Rectification needed after repentance and confession

Now then make confession to the LORD, the God of your fathers and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples of the land and from the foreign wives.” 

Ezr 10:11 

While I was reading this verses in the Bible, Holy Spirit started moving in me. What a great reform this is? Every sin committed has 2 impacts.

1. The  evil impact on in the individual who commits
2. The evil impact on the  society in which he lives.

Repentance and confession of sins  only  will not solve problems created by sin.

It needs  rectification.

  Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 

Mat 3:8

The reforms brought forth by Ezra, demanded  two kinds of rectification by the people. 

1. Separate  yourselves from the people of the land 
2. Separate  yourselves from the foreign wives  

First one  could be done easily. Let us come to the second one.

The Lord had strictly warned them not to take wives from foreign nations. But they did and desecrated themselves.. This may look little hard to do but the command  of the Lord  remains unchangeable.

  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 

Mat 3:10

His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

Mat 3:12 

The Lord  separates “the woman’s  seed” from the  “serpent seed”.  

He does this without any respect for persons.  The winnowing fork (Word of God) does this separation. It will separate the harvested  grain into 2 varieties.

1. The wheat – will be gathered into the barn (Jesus’ Kingdom)
2. The chaff  – will be thrown  into the unquenchable fire. (Hell)

In Old Testament the selection was  by bloodline  and genealogy. But in New Testament it is by Faith in Jesus Christ.

Faith in Jesus Christ  requires obeying His Commandments.

Today the winnowing fork He used for separation is  “The  commandments of the Lord”.

  Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.

Joh 14:23

Let’s be careful that no impurities which needs rectification enters into the camp of AOJ?

Can you imagine the after effects of separating husbands from the foreign wives they took? What would have happened on the day of sending these wives back from their families?

What would have happened to the children?

Every time we repent, let us bear fruit in keeping with repentance

Sr. Angelica AOJ

“For where envy and self-seeking exist,  confusion  and   every evil thing will be  there”

James 3:16

Only born again believers who walk in Spirit  and truth are enabled  to  display the good and godly characters.  Unsaved sinners and carnal Christians  carry out the works of the flesh like envy, jealousy, selfish ambition  and the pride of life.  Conflict in families, homes and in work place is from our pride.  Pride leads to envy, jealousy, bitterness, competition, confusion and the fruit of evil. They destroy  the  good fruit in our spiritual  lives. In Old Testament  we have an example of Cain’s envy of his brother Abel, which led him to kill him.Envy starts in our heart and it make us do what it wants. So it is better to drive it away in the beginning  otherwise it will over grow, the good plants, like weeds.

We cannot  be  half spiritual and half carnal. Our connection needs to be with the good root of Jesus and not the bad root of pride, envy, and bitterness. We need to have our hearts get rid of envy and pride. We should  produce the good fruit of Holy Spirit–love, Joy, peace, kindness, patience, goodness, faithfulness,  humility  and self-control. We should not allow the evil habits creep into us and take control of our hearts  and tongues. Many are content with calling the name of Jesus and saying  He is the King of Kings and Lord  of Lords and go on living as they please.  Even though  we are supposed to put to death  our carnal nature. Even though we do,  It resurrects from time to time.We have been given the authority  of a  king and the meekness and power of priests.  Use the kingly authority  over our hearts  thoughts, temper, tongues, so that we won’t  show any expression   not pleasing to God.By the priestly quality walk in faith and integrity.

          I had this Spirit of anger before.But by the grace of God,  after knowing the truth, was able to control  it. ” Be still and know that I am the Lord” this verse help me to keep silent. Holy Spirit remind me also verses like,

” as the elect of God……put on tender mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind……..forgiving one another”.

Colossians 3:12-13

“ The battle is not yours, but God’s”.

2Chronicles 20:15

” Vengeance  is  mine,  I will  repay”.

Romans  12:19

Prayer

         Heavenly Father thank you for helping me to control  anger.Give me the grace to produce the  fruit of the Holy Spirit.In the name of Jesus I ask.

Amen

Sol.Gigi Jacob

  ^{Return on Investment}

Then He got into one of the boats, which was Simon’s, and asked him to put out a little from the land. And He sat down and taught the multitudes from the boat.

