk in love and obedience to our Lord Jesus Christ and His teachings. Our walk of life must be the walk of faith in living a holy lives before our Lord.

that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in holiness and honour,

I Thessa4:4

For God has not called us to uncleanness, but to holiness.

1thess4:7

In the book “Holiness” by JC Rule the author says Inaccurate, inconsistent one sided statements, dark counsel by words without knowledge regarding Justification and Sanctification. These discussion will draw out truth, that a diversity of opinions will lead us to search the scriptures more, to pray more, to become more diligent in trying to find out what is the desire of the spirit. ( Romans 8:27)

SUBJECT OF HOLINESS-

1. Faith in Christ is the root of all Holiness.

2. First step toward a holy life is to believe on Christ.

3. Union with Christ by Faith is the beginning to be Holy and continuing in holiness.

4. Faith on the son of the living God.

5. Faith purifies the heart.

6. Faith is the victory that overcomes the world.

That by faith, the elders obtained a good report. (Galatians 2:20 also says that he fights, he runs, he keeps his body under subjection. I Corin 9:26-27).

Justifying faith is a grace that does not work,but simply trusts,rests,and leans on Christ- (ROM 4:5).

Sanctifying faith- is a grace of which the very life of action, it works by Charity ( Gal 5:6).

Faith in Christ is the only thing needful, Righteousness is imputed to him that does not work,but believes. (Romans4:5).

^{Faith alone justifies. Faith alone sanctifies. It involves a practical exhibition of a active and passive grace.}

Have we ever seen holier men than the martyred John Bradford, Richard Hooker, James Usher, Richard Barxter, Samuel Rutherford or Robert Murray, Macheyne? They all felt themselves debtors to mercy and grace everyday- proclamation in faith.

Prayer:

Soul is in very unhealthy condition when it believes in this dangerous delusion of saying I am without sin. Lord we come before you just as we are.Sanctify us through your word, for your word is truth. Give us the faith to stand firm on your truth. In Jesus name. Amen.

SOL.CELIN

Pure in heart

  How blessed are those who are pure in heart, because it is they who will see God! 

Mat 5:8

Every human being has an insatiable desire in his heart to see God. Even those who deny the existence God will have a bitter experience in their past of not finding God even after desperate search or  being cheated by someone or some spiritual leaders who would have given them false promises of taking them to God.

Why this insatiable search for God by human beings?  Where does it originate from? The Lord our Creator has deposited it in their heart even when we  were created.

So that they might look for God, somehow reach for him, and find him. Of course, he is never far from any one of us. 

Act 17:27 

Those who search will find Him.

Mat 7:7  “…. Keep searching, and you will find.”

Psa 19:1-4 ….. The heavens are declaring the glory of God, and their expanse shows the work of his hands.  Day after day they pour forth speech, night after night they reveal knowledge.  There is no speech nor are there words—their voice is not heard— yet their message goes out into all the world, and their words to the ends of the earth.

Even where there is no one to preach the Gospel, the sun reveals the message-i.e. the existence of God.

Rom 1:20  For since the creation of the world God’s invisible attributes—his eternal power and divine nature—have been understood and observed by what he made, so that people are without excuse. 

But many ends up in failure in the search. Either they are not able to find God

 or they are deceived by satan. They get deviated in their efforts, minds get darkened, and  they resort to wrong methods  and reach at wrong ends.

They come to the conclusion that there is no God

Psa 14:1 Fools say to themselves, “There is no God”

 Psa 14:1 ………………..” They are corrupt and commit evil deeds; not one of them practices what is good.

_{But blessed are those who have a pure heart; They will see God.}

Prayer

Lord, Give me a pure heart so that I will be able to see you. Amen.

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Romans 8:31

Yes, when God is for us, nothing in the whole world can harm us as He is our protection and refuge. Chapter 8 of Romans  professes  about   life in the Spirit.  Living in Christ  is a constant struggle with the world.

Jesus prayed to the Father  this:

“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

John 17:14-15

And when we choose to live according to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we have to face a lot of difficulties. But the Lord takes good care of us and like Apostle Paul we can  proclaim that we can do everything through Christ who strengthens us. We find a lot many instances in the Old Testament where the Lord fights for His people. When Joshua led the Israelites to Canaan, Jordan splits as the feet of those priests, who bore the Ark of the Covenant, touched it’s water. The presence of God worked the miracle. How the Lord broke open the formidable fort of Jericho is beyond our comprehension. How could the Israelites negotiate their way through the wilderness? Impossible  was made easy for them as God was for them. Lord is telling that He carried them throughout as the eagle carries the young one on it’s wings.

Jesus said:

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace.   In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

John 16:33

There are difficulties and problems, but the presence of God gives strength to us to be victorious,

Occupying the promised land involved  warfare and total annihilation of the entire canaan tribes. It’s not through skill and arms that the Israelites defeated the powerful kings of the surrounding nations.