Luke 5:3

Jesus had just preached in the synagogues of Galilee and had healed the sick, set free the demon possessed, the word must have got around. Jesus was now by the Lake of Gennesaret and multitudes flocked after Him for they were keen to hear him preach the word of God. They knew He must have a word from God for their sickness, their debts, their children, their family, etc. They weren’t keen on meeting any other super specialty eminent doctor , but they knew this Jesus was a super specialty hospital and a super physician, they had heard of it. He had answers to their issue that the world could not give.

Jesus saw two boats standing by the lake, the one that the fishermen had just returned from. He borrowed Simon’s boat with the intention to start his church service that day. He asked it to be put out a little from the land. He sat and taught the large crowd from the boat.

Simon must have wondered, when would he be able to get back home, he wasn’t in a great mood that day. He had just spent a whole sleepless night, toiled says the bible, caught no fish at all. He was sleepy, tired, disappointed, hungry, worried for he didn’t know how he would pay the bills, what would he take home for food etc. Little did he know that Simon had lent the boat to the owner of heaven, earth and the seas, one who had said in Mark 10:30. But he shall receive a hundredfold now in this time.

Jesus completed His sermon and instantly spoke to Simon, Luke 5:4 “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Well Simon explained the statistics and facts, the hours spent through the night and how futile it was considering that he was a maestro at it. Yet, he said,” at Your word” I will let down the net. Some how Simon was convinced that this was no ordinary man, he thought let me obey him.

Now, Jesus is Lord over the sea, the fish, the earth and heaven. The moment He spoke, the fish swam towards the net and were so great in number that their net was breaking. They had to shout out to their partners in the other boat to come and help. The boat began to sink with huge numbers of fish. Simon fell at Jesus knees, repenting of his sin and asked Jesus to depart from him.

Jesus had given Simon the Return on investment (ROI) that he was amazed. This was the highest form of return, a same day multifold return, salvation and he was made fishers of men! Are you investing your time, prayer, money anything and everything in Jesus?

Every opportunity you get to do anything for Jesus you don’t lose it, I can vouch for that. I have not been able to out do Jesus, whatever I have done for Jesus, in the name of Jesus, it has been returned multi fold in my life.

Prayer

Loving heavenly Father, thank you that you are not a debtor but a creditor, may anyone and everyone who reads this be assured that nothing done for you is a waste that it’s fully accounted and returned exceedingly abundant and beyond measure in Jesus mighty name I pray,

Amen!!

–Sol.Lalitha Menon

“I will not leave you nor forsaken you”

Hebrews 13:5

God is compassionate and merciful and it is not his will that we perish. It means by any cost he loves to include us in his flock anyway. Sometimes through trials he punishes and makes us shine like Gold before revealing his Glory to us.  The verse Heb 13:5 illuminates us in all our difficulties, troubles, worries, losses, exhaustions, failures etc. But what does God expect of us for that? The preface of the same verse says do not have love for money but be content with what you have.

Yes, dear ones, the desire for money is the root of all the evil.  So, if the desire for money goes away, I can reflect in the eyes of others that I am a true Christ + he/Christ+ She- Christ in me-Christian.

Then Almighty God will not leave nor forsake us. I want to testify about the way this verse came in my life & the way it spoke to me.

Testimony

My name is Stella Mary. My husband Dharmaraj & I were both teachers in a government school by the grace of God. My husband was diagnosed with ALM leukemia in 2011 after having continuous fever. After 3 years at 2014 in CMC Vellore he was admitted for treatment and suffered untold pain. We belong to catholic church. I am a solider in the army of Jesus. I requested many others to pray for my husband and I as well prayed continuously. Then, one night due to low platelets in blood, blood came out and he became unconscious. Near my unconscious husband , I sat down and said “Jesus I believe that this is your blood, the blood that was shed for us”. I prayed in tears that you would wash and heal my husband with your blood. Then God gave me this word (Hebrews 13:5) through The Holy Spirit in my heart. I heard a soft voice” Wipe away the tears, why are you crying He said? When your husband was the head master of an upper grade school, he did not accept any bribe even when he had the chance. He did not have the desire to get any form of money through bribe. Your husband did not hesitate to reprimand his coworkers when they accepted bribes. He lived as a child of God, do not worry. From that day on my husband had started recovering little by little and God gave the grace to recover completely from cancer. My husband who was told he had a five percent chance of survival (since he was 54) but God who said I will not leave you nor forsake you lifted up my husband from cancer and to Him be all praise and Glory forever and ever!

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father, thank you Dad for the unconditional love & compassion that made me realize that no dark force, no satanic intrigue or disease can stop God’s blessings if the scriptures begin to work in our lives.  God of love comforts all those believers in him . We extend our heartfelt thanks for your wonderful deeds and miracles. In the name of Jesus Christ I pray

Amen

Sol. Stella Mary

And to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”

Luke 2:24

The setting is the temple

  A  Babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, is brought in the arms of His mother Mary. It is customary according to the law of Moses, for marking the dedication of a child to God, the mother had to bring a lamb of the first year as burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtle dove as sin- offering, making atonement. (Leviticus 12:6, 12:8). The mother’s requisite sacrifice is the same whether she gave birth to a boy or girl. There is provision for those who cannot afford a lamb, they may bring two turtledoves or two young pigeons. One as a burnt offering and other as sin offering.

  Now when the days of her purification, according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord”).

Luke 2:22

People who came to the church that day focused on the wealth indicator, who offered a lamb, who wore the best clothes, drove the best car

But there was one from Jerusalem, Simeon, who was looking out for the Promised one, the Messiah. Since Simeon was Holy Spirit led, he had revelation that this poor couple were  carrying the only Son of Yahweh, creator of heaven and earth, the King of King, the Lord of Lord, the Redeemer, the saviour. He did not go by the offering made for atonement. When many in the temple, ignored this baby he saw who this was. We know that this child grew strong in spirit, wisdom and the grace of God was upon Him.

By the time He was 12 years old He was an astonishment to eminent teachers and scholars, in the temple ,because of His understanding and answers too. And by the time He was 30, He revolutionized the world and at 33 the world knew He was the much awaited Messiah, the Lamb sacrificed on the cross for mine and your sins. Little did anyone know that day in the temple that this was the Lamb of God , in the arms of Mary.

If today you are labelled, branded, looked down upon, afflicted, written off, rejected, abandoned, forsaken, ignored then don’t  worry. It’s not over until God says so. The day is not far when the people around you will consider you as an amazement, an astonishment. For the bible says,

“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man, The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”

1 Cor 2:9

In 2001, people close to me declared its all over and am done. But, look what the Lord has done!!!

Prayer

Loving heavenly Father, thank you for the assurance that when God is for us who can be against us and that You have a great plan for us, not to destroy us but to prosper us.

  Amen!!

Sol.  Lalitha  Menon

WATCH THEREFORE,AND PRAY

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” Watch therefore ,and pray always that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will come to pass and to stand before the son of Man”.
The verse reminds me of Lot’s latter life.Lot is called a righteous man in the New Testament.

  2 Peter  2:7
"and delivered righteous Lot,who was oppressed with the filthy conduct of the wicked "It further says Lot tormented his righteous soul from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds".

Lot chose Sodom as his permanent place of living which was the wrong choice made by him and was at the gate of the city with other prominent men– this was the place for a Judge or village chief to spend his time.Lot lost his family to the sin of Sodom because he failed to recognize the nature of holiness of sanctification.

Lot seeing the fertile lands of Sodom made a wrong choice to settle in Sodom which is full of sin and lost his family because he was not watchful
He lost his devotion to the Divine.Thus he lost his family and peace. Here Jesus calls us to keep praying always,no matter what our surrounding culture is.

If We Are In Contact With Jesus He Will Guide And Lead Us And Help Us In Making Right Choices So

P R A Y ALWAYS ,

rather than be busy in our day today life. In the garden of Gethesemane Jesus asked His disciples to ” stay here and watch with Me”, but when He returned, He found them asleep and cautioned them “watch and pray”, lest you enter into temptation.

THE SPIRIT INDEED IS WILLING, BUT THE FLESH IS WEAK..MATHEW 26:41.