 The Canaanites in the east and west;  the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and  the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah, all of them came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots—a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore.

Joshua 11:3-4

The Lord said to Joshua, “Do not be afraid of them, because by this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel.

Joshua 11:6 .

The Lord defeated them as promised and Joshua obeyed fully the instructions given to him in this matter. We can read similar instances in the lives of David, Hezekiah and others in the Bible.

King Jehoshaphat was terrified when the Moabites and Ammonites with some of the Meunites came to wage war against him.

2 Chronicles 20:1

He went to the God of Heaven and said:  Our God, will you not judge them? For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”

2 Chronicles 20:12

He received the answer from above, You will not have to fight this battle. Take up your positions; stand firm and see the deliverance the Lord will give you, Judah and Jerusalem. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged. Go out to face them tomorrow, and the Lord will be with you.’ ”

2 Chronicles 20:17

God defeated their enemies and people rejoiced in the Lord.

It’s the same for us too. If He is for us who can be against us. Put your trust in the Lord. He will fight your battles and He will give you rest.

He who did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all—how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?

Romans 8:32

Thanks giving:

Thank you heavenly Father for giving us your Son Jesus for our salvation. Thank you Lord for the fellowship of the Holy Spirit. Help us to obey your Word and remain loyal to you always; In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Sol Salomi Kurian.

REPENTANCE

“I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.”

Luke 5:32

Before  I go further, it’s important that we clearly understand what repentance really means.

In the Old Testament, two Hebrew words help us understand repentance. The first is the word ‘nacham’ , which means to turn around or to change your mind. The second is the word ‘sub’ and is translated by such words as “turn,” “return,” “seek,” or “restore.” You often see it in phrases like “to turn to the Lord with all your heart.”

When we come to the New Testament, we need to know the Greek word ‘metanoia’ , which literally means “to change the mind.” Repentance fundamentally means to change one’s mind about something. It has to do with the way we think about something. You’ve been thinking one way, but now you think the opposite way. That’s repentance — the changing of the mind.

2 Chronicles 7:14

and My people who are called by My name humble themselves and pray and seek My face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

Today people finish sinning and they start smiling, they lift up their hands in worship “ I love you Lord”. You just finished committing fornication, no fear of God again !.

This is what I have been seeing on a regular basis.. You have just duped a church member and you are doing thanksgiving over the money you duped the person of.

 Repentance has to return back. Genuine repentance, for even thinking evil thoughts, one needs to repent !.

Always know this, the sin you don’t repent will sink you, it will sink your destiny, sin is a sinker, the moment you sin and you don’t feel it again, you are definitely in danger.

You are in danger because it will kill your conscience and you will not know the difference between right and wrong again.

Repentance!  Repentance!

 Every time you do evil and your conscience strikes your mind, just say, Lord, I am sorry, please empower me not to fall into sin again.

 You know yourself! Repent and be sober.

There is the story of the king, a very wicked king called Ahab, in 1 Kings 21: 25-29,  the Bible says there was none like Ahab who sold himself to the work of wickedness, he was wickedness personified,  the wife was a research officer in doing evil.

When Ahab had a problem and they gave it to his wife, it is done. She will calculate and organize how he will go about it, but one day the prophet said, you are gone, you are finished.

It came to pass, when Ahab heard those words, he rented his clothes and was very sober, God forgave him because he was genuinely repentant.

 Don’t pretend as if you don’t know what you are doing, you know how you are lying, don’t pretend as if you don’t know. You are turning your head like an ostrich when the whole body can be seen.

Let repentance, true genuine repentance come back, don’t use a bold face to pretend as if you don’t know what you did. You know where you went to on the weekend and you came to church on Sunday dancing.

Let’s return to genuine repentance with our hearts (Ezek. 18:24), the moment your hearts strike, just scream Lord, I’m sorry! Help me Lord. If we confess our sin, he is faithful and just, to forgive us and cleanse us from our unrighteousness.

 And when ye stand praying, forgive, if ye have ought against any: that your Father also which is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.

Mark 11:25.

Know that Prayer enhances spirituality. Sin on the other hand gives rise to lukewarm attitude towards prayer. That is why it has been said that prayer keeps people from sin and sin keeps people from praying. The life of prayer and the life of sin are mutually exclusive. The decision to sin is a decision against prayer, and the decision to pray is a decision against sin. This means that one of the major objectives of sin is to attack your prayer life.

^{So my dear brothers and sisters, let’s make up our mind not to live a life of sin in order to maintain a spiritual buoyancy in the place of prayer.Repent from any sin(s) that may hinder us from making eternity in Heaven.Let’s avoid the wrong company and every temptation that would lead each of us into  sin.}

PRAYER

 O LORD, I ask for forgiveness from any sin that has hindered my prayer life. Help me to cultivate and maintain a buoyant prayer life, LORD, in Jesus’ Name . Amen.