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Our confidence in Christ, faith, watching and praying is counted as righteousness.
The weapon that Jesus used to overcome was prayer and Gods word.
Jesus’s’ disciples today must also watch and pray. We are easily distracted by this world, our fleshy needs and desires and the schemes of the enemy. 2 Corinthians 2:11

When we take our eyes from Jesus our attention wanders and soon we are living like the world and bearing little fruit for Gods Kingdom. 1Timothy6:18-19 says,”Let them do good,that they be rich in good works,ready to give, willing to share. Storing up for themselves…………..may hold on eternal life”.
When we live with the eager expectation of the Lord’s return , we are more likely to keep our lives pure and our hearts ready to meet HIM. As a believer we need to obey His command as He said to His disciples,”watch and pray”. Be alert of any temptation which can bring calamity and find strength through prayer to get the victory.

TESTIMONY

By the grace of the Lord we are saved.God gave us a good son-in-law. My daughter and my son -in- law are working together for the Lord’s ministry.All glory to God.

PRAYER

Beloved Father give us the grace to watch and pray always . A M E N

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SOL.SELVI

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“Consider the Lilies  how they grow, they neither toil nor spin, and yet I say to you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these”.

Luke 12:27

Jesus here points out the beauty of the Lily or Lotus and, compare it with Solomon, the wisest man to ever live and one of the richest, with outward splendor, grandeur   pomp,elegance,magnificance and eminence. But he is nothing in comparison  to the lovely Lily. When God clothes,it will be perfect.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies,  kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and long suffering”.

Colossians 3:12

 “You have turned for me my mourning into dancing...clothed me with gladness”.

Psalms 30:11

     “For as many  of you as were  baptized into Christ have put on Christ”.

Galatians 3:27

          Every promise for the child of God is for claiming,praying them back to God and stand firm in it.This makes God happy. He enjoyed His children claiming the truth. 

“I will greatly rejoice in the Lord,  my soul shall be joyful in my God  for He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with the robe of righteousness…….”

Isaiah 61:10

            When I stand on God,s promises I cannot  fall. When we consider God’s abundant provision for a simple little flower how foolish to be concerned about our own necessities  and needs .If a Lily flower grow and attired in simple beauty without care,planning,management and  worries how much more will our Heavenly Father care for us, who are His children bought by His blood.

             Let us be like the Lotus growing in serene beauty while rooted in the miry clay and surrounded  by murky  waters.Let us draw strength and power from surrounding  negativity   by transforming it by our presence, thought and feelings into powerful positivity.

      Like the Lotus we need to grow upward and outward towards the sun. We need to grow where we are placed and grow in the miry  clay, sending deep roots into the soil and sub soil of our souls. We should bloom  not to draw attention  to ourselves  but to point upwards to the invisible glory of the creator.

       Our purpose  is not in ourselves but in glorifying  God. When people see or hear us they should also praise the Lord for His goodness and greatness.

“Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.”

Zechariah 8:23

Prayer

             Heavenly Father, thank you for turning my mourning into dancing and clothed me with gladness.

Amen

Sol.Gigi Jacob

His mother said to the servants, “whatever He says to you, do it.” The Gospel of John is the fourth of gospels   which recounts the ministry of Jesus with seven signs and the seven “I am “ discourses. This verse is from the famous wedding at Cana where the first miracle of Jesus was performed to reveal His glory when He walked on this  earth. His mother, that is Mary, who herself is an epitome of obedience is asking us to do whatever Jesus says.

John 1: 5

So, what has Jesus asked us to do?

1. John 4:24   God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” God is invisible ( Col 1:15) and not confined to time and space, not human, not finite. ”Must” means no option. We must meet God on His terms. Truth refers to real relationship with God. Worship involves the heart. God has not called us for religion but a relationship with the Father, with the one who made heaven and earth, the one who made us in His image.
2. John 3:7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ Jesus says unless we are born again we will not enter the Kingdom of God. Those who wish to be born again must believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross and was resurrected. They must confess their sin and accept the free gift of salvation offered through Jesus Christ.

What’s the benefit of obedience?