Sol.Fiona

Jesus said to him, “ No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God.”

Luke  9 : 62 b 

In Luke 9 : 62 does this Verse refer to believers who are not fit for service in the kingdom of God ? Does looking back represents not fully following Christ and decreasing  our role/ responsibility (service) in the kingdom of God ? or maybe in the AOJ activities ? 

            Luke 9 : 62  records words that were spoken by Jesus, “  No one , after putting his hand to the plough and looking back,  is fit for the kingdom of God.” These are serious words.  They were spoken at the end of several discussions Jesus had with three of His disciples. Apparently each disciple first told Jesus that they would follow Him ( Luke 9: 57-61) Jesus told the first one that He did not have the physical comforts of his life. He told the second to forget about the urgent things of this world  and his reply to the third one was about looking back at the things of this world. 

              _{Jesus is talking about a farmer using a plough on a field.  The man put his hand to the plough to start ploughing. The goal of the farmer is to make straight rows in the earth. He does this by looking at a distant object.  Jesus creates a picture of a farmer who rather than looking straight ahead at a distant object is constantly looking back at things. The Greek words for “ looking behind “  have the picture of constantly, continually looking back at things.  The result is crooked and curved rows in the Earth – a mess !} 

            Jesus’ message is “ follow me “ and do not let the things of this world get in the way. We are too easily distracted by the urgent things of this life, our physical comforts and our material desires.  There is and old story about a farmer ‘s son who wanted to plough his father’s field. The father eventually agreed to let him try one day and told his son to look straight ahead at a far away object while he was ploughing. This would result in straight rows in the earth. His son said he understood and so the father left. After awhile the farmer came back to see how his son was doing, only to find that the rows were not straight but curved and crooked. So he walked out to his son and asked what had happened. The farmer eventually discovered that his eyes Kept looking at a cow in the field. His eyes were distracted.. This is a picture of our relationship with Jesus. True followers of Jesus constantly, continually fix their eyes on Him and keep them there through the urgent, the tragic and in spite of the desire for wealth, comforts and acceptance in this life. Paul, the apostle, illustrates the message with this comment about a Christian who was working with him,  ‘ for Demas, having loved this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica…… 2 Timothy 4 : 10 

           There is also another danger among Christian of fixing our eyes on our past failing. God encourages us to forget our  past and press on. ( Philippines 3: 13)  Jesus wants us to move forward in total commitment to Him. 

             Yes, Jesus is talking about our fitness to serve Him. It is a heart decision that counts. Failure to follow Jesus with a totally committed heart has cost many believers spiritual blessings ministry. But it is never too late to follow Jesus. Paul had these words about His own desire to follow Jesus…. “ One thing I do : forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead. I press on toward the goal  for the prize of the  upward call of  God in Christ Jesus ( Philippians 3 : 13 ). 

              ^{We need to ask ourselves, “ Am I looking back ? “ “ Am I really committed to Jesus ?”  Jesus wants both our heart and our action.  It is easy to conclude that Jesus just wants  our activity. Most say Jesus wants us to spend time in prayer, study of the word and attending AOJ activities. We forget that He wants our confession of sins. That’s why Jesus gave us in this month of April,  2023 the confession and purification activities. He wants us to be filled with His spirit : But the major point we miss is that Jesus wants  both –  Our heart and a commitment that results in action and service to HIM !} 

Prayer

Almighty God bless us all. Help us to look forward. Help us to be committed to you in action and service whatever it may be. Lord we confess of our sins. Forgive us Lord and purify us by your precious blood. Amen  

                                                                                                     Sol. Dr. Mohan Pramar 

_{The Jews picked up stones again to stone Jesus. Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the father; for which of them are you going to stone me ?”}

John 10:31,32

The tree which has more fruits will have more stones

Jesus healed the blind, crippled deaf,dum, lepers, paralytic man with a withered hand, sick, cures a boy with a demon , a girl restored to life , called sinners transformed into saints. Jesus did all possible good for the mankind. The Jews elders, Pharisees , scribes and some people couldn’t see the good works of Jesus and became fault finders.