1. Eternal Life  –John 10:27–28 God’s blanket protection- Psalm 91.
2.  All the blessings that you need here on earth .

 “Now it shall come to pass, if you diligently obey the voice of the Lord your God, to observe carefully all His commandments which I command you today, that the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the Lord your God

Deuteronomy 28:1

Testimony

              I was born and brought up in a Hindu family ,am a living witness of having obeyed the voice of God, on encounter with Jesus Christ in my home in 2001 .It changed the trajectory of my life. I have peace that surpasseth all understanding, I know my God loves me, He has given me victory in my every challenge, I am safe in His hands and well protected.

Prayer

Father, I thank you that you sent your only son Jesus Christ to save us from eternal damnation and give us life and life in abundance here on earth and in heaven. I pray that let the power of Christ impact the lives of those who read this,

In Jesus mighty name.

 Amen!!

Sol. Lalitha

O Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched  you, that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Christ has been evidently  set forth, crucified among you?”.

Galatians 3:1

               St. Paul is telling the Galatians that you have been deceived  by the lies that questioned  your beliefs and contradicts  the  scripture. He asks, “Are you so foolish that after beginning  with the spirit you are trying to attain salvation by law(work). Galatians  3:3)This is the outcome  of strongholds  in the mind.

              People are neither possessed nor demonized but it is a stronghold .Satan brings some accusations or guilt of the past and he accuses us and he disuades us very subtly. He seeks to destroy our faith and people are comfortable with their old rituals and oblations.

“sacrifice and offering that wouldest not but a body hast thou prepared me” “In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure”.” I have come to do your will”.(kjv)

Hebrew 10:5,6,7

                      We are waiting for the blessed hope. The glorious appearing of our great God  and saviour Jesus  Christ because He gave himself for our sins and purify for Himself a people  that are His very own.

                Let no man be deceived in establishing his/her  holiness  by works, because scripture  declares that” our good works are like dirty rags”.

He is our High Priest and advocate in Heaven. We are washed by the blood of Jesus.

Isaiah64:6

“That He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word”.

Ephesians5:26

           We got converted but were nominal believers, our grand Father was a priest. They would go out in the scorching heat to evangelize people in the villages. We gave our life to Jesus and took water baptism. Thus, became born again Christians

Prayer

                     Thank you, Jesus, for your precious blood and choosing us to be the partakers of eternal life.

Amen

Sol .Noreen

 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation,

1 Peter 2:2

Fasting involves  lot of  patience as the flesh is subject to hunger when deprived of food The purpose of physical fasting is killing the desires of the flesh and bringing  it  in to subjection. To prepare for ministry, Jesus spent 40 days and nights in the wilderness fasting and praying before He began God’s work on this earth.  (Matthew 4:1-17). Many other Biblical characters fasted like Daniel,Moses,Esther,David ,Ezra etc..   

               There is  another type of fasting which is very harmful for a spiritual person. That can be termed as ‘spiritual fasting’. While teaching His disciples to pray, Lord Jesus said, in the Lord’s prayer.

He was referring to our spiritual food besides our physical  food. In the old testament, God fed the people with manna from heaven. Even today He is feeding us with manna in the form of Word of God

     our body comprises three things—body, soul and spirit. Just as our body needs food, our spirit also needs to be fed with the statutes and commandments from the Bible. A spiritual man delights in the Word of God just as a person of this world would relish a tasty delicacy.

        “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man  that trusted in Him”.

Psalms 34:8

The true man of God hungers for his spirit to be fed by the Word of God by  reading the Bible, prayers, meditation and worship. He has to struggle to escape from the people of the world .That is why Lord Jesus also prayed for his true followers

John 17:9-11

“I pray for them. I do not pray for the world but for those whom You have given me  ^……..

 Now I am no longer in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to You.”

        Psalms34:15 says,” The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous ……….Their cry”.

That is why in the Beatitudes  Lord Jesus clearly  said “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled”.

Testimony

I am a house wife and inspite of all my household works I always have the hunger and thirst to spent time with  God, reading the word, writing  revelations from God, praying and doing Lord’s ministry. Now I have a desire to be trained by holy Spirit to take me to a higher level of glory.

Prayer

         Heavenly Father, help us to focus on our eternal  life and be filled with  your presence while accomplishing our  earthly duties. Lord help us to obey your commandments. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen

Sol.  Neelam