For all the good Jesus had done

• Judas betrayed Jesus
• Chief Priest and elders bound him and handover Jesus to Pilote
• Pilote Condemned Jesus
• Peter denied Jesus
• People shouted “crucify him”
• Soldiers stripped him, crowned with thorns, Mocked him, spot on him, slapped him , flogged him and finally crucified him on the cross

And at the other end of the coin we see there are so

• Many women who followed, comforted and core for the needs of Jesus
• Siman of Cyrene carried the cross
• Veronica wipes the face of Jesus
• Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilote for the body of Jesus and wrapped the body of Jesus and laid it will the tomb
• Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and salome bought spices so that they might go and anoint him

We too have the same experience. When we do good to others with good heart and right intentions , We too are accused, betrayed , condemned, mocked ,insulted , stripped , stonned in words, crowned by false alligations so on…

We must remember one thing

“More fruits More stones ” Many times . “No good deed goes unpunished”. But we should not lose heart . Continue doing good . Every Good deed will be rewarded

As there are many people who were with Jesus in difficult times. God sends angels to help us in our needs and difficult times . These angels are always ever ready to comfort us , care for us , love us , help us , wipe away our tears , reduces our burden, counsel us , pat us when we do good

Gal 6:10 says,

Whenever we have an opportunity. Let us work for the good of all

Prayer

Heavenly Father we thank you. Jesus help us to see good in people , strengthen us to stretch out our helping hand to the people who are in need . Use us as your instruments . Lord we praise you for sending angels to help us when we are in need. Amen

Sol.Annapureddy Balareddy

One enemy

Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;  one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4- 3-5

The above verse tells us to keep the unity of the spirit and explains the ones below.

One — Body

One–Spirit

One-Hope

One–Lord

One-Faith

One-Baptism

One-God

A bible teacher beautifully explained there is one more “One” which we need to add here which is One–Enemy which is satan. We know this truth but most of the times we forget this. This truth is forgotten in our churches today and there is no unity within the church believers.

There is a saying in the world “My enemy’s enemy is my friend”. This is true and even the world agrees upon it. Today we see nations forming unions with one another to stand against their common enemy, political parties even though they have different ideologies and plans they form union to defeat the ruling party. But this commitment is not there in today’s believers that we need to stand united in Christ to defeat our One-Enemy-satan.

 From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. Ephesians 4-16

From the above verse we are firmly united with one another with the body of Christ so that we can grow in love, peace and do the will of God as a church. So we have to put on Christ to be in peace and unity with one another and follow the below teachings from the Holy Spirit for the church to stand united as disciples of Christ.

Eph 4-25 – To speak only the truth to one another

Eph 4-26 -Not to be angry

Eph 4-27 – Neither give way to Devil

Eph 4-28 -Not to steal

Eph 4 -29 – Not to speak bad or useless words to one another

Eph 4 – 30,31- Not to have anger or bitterness with one another

Eph 4- 32 – and if one does something wrong against us, we need to forgive the same way Christ forgave our sins.

“United we stand, divided we fall”

Prayer:

Lord we thank you for the unity you have created in us as one body of Christ. We pray that we are all in one like you prayed the same for us in John 17-22 that we should be always be united to stand against the enemy and win the battle against satan. In Jesus name i pray. Amen.

Sol.Leo

The Lord who Trains Us for Battle and War

Praise be to the Lord my Rock, who trains my hands for war, my fingers for battle.

Psalm 144:1

The psalmist praises the Lord as his Rock, who trains his hands and fingers for war and battle. This metaphorical language speaks to the spiritual battle that believers face against Satan and his forces in their efforts to advance God’s kingdom on earth. The Lord equips us with armors, including the shield of faith and the sword of the Word, which we use with our hands to fight against the enemy.

Psalm 147:6-9 May the praise of God be in their mouths and a double-edged sword in their hands, to inflict vengeance on the nations  and punishment on the peoples,  to bind their kings with fetters, their nobles with shackles of iron,  to carry out the sentence written against them— this is the glory of all his faithful people Praise the Lord.

Psalm 147:6-9 further emphasizes the importance of the double-edged sword, which represents the Word of God. This powerful weapon enables us to inflict God’s vengeance and punishment upon the nations and peoples who oppose His will. By using the sword to bind the kings and nobles, or the principalities and powers, we can accomplish the Lord’s will and bring glory to Him.

In order to effectively wield this sword, we must be skilled and experienced in its use. Like a physical weapon, we need to handle the sword in different ways depending on the direction of the enemy’s attack. This requires both knowledge of the word of God and sensitivity to the leading of the Holy Spirit.

_{Furthermore, we must also understand that each situation requires a unique approach, and that the Holy Spirit will guide us to the appropriate Word or prayer to declare over that situation. By using the sword in this way, we can effectively stand against Satan and his works, and bring about God’s purposes on earth.}

Dear Heavenly Father, we humbly thank you for equipping us with the powerful weapon of your Word to use against the enemy. We pray that you would continue to teach us and give us understanding of your Word so that we may effectively use this weapon to advance your kingdom and bring glory to your name. Help us to always seek your guidance and inspiration through the Holy Spirit as we engage in spiritual warfare. May we never take for granted the privilege and responsibility of being your faithful warriors. We pray this in Jesus' name. Amen.

Sol.Edvitta